nycdaug Chapter 185 The Past of Consort Hua
Chapter 185 The Past of Consort Hua
While eating pork jerky, Wanyue told the Emperor and Consort Hua about Shen Cao.
"Father, please try this. This is pork jerky made by Sister Cao'er. It's delicious." She handed a piece of pork jerky to the Emperor.
The Emperor took the pork jerky and was about to put it in his mouth when Li Defu anxiously stopped him, "Your Majesty, it hasn't been tested for poison yet!!!"
The Emperor waved his hand, "It's alright, didn't you see how much Wanyue is enjoying her food!"
The emperor looked down at the pork jerky; the surface was covered with a layer of white sesame seeds, and it did indeed feel quite like pork jerky.
When you put it in your mouth, the taste is completely different from dried meat; it's really delicious.
"Father, Mother, you don't know how amazing Sister Cao'er is."
"The reason I went to Xin'an County with my cousin to find her this time is because my cousin and his family want to do business with Sister Cao'er."
"Sister Cao'er not only cooks delicious food, but she is also very smart."
"By the way, Father and Mother, I have something to show you."
Wanyue mysteriously took out a booklet from her bag and handed it to the Emperor and Consort Hua.
“Your daughter is really something this time. My sister Cao’er and I are also planning to start a business.”
"We're planning to open a restaurant, and we've already thought of a name: Hundred Herbs Garden."
The Emperor and Consort Hua exchanged a glance. Neither of them believed that their daughter would actually do business; they thought it was just a joke.
After carefully reading the contents of the booklet, they were all utterly shocked.
"Wanyue, did you write this?"
Wanyue nodded, "Not entirely. I wrote it under Sister Cao'er's guidance. How about that? Your daughter is amazing, isn't she?"
"A scholar should be looked at with new eyes after three days of separation. I've been away for several months, so I'm definitely different from before."
The two looked at the booklet, which contained everything from the restaurant's renovation to all the things needed for opening the store, down to the smallest detail.
They looked at the familiar handwriting in the booklet; it was indeed Wanyue's handwriting.
The two nodded with satisfaction; Wanyue had indeed grown up quite a bit after her trip.
This girl named Shen Cao is indeed very capable; she can win Wan Yue's favor so much and have such a great influence on Wan Yue.
The two were very curious about this person named Shen Cao.
"Mother, there is something I want to apologize to you about."
Wanyue was a little embarrassed to speak.
"I gave the leaf pendant you gave me to Sister Grass. I was in such a hurry to leave this time that I didn't have anything nice to give as a gift, so I gave her the pendant."
Consort Hua's expression froze for a moment upon hearing her daughter's words, but she quickly returned to normal.
"It's fine to give it away, it's just an item. But Mother is getting more and more curious about who this Sister Cao'er you mentioned is, that you would give her the pendant you always carry with you."
"You'll see when you meet her. I hit it off with Sister Cao'er at first sight. I felt a strong sense of familiarity with her the moment I saw her."
“I really want to get close to her, and she is a really good older sister.”
“I’m in Xin’an County. She cooks lots of delicious food for me every day and takes me out to play.”
"She explains everything I don't understand to me, she's so great!!!"
Consort Hua smiled and nodded. Of course she knew that Shen Cao's family treated Wan Yue very well, and she received letters about Wan Yue every day.
The letter mentioned Shen Cao's family the most.
If her Ming'er were still alive, she would probably be about the same age as that Shen Cao.
Wanyue gets along so well with a sister who isn't related to her by blood, she must really like her biological sister, but...
“Mother, when I left, Sister Cao’er gave me a pendant. She said it was one she wore when she was little. I gave it to her, and she gave me hers.”
"The pendant's design is also very unique, just like my leaf; it's a style I've never seen before."
Wanyue rummaged through her bag for a long time but couldn't find it. "Oh dear, I put it in my jewelry box. I'll show it to my mother when I find it in a while."
Consort Hua nodded, not taking the matter to heart.
However, he later deeply regretted not taking it to heart.
After having lunch at Consort Hua's place, Wanyue returned to her own palace.
"Wanyue, go back and rest well first. Come back to see your mother when you've rested."
Wanyue nodded and left with her things.
After leaving, Consort Hua summoned Shadow, "How was it? Have you investigated the matter I asked you to investigate?"
The shadowy figure opposite him knelt on the ground, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said, "Your Majesty, I have been investigating the matter of the baby girl from fourteen years ago in the vicinity of Xin'an County."
"However, the drought that year had a wide impact, and many migrants came to Xin'an County to escape the famine."
“I went to the government office and looked at the local records, but I didn’t find any clues about the capital.”
“We checked all the baby girls of similar age in the household register, but we didn’t find any record of Princess Wanming.”
Consort Hua listened to Shadow's reply and fell into her memories.
Fourteen years ago, she was not yet Consort Hua, but just a minor concubine in the Emperor's harem.
That year was a disastrous one for the Great Xia Kingdom.
First came the drought in the northwest, followed by severe flooding in the southeast. The entire country was depleted of its treasury and displaced people everywhere due to the disaster.
Even neighboring countries began to wage war against the Great Xia Kingdom, especially the Great Qing Kingdom, which even invaded the capital.
At that time, the emperor led the women of the harem to flee southwest. On the way, Consort Hua discovered that she was pregnant.
However, at that time, she was just a concubine, and the conditions were harsh. Although she told the emperor about her pregnancy,
But the emperor was too busy taking care of himself to look after her.
When they reached the vicinity of Xin'an County, the child was born; it was a daughter.
Consort Hua, who was originally immersed in the joy of her child's birth, did not expect that a riot would suddenly break out.
She had just given birth and was too weak to leave the group temporarily.
It was during this time of separation that her daughter went missing.
She didn't really know how they got lost. When she woke up, the nanny told her that the wet nurse and the little princess were gone.
Later, she discovered through investigation that the wet nurse was a former empress's woman, and that the empress and she had a grudge against each other when they were young.
This incident was her revenge.
So many years have passed, and all the evidence disappeared without a trace during those most chaotic years.
That year, nearly half the population of the country died. Due to natural disasters and man-made calamities, the Great Xia Kingdom was almost destroyed.
She prayed countless times that her daughter was still alive, even if she was not doing well, as long as she was alive, that was enough.
For so many years she didn't dare to investigate, afraid that if she knew the truth, she would lose all hope.
This time, when she learned that Wanyue was going to Xin'an County, she told herself that so many years had passed and this matter was over.
She wants the truth.
But she couldn't even get the truth.