The moment the words left her mouth, the entire hall was stunned!
Jiang Wanxin at the foot of the steps was filled with shock. Not far away, Jiang Heng could not help but step forward, only to be stopped by Jiang Shian, who moved first.
The Princess Royal was startled at first, but when she saw the hatred in Yun Zhao's eyes, she was puzzled even as she could not help but cast a gaze of undisguised disgust toward Jiang Shian, who stood beside the Crown Prince.
Jiang Shian blocked Jiang Heng behind him, his bearing unshaken, his words still refined and courteous:
"Your Highness, please see clearly—this must be a great misunderstanding. Your subject and his late wife, née Su, did indeed raise one son and one daughter—the eldest son Jiang Heng and the younger daughter Wanxin. This is known throughout the court—how could it be false?"
His expression was composed, his tone sincere, as if he had been unjustly wronged out of nowhere.
Murmurs of discussion filled the hall. Many regarded Yun Zhao's claim of kinship as nothing more than a romantic debt Jiang Shian had incurred in his youth.
A noble lady familiar with Jiang Wanxin, standing beside her, remarked: "No wonder she has been targeting you all day. So she is also a daughter of the Jiang family!"
Jiang Wanning, the daughter of the second branch, curled her lips: "A daughter of the Jiang family? At best, she is just a bastard child. How can she be compared to Xin'er, the legitimate daughter of the Jiang family?"
Jiang Wanxin frowned, somewhat impatiently cutting off the noble ladies' speculation: "Ladies, do not take hearsay at face value. She…"
But Yun Zhao spoke clearly at that moment: "My father is Jiang Shian, and my mother is Su Lingyun."
The moment the name "Su Lingyun" left her lips, everyone was astonished!
The Princess Royal met Yun Zhao's gaze, seeing the unreserved hatred in her eyes, and caught a hint of something unusual within it.
She suddenly recalled the rumors over the years of Su Lingyun's lingering illness and seclusion. Her mind raced, and an absurd thought surfaced.
She asked in a low voice: "Child, you say you are the daughter of those two. Do you have proof of this?"
Yun Zhao produced a jade pendant from her bosom: "This was personally bestowed upon my mother by the Grand Empress Dowager back then."
Not far away, Jiang Heng stared at the jade pendant, his eyes burning with hatred as if they might bleed!
So it was true—the pendant they had been searching for had been hidden on her person all along! How deep her schemes ran!
The Princess Royal took the pendant and examined it, a smile curling at her lips:
"What a coincidence. When Grandmother bestowed this jade upon Lady Jiang back then, saying it was to be given to the first daughter she bore, I happened to be right there. This jade is of a special quality, and everything bestowed by Grandmother bears the palace's inscription."
She raised her voice: "Someone, verify this."
Yun Zhao turned, her gaze fixed directly on Jiang Shian: "Lord Jiang claims with such conviction that Jiang Wanxin is his only daughter. I wonder—can she produce a jade pendant personally bestowed by the Grand Empress Dowager? As for calling her the legitimate daughter of the Jiang family, is there clear proof?"
Jiang Wanxin's face instantly turned deathly pale.
Jiang Shian's eyes were deep and dark as he stared intently at Yun Zhao. He said unhurriedly: "Xin'er has been raised by my wife and me since childhood. Everyone in the household can bear witness."
Yun Zhao gave a faint smile: "Then could it be that she was switched at birth?"
Jiang Shian fell silent for a moment.
Jiang Heng wanted to say something, but doubts began to rise all around. Many of the ladies and matrons present had already started gossiping:
"No wonder a wandering healer from the countryside could possess such looks and bearing. So she is actually the long-lost daughter of the Jiang family?!"
"Now that I look at it, this Little Medical Immortal's features are practically carved from the same mold as Su Lingyun in her youth!"
"And Jiang Wanxin? Who does she resemble?"
More and more people turned their probing gazes toward Jiang Wanxin.
Jiang Wanxin's tears fell like rain: "I… I know nothing of any jade pendant… but I am truly my parents' daughter!"
"Xin'er, don't cry." Jiang Heng could not help but raise his voice to comfort her: "Your elder brother recognizes only you as my sister. Our Jiang family has only you as the legitimate daughter—there can be no mistake!"
Yun Zhao pressed forward step by step, her gaze fixed steadily on Jiang Shian:
"Lord Jiang, as the head of your household and the Minister of Rites, a man of vast knowledge and quick wit, surely you must have some method to verify the identities of myself and Jiang Wanxin, lest we risk confusing bloodlines and deceiving the court."
At these words, the entire hall was stunned!
Xiao Qi, seated nearby, could not help but reveal a hint of amusement, letting out a low chuckle: "The kitten is about to show its claws."
Just then, the artisan tasked with examining the jade pendant spoke up:
"Your Highness, this object is indeed from the palace—the engraving on the back of the pendant cannot be forged. Moreover, this jade is of a special quality, warm in winter and cool in summer; it was a tribute treasure presented by the Kingdom of Zhuyu in years past. Back then, the Grand Empress Dowager had two pendants made from it…"
The Princess Royal nodded: "Indeed, if I recall correctly, the other pendant was bestowed by Grandmother to Yuan'er's mother that year."
Xiao Qi's gaze settled on the pendant in the Princess Royal's hand, his eyes darkening slightly as if lost in recollection.
Prince Qin Xiao Chengyuan's mother—the late Emperor's first wife—had passed away from overwhelming grief on the third day after the late Emperor's death.
For this reason, even among the imperial family, the matter was seldom spoken of.
In an instant, the room fell into dead silence; no one dared to speak.
Jiang Shian lowered his head, then suddenly gathered his robes and knelt: "Your Highness, please hear me! Your servant has sinned!"
At these words, all eyes fell upon this newly risen official of the court.
Jiang Shian's voice was heavy with sorrow yet clear: "In truth, my wife gave birth to a pair of twin daughters that year!
One of them, shortly after birth, was unfortunately lost. My wife and I were stricken with grief, and to avoid being reminded of our pain, we told the world we had only one daughter…
Little did we expect that Heaven would take pity on us—sixteen years later, my child has found her way back on her own! This is Heaven's will. Your servant is overjoyed!"
"Father!" Jiang Wanxin cried out in shock, the color draining from her delicate face as she stared at her father in disbelief.
Beside her, Jiang Heng's eyes also widened in shock, but he quickly understood his father's intent—
This was a strategic retreat: first, acknowledge her and bring her into the household, then plan their next move!
His knuckles whitened as he clenched his fists, his lowered lashes concealing the murderous intent in his eyes.
But Jiang Shian had already commanded the two of them, his tone brooking no dissent: "Xin'er, Heng'er, come and acknowledge your sister! You share the same mother—separated by flesh and blood for sixteen years, now reunited. This is truly a great blessing for the Jiang family!"
Jiang Heng took a deep breath and stepped forward first.
Meeting the scrutinizing or curious gazes of the Princess Royal and the assembled guests, he forced a bow toward Yun Zhao, his voice taut: "Greetings, little sister."
Yun Zhao blinked lightly, her tone carrying deliberate delight: "Elder brother, I told you before—we would be reunited as a family!"
At this, all eyes turned to her once more.
He forced a stiff smile: "Little sister… you jest."
The Princess Royal, however, was now intrigued: "Zhao'er, have you two met before?"
Jiang Heng's jaw clenched tight, his handsome face darkening as he stared fixedly at Yun Zhao.
Yun Zhao took in his nervous, guilty demeanor with a sweeping glance, a faint smile curving at the corners of her lips:
"In answer to my godmother—the moment I saw my elder brother, I felt an instant familiarity, as if… I had seen him a thousand times before in my dreams."
Her tone was gentle, yet every word struck Jiang Heng's heart like a hammer.
Jiang Heng's face turned extremely ugly. He thought Yun Zhao was simply mad!
Having only just gained the Princess Royal's favor and been adopted as her foster daughter, she dared to publicly pressure her father into acknowledging their kinship!
Now that the acknowledgment had succeeded and she had become a young lady of the Jiang household overnight, he had no idea what else Yun Zhao might expose before everyone next!