Shen Mingzhu immediately became interested.
Holding a bag of potato chips, she gave one to Crown Prince Yan Beichen, and the two of them ate while she's listening to Guagua's gossip. It was so much fun.
This caused considerable hardship for the officials surrounding them.
They were already low-ranking officials with little influence, and this time, because the Crown Prince was present, they didn't even dare to move their eyes. They stood straight as pines, listening attentively to the ministers in front of them, discussing matters.
Guagua, tell me quickly what happened?
Host, this is actually a rather bizarre situation.
Weird?
The entire court: What oddball?
We love hearing about weird things. The weirder, the better!
Prince An: Can't you wait until tomorrow to tell such a wonderful story!
All the officials: Now, let's hear it. We can't wait to hear it.
Guagua, tell me about it, let me hear how bizarre it is.
Yes, host.]l
Shen Mingzhu took a sip of water and continued to listen attentively to Guagua's revelations.
One year during the lantern festival, Li Zhongyuan, the head of the Li family, took his whole family to visit the festival. Qin Ruyu was not yet three years old at the time and was chubby and adorable. The family guessed riddles, bought lanterns, and ate delicious food, enjoying themselves immensely.
However, the lantern festival was exceptionally crowded that night, creating an opportune moment for child traffickers. A fire at a shop on the street caused chaos, affecting the entire Li Guogong family, whose members were scattered in the commotion!
Because they had brought enough servants, everyone protected their masters and found a safe place. When the family reunited, Qin Ruyu, who was actually Li Beibei, was gone! The Li couple and their four sons each claimed they hadn't seen Qin Ruyu. The maids, servants, and guards they had brought all lowered their heads. When they went to look for her again, Madam Si saw the current Li Beibei.
Li Beibei calls Li Zhongyuan "Father," Madam Li "Mother," and sweetly calls Li Jingyao and the others "Brother," making her very endearing.
Shen Mingzhu's eyes widened.
And then what? They're not just going to take her back to the Duke of Li's mansion like that, are they?
Just then, the servants and maids he had sent out failed to find Qin Ruyu, and the current Li Beibei holding the hand of Li Guoshi Zhongyuan affectionately called him Father. He softened and called her Beibei in return. Li Beibei responded softly, giving him a sweet smile, and immediately called him Father.
Shen Mingzhu looked up at the sky speechlessly.
Guagua, don't tell me that saying "Daddy" means "Daddy for life."""
Host, you truly are the smartest host I've ever met. That's absolutely true. Seeing that it was getting late, Li Zhongyuan and his group took the current Li Beibei directly back to the Li family.
As you'll know later, the current Li Beibei is now the young lady of the Duke of Li's mansion, while the real Li Beibei was taken away by human traffickers!
As soon as the traffickers grabbed her, they ripped off all her clothes and accessories, headed straight out of the city, and then travelled south. Due to the arduous journey and the change in environment, Qin Ruyu quickly fell seriously ill. The traffickers, realizing the money they will get from selling her, wouldn't even cover the cost of her medicine, simply dumped her by the roadside!
That heartless human trafficker, Guagua, is utterly despicable! The child is so young.
Host, well said! But if they truly had a conscience, they wouldn't have kidnapped and sold children!
The entire court: Despicable human traffickers! Because of them, a girl's life has been completely changed!
Guagua, what happened next?
Host, Qin's father, was heading into the city when he noticed something amiss ahead. Upon closer inspection, he discovered a sick and dying child and kindly rescued her.
You know what happened next!
Guagua, do you think the Li family will acknowledge her as a relative?
Host, to be honest, given the Duke of Li's doting affection for Li Beibei, and considering Qin Ruyu's complete amnesia—her clothes and accessories were all taken by traffickers—there's simply no way to prove she's the Duke of Li's daughter. Besides, there was no news of a missing child from the Duke of Li's mansion back then…
This is even more difficult!
That's absolutely true!
The entire court was now divided into two factions.
One group believes the Duke of Li's family will acknowledge the daughter, since the Duke of Li's son, Li Zhongyuan, along with the Duke's wife and four sons, all know about their lost daughter...
One side argues that after so many years, there was no grand search at the beginning, and they haven't even searched for their biological daughter privately over the years. Without any tokens or proof of identity, there's simply no way to reunite them.
Moreover, their Duke of Li's mansion already has a daughter named Li Beibei.
It would be too difficult to get her to reconnect with her family now!
Minister XX: We can use a blood test to determine kinship!
Minister XX: They don't want to acknowledge it. You understand what that means, right?
Host, you can use a blood test to identify your kin and ancestors.
Upon hearing this, Shen Mingzhu immediately retorted.
Guagua, this ancient practice of blood-drop kinship testing is completely inaccurate! Whether two people's blood mixes depends on their blood types. Even if they are not related, their blood types will mix if they are the same. It's completely unscientific and unreliable!
However, the Duke of Li's mansion is no good place. It's better not to go. Being the Prince of An's daughter-in-law in the Prince of An's mansion, raising the children well, wouldn't that be much better?
Shen Mingzhu always felt that the Li family of the Duke of Liguo's mansion was in danger.
Their boundless indulgence of Li Beibei will eventually harm the whole family.
If Qin Ruyu goes back, she might be implicated.
Didn't you see that Minister of Personnel Gu Ci has directly taken his eldest daughter, Gu Caiyue, back to his residence, making it seem like he's about to completely break off relations?
Minister of Personnel Gu Ci: Yes, if all else fails, I'll just have to break ties with their family.
Even if we don't become relatives or enemies, I'll accept it!
Their family has problems with its values and traditions.
Hearing Qin Ruyu's story today has strengthened his resolve.
Grand Secretary Su Huaiyuan: Blood tests for kinship are unreliable; two people with the same blood type can be compatible even if they are not related.
Okay, I can go back and try it.
He went there after court.
He learned something new!!!
Host, this is your opinion, but it doesn't represent Qin Ruyu's own thoughts. Think about it: the reason she was bullied and harassed in the Prince An's mansion was because she didn't have a good family background. If she were the daughter of the Duke of Li's mansion, wouldn't things be different?
The gap between a father who is an ordinary commoner and a father who is one of the three founding dukes, the Duke of Li, is insurmountable; human nature can not withstand such tests.
Shen Mingzhu fell silent.
That's absolutely true.
All the officials: Yes.
Sometimes, what you think is good, others may not think so.
Do not do to others what you would not have them do to you.
Guagua, do you think we should tell Qin Ruyu and Yan Yunci?
Host, it's up to you. But I think the two of them are a match made in heaven. Both were fallen on hard times, both come from top-tier wealthy families, and somehow, fate brought them together. It's truly amazing.
Guagua, if you hadn't mentioned it, I wouldn't have thought of it. They really are destined for each other, a match made in heaven.
Crown Prince Yan Beichen: My Crown Princess and I are a match made in heaven.
We have a perfect understanding; we go to court together, chat together, and eat potato chips together.
Peaceful and serene.
Very nice! !....