After being forced into a marriage with a wealthy family, the virtuous wife caused a huge uproar.

"Your Majesty, why do you ask that?" Rong Yingluo was taken aback.

Did the Empress guess what it was?

"Liuli, you said those things on purpose at the Zhao family that day, didn't you? You know who my son is, didn't you? You were giving me hope, weren't you?" The Empress suddenly became agitated and asked three times in a row, "Was it right or wrong?"

Rong Yingluo's heart tightened.

The Empress is truly intelligent; she is indeed a woman who has lived in the palace for so many years, and she thought of this so quickly.

Seeing the tears in the Empress's eyes, and thinking of all the repression and longing she had endured for her son over the years.

How could she answer in a way that would convince the Empress that she had only calculated it based on feng shui?

"Your Majesty, please calm down. This humble woman..."

"Liuli, don't lie to me. I know you don't want to say it. It must be that the prince asked you to, right?"

He fears I cannot protect him.

Now that the Crown Prince is here, he's afraid of being plotted against by the Crown Prince when he returns; I know all of this.

But I really want to know where he is.

It doesn't matter if he doesn't want to return to the palace. As long as I can see him and know that he is well, I will be satisfied.

"You can understand how I feel as a mother, right?" The Empress interrupted Rong Yingluo's attempt to lie to her.

She asked for nothing more than to see her son and know that he was well.

"Your Majesty..." The longing in the Empress's eyes left Rong Yingluo at a loss for words.

They had no evidence to prove that Gu Ce was the Second Prince from back then; it was just their analysis.

"Liuli, I know what my son is worried about. I will not tell anyone. I only ask that I acknowledge him as my son." The Empress saw Rong Yingluo's hesitation and immediately made a promise.

As she had guessed, Liuli knew where the prince was.

Rong Yingluo thought of how her mother would cry every time she went home, even when she knew where she had gone and everything was alright. She was still so emotional.

The Empress has held on to the last glimmer of hope that the Second Prince's body could not be found back then, and has never given up.

At this moment, Rong Yingluo was so moved by the Empress's longing for her son that her eyes reddened and tears welled up in them.

"Your Majesty, we are not sure if he is the Second Prince; we are just guessing."

"Could you tell me what characteristics the Second Prince has that allow you to recognize him as your son at a glance?" Rong Yingluo's heart softened.

She couldn't bear to refuse such a mother.

The Empress became even more agitated and grabbed Rong Yingluo's hand: "My son has only been walking for a short time. He is playful and doesn't like wearing shoes. He took off his shoes and accidentally stepped into the fire pit."

His right little toe was burned, and after it healed, it was left with a scar that would never fade.

"Really?" Rong Yingluo's eyes lit up.

She asked Gu Ce if he had any unusual birthmarks, but he said no.

Today, the Empress has provided evidence that it's not a birthmark, which makes things much easier.

Couldn't we just check if Gu Ce has any old scars on his right little toe to confirm?

The Empress nodded emphatically.

"Come on, let's go back to the side room. I'll write a letter right now and ask him to come to the temple so you can see if he is the Second Prince." Rong Yingluo pulled the Empress and walked out of the Pagoda Forest.

Now that the Empress has left the palace, it is the best time for them to recognize each other.

It doesn't matter if someone has planted spies among the palace servants.

Gu Ce is her husband, so it's perfectly reasonable for him to visit her at Huguo Temple.

They will recognize each other in private, and no one will know.

With mother and son reunited, the Empress's health will surely recover faster. To protect Gu Ce, she will certainly not kneel before the Buddha for half a day as before.

She will be motivated to fight and protect Gu Ce, at least keeping the harem under her control.

That way, they could find out what Consort Cao was planning sooner.

Having thought all this through, Rong Yingluo made this decision.

The Empress was even more excited.

Back in her room, Rong Yingluo wrote a letter and asked Lingyun to send it back to the capital.

Gu Ce received the letter, which contained only one sentence: "Take some time to visit Huguo Temple."

"What happened?" Gu Ce asked Ling Yun, frowning.

Ling Yun shook his head, then thought for a moment and said, "Master Mingxin of Huguo Temple spent the whole morning playing chess with you, Master. I don't know what they talked about."

"Master Mingxin?" Gu Ce was even more confused.

Master Mingxin is quite old and has not seen outsiders for several years. He will only come out to greet the emperor and empress in person.

A few days ago, when he escorted the Empress and his wife to Huguo Temple, he saw Master Mingxin in the crowd.

Gu Ce dropped the documents, mounted his horse, and rode out of the capital towards Huguo Temple.

Since the lady has summoned him, it must be for something important.

Gu Ce Shen arrived at Huguo Temple in the middle of the night.

"Husband, you've arrived so quickly?" Rong Yingluo greeted him with a smile.

"Why did you call me here so urgently? What happened?" Gu Ce asked impatiently.

"Come with me to the room first, I have something to tell you." Rong Yingluo noticed that Shu He, who was beside the Empress, was looking in her direction.

Then we went inside.

Sure enough, the Queen came out before they even entered the room.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects." Gu Ce bowed.

"Is A-Ce missing his wife?" the Empress asked, but her gaze was fixed on the direction of the courtyard gate.

Didn't Liuli write back to the capital to summon someone? Why is it A-Ce who came?

"Your Majesty, I'll come and talk to you after I've spoken with my husband for a few minutes." Rong Yingluo pulled Gu Ce into her room, leaving Yinghong to stand guard outside the door. She then closed the door and went to check the back window to see if anyone was there.

They discovered that the palace guards protecting the Empress were all far away, so it was very safe.

"My lady, do you miss your husband?" Gu Ce asked, noticing her cautious manner, as if she were doing something wrong.

Rong Yingluo closed the window, returned to the table and sat down, pouring each of them a cup of tea.

"What do you mean I miss you? I have something important to discuss with you." Rong Yingluo gave him a reproachful look.

Ever since she agreed to let him kiss her, her husband's words have made her blush and her heart race. Every night before bed, she always needs a kiss to fall asleep.

Fortunately, she had strong willpower and was not tempted.

Gu Ce coughed lightly, picked up his tea and took a sip, trying to hide his disappointment.

The lady is really too clueless about romance.

His nightly kiss before bed seemed to have no effect whatsoever; his wife maintained the same attitude towards him.

"Quickly take off your right shoe." Rong Yingluo's face was very excited.

"Is there something wrong with my right foot?" Gu Ce asked, taken aback.

They naturally took off their shoes and socks when they went to sleep at night, and the lady of the house never seemed interested in his feet.

"Just take it off when I tell you to, don't ask why." She couldn't say anything before she was sure, what if it wasn't true? That would prove that all their previous guesses were wrong.

"I won't take it off until you explain clearly." Gu Ce deliberately didn't cooperate, trying to tease her.

"If you won't take it off, I'll help you take it off." Rong Yingluo couldn't wait any longer.

She changed chairs, sat down next to Gu Ce, and pressed down on his right leg, making a move to take it off for him.

"Madam, when did you become so unreserved?" Gu Ce didn't struggle and let her do it herself.

Rong Yingluo took off his shoes, then his socks, and then placed his legs on her own lap. She lowered her head and looked at him intently as if he were a precious treasure.

Gu Ce felt a tightness in his throat as he looked at her serious expression.

If a woman's feet are seen by a man, she is considered to have lost her chastity. Now that the lady is holding his feet so carefully, does that mean he has also lost his chastity and will only belong to the lady from now on?

This idea stunned Gu Ce instantly.