Chapter 114: Origins

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Nan An was quite displeased when Yan Heru called him “Third Prince,” because deep down he still hoped to hear the word “uncle.” However, he also understood that this kind of relationship couldn’t be forced and had to develop step by step. Otherwise, if he provoked Yan Heru’s resentment, he might never have the chance to hear “uncle” from her in his lifetime.

Therefore, at this moment, if he wanted his niece to recognize him as her uncle, he had to first meet her conditions.

Nan An immediately said, “Ah Nuo is indeed the person I sent near you. Because I discovered traces of my sister’s child, I had her investigate. Unexpectedly, within such a short time, she managed to uncover your identity and successfully found my own niece.”

Whenever he spoke of this, Nan An appeared very happy, but Yan Heru could not share his feelings.

She glanced again at Ah Nuo, whose eyes still avoided hers. Yan Heru then continued to say to Nan An, “How can you be so certain I am your sister’s daughter? If this is a mistake, now that I know so much, I’m probably doomed to be silenced by you all. So you’d rather kill a thousand by mistake than let one go, huh?”

Nan An grew flustered at her words. “That’s certainly not what I mean. How could you interpret it that way? I came to acknowledge you because I was absolutely sure. The only mistake I feel I made was using the news from the Ninth Prince. Actually, I didn’t know that information myself; I just used it to lure you here. I’m sorry.”

Nan An’s apology was sincere, which made Yan Heru somewhat embarrassed. Regardless of whether they truly shared the uncle-niece bond, in this patriarchal society, it was a great honor to have a man so high in status apologize to a woman so earnestly.

Moreover, this man was no ordinary figure—he was the Third Prince of Nanyang Kingdom.

“There’s really no need to apologize. I just want to understand what’s going on. The Ninth Prince’s disappearance and your sudden appearance, claiming to be my uncle... my mind is in complete chaos. I have no idea what’s happening, so I hope you can explain it to me clearly, help me sort out my thoughts,” Yan Heru said with great clarity.

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Seeing that Yan Heru did not strongly resist his identity as her uncle, Nan An felt somewhat relieved. Before coming here, his greatest fear was her strong rejection and dislike of him as uncle.

But judging by the current situation, that would not be the case, which made things much easier. He had plenty of time to slowly gain recognition from his niece.

“This matter is actually quite easy to explain. First of all, I really don’t know anything about the Ninth Prince. It was Ah Nuo who told me of his disappearance. Initially, I only sent her to be near you to investigate your identity.

The best proof of your identity is the bracelet you have always worn. That bracelet was left to you by your mother, correct? That is your confirmation. That bracelet belonged to my sister; there is only one like it in this world.”

Yan Heru looked down at the bracelet on her wrist. It had been with her ever since her earliest memories and appeared very precious, which was why she had never taken it off.

She never expected the bracelet’s origin to be like this. Now, she almost believed Nan An’s words were true, but she still didn’t want to acknowledge him as her uncle.

Besides unfamiliarity, their allegiances also mattered. She was now the wife of the Ninth Prince of Beiyu Kingdom, while Nan An was the Third Prince of Nanyang Kingdom, and also the war god of Nanyang.

Moreover, they were currently enemies along the border. If she truly accepted him as her uncle, how could they face each other?

Besides, the most urgent matter was not their recognition but finding Shen Hezhi.

Shen Hezhi had been missing for nearly twenty-four hours without a trace. Yan Heru was truly worried whether he had encountered some accident or been harmed by someone.

“Even if everything you say is true, and I am indeed your niece, I can’t go back with you now. I don’t want to be some kind of princess.

You should understand my current identity—I am already married to the Ninth Prince, Shen Hezhi. So I will follow him,” Yan Heru said. She hadn’t wanted to say this originally, but after careful thought, she decided to voice it now to avoid awkwardness later.

Their relationship was not yet well-defined, and their emotions were not deep, so speaking candidly would not ruin anything.

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Nan An was not as rejected as she had imagined. After hearing her words, he only nodded. “What you say makes sense. Since you married him, you should be with him. But I still hope you can come back to Nanyang Kingdom once. By the way, I’ve been focusing on you—how is my sister? Your mother, is she well?”

Looking at Nan An’s hopeful eyes, Yan Heru was momentarily speechless, unsure how to tell him about her mother.

Seeing her hesitation, Nan An braced himself for the worst. After all, they hadn’t met for so many years, and there had been no news.

He lowered his head and asked, “Is it your mother? Is she not doing well now...?”

Yan Heru sighed helplessly, shook her head, and replied, “It’s not that she’s doing badly. She passed away years ago after giving birth to my younger brother.”

“Passed away!” Nan An felt as if struck by lightning, stepping back two paces. Fortunately, Ah Nuo steadied him; otherwise, he might have collapsed.

“How could this be? When she left, she was so lively and adorable... and now... it’s already been over ten years...” Nan An suddenly realized how much time had passed. Grief-stricken, he covered his face and continued, “It’s all my fault. If I had found her earlier, maybe she wouldn’t have died so young.”

Moved by Nan An’s genuine sorrow, Yan Heru became even more certain that this man before her was truly her uncle.

Since she had such an uncle, perhaps… perhaps some things could be different now…