He remarried after his mother's death, seized power over the world, and slept on the emperor�

Liu Jingyi's body stiffened abruptly, her eyes staring blankly into the void.

"mother?"

Jiang Bingning gently nudged her mother.

Liu Jingyi showed no reaction, still looking lost and dejected.

"Mother! What's wrong?"

The man outside the car seemed to have noticed the deathly silence inside as well, and his voice carried a hint of pleading expectation.

"Jingyi...is that you?"

Seeing that her mother still didn't respond, Jiang Bingning reached out and suddenly lifted the carriage curtain.

She saw the man.

He rode atop a magnificent black horse, his dark, fitted outfit worn smooth by the wind and sand.

It was an extremely handsome face, with sword-like eyebrows and a high nose bridge, but his cheeks were too thin, making his features particularly distinct.

His temples were already streaked with gray.

What's most chilling are his eyes.

His eyes were filled with resentment; just looking at them, you could say he was in his seventies or eighties.

Although he looked thin, his back was ramrod straight on the horse.

But his hands, which were holding the reins, were trembling slightly uncontrollably.

Upon seeing the carriage curtain lifted, the man suddenly dismounted and rushed to the front of the carriage in a few steps.

He carefully examined Jiang Bingning's eyebrows and eyes.

A hot tear slid down his cheek.

His lips trembled, and his voice was hoarse beyond recognition.

"It looks just like... exactly the same."

Sure enough it was him.

Ji Yunhan, the Prince of Xin of the Northern Di.

In her past life, after Jiang Yuerong was granted the title of princess, she boasted about her stepfather to her more than once.

"Uncle Xinwang is so good to Mother; he'd love to pluck the stars from the sky for her. It's just that..."

Jiang Yuerong's tone carried a hint of disdain and complaint.

"He's just a bit cold to me. He rarely says a word to me, and he can't see anyone else but my mother."

At the time, Jiang Bingning only found it laughable, but now that she has seen this person with her own eyes, she understands that it was not indifference.

It was a state of deep-seated resentment, a loneliness that others could not fathom.

Inside the carriage, Liu Jingyi was finally awakened by the commotion outside.

She lifted the carriage curtain and saw a face that was both familiar and unfamiliar.

"...Yun Han".

Ji Yunhan's body jolted violently, and he abruptly turned his head away.

He wanted to laugh, but the corners of his mouth stretched into a smile that looked even uglier than crying.

In the end, all the emotions were reduced to just a few words.

"...It's good that you're back."

Liu Jingyi could no longer hold back, and tears streamed down her face like beads from a broken string.

She choked back tears and turned to look at Jiang Bingning. After a slight hesitation, she still spoke.

"Yun Han, this is my daughter, Jiang Bingning."

"Ning'er, this is... this is His Highness Prince Xin."

Jiang Bingning jumped off the carriage expressionlessly.

She straightened her slightly disheveled clothes and gave Ji Yunhan a proper curtsy.

"This humble woman, Jiang Bingning, greets His Highness Prince Xin."

Ji Yunhan reached out to help him in a flustered manner.

"Quickly, get up, no need for formalities."

He hurriedly pulled a jade pendant from his waist and shoved it into Jiang Bingning's hand without saying a word.

It was a piece of warm, white mutton-fat jade, with a smooth texture and carved auspicious cloud patterns.

"It's a bit rushed since it's our first meeting, so please... take this."

He spoke incoherently.

"Once we get back to the Prince's residence, I'll prepare a proper gift for you."

Jiang Bingning was about to express her gratitude when a cold, hard voice interrupted.

"Miss Jiang."

Jiang Bingning looked up and saw Ji Ling.

He walked over at some point, his expression serious and devoid of any emotion.

He stared intently at Jiang Bingning, his tone cold.

"You, come with me."

Jiang Bingning did not resist; she was well aware of her current identity.

A prisoner.

Ji Ling led her to a secluded corner, keeping her dozens of steps away from the long-separated couple.

His expression softened, and his tone became gentler.

"Don't bother them."

"Your Royal Uncle has waited twenty years for this day. If you know what's good for you, you'd better behave yourself."

He glanced at Jiang Bingning, his words carrying a hidden meaning.

"This concerns you; it will determine whether you have a good life in the Northern Barbarians in the future."

Jiang Bingning suddenly raised her head and looked directly into his eyes.

"You went to great lengths to abduct my mother to the Northern Barbarians, all for the sake of Prince Xin?"

Ji Ling seemed surprised by her directness and paused for a moment.

He then tugged at the corners of his mouth, revealing a complex smile.

"Want to know?"

He paused, then turned his gaze to Ji Yunhan in the distance.

"Twenty years ago, your uncle and your mother were childhood sweethearts, and they were to get married when they came of age."

"But on the eve of the wedding, a war broke out, and your mother was kidnapped by someone and sold to the Great Zhou."

Jiang Bingning's heart sank inch by inch.

Ji Ling's voice was like a knife chilled to the bone, cutting open the truth she least wanted to face.

"The royal uncle volunteered to guard the northern border in order to find her."

"Over the past twenty years, he has sent countless people to the Great Zhou, but they have never been heard from. He has gradually declined and become what he is today."

"Until recently, my people found out that she married your father."

Ji Ling turned back to look at Jiang Bingning, his eyes filled with a hint of arrogance.

"So I set this up."

"I want Jiang Chengxuan to see with his own eyes how his wife returns to where she belongs."

"So, I didn't kidnap your mother, I just... let her return home."

He finished speaking and turned to leave, but after taking only two steps, he stopped and turned back.

"I'm saying all this so you understand that your mother isn't a rootless duckweed in the Northern Di. As for you... whether you're worthy of your uncle's expectations is up to you."

Having said that, he left without lingering.

In the distance, Ji Yunhan had already personally helped Liu Jingyi into a more spacious and comfortable carriage.

Jiang Bingning was then taken back to the small carriage by the soldiers.

The carriage curtain fell, obscuring the image of the beautiful couple.

Jiang Bingning sat in the darkness, her mind in turmoil.

Scenes from my past life became incredibly clear at this moment.

She thought of Jiang Yuerong again.

That was shortly after she and her father arrived in Beidi. Jiang Yuerong came to the embassy to see her father and proudly showed off to them.

"My mother and Uncle Xinwang went to Xiufeng Mountain before they returned."

"Do you know what? They were gone for a full two weeks before they came back!"

"After she came back, Mother was like a different person. The worry in her eyes disappeared, and Uncle Prince Xin treated her even better!"

Xiufeng Mountain.

Jiang Bingning's nails dug deeply into her palms.

In her previous life, she had some impression of this place name. She originally thought that her mother and Ji Yunhan were going sightseeing to make up for the regrets of the past twenty years.

Looking back now, this incident is more likely the source of the unresolved issue between Ji Yunhan and his mother.

After returning from Xiufeng Mountain, my mother became the Princess Consort of the Northern Di.

Jiang Yuerong, who did not go with them, was ostracized by the Prince of Xin's heir and other children in the Prince of Xin's mansion.

He was almost killed.

She didn't live a good life until Prince Xin returned.

No.

Jiang Bingning's eyes were firm.

This time, she absolutely couldn't miss the trip to Xiufeng Mountain!