In the pavilion, beneath the peach blossom tree.
Shen Zhongwen, clad in a python robe with his hair bound by a jade crown, appeared remarkably young despite being over forty.
His skin was taut, devoid of any wrinkles.
Standing with his hands behind his back, he exuded an imposing, noble, and upright presence.
He appraised Madam Zhao generously.
The middle-aged woman before him wore a fitted *ru* shirt, layered with a *beizi*.
Her clothes were neat and proper, and her only adornment was a pearl hair ornament, lending her an air of simple elegance.
However, the skin on her face revealed an age that seemed greater than her actual years.
Shen Zhongwen looked at her, unable to recall her face.
Yet, it felt inexplicably familiar.
Just moments ago, in the covered corridor, a fleeting glimpse had struck him.
He felt as though he knew her.
But searching his mind, he found no trace of her in his memories.
As they stood facing each other in silence, an ineffable tremor stirred within him.
It was a subconscious reaction, one he couldn't control, but one he savored.
Thus, from the moment he saw her, his interest in dealing with his peers vanished.
He simply wanted to call out to her, to hear her speak of things he could not remember.
So, seizing the opportunity when she was alone, he brought her here—a place not easily accessed by others.
Shen Zhongwen's lips trembled, "Are you... Zhao Shi Sanniang?"
Madam Zhao's eyes welled up, on the verge of tears.
Sixteen years.
The man before her was just as he had been.
Handsome, gentle, and refined.
Though now his features had matured into an even more pleasing appearance.
In everyone's eyes, he had been missing for sixteen years.
They all believed him dead, yet he was alive and well.
If he weren't standing before her now, she might not have dared to believe it.
That they would ever have the chance to meet again.
"I am Sanniang, you are alive, alive and well..." Madam Zhao's voice, as it rose and fell, conveyed the complex emotions churning within her.
Not only was he alive and well, but he had never once sought them out—their mother and two children.
He was a prince in a prominent京城 (Jīngchéng - capital city) mansion, while she was merely a village woman from Zhao Family Village.
Their disparity was set from birth.
Yet, both had strayed from their paths and stubbornly tried to stay together.
What if they had a son and daughter? They would still have to separate.
This was fate, undeniable and absolute.
Madam Zhao, who had once harbored countless resentments and grievances towards Shen Zhongwen, found herself reconciling with herself after a moment of reflection.
This was fate.
She told herself again in her heart.
One could disbelieve in many things, but not in fate.
Having come to this realization, Madam Zhao turned and left without waiting for Shen Zhongwen to speak.
Shen Zhongwen watched her depart without looking back, feeling utterly bewildered.
He was no longer the Shen Zhongwen of old.
He couldn't recall Madam Zhao, nor could he fathom her current thoughts.
Therefore, he didn't know what to do.
But the questions that needed asking still had to be addressed.
He called out, "Wait, I have some questions for you. Are you Xu Zhi's mother?"
Madam Zhao paused, and the grief and indignation in her heart surged with renewed intensity.
She turned back, her eyes red, and looked at him.
Her gaze held disbelief, and a sorrow that was impossible to articulate.
It would have been better if he hadn't come, but to ask such a question.
Grief beyond despair, Madam Zhao's eyes filled with tears as she spoke, word by word:
"Of course, Yun Ge'er is my child." *Just my child, and no one else's!*
Shen Zhongwen's heart seemed to be infected by the overwhelming emotions emanating from her.
His chest tightened, and he asked in a hoarse voice, "Is he my child as well?"
Upon hearing this, Madam Zhao let out a bitter laugh, "No! We humble folk of the countryside do not dare to presume upon the nobility of a prince's estate. Please excuse me."
Madam Zhao left with resolute finality.
Without a hint of hesitation.
She understood!
This man before her hadn't come to acknowledge his kin; he had come to snatch away his child.
How could that be possible?
Yun Ge'er was her son, whom she had raised for over twenty years. They had supported each other to reach this point.
Why should this man, with nothing more than the words "I am his father," expect to take him?
Madam Zhao's heart bled, but at this moment, she had to gather her strength to face this man.
The man who had once unexpectedly entered her world in the mountains, who, with just one glance from the mountain peaks, had captured her heart forever.
From then on, neither had forgotten the other.
He had come to marry her, and she had married him.
They bought a small house in Mianzhou City.
There were flowers, trees, and family.
They lived there for nearly seven years, giving birth to two lovely children.
Then, one day, he vanished.
She thought he had met with misfortune and had sought help from her own family.
Even now, her fifth brother, Zhao Wutang, had not found any trace of him.
It was precisely because he had gone out to search for him.
If not for searching for him, how could he have disappeared?
She shouldn't have looked for him; he had returned to his own home in the capital to live as a prince.
Unfortunately, she had sacrificed her entire life for this, and lost the brother who loved her most.
Madam Zhao's facade of strength began to crumble.
She covered her face and sobbed softly.
She wept not for herself, but for the countless tears she had shed for him over the years.
For the tragic times their family of three had endured together, and for her own longing for him over the years...
Her life, in the end, had been a mistake.
Fortunately, fortunately, she still had her son and daughter.
Her son was accomplished, becoming a high-ranking official of the third rank at a young age.
He had also married her a gentle and virtuous daughter-in-law.
Her own daughter was intelligent and vivacious, and was close to being married.
In the future, her good daughter-in-law would also give her grandchildren...
Madam Zhao felt that her life had reached a point of fulfillment.
She no longer wished to strive for anything more.
Madam Zhao turned and left, her departure swift and decisive, without a hint of lingering attachment.
As if she harbored no feelings for this man.
This scene delighted Su Xiaoqi, who was secretly watching, feeling immense satisfaction.
Initially, she and Shen Yun had been most worried about Madam Zhao.
They feared that after guarding her solitude for so many years, when Prince Ning finally appeared, she might remember their past affections and be swayed by his words, following him back to the princely mansion.
Now, witnessing her actions, Su Xiaoqi felt reassured.
She no longer concealed her presence and walked out from behind the rockery.
At that moment, Shen Zhongwen was stunned by Madam Zhao's words.
He subconsciously called out, "Sanniang!"
Madam Zhao's steps faltered, but she did not turn back, instead walking towards Su Xiaoqi ahead.
Su Xiaoqi sensed the internal struggle within Madam Zhao and, without a word, reached out and embraced her.
Madam Zhao's broken heart, like a tranquil lake, momentarily calmed before beginning to mend.
A radiant smile bloomed on her face, and she took Su Xiaoqi's hand, turning to leave.
She knew that no matter what decision she made, her Yun Ge'er, Xiaoqi, and Mingzhu would stand by her side.
Wealth and power would all have to take a back seat.
The two departed resolutely, leaving Shen Zhongwen staring blankly ahead.
His eyes held undisguised confusion.
He looked at his personal guard standing beside him and mumbled,
"Old Ji, why? She looks so familiar, yet I can't recall who she is."
Ji Chengfeng, addressed as Old Ji, replied, "Your Highness, you don't merely fail to recall; you have forgotten."
This statement only deepened Shen Zhongwen's bewilderment.
Not recalling and forgetting, weren't they the same thing?
Ji Chengfeng earnestly stated, "Your subordinate believes they are different.
I have heard it said that 'not recalling' implies a deliberate act of forgetting, a refusal to remember.
However, 'forgetting' is not your intention.
It is possible you were given some kind of medicine.
When I accompanied the Imperial Guards on assignments, I overheard them discussing it.
There is a medicine that, once taken, can cause a person to forget all past events.
If Your Highness harbors doubts, your subordinate can investigate.
However, I suspect this matter would need to be traced back to when you were suddenly found and brought back."
Shen Zhongwen nodded in agreement.
Meanwhile, he refused to give up. He gazed at Madam Zhao, the familiarity gnawing at him, and tried to recall with all his might, but the information available in his mind was too sparse.
It was like an article with a page torn out from the middle.
His memory had become fragmented and incomplete.
The harder he tried to remember, the less he could.
The effort brought on a splitting headache, and he dejectedly lowered his head.