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

No one had ever said that a man could lose his chastity, but at this moment, he felt that the words "loss of chastity" were all too fitting for him.

"My lady, now that you've seen my feet, I'm yours," Gu Ce said softly, his voice deep and alluring.

"There really is an old scar." Rong Yingluo suddenly exclaimed with delight, completely ignoring what Gu Ce said.

Gu Ce stared at the sky speechlessly; his words had once again been ignored. He really wanted to knock open his wife's head to see if she had ever even considered matters between men and women.

Rong Yingluo looked at it carefully again and was not mistaken. Although the scar was not very obvious, after all, it was left when she was so young, it was still quite noticeable compared to a normal, intact toe.

"My lord, today the Empress told me that when the Second Prince was a little over one year old, he accidentally stepped into a brazier, leaving a permanent scar on his little toe."

"I see, you really do have a scar on your right little toe. This is no coincidence. Now we can confirm your identity." Rong Yingluo's face was flushed with excitement. Before, she had to guess, but now she finally had concrete evidence.

"Really?" Gu Ce was stunned for a moment, then his eyes brightened.

He pulled his foot off Rong Yingluo's leg, placed it on his left leg, and forcefully flipped his foot over, whereupon he saw a scar on his little toe.

Over the years, he had never looked at his little toe.

You can't see the scar underneath unless you turn it over.

"How about it? I was right, wasn't I?" Rong Yingluo's eyes were filled with excited smiles.

Gu Ce stared blankly at Rong Yingluo.

For so many days, he had been thinking about how to obtain evidence to prove his identity.

After much thought, I decided that I should wait for my father to return from the border and ask him directly.

Unexpectedly, the Empress had evidence.

"Let's go find the Empress now. She really wants to see her son."

I suspect she asked me out this time because she wanted to get information out of me.

She said she only wanted to acknowledge you privately, and she would be relieved to know that you were doing well.

I think this is a good idea. The Empress will help you in the future, and she can at least deal with Consort Cao in the palace.

"Besides, she's the Empress, the Crown Prince's legal mother. If anything happens, she can use her status to suppress the Crown Prince," Rong Yingluo advised.

"Okay." Gu Ce agreed without hesitation.

He grew up without a mother's love. As a child, he envied others who had clothes made for them by their mothers and snacks made for them by their mothers.

But his mother passed away early, and although his stepmother was nice to him on the surface, she never actually did anything for him.

Su never truly cared about him; she only said nice things to him.

When he was young, he was deceived by the illusion created by Su, and only later did he realize that Su had no affection for him at all.

Later, when he grew older and understood Su's purpose, he learned to protect himself.

Unfortunately, it was too late.

The Empress did so many foolish things that only a mother would do out of love for her son; this is true maternal love.

He couldn't wait any longer; he wanted to reunite with his family.

After Gu Ce put on his shoes, the two arrived at the room where the Empress lived.

Several palace servants stood guard outside the door, in the same positions they had just been.

It is evident that no one entered or left the Empress's room during the time she was talking to Gu Ce.

The two pushed the door open and went inside.

In the past few days, Rong Yingluo and the Empress have been getting along very casually. The palace servants who serve them all know that Rong Yingluo has been spending time with the Empress these days, and the two are very close. No one has stopped them.

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

"A-Ce is here. It's only been five days, and he couldn't wait any longer. It's all my fault for keeping you newlyweds apart for so long," the Empress said with a smile.

"Your Majesty is too kind. It is Madam's blessing to have you by her side," Gu Ce said gently, straightening up and looking steadily at the Empress.

He knew it was impolite, but he just couldn't help it.

"Liuli, didn't you write a letter back to the capital? When are you coming?" The Empress didn't notice Gu Ce's gaze, but instead asked Rong Yingluo with an impatient look on her face.

She had waited for so long, a full twenty-one years, countless days and nights.

Her hair got all messed up from waiting.

"Your Majesty, please send everyone away to keep their distance." Rong Yingluo winked.

"Shuhe, disperse everyone out of the courtyard, but Qin Mama stays behind." The Empress's spirits lifted, and she immediately gave the order.

Gu Ce also went out and told An Yi and the others who had come with him, as well as Ling Feng and the other two, to leave the courtyard and guard the gate so that no one would come in to disturb them.

"Liuli?" The Empress looked at Rong Yingluo with a puzzled expression.

"Your Majesty, the person has arrived." Rong Yingluo said solemnly.

"Where?" The Queen didn't see any strangers.

Just then, Gu Ce pushed the door open and closed it.

Gu Ce walked heavily to the Empress, said nothing, his legs went weak, and he knelt down.

"A-Ce, why are you kneeling down?" The Empress was even more puzzled.

"Your Majesty, it is he," Rong Yingluo said solemnly.

"What did you say?" The Queen's eyes widened instantly.

How could it be A-Ce?

"Your Majesty, I just examined his toes, and there's exactly the scar you mentioned." Rong Yingluo immediately knelt down and took off Gu Ce's shoes and socks.

The Empress couldn't wait to move behind Gu Ce, whose feet were turned outwards as he knelt down.

The empress crouched down to examine it closely.

The more the Empress looked, the more agitated she became, and tears dripped onto Gu Ce's soles.

"Your Majesty, it really is!" Granny Qin couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, wiping away her tears.

Gu Ce turned around, his face already streaked with tears: "Your Majesty the Empress..."

"My son, you are truly my son!" The Empress burst into tears, embracing Gu Ce and weeping bitterly.

"Mother!" Gu Ce uttered this sound from his throat, a sound he had never made before.

"Xiao'er, my Xiao'er. It's all my fault. I lost you. I'm so sorry." The Empress murmured almost incoherently.

She blamed herself for so many years, and finally found her son.

It turns out that her son had always been in the capital, so close to her.

Gu Ce also hugged the Empress back; he finally had a mother.

Rong Yingluo said nothing, letting the mother and son, who had just recognized each other, cry their hearts out.

Granny Qin kept wiping away her tears.

In the end, Gu Ce was the first to control his emotions.

"Mother, the ground is cold. Let's sit down and talk." With that, he helped the Empress up and sat her down in a chair.

Both of their eyes were bloodshot.

The Empress's gaze remained fixed on Gu Ce's eyes, she could never get enough of looking at him.

How could she be so stupid? She'd seen Gu Ce so many times, how could she never have suspected his identity?

Looking at this face now, it really does resemble the emperor. But upon closer inspection, it looks more like my grandfather.

"Xiao'er, what exactly is going on? How did you become Gu Jingsheng's son?" The Empress had too many questions.

"Your Majesty, I think you should conduct another blood test to ensure there are no complications," Rong Yingluo interjected. Putting everything else aside for now, further verification is needed to avoid any misunderstandings.

She feared that the Empress's hopes would be dashed, which would be an even greater blow.

"Alright." The Queen nodded.

She knew Rong Yingluo was right; the royal bloodline could not be faked. Although she believed that A Ce was her son, there was always a chance of something going wrong.

Rong Yingluo immediately brought a bowl of water, preparing to verify the kinship between the two.