He hadn't expected to see her there of all places. The first thing that came to his mind was 'Does mother know she is here?'

  Tang Beixuan, of course knew about their mother's manipulative attitude. He'd seen it but kept mum about it. However, it didn't mean he tolerated Zhang Wuying's behavior. Whenever he saw her arguing or scolding her Moyu Jie, he always made sure to divert her attention, letting his sister escape from their mother's demeaning words.

  "Wan Jie already told me the truth, Sis." Tang Beixuan told the empress as they took a short stroll in the garden for some privacy. "Everything. Not a single detail left out."

  There was something in his eyes that spoke volumes to Tang Moyu, as if he'd regretted something. Was it guilt she was seeing?

  Tang Beixuan was five years younger than the empress. At the age of twenty-four, he still had a boyish charm and a charming smile that could make girls fawn over him like he was some kind of a matinee idol.

  Unlike her and Tang Wanyu, Tang Beixuan had the freedom he could enjoy because he was favored by their mother. At this young age, he'd been told that he was to inherit the Tang Enterprise the moment his elder sister Tang Moyu had been betrothed to the young master of the Feng family.

  It was only then did their mother impose strict lessons for him as the next heir, which Tang Beixuan thought as ridiculous. Shouldn't his sister Moyu be the heir and not him? She was the child prodigy after all, but Zhang Wuying would hear none of it.

  "Don't overthink. It's not your fault." Tang Moyu said as her eyes scanned the new set of baby carrots her children had planted in their mini farm.

  "No, Sis. You don't understand. In fact, I already knew some of the things that Wan Jie told me." He sighed and took a seat on one of the benches set around the garden of Tang Moyu's home.

  "You knew?" Tang Moyu couldn't believe that even her brother had kept the details to himself rather than telling her about it.

  Tang Beixuan remained silent for a moment, trying to find the right words to explain his side to his sister, hoping that she wouldn't be hurt from it.

  "I heard Mom and Dad arguing about you. I'm not sure if you are already aware but Dad refused to get chemotherapy for his illness." He told her, keeping his eyes on her face to gauge her reaction.

  Tang Moyu wrapped her arms around her midsection and looked on the ground. She'd heard about it but she wasn't certain why their father denied to get his treatments, as if he didn't care if he died from his illness.

  "I know but what does it have to do with me?" She asked.

  "Well…" Tang Beixuan hesitated. "Since you are the only one with the Tang blood among the three of us, it's only natural that Dad held you in high regards over me and Wan Jie."

  The empress scoffed at that before taking a seat next to him. She'd never had a fond memory with her father. Also, what did Beixuan mean when he said she was the only one who had Tang blood? Did this mean that he was also adopted like Tang Wanyu?

  As if sensing her thoughts, Tang Beixuan nodded.

  "En, I'm just another baby Mother had taken in so she could force Dad not to give you your rightful inheritance." He confessed, not daring to lie about what he found out several years ago.

  When Tang Lixue had been admitted to the hospital, Beixuan had requested a blood test to know if his blood could be given to his father. In the end, he found out that he wasn't even his father's child.

  When he confronted his mother, Zhang Wuying denied the allegations and insisted that he was a Tang. However, Tang Beixuan knew better. Zhang Wuying had started to lose her mind… No. She'd already lost her mind when she tried to keep their father bound in a loveless marriage even though she knew Tang Lixue hated her.

  "Inheritance?" The empress snorted as if her brother had just told her a joke. A bad one at that. "I'm not interested in inheritance. Money is something that can be earned when you know how to work hard and let it work for you." She added.

  "I know, Sis. That's why I found it ridiculous. I don't understand why mother is so obsessed with getting rid of you until Wan Jie told me about your birth mother…" His words trailed off, not sure of how Tang Moyu felt about it.

  "It's alright, Beixuan. I already know about her and the brother I lost. It was just, for the longest time, I tried so hard to earn our parents' affection, not knowing I've been a fool all this time."

  Tang Beixuan looked at her with sympathy and patted her shoulder.

  "I know, Sis. I know." He'd witnessed it himself how Tang Moyu strove to become a perfect daughter their parents could be proud of, but no matter how much effort she exerted, it seemed like it would never be enough, especially for their mother.

  Now, it all made sense to them why Zhang Wuying treated Tang Moyu like that. Still, it was unfair for a child to be punished for something she had no control of.

  "No matter what, you and Wan Jie are my sisters."