After entering the mansion and taking their seats, Luo Qiu did as she had said and stood beside Zhao Shuning.
From this angle, she really did look like a maid.
"Duke, Duchess, this young woman is the one I specifically brought back to meet you," Zhao Shuning said as she looked at the person in the black robe.
Luo Qiu took the hint, stepped forward, and removed the black robe. A delicate face was then exposed to everyone.
Xia Wanning's current appearance was not much different from before. She had Zhao Huai to thank for this, for there were few people in the world with such capabilities.
After the black robe was put down, Duke Xia Rui and the Duchess glanced at each other and immediately stood up.
Although it was their first meeting, the couple felt a natural sense of intimacy towards the young woman in front of them.
Moreover, the young woman's pair of eyes were what they found most familiar. When the young princess was born, it was those beautiful eyes that had attracted so much admiration.
"Ancestor, who is this young lady?"
"Duke, I've compared everything using what you gave me. She is the one you've been looking for."
Suddenly, the whole place fell silent.
Xia Rui had been around in Shengjing City for many years, having weathered numerous hardships and always remaining calm. But this time, upon hearing this, his legs went weak and he almost fell to the ground.
Was it really her?
Was she their child?
The Duchess slowly walked towards Xia Wanning and gently placed her hands on Xia Wanning's face.
Xia Wanning felt someone touching her, but since she couldn't clearly see the woman's face, she involuntarily flinched backward.
Seeing this, the Duchess felt even more heart - broken.
"It's me. I'm your mother, child. I'm your mother."
The young woman was stunned, and her body stiffened.
Xia Wanning could feel that the woman's hands were warm and her attitude was kind. Every time she touched her, the woman was always very careful, afraid of hurting her.
This feeling...
Xia Wanning rarely experienced it.
Was this family affection?
Was this woman really her mother?
The Duchess's hands slowly caressed Xia Wanning's face, and Xia Wanning no longer resisted.
Xia Wanning's eyes gradually became moist.
"Are you... Mother?" So I, Xia Wanning, also have a mother.
The Duchess looked intently into the young woman's eyes and kept nodding.
"Yes, it's me. As soon as I saw your eyes, I knew you were my child, Duke. This is our child. She's the flesh that fell from my body. I know it. I can feel it."
At this moment, Xia Rui also slowly walked towards Xia Wanning.
He stepped forward but couldn't say a word. He just said, "It's good that you're back. It's good that you're back."
The reunion of family members was originally a very touching scene. The Duchess was in floods of tears and couldn't stop crying.
The atmosphere suddenly became extremely warm.
Seeing this, Zhao Shuning smiled faintly and coughed inadvertently.
Xia Rui and his wife immediately reacted and quickly knelt down to thank Zhao Shuning.
Zhao Shuning quickly helped them up. This wasn't her intention.
She still had something to say to the two of them.
"Xia Rui, you two must be overjoyed to see your daughter for the first time. However, what I'm going to say next may be hard for you to accept. If you're willing to listen, I'll continue."
The couple glanced at each other and then both looked at Xia Wanning.
Xia Wanning felt their gazes on her and lowered her head.
It seemed that what the ancestor was going to say next must be related to their long - lost young princess.
"First, have someone take her down to rest. After so many days of traveling, the young princess's health is not as good as before. She can't endure fatigue."
As soon as Zhao Shuning's words fell, Xia Jingning immediately stood up.
"Ancestor, I'll make the arrangements."
"Good."
Xia Jingning had never met this long - lost elder sister, so her feelings for her were naturally not as strong as those of her parents. Regarding the matter of this elder sister, her parents should be more eager to know than herself.
Xia Jingning led Xia Wanning out.
The Duke and Duchess were now both looking extremely tense.
Zhao Shuning said, "I heard that your daughter caused quite a stir in Shengjing City when she was born. She was the first noble child in this imperial city to be given the name 'Ning' at birth, right?"
"Answering the ancestor, that's right. When Ning'er was born, her pair of eyes were really beautiful. They were extremely similar to those of our ancestor, that is, you, in the portrait. The former emperor said that Ning'er was predestined with you and thus bestowed this character upon her."
Zhao Shuning nodded.
Indeed.
Xia Wanning's eyes were very similar to those of Gu Qingqing and her past self.
"Now I must tell you that it's already a miracle that your daughter has managed to keep her life. Her vision is blurry, and she'll never be able to practice again. Whether it's spiritual power or spiritual energy, she's completely ruined in these two aspects."
"How could this be?"
"Ancestor, who did this?"
"Who would treat our child like this?"
"She's already suffered a lot while away from us, and now she's encountered such a disaster."
Looking at the Duchess's appearance, if Zhao Shuning weren't present, her tears would probably have burst forth again.
Zhao Shuning listened to their indignant words without saying a word at first.
After they finished speaking, she then spoke again.
"What if I said that she brought this upon herself?"
Hearing this, the two of them showed shocked expressions.
Looking at the ancestor, Zhao Shuning, on the seat, her expression didn't seem like she was joking.
The two of them panicked again and quickly knelt down.
"Ancestor."
"You're not the ones who should be kneeling."
Zhao Shuning nodded to Luo Qiu beside her.
Luo Qiu waved her hand gently, and a series of images slowly appeared in front of the two of them.
Xia Wanning as a child.
Xia Wanning as an adult.
All of her actions quickly appeared before the Duke and Duchess.
Until...
The red - dressed woman died on the huge platform.
Xia Wanning's subsequent actions became even more hateful.
Many talented alchemists were put on her list, and then they would disappear in various ways on their way home.
Why they disappeared?
Xia Rui wasn't stupid, and neither was his wife.
Connecting all these things, they clearly knew who was responsible for all this.
Luo Qiu withdrew the images.
At this moment, the couple of Xia Rui were still immersed in the previous images and couldn't come back to their senses for a while.
"Did all these things really be done by our child?"
Luo Qiu said, "Duke, Duchess, do you know who the red - dressed woman is? And who is the black - dressed young master?"
"The black - dressed young master is Ji Qinglin, a clan elder who grew up with the young princess since childhood. He's also an eighth - rank alchemist. The red - dressed woman is actually the past life of our young lady."
Xia Rui stood up straight.
Now, he didn't even dare to breathe loudly.
If this was really the case...
Then their daughter could be said to be a heinous great demon.