Chapter 93: Chapter 93: The Princess’s Whereabouts

"Miss Yu, may we talk?"

When Yu An saw Housekeeper Su, she guessed the identity of the middle-aged female.

The Su Family Master, an enigmatic female.

She’d heard people mention while she was running her stall that the Su Family Master was named Su Lian. She was the one who managed the Ping’an Gold Shop on behalf of its owner, and was possibly the only person who knew who that owner was.

Yu An didn’t like being forced to do things, but after the Su Family Master said something, she paused for a moment and changed her mind.

Mo Yan was made the head chef for the day, with Han Li helping him. The others stayed at home.

In the reception room, Feng Xuan brought in a pot of tea. "An’an, I’ll be right outside the door."

With that, he went out and closed the door.

The Su Family Master’s gaze fell on Yu An and lingered there.

"The resemblance is uncanny," she said, her eyes filled with nostalgia as if she were looking through Yu An at someone else. "Truly, the resemblance is uncanny."

"We’re mother and daughter, of course we look alike."

Yu An was the first to ask, "May I ask what your relationship with my Female Mother is?"

"Like Bai Ruo, we are all followers of the Princess."

The Su Family Master didn’t beat around the bush. "Young Mistress," she said directly, "allow me to introduce myself. I am the subordinate in charge of the Princess’s finances."

"The Ping’an Gold Bank is the Princess’s enterprise, and I manage it."

Yu An had guessed the Su Family Master was close with her Female Mother, but she hadn’t expected this.

"Then the reason you’ve come to see me is... "

"It seems the Young Mistress is in need of a large sum of money," the Su Family Master said, taking a slow sip of tea. "Logically speaking, the Ping’an Gold Bank is the Princess’s enterprise. After her disappearance, it should have been handed over to you, Young Mistress."

Yu An also lifted her teacup. "And?"

’Sentences like that are usually followed by a "but."’

"But, the Ping’an Gold Bank cannot be handed over to you at this time."

"Why not?"

Yu An’s expression was calm. "You said it yourself. This is my Female Mother’s enterprise; it’s my right to inherit it."

The Su Family Master paused, then said, "I have been managing the Ping’an Gold Bank all these years. Besides myself and the Beast Emperor, no one knows that the true owner of the Gold Shop is the Princess—not even Bai Ruo."

"Although you have the support of your Beast Husbands, if I wanted to seize it for myself, I could do so at any time."

"You won’t," Yu An said. She didn’t know why, but she was certain. "You wouldn’t do that."

The Su Family Master raised an eyebrow. "And why not? You probably don’t know this, but the Beast Emperor has tried to win me over many times. She said that if I submitted to her, she would guarantee my Su Family generations of wealth and glory."

Yu An shook her head. "Just a feeling that you wouldn’t."

In truth, it wasn’t just a feeling. The Su Family Master had used honorifics with her from the very beginning, which was enough to show her loyalty to the Princess.

The Su Family Master was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled softly. "You’re right, I wouldn’t. I will never betray the Princess."

"Young Mistress, I won’t mince words. If you wish to inherit the Ping’an Gold Bank, you must agree to one thing for me."

Yu An didn’t commit to agreeing or not. "First, tell me what it is."

The Su Family Master’s expression turned serious. "Kill the Beast Emperor." 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"The Princess’s disappearance was her doing." The hatred in the Su Family Master’s eyes was nearly overflowing. "For the sake of the Beast Emperor’s throne, she betrayed the Princess!"

"And the Princess didn’t just disappear—she was taken away by those people!"

Yu An felt a bit overwhelmed. "Wait, wait, who did you say took my Female Mother?"

"I don’t know for sure either," the Su Family Master said, shaking her head. "I only know that those people came from the other side of the Endless Sea."

"Unfortunately, I lack the power to oppose the Beast Emperor. I was forced to come to Han Ling City. The Gold Shop appears to be under my management, but in reality, most of the money is in the Beast Emperor’s hands."

The Su Family Master gave a bitter laugh. "I was useless. But this money can occasionally be used to buy news of the Princess’s situation, so... it’s worth it."

From the Su Family Master, Yu An learned that her Female Mother was still alive, just that her current whereabouts were unknown.

The two of them talked for a very long time, only emerging from the room when Mo Yan and Han Li returned.

"Young Mistress," the Su Family Master said, standing before Yu An with an affection even she didn’t seem to notice. "I wish you success, but... you must stay safe."

Yu An nodded. After a moment’s hesitation, she asked the question anyway. "By the way, I was wondering how you knew about me. Aunt Bai said that when my Female Mother disappeared, I didn’t even exist yet."

Even her unknown Beast Father wasn’t in the picture; her Female Mother was still single at the time.

"You may not believe this," the Su Family Master said, looking conflicted for a moment, "but a month ago, a letter appeared on my desk. Besides revealing your identity, it also contained a Phoenix Jade Pendant."

Yu An hadn’t entered the city at first, but was living near the Giant Stone Tribe outside the walls. The Su Family Master had been busy with other matters at the time and figured that since Bai Ruo was there, once they met, Bai Ruo would surely recognize her as the Princess’s child based on her face and take good care of her.

’Alright, no need to ask. The Su Family Master clearly has no idea who sent the letter.’

"One last question," Yu An said, something she had wanted to know for a long time. "Do you know my Female Mother’s name?"

She had asked Bai Ruo, but Bai Ruo said the Princess’s name had never been publicly announced. Very few people knew it, and others simply called her "Princess" or "Your Highness."

"Yu Huang."

"The Princess’s name is Yu Huang. The ’Huang’ from ’Phoenix’."

The Su Family Master said earnestly, "The Princess is a Phoenix destined to soar through the nine heavens."

...

The Su Family Master was long gone. Yu An sat on a stone bench in the courtyard, sorting through the information she had just received.

Her Female Mother wasn’t dead, just missing. The Beast Emperor seemed to be an enemy, but the assassination attempts she had faced in the exiled land, as well as the orders Han Fengyun had received, didn’t seem to have come from the Beast Emperor.

’Could it be that besides the Beast Emperor, I have other enemies in the Imperial City?’

Yu An toyed with the Phoenix Jade Pendant the Su Family Master had given her, and her thoughts suddenly turned to the original owner’s twin sister.

The original owner had been sentenced to exile on the charge of harming her sister, Yu Yun.

As her Wood Element Ability circulated, the aura of the Exile Grass within her body slowly faded. She decided to stop wasting brain cells on wild speculation.

"I’ll find out when I get to the Imperial City. Why torture myself over it now?"

Yu An muttered, clutching the Phoenix Jade Pendant in her hand.

Although she didn’t know who had sent the letter, this Jade Pendant was definitely from the hand of her Female Mother, Yu Huang.

Holding it in her hand, Yu An felt a connection through the Jade Pendant to the Female Mother she had never met, a bond of blood.

’And yet, she wasn’t the real Yu An...’

"Female Mother," the Zaizai suddenly ran over, each one grabbing her hand or the corner of her clothes. "Dinner’s ready! Beast Father told us to call you inside to eat."

Looking at her three adorable Zaizai, and thinking of the one still in her belly, Yu An’s previous melancholy vanished.

"Let’s go, time to eat!"

’Why worry so much? Since I transmigrated here, there must be a special connection between me and the original owner. Maybe we’re even the same person.’

’Yep, that’s how it’s always written in novels.’

The sound of cheerful laughter soon filled the courtyard. Outside, Housekeeper Su couldn’t help but ask, "Family Head, you seem to like Miss Yu. Why not stay a little longer?"

"No," the Su Family Master said, her usual calmness returning. "I still have to eat with Qingqing."

She walked on ahead, and Housekeeper Su, a step behind, sighed silently.

’If the young miss were still alive, she’d be about Miss Yu’s age now.’