Ji Qingwu watched helplessly as her chubby little daughter scampered all the way to her.

 

The little girl held out the fruit she had just picked with both hands, her round eyes filled with the image of her beloved mother.

 

In a babyish voice, she said, “Mommy, this is for you. I picked these fruits!”

 

The other two were also drawn to her. The child was adorable and innocent, and remarkably well-behaved.

 

However, as Ji Changlin watched, his expression darkened.

 

He muttered to himself, “She looks just like her. She really does.”

 

Hearing this, Ji Qingwu’s back stiffened.

 

She ruffled the child’s little head and urged gently, “Be a good girl, Jiu Jiu. Mother will eat them later. Go play by yourself on the cot inside for a while.”

 

The little girl named Jiu Jiu wasn’t the least bit shy.

 

She tucked the fruit into the small cloth pouch slung over her shoulder, tugged at the red string hanging from her neck with her little hand, and walked toward the inner room while playing.

 

Ji Changlin looked at the jade pendant dangling below the red cord, his eyes gleaming.

 

Isn’t this

Ji Changlin silently estimated the young woman’s age, suppressing his excitement.

 

He asked, trying to keep his tone casual, “Is this child your own?”

 

Ji Qingwu watched him warily; her jet-black pupils darted about, a carbon copy of the little child’s earlier behavior.

 

What’s there to ask?!

The envoy who had just been threatening her suddenly had tears welling up in his eyes.

 

“Little Five, come home with Big Brother!”

 

Even though Ji Qingwu had steeled herself for this, she was still taken aback by Ji Changlin’s use of the term “Big Brother.”

 

Even as she sat in the carriage bound for Beili, cradling her daughter, she remained in a daze.

 

Jiu Jiu, however, was quick to adapt and was already sleeping soundly in her mother’s arms.

 

She had altered her appearance, but what could she do? Having given birth to a miniature version of herself, she was instantly recognized by Ji Changlin, the eldest son of the Ji family, who saw right through her, she was the youngest sister who had gone missing when she was a child.

 

 

She lifted the curtain of the carriage window. The woman who had previously pretended to be a village doctor had shed her rustic attire and was now clad in a sharp military uniform, riding a horse at the rear of the convoy.

 

Ji Qingwu’s guess was correct: she was Ji Changlin’s bodyguard on this diplomatic mission to Nan Chu.

 

Just then, Ji Changlin lifted the thick curtain of the carriage and leaned in.

 

As soon as he appeared, Ji Qingwu blurted out, “I’m not—”

 

“You are the fifth young lady of the Ji family- my own younger sister!”

 

Ji Changlin’s expression was unwavering.

 

Earlier, from another carriage, he had already written a letter and sent it to the Ji family.

 

Just now, Ji Changlin had recognized almost at a glance that the child’s features bore a striking resemblance to his fifth younger sister.

 

But the most crucial piece of evidence was—the jade pendant hanging from a red cord around the child’s neck.

 

It had originally been a pair of carp pendants.

 

When Lady Ji was pregnant with Ji Qingwu, she had a dream about two koi fish playing together. Believing it to be a good omen, she ordered that Kunlun warm jade be used to craft this pair of pendants, with two identical koi fish joined head-to-tail.

 

Now there was only one left, but it was enough to confirm Ji Qingwu’s identity.

 

Ji Changlin looked at his long-lost younger sister, his heart filled with emotion.

 

He never imagined that when they met again, that little girl, as delicate as a pearl and as pure as jade, would already be a mother.

 

He watched her draw her eyebrows even thicker than his own and asked, “Fifth Sister, you’re a fine young lady—why do you dress like this?”

 

Ji Qingwu lowered her eyelashes and replied softly, “It’s inconvenient for a woman to practice medicine in public, and this appearance makes people more likely to trust that I’m a good doctor.”

 

Ji Changlin sensed that she had endured a difficult life in recent years, and realizing his words had struck a raw nerve, he chose not to press the matter further.

 

Ji Qingwu gazed at the fluttering curtains of the carriage.

 

Since returning to Lin’an City was now a foregone conclusion, she decided to look on the bright side.

 

The Ji family had been a pillar of support for the new Emperor of Beili before his ascension and enjoyed great prestige in the capital. With such a wealthy and influential maternal family, at the very least, her daughter Jiu Jiu’s future prospects would be secure.

But!

 

Back when she was stationed at the northern military camp, she had drugged Zhao Mingyan, the General of Dingbei, and humiliated him for an entire night.

 

Now that the war had ended, he would surely be rewarded and promoted; he might even settle in the capital.

 

If they were to run into each other by chance…

The mere thought of that man’s cold, stern demeanor sent a chill down Ji Qingwu’s spine. She absolutely could not let her true identity be exposed.

 

They had traveled nonstop for over ten days.

 

The carriage finally arrived at the capital city of Lin’an.

 

“Little Five, we’re almost home.”

 

Ji Changlin felt no fatigue; having found his younger sister, the thought of reuniting with his family filled him with excitement.

 

Ji Qingwu peered out through a crack in the carriage curtain and saw the city gates towering majestically, imposing and grand.

 

Following her gaze, Ji Changlin smiled and said, “This is the Phoenix Palace at the Emperor’s feet; His Majesty has resided here since his accession.”

 

Ji Qingwu had never been to Lin’an City before. Ever since her journey through time, she had lived deep in the mountains and forests, and in pursuit of her target, she had followed him all the way to the border garrison.

 

Four years had passed, and the flames of war had been extinguished.

 

The man who ultimately ascended to the throne had already taken up residence in the capital.

 

The new Emperor of Beili’s palace had not been rebuilt from scratch, but merely slightly renovated upon the foundations of the previous dynasty—a clear sign that this monarch disdained luxury and indulgence, placing greater importance on the hardships of the common people.

 

Even back in Nanchu, she had heard that the current sovereign governed with wisdom, that the state treasury was well-stocked, and that the people lived in peace and prosperity.

 

Lin’an now presented a scene of prosperity as dreamlike as a vision.

 

Ji Qingwu gazed at this boundless splendor, his eyes dazzled by the sight.

 

The little girl in his arms, having slept her fill, rubbed her eyes and then, as if she knew the routine, climbed onto Ji Changlin’s lap.

 

“Jiu Jiu, I want to see!”

 

Dazed by the little bundle’s sweet cry of “Uncle,” Ji Changlin disregarded the etiquette expected at the foot of the imperial city walls and secretly lifted a corner of the curtain.

 

“All right, Uncle will show you.”

 

Ji Qingwu had explained to him once before that their daughter’s pet name was Jiu Jiu; she was calling him by that name, not addressing him as “Uncle.”

 

But Ji Changlin simply didn’t believe a word his wife said.

 

That is, until Lanling, the female guard who had been following the carriage procession, rode up on her horse to block their view.

 

She reminded him, “Your Excellency, this is improper.”

 

Carriages passing the Imperial Palace must observe proper etiquette; one must not lift the curtain to scrutinize the defenses at the palace gates.

 

Ji Changlin and Jiu Jiu both wore expressions of dismay; the adult and the child, though of different sizes, bore a certain resemblance.

 

Ji Qingwu pressed her lips together, suppressing the upward curve of her mouth.

 

As the procession neared the Ji residence,perhaps because she felt a mix of excitement and trepidation at approaching home, or perhaps because Ji Changlin had provided her with a sense of security as an older brother throughout the journey, Ji Qingwu felt her heart racing.

 

In her previous life, she had been abandoned by her biological parents at an orphanage after contracting a rare disease. She had never met her parents, let alone had any siblings.

 

But in this life, not only did she have the closest blood ties, but the home she had always longed for was also very close—just a few streets away.

 

The women of the Ji household had been waiting at the gate since early morning.

 

It was a hot day, and they had already been waiting for nearly an hour.

 

In the crowd stood a tall, striking woman whose almond-shaped eyes betrayed her impatience.

 

“Why must everyone be waiting here at the gate?

Once the carriage arrives, wouldn’t it suffice for a servant to come and announce it?

”

 

Just then, a young servant dashed up to the crowd.

 

Breathless, he shouted, “He’s back! The eldest young master’s carriage has entered the city!”