Chapter 528 Then She’s Not Your Daughter

Chapter 528: Then She Is Not Your Daughter

The Princess Consort of Jiping Commandery grabbed Yu Mingzhu’s arm. "Mingzhu, I remember your birthday is on the fifteenth of the first month, born during the Yin hour (3-5 AM), right?"

Jiao Shi’s expression instantly darkened.

When she had heard Daxisipo mention the birth details earlier, her stomach dropped—she absolutely did not want her jewel involved in such superstitious mumbo-jumbo!

But now that the Princess Consort of Jiping Commandery had made the request, Jiao Shi could only stiffly ask Daxisipo, "...Will this harm the girl in any way?"

Daxisipo replied indifferently, "It merely borrows the girl’s own fortune. There’s no harm in it. If anything, since this is an act of saving a life, it may even bring merit."

"Exactly, no need to worry, Madam Heir!" The Princess Consort of Jiping Commandery was beside herself with excitement. "Mingzhu, please help us with this! You won’t regret it, I promise. If you help our family, I’ll give you that fabric shop on Vermilion Bird Street for your trousseau!"

Yu Chongen also looked urgently at Yu Mingzhu. "Zhu Zhu..."

Jiao Shi was deeply anxious. She absolutely did not want her Mingzhu entangled in this. But this woman who seemed like a fraud had accurately stated Mingzhu’s birth details—how?

She couldn’t afford to publicly refuse the Jiping Commandery Prince’s household!

It wasn’t that the Duke of Xinguo’s household feared them, but given their relationship, refusing to help with something that supposedly “accumulated merit” would surely invite gossip!

Jiao Shi looked helplessly at Yu Mingzhu.

The Princess Consort of Jiping Commandery also gazed at Yu Mingzhu eagerly.

Yu Mingzhu’s expression shifted before she finally forced a smile. "Second Sister Wei is my future sister-in-law. Of course, I’ll help..."

The Princess Consort of Jiping Commandery eagerly thanked her.

Daxisipo smirked and pulled out a small rhino-horn lamp from her medicine box.

Jiao Shi couldn’t hold back a sarcastic remark. "Your medicine box really does hold everything, doesn’t it?"

Xingxing, who often helped Daxisipo organize her box, glared at Jiao Shi and retorted, "This is just a small one. There’s a bigger one that holds even more."

Jiao Shi was left speechless.

It was just a minor rebuttal from an unfamiliar junior, yet for some reason, Jiao Shi felt a strange, sour feeling, an overwhelming discomfort.

As for the heart of the Jiping Commandery Prince’s estate, it was his study.

With the Princess Consort of Jiping Commandery staying behind to tend to Wei Shuangyan, Daxisipo led the rest to the study.

She ordered the doors and windows flung open and directed Yu Mingzhu to stand at the room’s center.

Yu Mingzhu complied.

Holding the unlit rhino-horn lamp, Daxisipo faced the southwest and began chanting an unintelligible chant, her steps unpredictable and fervent.

Jiao Shi watched in shock, a strange sensation rising in her chest.

It was as if something enormous had passed through the air.

The sensation was so vivid that Jiao Shi, who had always dismissed Daxisipo as a fraud, began to doubt her skepticism.

When Daxisipo finished her incantation, the overwhelming presence disappeared instantly.

Jiao Shi blinked her eyes open.

Daxisipo ceremoniously handed the rhinoceros horn lamp to Yu Mingzhu, instructing her to hold it while she lit the lamp.

However, when Daxisipo attempted to light it the first time, the flame sputtered and died instantly.

Daxisipo frowned.

Wei Zihang cut in sharply, "Must be the draft."

Daxisipo tried lighting it a second time.

Yet the second attempt was even more bizarre—the rhinoceros horn lamp swayed on its own, wind or not, and the wick outright refused to light.

Daxisipo narrowed her eyes and tried a third time.

This time, it finally lit, but the flame snapped with a sharp *pop*, emitting a spark before extinguishing again.

Now, Daxisipo’s face went stone-cold.

She looked up, staring straight at Yu Mingzhu.

Yu Mingzhu was startled. "What?"

Daxisipo murmured ominously, "You were not born in the Hour of the Tiger."

Before Yu Mingzhu could respond, Jiao Shi let out a disbelieving scoff. "Impossible! I remember clearly—Zhu Zhu was born in the Hour of the Tiger! No mistake about it!"

Daxisipo pointed at the lamp. "I just invoked the Great Deity, offering the birth month and Hour of the one who suppresses misfortune. If she were truly born in the first month during the Hour of the Tiger, this rhinoceros horn lamp wouldn’t keep snuffing out like this."

Jiao Shi was reeling. "...So this is completely unreliable, right?! Many people know my Zhu Zhu was born in the first month during the Hour of the Tiger. Now you’re saying she’s *not*? What, are we supposed to take your word for it?"

Seeing Jiao Shi about to argue with Daxisipo, the Jiping Commandery Prince was beside himself. "Ladies, please, let’s not quarrel. If the lamp won’t light, what do we do now?"

"Find someone truly born in the first month during the Hour of the Tiger," Daxisipo said without lifting her eyelids. "Otherwise, start digging your daughter’s grave."

If not for being stuck in his wheelchair, the Jiping Commandery Prince might have fainted from shock.

He immediately had the whole estate scrambling.

Fortunately, it didn’t take long to find two maids who fit the bill.

Yu Mingzhu’s expression turned black as she stepped aside, letting one of the maids take her place.

The maid looked terrified, not daring to raise her head, her hands trembling as she held the lamp.

Yet, no matter how much she shook, the rhinoceros horn lamp caught on the first try.

Seeing this, Daxisipo let out a slow breath.

The small flame inside the lamp danced lazily, warm and bright.

Daxisipo had no patience for Jiao Shi, but Jiao Shi was reeling.

"How... how is this possible?"

Daxisipo hissed, "I told you—your daughter wasn’t born in the Hour of the Tiger."

"But I couldn’t have got it wrong," Jiao Shi murmured.

Daxisipo, fed up, flung back, "Isn’t it obvious? If your daughter was born in the Hour of the Tiger, and she wasn’t, then she isn’t your daughter."

The words hit like a bombshell, leaving Jiao Shi frozen in place, unable to speak.

Yu Mingzhu refused to believe it, yet an inexplicable panic gripped her tightly. Her heart hammered so loud it nearly drowned out everything else—thud, thud, thud!

She hurried forward to support Jiao Shi’s arm, tears of hurt pooling in her eyes. "Mother, how could this granny say such a thing? That I’m not your daughter? If I’m not your daughter, then who could I be?"

Already distraught, Jiao Shi couldn’t think of anything else as she heard Yu Mingzhu’s soft, pitiful sobs. She quickly stroked Yu Mingzhu’s back soothingly. "Hush now, Zhu Zhu, no more tears. Of course, I don’t believe her."

Daxisipo scoffed, rolling her eyes skyward.