Master Xia's face suddenly turned ashen, and the veins on his forehead bulged.
He never expected that such a family matter would be exposed in front of the Marquis of Anding. His fingers clenched involuntarily, his knuckles turning white from the force.
Is this the kind of thing that can be discussed so casually?
Bai Ying looked at Master Xia with a hint of mockery in her eyes.
She wanted to see how the Xia family would introduce themselves in front of her and outsiders.
Master Xia frowned deeply.
He had considered revealing Xia Qingdai and Yuwei's true identities when Xia Qingdai returned.
However, the relationship between a biological daughter and an adopted daughter is of great importance.
Only biological daughters could marry into the Marquis's family to bring them the greatest benefit.
So at that time, after a moment's thought, he decided to refer to his biological daughter as his adopted daughter.
After all, compared to Yuwei, whom he had carefully nurtured, Xia Qingdai was simply not presentable. He couldn't let Xia Qingdai ruin the marriage between the Xia family and the Marquis's mansion.
Upon hearing the questioning from the Marquis of Anding, Master Xia's expression changed drastically, and cold sweat instantly beaded on his forehead.
He hurried forward, forcing a smile: "My lord, you misunderstand. This girl has recently gone astray in her cultivation and keeps talking nonsense..."
"Father!" Bai Ying suddenly spoke up, "Are you going to say again, in front of the Marquis, that I am an adopted daughter of the Xia family?"
Bai Ying's eyes were fixed on Old Master Xia; she was determined to fight for Xia Qingdai. She wanted to see who the Xia family would choose between her and Xia Yuwei.
Master Xia's pupils contracted slightly. He clearly saw the resolute look in his own daughter's eyes—this usually timid girl was actually forcing him to make a public statement!
"Insolence!" Master Xia slammed his hand on the table in the pavilion, making the teacups clatter. "You are my Xia family's adopted daughter, how dare you presume to replace Yuwei?" His voice suddenly rose, filled with deliberate anger. "We took you in out of pity, and you repay kindness with enmity!"
You bastard, you're utterly rebellious! Get your ass to the woodshed now, and I'm forbidding you from coming out for a month!"
After saying this, Master Xia was eager to have his servants take Xia Qingdai away.
In any case, Xia Qingdai had no proof that she was their daughter. The only proof was the birthmark on her body, but only he and her mother knew about this birthmark, and outsiders had no way of knowing it.
In other words, Xia Qingdai had no way of proving to anyone that she was their daughter.
If Xia Qingdai were to be sensible now, she should stay in the woodshed, where I could still keep her as an adopted daughter in the Xia family mansion.
Otherwise, kick her out of the Xia family mansion!
Xia Yuwei couldn't help but smile as she read her father's words.
She stepped forward at the opportune moment, her delicate hand gently stroking Master Xia's back: "Father, please calm down. My sister is just too envious of me..." She turned to the crowd, revealing a helpless yet forgiving smile, "Ever since the failed sword-flying attempt, my sister's mind has..."
Upon hearing this, everyone looked at Bai Ying with even more contempt.
It seems Xia Qingdai is driven mad by jealousy of Xia Yuwei; she's completely out of her mind. She's actually delusional, believing Xia Yuwei is the true daughter of the Xia family and even wanting Master Xia to acknowledge her.
The scions of those aristocratic families whispered among themselves, occasionally uttering words like "wishful thinking" and "ungrateful."
"Brother Xia is too lenient!" a man in brocade robes exclaimed. "This kind of ill-mannered adopted daughter should have been expelled from the manor long ago!"
"Exactly!" another chimed in, "If she were in my house, I'd definitely break her legs!"
Listening to these people chatting away, Xia Yuwei's face was full of smug smiles.
Her eyes were coldly fixed on Xia Qingdai.
So what if Xia Qingdai is the Xia family's biological daughter?
Even with so many people around, her father still wouldn't acknowledge her! She was the only biological daughter of the Xia family!
However, Master Xia had no intention of letting Xia Qingdai leave. He pretended to be kind and said to everyone, "You don't know, Qingdai's background is really pitiful, and now her mind has gone mad. Let her go to the woodshed to reflect on her mistakes. I will teach her properly in the future. Since I have taken her in as my adopted daughter, I have to be responsible for her!"
Everyone admired Master Xia after hearing his words.
"Brother Xia is truly magnanimous!"
"Yes! Brother Xia, you're so kind to protect a daughter like that!"
After saying that, they turned to Bai Ying and said, "Brother Xia is kind and won't hold it against you, but you need to be clear about your identity. Don't think that just because you're not very bright, you can claim to be the Xia family's biological daughter. You're dreaming!"
"That's right, Brother Xia, you should keep her locked up from now on. This kind of person has ulterior motives and might go out and say things recklessly, which would be bad!"
"Yes, it will not only implicate the Xia family, but also Yuwei's reputation."
Master Xia nodded thoughtfully.
Xia Yuwei smiled and said, "I believe Father will teach Sister well. Sister is just too envious of me. She probably doesn't have bad intentions. Once she's a little better, she'll know what's right."
Everyone who heard Xia Yuwei's words felt admiration for her.
Even Pei Qingfeng, the heir of the Marquis's mansion, looked at her with a hint of admiration.
"Yuwei is so generous. It is truly my good fortune to be able to marry you."
Hearing the prince's words, everyone laughed knowingly, and Xia Yuwei's face turned bright red.
Everyone had a smile on their face and looked very happy.
Only Bai Ying's face remained expressionless; she simply looked at them in an utterly ridiculous manner.
She never imagined that black and white could be reversed to such an extent...
Listening to what this group of people were saying, she felt incredibly lucky to be standing there...
If Xia Qingdai were still alive and standing here, I don't know how heartbroken she would be...
She was clearly the Xia family's biological daughter, but her mother didn't love her at all and only favored the daughter she had raised. Her father, in front of so many people, directly called her an adopted daughter, said she was mentally challenged, and described her as extremely wicked.
They hadn't considered how Xia Qingdai would live her life after receiving such a evaluation.
Bai Ying felt a pang of sadness.
In her heart, she whispered to the long-dead Xia Qingdai: It's alright, you don't have to suffer such injustice anymore.
I will make those who treated you this way regret it!
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