Chapter 244 Blood Test for Kinship
Inside the main hall, there was a deathly silence.
Meng Shilan, however, remained standing there, her back ramrod straight, her expression indifferent, as if those earth-shattering words had not come from her own mouth.
Her gaze was unwavering. After bowing to Madam Zhou, she turned and left Songhe Hall.
Rather than feign compliance, she preferred to stand tall and look up.
In the silence, someone gasped first.
Immediately afterwards, whispers rose up like a tide.
"This Miss Meng is really... quite bold."
"It's not just her courage, look at her demeanor, she doesn't seem like someone who has been living away from home, she's clearly a born noblewoman."
"That's true. My maternal grandfather is General Meng, who guards the Northwest and commands a large army. What is she afraid of?"
The praise from everyone flooded into Song Jiyun's ears.
Her face flushed red and then turned pale, as if she had been skinned alive in public, leaving her only with embarrassment.
The British Duke's residence was very lively.
Even in the courtyard, there were quite a few younger people who had accompanied their elders chatting together.
At this moment, a young woman wearing a dark blue jacket with a lotus pattern walked over with a smile, carrying a cup of hot tea in her hand.
"Miss Meng, you must be tired after standing for so long. Have some tea to soothe your throat."
The woman was Madam Li, the wife of the Vice Minister of Revenue, and she was always very good at reading the political winds.
Meng Shilan recognized her, nodded slightly, took the teacup, but did not drink it.
"Thank you, Madam Li."
Madam Li smiled even more warmly, "Look at me, I should call you the Crown Prince's wife."
"When you marry into the Duke of England's mansion and live in harmony with the Crown Prince, that will truly be like adding wings to a tiger, making others envious."
Behind Meng Shilan is not only the increasingly prosperous Duke Zhenguo Mansion, but also the old General Meng, who holds great military power and whom even the Emperor must show respect to.
Rumors and gossip?
Was his/her background questionable?
These things are nothing but a joke in the face of absolute power.
Those who truly stand on the clouds have never feared the gossip of ants.
Someone suddenly remembered something and lowered their voice.
"Do you still remember the Yang family who plotted to frame Miss Meng?"
There was a moment of silence at this point.
Lord Yang is old, while young Lord Yang had a bright future ahead of him.
Because of that reckless brat Yang Yutang, Lord Yang's legs were broken by Lord Meng.
Now, with a limp, he was long ago sent to Huangling by His Majesty.
Everyone felt a chill run down their spines.
The gaze directed at Meng Shilan now held a genuine sense of awe.
After dealing with several ladies who came to curry favor, Meng Shilan felt somewhat stifled.
She looked up and saw Zhou Wanqing leading several of the Zhou family sisters, helping Zhao Shi, whose face was still not very good, to greet the guests.
Zhou Wanqing noticed her gaze and gave her a reassuring smile.
Meng Shilan smiled back and, taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention, quietly slipped out through the side door, wanting to go to the backyard for some fresh air.
The back garden of the British Duke's Mansion is beautifully maintained, with artificial hills, flowing water, and winding paths leading to secluded spots.
She walked slowly along a cobblestone path, her mind filled with countless thoughts.
Just as we rounded a rockery made of Taihu stones, a very low murmur of voices suddenly came from behind us.
Meng Shilan paused, instinctively turning sideways and hiding behind the rocks.
"...Does Madam mean that everything has been taken care of?"
The voice sounds familiar.
It was that maid who sold herself to bury her father who was brought into the Zhou family mansion by Song Jiyun.
The other voice was gentle and steady, with a hint of condescension.
"Of course, don't you trust me to handle things?"
"Did your young lady do everything she asked you to do properly?"
Meng Shilan's heart skipped a beat. She held her breath and peeked out from the gap in the artificial hill.
The maid was talking to a well-dressed middle-aged woman.
The woman's back view looked somewhat familiar.
The maid said, "Don't worry, Madam Chen. I've done everything that Miss asked me to do, and I won't leave a trace."
Mrs. Chen?
He Ran's maternal aunt, Madam Chen!
Meng Shilan's pupils suddenly contracted.
How could she have met with Song Jiyun's maid in private?
The two whispered a few more words, but Meng Shilan couldn't hear them clearly because they were far apart.
But she could clearly see that the way the two people were behaving was definitely not the first time they had met.
The maid's respect and familiarity with Madam Chen was not the kind of attitude one should have towards a complete stranger.
A bone-chilling cold slowly crept up Meng Shilan's spine.
Song Jiyun has been behaving erratically lately, repeatedly provoking others in public.
Are these seemingly underhanded tricks just a cover-up?
After the banquet, Meng Shilan returned to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. The fatigue on her face vanished, replaced by a solemn expression.
"What did you say?"
After hearing her story, He Ran suddenly stood up.
"How did my aunt get involved with Song Jiyun?"
Meng Shilan looked out the window at the deep night, her voice cold and clear.
"I saw it with my own eyes, there's no mistake."
"It seems that the invasion of the Chirong Kingdom, the fall ill of my maternal grandfather, and the departure of Zhou Congxian from the capital... none of these are coincidences."
A massive conspiracy is brewing over the capital.
Meanwhile, inside the main courtyard of the Duke of England's mansion, a completely different scene unfolded.
After the guests had all left, Zhao lay alone on the daybed, rubbing her temples with a headache.
My mind was filled with Song Jiyun's words, "His identity is unclear."
She was in a state of utter confusion.
She dared not disobey the imperial decree that granted her marriage.
But the thought of the Zhou family raising a child of unknown origin, who might not even be of visible blood, made her heart feel heavy, as if it were stuffed with cotton.
Is that chubby little boy really her grandson?
Once this idea took root, it grew wildly and tightly gripped her heart.
"aunt."
Song Jiyun's soft voice rang out at the doorway.
She carried a bowl of ginseng tea and walked in with light, graceful steps.
"You must be tired after a long day. Have a bowl of ginseng tea to calm your nerves."
Zhao looked at her, her lips moved, but she didn't say anything.
Song Jiyun placed the ginseng tea on the small table, sat down next to her, and took her hand.
"Auntie, I know what's bothering you."
Her voice was extremely low, like a viper flicking its tongue.
"Actually, there are ways to find out if the child is really of the Zhou family bloodline."
Zhao's body stiffened abruptly, and she looked up at her.
Song Jiyun leaned close to her ear and spoke clearly, word by word.
“We can quietly take the child out.”
"Blood test for kinship".
"If he is Xian's son, then everyone will be happy, and we can pretend that nothing happened."
She paused, a ruthless glint flashing in her eyes.
"If he weren't..."
“Auntie, there are plenty of ways to make a baby who is just over a year old 'disappear' without a trace.”
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