Paqi turned to glance at Zhong Shenxiu, seeing only a small boy, and thought little of it. She intended to continue savoring the closeness with the daughter in her arms, but Robin, at that moment, pulled free from her embrace.
Watching Robin walk toward Zhong Shenxiu, Paqi felt somewhat at a loss. She couldn't decipher what Robin's attitude signified—was she still rejecting her as a mother, or was there some other meaning?
“Mother, is Robin truly my sister?” Tiya’s voice cut through the air at that moment.
“Yes!” Paqi merely nodded, saying little, her eyes still fixed intently on Robin. The moment she spotted the mole atop Robin’s head, she was certain—this was her daughter, absolutely beyond a doubt!
Zhong Shenxiu remained silent, sitting by the bedside and observing Paqi. His expression, caught between a smile and a sneer, made it impossible to guess his thoughts.
“I apologize for the disturbance; I was impolite just now!” Paqi rose, turning her gaze toward Kaini.
She felt that Kaini, of everyone present, seemed most like the one in charge.
Kaini smiled, speaking softly, “It’s quite alright! So, you are Robin’s true mother?”
“Yes!” Paqi glanced at Robin, then admitted with a touch of sorrow, “I always thought I would never have the chance to see my daughter again!”
She paused briefly, then addressed Robin, “Robin, your mother owes you too much. Are you willing to give me a chance to make amends?”
As she finished speaking, Paqi’s eyes shone with intense hope. The chance to see Robin again was something she had dared not even imagine; she had believed Robin was dead, as she had been thrown off a cliff years ago, and when they searched, they only found a patch of blood on the ground, clearly taken by some wild beast. After hearing that terrible news, Paqi had fainted countless times. During those difficult days, she had washed her face with tears almost every day; had it not been for Tiya, she might have ended her own life long ago!
Now, heaven had granted her the opportunity for a mother-daughter reunion, and she was genuinely overcome with emotion. Her sole conviction was that she must compensate Robin fully, that she must ensure her happiness!
Faced with Paqi’s plea, Robin remained utterly still. She merely shifted closer to Zhong Shenxiu, her expression conveying a fear that Zhong Shenxiu might cast her aside.
It was then that the ever-silent Zhong Shenxiu finally spoke, his very first sentence causing Paqi to falter.
“Hey, woman,” Zhong Shenxiu asked with a detached air, “you claim Robin is your daughter—how do you prove it?”
Paqi froze. If Kaini had asked that, she wouldn't have been so surprised, but coming from a child, it was truly bizarre!
Kaini, suppressing a chuckle, quickly introduced him, “You might not know him yet. This is Robin’s Master, named Zhong Shenxiu. You can call him Little Xiu, just as I do.”
As she spoke, Kaini stole a glance at Zhong Shenxiu.
Robin’s Master? Paqi became even more bewildered, staring blankly at Kaini as she asked, “Didn't you raise Robin all this time?”
“No!” Kaini answered cleanly, adding, “Actually, I am also one of Little Xiu’s attendants!”
“What?” Paqi nearly cried out loud, turning to stare at Zhong Shenxiu in shock.
Kaini seemed intent on shocking Paqi completely, pointing to Angelia and Zhenluo beside her. “This is Little Xiu’s subordinate, and this one is Little Xiu’s concubine.”
Angelia didn’t mind much, but Xia Luo couldn't bear it, especially the word ‘concubine.’ It grated on her ears, instantly heating her earlobes, and she couldn't help but pout with annoyance!
Kaini, meanwhile, was giggling uncontrollably, her frame shaking with laughter!
Fortunately, Paqi didn't focus too much on this. Her attention was still on observing Zhong Shenxiu; based on her ability to discern character, she was beginning to sense that Zhong Shenxiu was far from ordinary!
“I know about the birthmark on Robin,” Paqi finally spoke. “Robin has a small red mole on the top of her head, and there is also a similar red mole on her backside!”
Paqi hadn't wanted to mention it initially, but to prove she was Robin's mother, she couldn't afford to hold back now. Thankfully, apart from Zhong Shenxiu, everyone else here was female, and since he was so young, it wouldn’t matter much even if he heard it.
Robin glanced at Zhong Shenxiu again. This was the first time she had heard of this; she had never imagined she had such a small red mole. As for what Zhong Shenxiu had on him, she was very clear on that!
Correspondingly, Zhong Shenxiu knew Paqi wasn't lying; as her Master, he was intimately aware of everything Robin possessed. In truth, he already knew Paqi was Robin's mother without needing to ask; he had only asked to gauge how much Paqi actually knew about Robin.
The room fell into a brief silence.
Paqi could no longer endure the quiet. “What I said is true. If you don't believe me, you can... you can check.”
With her daughter right before her eyes, she was determined to fight for her.
“We believe you!” Zhong Shenxiu’s voice, neither warm nor cold, echoed again.
“Really?” Joy lit up Paqi’s face. She hadn't expected things to go so smoothly; she thought Zhong Shenxiu would make things difficult for her a bit longer before confirming her identity.
“Is there anything else?” Zhong Shenxiu’s voice returned, calm and steady.
“May I take Robin with me?” Paqi’s voice trembled slightly as she asked this, first glancing at Zhong Shenxiu, then anxiously at Kaini.
When Robin heard this question, her body also trembled. She pressed even closer to Zhong Shenxiu, her small, tender hand tightly gripping his clothing—her intention couldn't have been clearer.
Zhong Shenxiu first shot Robin a reassuring look, then turned to Paqi. “You should ask Robin her opinion on this matter directly!”
However, before Paqi could ask, Robin preempted her, declaring, “I’m not going! I want to stay with Master forever!”
The determined look on her face made it clear that her decision would never change!
Paqi stared at Robin in shock. This was the first time she had heard Robin speak, yet she could perceive the resolve in her tone!
Of course, Paqi would not give up fighting for Robin because of this. She tried to persuade her again with heartfelt sincerity, but Robin’s stance was firm, leaving no room for negotiation.
Having her daughter so near yet unable to bring her home deeply troubled Paqi. After careful consideration, Paqi finally hit upon a good idea: she invited Zhong Shenxiu and his group to come to her ‘Dongyue Palace.’
If Robin currently rejected her, it was because of the distance between them and her lack of understanding of her mother. If they could spend time together, perhaps Robin’s attitude would change!
If Zhong Shenxiu and the others went to the ‘Dongyue Palace,’ Robin would naturally follow. Then, she could spend quality time with her daughter.
Ordinarily, outsiders were strictly forbidden from entering or leaving her ‘Dongyue Palace,’ but for her daughter’s sake, she was willing to give up her position as Palace Mistress, let alone this small matter.
If Robin chose to stay by her side, she would even support Zhong Shenxiu and his entire entourage for a lifetime, guaranteeing comfort and sustenance for every one of them!
What she didn't realize was that with Zhong Shenxiu's current wealth, boasting about buying the entire ‘Brilliant Nation’ wasn't just talk! Furthermore, every member of the ‘Misty Mercenary Group’ was currently not lacking money; they wouldn't stay long-term at the ‘Dongyue Palace’!
Facing Paqi’s invitation, Zhong Shenxiu agreed readily, but he laid down a series of conditions, such as demanding absolute freedom of movement, refusing to bow to the host, and declining to follow anyone's orders!
Paqi agreed to all of them. She urgently wished to be alone with Robin for a moment, wanting to ask how Robin had fared all these years! More than anything, she longed to hold Robin close and give her warmth!
After brief preparations, the members of the ‘Misty Mercenary Group’ began following Paqi towards the ‘Dongyue Palace’!
Cutting the narrative short, about an hour later, the group finally entered the gates of the Imperial Palace. After another twenty minutes of walking, they reached the designated territory.
Paqi was visibly delighted and quickly ordered the servants to prepare a banquet and arrange several courtyards for the ‘Misty Mercenary Group’ to reside in.
In order to see Robin frequently and to make a good impression, Paqi arranged the courtyards for Zhong Shenxiu and Kaini to be adjacent to her own sleeping quarters, making it convenient for Robin to move between them.
Paqi had many questions for Robin, but Robin's aloof demeanor signaled to her that she shouldn't rush things. She began chatting with Kaini instead.
She was surprised to find Kaini acting just as naturally as before, even after learning her identity, which only increased her admiration for Kaini.
The topics they discussed mainly revolved around Robin, as this was Paqi’s current greatest interest. She wanted to learn more about Robin so that her daughter could accept her, her mother, better and faster!
Kaini did not disappoint her, recounting many details about Robin, from her preferences to her character, providing a very detailed account.
Paqi listened with meticulous attention, almost wishing she had a notebook to record everything.
And what was Robin doing at this time?
She was being led by Tiya to tour various locations, starting with Tiya’s personal room, and then to some fun spots.
The servants who had never seen Robin before were instantly stunned into silence upon seeing the two little princesses appear before them, leading to quite a few amusing incidents.
Perhaps tired from walking, Tiya stopped abruptly, breathing deeply, though a smile still played on her lips.
“Sister, do you know magic?” Tiya suddenly asked, having thought of something.
Robin nodded, saying little else. Not only did she know magic, she was practically divine!
“I’ll take you to see my teacher. She’ll be absolutely shocked!” Tiya smiled mysteriously, seeming to have conjured up another mischievous idea.
So, the two turned and twisted through corridors until they reached a very quiet courtyard, where they spotted a woman in white practicing by manipulating wind magic.
“Sister, that’s my teacher. Attack her now with your most powerful magic!” Tiya whispered conspiratorially.
“My most powerful?” Robin hesitated slightly, showing reluctance.
“Don’t worry, my teacher is very strong!” Tiya seemed to sense Robin’s hesitation and quickly added.
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