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

"Let me do it." Gu Ce took the silver needle from Rong Yingluo's hand, pricked his own finger first, and squeezed out two drops of blood into the bowl.

"I will do it myself." The Empress tried to take the silver needles, but Gu Ce dodged them.

"Mother, let me do it." Gu Ce grasped the Empress's hand and pressed some acupoints. When the needle was inserted, she didn't feel any pain.

The empress's blood dripped into the water, and all three of them stared wide-eyed as the blood of the two people slowly spread.

They just haven't been able to blend together for a long time.

Disappointment slowly crept into the Empress's eyes. Was it really just a coincidence?

"Liuli, this..." The Empress's tears, which she had barely managed to control, welled up again.

"Your Majesty, please don't be impatient, wait a little longer." Rong Yingluo thought for a moment and then realized the reason.

The three of them waited for about half a cup of tea's time.

"It's melted, it's really melted!" The Empress hugged Gu Ce tightly again, "My son, you are truly my son."

Gu Ce blinked a few times and hugged the Empress tightly.

That's it now.

A single scar wasn't convincing enough, so the two underwent a blood test to confirm that they are indeed mother and son.

"Mother, you have suffered so much. It is your unfilial son who has caused you so much worry over the years." Gu Ce felt a pang of sorrow and heartache.

"No matter how hard it is, I can bear it if I can find you." So many people advised her to give up, saying that her son must have died long ago.

She was the only one who believed that her son would return to her side, and she prayed before the Buddha every day.

Her sincerity moved Buddha, who then sent his son to her.

"Mother!" Gu Ce called out again with deep affection.

He didn't call her "Mother" because he felt that title lacked human touch and only indicated her status. "Mother" was the warmest term of address.

"Good boy."

The two embraced for a while before separating and sitting down.

This time it's a done deal; Gu Ce really is the Empress's long-lost child.

"Liuli, why did it take so long for our blood to mix?" Gu Ce had heard people say that blood tests for kinship usually mix quickly between close relatives, but it took him and the Empress so long.

"Because your blood is poisonous." Rong Yingluo had already figured it out.

"What?" The Empress's face turned pale. Yes, A-Ce had shielded the Emperor from poison and was poisoned by a strange poison.

"Your Majesty, please do not worry. I have found a way to detoxify, but it will take time." Rong Yingluo was afraid that the Empress's anxiety would harm her health, so she quickly told her that she had a solution.

"Mother, don't worry, I won't die," Gu Ce gently patted the Empress's hand, comforting her.

Although they sat down, their hands remained clasped together on the small table. It was the Empress who couldn't bear to let go of Gu Ce.

The Empress was somewhat relieved.

"A-Ce, have you been doubting your own identity for a long time?" The Empress thought about the purpose of her trip to Huguo Temple, which was to find out more about Rong's words and deeds in the Zhao family.

The fact that they guessed right means that the couple already knew something.

"Mother, we don't have any evidence. We only figured it out step by step after Liuli married into the Gu family and encountered some things." Gu Ce was very grateful to his wife.

"Oh? Tell me about it." The Empress admired Gu Ce even more.

Even without any evidence, they can guess their own identity.

"When Liuli first entered the palace, she noticed that I resembled the Emperor. She could read faces, but I often met the Emperor and overlooked it."

Liuli also noticed that the Emperor had three sons who pleased him, but only two of them were present, indicating that the third son was still alive, just not by his side.

I investigated the princes born in the palace in those years, and the second prince was the most likely candidate, and my age was about the same as the second prince's.

I investigated the incident of the Second Prince's disappearance and found that he was kidnapped, which means that someone did not want the Second Prince to live.

The only people who could do this were a few of the emperor's uncles and Consort Cao.

I sent someone to the border to investigate the Duke of Zhenguo. He has a man named Gu Chi by his side who is now the Duke of Zhenguo's most capable deputy general. Gu Chi has already recognized the Duke of Zhenguo as his adoptive father and has always addressed the Duke of Zhenguo as his father in the army.

We suspect he is the true heir of the Gu family, because the late Duchess of Gu happened to have the surname Gu. But such coincidences are impossible.

I've never felt that the Duke of Zhenguo's attitude towards me was like that of a father and son; it seemed more like he was being taken care of by someone else on someone else's behalf.

As for how I came to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion back then, I was too young and don't remember anything." Gu Ce recounted the basis for his and his wife's guesses in detail.

"Not long after you went missing, the heir of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion also went missing, and was not found until half a year later. Because the Duchess of Zhenguo had already passed away by then, and I had also lost my son, I never summoned the future Duchess of Zhenguo, Lady Su."

So it was many years later that I saw you again, and by then you had changed a lot, so I didn't recognize you.

"A-Ce, it's all my fault. I didn't recognize you right away, and you've been wandering outside for so many years." The Empress felt very guilty.

"Mother, don't blame yourself. I'm doing very well at the Gu residence. I have the best food, clothing, and lodging. Father even hired a good tutor for me and personally taught me martial arts," Gu Ce comforted her.

He had long since figured it out: the Duke of Zhenguo must know that he was the second prince. No wonder he was never allowed to enter the palace for the first few years, and was only allowed to go out to banquets after he turned five.

For some unknown reason, they decided to keep him in the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.

"The Duke of Zhenguo has been the great general of our Southern Xia Kingdom since the first generation. He should have no ill intentions. I just don't know who wanted to harm you back then." The Empress's first thought was Consort Cao.

She was tricked back then, and the purpose of getting Mr. Cao to give birth to his eldest son was all too obvious.

"We suspect it's most likely Prince Xuan," Gu Ce said, offering his guess.

"How could it be him?" The Empress's eyes narrowed.

"Your Majesty, think about it. The Emperor only has two sons now. The Prince of Beijun is crippled, and the Crown Prince has not yet given birth to a son. He is already twenty-five years old and has so many women. How could he not have given birth to a single son?"

Either he is unwell, or someone has sabotaged him.

If something were to happen to the Crown Prince, the Emperor would have no choice but to find an heir from the imperial clan.

Prince Xuan was the emperor's younger brother, so if an adopted son was to be chosen, Prince Xuan's residence would be the first choice.

This shows that Xuan Wang started planning this a long time ago.

The Prince of Beijun's crippled leg was also caused by Prince Xuan.

"The Crown Prince has been well protected by Consort Cao, so nothing has happened until now. But now that he's moved to the Eastern Palace, there are more opportunities to make moves, and even more ways to prevent him from having a son. We estimate that it won't be long before Prince Xuan makes his move against the Crown Prince." Rong Yingluo's analysis was clear and concise.

The Empress understood immediately.

She had accompanied the emperor from prince to crown prince and then to emperor, and had gone through many trials and tribulations. She naturally knew that for that position, every prince who had a chance would do everything in his power.

"A-Ce, what are you thinking?" The Empress knew that she had forced him to acknowledge his family.

If she hadn't insisted on it, they definitely wouldn't have recognized her today.

"Mother, I want to wait until Father returns to the capital before asking him about the truth and making a decision." Gu Ce had already made up his mind.

"Alright, I won't force you. Now that you know Prince Xuan also has such great ambitions, you absolutely cannot acknowledge your ancestors at this time."

I will be your support and keep a close eye on Consort Cao's actions.

As for the Crown Prince, you can decide for yourselves.

To be honest, he is not fit to be the ruler of a country. Relying on the fact that he is the only one who can succeed to the throne, he acts too arrogantly, without regard for the consequences, lacks benevolence, and disregards the suffering of the people.

"Regarding Prince Xuan, I will find a suitable opportunity to mention it to the Emperor." Of course, the Empress hoped that her son would reach that position.

A top scholar in the imperial examinations and a prime minister of a nation—this is the kind of person who can truly shoulder the heavy responsibility of governing a country. For her son and for the millions of people of Nanxia, ​​she could no longer live the life she had before.

The three looked at each other and smiled.

"Liuli, you deserve a beating." Suddenly, the Empress's face hardened, and she reprimanded her.