Only Chu Wang remained completely bewildered.
"Impossible, you couldn't possibly... Little Li'er, stop teasing me! I... I've been searching for so long..."
"I am indeed teasing you."
But Chu Qianli had no trace of a smile on her face at that moment.
She looked only at Chu Jiangnan, "What is His Majesty's decree?"
Chu Jiangnan's brow furrowed slightly, as if still considering.
Chu Wang, observing the expressions of the two, suddenly had a flash of insight.
"Little Li'er, you... you intend to impersonate our little princess?"
So, that was her meaning!
Chu Wang breathed a sigh of relief, but then, abruptly, felt a surge of disappointment.
If... if Little Li'er were truly his imperial brother's daughter, how wonderful that would be!
Little Li'er was intelligent, capable, exceptionally talented, a divine physician, and so kind.
With her abilities, she could certainly help His Majesty solve many problems.
Moreover, His Majesty had previously hinted that their Southern Ming Kingdom had once had a female emperor in its history.
With Chu Qianli's strategic brilliance, she was more than capable of being an empress.
Thinking about it this way, it was true that if Chu Qianli were their little princess, all current problems could be resolved.
However, this would also put Little Li'er in danger.
The princess of Southern Ming, the Emperor's only bloodline, how many people would wish to take her life?
"Little Li'er, have you thought this through?" Chu Wang asked, somewhat nervously.
Feng Yexuan had remained silent, but his expression seemed rather grim, as if lost in thought.
Chu Jiangnan also said, "This matter might resolve the immediate crisis, but it will lead to much entanglement later."
"Isn't resolving the immediate crisis the most important thing right now?"
"Prince Yu will not let you go," Chu Jiangnan said, looking at her, now calm.
For a fleeting moment, he too had been ecstatic.
But looking at her brows, devoid of any joy or excitement of recognition, he realized that after half a lifetime of planning, he had, for a moment, faltered due to emotion.
How he wished she were real.
"Now, the Imperial Preceptor..." Chu Wang glanced at Chu Jiangnan.
Chu Jiangnan said, "I may not remain lucid for long. Speak whatever you need to say."
Chu Wang then said in a low voice, "The Imperial Preceptor is severely injured and unconscious. Without him, who can verify your identity for you?"
"Even if the Imperial Preceptor were awake and capable, he would likely not be willing to lie, especially in the presence of the divine spirits."
Therefore, this point was not even within Chu Qianli's consideration.
"Then..."
"Doesn't ancient custom have a best method for recognizing relatives?" she asked with a light smile.
"Blood relation test?" All eyes once again focused on Chu Qianli.
Chu Wang frowned deeply, "But you are, after all... not real. How can a blood relation test deceive everyone?"
"Actually, the blood relation test is not as accurate as people believe, they just don't know it."
Liu Jin had naturally researched this point.
"However..."
He thought for a moment before saying, "Miss Chu naturally has a way to ensure the blood relation test succeeds, but they might not be without precautions. What if Prince Yu demands the entire process be overseen by Lan Fan..."
Unexpectedly, Chu Qianli laughed, "Even if Lan Fan himself oversees it, I have a way to deal with it!"
...
When Feng Yexuan returned to his room, he inexplicably felt a headache.
As soon as he entered, he felt an intense throbbing pain, a heart-wrenching agony.
"Your Highness, you're back?"
Feng Ling was waiting in the room.
Feng Yexuan's brow furrowed. Enduring the pain, he said displeasedly, "When did I permit you to enter?"