Lu Ye thought for a moment and said, "I don't know her exact age, but she's likely not a young woman."
Bai Sheng rubbed her chin with her finger, her delicate brows furrowing. "Then, let's list her as one of our suspects. Auntie Lu Cha is around the same age as my Master, and her abilities should be considerable. There can't be many Witchcraft practitioners of their caliber. Master, could you draw a few more portraits of Yu Zi? Let's each have one, and give one to Xiao Yun. We'll ask the street vendors to help us find her hiding place as soon as possible."
Granny Wu nodded. "Alright, I'll give you the portraits tomorrow."
The group left the study. Prince Yu suddenly grabbed Bai Sheng's arm, intending to pull her aside.
Lu Ye reacted quickly, immediately grasping Bai Sheng's other arm, and asked with a scowl, "What are you pulling my precious one for?"
"I have something to ask her," Prince Yu glared at Lu Ye. Seeing that Lu Ye was not budging, he softened his voice and explained, "It's about my... grandmother."
"Ask questions if you must, but no touching," Lu Ye batted away Prince Yu's hand, afraid that someone might covet his treasure.
Prince Yu grudgingly released his grip. This fellow! His hand was only on her clothes, he hadn't even touched her skin!
Lu Ye turned to Bai Sheng with a doting smile. "I'll wait for you outside. We can go for a stroll together later."
"Okay," Bai Sheng hugged him, then hooked her arms around his neck and pecked him on the lips.
Lu Ye glanced triumphantly at Prince Yu before turning to leave.
*Ah, I want to hit someone!* Prince Yu fumed internally for a while.
Bai Sheng walked to the old tree in the courtyard, and Prince Yu followed her.
A stone table and wooden stools were placed under the tree. Bai Sheng sat by the stone table, and Prince Yu sat opposite her.
Sitting this close to the little black-faced girl for the first time, Prince Yu felt a bit uneasy, his ears burning as if scorched by fire.
Bai Sheng's fair skin glowed pink in the warm winter sun. Her clear, dark eyes were pure, untainted by worldly dust.
Her perky nose, rosy lips, long, fair neck, and the rising...
Prince Yu dared not look any further. He hastily averted his gaze, cleared his throat, and asked in a low voice, "Little black-faced girl, how much do you know about my... grandmother's true identity?"
Bai Sheng replied without hesitation, "Your grandmother, she is a very powerful Witchcraft practitioner, and she is also my Master."
Prince Yu smiled. "I'm not asking about her titles, but her true origins. I always feel she's not an ordinary person."
Bai Sheng had felt for a long time that her Master was no ordinary person, but she didn't pry. If her Master didn't want to talk about her origins, then so be it. As long as her Master was sincere and genuine with her, that was enough.
"Prince Yu, no matter what my Master's true identity is, she is still your biological grandmother. That fact cannot be changed, and it's the most important thing. Anything else isn't important to you. Therefore, you don't need to waste your energy trying to figure it out."
Prince Yu sighed softly. "You're right. The reason I'm asking you today is because I always felt that Granny Wu's gaze towards me carried an inexplicable hostility, as if I were her enemy. Before, when we had no connection, I could ignore it. But now..."
"It's normal to feel hostility. After all, how many ordinary people like the royal family of Great Xia?" Bai Sheng said with disdain.
Prince Yu chuckled helplessly. "That's true. I'm just afraid, what if one day, Grandmother and we become enemies?"
"No amount of enmity can outweigh kinship. My Master is a person who distinguishes right from wrong. Even if she had the entire world as her enemy, she would never consider you and your mother as enemies. So, don't worry," Bai Sheng's tone was very firm.
Prince Yu fell silent for a moment and nodded.
He raised his eyes and looked at Bai Sheng with a meaningful gaze. "Little black-faced girl, you... you were a slave before. Aren't you curious about your own background? Don't you want to know... where you come from?"
Bai Sheng shook her head. "The past is the past. The present and future are what matter." In fact, regarding her origins, perhaps only the original owner would care to trace them back. As for her, she was merely a wandering soul who had transmigrated from the modern world. The past of this body had nothing to do with her. In this era, her past spanned only three years.
Prince Yu took a deep breath. He wasn't sure if he should tell the little black-faced girl some things. In fact, he had already found out that the batch of slaves Bai Sheng belonged to did indeed come from Qing Huang Kingdom. The little black-faced girl was truly a person from Qing Huang Kingdom. The year Qing Huang Kingdom was destroyed, the little black-faced girl should have been around five years old, old enough to remember where she came from. However, the little black-faced girl seemed to have no recollection of being from Qing Huang Kingdom, nor did she harbor any animosity towards Great Xia. This was rather strange.
Prince Yu smiled. "Little black-faced girl, you have a broad mind. But it's good this way. Let the past be the past; it's better not to delve too deeply."
"Some unimportant things can be let go, but some things must be remembered. For example, my ungrateful Auntie Lu Cha, who repaid kindness with enmity, causing my Master and your mother to be separated for over thirty years; or my husband's maternal grandfather, General Baili, who was falsely accused and had his entire clan exterminated. These things must not be let go just like that," Bai Sheng's eyes glinted with sharpness, and her tone carried a cold killing intent.
"Yes, you're right," Prince Yu gazed at her intently.
Bai Sheng retracted her gaze, thinking of Consort Mei and her third uncle, and decided to probe Prince Yu's thoughts. "Prince Yu, if one day, Consort Mei wished to leave the imperial palace completely, live among the common folk, and remarry, what would you think?"
Prince Yu was taken aback by Bai Sheng's line of questioning. For a consort in the harem, escaping the palace was already a capital offense, let alone marrying another man and cuckolding the emperor! This was simply audacious! However, given his mother's personality, it was indeed something she might do. After all, the Emperor had broken her heart, and he had so many other women, he didn't lack Consort Mei. It was the Emperor who had wronged his mother over the years; even if he were cuckolded, he would deserve it! His mother shouldn't be confined to a mere empty title for her entire life; she should pursue her own happiness. Currently, she hadn't escaped the palace, perhaps for his sake. He wasn't that interested in being emperor; if possible, he even wished to live among the common folk.
Prince Yu regained his composure and replied gently, "A few days ago, when I first returned to the capital, my mother told me that I could live my life according to my own preferences. Therefore, similarly, I hope my mother can also live according to her own will. So, regarding the matters you mentioned, I will not obstruct them."