Chapter 206: The Xiang Family’s Secret
Mrs. Wang sat by the bed with her head lowered, not daring to speak.
Xiang Mingli tried to sit up several times, but Mrs. Wang pushed him back down each time, signaling for him to keep quiet.
"So young, yet so vicious." Old Madam Xiang desperately wanted to grab a knife and stab her to death.
"No matter how vicious I am, I’m no match for you. You’d even stab your own son." As Ye Qianning spoke, she glanced toward the bed before fixing her gaze on the old woman. "Is my father your biological son?"
Old Madam Xiang’s face went deathly pale. "What nonsense are you spouting? Of course he’s my biological son."
"Your biological son, you say? Heh." Ye Qianning’s smile was inscrutable.
Old Madam Xiang grew flustered.
Mrs. Wang seemed to have noticed something was amiss as well. A suspicion formed in her mind. ’Could it be that his elder brother truly isn’t Mother’s biological child?’
"I’ve never seen anyone be so ruthless to their own son. Your favoritism can only stem from a few reasons. First, my father isn’t your biological son. Second, my father *is* your biological son, but he’s just a bargaining chip for your own wealth and glory. Third... it’s *him*." Ye Qianning pointed her small finger at Xiang Mingli. "He’s not of the Xiang family’s blood."
A storm raged in Old Madam Xiang’s heart. Her face was as white as a corpse.
On the verge of death, Xiang Mingli shot up in his bed. "You... you little bitch! What nonsense are you spouting?"
"Whether I’m spouting nonsense or not, you know the truth in your heart, Old Madam. For a mother to be so biased is already a clue in itself. It’s hard *not* to be suspicious." Ye Qianning had given this a lot of thought the day before.
’If they were both her sons, they should both be her own flesh and blood. She couldn’t just favor one over the other. No matter how biased she was, she’d never stab one for the sake of a scoundrel.’
’This kind of drama was common in the great families of old. For the Xiang family to accept a crude woman like the old madam, she must have used some kind of trick. Besides, she’d heard the steward say that Old Madam Xiang had arrived in the Capital City as a refugee fleeing a famine.’
’Later, she entered the Xiang family as a maidservant...’
’And there were only a few ways for a maidservant to climb the ranks—the most common being to gain status through one’s son.’
Old Madam Xiang’s hands, hidden in her sleeves, were slick with sweat. Her heart was in her throat.
"You’re... you’re lying."
"All those commoners are still surrounding the General’s Manor. Why don’t I let them in? We can have my father and him perform a blood-paternity test right here, in front of everyone."
Old Madam Xiang was utterly stunned. She shot up from the soft couch, swayed, and then collapsed back down. "Nonsense! The Xiang family will not tolerate such insolence!"
"Luo Wen, let the people in. We’ll perform the blood-paternity test in front of the entire city." ’Her panic proves she’s hiding something.’
"Yes."
"How dare you! Don’t you go! Don’t go!" Old Madam Xiang scrambled over, stumbling as she tried to grab Luo Wen.
Ye Qianning was now certain: Xiang Mingli was not a child of the Xiang family at all. ’This makes things much easier,’ she thought.
Mrs. Wang listened, her heart pounding in her chest. After being married into the Xiang family for so many years, she knew a thing or two about the old madam’s temperament. Seeing her this panicked all but confirmed her suspicions.
’If my husband isn’t a child of the Xiang family... if this rumor gets out, my son and I will never be able to hold our heads high again.’
"Mother..." Xiang Mingli was also starting to panic.
Old Madam Xiang gripped Luo Wen tightly, terrified he would run out. She whipped her head around to glare at Ye Qianning, her eyes filled with venom. She had planned for every possibility but never imagined a mere child would see through her scheme.
But when Ye Qianning met her gaze, she simply smiled.
"Luo Wen, let’s go."
Luo Wen shook off the old madam and followed Ye Qianning out of the room.
Old Madam Xiang collapsed onto the floor.
"Mother... am I really not of the Xiang family?" Xiang Mingli’s mouth hung open. In his heart, he already knew the answer.
At his question, Old Madam Xiang’s tears began to stream down her face. She pounded the floor and began to sob uncontrollably.
Her silence was more telling than any confession.
Xiang Mingli was completely stunned. ’I’m not part of the Xiang family. If my elder brother finds out... will he let me live?’
"I have to go... go... I can’t stay here." With that thought, he gritted his teeth against the pain, threw off the blankets, and tried to get out of bed.