The speed at which the rumors spread exceeded everyone's expectations.
Within half a day, the entire Fengjing knew that the legitimate daughter being raised by the Jiang family was a fake, and the real heiress was someone else.
The secret that the Jiang family had painstakingly concealed for nearly four years was suddenly exposed in broad daylight, and Madam Jiang's anger was understandable.
"Who did this? Who did this? They've even abandoned the Jiang family's dignity!" She grabbed the last cup.
The Jiang family servants remained silent, only Jiang Chengyuan braced himself and said, "It was Grandmother. She said she found the lost child."
With a loud clang.
This time it wasn't a fall; the cup and saucer simply dropped and shattered upon contact with the ground. The shards even splashed onto Madam Jiang's feet, but she seemed oblivious, stunned and dazed.
All the past events flooded her mind: the chubby, white baby in her swaddling clothes, bringing with them the unpleasant memories of the past. All those events wove together a large net, binding her tightly, making it hard for her to even breathe.
"Mother." Jiang Chengyuan's voice came from near and far, "Mother, are you alright, Mother, Mother!"
Madam Jiang snapped out of her daze, looked at her eldest son's handsome face, and seemed to want to say something.
“Mother, Chenghuan is out of danger. Can we bring her back?” Jiang Chengyuan asked impatiently. “Should Mother go, or should we go together?”
Although it wasn't explicitly stated, it's obvious who this "she" is.
Madam Jiang gripped the handkerchief in her hand tightly, her eyes shifting with a complex emotion, and her body trembled slightly.
"Mother, my sister has finally been found. Aren't we going to bring her back?" Jiang Chengyuan asked, gradually surprised. "She is the eldest daughter of our Jiang family."
She was unwilling to search before, but it was out of defiance against her grandmother's ruthless resistance, out of comfort for her bewildered sister, and out of despair and helplessness in searching for relatives in the vast sea of people.
Throughout history, there have been almost no precedents of lost children being found again, even when it is known that blood kinship testing is unreliable.
When the eldest daughter of the Jiang family truly appears, bringing her home will be a foregone conclusion.
No large family can tolerate its bloodline being scattered outside.
Madam Jiang knew this too. After a brief moment of surprise and doubt, she calmed down and said, "We must bring her back, but how can we be sure that she is really her?"
No birthmarks, no moles, not even a single scar from birth.
Such a flawless doll, who could recognize whose it is, and who could be sure it's not a new counterfeit?
Jiang Chengyuan lost his speech.
Today, his emotions went through too many ups and downs. From the surprise of learning that Xiao Jiangkuai might be his sister, to the shock of Jiang Chenghuan almost losing her life, to feeling ashamed to face Xiao Jiangkuai, but also hoping in his heart to bring her back and make amends in a proper way.
Even if his mother's suspicions were reasonable, he was unwilling to think about them.
Fortunately, a maid announced that Grandmother had arrived.
The elderly woman with a full head of silver hair moved with a brisk pace, and in the blink of an eye, she was inside the room from outside. "I'm sure she's the real one."
Jiang Chengyuan's eyes lit up instantly.
“From time to age, from personality to behavior,” Old Madam Jiang said firmly, “Jiang Sheng is a child of the Jiang family.”
"As for other evidence... I don't think it's necessary to bring it out."
Is it unnecessary to take it, or is it not needed?
Madam Jiang's hand trembled suddenly, as if she was secretly speculating about something.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Jiang Chenghuan's pale, unconscious state, and resentment began to rise in her heart again. "Now that we've found her, let's bring her back and raise her together with Chenghuan. Why did Mother have to expose Chenghuan's identity in front of everyone? She is also your child, Chenghuan."
Having twins not only fulfills the wishes of both children but also maintains the Jiang family's dignity. Isn't that a good thing?
Madam Jiang did not answer the question.
She merely glanced at Jiang Chengyuan and said indifferently, "Nannan is not willing to come back for the time being. No one in the Jiang family is allowed to disturb her peace. If I find out... humph."
With just two simple sentences, the aura of the person in charge of the Jiang family was clearly revealed.
Ignoring the astonished faces of the Jiang family mother and son, she calmly turned around and returned to her own courtyard.
On the way, Tan Yue couldn't help but mutter, "Madam, please explain yourself clearly. You're doing this because you're worried that the eldest daughter will be bullied."
Madam Jiang snorted, "No need to say anything, just let me be the villain."
There is no perfect solution in this world; resources and love are both limited, and large families are no exception.
It's like someone having a hundred taels of silver; not every child gets all of it, but rather it's divided among the children.
As the number of children increases, the amount each person receives decreases.
Moreover, this must be based on fairness.
What if it's unfair?
"After all, Madam is the legitimate daughter's biological mother. How could she be unfair? It's just that we haven't seen each other for more than ten years, so it's inevitable that we'll become estranged." Tan Yue was still young and harbored illusions.
Madam Jiang's lips curled up slightly, as if she were mocking or sneering.
There are some things she doesn't say.
That doesn't mean it didn't happen.
The next day.
The news of the Jiang family's true and false heiresses was suppressed, and all those in the know were somewhat reluctant to speak of it, which only fueled the curiosity of the people of Fengjing.
Jiang Chengyuan remembered his grandmother's order and dared not approach Jiang Sheng. He could only watch from afar and went to Jiuzhenfang several times to buy pastries, carrying them home in bundles.
Jiang Chengfeng and Jiang Chengyu also went there a few times, but because their steps were too heavy, they almost disturbed Jiang Sheng and were eventually forcibly expelled.
The only one who hasn't made a move is Madam Jiang, who takes meticulous care of Jiang Chenghuan.
She remained silent about her daughter who should have returned home but hadn't. She neither resisted frantically nor missed her dearly; instead, she remained calm as if nothing had happened.
When the news reached Madam Jiang's courtyard, only a cold laugh could be heard.
Fortunately, none of this affected Jiang Sheng's life.
After sending her eldest brother to the examination hall for the second time, she retreated to her small courtyard to plan a new workshop.
The number of women who suffer in marriage is far greater than they imagine. They originally thought that by making surname cakes, they could recruit a few more aunts and uncles who had been tormented.
Unexpectedly, through word of mouth alone, more than a dozen aunts and uncles attempted to divorce and wanted to come to Jiuzhenfang to find a job to make a living.
Jiang Sheng guiltily rubbed her forehead.
She felt as if she had broken up someone else's family, but also felt that there was no need for a family that could be broken up to continue.
However, Jiuzhenfang's expansion is limited; it cannot recruit more than a dozen aunts and uncles.
After racking her brains, she remembered the plain noodles her aunt made, the cured pork ribs that had been eliminated because they were too complicated, and the countless ancient delicacies recorded in the book.
In the past, Jiang Sheng would have rushed to Youranju with great enthusiasm to discuss cooperation with the head manager.
Now, even when she walks down the street, she only stops at the entrance of Youranju, frowning, glancing at the other large restaurants standing side by side, hesitating and unsure of what to do.
Then, a cheerful laugh came from behind, "Little Jiang Sheng, what are you doing here?"
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