Chapter 10: The Truth

Chapter 10: The Truth

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew, causing the leaves of the phoenix trees to rustle and fall.

Clouds obscured the sunlight, casting a shadow over Cheng Yian's mind.

She didn’t recall how she had entered the back gate of the Cheng residence, only that her steps were unsteady and her mind was buzzing. She followed a narrow path into the residence, heading towards a secluded area. After walking for a while, she turned back.

Ru Lan trailed after her in a daze, her eyes wide with disbelief and fear of what might come.

"Miss... miss."

Seeing the frightened maid, Cheng Yian suddenly calmed down.

She couldn’t afford to be flustered.

Cheng Yian thought for a moment, then signaled Ru Lan to come closer and gave her some instructions.

Ru Lan immediately understood Cheng Yian’s plan. Seeing that her mistress remained composed, her own heart also settled. She took a deep breath and said, "Yes, I’ll go right away."

Cheng Yian walked slowly towards the fourth branch alone.

Within the South Mansion, each branch was separated by walls, but there were also many small gates for convenience.

The fourth branch was located in the southwest corner of the South Mansion, and she arrived quickly.

An investigation was necessary, but seventeen years had passed, and witnesses and evidence were likely long gone. The fact that she had been kept completely in the dark showed how thorough the other party had been. If she investigated quietly, she might alert them and find nothing. It would be better to stir the pot, making them panic and reveal their true intentions.

Her grandmother was sharp as a tack, and prying information from her would be no small feat.

Her stepmother, Miao Shi, had a fiery temper, and Cheng Yian decided to stir up trouble with her.

The Cheng residence was close to the Chengyang Marquis’s estate, and the Cheng family had returned early from the mourning. At this moment, Miao Shi had just come out from the old lady’s courtyard and returned to her own courtyard for a midday rest. Suddenly, a maid came in to report that the second young lady had returned.

Miao Shi was baffled but quickly straightened up on the kang, waiting for Cheng Yian to come in and greet her.

Now, about Cheng Yian’s stepmother, Miao Shi—she wasn’t from a well-to-do family. On the contrary, compared to the other women of the Cheng family, her background was quite humble. Twenty years ago, when Cheng Mingyou had just passed the imperial examination, the late emperor was leading his army north to attack Qi. In this time of need, Cheng Mingyou and a group of newly appointed scholars were given important positions. Cheng Mingyou was one of the grain transport officials. Unexpectedly, the late emperor was defeated and committed suicide at the Battle of Jinshan Fort, and Cheng Mingyou was also injured and fled, falling off a cliff. He was rescued by a shepherdess, Miao Shi. Seeing her beauty, Cheng Mingyou brought her back to the capital.

Given her modest background, Miao Shi had always been diligent and cautious in the Cheng family. Deep down, she still felt somewhat inferior in front of Cheng Yian, the legitimate eldest daughter.

When Cheng Yian entered the east side room, Miao Shi had already plastered on a smile.

"An An, why have you come back at this hour? Have you had lunch?"

Cheng Yian bowed to her and said she hadn’t eaten. Miao Shi immediately sent someone to prepare a meal.

"No need, I see you’ve got some snacks here. I’ll just nibble on those."

Miao Shi didn’t insist, sensing that Cheng Yian had come for a reason. She patiently waited for Cheng Yian to finish the snacks and then asked her,

"Miss, why have you suddenly returned? By the way, is it about the burned courtyard? To be honest, I was just discussing with your father about rebuilding it, so it would be ready for your return."

Cheng Yian smiled and asked, "Where will the money come from?"

The question was a bit out of line, but Miao Shi answered anyway. "First, we’ll see if the family funds are willing to cover it. If not, your father and I will have to make up the difference."

This was just Miao Shi's empty talk. Recently, the courtyard was haunted, and she dared not claim it anymore. Since it was for Cheng Yian to live in, it would inevitably require the old lady to pay for it.

Cheng Yian smiled, "Rebuilding the mansion is expensive. Father's annual salary is merely a hundred taels, and you didn't bring much dowry when you married into the family. The annual dividends from the Cheng family don't leave much in your hands. With a monthly stipend of twenty taels, what do you have to subsidize?"

Miao Shi's face fell, her eyes narrowed, and her melon-seed face pulled down, showing a fierce expression, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, have you and father misappropriated my mother's dowry?"

At this, Miao Shi flew into a rage,

"Nonsense, I haven't even seen your mother's dowry inventory, how could I covet her things? To tell you the truth, after your mother died, I did have some thoughts, but the old lady kept it tightly sealed, not allowing anyone to mention it, saying it was reserved for you,"

At this point, Miao Shi suddenly felt a pang of sorrow, tears falling,

"You know, I come from a modest background. Since marrying into the Cheng family, I've been trampled underfoot everywhere. The Cheng family is vast and wealthy, with so many shops, yet I can't access a single coin. When something happens in the house, I'm the last to know. I wanted to go to the north mansion to pay respects to the ancestors, but they all thought I dirtied their place..."

Miao Shi cried more and more uncontrollably, insisting on pulling Cheng Yian up,

"Let's go, let's see the old lady. I hold the title of your stepmother, and outsiders think I've coveted your mother's dowry, thinking I've wronged you. But An An, tell the truth, all these years, your food, clothing, and expenses, haven't they been the best in the fourth branch? Although you have no mother, the old lady treats you like her own eyes, and the best marriage in the capital is arranged for you. Which of your sisters doesn't envy you?"

"Now you accuse me wrongly, I can't go on like this..." So with tears and snot, she dragged Cheng Yian towards the main house.

Cheng Yian's purpose was to make a big scene, and she angrily flicked her sleeve,

"Let's go, let's explain clearly in front of grandmother."

Miao Shi, after all, came from the countryside, and was very familiar with the act of making a scene. She cried all the way, as if to pour out all the grievances of these years, naturally alarming everyone along the way.

In no time, the three masters, mistresses, young ladies, and young masters had all gathered at the entrance of the main house.

The eldest mistress knew the importance of the situation and quickly instructed the female servants to send the young masters and ladies back, and arranged for people to guard the entrance of the hall, not allowing anyone to enter.

The old lady, roused from sleep by the commotion, was helped to sit on the arhat bed, looking at the crowd below, her gaze finally resting on Cheng Yian,

"An An, what exactly is going on?"

Before Cheng Yian could speak, Miao Shi knelt on the ground crying, explaining the whole story.

The old lady and others looked at Cheng Yian in surprise.

Cheng Mingyou was so angry that his eyebrows stood on end, pointing at Cheng Yian's nose,

"You rebel, how dare you wrong your stepmother."

Cheng Yian also retorted angrily, "If the mistress is wronged, what about you? As her husband, you know best about my mother's affairs. Where is her dowry? Did she leave any words at her deathbed? Did she instruct you to take good care of me and leave the dowry to me..."

Cheng Mingyou didn't react at first, but at the last two sentences, his face suddenly turned pale.

There was indeed something fishy.

Cheng Yian sneered,

"I won't hide it from grandmother and father. Before I entered the door, I had already instructed Ru Lan to inform my husband. I asked my husband to report to the yamen. First, how did my mother die? Second, where is my mother's dowry? Either you tell me the truth today, or let the authorities investigate!"

The old lady was so angry that her face turned purple,

"You, you, you..."

The situation had escalated to this point, and there was no way to take it back. They couldn't watch the family collapse. The old lady closed her eyes deeply and let out a long sigh.

"Alright, since you want to know, I'll tell you." As she spoke, she waved her hand, "All of you, leave. I'll speak with An An."

The third mistress and the third master left first, followed by the mistress. Miao Shi slowly got up, looking at Cheng Mingyou, who stood as still as a clay statue. Finally, the elder master forcefully pulled him out.

Only Cheng Yian remained in the room.

Cheng Yian stood in the hall, looking at the elder mistress.

The elder mistress held her forehead, deep in thought, and stayed silent for a while.

Finally, the old maidservant signaled for Cheng Yian to enter first. Cheng Yian entered the eastern chamber, and shortly after, the old maidservant helped the elder mistress in.

The old maidservant stood guard outside the screen, leaving the grandmother and granddaughter alone.

The elder mistress shuffled towards the northern wall to sit on the couch. Seeing her struggle, Cheng Yian quickly went over to assist her.

Once seated, the elder mistress turned her gaze, revealing eyes that were scarred and cracked, as if cut by a knife.

Cheng Yian, who had been raised by her, felt uneasy seeing her like this, "Grandmother..."

"You sit..."

Cheng Yian found a small brocade stool and sat down by her knees.

The elder mistress gently stroked her smooth forehead, staring blankly. After all, she had raised this girl herself and had developed feelings over the years.

"An An, from the time you set the courtyard on fire to today, deliberately forcing Miao Shi to come and make a scene in front of me, I knew you must have heard something, right?" The elder mistress's eyes were sharp, piercing through everything.

Cheng Yian did not deny it, meeting her gaze, "Yes."

The elder mistress closed her eyes deeply, "I knew I couldn't hide it from you anymore."

Cheng Yian frowned, "Why did you hide it from me?"

The elder mistress suddenly laughed bitterly, the thin skin on her cheeks pulling, and the white hair at her temples escaping from the oiled bun, making her appear even more aged.

"Because I wanted to protect you."

Cheng Yian clearly looked skeptical.

Seeing her disbelief, the elder mistress shook her head helplessly for a while.

"I could have revealed the truth in front of everyone just now, but do you know why I kept you alone?"

Cheng Yian remained silent.

The elder mistress spoke earnestly, "Because, once these matters are known to them, it would be detrimental to you, and to your mother as well."

At this point, the elder mistress looked at her solemnly again.

"An An, I ask you one last time, are you sure you want to know?"

Cheng Yian already had a sinking feeling but showed no hesitation.

"Tell me, otherwise I won't be able to rest."

"Alright." The old lady slowly exhaled, lowering her gaze for a long while before lifting her eyes again, speaking word by word,

"Because, you are not the biological child of You'er, your father!"

Cheng Yian shot to her feet, her heart racing,

"How could that be..."

Before the words "could that be" could fully escape her lips, she recalled her father's indifference towards her, and in her previous life, how Miao Shi had insisted that she had stolen her stepsister's marriage. A cold shiver swept through her entire being. If she truly wasn't her father's child, then everything made sense.

The old lady's eyes brimmed with deep sorrow, "Do you still want to continue asking?"

Cheng Yian's throat tightened, and she sank back into her seat, still somewhat in shock. After a while, she murmured,

"Please continue, tell me what happened."

"Twenty years ago, the late emperor went on a northern expedition. Your father was appointed as a temporary grain supervisor and followed the army north. Later, the emperor was defeated and committed suicide at Jinshan Fort, and hundreds of thousands of troops were annihilated. When news of your father's death arrived, I turned gray overnight. Your mother was deeply affected..."

At this point, the old lady's tears streamed down her face, "He was my most beloved child, the only scholar from our fourth branch of the family. How could I let his line end? So, I discussed with your mother and had her bear a child through another man..." The old lady's tears welled up in her eyes, her dry lips trembling, unable to continue.

Cheng Yian stared at her intently, holding her breath, urgently asking,

"Had her what..."

"Adopt a secondary heir!"

After uttering these two words, the old lady took a deep breath, as if she had used up all her strength.

According to ancient rites, if a brother had no son, another brother would adopt a secondary heir to continue the family line.

For a moment, Cheng Yian's mind went completely blank, as if countless crows were fluttering before her eyes, her vision swam,

"Go on, continue," her voice trembled.

The old lady sniffled and continued,

"After your mother mourned your father for a year, I made this decision. At first, your mother refused, but later, thinking that having a child would provide lifelong companionship, she gritted her teeth and agreed..."

As for the process of adopting a secondary heir, the old lady didn't elaborate, and Cheng Yian didn't ask.

Everyone understood.

It was simply a matter of choosing which man.

The old lady caught her breath and said,

"A year later, your mother gave birth to you. When I saw it was a girl, I cried in disappointment all night. When you were six months old, I again hoped that your mother... would have another son to inherit your father's line, but your mother..." The old lady was too emotional to continue.

Hearing this, Cheng Yian's face blanched with fury,

"So, she couldn't bear the humiliation and jumped off a cliff, didn't she?"

The old lady, with tears in her eyes, nodded heavily, "One day, she excused herself to go to the temple outside the city, and... just jumped off the cliff..."

At this point, the old lady broke down in tears.

Cheng Yian's body swayed, her face as pale as paper, two lines of tears silently falling, sitting rigidly without moving.

The old lady was still crying, clutching her hand,

"An An, if you want to blame anyone, blame me. I’m the one who harmed her, who forced her. If only I hadn’t been so impatient, if I’d just waited a little longer, until your father returned to the capital, everything would have been perfect..."

Cheng Yian could guess what had happened next. Cheng Mingyou didn’t die; he was saved by Miao Shi and eventually returned to the capital with her. Unfortunately, by the time he returned, her mother had already passed away.

Cheng Yian closed her eyes and asked,

"Then what about my mother’s body? Was it found?"

The old lady lifted her tearful eyes from her handkerchief and shook her head,

"The Cheng family sent out hundreds of servants to search the mountains thoroughly. The dense forest at the base of the cliff yielded no remains."

The thought of her mother being devoured by wild beasts made Cheng Yian’s heart ache. She suddenly grabbed the old lady’s arm and cried,

"Wasn’t anything found? Not even a scrap of clothing?"

A piece of clothing had been found, but it was in that person’s hands. The old lady had no choice but to say,

"No, only some bloodstains were found at the scene, with no other traces."

Cheng Yian suddenly wondered naively: if she could be reborn, maybe her mother had been saved and was still alive. But then she remembered that seventeen years had passed, and if her mother were truly alive, she would have come looking for her by now. Her heart sank once more.

"That’s why I’ve been filled with guilt, always thinking of how to make it up to you, and thus raised you with great care."

This explained why she was more favored than her sisters.

The room suddenly became extremely quiet. The grandmother sat hunched on the couch, while the granddaughter stared blankly into space, both silent for a long time.

Cheng Yian didn’t really want to ask who that person was. She got up and walked to the door, but eventually turned back and spoke against the light,

"Who is he? Is it the eldest uncle or the third uncle?"

Of course, the one to carry on the lineage would be Cheng Mingyou’s own brother.

No wonder the old lady didn’t dare speak of it. Once this matter was made public, the fourth branch would be thrown into chaos.

This time, the old lady looked at her with dry eyes, pleading,

"Child, don’t ask anymore. It’s not good for anyone."

"Always remember, you are the legitimate eldest daughter of the second branch, the daughter of your father and mother. This is recognized by the ancestral laws and acknowledged by the elders of the clan. Who your biological father is no longer matters. The practice of carrying on the lineage has existed since ancient times, and not even Cheng Mingyou can deny your identity. Do you understand?"