novelraw Chapter 1274: 1273: Get to the Bottom of the Matter
Chapter 1274: 1273: Get to the Bottom of the Matter
Chapter 1274: Chapter 1273: Get to the Bottom of the Matter
Old Lady Gu blacked out for a moment and almost fainted.
Gu Changqing hurried forward to tap her chest and offer her tea, helping her recover.
Old Lady Gu tightly grasped Gu Changqing’s hand: “What exactly happened?”
Gu Changqing replied, “Today I saw Yang Zongbao, and he seemed very familiar. When I took him back to the front courtyard, and saw his back, it was just like father’s back from those years! I started to suspect, and had a few kids get him drunk, remove his socks, and found that he had a mole on his left sole.”
At this point, Gu Changqing looked at the almost bewildered Old Lady Gu, and spoke with difficulty, “I even had the doctor perform a blood test, and his blood merged with mine!”
The room fell into a deathly silence.
Only the sound of their breathing could be heard.
After a good while, Old Lady Gu’s voice drifted in, “You… you mean, he, he’s really Laosan?”
Gu Changqing smiled bitterly, “Yes! I suspect he really is Laosan! Even after all these years, Mother still doesn’t remember that when Eldest Aunt revealed the background of the third household, you didn’t believe at first. You only believed it when you asked the wet nurse and the maid who assisted with the delivery, who said Laosan had a mole on his sole.”
“Over these years, Mother, we have never really bonded with Laosan. We always thought it was because he was distant from us, spoiled by being raised at Eldest Uncle and Aunt’s knees.”
“But the last time we reunited with sister, after seeing Laosan, she made a remark I’ve kept in mind all along, pondering over it repeatedly. I’ve always had a doubt; when she sees brother and us, regardless of the sister’s temperament, having not seen each other for decades, upon reunion, it’s a new joy, a close embrace. Why didn’t she have this for Laosan?”
“Is it possible that a mistake was made when Laosan was brought back all those years ago? This thought has constantly lingered in my mind and if it’s true, then where is our real third brother now? I couldn’t resist sending people to investigate thoroughly.”
“Although much time has passed, those from that time are either dead or scattered, but I managed to find a few clues from those who served beside Eldest Aunt.”
“Who would have thought upon meeting Yang Zongbao today, that familiar, friendly feeling similar to when I met sister stirred my heart. Especially when seeing his back, it made me feel even more convinced. All of our siblings look like you, Mother, but nobody from the third household resembled anyone, while Yang Zongbao’s back resembled father.”
“Later, when seeing Yang Zongbao’s mole on his sole, and our blood merging, if he isn’t our third brother, who else could he be? Although I am not completely certain, I am seventy to eighty percent sure he is indeed our third brother!”
Old Lady Gu took quite some time to come back to her senses, tears having unknowingly filled her face, mixing pain and joy into an unspeakable grotesque expression.
“Eldest Brother, go investigate! Find out the truth!” Old Lady Gu squeezed out words through clenched teeth.
“Yes!” Gu Changqing’s eyes were red too, lowering his head.
※※※
The next morning, Wang Yongzhu returned early to the courtyard they previously purchased.
Normally, Yang Zongbao would get ready to leave too, but today he remained at home with no intention of going out.
Upon hearing the gatekeeper report Wang Yongzhu’s return, he perked up and stood up.
Upon entering the room, Wang Yongzhu only saw Yang Zongbao, not Jinhoo, and asked about him.
He then found out Jinhoo had gone to the Gu Family the previous day and got scared after being told by Gu Changqing to study, fearing the Gu Family might change their minds today and force him to study.
Thus, he had quickly packed his belongings early and ran off to Shopkeeper Zhang’s place.
With no outsiders present, Wang Yongzhu didn’t beat around the bush with Yang Zongbao, recounting the previous day’s events in detail.
Upon listening, Yang Zongbao was incredulous, “Are you kidding? How… how could I be of Gu bloodline? I—”
Saying this, he looked bewilderedly at his own feet and fingers.
Having roamed the world for years, even after being drunk yesterday, he noticed something was amiss on his way home, his finger had been pricked.
After reaching home and entering the room, he thoroughly checked his entire body, noticing his socks were swapped backward, although he vividly remembered putting them on correctly earlier that morning.
This meant someone from the Gu Family removed his socks; what were they doing?
Yang Zongbao had also spent a sleepless night pondering what the Gu Family was up to, even guessing whether the Gu Family had some peculiar hobby, yet he couldn’t fathom such a reason.
“Ahem, now, has the Gu Family gone crazy about recognition? After recognizing a mother, now they want a son? Is this the new rule of Capital City nobles? Do relatives have to be recognized in pairs?” Yang Zongbao was utterly speechless.
Wang Yongzhu nearly spat out his tea, thinking, “Uncle, your imagination is something else!”
He then meticulously explained it to Yang Zongbao.
Yang Zongbao waved his hand dismissively, “Even if you suspect that the master of the third household isn’t a biological child of the old master, concluding that I’m his biological child based on this is preposterous! Besides, I have both parents, how could I be of Gu bloodline? The Gu Family must be making a mistake!”
Wang Yongzhu couldn’t confirm this, and could only say, “The Gu Family certainly didn’t act without reason; the Gu Family is surely investigating now. I came to inform you, Uncle, first for you to have a sense of what’s happening, and secondly, for you to carefully think about any anomalies.”
Yang Zongbao racked his brain for a good while, but to no avail, merely shaking his head.
Wang Yongzhu didn’t insist, instead offering some comforting words before taking his leave.
With this matter on his mind, Wang Yongzhu often visited the Gu Family but found it as calm as usual, with everyone behaving no differently than before.
Only Old Granny Zhang, having found out the news from Old Lady Gu, seemed shocked at first, but later became joyful.
If Yang Zongbao really turned out to be her own brother, it would be wonderful!
Knowing that Old Lady Gu instructed her not to speak to anyone about it until the truth was confirmed, she had to keep it to herself.
She chatted a bit about it with Wang Yongzhu whenever he visited.
On Yang Zongbao’s side, he continued as usual without dwelling much on the matter, leaving early and returning late.
As for Jinhoo, Shopkeeper Zhang arranged a job for him as a runner, making him an official shop assistant, providing room and board along with a monthly salary of Five Hundred Coins, decent compensation indeed.
Jinhoo settled in comfortably there, occasionally visiting on his days off.
Time smoothly passed by, with strange tales and events emerging daily within Capital City.
The Song Family had recognized a son, Gu Family a daughter, and the Top Scholar prize among newly minted Scholars had long lost its sensational impact.
The Gu Family’s Xinghua Banquet had also come and gone.
Ninth Master Lee’s Hongxiu Tianxiang firmly established its position in Capital City, becoming well-regarded among noblewomen and daughters of wealth.
The aristocratic daughters of Capital City sought uniqueness and exceptionality.
Hongxiu Tianxiang perfectly catered to their desires with its high prices and the subsequent VIP system, allowing them to feel distinct from ordinary women.
Moreover, the cosmetics of Hongxiu Tianxiang were indeed superior to those used before—who wouldn’t love that?
The cosmetics continuously shipped from Jing County were still in short supply.
Since its opening months ago, the profit had filled handsomely, allowing Ninth Master Lee to stand out in the Lee Family, gaining favor from the Patriarch of the Lee Family, earning considerable trust and authority.
While Song Chongjin and Wang Yongzhu had been waiting for an opportunity for assignment outside, fearing the Emperor might have changed his mind after no movement, the chance finally arrived.