Chapter 1 First Meeting
I first met my Uncle-in-Law at my Aunt's funeral.
Sixth Princess Song Jinshu was born from the Empress. Noble and cherished, she had been doted on since childhood. She was the jewel in the Emperor and Empress's palms, the beloved younger sister of all the princes.
Compared to her, I, who had been forgotten since I was young, seemed to exist at the complete opposite end.
I had only seen her from afar twice. In my memory, she was a bright and stunning beauty.
Her Prince Consort, Mu Yunzhong, was rumored to have been in poor health since childhood.
After the Wu'an couple's accident, everyone thought the Wu'an Marquis Manor would fall into ruin. No one expected the Emperor to grant a marriage between the Marquis's eldest son and the princess. He also allowed the naturally blind second son to inherit the title.
This move not only preserved the Wu'an Marquis Manor's dignity but also earned the Emperor a reputation for cherishing loyal ministers.
Yet I had heard that this marriage was actually begged for by my princess aunt herself.
Inside the bustling mourning hall, I stared at the thin man dressed in plain white mourning clothes, looking unkempt.
It was truly hard to imagine how my beautiful Aunt could have fallen for someone who looked like this.
Although I was not favored, I was still the Imperial Eldest Grandson. Before leaving the palace today, the servants who usually looked down on me had still dressed me up properly.
When it was my turn to pay respects, curiosity got the better of me. I deliberately stepped closer, wanting to see this Uncle-in-Law I had never met up close.
Unexpectedly, the man who had been motionless suddenly trembled the moment he saw me.
"Who are you?" He reached out and gripped my shoulders tightly. The force was so strong it actually hurt.
Before I could answer, I met a pair of bloodshot eyes.
Only when I got this close did I finally see my Uncle-in-Law's real appearance.
I had to admit, he looked quite good up close.
Suddenly, I understood my Aunt a little better.
"Uncle-in-Law, I am Song Lin," I replied honestly, even though my shoulders hurt. I didn't dare resist.
"Song Lin?" he murmured softly, as if trying to recall where he had heard the name.
"You called me... Uncle-in-Law?" His eyes suddenly showed surprise. "You are the posthumous son of the eldest prince? The Imperial Eldest Grandson, Song Lin?"
"Yes." I noticed that people around us had started looking over. Strange gazes landed on me, sizing me up as if they wanted to see through me. It made me extremely uncomfortable.
I desperately wanted to escape. Why was he still gripping me? Why hadn't anyone stopped him? What exactly did he want...
All kinds of thoughts flashed through my mind. Out of fear, my eyes turned red uncontrollably.
The next second, someone pulled me into a tight embrace, blocking out all the staring eyes.
"Uncle-in-Law?" I was still dazed as he held me.
"I'm sorry." The man holding me apologized first, then slowly released me. Only then did I notice that his eyes were also red. "Child, your eyes... they look so much like your Aunt's."
It was normal for a nephew to resemble his aunt.
But to the man before me, it seemed I had become something else entirely.
"If you are willing, you are always welcome to visit Princess Manor."
After a pause, he continued:
"Your Aunt... she really loved children."