The Disappearance of the Ancient Portrait

This sentence stunned everyone on the mountain.

The painting in the Ancestral Hall?

All the portraits in the Six Clan Ancestral Halls are the same, each honoring Zara Yun and the benefactor who saved Yuanshan Village during the War of Resistance.

Yesterday, it was still hanging perfectly on the wall.

How could something go wrong overnight?

The Village Chief grew anxious, grabbing the messenger with reddened eyes and shouting, "Explain yourself! What exactly happened?"

The messenger, panting, said, "Village Chief... just now... while we were cleaning the Ancestral Hall... General Yun's portrait... the portrait... it's gone... it just vanished before our eyes..."

Gone? What do you mean?

No one bothered to ask further; everyone rushed back to the village in a panic.

The Village Chief and the Clan Chiefs immediately opened the doors to the Ancestral Hall and went inside. Cecilia Gu followed them, while the others watched from outside, afraid to enter.

As soon as Cecilia Gu entered, she saw that Zara Yun's portrait, once sealed in a vacuum glass case, had turned into portrait ashes, quietly lying inside the case.

The Village Chief and Clan Chiefs staggered, nearly collapsing to the ground!

At that moment, someone rushed in from outside: "Village Chief, Clan Chiefs, the portraits of General Yun in the other five Ancestral Halls have also turned into portrait ashes."

"How could this happen?" Cecilia Gu couldn't help but mutter, "This... just doesn't make sense!"

Extremely old things do tend to oxidize and turn to ashes.

Isn't this kind of situation common in those tomb-raiding movies?

Paper is especially prone to oxidation, and these portraits have been stored for nearly four hundred years.

But these portraits were all sealed in vacuum glass cases, so oxidation shouldn't have happened.

So how did all these portraits turn to ashes at the same time?

Cecilia Gu was completely baffled.

Unable to resist, she stepped forward and touched the now-empty vacuum glass case.

This case is vacuum-sealed, without oxygen—so how could oxidation occur?

Cecilia Gu thought for a moment and asked, "About what time did the portraits turn to ashes?"

The messenger considered and replied, "It should have been around eight o'clock. I was sweeping the floor with the others, and when I looked up, I saw General Yun on the portrait suddenly smile, then vanish in the blink of an eye—the painting was gone too."

Everyone around felt a chill run down their spines.

This was just too incredible.

But Cecilia Gu felt a jolt in her heart.

Wasn't eight o'clock the exact time she and Charles Yin were making offerings at General Keith's grave?

Why such a coincidence?

Zara Yun, what are you trying to tell me?

The Village Chief and the other Clan Chiefs seemed deeply shaken.

Zara Yun's portrait is incredibly important to Yuanshan Village.

It's even more important than their ancestral memorial tablets.

But now it's vanished—how can they possibly explain this to their ancestors in heaven?

Just then, Sylvia Ran, who was watching the commotion outside the Ancestral Hall, remarked coolly, "Someone must have tampered with it. Just check who entered the hall in the past couple of days and it'll be clear."

Cecilia Gu quickly glanced at Sylvia Ran.

The people of Yuanshan Village have cared for these portraits for centuries, and nothing has ever gone wrong.

If we're talking outsiders, isn't she the only one?

What did she mean by that?

The Village Chief immediately turned his gaze to Cecilia Gu.

The other villagers now looked at Cecilia Gu with none of the respect and admiration they showed yesterday—instead, their gazes were almost predatory.

Cecilia Gu tensed, feeling a surge of frustration.

Sylvia Ran, you're really something!

Stirring up trouble with just a few words—she'd nearly turned Cecilia from honored guest into the village's prime suspect!

Just as Cecilia was about to explain, Charles Yin spoke calmly: "Why are you all so surprised? Can't you see this is Zara Yun sending you a message?"

Swish—everyone turned their eyes to Charles Yin.

Charles Yin's eyes flickered as he said, "Cecilia Gu and Zara Yun look almost identical. Do you really think that's just a coincidence?"

Cecilia Gu was stunned—what did he mean by that?

Charles Yin continued, "Do you remember the exact moment the portrait turned to ashes? That was when Cecilia was burning incense at General Keith's grave! And what was General Keith's greatest regret in life? That he could never see Zara Yun again. After Zara Yun died, she was buried in the royal mausoleum—they couldn't be together in life or death. That pain was an unhealed wound for both of them, wasn't it?"

Charles Yin's words gradually softened everyone's attitude.

"Cecilia may not bear the Yun surname, but she has the exact same appearance as Zara Yun—and she's the Yun Family's adopted daughter. You all know Cecilia looks just like Nora Yun, right? When Nora was born, people said Zara Yun's portrait came alive, as if she stepped out of the painting. Everyone claimed Nora Yun was Zara Yun reincarnated. But fate was cruel—Nora died young. Two years later, destiny brought Cecilia into the Yun Family. Do you really think that's just a coincidence?"

"And the Yun Family gave Cecilia this bracelet—don't you understand what that means? It's inheritance!" Charles Yin's voice grew sharper and colder. "Zara Yun saw that someone finally inherited her wish to protect this village. By using Cecilia's body and face, she was able to meet General Keith one last time. Her life's wish is fulfilled, so her mission ends, doesn't it?"

Charles Yin's words left everyone stunned.

Cecilia Gu always knew Charles Yin was eloquent, but this explanation really made people wonder.

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Max Mo had just come to watch the drama, but since Cecilia was involved, he couldn't just stand by.

"That's right. The first time I met Cecilia, I was shocked by how much she resembled Nora Yun. What amazed me even more was how Nora and Cecilia have completely opposite traits. One is frail but brilliant, the other strong but willing to sacrifice for love. Everyone, don't you think that together, Nora and Cecilia are Zara Yun?" Max Mo's guess was bold, but persuasive.

Cecilia Gu almost felt brainwashed by their words.

Even Charles Yin's expression turned a little strange.

Max Mo's theory actually made some sense.

Nora Yun's frail health was astonishing, but her intellect was truly unmatched—unparalleled in history.

Cecilia Gu, on the other hand, has always been resilient. Despite suffering so much as a child, she grew up healthy and strong, never seriously ill. And when it comes to love, Cecilia's approach is just like Zara Yun's...

The Village Chief and the six Clan Chiefs looked at each other.

It really did sound convincing...

Sylvia Ran saw Charles Yin and Max Mo defending Cecilia Gu and grew even angrier. She couldn't help but say, "Cecilia Gu is still a Gu, not a Yun. She's a member of the Gu Family, not really part of the Yun Family."

Charles Yin suddenly laughed, "Who says Cecilia Gu is a Gu? Don't you know her so-called Gu Family are just her adoptive parents?"

Sylvia Ran was left speechless.

How could that be?

Could Cecilia Gu really be connected to the Yun Family?

Hmph, just thinking about it was infuriating!

At this moment, everyone's eyes were fixed on Cecilia Gu.

Cecilia turned again to look at the ashes of the portrait inside the glass case, her fingers gently brushing the glass surface.

She knew that if she didn't clarify things today, she might truly fall out with the villagers.

Cecilia bit her lip and slowly began, "Yes, I really don't know who my biological parents are."

Just then, a sudden commotion erupted outside.

The Village Chief's face darkened with anger. "Who's making all that noise outside?"

Someone shouted, "Mr. Yun and Mrs. Yun are here!"

Cecilia Gu was stunned—why were Mom and Dad here?

Charles Yin and Max Mo were also surprised, but quickly regained their composure.

Sylvia Ran pouted, clearly unhappy.