But how could her nephew appear in such a remote mountain village?
Princess Zande, the Grand Princess, scrutinized Sima Han from head to toe, her eyebrows furrowed even further.
"Who are you?" Grand Princess Zande asked, puzzled.
"Your nephew, Sima Han, pays his respects to Aunt. Aunt, are you well?" Sima Han said, cupping his fists and bowing.
Hearing Sima Han speak again, the last sliver of doubt in Grand Princess Zande's heart vanished.
He looked so much like him, not just in appearance, but even his voice was so similar.
Sima Han now was indistinguishable from his older brother in his youth.
"How did you end up here?" Grand Princess Zande asked, voicing her confusion.
"This is a long story. Please, Aunt, come inside for a chat." Sima Han gestured invitingly.
Shen Xiaoyan and Zheng Wei were somewhat bewildered by Sima Han's open claim of kinship. They hadn't heard him mention any such intentions beforehand, and their gazes towards him were filled with confusion.
Sima Han smiled at them, reassuring them with a glance.
Without hesitation, Grand Princess Zande alighted from her carriage, her hand resting on her crimson robe, and walked towards Shen Xiaoyan and the others.
Shen Xiaoyan noticed that after Grand Princess Zande disembarked, the half-open carriage curtain was drawn shut, and no one else followed the Grand Princess.
Yet, she had distinctly seen a man's attire moments before.
Who else could be riding in the same carriage as Grand Princess Zande, if not her consort, Baili Hao?
But why wouldn't Baili Hao alight, or even show himself?
As Shen Xiaoyan pondered this, Sima Han had already greeted Grand Princess Zande and led her into the main house, towards the principal chamber in the front courtyard.
Shen Xiaoyan and Zheng Wei exchanged glances and followed them into the main chamber.
In the main chamber, Grand Princess Zande occupied the seat of honor, while Sima Han stood to the side.
Observing this, Shen Xiaoyan frowned. This Grand Princess Zande was truly accustomed to her status, acting like the mistress of the house even when visiting others.
"A'han, although I haven't met you before, you resemble your father so much that I recognized you instantly," Grand Princess Zande said, her gaze lingering on Sima Han's face for a moment before she withdrew her overly intense stare.
"This is my honor, Aunt," Sima Han replied. He only stated it was an honor, without specifying whether it was an honor to be recognized by Grand Princess Zande or to resemble the Emperor.
Grand Princess Zande did not dwell on this point and reiterated the question she had asked at the gate: "So, A'han, how did you end up in this place?"
Sima Han smiled gently and sat on a wooden chair nearby.
In a very calm tone, he said, "In my youth, I was reckless and spoke without considering my words. I angered His Majesty, who stripped me of my royal lineage and banished me from the imperial capital."
Perhaps it was due to Sima Han's dispassionate tone, as if he were recounting someone else's story, that Grand Princess Zande took a while to react.
When Grand Princess Zande finally processed his words, she looked at Sima Han in shock, opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say.
She had encountered her nephew in a remote, impoverished village, only to be told by him that he had been expelled by her brother.
"Then, did the Emperor say anything?"
After a long pause, Grand Princess Zande asked dryly.
In truth, she knew this was a foolish question.
If the Emperor had said anything, Sima Han wouldn't be here now.
Or perhaps, it wasn't that the Emperor hadn't said anything. It was simply that his status was no longer what it used to be, and therefore, his words carried less weight, whether spoken or not.
"His Majesty's word is as good as gold. Others naturally cannot say anything," Sima Han said softly.
Shen Xiaoyan and Zheng Wei, who had been silent since entering, turned to Sima Han at his words.
This was the first time Shen Xiaoyan had heard Sima Han speak of his own affairs. She hadn't expected him to be so nonchalant.
It was understandable, though. Those matters were now meaningless, and with his current abilities, he could not contend with the ruler of a nation.
Since he couldn't resist, he shouldn't dwell on it too much, as it would only make his own life more difficult.
"May I ask, Aunt, how did you come to be here? Did you hear I was here and specifically come to see me? If so, I am truly neglectful. I had never met you before and didn't know where you lived. Had I known earlier, I would have come to pay my respects."
Sima Han's words left Grand Princess Zande feeling quite awkward. She had no idea how many sons the Emperor had, let alone that Sima Han was here and that she had come specifically to see him.
Furthermore, Sima Han was now a commoner, while she was a distinguished princess; it would have been even more unlikely for her to visit Sima Han.
"Alas. It was indeed a coincidence. My daughter, your cousin Ziyun, was out traveling with Bai Fang. However, two days ago, a servant returned to report that both of them had been captured, along with my good-for-nothing disciple, Jiang Hong. So, I rushed here to see. I never expected to see you. By the way, where is Ziyun?"
Grand Princess Zande's imperious demeanor shifted, and she began to appeal to familial sentiment.
Although Sima Han was now a commoner, he still carried the blood of the Shui clan, the imperial family, and he resembled the Emperor so closely that perhaps, one day, the Emperor might remember his son and take him back.
After all, the Emperor was only in his early fifties.
"Does Aunt's daughter have the name Baili Ziyun?" Sima Han inquired.
"Indeed. Do you know where she is now?" Grand Princess Zande nodded.
"What a coincidence! I'll have someone bring her here immediately." Sima Han also smiled and then instructed those waiting outside to bring Baili Ziyun and Jiang Hong.
Shen Xiaoyan had not given Baili Ziyun and Jiang Hong any anesthetic for the past two days, but Old Black, Hei Zi, and Hua Diandian kept a constant watch in the room, preventing them from acting rashly.
Now, as they were led in by a servant, their faces lit up with joy upon seeing Grand Princess Zande seated in the seat of honor.
"Mother, you've finally come," Baili Ziyun cried out, then ran and threw herself into Grand Princess Zande's embrace.
Grand Princess Zande caressed Baili Ziyun's hair and gently patted her back. When she stopped crying, she carefully examined her.
She saw that Baili Ziyun was only a little haggard, and although there were some whip marks on her body, she was otherwise unharmed.
"Mother, quickly kill them! They killed Fang Gu… *sob sob*…" Baili Ziyun began to cry again.