Chapter 1: Zhuque Gate

"Boom—"

Lightning flashed and thunder roared, and the torrential rain poured down.

Zhao Xixi held up an oil-paper umbrella and hurried forward in the pouring rain.

The raindrops were fast and dense, blurring her vision.

She fiercely wiped the water off her face and, through the dim shadows cast by the lights, could vaguely make out the surroundings.

Pink walls, black tiles, carved beams, and painted rafters.

A group of men in red official robes stood there with anxious expressions.

The officials had just finished their duties and were caught in such terrible weather, so they had no choice but to take shelter under the corridor.

As soon as they looked up and saw her, they immediately widened their eyes in shock.

Zhuque Street was a major street leading directly to the inner city, and ordinary people were not allowed to enter.

How did she, a mere girl, manage to get in here?

"Hey, girl, who are you?"

No, someone who could enter here must not be an ordinary person; there must be someone backing her!

Quickly changing his tone, "Hey, young lady, who are you looking for?"

"Stop right there! The Tai Chang Temple is ahead. Trespassing is a capital offense! Don't go any further, do you hear me?"

The Tai Chang Temple...

Zhao Xixi ran her hand through her dripping hair and squinted ahead.

Her maternal grandfather had once been here.

Having lived in the countryside for sixteen years, she had never known anything about the imperial capital.

If it weren't for her mother's urgent request, she might never have come here in her entire life.

She gazed at the Tai Chang Temple in the rain, unaware that someone was also observing her.

On the diagonally opposite building, a man in black robes, adorned with a white jade belt, held a wine cup and stood by the window.

His expression was calm and indifferent as he looked down at the girl in the rain.

A young guard in green quietly entered and presented a black lacquered wooden box, "Master."

The man took the box and unfolded the white paper inside.

Unfolding it slowly, it revealed a portrait of a young girl.

Hair as dark as a cloud, a face as fair as white jade.

Delicate features, a bright smile, like dazzling starlight and radiant sunshine.

Even on a thin sheet of paper, one could feel the exuberance and elegance emanating from her.

The man's gaze shifted away from the portrait and back to the girl in the rain, his voice calm, "Is it her?"

Amidst the pouring rain, her clothes were soaked, her hair disheveled.

She stood resolutely and calmly in the middle of the street, her slender figure as upright as a pine tree, showing no signs of distress.

"Master, do you think she will succeed?" The young guard looked worried. "Should I secretly help her?"

"Hmm?"

The young guard shook his head, "What if the Prime Minister refuses to acknowledge her and instead throws her into prison..."

"You're overthinking it." The man's voice trailed off, "Look—"

The guard suddenly turned his head, his expression freezing.

A carriage smoothly emerged from Chengtianmen Street, leaving a long trail of water on the ground.

He could see it clearly.

The girl decisively threw away her umbrella, lifted her drenched skirt, and hurried towards the Zhuque Gate.

Then, she flung her skirt, clasped her hands, and knelt on the ground without hesitation!

"Boom—"

Another fierce lightning bolt streaked across, illuminating the entire Zhuque Street.

"Clang!" The guards at the city gate drew their swords. "Who dares to stop the Prime Minister's carriage?!"

The officials sheltering from the rain under the corridor couldn't help but shiver.

The fierce wind rose, and the torrential rain pressed down on the city.

Zhao Xixi looked at the person inside the carriage, dressed in purple robes and a jade crown, with a pair of eyes very similar to her own.

Her heart ached, and the suppressed emotions surged up all at once.

After several moments of choking back tears, she heard herself speak.

Each word was pronounced with emphasis.

"I am Zhao Xixi, the granddaughter of the former Tai Chang Temple Minister, the daughter of the Shen family's Yuqing, and I seek to see my father, Zhao Ziyi!"

The wind howled, and her white headband fluttered in the wind, raindrops falling on her fair, delicate face, conveying both vulnerability and unwavering determination.

The young officials sheltering from the rain couldn't help but stare.

So, the powerful, unsmiling, and dignified Zhao Ziyi had actually kept a illegitimate daughter outside!