Chapter 326 Finally Connecting the Cause and Effect
“What kind of people are Wanru’s parents?” Shui Ruolan said in astonishment. Despite her face turning pale slightly, she still asked based on Madam Dowager’s words.
“That year, the rebel forces rose in revolt, and the war was raging at the frontier. Several cities were even conquered by the rebel forces. There were refugees everywhere as well as some army movements. Zhuozhuo’s father was transferred to our city at that time. Because the war was in an emergency, he temporarily lived in our mansion…”
Old Madam Qin recalled, looking at somewhere in the air, with slight bitterness in her eyes!
At that time, everyone was deterred by the danger. No one knew whether the rebel forces would conquer the city, because several cities had been conquered in the end. The city was full of refugees and the family members of some soldiers who fled there.
Qin Wanru’s father was transferred to Qin Huaiyong’s army at that time. With no place to live, he temporarily lived in the Qin’s Mansion, and Old Madam Qin met the elegant and beautiful lady at that time.
That was Qin Wanru’s mother. She was pregnant at the time, but didn’t look very obvious. She, who was frightened, always held the hand of young Qin Wanru tightly wherever she went. She called Qin Wanru Zhuozhuo at that time. It was said that they hadn’t asked the elders in their family to name the child.
Because they were in the border without contacting their family for a long time, the child hadn’t been named formally. They intended to ask the elders of their family to name the child after returning to the capital.
At that time, Old Madam Qin liked to amuse Qin Wanru and called her Zhuozhuo as the young and elegant lady suggested. Although the lady had not mentioned her family background, Old Madam Qin could tell that she was from an extraordinary family based on her elegant and dignified manners.
After they lived in the Qin’s Mansion for a few days, it was said that some people came from the capital to pick them up. Qin Wanru’s biological father asked his wife to leave with his daughter and said that he would return to the capital later. They were reluctant to part from each other when his wife left with his daughter. It was obvious that they loved each other deeply.
Unexpectedly, when they went out of town, a group of rebel forces rushed in, and they were separated from each other. Qin Wanru’s father went to search them like crazy, only to find Qin Wanru. His elegant and noble wife was missing.
The rebel forces laid siege to the city, making the city tremendously chaotic. No one knew where the weak lady with several maids went. Old Madam Qin comforted Qin Wanru’s biological father that his wife would be fine with several maids around and had probably returned to the capital. Her words reassured Qin Wanru’s father, but he still did not give up searching his wife.
Shortly afterwards, something terrible happened to Qin Wanru’s biological father. A spy opened the east gate, and the rebel forces rushed in. Both Qin Huaiyong and Qin Wanru’s biological father rushed out to defend the enemy, and Qin Wanru’s biological father entrusted Qin Wanru to Old Madam Qin before that.
For fear that the rebel forces would also occupy this city, Old Madam Qin and Qin Wanru secretly went out of the city with a package on each of them. There was a villa of the Qin’s Mansion outside the city. They intended to go there and hide for a period. Qin Wanru went with Old Madam Qin at that time.
Unexpectedly, it was the last time Qin Wanru met her biological father. During the war, there were stray arrows flying into the city. After blocking an arrow for Qin Huaiyong, Qin Wanru’s biological father entrusted his daughter to Qin Huaiyong and then died. Qin Huaiyong promised to treat her as his daughter and raise her well.
Afterwards, Qin Huaiyong blocked the rebel forces, expelled them from the city and successfully defended the city. Therefore, the emperor entitled him as Ningyuan Army General and transferred him to Jiangzhou to serve as the highest sergeant chief there. Madam Di, who had escaped with her daughter, also returned to Jiangzhou.
After that, there were two daughters in the Qin’s Mansion. Learning that Qin Wanru’s father died for saving Qin Huaiyong, she repeatedly promised that she would treat Qin Wanru as her daughter and make sure Qin Wanru could get everything Qin Yuru had and even something Qin Yuru didn’t have.
Her sincere words reassured Old Madam. Old Madam thought that Madam Di was a lady from a noble family and only had a daughter, so she would treat Qin Wanru well. Thus, Qin Wanru was recorded as Madam Di’s the other daughter.
The Qin’s Mansion was not a native family in Jiangzhou. Since the Qin’s Mansion claimed that they had two daughters, naturally everyone thought that Madam Di gave birth to two daughters. In fact, Qin Wanru was not the daughter of the Qin’s Mansion.
At that time, Qin Wanru had a Fenghua Glazed Cup in her package. Madam Di had seen it and wanted to keep it. However, Madam Dowager kept it for Qin Wanru after consideration and later wanted to secretly find out about Qin Wanru’s family background based on this Fenghua Glazed Cup.
Unfortunately, she failed to find out about Qin Wanru’s family background after several attempts. Fenghua Glazed Cups were rare, but not extremely rare. There was this kind of Fenghua Glazed Cups in the large aristocratic families in Jiangzhou area. Failing to find out about Qin Wanru’s family background in following years, Madam Dowager sent the Fenghua Glazed Cup to Jingxin Monastery and placed it in front of the Buddha. From then on, she had raised Qin Wanru as her biological granddaughter.
After so many years, no one had come to find Qin Wanru, so Madam Dowager thought that she must have no other relatives. Besides, her mother should have died in the war. Given all this, Madam Dowager considered it unnecessary to tell the child about her family background. It was a kind of happiness for the child to live a joyful life without knowing her origin.
Madam Dowager thought so. Because Madam Dowager felt sorry for her parents’ death and her biological father who died for protecting Qin Huaiyong, Madam Dowager was extremely kind to Qin Wanru, and even loved her dearly as a pearl in the palm. Unexpectedly, Madam Di was so vicious that she did not treat Qin Wanru as her biological daughter, but viciously dealt with Qin Wanru in private.
Thinking of this, Old Madam Qin became tearful. She wondered if she had done it wrong. Why would it develop into such a situation? She originally intended to make Zhuozhuo live a joyful life.
After hearing Madam Dowager’s words, Shui Ruolan felt her heart was heavy as if laden with a lot of pressure. She didn’t feel relieved because of Madam Dowager’s words, but bit her lip, suppressed the sorrow in her heart and found her voice after a long while. “Mother, do you think Yuru and her mother did that with the intention of stealing Wanru’s identity?”
Madam Dowager wiped her tears with a handkerchief and said with a calm face, “Wanru is the only child whose biological father is not Yong’er, and she is younger than Yuru. But now there’s the rumor that Yuru isn’t Madam Di’s biological daughter. I know well about Madam Di’s personality and don’t believe that she will beat Yuru severely. Besides, Yuru has never allowed herself to suffer any loss. If she was really beaten by Madam Di, she will inevitably cause trouble! ”
With the words lingering in her heart for so many years, Madam Dowager felt slightly relieved after saying that, and was more convinced that there must be a plot behind what happened to Qin Yuru today.
“Ruolan, do you think Zhuozhuo’s family background is related to Duke Xing’s Mansion and Madam Di strove to get Fenghua Glazed Cup from me after knowing that?”
Madam Dowager asked in a low voice.
After connecting the cause and effect, Madam Dowager involuntarily had this thought at the moment even if she had never thought about it before. Madam Di knew about the connections in the capital much better than her. Besides, Qin Wanru’s parents looked a lot like nobles who came from an aristocratic family in the capital and went through their life experience. Regarding why they hadn’t communicated with their family in the capital for many years and didn’t even name their daughter, Old Madam Qin couldn’t figure it out.
“Mother, maybe I can ask someone to inquire about Duke Xing’s Mansion?” Shui Ruolan thought for a while and said.
“Okay, that’s all we can do!” Madam Dowager nodded and then said after thinking, “Do it in private, and don’t let anyone know! Don’t tell Yong’er about it for now!”
“Yes, mother. I know!” Shui Ruolan said with a forced smile, choked with sobs and slowly lowered her head.
Madam Dowager sighed and patted Shui Ruolan’s skinny shoulder. Although Shui Ruolan was pregnant, she didn’t seem to get fat, but looked thinner instead.
“Ruolan, just tell me if you need help. Even if I may not be able to help you, at least I can stand by your side and try my best to protect you from being upset by unkindness!”
Hearing her words, with her suppressed tears falling down, Shui Ruolan reached out to hold Madam Dowager. She wanted to say something, but she didn’t say a word after choking for a while.
Old Madam Qin sighed, pulled her hand and gently patted her hand to calm her. She then frowned and pondered. Had Madam Di really found Zhuozhuo’s relatives? If so, she would never allow Madam Di and her daughter to succeed in plotting.
For many years, Madam Di had never treated Zhuozhuo as her biological daughter, but now wanted to steal Zhuozhuo’s closest relatives. Thinking of this, Madam Dowager couldn’t hide her anger…
The following carriage was also moving slowly. In the carriage, Qin Yuru complacently rotated the blood jade bracelet in her hand, looked up at Qin Wanru who was staring at her, and sneered. “Are you extremely envious?”
“No!” Qin Wanru said faintly, “Qin Yuru, you stole the limelight from Qi Rongzhi today. Aren’t you afraid to be slapped by Qi Rongzhi again?”
Her words reminded Qin Yuru of being humiliated by Qi Rongzhi. With her face instantly darkening, she said, “Qi Rongzhi really thought she’s in favor with Madam of Duke Xing? She’s adopted casually!”
“What about you? Wouldn’t you also think that you are in favor with Old Madam of Duke Xing?” Qin Wanru looked up at her with slight scorn in her eyes, which made Qin Yuru feel despised and involuntarily retorted in anger, “Of course I’m in favor with Old Madam of Duke Xing, and she’ll love me dearly. I’ll move to Duke Xing’s Mansion later…”
“Is there a difference between you and Qi Rongzhi?” Qin Wanru interrupted her, with her long eyelashes fluttering twice, and raised her red lips.
“Of course we are different. Qi Rongzhi is not the real…” Despised by Qin Wanru, Qin Yuru blushed in anger.
“Could it be you are the real daughter of their family?” Qin Wanru impolitely interrupted her again.
“Why am I not the real…” Qin Yuru retorted quickly.
“Stop talking nonsense. Do you think you are the legitimate granddaughter of Duke Xing’s Mansion! In your dream!” Qin Wanru interrupted her again, looked out of the window and talked to herself, “You begin to have a dream in the daytime!”
Being interrupted several times, she didn’t say what she wanted to say. Qin Wanru ridiculed that she was daydreaming. Qin Yuru flushed in anger, pushed her hands out fiercely, and said with resentment, “Why can’t I be the real daughter! Qin Wanru, I’ll make you kneel down. I’ll trample on your face! You’ll beg me for mercy at that time!”