The Eldest Daughter Returns with Power

"Greetings, Father Emperor." Yuwen Mo quickly knelt down to pay his respects, secretly worried for Su Yunruo. He knew that this moment was crucial for Su Yunruo, and her fate could very well undergo a dramatic change because of it.

The emperor's sharp gaze lingered on Su Yunruo for a long while. His gaze was as sharp as an eagle's and as cold as a snake's, deep and complex, as if it possessed a mysterious power that could see into people's hearts. He spoke slowly, his voice carrying an undeniable air of authority: "Rise, there's no need for formalities."

Su Yunruo carefully stood up, her head bowed, not daring to look directly at the emperor.

The emperor walked steadily to the main seat and sat down, then gestured for the crown prince and Su Yunruo to sit as well. His gaze lingered on Su Yunruo, scrutinizing her from head to toe, finally settling on her face. His eyes seemed to hold a knife, as if to slice open Su Yunruo's features, and he asked, "You are Su Yunruo?"

Su Yunruo's palms were sweating with nervousness, but she still mustered her courage to answer, "Your Majesty, I am indeed Su Yunruo." Her voice trembled slightly, revealing her inner unease.

The emperor smiled slightly, a barely perceptible glint in his eyes, and continued, "I heard from the Crown Prince that your master is the mistress of Qingyu Manor. Is that true?"

Su Yunruo lowered her head and said softly, "Your Majesty, my master is indeed..."

The emperor nodded, seemingly satisfied with Su Yunruo's humble attitude, and then asked, "I heard that you inherited your master's medical skills?"

Su Yunruo's heart tightened. She didn't know why the emperor suddenly asked about this, so she could only answer truthfully: "It's not a matter of succession, but rather a matter of resemblance."

The emperor's lips curled slightly upward, a profound meaning flashing in his eyes. He slowly turned his head, his gaze falling on the crown prince, and asked softly, "Crown Prince, is the information you have gathered reliable?" His voice carried a hint of doubt and caution.

The Crown Prince stood up, his posture upright and solemn. He bowed respectfully to the Emperor and replied firmly, "Father, I have repeatedly inquired with the old nanny from my aunt's household back then, and Miss Su is indeed my aunt's daughter."

The emperor remained silent for a moment, motionless like a pensive statue, seemingly deep in thought. Then, he turned his gaze to Su Yunruo again, a hint of gentleness and expectation flashing in his eyes, and asked softly, "Su Yunruo, are you willing to accept this identity? Are you willing to return to the palace?"

Su Yunruo's emotions surged like a turbulent sea. She knew in her heart that this decision would completely change the trajectory of her future life. However, this was not the most appropriate time. She knew that after leaving the palace, she must first return to the General's Mansion and begin the formal process of recognizing her relatives there.

Thinking this, she took a deep breath, looked up directly at the emperor, her eyes shining with unwavering determination, like the brightest star in the night sky. Her voice was firm and powerful: "Your Majesty, if I am truly the eldest princess's daughter, then I am willing to accept this identity. But I hope to return to the palace to acknowledge my family at a more opportune time, is that alright?"

The emperor looked at the brave woman before him with a hint of curiosity and inquiry in his eyes. He asked, "What matters do you still have to attend to outside the palace? With your status as a princess, you should be able to resolve these issues more easily."

She smiled slightly, a hint of cunning and shrewdness in her eyes. She answered softly, "Your Majesty, I grew up in the General's Mansion until I was five years old when I accidentally went missing. Over the years, the General's Mansion only searched for me for a short time after I disappeared; afterwards, they never bothered to look for me again. Do you know why?"

The emperor frowned, his face full of doubt, and couldn't help but ask, "Is there something else going on here that no one knows about?"

She nodded, her expression turning serious, and said firmly, "Your Majesty, I was deliberately separated from you by General Su's scheme."

The emperor's face instantly darkened, like dark clouds gathering before a storm. He roared angrily, "What? How dare he do this! Taking you away from the princess's residence was a serious crime, and now he dares to deliberately scheme to get you lost. This General Su is truly audacious!"

Seeing that things were not going well, the Crown Prince quickly stepped forward to persuade him, "Father, please don't be angry yet. Let Yunruo finish speaking first." After saying that, the Crown Prince turned his head and nodded gently to Su Yunruo.

“My disappearance was meticulously planned by General Su. The reason was that the eldest princess had passed away, and he couldn't use me to gain the greatest benefit. Moreover, he had a daughter, born an hour after me, a cousin of the Su family. To prevent his daughter from suffering, he orchestrated my disappearance, having the cousin raised by the madam from a young age.” Su Yunruo looked at the Emperor, her eyes filled with hatred. She gritted her teeth and said, word by word, “Furthermore, he had very close ties with the Third Prince. He even gave his own daughter the betrothal arranged since childhood. This is also why he wanted to get rid of me…”

Su Yunruo's voice grew lower and lower, tinged with grief and resentment. Her gaze was fixed on the Emperor, as if she wanted to pour out all her grievances.

The Emperor stared wide-eyed at Su Yunruo, his face filled with astonishment. He couldn't believe that General Su would do such a despicable thing. The Crown Prince, on the other hand, was shocked, his fists clenched in anger, his heart filled with contempt for General Su.

When Su Yunruo recounted everything she knew about the actions of General Su's mansion, both the Emperor and the Crown Prince were stunned. They never imagined that General Su's mansion harbored so many unspeakable secrets. These events struck them like a bolt from the blue, catching them completely off guard.

The Emperor frowned, his face turning terribly grim. His eyes flashed with anger as he gritted his teeth and said, "What a General Su! I truly underestimated him!" He slammed his fist on the table and rose angrily, exuding an aura of majesty.

The Crown Prince's eyes widened in fury, his hands clenched into fists, eager to bring General Su to justice immediately. He glared fiercely at Su Yunruo, gritting his teeth as he said, "I never imagined General Su could be so treacherous and cunning! We absolutely cannot let him get away with this!"

Su Yunruo slightly raised her head, a resolute glint in her eyes. She knew this was a rare opportunity, and she was determined to make General Su pay the price. Therefore, she bowed to the Emperor and the Crown Prince, her voice firm, and said, "Your Majesty, Your Highness, please allow me to investigate this matter personally. I will find the truth myself and expose the General's mansion's wolfish ambitions to the world!"

The Emperor gazed at Su Yunruo, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes. He nodded slightly. "Very well, since you are so determined, I will grant you permission to investigate. However, you cannot do it alone. I will arrange for several reliable people to protect you, and your identity will also be restored. I can keep it secret for now, first bestowing upon you the title of Princess Linglong, and only arranging for members of the imperial clan to register your identity in the imperial genealogy. You are not allowed to object to this. In addition, I will give you a protective talisman, which you can use to deter them when you encounter problems. We will announce it to the world when you regain your identity from the General's Mansion. Yunruo, remember, no matter what difficulties you encounter, come to me. Do not exclude me. You are my sister's only daughter, and I must protect you. In a few days, I will arrange for your twin brother to enter the palace so that you can meet."

The emperor's words were filled with care and concern; he seemed to have long regarded Su Yunruo as family, a sentiment that warmed Su Yunruo's heart. She knew that the emperor's concern was not merely superficial, but a genuine expression of his feelings. At this moment, Su Yunruo's eyes welled up with tears, but she stubbornly held them back.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, and then said softly, "Thank you, Your Majesty. I will certainly act carefully and will not let you down." The Emperor smiled and nodded, gesturing for her to rise. He turned to the Crown Prince and said in a deep voice, "Crown Prince, Yunruo is your eldest aunt's only daughter. As her cousin, you must protect her, understand? Also, regarding the affairs of the General's Mansion, you will assist Yunruo in arranging everything and ensuring her safety."

The crown prince immediately agreed, his eyes revealing firmness and determination.

"You two should leave the palace first. After a few days, once everything is arranged, summon Yunruo back to the palace." The Emperor looked at Yunruo.

"Your subject takes his leave."

"This humble woman takes her leave."

They both spoke at the same time.