"Background!"
Chu Qianli's heart trembled.
Wasn't that statement contradictory?
Wasn't she Long Xiyue's daughter? Did she have some other background?
Chu Qianli suddenly became nervous, staring at Long Feifan, her eyes filled with urgency.
"Uncle, you... you can't suddenly tell me that I'm not... I'm not my mother's daughter..."
But after thinking about it, she felt something was wrong!
Really, her concern was making her confused!
She wasn't this foolish before!
"My father isn't Chu Hongtao!"
This was not a question, but a statement of fact.
Long Feifan looked at her for a long time before nodding. "Indeed, he isn't."
"What exactly is going on?" So, she wasn't the seventh daughter of the Duke's mansion after all!
Grandfather wasn't her grandfather either... This was somewhat disheartening.
But it also brought a strange flicker of hope.
"Who is my father?"
She had long felt that Grand Tutor Chu couldn't be her biological father. How could a biological father harm his own daughter like this?
However, Grand Tutor Chu probably didn't know he wasn't her real father. If he did, how could he have allowed her to act so recklessly in the Duke's mansion?
What was going on?
"Princess Xiyue and Murong Yu came from the same master. What Murong Yu knew, your mother also knew."
"I understand, so my mother also knew soul manipulation, didn't she?"
Thinking about it this way, many things became clear!
No wonder!
She had found it incredible!
How could someone like her mother be willing to be with a man like Grand Tutor Chu?
Moreover, Grand Tutor Chu didn't just have one woman, Long Xianyue; he had countless women!
So, Long Xianyue marrying Grand Tutor Chu was merely to hide her background.
In fact, she had used soul manipulation to make Grand Tutor Chu believe they were truly husband and wife?
"Grand Tutor Chu isn't my father, he really isn't!"
"You don't seem sad at all?" Long Feifan frowned.
Wouldn't most people be sad upon learning their father wasn't their biological father?
"What's there to be sad about? I have no feelings for this father, and he doesn't regard me as his daughter."
But even though she wasn't sad, she was incredibly curious and nervous at the moment: "Who exactly is my father?"
Long Feifan lowered his head, looking at the small hand gripping his sleeve.
Although she said nothing, he could see the longing in her eyes.
He felt a complex emotion; telling her the answer would likely disappoint her.
"Princess Xiyue never revealed it, neither my father nor I know."
Chu Qianli's fingers tightened, and the smile on her lips slowly froze.
So many years had passed. If even he and her maternal grandfather didn't know, then who else in this world could possibly know?
Just as she learned her father was someone else, just as she thought she might find her father, she was suddenly told that this father might never be found.
The sense of loss in Chu Qianli's heart was so profound that even Long Feifan could clearly feel it.
"However, Xiao Lier, you don't need to despair, perhaps..."
"Perhaps what?" Don't give her hope only to snatch it away again.
Her emotions were fluctuating so much, it was truly uncomfortable.
"I know Princess Xiyue had a man in her heart."
"Who?" Chu Qianli clutched Long Feifan's sleeve again, extremely anxious. "Uncle, can you stop speaking in bits and pieces? Can you just say it all at once?"
"But this is just my guess, and I'm not sure, so I'm also hesitant."
Otherwise, he would have told her long ago! He truly didn't know!
"That man was called Nan Chu, and I suspect he was the Princess's second senior brother."
"Where is he now?" As long as she found the man named Nan Chu, she would have a way to know if she was his daughter.
Her method was far more reliable than a blood recognition test!
"Didn't I tell you? They, the senior and junior siblings, didn't know each other's identities. Perhaps the Princess knew, but she never said. Or perhaps, even the Princess didn't know."
"So, even if you know my mother had a second senior brother, you don't know who that second senior brother is or where he comes from?"
Chu Qianli released his sleeve and paced back and forth in the room.
"Meaning, even Consort Yu might not know?"
But after thinking about it, she couldn't help but shake her head: "No, Consort Yu knows my mother is Long Xiyue, so perhaps she also knows Nan Chu's true identity."
"Perhaps Consort Yu really knows..."
"Xiao Lier!" Long Feifan suddenly pulled her back. "Where are you going?"
"Me?" Chu Qianli looked up at him, her voice somewhat dull. "I'm not going anywhere, I..."
"You've already reached the door!" Long Feifan knew he shouldn't have told her this at this time.
It had made her so agitated!
They were leaving for the Dragon Teng Kingdom tomorrow, and they would be separated. If something happened to her in the Dragon Teng Kingdom, he wouldn't be able to protect her!
He regretted telling her now!
Chu Qianli looked down and realized she had indeed walked to the door and was about to open it.
"Don't go looking for Consort Yu!" Long Feifan was somewhat exasperated!
"Did you forget what I said? You are no match for Consort Yu. If you go to her, you will only be in danger."
"I... I understand, I won't. Uncle, don't worry."
However, her words were quite guilty.
Did she really want to go find Consort Yu just now?
She really seemed to want to go ask Consort Yu clearly who Nan Chu was and where he was now.
But after being pulled back by Long Feifan, Chu Qianli truly calmed down.
"I'm sorry, Uncle, I was a bit out of sorts just now."
Chu Qianli let out a long sigh and looked at him, this time with sincerity. "Don't worry, I won't act rashly!"
"I hope you can keep your word, otherwise, it will be very dangerous." Long Feifan still blamed himself; he shouldn't have told her this when the overall situation was not yet settled.
"I know, I will really take care of myself. Uncle, believe me."
Chu Qianli raised her finger and rubbed his furrowed brow.
"Uncle, I'm not that impulsive and foolish. If I were, I would have tried countless times already, wouldn't I?"
Long Feifan glanced at her and didn't refute her.
He glanced out the window, considered the time, and then said, "It's getting late, I should go, Xiao Lier..."
"I promise I'll take care of myself!" Chu Qianli looked as if she was about to swear an oath.
Long Feifan couldn't help but smile. "You little rascal, just remember to protect yourself. Once you find the imperial seal, I'll immediately return to the Dragon Teng Kingdom to find you."
"Uncle, you also need to be careful here and absolutely do not expose your identity."
"I know."
Long Feifan finally left.
Chu Qianli saw him off at the back door. After he left, the night sky seemed empty, and her heart felt a bit melancholic.
She wasn't the Duke's daughter...
Everything in the past seemed to have completely lost its connection to her.
Before leaving, should she go back and take a look?
With her thoughts racing, she couldn't resist and slipped into the night, heading to the Duke's mansion.
Unexpectedly, before she could see the Duke, she encountered someone she never anticipated.