A moment later, A Qiu brought Tian Ya over.
Seeing the bloodstains on Bai Sheng's body, Tian Ya cried out and rushed forward, his little face furrowed as he anxiously asked, "Shiniang, are you hurt?!"
Bai Sheng stroked his little head and smiled gently, "It's alright, Shiniang is not hurt."
Only then did Tian Ya's brows relax, "Shiniang, Sister A Qiu said you were looking for me?"
Bai Li Shushu heard Tian Ya's voice and lifted her head from Bai Li Rong Mo's embrace, looking at Tian Ya.
This child…
Third Uncle smiled through tears, "Shu Shu, quickly see who this little one is?"
"He... who is he?" Bai Li Shushu was stunned.
Tian Ya also looked at her. This aunt, although her hair was down and she was covered in blood and grime, looking like a madwoman, possessed a very special sense of closeness.
Bai Sheng gently placed her hand on Tian Ya's head and said softly, "Tian Ya, haven't you always wanted to meet your mother? She, she is your mother."
"Mother?" Tian Ya's eyes suddenly lit up, and his nose immediately felt a sting.
Bai Li Shushu staggered and looked at Bai Sheng, murmuring, "You... what did you say? I... am his mother?"
Everyone smiled and nodded at her. They had longed for this moment.
"But... my son, isn't he already... already dead?" Bai Li Shushu's tears fell like rain as she looked at Tian Ya in disbelief.
These years, she had spent every day filled with hatred for the Emperor and longing for her son.
She had originally planned to find her son in the underworld after dealing with the dog emperor. She never expected to hear the news that Prince Yu was Third Brother's son. At that moment, she no longer wanted to die; she still had family in this world.
Even more unexpectedly, her own nephew, Zuo Ye, had inadvertently bought her old residence!
Her third brother and youngest brother were not dead!
And now, her... son was also alive?
Heaven had finally opened its eyes this time!
Tian Ya's tears rolled out of his eyes like plump beans. He choked out "Mother" in a trembling voice and lunged towards Bai Li Shushu.
This madwoman must be his mother; he could feel it. But even if she was mad, he loved her dearly!
"Son... *sob*..." Bai Li Shushu hugged Tian Ya and cried.
As she cried, she seemed to suddenly remember something, let go of Tian Ya, and pulled open his clothes. She indeed found a crescent-shaped birthmark on the child.
"It's true, you really are my son, my son..." Bai Li Shushu hugged Tian Ya tightly again, mother and son crying joyfully together.
Perhaps inspired by the reunion of his aunt and nephew, Prince Yu also walked towards Third Uncle uncontrollably and knelt before him with a thud.
Third Uncle's eyes widened, "Prince Yu, what is this?"
Prince Yu's lips parted several times, and he finally uttered the word, "Father."
"Father?" Third Uncle was so startled he almost jumped up. For Prince Yu to openly call him father like this, had Consort Mei told him everything? This was a capital offense. What exactly had happened in the palace?
Consort Mei nodded at him, "I'll explain it to you later."
Prince Yu wiped the tears from his cheeks with the back of his hand and said with a thick nasal voice, "Father, today I finally learned that you are my biological father. I am... Bai Li Jing Yu."
A Qiu and the others present suspected their ears had played tricks on them. The person kneeling before Granduncle Third was Prince Yu, not the Emperor's son? How could he say Granduncle Third was his biological father?
In the past two years, every event that had happened in the master's family had been incredibly terrifying!
However, despite their immense doubt, A Qiu and the others understood the proper conduct of servants, and the look of shock on their faces was quickly suppressed.
Third Uncle's eyes welled up with tears. He stepped forward, helped Prince Yu up, embraced him, and patted his back, "Son, I knew it. You are my son. You don't resemble that dog emperor at all. So handsome and dashing, like a jade tree facing the wind, clearly carved from the same mold as your old man."
Consort Mei, her eyes teary, let out a chuckle.
Prince Yu also couldn't help but smile.
Although Granny Wu was also immensely shocked, her shock was far outweighed by her inner joy.
Upon learning that Prince Yu was Bai Li Rong Mo's son, not royalty, she excitedly grabbed Prince Yu's hand, "That's wonderful! Yu'er, you are not of royal blood!"
Prince Yu smiled through his tears, "Grandmother, I am indeed not of royal blood, and that is excellent!"
Uncle Ding, after finishing his arrangements, walked in. Seeing that everyone was still covered in blood-stained clothes, he asked the servants to prepare bathwater.
A Qiu quickly said, "Uncle Ding, Aunt Ding has already prepared the hot water. The masters can go and wash directly."
Upon hearing Uncle Ding and A Qiu, the few who had come from the palace finally looked down at the bloodstains on their bodies.
"Let's wash first. If the children see us like this, they'll be scared," Consort Mei said, tugging at her bright red robe.
The group then hurried to the bathhouse to clean themselves.
A moment later, Zuo Ye returned and also went into the room to bathe.
Changing into clean clothes, he felt immensely refreshed. Zuo Ye hugged Bai Sheng, cupped her face, and kissed her repeatedly. Today, he had stood outside the palace, his heart constantly in his throat, terrified that someone might have hurt his precious one.
Fortunately, his treasure was clever, adorable, and quick-witted, managing to escape unharmed.
"Husband, I have a vague sense of unease. I feel that the Princess, Xia Hongqian, and that Meng Liangyuan are not trustworthy," Bai Sheng said in a deep voice, resting her face against Zuo Ye's chest.
"Mm, I have the same feeling. We'll discuss it with Third Uncle and the others later," Lu Ye pecked Bai Sheng on the lips.
With the new emperor newly established, the situation was still unclear. They needed to plan ahead for where the family would go in the future.
Zuo Ye instructed Uncle Ding to summon his elder uncle and the children from the academy, as well as Third Uncle, Aunt Qing, Little Aunt, Prince Yu, and their master.
Uncle Ding himself also needed to attend the meeting in the study.
As for his grandparents, they would keep the domestic affairs from them for the time being. Once Grandpa recovered, they would tell him the truth.
In the study of the three-courtyard mansion, a group of people, big and small, soon filled the room.
Zuo Ye felt that children like Xiao Yun and Xiao An should also understand the current situation and be mentally prepared for the family's true circumstances.
Tian Ya leaned in his mother's embrace. Seeing Zuo Yun and Zuo An walk in, he happily exclaimed, "Brother Yun, Xiao An, I have a mother!"
"What? Your birth mother? Isn't that my Little Aunt?" Zuo Yun immediately looked at the stranger woman holding Tian Ya, his expression instantly startled, "Little... Little Aunt?"
After cleaning up and dressing neatly, Bai Li Shushu and Tian Ya's faces clearly indicated they were mother and son.
Bai Li Shushu stood up and opened her arms to them, "Xiao Yun, Xiao Yu, I am your Little Aunt. I am alive!"
"Little Aunt!" Xiao Yun and Xiao Yu rushed over.
Uncle Ding, who was the last to enter, upon learning that the young woman present today was the second young lady, couldn't help but weep.