Too much had happened in a single day—Madam Wang’s mind was buzzing like a hive.
It wasn’t until Qi Zhen barked a few more reprimands at Qi Yunting, even ordering him to apologize to Xu Yinyin, that Madam Wang’s expression finally turned serious.
Having been husband and wife for so many years, she knew her husband’s temperament all too well.
For him to defend Xu Yinyin like that—it meant that he had truly acknowledged this daughter.
And if even Qi Zhen took her seriously, and she was her own flesh and blood, then even if Madam Wang had once worried this daughter wasn’t very clever, she now set those doubts aside.
She looked gently at Xu Yinyin and asked, “What’s your name?”
How ridiculous.
If the Qi family had even the slightest bit of care, sympathy, or guilt for her, they wouldn’t be at the point of not even knowing her name.
Xu Yinyin raised her head and calmly asked, “Since I’m the real one, then the one before was fake. Whatever her name was, shouldn’t that be my name?”
Madam Wang froze. A flicker of displeasure surfaced in her heart.
Instinctively, she still felt that Xu Yinyin was not worthy.
She frowned and said, “Don’t keep calling her ‘fake.’ Flesh from both hands is still flesh. You’re my birth daughter, she’s the one I raised. You’re both my children.”
It was the first time Xu Yinyin understood that saying—“flesh from both hands”—could be used this way.
In truth, she had already seen through the morals of this family. But every time she heard them speak so lightly and dismissively of her, it still stung.
Looking at Madam Wang, she suddenly asked softly, “Madam, do you know how my foster parents treated me when I was in the countryside?”
Madam Wang was caught off guard, and frowned. “Let’s talk about those things later. I’m just asking for your name…”
“My name is Xu Yinyin!” Xu Yinyin cut her off, unable to bear it any longer. She stared straight into her eyes. “Xu. Does Madam intend for me to continue bearing the surname Xu?”
That question made Madam Wang’s face burn.
She suddenly realized—yes, why was she even asking what Xu Yinyin had been called before?
If they’d swapped the daughters, was she really planning to let the real daughter keep using the name she had in the countryside?
Feeling awkward and a little embarrassed, Madam Wang also started to sense that this daughter wasn’t going to be easy to handle.
She gave a dry cough and looked at Qi Zhen.
Naturally, Qi Zhen would never let Xu Yinyin continue using the surname Xu.
After a moment of thought, he said kindly, “Of course not. The past can’t be changed, but from now on, you’re the official young miss of our marquis household… You’ll be called Qi Yuan.”
Yuan, meaning first.
Even Qi Jin’s name only meant “ornamental embroidery.” But Qi Yuan—this name alone proclaimed her status.
In her past life, she’d only changed her surname to Qi, keeping the name Yinyin. Now, her whole name had changed.
Though she didn’t particularly cherish the Qi surname…
If it made Qi Jin and Qi Yunting unhappy, then she was happy.
So she blinked and said, “Alright.”
Madam Wang stared at her, unsure why—but she suddenly felt a chill down her spine.
Suppressing that discomfort, she let Zhang Mama lead Qi Yuan away, then added with a frown, “Take the young miss to Mingyue Pavilion.”
Zhang Mama opened her mouth slightly. She knew full well that the room previously arranged for Qi Yuan had been a small, out-of-the-way courtyard in the corner of the garden.
But Mingyue Pavilion was a two-story building, the very place the eldest young lady of the house used to live before marriage.
Everything had changed.
She glanced at Qi Yuan and bowed her head even lower. “Yes, Madam. Don’t worry, this old servant understands.”
She turned and led Qi Yuan away.
Back inside the room, once Qi Yuan had gone, Madam Wang unconsciously let out a sigh of relief.
She casually dismissed Qi Yunting as well. “You should go back too.”
As she spoke, she gave him a meaningful glance, signaling him not to stir up more trouble.
Qi Yunting was already fuming—he’d been slapped, scolded, and humiliated for no good reason.
But seeing his mother’s signal, he knew it was better not to cause more trouble now.
So he left, holding back his anger.
Once her son had gone, Madam Wang looked at Qi Zhen. “My lord Marquis, what exactly is going on here? Why are you…”
Qi Zhen knew what she was asking, so he explained the whole matter—Qi Yuan’s complaint, the resulting gossip, and even Jing Wang’s personal involvement.
Jing Wang himself? Now Madam Wang understood why Qi Zhen had changed his stance.
If even the imperial family knew, then there was no way they could continue keeping Qi Yuan out in the cold.
What if someday Jing Wang casually asked, “By the way, has your lost daughter returned yet?”
Could they possibly say: “Oh, we didn’t want her back because she was raised in the countryside”?
People would point at their backs and curse them.
Madam Wang sighed. “Even so, this girl… really makes me uneasy.”
“How so?” Qi Zhen asked, puzzled. “I actually think she’s doing quite well—much better than I expected.”
That’s the thing about low expectations: even the slightest surprise can feel like a windfall.
Madam Wang, however, was quick to notice Qi Zhen’s change in attitude. She shook her head. “When she saw me, there was no excitement or joy at all. Just a coldness that made me feel uneasy.”
Yes, this was nothing like what she’d imagined from a long-lost daughter.
And certainly nothing like her interactions with Qi Jin.
Thinking of Qi Jin, Madam Wang’s heart softened again.
That daughter—her hard-earned daughter—was someone she had cherished like her own eyes.
She remembered everything about her: her first words, her first crawl, first steps. Every milestone.
Why did the daughters have to be swapped?
And why did she have to find out the truth?
She would have rather lived in ignorance.
Qi Zhen’s face darkened. “She was nearly strangled to death by Hua Momo before coming home! How could she feel close to you after that?”
Madam Wang fell silent for a while before asking, “Then, my lord Marquis, what are you suggesting?”
“I’m saying,” Qi Zhen replied coldly, “Hua Momo was just a servant. She wouldn’t dare act on her own.”
He looked at Madam Wang and added a warning: “If we really want to dig deeper, there’s still the matter of Yunque. If she were a fool, it’d be one thing. But does she look like a fool to you?”
She did not.
At that moment, Madam Wang almost wished Qi Yuan was a fool.
Too much cleverness meant there were no secrets.
Qi Zhen spoke casually again: “In a few days, let’s host a formal family gathering. Invite all the relatives and friends. Let them meet her.”
Formal recognition. Ancestral ceremony. Now a special family banquet, too?
Madam Wang was shocked. “But what about her manners?”
“Her etiquette and conduct were taught by Jiang Momo, the one who served the eldest princess herself.” Qi Zhen looked at her meaningfully. “She’ll only be better than Jin’er, not worse.”
…
So that’s why.
Madam Wang finally understood why Qi Zhen was treating Qi Yuan so differently.
She had actually studied under that Jiang Momo?
If she’d really caught the attention of the Eldest Princess, then her future prospects were indeed promising.
Back then, Qi Zhen had disliked this daughter only because he thought she lacked polish and would bring shame to the family.
Now that he understood her true worth, of course he’d be eager to let her bring honor to the household.
