Confirmation
Xu Xi smiled but said nothing.
She still didn't know whether she was a daughter of the marquis's manor.
Matron Ruan understood Xu Xi's expression as well.
She stood and bowed to Xu Xi. "Miss Xi, may I look behind your ear?"
When Xu Xi raised her eyes to look at her, she hurriedly added, "We had someone question the wet nurse who switched the children again. She confessed that the marquis's child had a small red mole behind her ear. If you don't believe me, Miss, you can ask the yamen runner from the capital. We came here with him today."
As she spoke, she glanced outside.
When they arrived at the Xu Family home, they learned that Madam Xie was the only woman at home and that it would be inconvenient for her to receive male guests. So Steward Liu accompanied the yamen runner to Xu Chengguan's home instead of entering the Xu Family home. When Matron Ruan saw Xu Xi come in just now, she had already signaled the little maid to take word to the clan leader's home.
But it took time to walk from here to the clan leader's home and then come back by carriage. The two men couldn't get here so quickly.
Hearing this, Xu Xi involuntarily touched the spot behind her right ear.
In the original owner's memories, there was indeed a small red mole behind this body's right ear. The original owner only knew because her mother, the late First Madam Xu, had told her about it. After all, it was behind her ear, where she couldn't see it herself.
Because the mole was small and in such a hidden spot behind her ear, usually covered by her hair, no one knew about it except her mother, First Madam Xu. Madam Xie cared deeply about Xu Xi, and Xu Xue was close to her too, yet neither had noticed the little mole.
Now that Matron Ruan had mentioned the mole, she must really have learned about it by questioning the wet nurse, confirming that this body really was the child from the marquis's manor who had been switched. Together with the answer the system had given her, Xu Xi believed it even without the yamen runner's testimony.
She couldn't help sighing.
Honestly, there was no DNA testing in this day and age. If the marquis's manor couldn't produce proof, she had intended to deny the whole thing. She didn't want to return to the marquis's manor and play mind games with women whose heads were full of schemes. Staying with the simple, honest Xu Family, who cared for her with all their hearts, making a fortune, and then finding a thigh to cling to at the academy to keep the marquis's manor from making things difficult for the Xu Family-how carefree her life would have been.
But unexpectedly, the marquis's manor had actually found evidence.
"Your household certainly went to great lengths. If I hadn't brought it up, I doubt you would necessarily have asked her about this distinguishing mark, would you?" she couldn't resist saying sarcastically.
Matron Ruan, accustomed to being flattered at the marquis's manor, was naturally displeased at being rebuked again. But when she thought about the matter, she also felt sorry for the young girl before her, and the bit of resentment in her heart dissipated.
When the capital's prefect first told the old madam that the children had been switched and specifically identified the switched child as being with the Xu Family in Little Banyan Village, the old madam had hurriedly sent them to fetch her without ever thinking to ask whether the child had any distinguishing marks. Matron Ruan knew why the old madam had acted that way, too.
Second Master Zhao Yuanliang was a son born of a concubine and had little connection to the old madam to begin with. It was only because First Master valued family ties, and because the marquis's household had limited resources and would be even more insignificant in the capital if the family split up, that they were allowed to stay and continue living together in the manor. But in the end, the old madam and the madam didn't care much what happened to the second branch. As such, they weren't very concerned about the switched child either.
It was only because the news had come from the capital's prefect, and people would laugh at them if they failed to handle it properly, that the old madam had sent her to fetch Xu Xi.
As for whether Xu Xi was Lady Wei's biological daughter, that didn't matter to the old madam or the madam.
No wonder Xu Xi was upset. She had been switched and raised in the countryside for more than ten years; now they had come to fetch her, yet were so careless about it. The child had grievances, so it was understandable that she would say a few angry words.
Matron Ruan put on a smile. "Please, Miss, let me take a look behind your ear."
Xu Xi really didn't want to let her look, but she also knew how determined the marquis's manor was to have its way. If she refused, there was no telling what else might happen.
What had to come would come sooner or later anyway.
She tilted her head, signaling for Matron Ruan to come and look for herself.
Matron Ruan walked over to Xu Xi and parted the hair behind her right ear. Sure enough, a little below it was a red mole.
"Miss Xi, please forgive my presumption." As she spoke, Matron Ruan reached out and touched the mole. Finding that it was slightly raised and had not been artificially dotted on, she finally confirmed Xu Xi's identity.
She went around in front of Xu Xi and dipped into a bow. "This old servant pays her respects to Fifth Miss."
For the past three days, she had referred to herself as "I" before Xu Xi. Only now had she changed to "this old servant," truly acknowledging Xu Xi's identity on behalf of the marquis's manor.
Compared with Second Madam Lady Wei and her wet nurse, Matron Li, Matron Ruan's steady, capable manner earned Xu Xi's appreciation. Moreover, Matron Ruan had been sent by the old marchioness and represented her wishes. Since Xu Xi could not avoid being taken back to the marquis's manor, she could speak with Matron Ruan first.
"There's no need for such formality." Xu Xi helped her up and gestured. "Please sit, Matron Ruan."
After failing to take Xu Xi back smoothly over the past two days, Matron Ruan had found her firm and stubborn attitude quite a headache. But looking back now, by displaying her forceful character and manner of doing things before returning to the marquis's manor, and by fighting for her own interests and position, Xu Xi had made the people there wary of looking down on her. That was a hundred times better than eagerly trotting along with them the moment they came to fetch her. The latter would have earned their contempt and disdain.
And now, even Matron Ruan herself did not dare slight this girl who had grown up in the countryside. She held her in the utmost respect.
"Since your identity has been confirmed, Miss, please make your preparations. Tomorrow, the Marchioness of Suiping, our household's First Madam, will come in person to take you back to the manor." Matron Ruan sat down and spoke.
"As you just learned, Matron, I was admitted to the Women's Academy in Beining County," Xu Xi said. "No matter what, I will attend the academy. Also, I will keep in touch with the Xu Family. Please convey this to your old madam and the marchioness: if the marquis's manor is unwilling to let me leave the grounds to attend school, and instead shuts me up inside as soon as I'm brought back, never allowing me beyond the front gate or the inner gate, then the conflict between us will be irreconcilable. I think it would be better to resolve it before taking me back."
She suddenly smiled. "After spending two days with me, Matron, you know my temper. Rather than take me back and have me turn the marquis's manor upside down, you might as well settle for the next best thing and take someone else back instead. One person's honey is another's arsenic. I don't want to go to the marquis's manor, but naturally there's someone who would be willing to enjoy its splendor and riches."
Her smile grew a little meaningful. "In any case, as far as the marquis's manor is concerned, either way you're bringing someone into the household to shut the mouths of those laughing at you. And Second Madam..." She shook her head. "I don't think she cares who her real daughter is, as long as she looks like her."