To divorce his wife, the top scholar preferred being cuckolded to wearing a red hat.

Jane thought about the secret she knew and suddenly felt a lot of sympathy for the lady.

I had initially thought that replacing the young lady with the young master was the lady's own idea. Now it seems that it may not have been her own intention.

She asked uncertainly, "Madam, didn't you arrange what happened back then?"

"What I arranged myself?"

"When you gave birth, you gave birth to a baby girl. You sent her away right after she was born and brought in a baby boy. At the time, I thought you had arranged this yourself. Could it be that you didn't?"

"You mean, I gave birth to a daughter back then?"

Zhennu nodded: "Yes, it's a little girl. Not long after she was brought out, she was taken away and a baby boy who had been prepared was brought to your side. The midwife was overjoyed and announced to the outside world that you had given birth to a son. The master was overjoyed and the whole mansion celebrated."

Ruan Shi staggered and grabbed onto a table beside her.

It's really true, it's all true.

"And what about my daughter? Where is she now?"

Zhennu shook her head: "This old servant doesn't know. After that day, I only heard that Madam Su had a son, and I didn't inquire about anything else."

"Mother, did you hear that? Zheng'er isn't your biological son; you gave birth to a sister. You have no idea where my sister is or how she's doing. Are you really going to give up searching for my sister just for the sake of a son born to a concubine?"

“Zhennu, when my poor daughter was sent away, did she wear any ornaments?”

Zhennu shook her head: "That old woman left very quickly. If I hadn't gone out to get something and returned quickly, I wouldn't have discovered this. After I found out, it was your arrangement, so I didn't make a fuss, and she didn't find out either."

"Madam, in my humble opinion, although the young master is not your biological son, you have raised him for so many years, and he should be filial to you. As long as no one mentions this matter and he is unaware of it, he is your biological son, and no one can change that." Regardless of whether he is or not, so many years have passed, and the affection between them has long surpassed that of blood relatives.

“You might recognize that midwife from back then. Could you secretly help me find her?” Ruan Shi forced herself to stand up straight. “You’re right. Although Zheng’er isn’t my biological son, I raised him. He won’t abandon me.”

Su Ziyu rolled her eyes a few times as she listened to Ruan Shi's words.

His biological mother is still alive. If you ask him to take care of you as his adoptive mother, he might agree, but his biological mother probably wouldn't.

Not wanting to listen any longer, he told Madam Ruan that he was going out for some fresh air and would be back in a while.

Su Ziyu left the side hall and wandered around.

It was midday in summer, and extremely hot. Su Ziyu saw a small bamboo grove in the distance and unconsciously walked into it.

There was a secluded spot in the bamboo grove where she and the fourth prince used to have their trysts.

Upon reaching the vicinity, she discovered that her secret place with the Fourth Prince appeared to be in use.

Judging from their voices, they are a man and a woman.

She immediately hid in the shadows, wanting to see who the man and woman inside were.

After a moment of heavy breathing inside, a woman's voice was heard asking, "Your Highness, are you really going to marry that woman, Su Ziyu? She's been married before and had an abortion; she's no different from a piece of trash. It would be really unfair to you if you married her."

The voice sounded very familiar, but Su Ziyu couldn't quite place it.

Soon, the male voice replied, still hoarse from their passionate encounter: "How could I, a prince, possibly marry such a woman? She's not even worthy to carry your shoes. You are the woman I want to marry. Once I've succeeded, I will definitely make you my empress."

"She is Lord Su's daughter. Lord Su holds a high position and wields great power. If you don't marry her, won't Lord Su be angry? What if he gets angry?"

"She is not Lord Su's daughter, but the daughter of Madam Ruan and another man."

Su Ziyu felt her blood rushing to her head, and she couldn't hear anything the man said afterward.

All I heard was that she wasn't born to my mother and father, but to my mother and another man. That's impossible. She knows best whether her mother had other men or not; it can't be true.

She huddled in the darkness, wanting to run out and confront them, but lacking the courage to do so.

After an unknown amount of time, the man and woman got up and left one after the other, and her figure finally emerged from the shadows.

When he returned to the side hall, dejected, Zhennu had already left.

Ruan sat there with red and swollen eyes and a vacant gaze, wiping away tears from time to time as she thought of something.

"Ziyu, where did you go? Why did you take so long?" Madam Ruan asked with some surprise as she watched Su Ziyu return. "It's getting late, we should go back."

On the way back, Su Ziyu remained silent.

After her initial grief subsided, Madam Ruan finally noticed something was wrong: "Ziyu, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell, or has something happened?"

Su Ziyu suppressed her outward expression and looked at her mother seriously: "Mother, if I weren't Father's biological child either, what would you do?"

"Nonsense. You are definitely our biological child. He has been the only man in my life, and I have never been unfaithful."

“If Father can do something once, he can do it twice.” Although Su Ziyu couldn’t explain Su Sihai’s reasoning, she had to prepare for the worst.

If she wasn't Su Sihai's biological daughter either, Su Sihai would be even less likely to tolerate her and her mother in the Su family mansion.

For her to survive, she must defeat Su Sihai, then her mother will have complete control of the Su family mansion.

"Impossible, don't think like that." Madam Ruan refused to believe it: "I just don't believe he could be so heartless as to send all my children away."

……

Su Mingyue did not expect Su Guanzheng to come looking for her.

He appeared in her yard looking dejected; his once sunny face was now filled with confusion.

He sat in the pavilion in the courtyard. Su Mingyue asked Xingchun to bring him some snacks and told him not to pay any attention to him and to let him stay quietly for a while.

Su Guan sat for a while, as if only then remembering where he had come from.

"Elder sister," Su Guanzheng stood up and called out to Su Mingyue, "I'm feeling a bit troubled, and since I was just passing by, I thought I'd come in and sit for a while. I hope you'll welcome me."

Su Guan was dressed in fine brocade, with a jade pendant around his neck, and still had a childlike air about him.

The Ruan family took good care of him.

"Sit as long as you like, don't be shy."

Su Guanzheng glanced at the servants around him and stammered, "Elder sister, I want to say a few words to you..."

Su Mingyue gave Xingchun a wink, and Xingchun told the servants to go back to their work.

"Elder sister, you must have heard about what happened in the manor. I know you are a doctor, so you must have a way to find out who my father is. I haven't slept for two days because of this, and it's causing me a lot of pain."

"There are methods, the simplest being a blood test for paternity. But you now have two mothers, so which one do you want to test with?"