Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Before long, the Mid-Autumn Festival arrived.

With the tacit approval of Prince Zhao, the banquet to formally recognize me as his adoptive daughter was held on an exceptionally grand scale.

All the noble ladies of the capital were in attendance, and even His Majesty bestowed gifts out of respect for Prince Zhao.

I served tea to Prince Zhao and the Princess Consort, accepted the red envelopes they gave me, and was introduced to the relatives one by one as the master of ceremonies announced the proceedings.

Aside from not being recorded in the Imperial Genealogy, my status as an adopted daughter was now firmly established.

The hall was filled with guests, all offering their congratulations to Prince Zhao and the Princess Consort on gaining another beloved daughter.

Only Yujie pouted, looking quite unhappy.

“She’s not my big sister! Mother said she’s only here to bring a little brother. If she doesn’t bring a brother, she doesn’t count as a sister.”

The crowd fell silent for a moment.

A Mammy quickly coaxed and wheedled Yujie, carrying her out of the room.

The guests resumed their lively chatter as if they hadn’t heard a thing.

The Princess Consort wore a faint smile. “Children’s talk. I hope everyone will forgive the joke. Zhiqiu, you mustn’t take it to heart.”

I lowered my eyes and smiled softly.

A sweet date followed by a strike from a club. I understood perfectly.

That familiar sense of nausea surged up again.

I also acted as if I hadn’t heard, maintaining the etiquette the Mammy had taught me, looking every bit the refined young lady from a prestigious family.

Right then, the steward announced in a loud voice, “The Eldest Princess has arrived!”

I looked up and saw a dignified, elegant woman walking in with hurried steps. A warm current welled up in my heart.

She was finally here.

A while ago, the Eldest Princess had survived an assassination attempt and had been recuperating in her mansion, refusing all invitations to banquets.

No one expected her to step out today, let alone come to Prince Zhao’s Mansion for a mere adoption banquet.

Her gaze swept across the room as the sound of people kneeling in greeting filled the air.

The smiles on the faces of Prince Zhao and the Princess Consort were strained.

For many years, the gifts the Princess Consort sent to the Eldest Princess’s Mansion for the New Year had been strictly conventional and unremarkable, while she would send thoughtful, personalized gifts to other families she was close with.

The level of intimacy-or lack thereof-was self-evident.

Although the Eldest Princess was the Emperor’s biological elder sister, she didn’t seem to receive as much favor from him as Prince Zhao did.

The dynamics between them were quite intriguing.

The Eldest Princess looked at Prince Zhao and said with a smile, “I didn’t expect Zixi’s child to be so big already.”

Prince Zhao’s name was Liu Zixi.

I had heard that when he was young, he adored the Eldest Princess most. He used to follow her everywhere, calling her “Sister, Sister,” pestering her to play with him or find him something delicious to eat.

But as they grew up, they became distant.

The Eldest Princess scanned the room until her gaze landed on me. She said softly, “Is this Zixi’s new adopted daughter? She truly is a fine child. This Princess must thank her for saving my life. If not for her help during the hunt that day, This Princess’s soul would have long since departed this world.”

The entire room fell silent.

The Princess Consort seemed to stop breathing.

Prince Zhao’s body swayed, and he gripped the arms of his chair tightly as if he might collapse at any moment.

I acted as if I noticed nothing, answering dutifully, “It is because Your Highness is blessed with great fortune. Your servant was merely following the will of Heaven; I dare not take credit.”

“The will of Heaven…” The Eldest Princess gave a meaningful smile and beckoned to me. “Good child, come here. Let This Princess have a good look at you.”

*Good child…*

I found that I truly could not resist that form of address.

I walked slowly toward her.

She examined me closely and asked for my name.

I replied softly, “Your servant is called Ye Zhiqiu. ‘Zhiqiu’ as in ‘one leaf heralds the coming of autumn.'”

The Eldest Princess froze.

Her fingers curled slightly as she gripped my shoulders tightly.

“Then your mother… what was your mother’s name?”

“My mother’s name was Su Yilan. She was the daughter of the hero of Rongcheng, Old Hero Su.”

The Eldest Princess’s body shook. Suddenly, she pulled me into a tight embrace and burst into loud, agonizing sobs.

“My daughter… my daughter! Your mother has searched so hard for you…”

That day, the guests were shocked time and time again.

The expressions of Prince Zhao and the Princess Consort shifted repeatedly.

The eunuch who had come to observe the ceremony lost his composure and rushed back to the palace to deliver the news.

The Eldest Princess cried until she fainted, and even in her unconscious state, she held my hand tightly, refusing to let go.

The servants had no choice but to have me board the carriage with her to return to the Eldest Princess’s Mansion.

We left.

The mess remained behind.

I heard that Prince Zhao didn’t even wait for the guests to leave before he slapped the Princess Consort across the face.

“Look at what you’ve done!”

With red eyes, the Princess Consort clutched her face and slumped to the ground, her usual haughty demeanor long gone.

She didn’t hate Prince Zhao; instead, she hated me.

“All these years… she actually deceived me. Ye! Zhi! Qiu!”

She spat my name out through gritted teeth, filled with hatred.

Inexplicably, I felt honored.

Because both my mother and I had become the people she hated.

To be held in the same regard as my mother made me very proud.