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

This sudden change left Ru Bao completely bewildered!

She doesn't understand.

Why is this happening? !

She thought to herself: Isn't her mother, Zhao Bingyu, a famous woman in Da Wu? Doesn't she have a high reputation?

Why does he show that expression when he hears about his identity?

Zhou Langya didn't look at her again.

He spoke coldly to the remaining constables.

"Keep a close watch on the prisoner and send him to the capital prison immediately after dawn. There must be no mistakes."

"Yes, General!"

After saying this, Zhou Langya mounted his horse and led his cavalry away without looking back.

The sound of horses' hooves faded into the distance, leaving behind only a mess on the ground and a broken heart.

Ru Bao sat blankly in the prison cart, Zhou Langya's disgusted gaze lingering in her mind...

She didn't understand, she really didn't understand.

That contempt caused her more pain and humiliation than the previous whippings and abuse...

Feeling wronged, heartbroken, angry, confused...

"Wow--"

Ru Bao finally couldn't hold back anymore and broke down in tears in the cold prison van.

The cries were shrill and desperate.

......

In the courtyard of the Bai family on the outskirts of Beijing, the maple leaves have already taken on a touch of ochre red.

A cool breeze swept through the hall, and Bai Lu stood in the long corridor, her elegance frozen in time.

She stood there for a long time without moving.

The letter was sent by the prefect of Qingzhou via express courier.

Bai Lu lowered her eyes, her gaze falling on the letter. The letter said that her mother Zhao Bingyu's daughter in the Western Regions, named Ru Bao, had been escorted to the capital.

The prefect of Qingzhou asked her how she was doing, how she was eating and sleeping, and if there was anything she wasn't used to. He also inquired about Sun Nanxing and Gu Liang.

The letter also mentioned that the sister she had never met had been verbally abusing her on the street, her words filled with disgust and disdain.

At the end of the letter, he reminded her to be very careful about everything here.

Bai Lu slowly folded the letter, her fingertips feeling a little cold.

She placed the letter on the stone table beside her and looked up at the tall sycamore tree in the courtyard.

"Lady White Snake".

The sound of Peony's announcement came from outside the courtyard.

"General Zhou has arrived."

As soon as he finished speaking, a tall and imposing figure stepped into the courtyard.

The newcomer was dressed in black casual clothes, with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes; he was none other than General Zhou Langya.

He walked quickly to Bai Lu, his eyes filled with concern.

"I heard the news from Qingzhou."

Zhou Langya's voice was deep and gentle. He carefully observed Bai Lu's expression, "Are you alright? Don't let those things affect your mood."

Bai Lu met his gaze. "I'm fine."

She answered calmly.

Looking at her like this, Zhou Langya sighed inwardly. He knew she was always like this, keeping all her emotions hidden deep inside.

"Today... while I was patrolling the outskirts of Beijing, I saw the convoy escorting her..."

He changed the subject, lowering his voice even further.

Upon hearing this, Bai Lu looked away from the sycamore tree and remained silent for a moment.

Zhou Langya stood quietly to the side, saying nothing more. He knew she needed time to process the news, and all he could do was stay by her side.

"nothing."

Bai Lu finally spoke, her voice very soft.

"It's only a matter of time before she comes."

She turned her head and looked at Zhou Langya.

“My mother cared about her very much and doted on her, otherwise she wouldn’t have named her ‘Rubao’.”

"Like a precious jewel...this is the true daughter in her mother's heart."

"Then what am I?"

"..."

Zhou Langya frowned deeply.

He was at a loss for words.

Bai Lu added, "She will definitely come this time. Because her precious daughter, Ru Bao, has been left here."

Bai Lu continued, her tone flat.

"My two older brothers, Bai Liezhao and Bai Qingze, are also getting married soon..."

Zhou Langya's eyes sharpened.

He immediately understood what Bai Lu meant.

"I understand."

Zhou Langya responded in a deep voice.

"I will increase manpower and rigorously inspect all checkpoints in Kyoto. In the coming days, the Imperial Guards will intensify patrols to ensure that no suspicious Western Region people are allowed to enter Kyoto..."

"If you don't want to see your mother, then don't."

“I also think she doesn’t deserve to be your mother.”

......

Kyoto, the imperial prison.

This is the darkest place in the entire Great Wu Imperial City.

Ru Bao was shoved and pushed by two burly jailers and locked into a separate cell.

The iron gate slammed shut behind her with a clang, a sound that sent a shiver down her spine.

She never imagined she would end up in such a state.

Ru Bao burst into tears.

She didn't dare do anything too outrageous, otherwise what if she really got raped by these lowly people?

"Father, Mother, I miss you so much... Brother..."

Not long after, the cell door was opened again.

A eunuch stood at the door and announced in a high-pitched voice, "His Majesty summons you to the Imperial Study for an audience."

Ru Bao was taken out of the prison, and the glaring sunlight made her squint.

She was taken to the Imperial Study.

The study was filled with the gentle fragrance of sandalwood incense.

Seated high on the dragon throne was the Emperor of Great Wu. He wore a bright yellow dragon robe, his face dignified, exuding authority without anger.

To the emperor's left sat a man dressed in exotic clothing.

That was the king of the Great Stone Kingdom.

As soon as Ru Bao entered the room, she felt two extremely oppressive gazes.

Her arrogance vanished instantly, replaced by an instinctive fear.

She lowered her head, looking somewhat aggrieved.

"Greetings, Your Majesties..."

"!"

"Keep your head up!"

The King of the Great Stone Kingdom spoke first, his voice filled with anger.

His gaze was like a knife scraping across Ru Bao's face.

"I ask you, why do you arbitrarily whip the people of Great Wu within its borders!"

Ru Bao's body trembled.

His arrogance in front of outsiders vanished without a trace!

Faced with the questioning of the two monarchs, she was speechless.

She just kept her head down, mumbling incoherently, unable to utter clear syllables.

The Great Wu Emperor on the dragon throne remained silent, his expression complex.

He remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking.

"Zhao Bingyu...she...your mother, is she doing well in the Western Regions?"

Ru Bao was stunned for a moment, never expecting the emperor to ask this first.

She raised her head and stole a glance at the man on the dragon throne. The oppressive aura in his eyes was gone, replaced by an emotion she couldn't understand.

Without waiting for her answer, the emperor continued to ask.

His voice was slow, as if he were recalling something from a long time ago.

"It's very windy and dusty there. Is she used to it? Is the food palatable?"

These questions only confused Ru Bao more.

She felt that the emperor in front of her was not interrogating a prisoner, but rather an elder inquiring about news of an old friend.

"Is she sleeping well? Does she feel cold at night?"

The emperor's voice trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly.

Ru Bao hesitated, unsure how to answer. She had never cared about these things before.

In her eyes, her mother was always that strong, all-powerful woman, so how could she not eat or sleep well?

"Your Majesty... Mother is well."

She gave a vague answer.

Upon hearing this, the emperor showed no sign of satisfaction.

He simply looked at her quietly, his gaze becoming deep.

"Does she still like the osmanthus cake from the capital? Can they make the same taste in the Western Regions?"

This question left Ru Bao completely stumped.

She had no idea what her mother liked to eat.

As the emperor looked at her bewildered expression, the warmth in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by a deep disappointment.

He stopped asking about Zhao Bingyu.

The atmosphere became heavy again.

How many older brothers do you have?

The emperor's tone regained its royal authority.

Ru Bao quickly composed herself and respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, I have three older brothers."

What is your father's name?

"...My father's name is Aslan."

"..."

The Great Wu Emperor's eyes instantly became incredibly deep, enveloped by a profound sorrow.

He closed his eyes.

The king of the Great Stone Kingdom, observing the situation, roughly guessed the reason behind it.

He looked at the emperor and tentatively asked, "Your Majesty, this woman is behaving inappropriately... What do you think should be done with her?"

The King of Da Shi carefully observed the expression on the face of the Emperor of Da Wu.

"If it is inconvenient for you to take action, I will take her back to the embassy and then imprison her in the Great Stone Kingdom's jail for two years as a warning to others."

When Ru Bao heard the word "prison," her face turned deathly pale.

"No! I don't want to go to jail!"

She cried out, tears streaming down her face.

"Going to jail is too shameful, I don't want to!"

She cried her heart out.

However, Emperor Dawu kept his eyes closed and remained unmoved by her cries.

He sat there quietly for a long time before opening his eyes and waving wearily.

"Just do it."

"After all... she is Bingyu's daughter. I'm giving her face... if I don't, she might be upset."

The eunuch immediately stepped forward, preparing to drag the crying Ru Bao away.

at this time.

"Your subject Bailu requests an audience with Your Majesty."

A cold voice came from the door.

"See!"

Bai Lu, dressed in official robes, walked in from outside the door. She stood tall and straight, with a heroic air about her.

The moment she walked in, she saw Ru Bao being dragged away by a eunuch, her face streaked with tears, looking utterly disheveled...

Ru Bao also saw the White Dew.

She looked at the woman who walked in, and for a moment forgot to cry...

The woman before me was so beautiful. Her beauty was not delicate and charming, but rather a kind of purity and resilience that had been tempered by hardship.

She stood there, like a goddess from heaven... like a fairy in a mural, so beautiful that one dared not look directly at her!

A strong sense of jealousy arose.

Why?

Why is Bai Lu such a revered hero, dressed in such imposing official robes, able to freely enter and leave the Imperial Study?

But he himself was like a prisoner, about to be locked up in jail?

Clearly... they are both their mother's daughters!

"stop!"

Ru Bao suddenly broke free from the eunuch's grasp and shouted at Bai Lu.

"Zhao Bingyu has something to say... she asked me to pass it on to you!"

Bai Lu stopped, turned around, and looked at her calmly.

"What?"

Her voice was completely flat.

As Ru Bao looked at Bai Lu's calm face, the malice in her heart grew wildly like vines!

She decided to use the most vicious language to tear this pretentious woman apart!

"She said that the person she dislikes the most is you, her daughter!"

Ru Bao's voice was harsh.

"She said you're a jinxed widow, having given birth to seven daughters... unable to have a single son..."

She saw Bai Lu's eyes turn cold, and a surge of pleasure welled up inside her.

She also said, "You spend all your time surrounded by men, you've probably lost your virginity long ago!"

Ru Bao became more and more excited as she spoke, completely unaware of the increasingly gloomy expression on the emperor's face on the dragon throne.

"You're so old, and no one dares to marry you anymore. You're such an unwanted old woman!"

"Snapped!"

A loud slap suddenly rang out.

The one who made the move was none other than the Great Wu Emperor.

He had already stepped down from the dragon throne at some point, passed the King of the Great Stone Kingdom, and stood in front of Ru Bao.

He slapped Ru Bao with all his might, causing her to stagger and one side of her face to quickly swell and turn red.

"shut up!"

The emperor's voice was filled with boundless rage.

Ru Bao was stunned by the blow and covered her face.

The King of Da Shi was also stunned. He never expected the Emperor of Da Wu to lose his composure like this, actually going so far as to personally strike a woman...

"The relations between the Great Stone Kingdom and the Great Wu Kingdom have always been friendly."

The emperor's voice was icy cold as he stared intently at Ru Bao.

"Because of you... because of your foul language... this diplomatic relationship ends here!"

He suddenly turned to the King of the Great Stone Kingdom beside him, his eyes sharp as knives.

"From this day forward, there is no longer any friendship between the Great Wu and the Great Stone Kingdom!"

These words struck the King of the Great Stone Kingdom like a thunderclap.

He panicked instantly.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please calm down! This...this is all a misunderstanding! This girl is talking nonsense and deserves to die!"

The King of Da Shi Kingdom hurriedly bowed and apologized, cold sweat streaming down his forehead!

He knew that the Great Wu Emperor was truly enraged.

This anger is enough to shake the very foundation of the relationship between the two countries.

However, the Great Wu Emperor completely ignored his explanation and simply looked at him coldly.

The King of Da Shi knew that it was no use saying nice things now.

The trouble should end it.

He suddenly turned around, rushed to Ru Bao, and grabbed her collar.

"Apologize to Lady White Snake! Immediately! Right now!"

He roared at Ru Bao.

Ru Bao was stunned by this sudden turn of events. She covered her face and cried, mumbling "No" incoherently.

"You dare not apologize!"

Enraged, the King of Dashi Kingdom slapped Rubao even harder across the face.

"You reckless fool! Do you want to kill us all?!"

He cursed at her while slapping her.

He used all his strength to humiliate her.

Ru Bao was beaten in great pain, rolled on the ground, and her cries became shrill and desperate.

Faced with absolute power, all her dignity and pride were crushed.

She is nothing, just a piece of trash.