After rebirth, she became the favorite of the powerful minister.

Yu Wanyu was taken aback... Indeed.

She did indeed instruct Cui'er to sound out the situation, but Cui'er wasn't even allowed into the courtyard before being driven out. According to Cui'er, the person who drove her out was dressed as a servant. Upon hearing that she was from the Murong family, he didn't ask any questions and simply waved her away. Not only did she not see Yuan Junfeng, but she didn't even get to see the steward who had any influence.

Unfortunately, once certain thoughts arise, they make one feel uneasy all the time. Coupled with the guilt I already feel, it's as if countless insects are scratching at me.

After much hesitation and with no other choice, he had to approach Yuan Ge.

I thought she was just a young girl, and since she knew very little about these old stories, I figured I could easily resolve the matter in no time by appealing to her emotions and reasoning with her. Who knew… this young girl would be so difficult to deal with!

"This little girl is certainly sharp-tongued!" Yu Wanyu sneered as she scrutinized the woman in front of her. She was not yet twenty years old, the prime of her youth, but also the age when she was most ignorant and arrogant. She thought of herself back then, of Shao Rou at that time... She suddenly frowned, her gaze fixed on Yuan Ge's face. "You..." She suddenly fell silent. The tea stains that had been spilled on the back of her hand had dried, but she still felt an unbearable discomfort that spread from the back of her hand to her entire body.

She was completely at a loss. In just a few days, she had learned the identity of the woman in front of her—Wen Qian, a native of Shengjing, the young mistress of a noble family, a guest brought by Feng Qingtan's student. She knew a little about medicine and had some skills, but that was all. Yet, despite all that, she had won the favor of Yuan Junfeng, who entrusted her with all matters on Zhixuan Mountain. She knew all too well how stubborn that old man was; otherwise, the two families wouldn't have fallen into such a mess.

Why was Wen Qian the exception? Yu Wanyu couldn't understand it at all.

Looking at the smiling face before her, in a flash, she felt as if struck by lightning, staggering and nearly falling forward. She trembled violently; in the early spring chill, she felt cold all over, as if she had fallen into an ice cellar. She stared intently at Yuan Ge, her voice trembling as she asked, "You...who exactly are you...?"

"who are you?!"

The nights in early spring are still a bit too cold.

A biting chill seeped into her collar and cuffs, leaving her feeling empty and cold. Yuan Ge straightened her cuffs. She had never intended to hide anything from Yu Wanyu, at least not Wen Qian's identity. She had already planned how to handle this question before even meeting Yu Wanyu. However, her maternal grandmother had only now raised this issue… Yuan Ge was quite surprised.

Obviously...

“Murong Yuxuan once said that I look exactly like my mother.”

In just one glance amidst the vast sea of ​​people on the street, Murong Yuxuan blurted out "Shaorou," while her maternal grandmother, who always thought of her own daughter, was completely oblivious when she saw this face... She lowered her head and smiled bitterly, and amidst the other's astonished expression, she said softly, "My mother... if what Murong Yuxuan said is true, then her name should be, Murong Shaorou."

"Bang!"

The teacup on the table fell to the ground and shattered. Cui'er, who was in the corridor, ran to the door in a few steps, only to hear a voice from inside say, "Don't come in!" The voice was hurried and hoarse, like the first words spoken by someone who had suddenly woken up after being unconscious for many days. Cui'er was startled, but still lowered her head and retreated.

Inside, there was a deathly silence so profound you could hear a pin drop.

The grandfather and grandson, who were related by blood, looked at each other from a distance that was neither too close nor too far, and neither of them spoke to break the silence.

After a long pause, Yu Wanyu sighed softly. Even though she had already guessed this possibility, when everything came crashing down on her without warning, she didn't even know what to say. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She felt a little dry, but the teacup shattered. She tightened her grip on her fingertips and finally said in a hoarse voice, "I...I didn't know you were..."

“Actually, I’ve been looking for her all these years. During the last period of my illness, all I wanted was to find her…” She sensed the hostility of her granddaughter in front of her, so she explained in a low voice, “But I was also helpless in the Murong family… How is Shao Rou now?” She heard that the Wen family was also a powerful family in Shengjing and was deeply favored by the emperor. If Shao Rou were the legal wife… life would be very good, Yu Wanyu thought to herself.

But then someone across from him suddenly laughed. The laugh was cold; the corners of his mouth were upturned, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. When his dark pupils looked over, it was as if he were looking at a ridiculous clown.

Before Yu Wanyu could understand what was going on, Yuan Ge coldly retorted, "How is it now? If the old lady wants to know, she can ask my mother herself when she goes to the underworld... Oh, perhaps you won't see her. Perhaps she has already entered the Reincarnation Well and been reborn as a human. But that's fine, it's better to be reborn anywhere than as Murong Nu!"

Yu Wanyu's vision went black. "What...what do you mean? Shao Rou...Shao Rou, she..."

The cold wind, carrying the dampness of the night, made people feel as if they were sinking into icy seawater, making it difficult to even breathe.

Yuan Ge had once thought that after losing all hope in the Murong family, she wouldn't feel anger even if they stood before her. But she was wrong. Anger overwhelmed her like a tidal wave. Her fists clenched, and her whole body trembled. She stood there, glaring at the old man before her, and demanded, "Are you truly unaware? The Murong family is truly ruthless! Killing one daughter wasn't enough; you even used a family letter to kill another! Even tigers can't read, yet your Murong family only knows how to devour your own children!"

"My mother knew the future was perilous, knew her own parents were heartless and cruel, yet she still clung to that sliver of hope. In the end, she wrote a will, abandoned her daughter who was not yet two years old, and traveled thousands of miles to Zhixuan Mountain... to die!" The last two words were bitten between her teeth, each word as if she were weeping blood. "Now, you're telling me you didn't know? You're telling me the matriarch of the Murong family was completely unaware? Do you think I'd believe that?!"

She clenched her fists tightly and took a step forward, looking down at Yu Wanyu, who was staring up at her, speechless, and gave a cold smile.

"Do you know how my mother died? A rockfall, her body vanished without a trace... Not a single one of them survived. Do you know how Murong Shao'ai died?" Yuan Ge pressed his hand against his heart. "Here, right here, Yuan Ge, who was poisoned by your Murong clan, had her heart pierced by her youngest daughter... And now, do you still have the face to see her? How dare you, Yu Wanyu, stand here and talk to me about mother-daughter affection, about wanting to see her?!"