In ancient times, she gave birth to seven daughters and was divorced by her husband's family.

"Qingze, calm down."

Bai Chuyao's voice sounded, with a hint of fatigue.

He stepped forward and held Bai Qingze's shoulders.

"The grave-moving incident is no small matter. If my mother's grave is moved, what will the world say about our Bai family? What will they say about my mother?"

Bai Qingze suddenly shook off his hand and retorted emotionally.

"Brother! At this point, you still care about those empty reputations?"

"My mother isn't dead at all, so who's lying in that grave? It's an empty grave, a fake grave!!"

His chest heaved violently.

"But...that's just a suspicion."

"None of us has ever seen Mother in person. What if, I mean what if... we are overthinking it?"

Bai Chuyao's gaze slowly swept over Bai Qingze and Bai Liezhao.

"You two were young, and you didn't remember anything when your mother left. There are many things you don't know."

As he recalled the past, his eyes softened a little.

"When I was at the Bai family, my mother treated me very well. She was gentle and loved me very much. I always feel that things are not necessarily as we think."

"What we need now is to remain calm and not act impulsively. Let's get to the bottom of this first."

He looked at Bai Qingze and Bai Liezhao again and emphasized his tone.

The emperor, who had been sitting silently at the top, finally spoke.

"Chu Yao has a point."

The emperor's gaze fell on Bai Qingze and Bai Liezhao, and he sighed, his eyes truly filled with heartache. "I understand your feelings, but leveling your biological mother's grave is truly too shocking."

"Once this gets out, the government and the public will be shocked and discuss it a lot. It will not benefit you, the Bai family, or Bingyu."

The empress dowager, who was sitting next to the emperor, also nodded in agreement.

The look in her eyes when she looked at the Bai brothers was filled with the concern of an elder and a hint of subtle complexity.

"The Emperor is right. This matter must be carefully considered and not act rashly."

She and Bai Lu are sworn sisters, so she naturally cares about the affairs of the Bai family.

"Qingze, Liezhao, your marriage is just around the corner. This is a major event in your lives."

"The most important thing right now is to prepare for your marriage. Don't let these unresolved matters distract you and neglect your fiancée."

"The Queen Mother and I will personally take care of your marriage. Just listen to the Queen Mother and go back to prepare."

His words were both commanding and comforting.

Bai Qingze wanted to say something else, but when he saw the determined expressions of the emperor and the empress dowager, and then looked at his eldest brother's pleading eyes, he finally swallowed his words.

He was unwilling, but he also knew that they had no room for argument in front of the emperor.

Bai Liezhao silently shook his head at him, signaling him not to insist.

"Yes, I obey your command."

Bai Chuyao bowed and pulled his two younger brothers out of the imperial study.

After the three brothers left, the imperial study returned to silence.

The emperor watched them go away, sighed softly, and a trace of worry flashed across his brow...

These children are so obsessed with their mother's affairs. What if their mother's affairs... hurt their hearts?

Looking at it this way, Zhao Bingyu might as well be dead!

......

There was no conversation on the way back to the Bai Mansion in the carriage.

The atmosphere in the carriage was more depressing than in the imperial study.

Bai Qingze leaned against the car wall, closed his eyes, and his face was so gloomy that water seemed to drip out of it.

Bai Liezhao folded his arms and stared blankly at the street scene rapidly receding outside the car window.

Bai Chuyao sat across from them, trying to speak several times, but in the end, all he said was a silent sigh...

They all knew it. Since the Emperor and the Empress Dowager said so, they had sufficient evidence in their hands. There was a high probability that Zhao Bingyu was not dead. And she really had sent someone to kill them and their sister.

How could a person who occupies a high position not be cautious in what he says?

The carriage stopped in front of the Bai Mansion.

As soon as the three brothers stepped into the mansion, they saw Bai Yansong with a stern face, walking towards them quickly.

Behind him followed several stewards with uneasy expressions.

"You still remember to come back!"

Bai Yansong's voice was filled with suppressed anger. He stopped in front of the three people and stared at them straight in the eyes.

"I'm asking you, why does a banquet at the palace be held for such a big wedding?"

"Instead of getting married at the Bai family's, you're going to get married in the courtyard bestowed upon you by the emperor! Where do you place me, your father, in this position?!"

Bai Yansong's voice became louder and louder, attracting the attention of the servants around him.

Bai Qingze and Bai Liezhao were already full of anger in the palace, and when they heard their father's questioning, their anger was instantly ignited.

"Father?"

Bai Qingze sneered, with undisguised sarcasm in his eyes.

"Do you still remember that you are our father?"

He took a step forward and looked into Bai Yansong's eyes, not losing in momentum at all.

"When you favored your concubine and killed your wife, and drove our mother out of the house, did you ever think that you were our father?"

Bai Liezhao also came up. He was tall.

"Have you forgotten how you treated my mother harshly for that concubine and how you allowed her to bully us?"

Every word he uttered seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, full of hatred.

"Don't even mention how we've been treated, just talk about our sister Bailu. You've been so unfair to her your entire life!!"

"You still want us to treat you as a father? Haha! Now that we call you dad, you should be content. Why do you care about other things? Why are you so nosy!"

"???"

"!!!"

"shut up!"

Bai Yansong's sore spot was touched, his face turned red, and he yelled in anger.

"What kind of attitude is that! I'm your father! Is that how you talk to your elders?"

He was so angry that he was shaking all over, and his hands were trembling as he pointed at his two sons.

Seeing this, Bai Chuyao immediately stepped forward and stopped his two younger brothers behind him. He frowned and looked at his father.

"Father, today we brothers...are all in a bad mood, so please be quiet."

"not in a good mood?"

Bai Yansong seemed to have heard a huge joke.

"What right do you have to be upset? You've grown so powerful that you didn't even let your family interfere with your marriage, and now you dare to teach me a lesson?"

He had no intention of stopping, and instead became even more excited. "I have no control over Bai Lu anymore, but you guys have been staying here since you were little, eating and drinking at my expense. Can't I, as your father, make the final decision on your marriage?"

"Don't you even think I'm worthy of being worshipped as your father?!"

"As your father, I've always provided you with food and clothing. How have I ever let you three down?!"

"..."

Bai Chuyao didn't even look at Bai Yansong. He pulled Bai Qingze and Bai Liezhao, walked around him, and went straight into the mansion.

This scene of the father and son falling out makes people feel sad.

Bai Yansong even shouted from behind, "What father in the world doesn't love his own children? You really make me feel cold!"

Bai Chuyao couldn't help himself after all, and turned around and said, "Since you love us so much, why did you welcome Xie into your family and hurt us?"

"..."

Bai Yansong had nothing to say.

He looked deeply at Bai Yansong who was frozen in place. There was disappointment, helplessness and unspeakable pain in his eyes.

In the end, he said nothing and followed his brothers in silence.

Bai Yansong stood alone in front of the door, looking at the resolute backs of his three sons, his body swaying.

The evening breeze blew, rolling up the fallen leaves on the ground and making his clothes rustle.

He stretched out his hand, as if trying to grab something, but in the end it just dropped down weakly.

A quarrel and a bad end.

Returning to his own courtyard, Bai Chuyao closed the door.

He walked to the window and looked at the shadows of the trees in the courtyard, which were silhouetted by the moonlight.

Bai Chuyao took a deep breath and his eyes gradually became sharp.

He couldn't wait any longer to find out about his mother's affairs. He had to get to the bottom of it.

Bai Chuyao slowly clenched his fists.

He will work with Bai Lu to use all the power they can to find out where their mother is.

The day we find out the truth, that will be the time to take action.

If their mother had truly passed away, and the grave indeed contained her remains, then she was still the gentle, kind, and beloved mother in the hearts of their brothers and sisters.

But if...

Bai Chuyao's eyes suddenly became extremely terrifying.

If his mother had not died, but had abandoned the four of them as they suspected, then the gentle image of her in his memory would have completely collapsed.

By then, he would take action to take back the entire Bai family.

He couldn't let this family continue to be controlled by that heartless man. He also couldn't let the mother who abandoned her children have any chance to come back and influence their lives.

Bai Chuyao called Lan Cang, his most powerful confidant, and said, "Go and ask Marquis Anguo to come over."

Not long after, Bailu arrived.

She walked into the study in plain and elegant clothes, bringing with her the slightly cool air of the night outside.

"Brother, why did you call me over so late? Is there something important?"

When Bai Lu saw Bai Chuyao's serious expression, she began to have some guesses in her mind.

Bai Chuyao gestured for her to sit down and personally poured her a cup of hot tea. Steam rose from the tea.

"Sister... I think Lan Cang told you everything on the way... I have an idea about mother."

He pushed the teacup in front of Bai Lu and got straight to the point.

"In the Imperial Study, I advised my second and third brothers to calm down for the sake of the overall situation."

Bai Chuyao's voice was low and deep.

"But privately, I want to know the truth more than any of them."

He looked at Bai Lu with the solemnity that only an eldest brother could have in his eyes.

"I want to send someone to the Western Regions to investigate. Whether Mother is alive or dead, we must get a definite result."

Bai Lu put down the teacup and nodded slightly.

"Brother's idea coincides with mine."

"However, the Western Regions are far away and sparsely populated. Our people may not be able to find any useful information if they go there."

Bai Chuyao frowned.

He knew that what Bai Lu said was true, and this was what he was most worried about.

Bai Lu added, "So, I'd like to ask Xu Xian for help with this matter."

Bai Lu raised her eyes and looked at her elder brother.

Bai Chuyao was slightly startled. He knew Xu Xian was Bai Lu's right-hand man and very capable, but he had never expected Bai Lu to send her directly on such an important mission.

"Xu Xian?"

"Correct."

Bai Lu confirmed.

"She has special abilities that allow her to travel to many places and learn a lot of information that ordinary people can't. She's the most suitable person to go."

"it is good."

Bai Chuyao no longer hesitated.

"That's it. Tell her to leave as soon as possible. Any manpower and money she needs can be obtained from me."

"After this incident, if mother really... then, I will take the Bai family back."

Bai Lu listened quietly. She knew that when her elder brother said this, it meant that he had made up his mind.

She neither objected nor agreed, but simply accepted the information calmly.

"I understand, brother."

She stood up.

"I will arrange for Xu Xian to depart as soon as possible."

After leaving her brother's study, Bai Lu returned to her own residence.

Xu Xian was sitting at the table, swinging his legs idly, playing with a small mechanical bird in his hand. When he saw Bai Lu coming back, she immediately jumped up.

"Bailu Bailu, you're back! What does your brother want to talk to you about?"

Xu Xian came forward, his big eyes full of curiosity.

Bai Lu briefly repeated to her the conversation she had just had with Bai Chuyao.

"...This is the thing. I would like to invite you to go to the Western Regions."

Bai Lu looked at Xu Xian and said seriously.

"Find out the whereabouts of my mother, Zhao Bingyu."

"Western Region?"

Xu Xian's eyes suddenly lit up.

"Great, great! I've been wanting to go there for a while! I heard the grapes there are super sweet, and there are lots of fun things you can't find in the Central Plains!"

Bai Lu looked at her lively appearance, and her serious expression eased a little.

"It's a long journey, so be careful."

she warned.

"Don't worry, I'm the system administrator. Who can do anything to me?"

Xu Xian patted his chest, looking confident.

Bai Lu thought about it and added another sentence.

"Also, there is one more thing."

She walked up to Xu Xian and her expression became a little solemn.

"If you're over there and sense the fluctuations of another system, remember to tell me immediately."

The smile on Xu Xian's face faded a little, she knew the seriousness of the matter.

"Another system? You suspect..."

"Just a guess."

Bai Lu interrupted her.

"Just keep an eye on it."

"Okay, I remember it!"

Xu Xian nodded vigorously.

"I'll contact you as soon as I find anything."

The next day, Xu Xian quietly left the capital and embarked on a journey to the Western Regions.

A month goes by in a blink of an eye.

The capital city was particularly lively because of the marriage of the two young masters of the Bai family.

The entire palace and the Bai family are busy preparing for the two upcoming weddings.

Although the Emperor and the Empress Dowager ordered that the wedding be mainly hosted by the palace, many details still required the cooperation of the Bai family.

Trying on wedding dresses, getting married, getting engaged, making a list of guests...all the steps are extremely cumbersome.

Bai Qingze and Bai Liezhao were almost never touching the ground.