Mother, it is me, Yue'er. I am Yue'er!

Evening at the Hui Family Escort Agency

Yue'er finished her duties only at the酉 hour (around 5 PM). Today, Hui Qinghui had arranged for her to return to the Hui Family Escort Agency. After changing into her regular attire, filled with a mixture of anxiety and anticipation, she chose to walk instead of taking a sedan chair. She did not want others to track her whereabouts, and she also wanted some quiet time to think about how she should explain everything to her mother and older brother later on. She thought to herself: *I wonder if Mother will even recognize this unfilial daughter of mine?* At this thought, an infinite sorrow washed over Yue'er's face. Going felt wrong, yet not going felt wrong as well; she truly had no idea what to do.

Before she knew it, she arrived at the entrance of the Hui Family Escort Agency. As Yue'er hesitated over whether to step inside, someone suddenly patted her on the back and asked, "Are you wondering how to face Madam?" This person was Zhao Chengxian. Hui Qinghui had asked Zhao Chengxian to come, perhaps hoping that everyone could clear things up together. After all, Zhao Chengxian was no outsider, and Hui Qinghui knew that Zhao Chengxian had had a difficult couple of years, which was why he invited him tonight. It was not to criticize Yue'er for deceiving her family, but rather in the hope that they could all figure out a solution. Hui Qinghui believed that deceiving her family had never been Yue'er's original intention; if even an older brother could not trust his own sister, who else would?

When Yue'er turned around and saw Zhao Chengxian, the panic in her heart immediately subsided, as if a drifting boat had finally found a harbor where it could drop anchor. With a slight tinge of melancholy, Yue'er said, "Yes, now that I have become someone else entirely, I don't know how to face Mother, nor how to face the brothers of the escort agency and my brother. And I certainly don't know how to face my deceased father!" Now she was Yang Wentai, the top scholar in the imperial examinations, and the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Punishments. She was no longer Madam Hui's obedient daughter, Hui Qinghui's good sister, or the escort agency's fine head escort. Because these two identities could not coexist—one male, one female, one an official, one a commoner—who would ever guess that they were actually the same person?

Looking at Yue'er with deep affection, Zhao Chengxian comforted her, saying, "It's all right. I believe Madam and Qinghui won't blame you. After all, you had no other choice. Some things cannot be judged purely by right and wrong, as long as your heart remains that of Hui Yue'er!" As long as she still held her family in her heart, what did it matter who she appeared to be now? Meeting again was all that mattered. The reasoning he could understand, he figured Hui Qinghui must understand as well. Through the trials of the past two years, Zhao Chengxian felt that Hui Qinghui had matured a great deal.

Hearing Zhao Chengxian's words, Yue'er felt her tension ease significantly. She took a deep breath and walked into the Hui Family Escort Agency alongside Zhao Chengxian. Nothing inside the agency had changed. Today, Hui Qinghui had deliberately given the guards a day off, so the vast training ground was completely deserted. Walking further inward brought them to the main reception hall, the place where the Hui Family Escort Agency conducted its business. Continuing past the main hall led to the inner courtyard behind it, the private space where the Hui Family welcomed relatives and friends. As soon as Yue'er stepped into the inner courtyard, she saw Hui Qinghui holding Siyuan, sitting on Madam Hui's left, while her sister-in-law, Silou, stood on Madam Hui's right. The moment Yue'er laid eyes on Madam Hui's vacant and unfocused gaze, she could no longer control her emotions. She threw herself onto Madam Hui's knees and wept, "Mother, Mother, I am sorry. It is your unfilial daughter who has caused you grief and sorrow. I am sorry, I am sorry..." Then, lifting her head to look at the completely unresponsive Madam Hui, she asked, "Mother, do you not recognize me? I am Yue'er, your Yue'er, Mother..." Unable to bear watching Yue'er's futile efforts, Zhao Chengxian stepped forward to help her up, gently patting her back.

Silou, already moved to tears, said to Yue'er, "Mother had another flare-up today. Whenever it strikes, she becomes absent-minded and unresponsive to anyone calling her. My brother specifically invited imperial physicians to examine her, but even they are helpless!" When Silou had seen Yue'er at the Prince's Manor, she hadn't been certain it was her; after all, Silou and Yue'er were not very close, so failing to recognize her was only natural.

Yue'er's gaze remained fixed on Madam Hui. How desperately she wished Madam Hui could glance at her! She still remembered when she parted ways with Madam Hui two years ago, her mother had expressed a wish to see her married as soon as possible. She never expected that seeing her today would turn out like this, which felt almost no different from not seeing her at all. Holding back her tears, Yue'er said, "My master, Old Man Yang, has promised me that as long as I serve as an official for two years, he will help treat Mother. He will use internal energy to clear Mother's meridians. Once the meridians are cleared, I believe Mother will get better!" She walked over to Madam Hui, squatted down in front of her, took Madam Hui's hand, and pressed it against her own cheek as she softly murmured, "Mother, your Yue'er is right here. See for yourself whether Yue'er has lost weight or gained weight. Mother, you would definitely say that Yue'er has grown thinner, wouldn't you? You always said that every single time..." Yue'er spoke to Madam Hui about many things, recounting the past and the present. Although Madam Hui still offered no reaction, Yue'er still felt a profound sense of comfort in her heart.