Jiaying nodded, indicating that she roughly understood why the Emperor needed her.
Her life had been somewhat legendary by ordinary standards. Back then, she had not known what Inhumans were. She only knew that strange tales of extraordinary people and bizarre events circulated among the villages. Having never seen her parents, she could only learn about them from the village elders. From those scattered fragments, she learned that before leaving their hometown, her parents had already been famous far and wide for their remarkable deeds. They often appeared in those stories.
Her father had run a clinic that treated the poor. He was not only learned and charitable, but also taught children who could not afford an education in his spare time. Her mother had come from a martial arts family. Not only could she wield a long saber beautifully and move with astonishing agility, she often helped poor people oppressed by landlords. When war broke out, her parents had joined the resistance without hesitation. But Jiaying had been too young to follow, so they had no choice but to leave her behind. Because the couple had always enjoyed a good reputation in the village, the villagers had been willing to care for her. Everyone had believed that the couple would return within a few years at most, but as time passed, even fellow villagers who had enlisted heard no news of them.
After living alone, Jiaying inherited the books and property her father had been unable to take with him.
Gradually, she stopped hoping for her parents' return. At first, she deeply resented them for abandoning her to fight for others. Later, she came to terms with it, because they had never truly been part of her life. Everyone believed they were dead, and Jiaying believed so as well.