You're a Young Lady of the Marquis's Residence

Xu Xi rolled her eyes inwardly and bowed to the village head and the clan chief. "Uncle Village Head, Third Granduncle."

"Haha, Miss Xi, this is wonderful. You'll be going back to the marquis's residence to enjoy the good life," the village head, Zhang Chenglin, said with a smile.

Zhang Chenglin was from the neighboring village, not Xu Family Village. As village head, he was an official of sorts, and flattery came readily to his lips. Unlike Xu Chengguan, the clan chief of Xu Family Village, he had no need to be mindful of his status and feel too embarrassed to put on his airs and say such flattering things to someone who had once been his junior.

Xu Xi knew what was going on, but a bewildered look appeared on her face. "Uncle Village Head, what do you mean?"

Her gaze swept over Steward Liu, Matron Ruan, and the others. "Who are these people?"

The clan chief, Xu Chengguan, coughed. "Let's talk inside." With that, he turned and motioned to his son, Xu Mingsheng.

Xu Mingsheng understood. After the village head, the clan chief, Xu Xi, Madam Xie, and Steward Liu's party of four went inside, he kept all the onlookers outside and called out, "Everyone, go home. Don't stand around here chattering and bring shame on Xu Family Village."

Seeing that Xu Chongwen had also been kept out of the main room, Xu Mingsheng said, "Young Master Wen, hurry and see where your father is. Find him and bring him back."

"M-my father went to the county seat. He probably won't be back until the afternoon." Xu Chongwen was a little nervous at the sight of the marquis's entourage.

Xu Mingsheng frowned.

Inside, Steward Liu and the village head each urged the other to sit first before taking their seats in turn.

Zhang Chenglin then said to Xu Xi, "Miss Xi, you're actually a young lady of the second branch of the Marquis of Suiping's Residence in the capital. You were switched with another baby just after you were born, and now the people from the marquis's residence have come to take you home."

Madam Xie's lips moved as she looked at Steward Liu, but though she seemed to want to speak, she stopped herself.

Xu Xi's eyes widened. She looked at Steward Liu, then at Zhang Chenglin, her face full of disbelief.

Only after a long while did she seem to find her voice. "How... were we switched?"

Zhang Chenglin looked at Steward Liu.

Matron Ruan spoke up. "Miss, you were born prematurely. The second madam was worried you wouldn't survive, so she took you and your wet nurse up the mountain to pray to the bodhisattva. On the way back, she came across Madam Xu, who was about to give birth, and got out of the carriage to help her."

At this point, she gave the clan chief, Xu Chengguan, a meaningful look, then turned back to Xu Xi and continued, "It was all very hectic, and somehow the babies got switched."

Matron Ruan's glance made Xu Chengguan's heart skip a beat. Sitting beside him, Madam Xie saw it too, and a sense of foreboding rose in her heart.

The others, however, had questions.

There was a difference between a newborn and a baby who had been born some time earlier. Leaving everything else aside, the umbilical cord would certainly look different, to say nothing of their skin, appearance, swaddling clothes, and clothing. No matter how careless the marquis's wet nurse was, could she really have failed to tell even that much? Unless she had done it deliberately.

But why would the wet nurse deliberately switch the babies?

Besides, once the babies had been switched, even if Madam Xu, giving birth for the first time, hadn't known what a newborn looked like, wouldn't Xu Xi's birth mother-the second madam of the marquis's residence-have noticed afterward? Why had it taken more than ten years for them to come looking for the child?

Matron Ruan could tell what everyone was thinking and explained, "The second madam's health had been poor ever since she gave birth to Miss, so Miss was always left in the wet nurse's care. When Madam Xu gave birth, the second madam caught a chill after getting out of the carriage to help. Her head hurt terribly, and she didn't so much as look at the baby all the way home. After she returned, she sent for a physician and spent some more time recovering. By the time she looked at the baby again, the child had grown enough that there was little difference to see."

It seemed the second madam hadn't cared much about the child either. Otherwise, even after some time had passed, she wouldn't have failed to recognize her own daughter.

Xu Chengguan and Madam Xie both lowered their eyes, feeling deeply uneasy.

Why would the wet nurse conceal the switch? Unless Madam Xu had done it deliberately from the very beginning.

She had wanted her own daughter to become a young lady of the marquis's residence, so she had paid off the wet nurse. Perhaps the wet nurse was greedy for money, perhaps she was dissatisfied with the second madam, or perhaps it was both. And because the second madam paid little attention to the child, she had taken the risk.

Otherwise, even if Madam Xu hadn't known who had helped her at the time, the marquis's carriage had its insignia. Surely she could have asked passersby what they knew, then gone to the residence to reclaim her own daughter?

As everyone in the room pondered the matter, Xu Xi frowned and asked, "Then how did you discover what happened?"

Matron Ruan smiled bitterly. "That wet nurse was terrified the truth would come out, so she left her position at the marquis's residence a month later. After returning home, she opened a general store and lived quite comfortably. But her son died some time ago. She said her daughter-in-law had brought death upon her husband and tormented her terribly, and she also abused her granddaughter to death. The daughter-in-law couldn't bear it any longer and reported her to the authorities. Only then did the lord and ladies of the marquis's residence learn where you were, Miss. As soon as they heard the news, they sent the few of us to bring you back."

She gave Madam Xie a meaningful look. "A deed like this is a grave sin, and the marquis's household did not originally intend to let it go lightly. But Madam Xu has passed away, and Fifth Miss, who was brought into the residence back then, is dearly loved by the old madam. The second madam cannot bear to send her back either. Besides, we found that Madam Xu treated Miss Xi fairly well. After discussing it, the masters of the residence decided not to pursue what happened back then."

She looked at Xu Xi. "So today they sent Steward Liu and this old servant to bring you back to the residence, Miss."

Those words revealed a great deal. The clan chief, Madam Xie, and the village head all looked very upset, though they breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that the marquis's household would not pursue the matter.

There was not the slightest change in Xu Xi's expression, however. A faint smile still lingered on her lips, and her expression remained calm. "Put that way, there's nothing wrong with what you've said. But where's the proof?"

Matron Ruan was taken aback. "Proof? Proof of what?"

"For example, did the swaddling clothes I was wrapped in back then bear the marquis's insignia? Or could you describe their color and pattern, and have them match the swaddling clothes I was brought here in?"

As she spoke, Xu Xi turned to Madam Xie. "Aunt, did you keep the swaddling clothes I had as a baby? Or do you still remember their color and pattern? I heard my mother mention that when I was born, you were the one who came to take care of her during her confinement."

This time, everyone in the room was stunned, unable to make sense of it at once. Madam Xie was equally baffled by Xu Xi's question. She looked at Xu Xi helplessly, her mouth open, and did not answer.

Although Matron Ruan still didn't understand Xu Xi's reasoning, she explained, "The wet nurse deliberately switched the babies back then, so naturally the swaddling clothes you were wrapped in, Miss, had been prepared by Madam Xu. The swaddling clothes prepared by the marquis's embroiderers were the ones Fifth Miss was wearing when she was brought back to the residence."

"Then there is no proof." Xu Xi looked at her, her eyes full of innocence. "If I went to your home, told you a story, and then said that your daughter, who was already grown, was my family's child-"

She glanced at Madam Xie. "Would you just let your child leave with me? Going off with someone without any proof or reason-wouldn't she have to be a fool?"

She stood up. "I'm not a fool, so I won't go with you. Not unless you produce proof that I'm your family's child."

With that, she curtsied to the village head and the clan chief, then turned and walked out of the main room.