Liu Wan spoke with such heartfelt regret, her eyes brimming with compassion, that no one could bring themselves to refuse her.
The baby's giggles rang out beside her ears.
[Mother really knows how to stab people where it hurts. Keep those inauspicious words coming!]
Seeing Xu Rourou's ugly expression and receiving her daughter's encouragement, Liu Wan turned to explain to the other ladies.
"It seems her husband died. How pitiful. She was already a widow, yet my husband took liberties with her. Whatever am I to do?"
She even began to look aggrieved herself.
The ladies all gathered to comfort Liu Wan.
Xu Rourou gritted her teeth, clenching her fists so hard she nearly crushed them! How dare she curse Jin'an to die! And curse her child, too!
She turned to seek help, but Xie Jin'an's expression was no better. He trembled with rage, yet he was glaring at her, not Liu Wan.
What had she done wrong?
She had only wanted a proper status. She had wanted to stop other women from entering the household, but who could have imagined she would end up falling into the water herself!
Looking troubled, Liu Wan went to ask the old madam for instructions.
After taking a heart-saving pill, the old madam slowly regained consciousness. She said weakly, "Since she is a widow, naturally, she cannot simply enter the Marquis's Residence as a concubine. Since Jin'an has taken liberties with her, and she has raised the young master, just give her some status so she can make a living in the inner household."
After careful consideration, this was the only solution that could silence all those wagging tongues.
Liu Wan agreed. "If this little widow still has a mother-in-law, we ought to discuss it with her husband's family before granting her a rank. My only concern is that she might be an orphan with no one to rely on."
"She has no mother-in-law," the old madam replied.
"How pitiful. It seems she is an orphan, then. Even the rank of a lowly concubine is a little beyond her." Liu Wan sighed.
"Enough! Can't these matters wait until we get home?" Xie Jin'an's face was thunderous. He was barely holding on to his reason.
Liu Wan was clearly humiliating Rou Rou.
"Is the heir angry?"
"Of course he is. You're giving him a widow as a concubine. Naturally, he's angry. What respectable family would take in a widow?" Lady Liu added pointedly.
"Indeed. If any man in our Chen Residence took a widow as a concubine, the whole family would be unable to hold their heads up. We understand, we understand!" Lady Chen added.
Liu Wan approached Xie Jin'an. "Rest assured, husband. I will handle this properly."
After explaining things to the ladies, she had someone escort Xu Rourou back.
Xie Jin'an actually felt considerably reassured, and even his gaze toward Liu Wan softened.
Everyone nodded, praising the mistress of the household for her generosity and kindness.
If their own husbands were to take a widow as a concubine, they certainly could not have managed it.
Just then-
A maid hurried over with a baby in her arms. "Wet Nurse Xu, the young master won't stop crying. I had no choice but to bring him to you, Wet Nurse Xu-"
The maid swept her gaze around and fell silent.
Why were there so many ladies in the inner courtyard?
Hadn't someone instructed her to bring the young master to his wet nurse?
Xie Jin'an came to his senses and snapped, "Take the child back at once! What propriety is there in bringing him out for everyone to see?"
"Is this the young master the old madam brought home?"
Lady Liu suddenly asked. She was still holding little Wanwan, whose face was full of delight at the spectacle.
[Hooray, hooray! Mother played such a brilliant game! Father and his mistress's child has finally shown his face. Wow, he's so ugly...]
Little Wanwan was nearly beside herself with laughter. She reached out to clap, but Pan Chun swiftly caught her hands.
Liu Wan stepped forward for a look, then told the ladies, "Yes, this is the young master the old madam brought home because she felt an instant affinity with him."
The ladies had intended to offer a few polite compliments.
But Lady Liu had already carried the exquisite, rosy little Wanwan over to look.
With the two children side by side, that boy truly looked...
[Like a monkey!] Little Wanwan shouted in her heart.
The corner of Liu Wan's mouth twitched. Then she frowned and looked around, catching a glimpse of a moon-white robe's hem beside the rockery.
After showing the child to the ladies, the maid was about to carry him away while the old madam smoothed things over.
Just then, the Fifth Princess stopped her. "Wait. What is this?"
She drew a Jade Bead Strand from the baby's swaddling, and everyone present instantly paled in shock.
"Isn't... isn't that the Jade Bead Strand the Late Emperor bestowed on the mistress of the Marquis's Residence?"
"How did something so precious end up on a baby?"
"I heard that Jade Bead Strand protects its wearer. It ought to be passed down from one mistress of the Marquis's Residence to the next!"
The Fifth Princess instantly flew into a rage. "Old Madam Xie, why is the Jade Bead Strand my imperial grandfather bestowed on the mistress of the household on an adopted son?"
Remembering the full-month gift the old madam had given little Wanwan, everyone immediately understood!
Had Old Madam Xie's preference for boys gone so far that a legitimate baby girl mattered less than an adopted son she had picked up?
Or was this child actually the illegitimate son of a mistress kept outside the Marquis's Residence?
Lady Liu's expression darkened further. "What exactly is this child's background? Why was something so precious given to him, while your own great-granddaughter, Xie Wanwan, received only a silver lock?"
[Boo-hoo, exactly, exactly! Which of us is the rightful bloodline here? Stand up for me, Grandmother! Grandmother is mighty!]
"Could this little boy also be of your household's blood, and you deliberately found a wet nurse and passed him off as adopted to pull the wool over everyone's eyes?"
Lady Liu pressed relentlessly.
Even Liu Wan was stunned.
She had never told her mother about this.
"Old Madam Xie, you had better explain. This is no longer merely a matter for your household. The imperial family's honor is at stake..."
"Indeed. Even if this child belongs to the Marquis's Residence, according to the rules, only a legitimate son or the heir is entitled to receive something bestowed by the Late Emperor, and the mistress of the household has the final say. How could you... how foolish!"
Some had already begun admonishing the old madam.
The old madam's mind was completely blank. Everything had been perfectly fine-who had brought little Huai Shan out?
"This is a misunderstanding! I never gave the Jade Bead Strand to an adopted son!"
"A misunderstanding?"
The Fifth Princess raised the Jade Bead Strand in her hand. It had clearly been hanging inside the baby's swaddling.
"In this matter, I trust only what I have seen with my own eyes. As for the truth of it, you can go to the palace and explain to my imperial father!"
With a flick of her sleeve, the Fifth Princess left with her palace maids.
Xu Rourou was scared witless!
She had never seen anything so fine. Hearing that the old madam had given it to Huai Shan, she had simply assumed it showed how much she valued him!
She had never imagined she valued him to this extent!
That had belonged to the Late Emperor!
"Fifth Princess! Fifth Princess!"
Xie Jin'an chased after her, his soaked robes making him look utterly bedraggled, but even then, he could not make the Fifth Princess stop!
The ladies sighed and left the inner courtyard one after another.
The old madam collapsed to the ground, her lips trembling!
What was she to do now?
"Wan'er! Wan'er, what should we do...?"
The old madam looked pleadingly at Liu Wan.
Liu Wan had always been the one to resolve these matters.
Liu Wan took little Wanwan from Lady Liu's arms. "The innocent need no defense. If you never gave it to him, Old Madam, then there will be nothing to worry about."
"Deceiving the emperor is a grave crime, Old Madam Xie. I taught Wan'er from childhood to live uprightly and honorably. A woman, too, can be a person of noble character.
"Now your household's corrupt ways threaten to drag my daughter down with you. Our Minister's Residence is not to be trifled with, either. If I discover that Wan'er has suffered any mistreatment here, our Minister's Residence will be the first to object!"
Although Lady Liu's expression was grim, her bearing remained dignified, and her words struck straight into the heart.
Before you continue