The moment those words were spoken, the entire hall was shocked!
At the foot of the steps, Jiang Wanxin’s eyes were filled with astonishment. Jiang Heng, not far away, could not help but step forward, only to be stopped by Jiang Shian, who moved first.
The Princess Royal was momentarily stunned. When she saw the hatred in Yun Zhao’s eyes, she was puzzled, but at the same time, she could not help but cast a gaze of undisguised disgust toward Jiang Shian, who stood by the Crown Prince’s side.
Jiang Shian blocked Jiang Heng, his bearing composed, his words still refined and courteous:
“Your Highness, please see clearly. There must be a great misunderstanding in this matter. Your subject and his wife, Madam Su, indeed have one son and one daughter—the eldest son Jiang Heng and the younger daughter Wanxin. This is known to the entire court. How could it be false?”
His expression remained calm, his tone sincere, as if he had been wrongfully accused.
Murmurs of discussion rose and fell throughout the hall. Many regarded Yun Zhao’s claim of kinship as a romantic debt Jiang Shian had incurred in his youth.
A noble lady familiar with Jiang Wanxin said, “No wonder she has been targeting you all day. So she is also a daughter of the Jiang family!”
Jiang Wanning, the daughter of the second branch, curled her lips: “A daughter of the Jiang family? At best, she is just an illegitimate daughter. How can she be compared to Xin’er, the legitimate daughter of the Jiang family?”
Jiang Wanxin frowned, somewhat impatiently interrupting the noble ladies’ speculation: “Ladies, don’t believe everything you hear. She…”
But at that moment, Yun Zhao said clearly, “My father is Jiang Shian, and my mother is Su Lingyun.”
The moment the name “Su Lingyun” was uttered, everyone was shocked!
The Princess Royal met Yun Zhao’s gaze, seeing the unreserved hatred in her eyes, and caught a hint of something unusual within it.
She suddenly recalled the rumors of these years about Madam Su being bedridden and living in seclusion. As her thoughts raced, an absurd notion surfaced in her mind.
She asked in a low voice, “Child, you say you are the daughter of those two. Do you have proof of this?”
Yun Zhao took out a jade pendant from her bosom: “This was personally bestowed upon my mother by the Grand Empress Dowager back then.”
Not far away, Jiang Heng stared at the jade pendant, his eyes burning with hatred as if they would bleed!
So it was true—the jade pendant they had been searching for had been hidden on her all along! She was too scheming!
The Princess Royal took the jade pendant and examined it, a smile curling at the corners of her lips:
“What a coincidence. Back then, the Grand Empress Dowager bestowed this jade upon Madam Jiang, saying it was to be given to the first daughter she bore. I happened to be present at the time. This jade is of a special quality, and all items bestowed by the Grand Empress Dowager bear the palace’s inscription.”
She raised her voice, “Someone, verify this.”
Yun Zhao turned, her gaze fixed directly on Jiang Shian: “Lord Jiang claims with such certainty that Jiang Wanxin is his only daughter. I wonder if she can produce a jade pendant personally bestowed by the Grand Empress Dowager? Is there clear proof that she is the legitimate daughter of the Jiang family?”
Jiang Wanxin’s face instantly turned deathly pale.
Jiang Shian’s eyes were deep and dark as he stared at Yun Zhao. He said unhurriedly, “Xin’er has been raised by my wife and me since childhood. Everyone in the household can bear witness.”
Yun Zhao gave a faint smile: “Then could it be that she was switched at birth?”
Jiang Shian fell silent for a moment.
Jiang Heng wanted to say something, but doubts began to rise around them. Many of the madams and old ladies present had already started gossiping:
“No wonder a wandering country healer could have such looks and bearing. So she is actually the long-lost daughter of the Jiang family?!”
“Actually, looking at it this way, this Little Medical Immortal’s features are practically carved from the same mold as a young Madam Su!”
“And Jiang Wanxin? Who does she resemble?”
More and more people turned their probing gazes toward Jiang Wanxin.
Jiang Wanxin burst into tears: “I—I don’t know anything about a jade pendant… But I am truly my parents’ daughter!”
“Xin’er, don’t cry.” Jiang Heng could not help but raise his voice to comfort her: “Your elder brother recognizes only you as my sister. Our Jiang family has only you as the legitimate daughter. There is absolutely no mistake!”
Yun Zhao pressed forward step by step, staring fixedly at Jiang Shian:
“Lord Jiang, as the head of the household and the Minister of Rites, you are learned and resourceful. Surely you must have a way to verify the identities of both me and Jiang Wanxin, so as to avoid any confusion of bloodline that might deceive the court.”
At these words, the entire hall was stunned!
Xiao Qi, seated nearby, could not help but show a hint of interest, chuckling softly: “The kitten is about to show its claws.”
Just then, the craftsman responsible for examining the jade pendant reported:
“Your Highness, this item is indeed from the palace. The inscription on the back of the pendant cannot be forged. Moreover, this jade is of a special quality—warm in winter and cool in summer—it was a treasure tribute from the Zhuyu Kingdom back then. The Grand Empress Dowager had two such pendants made…”
The Princess Royal nodded: “Indeed. If I remember correctly, the other pendant was bestowed by the Grand Empress Dowager to Yuan’er’s mother.”
Xiao Qi’s gaze settled on the jade pendant in the Princess Royal’s hand, his eyes darkening slightly, as if lost in recollection.
Prince Qin, Xiao Chengyuan’s mother—the late emperor’s first wife—had passed away from overwhelming grief on the third day after the late emperor’s death.
Thus, even among the royal family, this matter was usually avoided in conversation.
For a moment, the entire hall fell into dead silence. No one dared to speak.
Jiang Shian lowered his head, then suddenly lifted his robes and knelt: “Your Highness, please see clearly! Your subject is guilty!”
At these words, everyone’s gaze fell upon this newly risen power of the court.
Jiang Shian’s voice was heavy with grief yet clear: “The child my wife bore that year was actually a pair of twin daughters!
But one of them was tragically lost shortly after birth. My wife and I were heartbroken beyond words, and to spare ourselves the pain of remembrance, we told the world we had only one daughter…
Little did we expect that Heaven would take pity on us—sixteen years later, my child found her way back on her own! This is Heaven’s will, and I am overjoyed!”
“Father!” Jiang Wanxin cried out in shock, her delicate face draining of all color as she stared at her father in disbelief.
Beside her, Jiang Heng’s eyes also flashed with shock, but he quickly understood his father’s intent—
This was a strategic retreat: acknowledge her into the household first, then plan the next move!
His knuckles whitened as he clenched his fists, his lowered lashes concealing the murderous intent in his eyes.
But Jiang Shian had already commanded them both, his tone brooking no dissent: “Xin’er, Heng’er, come and acknowledge your sister! You share the same mother—flesh and blood separated for sixteen years. Now that you are reunited, this is truly a great blessing for the Jiang family!”
Jiang Heng took a deep breath and stepped forward first.
Under the Princess Royal’s and the crowd’s scrutinizing or curious gazes, he forced a bow toward Yun Zhao, his voice taut: “Greetings, little sister.”
Yun Zhao blinked lightly, her tone carrying deliberate delight: “Elder brother, I told you before—we would be reunited as a family!”
At these words, she drew everyone’s attention once more.
He forced a stiff smile: “Little sister… you jest.”
But the Princess Royal’s curiosity was piqued: “Zhao’er, have you two met before?”
Jiang Heng’s jaw clenched tight, his handsome face darkening as he stared fixedly at Yun Zhao.
Yun Zhao took in his nervous, guilty demeanor, and a faint smile curved at the corners of her lips:
“In answer to my adoptive mother—the moment I saw my elder brother, I felt an instant familiarity, as if… I had seen him a thousand times in my dreams before.”
Her voice was soft, each word striking Jiang Heng’s heart like a hammer.
Jiang Heng’s expression turned extremely ugly. He thought Yun Zhao was simply mad!
Having only just earned the Princess Royal’s favor as her adopted daughter, she dared to publicly pressure his father into acknowledging the kinship!
Now that the recognition had succeeded and she had become a young lady of the Jiang household overnight, he had no idea what else Yun Zhao might expose in public next!