Hidden Truths

Lady Xin Yan moved slowly to her bedroom, her steps deliberate and measured. Inside the chamber, Zhang Wei and Princess Xiyang Ai stood waiting, a palpable tension filling the air. Zhang Wei turned to the princess, his curiosity evident.

"Princess, what is the important matter that required me to stay back?" he asked, his voice gentle yet firm.

Princess Xiyang Ai opened her mouth to respond but hesitated. Her eyes flickered with uncertainty, and she struggled to form a coherent sentence.

"I... it's just that... well, there's something you need to know..."

Her voice trailed off, and she looked down, unable to continue. Before the silence could stretch too long, Lady Xin Yan returned, a tiny box cradled in her arms. She gestured for Zhang Wei to take a seat.

"Please, Zhang Wei, sit down," she said, her tone soft but commanding.

Zhang Wei complied, sitting by the small table that was just big enough to fit the three of them. Lady Xin Yan placed the box on the table and sat down opposite him, with Princess Xiyang Ai beside her.

"Zhang Wei, do you know anything about your parents?" Lady Xin Yan began, her eyes fixed on Zhang Wei.

"I've never met my father. My mother died giving birth to me. I was raised by my uncle, Li Zhen, and the people of my village," Zhang Wei looked thoughtful for a moment before replying.

"Do you at least know their names?" Lady Xin Yan nodded slowly, her expression unreadable.

"I know my mother's name. She was called Li Mei. But I know nothing about my father. My uncle never spoke of him, and I never asked," Zhang Wei explained.

"Have you ever seen any drawings of your mother?" Lady Xin Yan's eyes softened with understanding.

"No, I haven't seen any drawings. But I have seen her paintings. She was a painter," Zhang Wei shook his head.

Hearing this, Lady Xin Yan's lips curled into a faint smile, which quickly turned into a sombre expression. Princess Xiyang Ai had been listening silently, her eyes darting between her mother and Zhang Wei.

Lady Xin Yan opened the tiny box and took out a small, delicate painting. She handed it to Zhang Wei.

"This is a portrait of a young woman named Li Mei," she said softly.

Zhang Wei took the painting, his heart pounding. The face staring back at him was hauntingly familiar.

"This... this is my mother?"

"Yes. This portrait was done long ago, in an art studio that no longer exists. As a painter, Li Mei had a chance to get herself drawn. This painting is very rare indeed," Lady Xin Yan nodded.

"How did you come to possess this?" Zhang Wei traced the lines of his mother's face with his fingers, his heart heavy with emotion.

"I found it while rummaging through the belongings of the late Emperor Liang Wei. After the rebellion and the change in order, the palace was cleared of its possessions. I kept this safe, knowing it might be important one day," Lady Xin Yan sighed, her eyes distant with memory. She looked at Zhang Wei, her expression serious. "What I am about to tell you is very heavy, and it may be difficult for you to accept."

Zhang Wei met her gaze, his eyes reflecting a readiness for whatever was to come.

"I'm ready," he said simply.

"Zhang Wei, you are the son of Emperor Liang Wei and Li Mei," Lady Xin Yan took a deep breath and began.

The words hung in the air, heavy and undeniable. Zhang Wei froze, his mind going blank. His hands, trembling with shock, let the painting slip to the floor. Princess Xiyang Ai quickly picked it up, her face pale with astonishment.

"Mother, are you serious?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I discovered this when I was still a Noble Consort. There had been whispers of an affair involving Emperor Liang Wei. He was not known for his intimate relations within the harem, not even with Empress Xia. This affair was with a painter named Li Mei," Lady Xin Yan nodded, producing more documents from the box.

She laid out various documents on the table—writings, reports, testimonies.

"I used my connections to investigate and found that Li Mei was indeed the woman the Emperor was seeing. These documents are linked to that history," Zhang Wei stared at the documents, his mind reeling. Lady Xin Yan continued. "I also found letters and gifts exchanged between Emperor Liang Wei and Li Mei. They reveal the depth of their relationship."

She placed the letters and gifts before Zhang Wei. As he sifted through them, the reality of his heritage began to sink in. Each letter, each token of affection, painted a picture of a deep and abiding love between his parents.

Princess Xiyang Ai, still holding the painting, looked at Zhang Wei with a mixture of shock and empathy.

"Zhang Wei, this means... you have a rightful claim to the throne," she said softly.

Zhang Wei's mind swirled with the enormity of this revelation. He had always known he was different, that his life was marked by loss and struggle. But to learn that he was the son of an emperor and a talented painter, that his parents' love had been so profound, left him reeling.

Lady Xin Yan continued, her voice steady but filled with emotion.

"This discreet information was not hidden well enough. Empress Xia and her loyalists managed to sniff it out. To secure her power and eliminate any threats, she sent assassins to murder Li Mei. Empress Xia wanted to be the one in control, and she saw Li Mei and her child as obstacles."

Lady Xin Yan's eyes reflected the weight of the truth.

"I lost track of what happened after that. But believing your story, I deduced that Li Mei died giving birth to you. Empress Xia must have used that information to blackmail Emperor Liang Wei, leading to his downfall. This chain of events eventually sparked the rebellion and ended with Emperor Liang Wei's death at the hands of Ming Jian, who is now Emperor Ming Jian. Ming Jian has always been Empress Xia's loyal dog."

The room fell into a heavy silence, the enormity of the revelation settling over them like a thick fog. Zhang Wei stood abruptly, his face a mask of controlled rage. Without a word, he stormed out of the room, his footsteps echoing in the quiet hall.

General Li Feng and Captain Xue, waiting outside, quickly approached him.

"Zhang Wei, what happened? What did she say?" Captain Xue asked concern etched on his face.

Zhang Wei ignored them, his mind a whirlwind of emotions. He walked past them, his eyes fixed ahead, determined to find some solace in the solitude of the night.

"What did you say to him?" General Li Feng turned to Lady Xin Yan, his brow furrowed with worry.

"Zhang Wei is the lost son of the late Emperor Liang Wei. He has a rightful claim to the throne," Lady Xin Yan sighed deeply.

General Li Feng's eyes widened in shock. The implications of this revelation were staggering. If Zhang Wei had a legitimate claim to the throne, their cause had just gained a powerful new dimension.

Inside the chamber, Princess Xiyang Ai still held the painting of Li Mei, her heart aching for Zhang Wei.

"The stars had aligned. And now has come the rightful successor, and protector for us, " she said softly.

Zhang Wei's mind swirled with the enormity of this revelation. He had always known he was different, that his life was marked by loss and struggle. But to learn that he was the son of an emperor and a talented painter, that his parents' love had been so profound, left him reeling. He needed time to process this, to understand the full weight of his newfound identity and the responsibilities that came with it.

As the reality of his lineage settled in, Zhang Wei's thoughts grew increasingly troubled. The clarity he sought was elusive, replaced instead by a whirlwind of doubts and questions. How could he live up to the legacy of his parents? What if he failed to meet the expectations placed upon him? The burden of his heritage felt overwhelming, a constant pressure gnawing at his mind.

The battle ahead was not just for revenge or justice—it was for the legacy of his parents, for the future of the empire, and for the people who had suffered under tyranny. He had to rise to the occasion, not only as a warrior but as a leader destined to bring change. But the weight of these expectations made him question his abilities and the path he was meant to follow.

The night air was cool against his skin as Zhang Wei walked through the palace grounds, his mind heavy with the burden of his lineage. The journey ahead would be fraught with danger and challenges, but with the support of his allies and the memory of his parents driving him forward, he steeled himself to face whatever lay ahead. Yet, in the quiet moments of solitude, the doubts lingered, a constant reminder of the monumental task before him and the uncertainty that clouded his future.