Chapter 50

Chapter 50

## The True and False Heiresses 20

Lady Bai had investigated the matter thoroughly. The witnesses, Lady Tang and Li Dalang, were both imprisoned. As for physical evidence, the old relay station still stood despite its dilapidated state. Lady Bai also said Ma Baozhu strongly resembled Lady Tang, which one look at the woman would confirm.

“Baozhu’s illness came from her parents. Eldest Brother-in-law never had it, nor did Eldest Sister-in-law. Surely you cannot mean to question your wife’s chastity?”

Lady Bai continued, “There is one more matter. Eldest Sister-in-law never conceived again after giving birth that year, most likely because the labor-inducing medicine she drank before delivery damaged her health at the root. We need only summon several physicians and ask whether that is possible.”

The Deposed Heir instinctively wanted to point out that his wife had never lacked physicians over the years. Why had none of them ever mentioned such a possibility?

Then he reconsidered and realized it was perfectly ordinary.

Most physicians in the residence did no more than the minimum their post required. Unless a master’s life was in immediate danger, they would never seek extra trouble. If they uncovered some secret of the inner household and were silenced for it, there would be nowhere even to weep over their fate.

The Deposed Heir had witnessed plenty of sinister intrigues and naturally understood. When he reconsidered Lady Bai’s and Lady Wang’s words, he knew it was probably true that his youngest daughter had been switched.

The daughter he had raised for more than ten years and cherished beyond measure was not flesh and blood of the Ma Family at all, but an illegitimate child switched in by the midwife to usurp another’s place.

Meanwhile, his and Lianfang’s real daughter had wandered outside and endured every hardship.

If it was truly so…

A dark glint entered the Deposed Heir’s eyes. Turning his head, he saw Lady Tan sitting in the chair without sorrow or joy, her mind seemingly far away. His heart ached again. After a moment’s thought, he pleaded with his sisters-in-law, “Allow me to speak with Lianfang. A little later, we will go together to see Lady Tang and her husband. Once everything is confirmed, we will bring Hui’er to our side and care for and comfort her properly… The child’s name is Hui’er, correct?”

Lady Bai knew he meant to persuade Lady Tan to accept the result. Seeing the worry and grief gathering between his brows, while Lady Tan sat there like a silent scarecrow, she felt some pity for him.

In truth, this eldest brother-in-law possessed genuine strategic ability. But he was trapped by love. The moment anything concerned Lady Tan, every principle vanished. The old man had built his power from nothing and weathered countless great storms. How could he entrust the family enterprise to a son controlled by a woman?

As for Eldest Sister-in-law, she was indeed narrow-minded and extreme, and she did tend to assume the worst whenever trouble arose. But claiming that she was so vicious she would commit murder or arson would be pure nonsense.

These two people had found the perfect lid for every crooked pot.

Lady Bai sighed inwardly, but she no longer wished to argue with the couple. She rose with Lady Wang and said one last thing. “This concerns the family’s bloodline and is no minor matter. Third Sister-in-law and I came first to inform Eldest Brother-in-law and Eldest Sister-in-law. Once the dust settles, we must also send the old man a letter and allow him to decide how the matter should be handled.”

Ma Baozhu was supposedly a granddaughter of the Ma Family and the legitimate daughter of its eldest branch. If a scandal involving a true and false heiress emerged, it could never be concealed from the old man.

The Deposed Heir nodded. “Naturally.”

After seeing Lady Bai and Lady Wang out, he returned to the room and found Lady Tan sitting in the chair with the same numb expression she had worn when he left.

He sighed inwardly, stepped forward, and reached toward the place on her arm he had squeezed earlier. “Lianfang? Did I hurt you? I was too anxious just now. Are you injured?”

Lady Tan flung his hand away, her face cold as frost.

The Deposed Heir sighed again and raised his voice to order the servants outside, “Fetch Physician Lin. Hurry.”

Lady Tan lowered her lashes. In the dim light, she resembled a statue carved with an unnaturally pale face. The Deposed Heir dragged a chair beside her and sat, then called her name with equal parts sorrow and pity. “Lianfang.”

He took her hand, but did not know what to say. After a long while, a single tear fell onto the back of her hand.

Lady Tan seemed burned by it. Her body jerked, and she looked at him in alarm.

“Do not do this. I am truly exhausted.”

The Deposed Heir bent forward and buried his face in her palm. “Second Brother is at the front. Every time he wins distinction, the old man sees it. Father and son are together day and night. Whatever happens between them and whatever words they exchange, I can never learn in time. All I can do is stabilize the rear and maintain the supply of provisions and equipment, ensuring that the army has no concerns behind it. This is my only chance to compete with Second Brother. I cannot surrender it, dare not surrender it, and fear even more that someone will seize upon one mistake and cast me into the abyss. I truly do this for our whole family, not for myself…”
He desperately wanted to say, I do not expect you to help me greatly. But can you not simply remain peacefully at home, do nothing, and refrain from creating more trouble for me?

Yet those words would cut too deeply.

The Deposed Heir endured and ultimately left them unspoken.

Lady Tan’s heart was made of flesh as well. Her husband’s coldness and that instant of hurt had wounded her, but she also understood how painfully difficult it was for him to continue holding everything together.

The single tear broke through the defenses she had built with such difficulty. Pain swept through her heart, as though someone had plunged a thin, sharp blade inside, twisted it, and casually pulled it free. Little blood showed outside, but the wound within was far too deep.

Lady Tan lowered her head and stroked her husband’s hair. Her voice trembled as she asked, “My husband, do you truly believe what they said? Baozhu… Baozhu is not my daughter, but an illegitimate child switched by the midwife?”

The Deposed Heir was silent for a moment. His voice was almost inaudible. “Once I meet Lady Tang, if she truly matches their description, I fear the matter must be real.”

Lady Tan suddenly began to tremble.

Sensing her fear and unease, the Deposed Heir straightened and drew her into his arms. “Do not be afraid, Lianfang. I will stand before you and bear whatever comes…”

“But what about Baozhu? What will happen to her?”

Lady Tan’s face was pale. She stared at him with wide, frightened eyes. “If Lady Bai and Lady Wang are telling the truth, if Baozhu truly is Lady Tang’s daughter, how could she endure it? I cannot endure it either… I raised that child with my own hands!”

She gripped her husband’s hand tightly and asked uneasily, “What will happen to Baozhu? Will the old man kill her?”

The Deposed Heir stared at her in surprise. A sense of absurdity suddenly rose within him. “Lianfang, if Second Sister-in-law’s account is true, then Baozhu is not our child. She is not of the Ma Family’s blood, yet she enjoyed more than ten years of wealth and privilege in our daughter’s place while our own flesh and blood suffered outside. At only eleven, that girl was about to be married away by Lady Tang in an exchange marriage. Why do you speak only of Baozhu without mentioning Hui’er even once?”

Lady Tan was taken aback. “Do you think me heartless? But I have never met this Hui’er you speak of. I do not even know whether she truly is my daughter. I raised Baozhu as my own for more than ten years. Now I am suddenly told that she is not a child of the Ma Family and my daughter is someone else. It is as though I heard a story, only for someone to tell me without warning that every person in it was real. How could I possibly accept it so quickly?”

The Deposed Heir pressed Lady Tan’s shoulders with slightly greater force and said earnestly, “That is why we must personally see Lady Tang and determine for ourselves whether the story is true!”

Lady Tan stared at him in disbelief. After a long time, unease suddenly entered her expression. “Tell me. If you confirm that Baozhu is not our daughter, what will you do?”

The Deposed Heir answered, “She is not my flesh and blood, nor of the Ma Family’s lineage. How could she remain in this household? Especially when she usurped our daughter’s place and caused our own child to suffer so terribly outside…”

The last trace of color vanished from Lady Tan’s face. Her lips trembled before she shrieked, “Ma Changyan, was the bond between you and Baozhu over all these years false? How can you say something so cold-blooded?!”

The Deposed Heir had not expected her sudden attack and was utterly shocked. “But she is not our child! How could the Ma Family tolerate a bastard remaining in the household? What becomes of Hui’er if she stays? The old man will not keep her, and neither can I!”

“Baozhu is innocent! What did she do wrong?!”

Gloom gathered across Lady Tan’s face, and resistance filled her expression. She cried, “Even if she truly is Lady Tang’s daughter, how can the parents’ crimes be blamed on the child? When it happened, she was only an infant newly born into the world!”

The Deposed Heir raised his voice despite himself. “But she did usurp another’s nest and occupy our biological daughter’s place! A girl born of adultery became a cherished young lady of the Ma Family, while our real daughter suffered every hardship in the Li Family. If she is innocent, did Hui’er somehow deserve her fate? Lianfang, have you been ill so long that your mind has grown confused as well?!”

Tears shimmered in Lady Tan’s wounded eyes. She shrank back. “For a daughter whose truth you do not even know and whom you have never met, you mean to kill Baozhu after more than ten years together. You even disregard nearly twenty years of marriage between us. How can you be so cold-blooded?”

The Deposed Heir’s heart softened at the sight, but no amount of love could make him cross this boundary. “If I must choose between the two children, I will certainly choose my own flesh and blood. She is my child and an heir of the Ma Family. How could I choose a bastard instead?”
“Good. Very good.” Lady Tan closed her eyes and let her tears fall. “Now I finally see you clearly. I see the Ma Family clearly as well…”

Anger rose in the Deposed Heir. Yet seeing her cry so pitifully and remembering her fragile health, he softened his voice. “Lianfang, I know your heart aches for Baozhu. But what of Hui’er? What did she do wrong? She is our daughter, our own flesh and blood. She committed no fault, yet Lady Tang switched her away and sent her down an entirely different path. If Second Sister-in-law had not noticed the clues and brought her back, what would have become of her?”

Lady Tan’s expression changed. Regret entered her brows, and she immediately began to hesitate.

Seeing this, the Deposed Heir pressed his advantage. “Hui’er is clearly flesh and blood of the Ma Family, a young lady born to wealth, yet she wandered outside and suffered every hardship. She began working when she was only a few years old. By seven or eight, she was washing clothes for others beside the river. Such a small child, yet her hands are covered in chilblains. When did Baozhu ever endure such suffering? At eleven, Baozhu has everything she wants, with more clothes and jewelry than she could ever wear or use. And Hui’er? She was about to shoulder a bundle and go to a completely unfamiliar, impoverished household to become a child bride. Is she not pitiful?!”

Lady Tan listened in pain. After hesitating for a few moments, tears clinging to her lashes, she said apologetically, “It is not that I feel nothing for Hui’er, nor do I mean to favor only one child. But she has returned. Her bitter days are over, and she will have everything now. My Baozhu, however, will become a rat crossing the street, cursed and attacked by everyone…”

The Deposed Heir no longer wanted to discuss Baozhu with her. Suppressing the urge to curse, he said gently, “Let us first meet Lady Tang. Once everything is confirmed, we will go see Hui’er. All right? The child must have been terrified throughout the journey. She desperately needs comfort from her parents.”

Lady Tan also knew that speaking only of Baozhu had been grossly unfair to Hui’er. Regretful, she instead became eager in word and deed. “Very well. There is no need to delay. Let us go now.”

Lady Tang and Li Dalang had both received thirty strokes. Like two dead dogs, they now lay collapsed in the residence prison, dragging one heavy breath after another.

The Deposed Heir ordered them brought out for questioning. A servant seized Lady Tang by the hair and forced her head up, revealing a face strikingly similar to Ma Baozhu’s. Lady Tan’s face turned white on the spot.

The Deposed Heir asked several questions, then questioned Li Dalang separately. He was no sheltered woman of the inner household, easily deceived by a few words. He deliberately asked several unexpected questions and found no flaw in either account. At last, he knew the matter was settled. Their daughter truly had been switched in secret.

He nodded to Lady Tan and moved to pull her away. At that moment, Lady Tang desperately crawled forward several steps and cried miserably, “My lady, please wait…”

Lady Tan stopped and turned back. She asked hesitantly, “Are you calling me?”

“Yes.” Lady Tang had met Lady Bai and Lady Wang and knew both women had hearts of iron and would be almost impossible to move. The lady before her, however, was someone she had encountered many years ago. Lady Tan was soft and delicate by nature. Lady Tang had clung to life until their arrival and now decisively called out to plead for mercy. “I committed a terrible crime and dare not ask your household for forgiveness. I beg only that my lady show compassion and spare my daughter! She knew nothing. She had been born only a single day earlier, no more than an infant newly emerged from the womb!”

Lady Tan’s expression shifted several times, but she did not rebuke her. The Deposed Heir tried to pull her away, yet Lady Tan firmly refused.

Seeing an opening, Lady Tang began to weep as though her heart were breaking. “Everyone calls her a child born of adultery, but that is not true. What mother beneath Heaven does not wish to give her child a good birth? I had no choice!”

Through broken sobs, she told the love story of herself and Young Master Meng. Their shared sense of ill-fated love struck directly at Lady Tan’s heart.

Lady Tan still refused to leave and even wished to step closer and question the woman. The sight made the Deposed Heir’s head ache. He forcibly lifted his wife over his shoulder and carried her out of the prison. Once outside, he saw that her eyes were wet as well. “Will she die?”

The Deposed Heir: “…”

Lady Tan knew the question was absurd. But Lady Tang had nearly wept herself into a puddle and seemed filled with maternal devotion, making her impossible not to pity. “She could not remain with the man she loved and was sold away by her maiden family. She… she is actually quite pitiful…”

The Deposed Heir: “…”

The Deposed Heir almost wanted to crouch on the ground, cover his head, and sob.

I think I am more pitiful than she is.

Truly.