Chapter 172 Recognizing Ancestors and Returning to the Clan
"Imperial Physician, how is my brother?" Yao Shisan's heart was pounding in his chest.
The Imperial Physician put away the pulse pillow. "This poison is not difficult to cure, but it needs a special ingredient."
He Ran's face lit up with joy. "What kind of medicinal ingredient? I'll go buy it!"
The Imperial Physician glanced at the group and said, "This is a blood certificate from Lord Jiang's closest blood relatives."
"Blood lead?"
Yao Shisan extended his hand directly, saying, "We are siblings born of the same mother, use mine."
"No." The Imperial Physician shook his head. "You are a woman, belonging to the Yin element, and cannot be used."
"I'll go ask Lord Meng right now!" He Ran turned to leave.
Yao Shisan grabbed He Ran's arm. "Wait."
She looked at the imperial physician again, "Isn't there any other way?"
"No."
The imperial physician said, "This poison used to be quite common in the power struggles among aristocratic families. Those poisoned were often forced to give up their status or property in order to survive."
"Because it was too insidious, it was explicitly forbidden by the imperial court. It was used to drug people, strip them of their titles, and investigate their family property in the name of family feuds."
"So it hasn't appeared for decades."
Yao Shisan's lips twitched slightly as she knelt down beside her brother's bed.
“Brother, I know what General Meng wants. As long as he can save you, I will agree to whatever he asks for.”
"If you're angry, blame me when you wake up."
She gripped her brother's hand tighter, then stood up.
"General Meng should be in the capital right now."
"The only reason they could inoculate my brother with such a poison was to force him to acknowledge General Meng as his father."
Yao Shisan smiled sarcastically, "I hope he doesn't end up shooting himself in the foot."
Zhou Congxian said, "I'll go with you."
Her gaze fell on his right hand. "You're injured. I can go by myself."
Um?
Is he injured?
Zhou Congxian followed her gaze to his right hand.
He was wearing soft armor, so the assassin's sword only pierced his clothes. When he carried Jiang Xingyao back to the capital, Jiang Xingyao's blood almost stained half of his clothes.
The group outside Jinzhou City were determined to kill Jiang Xingyao.
If Xiao Shu wanted him dead, he could have used a deadly poisoned arrow instead of letting him disappear for decades.
He felt that the group couldn't possibly be from Xiao Shu's faction.
His wandering thoughts returned.
He now understood that she thought he was also seriously injured.
Zhou Congxian had just opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Yao Shisan had already left.
Watching her retreating figure, he silently shut his mouth again.
This misunderstanding is actually quite good...
Yao Shisan went to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion alone.
The Duke of Zhenguo's mansion was located on the most bustling street and was also close to the imperial city.
There are many noble and ducal families in the capital, and so many have risen and fallen.
There is only one person of the highest rank, and only one person who stands firm and unyielding.
There is no successor, and there is only one.
The old steward of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion did not recognize Yao Shisan, but he did recognize Meng Qinglian.
When he saw her face, his lips twitched, and his eyes quickly reddened.
"Miss..."
Yao Shisan removed the jade pendant from his neck. "Please inform Lord Meng."
"Yes, yes! This old servant will go right away!"
The old steward had seen many imposters over the years, but this girl was the most convincing, especially since she also possessed the young lady's jade pendant.
Yao Shisan stood at the entrance, on the high steps leading up to the gate, where there were two large stone lions.
The scale of this mansion is actually comparable to that of a prince.
If Duke Meng were to grant another title, it would be a king of a different surname.
Meng Yushan is already quite old now, so it's unlikely he'll be posthumously granted an official title. Maybe he'll be posthumously granted one after he dies.
As Zhao's carriage passed by, the curtain was lifted, and she inadvertently saw that figure again!
"parking!"
Her heart started pounding.
"Madam?" Madam Xiang helped Zhao Shi out of the carriage, and she followed Zhao Shi's gaze to the entrance of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.
She felt that the man's back looked somewhat familiar.
But Zhao was somewhat agitated, "I didn't see wrong, it's her..."
If this woman is brought into the mansion by my son, Xian'er will return to his former self, instead of being as indifferent as he is now.
Yao Shisan noticed someone was there. She turned her head and saw two familiar faces.
Lady Zhao, the Duchess of England, and Madam Xiang, the steward.
She never expected that the first acquaintance she would encounter in the capital would be Zhao Shi.
"Are you a human, or a ghost?!"
Zhao and Xiang's mother turned pale.
Yao Shisan ignored them; it didn't matter whether they were human or ghosts.
Zhao gripped her mother's hand tightly. After a moment, she calmed herself down. If she saw that face at night, she would faint from fright.
But now it's broad daylight.
"you……"
She had barely opened her mouth when the gates of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion opened.
Meng Yushan came out in person.
For a moment, the three of them stood in three different places, looking at each other in bewilderment.
Meng Yushan was the first to speak, "You know him?"
The question was about Yao Shisan, and the person being asked was Zhao Shi.
Meng Yushan rarely stayed in the capital, and he didn't even recognize all the officials, let alone the wives of the dukes and marquises.
Yao Shisan: "I don't know him."
Zhao was somewhat embarrassed. Meng Yushan didn't know her, but she knew Meng Yushan.
Moreover, she wasn't visiting in person; she was standing at their doorstep.
"I……"
"Come in if you don't know me." Meng Yushan turned and left.
Yao Shisan followed him inside.
The gates of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion slammed shut in front of Zhao.
Zhao's eye twitched.
Madam Xiang finally realized what was happening, "Madam, she, she..."
She and Lady Jiang look so alike!
Or is it...?
She is Lady Jiang...
Zhao is now unsure whether there are truly identical people in the world.
I only heard that Jiang Shiyao has one older brother, but no other sisters.
Yao Shisan discovered that the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion was indeed large and empty.
There wasn't a single flower or plant in the open space!
Meng Yushan asked the old steward to serve tea.
“Tell me what troubles you’ve encountered. I’ll come to your door in person. Neither of you siblings will show up. That stubbornness of yours has vanished today.”
General Meng fought battles his whole life and never bowed his head.
He was repeatedly turned away by Jiang Xingyao and his sister.
Today, Yao Shisan unusually came to his door seeking help, and he couldn't help but make sarcastic remarks.
Yao Shisan knelt down directly in front of him.
"Please save my brother's life."
Winter in Beijing lingers late, and it's gradually coming to an end.
A large horse-drawn carriage was parked on the bank of the Feng River.
Meng Yushan stood in the courtyard with his left hand, wrapped in gauze, behind his back and his right hand holding a cane.
He only looked at her after Yao Shisan came out of the room.
"Now it's time to talk about our terms."
Yao Shisan paused for a moment, then met his gaze.
"good."
A smile appeared on Meng Yushan's lips.
The following day.
The news spread throughout the capital that Duke Meng Yushan had found his grandson and granddaughter.
He took his deceased mother's surname, Meng, and the imperial decree requesting that he be made the heir apparent arrived at the Meng residence the next day.
The Meng family mansion, which had been deserted for many years, was set off with firecrackers and fireworks.
It was even more lively than during the Chinese New Year.
The inner courtyard was swept and cleaned again, and the newly arrived maids and servants bowed as they left the courtyard.
No one can predict the master's temperament these days, so the best approach is to do more and talk less.
He Ran tiptoed out.
She looked at Yao Shisan, who had remained silent, and knew that Yao was carrying a heavy burden.
"You have to stay alive first, right? The nerd will understand what you're doing."
Yao Shisan forced a smile. "I'm fine."
The maid, Green Willow, came in with a stack of invitations.
"Miss, these are visiting cards from various households."
Green Willow was considered clever among the newly arrived maids, so the old steward placed her in the inner quarters.
Yao Shisan said, "Let's push it down."
"etc."
As Green Willow was about to leave, He Ran called her back.
She took the visiting card from Green Willow's hand. "You can go down now."
"yes."
He Ran sat down next to Yao Shisan. "My mother said that you can't just refuse a visiting card."
"We need to find a steward who is familiar with all the prefectures in the capital. We can ignore those who come to us to curry favor, but if they are of equal rank..."
She paused for a moment, "It seems there's no one ranked alongside the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion..."
"Those of higher status than the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion should return the gift."
He Ran looked at the thick stack of visiting cards in his hand and said angrily, "When my mother taught me, I just let it go in one ear and out the other, and I didn't learn anything. Now I can't help you at all."
Apart from Lord Meng, the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion had no other masters with whom they could make connections.
But things are different now.
Meng Yushan has requested permission, and now there are two more young masters and ladies in the manor.
People who wanted to make friends came like snowflakes.
Yao Shisan smiled indifferently, "Anyway, everyone knows we grew up in the countryside, so it's perfectly normal that we don't know these customs."
"Perhaps quite a few of them are just looking to see us make a fool of ourselves."
He Ran raised an eyebrow. "If you don't understand, you don't understand. Whoever laughs at you, this old lady will give them a good whipping!"
Yao Shisan chuckled at her words.
The fact that the newly recognized young master and young lady of the Meng family have not made an appearance has already caused much discussion in the capital.
Some even paid servants in the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion to inquire about it.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, the old butler cleaned up all the people who hadn't kept their mouths shut or whose hands were unclean.
Others don't know.
But for the British Duke's mansion, it was a bolt from the blue.
Who is Jiang Xingyao? He is Jiang Shiyao's older brother.
Jiang Xingyao is now the heir of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, Meng Xingjiang. So who is Miss Meng?
Zhao's fingers trembled slightly. "I wasn't mistaken. Jiang is indeed not dead!"
The British Duke is now so confused that he can't tell which news is true.
"Jiang Xingyao is the grandson of Lord Meng..."
"Jiang is not dead...she is now Miss Meng..."
"Then she..."
The Duke of England was overjoyed. "She is Xian'er's concubine. Jiang Shi has lost her status. Now she can marry Xian'er again as Miss Meng."
"She is the legal wife, and Xian'er can get what he wants."
"The best of both worlds!"
He sighed again as he spoke, "After all this time, it's still her."
"No wonder Xian'er's affections remain unchanged. He's been on so many dates without any success. It turns out his destiny lies with the Meng family!"
Zhao was not so optimistic, however, at the gate of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion that day.
The cold, hard words "I don't know you" hit me like a ton of bricks.
"My lord, don't forget how she died..."
Duke Zhou interrupted her, "What do you mean by dead or alive? She's alive and well right now!"
Zhao, “Don’t forget why she left the manor.”
Duke Zhou didn't take it seriously, saying, "It's just jealousy and rivalry in the inner quarters."
"Now that she's entered the family, she's the legal wife, and no one can compete with her anymore. What else could she possibly be dissatisfied with?"
Zhao glanced at her husband and coldly reminded him.
"Then, Your Excellency, have you not forgotten how Lord Meng refused you during the New Year?"
Meng Yushan spoke frankly.
Xian'er is not good enough for Meng Yushan's granddaughter.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com