Chapter 696 To give you a good life

Zou Wanshi's eyes were filled with tears and her face was full of excitement. She opened her mouth and said, "Child, I am your mother!"

Although Yu Mingzhu had a vague premonition in her heart, she was still shocked when she heard Zou Wanshi say this. She subconsciously scolded, "Nonsense!"

Zou Wanshi hastily proved herself: "I'm not talking nonsense, you are really my biological daughter! In order to let you live a good life and get rid of your lowly status as a merchant girl, I spent a lot of money and reluctantly asked someone to exchange your status with that of a noblewoman... Child, I am really your biological mother!"

Yu Mingzhu had a vague feeling that this was her biological mother. She followed her to this elegant room because she was afraid that she would openly acknowledge her mother in public without any regard for her and tear off her last fig leaf.

But even though she knew it, Yu Mingzhu simply couldn't accept that her biological mother was such an old, venal woman with eyes full of calculations and a body full of the stink of money!

Yu Mingzhu's face turned pale, she denied it flatly, and angrily said, "Where did you come from, you crazy woman! I am the daughter of the Duke of Xin, don't think of currying favor with the rich and powerful by talking nonsense like this!"

Zou Wanshi was not surprised that Yu Mingzhu could not accept it. She wiped her tears and said, "My dear, mother just wanted to come and see you. It's okay if you don't believe it... There were so many people outside just now, and I couldn't tell you directly. I could only say that you have a birthmark at the base of your arm. In fact, you had a birthmark at the base of your thigh when you were born. Such a private place is unknown to others. Don't you know it? It really can't be..."

Zou Wan took out a dagger from her bosom and looked at Yu Mingzhu earnestly, "If it really doesn't work, we can also do a blood test to prove our relationship."

Yu Mingzhu took two steps back. The shock on her face was at least half real!

But she was shocked that the other party actually knew the birthmark on her private part, and with the blood test, she couldn't help but acknowledge him!

Yu Mingzhu's eyes changed, and she showed some disbelief on her face. Her body trembled slightly, as if she had suffered a great blow: "You mean, no, you mean...you are really me..."

Yu Mingzhu couldn't continue, but Zou Wanshi nodded excitedly and happily: "Yes, my dear child, I am really your mother!... Don't worry, I don't want to ruin your current life. Your father and I have been thinking about you for more than ten years. We finally came to the capital just to see if you are doing well..."

Yu Mingzhu felt a little relieved.

Fortunately, her mother was not stupid and didn't say anything stupid like recognizing one's ancestors.

However, Yu Mingzhu also grasped the key point of Zou Wanshi's words: "What do you mean by finally coming to the capital?"

Zou Wanshi didn't want Yu Mingzhu to know that they were living in poverty and could only live on the inheritance of distant relatives. She rolled her eyes and said softly: "...We lived in the old house before, but your father and I always thought about you, and finally decided to move the whole family back to the capital. Don't worry, we are not looking for you to make money. Our Zou family has opened a store in the capital and has assets. Your father and I just want to see you nearby... My dear child, you don't know that your father and I reluctantly exchanged you for your future. If you follow a merchant like us, how can you have a bright future as the daughter of a Duke's mansion? Right?"

Yu Mingzhu just wanted to sneer after hearing this.

If it weren't for them, how could she have realized that she was a fake daughter after living a life of luxury for more than ten years!

What bright future are you still talking about now?

No matter how much Yu Mingzhu hated him in her heart, she looked distracted: "...Let me take a break for now."

Zou Wanshi was very understanding: "Good child, I know you can't accept this for a while. But don't worry, your father and I know the big picture and won't ruin your life now. We just want to see you, nothing else. It's enough for us to know that you are doing well."

Yu Mingzhu remained silent.

After a while, she spoke with great difficulty: "So, what about the child who was exchanged back then?"

When Yu Mingzhu asked this question, her eyes were fixed on Zou Wan's facial expression.

A trace of discomfort flashed across Zou Wan's face.

She coughed and said, "...That child is gone."

"Gone? Why?" Yu Mingzhu's heart moved, and she asked, "You have to explain it to me clearly, so that I know the reason... Otherwise, I won't be able to face my mother."

As he spoke, Yu Mingzhu lowered his eyes, looking very sad.

Zou Wanshi could only stammer, "...At first, the other party took the child away, but the government was very strict in catching kidnappers during that period, and they had no choice but to send the child back...About ten years ago, we set out from the capital to return to our hometown, and we took the child with us. But at that time we encountered bandits on the river, and the child fell into the river, and no trace of his body was found..."

Yu Mingzhu almost laughed out loud!

Ten years ago, if the child was about her age, he would have been only three or four years old.

A three or four-year-old child fell into the turbulent river and no body was left. That's great, that's wonderful!

From now on, she no longer had to worry about someone suddenly appearing and tearing off her reputation as the daughter of a Duke!

Yu Mingzhu was so happy that she couldn't hide it for a moment.

Zou Wan looked at her in a daze.

Yu Mingzhu frowned and lowered her eyes: "...If my mother knew, she would definitely be very sad."

Zou Wanshi did not doubt Yu Mingzhu, but suspected that she had seen it wrong. After hearing Yu Mingzhu's words, she immediately said: "The Crown Prince's wife has raised you for so many years, and you should be filial to her. It's better not to tell the Crown Prince's wife about this."

Yu Mingzhu sneered in her heart, do you even need to say this?

She put on a sad look and sighed.

It seems like he is genuinely sad.

While the two were silent, Zou Wan looked at Yu Mingzhu carefully.

I have to say that the Xin Guo Mansion has taken great care of her daughter. Look at her delicate and fair face, she must have been taken care of with the finest pearl powder every day.

Look at what she is wearing on her head and on her body. Although they are simple and elegant, Zou Wanshi can recognize them at a glance. These are extremely precious and good things on the market!

Zou Wan looked at him almost greedily.

She knew that she couldn't rashly make any demands right now, otherwise her daughter would become even more distant from her.

What she had to do now was to build a good relationship with her biological daughter. After two years, when her daughter married into the Fourth Prince's mansion and became his consort, they would be the Fourth Prince's in-laws. Would they still have to worry about glory and wealth?

The more Zou Wan looked at Yu Mingzhu, the more satisfied she became.

Yu Mingzhu felt even more annoyed when she saw Zou Wanshi's eyes. She cursed in her heart but remained calm on her face. She said, "You... tell me about the situation at home, please?"

Although the woman kept saying that she would not come to ruin her life, Yu Mingzhu was not stupid. If the other party really didn't want to do anything, why would she come so rashly to claim her relationship?

What she needs to do now is to understand the other party's situation first and then make plans.

When necessary...

A gleam of ruthlessness flashed across Yu Mingzhu's eyes.

Zou Wanshi didn't notice it, she just thought Yu Mingzhu was concerned about her family, and said happily: "Our family is very simple. Your grandmother is not in good health, but in good spirits. Your father is preparing to return to his old business. You have three sisters. The eldest and second sisters are married in their hometown and did not come to Beijing with you. There is also a third sister who is two years older than you and is already waiting to get married. In addition, there are two younger brothers..."

After a pause, Zou Wanshi emphasized, "When you were born, you were not a singleton. You had a twin brother named Minglei."

Zou Wanshi said with some intention of seeking credit: "I heard that the Xinguo Mansion named you Mingzhu, and specially let your brother be named after you. Do you like it?"

Yu Mingzhu just felt extremely annoyed.

Do you still like it?

She has never even met that little brother, what is there to like about him?!

Yu Mingzhu felt disgusted that she had a twin brother for no reason!

Zou Wanshi didn't notice Yu Mingzhu's annoyance, and continued to introduce him, "Minglei is very smart. We will find a school for him to study in the capital. Who knows, you might have a brother who is the top scholar in the future!"

Yu Mingzhu said in her heart, who cares!

Which one of her brothers in Duke Xin's Mansion is not better than that Ming Lei!

"You have a younger brother who is just six years old this year. But his health is not very good and he has to take medicine all year round." Zou Wan sighed when she thought of her younger son.

The birth of this little boy was extremely difficult. After returning to his hometown from the capital, the concubines of the Zou family, including her, the main wife, were not happy. Later, she prayed to the gods and Buddhas and took a lot of bitter medicine. Finally, she got pregnant with this child. She went through many twists and turns during the pregnancy, and the child she gave birth to was also sickly, which made the Zou family, which was already on the decline and not very wealthy, even worse.

When Zou Wanshi said this, hatred flashed in her eyes: "Speaking of which, your father and I both think that it was because of that unlucky guy——"

"Sweep Star?"

Yu Mingzhu asked consciously.

In fact, she had heard a lot of rumors these days, among which some people secretly said that she, the fake daughter, had caused something, and every disaster in the Xin Guo Mansion was related to her.

Zou Wanshi was unaware of Yu Mingzhu's twists and turns. She said in a hateful voice, "That's right! We sent you away that year, and that damn girl came to our house. Since then, our family has gone downhill. You don't know that our family was also very wealthy in the capital... but because of that damn girl, our family is in trouble. So thinking about it, the Xin Guo Mansion should thank us. We took away their lucky star and sent our little lucky star to their Xin Guo Mansion!"

Yu Mingzhu found this quite pleasing to the ear and she secretly curled the corners of her mouth.

"Okay, the person is gone, so stop saying that." Yu Mingzhu said in a fake tone.

Zou Wanshi did not doubt him and praised him, "Our Mingzhu really has the heart of a bodhisattva."

Yu Mingzhu knew what she wanted to know, and finally asked about the current address of the Zou family. Then she reluctantly said, "...I have been out for some time, and I have to go back home. Don't come to look for me in the future. I am afraid that my mother will be sad if she finds out. I will go to the Zou family to see you if I have the chance."

When Zou Wanshi saw Yu Mingzhu calling her "my mother" all the time, she felt a little sour in her heart, but she also knew that Yu Mingzhu was right to do so.

After all, no one can accept right away that the mother they have called their mother for more than ten years is not their biological mother.

Zou Wan said earnestly, "Okay, Mingzhu, it's good that you know about this. Your father and I, as long as you live well, will not disturb you. It would be even better if you could come visit us sometime."

Yu Mingzhu concealed the annoyance in her eyes and said "hmm".

Finally, Yu Mingzhu and Zou Wanshi left the elegant room one after another.

Yu Mingzhu left in a carriage. Zou Pingping, who was hiding in the corner of the street, stretched her neck so hard that it became sore. She looked at the back of the carriage with envy for a long time. Then she noticed out of the corner of her eye that her mother, Zou Wanshi, came out of the restaurant stealthily with a smile on her face.

"mother!"

Zou Pingping rushed out and looked at her mother with some scrutiny, "What did you talk about with that young lady just now?"

Zou Wan was startled, but when she saw that it was her third daughter, Zou Pingping, she heaved a sigh of relief and raised her hand as if to hit her: "You stupid girl, you scared me to death!"

Zou Pingping stared at Zou Wanshi and asked again persistently: "Mom, what did you talk about?"

"Why does that eldest daughter look a bit like my eldest brother? Is she also a relative of our family?"

As soon as Zou Pingping finished speaking, Zou Wanshi rushed over and covered Zou Pingping's mouth: "Keep your voice down!"

Zou Wanshi didn't want to tell her third daughter about this. In Zou Wanshi's eyes, Zou Pingping would soon get married and become a person of a different surname. It would be too unsafe to tell such a secret to a person of a different surname!

"I just thought that young lady looked familiar, and I was feeling dizzy for a moment, so I stopped her and chatted with her for a few words." Zou Wanshi was talking nonsense, and obviously didn't want to talk more, so she changed the subject, "Okay, okay, didn't you say you wanted to eat duck with sauce before? Come on, I'll take you to buy one, so you don't have to say all day that I don't love you, but only your older and younger brothers."

Zou Pingping narrowed her eyes, and seeing that her mother was keeping her mouth shut and wasn't going to tell her a word, she snorted and decided to check it herself.

She had a vague feeling that this seemed to be a huge secret.

If she knew this secret, her life would be very different!

After returning to Zou Mansion, Zou Pingping rolled her eyes and went to find Zou Minglei.

Zou Minglei was reading a "banned book" wrapped in a book cover in his room. When Zou Pingping came in, he quickly stuffed the book under the quilt and complained in dissatisfaction: "Third sister, don't you know to knock on the door!"

Zou Pingping curled her lips, then quickly forced out a smile: "Brother, I saw a very beautiful, richly dressed young lady outside today. The strange thing is, she looks a bit like you."

After a pause, Zou Pingping added, "She looks more alike than the two of us. If you don't know, you would think she is your sister!"