Madam Liu's gaze lingered on Grand Madam's face for a moment. The smile on her lips seemed to be full of thorns.
"Mother, I've come today for one thing only, and that's this child."
Grand Madam placed the teacup on the table with a crisp sound. "What's wrong with this child?"
"Mother,"
Madam Liu took two steps forward. Her voice was lowered but carried an undeniable ferocity.
"Do you know what kind of gossip is spreading in the mansion now? People are saying that this child is not the Marquis's offspring. They say the child looks like Uncle. They say our Marquis Mansion is going to become a huge laughingstock."
Grand Madam looked at her coldly. "Gossip? Who spread the gossip? Have you found out?"
Madam Liu was taken aback for a moment, and the smile on her face began to falter.
"Mother, does this need to be investigated? Just take a look at the child's face and then Uncle's face. Don't you have a clue in your heart?"
Shi Yuanping let out a soft laugh from the side. He picked up the teacup and took a slow sip.
"Sister-in-law, what you said. I actually think the child looks more like my elder brother when he was young."
Madam Liu suddenly turned to look at Shi Yuanping, with almost burning anger in her eyes.
"Uncle, what do you mean by that?"
"Nothing much," Shi Yuanping put down the teacup. His tone was still as gentle as the spring breeze in March.
"I just think it's unnecessary for sister-in-law to pick on a child who is not even a year old. If this gets out, it won't be good for the reputation of the Marquis Mansion."
"Not good for the reputation of the Marquis Mansion?" Madam Liu's voice suddenly rose sharply. She pointed her finger straight at Shi Huai in Grand Madam's arms.
"The existence of this bastard is the biggest joke of the Marquis Mansion!"
"A child of unknown origin, being raised beside Grand Madam. What will outsiders think when they hear about it?"
"They'll think our Marquis Mansion is on the verge of having no heirs, so we just picked up a beggar to fill the role!"
Standing behind Grand Madam, Qinghe's tears welled up when she heard the word "bastard." She bit her lips tightly and didn't dare to make a sound.
Shi Huai nestled in Grand Madam's arms. Listening to these heart - wrenching words, he was surprisingly calm.
He had long known that Madam Liu couldn't tolerate him. This scene today was just a matter of time.
Grand Madam gently patted Shi Huai's back. Her voice was neither too warm nor too cold. "Finished?"
Madam Liu took a breath. Realizing that she had been a bit out of control just now, she quickly composed herself a bit.
"Mother, I don't mean that. I'm worried about the reputation of the Marquis Mansion. You see, if this child is of the proper bloodline of the Marquis Mansion, it's natural for him to be raised by you. But he..."
"But he what?" Grand Madam interrupted her. "Do you have evidence to prove that he is not of the bloodline of the Marquis Mansion?"
Madam Liu opened her mouth but couldn't say a word.
"You don't," Grand Madam's voice was as cold as ice. "You have nothing. You're just spouting nonsense here with just your mouth."
"Madam Liu, you've been in our Shi family for more than ten years. How can you not understand such basic rules?"
Madam Liu's face turned red and then white. She wrung her handkerchief with her fingers, and her knuckles turned white.
"Mother, I'm not without evidence. I just... just don't want to make this matter a big deal. It won't do any good to anyone."
"Then don't make a fuss," Grand Madam picked up the teacup, indicating that it was time to see the guest off. "Go back to your courtyard and do what you should do."
But Madam Liu showed no sign of leaving. She took a deep breath, as if making up her mind. She took out a letter from her sleeve and slapped it on the table.
"Mother, take a look at this. This is what I sent someone to find out in that village."
Grand Madam's hand paused for a moment. Her gaze fell on the letter, but she didn't reach out to take it.
Shi Yuanping frowned imperceptibly, and then regained his calm expression.
"I sent someone to that village and found the woman who gave birth to the child, that is, the child's biological mother,"
Madam Liu's voice was enunciated very clearly, with each word emphasized. "Guess what that woman said?"
The room was so quiet that the crackling sound of the burning candle wick could be heard.
Grand Madam put down the teacup and looked at Madam Liu gravely. "What did she say?"
A smug smile appeared on Madam Liu's lips. She picked up the letter, unfolded it, and read:
"That woman said that this child is not the Marquis's. He is the child of her and a passing merchant. She was afraid she couldn't raise the child, so she foisted it on the Marquis."
Hearing this, Shi Huai secretly curled his lips.
Although his biological mother wanted to strangle him, she had never said that he was not the Marquis's child. This was clearly fabricated by Madam Liu.
Grand Madam let out a cold laugh. "You went to ask that woman? Where is that woman now?"
Madam Liu was stunned for a moment. "In... in the village."
"Then bring her back. Let her say it again in front of me."
Grand Madam's voice was terrifyingly calm. "I'd like to see who dares to talk nonsense in front of me."
Madam Liu's face changed, and her voice involuntarily became weaker.
"Mother, that woman... that woman is no longer in the village. When my people went, she had just moved away a few days ago and her whereabouts are unknown."
"Oh?" There was full of sarcasm in Grand Madam's tone. "Moved away? What a coincidence?"
Madam Liu gritted her teeth.
"Mother, if you don't believe me, you can send someone to investigate. Every word I said is true."
"No need to investigate," Grand Madam waved her hand. "Because I don't believe a single word you said."
Madam Liu's face completely fell, and her voice became shrill. "Mother! You're being partial! You'd rather believe a bastard of unknown origin than me?"
"I don't believe anyone," Grand Madam's voice was neither too loud nor too soft, but it carried an undeniable authority.
"I only believe in evidence. You say this child is not of the bloodline of the Marquis Mansion. Show me the evidence. You say that woman said something. Bring the person in front of me. If you have nothing, then shut up."
Madam Liu was rendered speechless. Her chest heaved violently, and her eyes were full of resentment.
At this time, Shi Yuanping spoke up. His tone was still gentle, but the meaning in his words was like a soft - edged knife.
"Sister - in - law, Mother is right. You can't just rely on one - sided words in this kind of thing."
"If you really have evidence, show it. Let's all take a look. If not, go back first. Don't make Mother angry here."
Madam Liu suddenly turned to look at Shi Yuanping, and the anger in her eyes almost burned him through. "Shi Yuanping, stop pretending to be a good person!"
"You think I don't know. This bastard is your child with that village girl. You want to use this bastard to seize the title of the Marquis Mansion!"
These words were like a bomb, exploding in the room.
Grand Madam's face instantly turned ashen. She slapped the table hard, making the teacups rattle.
"Presumptuous!"
The smile on Shi Yuanping's face finally disappeared. "Sister - in - law, you should speak with evidence. You say this child is mine. Where is the evidence?"
