Princess, she is the one who facilitated the extradition.

"Your Majesty, Uncle."

Da Shan pulled Zhang Ming to the emperor's presence. "What a coincidence! I actually ran into my sister's grandmaster in the palace."

When he met Zhang Ming, a secret guard had already reported the matter to the emperor.

The emperor and the crown prince were both surprised to see Zhang Ming being pulled into the imperial study.

"Are you and Gui Yao old acquaintances?"

The Crown Prince couldn't help but ask Zhang Ming.

Was he lying when he said he didn't know Gui Yao?

Zhang Ming was also confused. "When I found my wife, her apprentice had already left, and she didn't have that name."

But if Guiyao is indeed my wife's apprentice, then we are old acquaintances, because both my wife and the villagers have mentioned her to us many times.

Although I have never met her, I know almost everything about her in the village.

Besides, he was his wife's beloved apprentice, so he was definitely an acquaintance.

"So that's how it is."

The Crown Prince nodded slightly.

Previously, the Crown Prince felt uneasy because Gui Yao appeared out of nowhere. Now that she has a source, it's as if someone has a weakness.

Zhang Ming was thinking that if Gui Yao really was his Xian'er's disciple, then he would be her grandmaster.

Gui Yao dared not give Master Guan Yin his eyes?

If she really dares, he will write a letter to Xian'er to complain.

He also thought of something else: Gui Yao was the emperor's adopted daughter, and he had heard that she was highly regarded by the emperor.

Now he is not only the adopted son of the Duke of Zhenguo, but also Gui Yao's grandmaster. Comparing the two, he is naturally closer to Gui Yao.

Then he won't be identified as a member of the Zhang family by His Majesty and his son. Hehe, maybe he can even ask Gui Yao to help him leave the capital.

He had such beautiful dreams, but little did he know that his fate had been arranged many years ago to be the most tragic event in the world.

Therefore, when Dashan asked him to talk about things in the village, he happily told him everything he could, except for the village's specific location and the real identities of the people there.

When Gui Yao arrived, he was telling the emperor that Gui Yao had studied under eleven masters, but resolutely refused to take the village Taoist priest as his master.

As a result, the Taoist priest tried all sorts of sweet talk and attempts to coax Gui Yao into becoming her twelfth master, but Gui Yao refused them all. In the end, the fake Taoist priest could only resort to deception and fraud.

The result, naturally, was failure.

Zhang Ming laughed and said, "Everyone in the village says that Princess Xuanji is an extremely studious person who is interested in everything, except for the Taoist and other mystical arts. She must be very smart and saw through that old Taoist priest's tricks early on. So, the village gave him a nickname, 'Fake Taoist Priest'."

The Crown Prince was suspicious. If he rejected learning those things, how come he now has this ability?

Just as he was about to ask, Gui Yao walked into the Imperial Study. Da Shan hurriedly stepped forward, half-squatting down, "Sister."

Gui Yao knew he was asking for a massage, so he gently patted him on the head, and then bowed to the Emperor and the Crown Prince.

Seeing Da Shan's reaction, Zhang Ming knew he had succeeded.

He had heard from the villagers that Dashan was tall and strong, but he was like a little dog in front of his sister, and every time they met, he liked his sister to pat his head.

Judging from their practiced movements, Gui Yao really is Xian'er's apprentice.

Gui Yao also looked at Zhang Ming, and sure enough, it was the man she had seen at the mass grave that day.

Gui Yao smiled and said, "What a coincidence."

She has no memory and will not easily acknowledge her master.

Zhang Ming also smiled, from the bottom of his heart, "It's my fault, I didn't know you were Zhu Zhu, whom Xian'er had always been thinking about."

If I had known we were family, I would never have played a trick on you at the mass grave. It was my fault, Master. Please forgive me, Zhu Zhu.

Before Gui Yao could express his opinion, the Crown Prince spoke first.

"What did you call her?"

He asked Zhang Ming, "You said her name is Zhu Zhu?"

But the gaze fell on Gui Yao, who was still wearing a tassel hat, but her face was not clearly visible.

Zhang Ming was puzzled. "Yes, her surname is Zhu and her given name is Zhu."

But Zhang Ming didn't know which one was Gui Yao's real name. He didn't delve into it. Everyone in the martial arts world has a few names, just code names.

As long as it's that person, that's fine.

The prince's heart, which had been pounding wildly, gradually calmed down, and his hands fell slightly to his sides.

Yes, he had seen Gui Yao's face during the Mountain God incident. It was an extremely charming face, completely different from his sister's dignified appearance.

How could he assume Gui Yao was his sister just because of a name?

The emperor secretly rolled his eyes. He knew that even if his own pig were there, he wouldn't recognize his sister.

Gui Yao saw the emperor's little gesture and curled her lips into a smile. Sometimes, her father could be quite adorable.

The gaze returned to Zhang Ming. "Since you call yourself my master, then aren't we family? If I ask you a few questions, will you answer them truthfully?"

Zhang Ming felt that her question was strange and he was a little uneasy, but he still wanted to maintain a good relationship with Gui Yao and spend the rest of his life peacefully with his wife and daughter.

He then said, "Go ahead and ask."

"On the day we met, were you bathing in the river with Zhang Tuo?"

"Yes."

Zhang Ming found it increasingly strange that he was being asked this, but he still explained, "As soon as I returned to the capital, Zhang Tuo intercepted me and threw mud at me, soiling the clothes that your master made for me."

It really was them.

Gui Yao continued, "Did you see an old woman when you were taking a bath?"

"have."

Zhang Ming nodded, "At first we thought she was also going to the river to wash, but she didn't leave for a long time and even moved closer to us, so Zhang Tuo scolded her and sent her away."

"Did you see the woman's face?"

"No."

Zhang Ming immediately shook his head, "When I noticed someone appearing by the river, I turned my back. I only glanced at him briefly when I heard Zhang Tuo scolding me."

"Zhu Zhu, what happened? Why are you suddenly asking about Master?"

Gui Yao nodded. "After that woman went back, she hanged herself."

"What?"

Zhang Ming was somewhat surprised, "Why did he commit suicide?"

Realizing that Gui Yao might be investigating the old woman's cause of death, he quickly said, "We only told her to leave, we didn't do anything to her."

Gui Yao stared at him, his expression completely transparent.

Either he has an unpretentious nature or he is good at pretending, but judging from Gui Yao's open and honest eyes, coupled with Da Shan's enthusiasm for him, he guessed that Zhang Ming was the latter.

Although Dashan has a childlike heart, he can still distinguish between good and bad.

He then stated directly, "According to my investigation, that old woman is your biological mother."

"Zhu Zhu, don't joke with your master."

In front of the emperor, Zhang Ming dared not reveal his identity as the son of a disgraced official, and only smiled, saying, "I am the only one left in my family."

"Your father's entire clan has indeed perished, but your mother is still alive, and she has been searching for you all these years."

Gui Yao walked up behind him and said, "Your mother committed suicide for no apparent reason. Your sister wants to find her brother to fulfill her mother's last wish."

"How is this possible?"

Zhang Ming still found it hard to believe. It was a capital offense, but he was just an infant at the time, so it was somewhat understandable that he was switched out.

How could a mother, who was the matriarch of the household, possibly have survived by chance?

Judging from his expression, Gui Yao guessed that the Duke of Zhenguo might have lied about his background.

"Do you have a red birthmark on the back of your neck? Your mother was staring at you by the river that day because she recognized you as her son."

I don't know how the Duke of Zhenguo fabricated your background, but you are from the Wu family at No. 13 Taiping Lane, and your mother is from Shuzhou..."

Gui Yao briefly explained his background and how the Wu family was murdered by the Duke of Zhenguo.

"Today is the day of your mother's burial, and your sister is still waiting for you."

Gui Yao's tone left no room for argument, "I have to take you to see them."

"This is absurd..."

Zhang Ming placed his hand on the back of his neck, revealing the birthmark to Gui Yao. "Are you sure you haven't made a mistake?"

If what Gui Yao said is true, then hasn't he been recognizing a thief as his father all these years?

He even missed seeing his mother one last time.

Gui Yao glanced at the birthmark, which was indeed as Shi Yue had described, and became even more certain, "That's right, you are the child from the Wu family."

No one wants to be unaware of their true origins. Zhang Ming nodded, "Okay, I'll go with you to take a look."

Even at this moment, he was still thinking that the son of the Wu family was indeed better than the son of the disgraced official, so that he would not owe the Duke of Zhenguo any favors.

Little did he know that his tragedy would begin as he followed Gui Yao step by step toward the graveyard.