The aroma of cooking filled the house: I sent my eldest brother to become the Grand Secretary.

If someone else were to ask them today, they certainly wouldn't tell them the truth.

They had known Shen Yu'an for almost a year, and they knew his character very well.

The boy was very kind to Shen Cao. At first, they thought he had other feelings for Shen Cao.

Later, seeing that neither of them had any such intentions, he realized that Shen Yu'an simply regarded Shen Cao as a very good friend.

Through Shen Yu'an, Shen Cao met many other wonderful people.

Despite their noble status, they showed great respect for themselves and were clearly good children.

Such people, they believe.

In addition, Shen Yu'an mentioned that their family heirloom was also a grass-shaped jade pendant.

A family heirloom—that's something incredibly important. The fact that it appeared on Cao'er's person is enough to prove that Cao'er's relationship with her family is extraordinary.

This also shows that Cao'er's birth was a very important event for the Shen family.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have put such a valuable item on a newborn baby who was only a few days old.

Shen Yu'an never expected it to be like this.

Sixteen years ago, he was just a four-year-old child, and there are some things he doesn't remember.

But he remembers very clearly that during those years, his family was also wandering around.

They hid everywhere.

They have no fixed abode.

Under such circumstances, Mr. and Mrs. Shen were actually willing to adopt an infant and raise her safely to adulthood.

He dared not imagine what would have happened if it had been someone else instead of Mr. and Mrs. Shen who found it back then.

Thankfully, it was Mr. and Mrs. Shen.

He stood up and solemnly bowed to Mr. and Mrs. Shen.

Shen's mother quickly went to him and helped him up.

"Yu'an, you're too kind."

"One family does not speak the language of two families."

“We didn’t raise her for nothing; Cao’er helped us a lot too.”

If it weren't for her, they would still be living in a dilapidated house in Stone Village, struggling to make ends meet every day.

Chen'er has no chance of concentrating on her studies.

Shen Yu'an nodded, "Then I'll thank you on behalf of my aunt."

"Thank you for protecting her."

"Aunt?" Mr. and Mrs. Shen asked in surprise.

"If I'm not mistaken, Cao'er should be considered my cousin."

"She is my aunt's daughter who was lost sixteen years ago."

Shen Yu'an's aunt!

That!

Isn't that the current Emperor's Imperial Concubine?!

The two were startled.

He opened his mouth for a long time, but couldn't utter a single word.

Father Shen was the first to react, clasping his hands in a fist and bowing towards the sky, "That's right!"

Shen Yu'an nodded.

"Oh my god!" Shen's mother's knees buckled and she slumped into a chair.

They had always known that Shen Cao's identity was extraordinary, assuming she was at most the daughter of some high-ranking official.

I never imagined that she was actually a child of the imperial family.

"This..." What should we do?

They, they can still...

Shen Yu'an was unaware of the unusual behavior of his parents.

He repeatedly instructed, "Uncle Shen and Aunt Shen, this matter is of great importance and involves the royal family, so no one can speak about it before the facts are confirmed."

"Including Shen Cao."

Shen's mother looked at Shen's father, wondering why he couldn't even mention Shen Cao.

Seeing that Shen's father nodded, she nodded in agreement.

"We definitely won't tell anyone."

Seeing that the two were afraid, Shen Yu'an quickly spoke up to explain, "Actually, the main problem is that this matter has not been verified. If something unexpected happens, it might damage the royal family's reputation."

"As you all know, someone must have been secretly involved in what happened to Cao'er when she was a child."

"If this person is not found out, and the news gets out, Cao'er's safety may also be affected."

After Shen Yu'an's reminder, Shen's parents immediately realized the seriousness of the matter.

For Shen Cao's safety, they were willing to keep this a secret for the time being.

"By the way, may I take a look at Cao'er's jade pendant?"

Shen Yu'an suddenly thought of the jade pendant, the Shen family's heirloom jade pendant, which he had seen when he was very young.

But I have no recollection of it.

He only remembered the general outline.

It looks like a wheat stalk with branches.

Upon hearing Shen Yu'an mention the jade pendant, the two looked left and right, somewhat hesitant to speak.

"We gave this jade pendant to Cao'er several years ago."

"Now it's in Cao'er's hands."

“Originally, we planned to wait for Cao’er’s family to come and take it out, but Cao’er is all grown up now, and no one has come looking for her for so many years. We figured it was her stuff anyway, so we entrusted it to her for safekeeping.”

He'll find an excuse to visit Cao'er another day.

He, the eldest grandson of the Shen family, never imagined that one day he would see his family heirloom in Xin'an County, thousands of miles away from the Shen family.

It felt somewhat unique, and also quite joyful.

*

Shen Yu'an thought for a moment, tore up the letter he had just written, and started writing a new one.

Fifteen days later, Shen Jingguo, who was far away in the capital, received his son's letter.

He was puzzled by the contents of his son's letter.

“Father, your son has found a precious jade in Xin’an County. Grandmother’s birthday is coming soon. I have heard that Grandmother loves plants. I would like to ask you to recommend a few styles for me.”

"Please ask Father to find craftsmen to draw several designs for me. I will quickly ask the craftsmen to carve them, and I will present them to my grandmother on her birthday."

Especially the last sentence of the letter, "While I am away from home, I will always remember the Shen family's ancestral teachings. I hope Father will hurry!!!"

Li Chengxie watched as her husband read their son's letter, his brows furrowed in disapproval.

She leaned closer curiously to look. "Why are you frowning so much while reading your son's letter? What did he say in it?"

Shen Jingguo frowned and handed the letter to his wife. "Look, I recognize every single word, but when put together, I have no idea what An'er is saying?"

Li Chengxie accepted the letter with a smile, but her expression changed after reading it.

The Shen family's ancestral precepts and jade pendants—could it be that the son has a clue about the jade pendant?

He came to ask about the style of the family heirloom jade pendant.

That's true, he was young back then, so it's understandable that he doesn't remember.

She quickly laid out paper and prepared brush and ink. Looking up at her husband, who was standing there dumbfounded, she scolded him playfully, "You idiot, come and grind the ink for me."

Shen Jingguo walked over woodenly and helped his wife grind ink.

He frowned. "Madam, why did you draw so many different designs?"

"Why do you still want to draw the design of our family heirloom jade pendant?" he asked, pointing to one of them.

Li Chengxie glared at him, "I don't know how someone as dull-witted as you manages to survive in the business world."

"Never mind that, just hurry up and send this letter out as fast as you can." Li Chengxie had already folded the design he had drawn and put it into an envelope.

*

"Cao'er, may I take a look at your jade pendant?"