After transmigrating into the book, I helped my mother reconcile with her divorced husband.

Lu Huai dared not. He knew that Lu Jinyao and Lu Jingyuan were his children, and once the blood test was conducted, it would confirm his relationship with Ji Wanwan.

Zhu Guozhi's murder is a minor matter; what he truly deserves is his affair with a mistress whose child is older than his legitimate daughter's. Xie Chaoyun and her family will not forgive him.

Lu Huai was sweating profusely, glancing at Old Madam Lu out of the corner of his eye.

Old Madam Lu held Lu Jingyuan in her arms, too nervous to speak.

Just as the atmosphere fell into an eerie silence, Lu Jingyuan slid off Old Madam Lu with a forceful scoot: "I am my father's biological son, and so is my elder sister. It's not your place to interfere."

Madam Lu was flustered and quickly covered Lu Jingyuan's mouth: "This child is destined to be with Huai'er and treats Huai'er as his own father. In my opinion, the adoption should be put on the agenda as soon as possible."

Xie Chaoyun said, "It should be put on the agenda, but the issue of adoption versus ancestral recognition still needs to be considered."

Lu Huai gasped: "Jing Yuan is young, his words cannot be taken seriously."

Xie Chaoyun said, "Children are the least likely to lie."

Lu Huai pursed his lips and said anxiously, "Yunniang, you don't believe me?"

Xie Chaoyun lowered her head: "Yunniang only allowed the Marquis to perform a blood test on them because she trusted the Marquis. The Zhu family brought a coffin to the door, implying that the Marquis and her cousin were not on good terms, and that even the cousin's child was born to the Marquis. Without concrete evidence, it would be difficult to silence the gossip."

Xie Chaoyun lifted his eyelids: "If this matter reaches the Emperor's ears, the Marquis's years of hard work in the field will probably be wiped out."

Madam Lu also became anxious: "What does this have to do with Huai'er being sent away? Even if this child is Huai'er's, the Emperor has no right to interfere in the family affairs of our Marquis's mansion."

Lu Huai called out "Mother," and the old lady Lu, realizing she had spoken out of turn, quickly covered her mouth and said awkwardly, "It was just a hypothetical situation."

Lu Jingyuan was furious. He knew in his heart that his grandmother and father refused to acknowledge him because of this woman in front of him. He puffed out his cheeks, clenched his fists, and wanted to beat Xie Chaoyun out of the house.

Seeing that things were not going well, Lu Jinyao quickly pulled her younger brother into her arms and whispered, "If you want Mother to return safely, shut your mouth and stay put."

Lu Jingyuan's eyes reddened, but he dared not disobey Lu Jinyao's words. He turned his face away and half-hid in Lu Jinyao's arms.

Lu Jinyao was also nervous. Ever since she was old enough to understand, her mother had told her that she was the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Pingnan's family, and that her father was Marquis Lu Huai of Pingnan. They were going back to the capital. At that time, she would be a unique noble lady in the capital.

She only realized when she was a little older that she was just Lu Huai's eldest daughter.

His palms were sweaty, soaking through Lu Jingyuan's clothes.

Noticing his sister's nervousness, Lu Jingyuan looked up at her, wanting to ask but not daring to.

My older sister is more terrifying than my mother when she gets angry.

"Mother, have you forgotten that when the Marquis proposed to Yunniang, he made a vow in public?" Xie Chaoyun stared into Lu Huai's eyes and said, word by word, "I will not take concubines, I will not keep mistresses, and I will not have any maids. All children of the Marquis's family must be born to Yunniang. If I break this vow, I will be condemned by both gods and men."

Xie Chaoyun turned around, concealing the hatred in her eyes: "When this matter reached the palace, the Emperor personally arranged the marriage between Yunniang and the Marquis. If Jinyao and Jingyuan are indeed the Marquis's children, then the Marquis has committed the crime of deceiving the Emperor. It would be good if the merits and demerits were balanced out. But if the Emperor is furious, what will become of the Pingnan Marquis's mansion?"

Madam Lu's legs went weak: "Don't spread alarmist rumors! Jin Yao and Jing Yuan are not Huai'er's children!"

"Whether it is true or not, please let the Marquis test the kinship with a blood test!" Xie Chaoyun ordered a maid to bring two bowls of water: "Yunniang also wants to know whether what the Zhu family said is just a rumor or there is a reason behind it."

Lu Huai's face darkened.

Although Xie Chaoyun used to have a temper, he was straightforward and honest, unlike these past few days when he was always sarcastic and taunting.

He was certain that Ji Wanwan was unaware of his affair with him, and that she had probably heard rumors and harbored doubts, so she was deliberately being jealous.

Thinking of this, he calmed down and gently took her hand.

“You are the only one in my heart. How could I have children with someone else? Wanwan is my cousin. How could you believe what outsiders say?” Seeing Xie Chaoyun remain silent, he pulled the hairpin from her hair and pointed it at his finger: “Does my wife really suspect me like this?”

Xie Chaoyun gripped the hairpin and quickly stabbed Lu Huai before he could react, dripping his blood into the bowl. The maidservant who accompanied Xie Chaoyun was named Qingzhi; she originally worked in her shop but had only been transferred back to the mansion today.

She knew kung fu and was quick and nimble. Before Lu Huai's drop of blood could even spread, Lu Jinyao brought him to the bowl.

The two drops of blood did not mix.

Lu Huai was stunned. Lu Jinyao stared at the two drops of blood and murmured, "What happened?"

Lu Huai grabbed Lu Jinyao's hand and pricked her middle finger. Two drops of blood fell into the new bowl of water, one after the other, and separated without mixing.

Lu Huai went mad and shouted at Qingzhi, "Bring Yuan'er here!"

Qingzhi remained motionless until Xie Chaoyun gave her a signal, at which point she hurriedly left.

Lu Zhiyuan was carried over, dressed in her bedtime clothes and wrapped in a thin quilt, followed by Liu Ying, whose clothes were disheveled. Lu Huai seemed a little impatient, and before Lu Zhiyuan could stand up properly, he pricked her finger and dripped the blood into a bowl.

Two drops of blood mingled perfectly.

Lu Huai hugged Lu Zhiyuan excitedly: "It's melted, it's melted, you're my own child, you're my own child."

Lu Zhiyuan suppressed her anger at being awakened and touched his forehead: "Is Father ill? Yuan'er and Father look so alike, so naturally we are Father's biological daughter. But what did someone say to Father? Spreading rumors about the eldest daughter of the Marquis's family, I'm afraid they will die."

Lu Huai didn't hear anything else, only one sentence: "Yuan'er looks so much like her father, so naturally she must be her father's biological daughter."

His gaze fell on Lu Jinyao; the child bore no resemblance to him whatsoever.

Lu Jinyao shrank back, avoiding Lu Huai's gaze.

Xie Chaoyun patted Lu Huai's shoulder and said softly, "What's wrong, Lord Marquis? Yuan'er is your own daughter, so she's naturally related to you by blood. Jin Yao isn't, so she naturally rejects her. Your behavior is puzzling to me. But someone has misled you, making you mistakenly believe that Jin Yao is your biological child."

Lu Huai was pale as he helped Lu Zhiyuan to her feet: "I asked Yuan'er to come here to verify whether this blood test for kinship is accurate."

Qingzhi picked up Lu Zhiyuan, while Liuying followed behind, yawning and muttering, "Madam Ji's behavior is improper. Who knows whose child she has? And that Old Madam Zhu is the same. When she can't find the child's biological father, she falsely accuses our Marquis."

Lu Jinyao's eyes reddened, her knees buckled, and she knelt on the ground.

Seeing this, Lu Jingyuan walked to the bowl of water and said, "My sister and I were born to our father. There's something wrong with that water. I need to test it again. My blood will definitely mix with my father's blood."

Lu Huai's eyes reddened as he stared intently at Lu Jingyuan. He did bear a resemblance to Lu Jingyuan, but who could guarantee that he was definitely his child? Just as he was about to approach, Xie Chaoyun stepped forward, blocking his way.