northernbook Chapter 180 She is the true eldest daughter of the General's Mansion!
Chapter 180 She is the true eldest daughter of the General's Mansion!
After hearing Jiang's words, Madam Shen asked, "That girl really looks exactly like Jin'er?"
Madam Jiang: "They only look somewhat alike. I heard from the servants that her character and temperament are incomparable to Jin'er's. She has been nitpicking at home ever since she came back, and she even thinks that the Lingyun Pavilion that the General prepared for her is not good enough."
Madam Shen frowned.
Jiang continued, "I don't know what has bewitched the general lately! As his own mother, how could I not know whether my child is still alive or not?"
Why should I adopt an imposter as my daughter?
As Jiang spoke, she wiped away her tears with a wronged expression: "Those two children were not even full-term when they were born. My mother was afraid that I would be sad, so she buried the children secretly without letting me see them. But over the years, I have often dreamed of them."
“That was my first child with the General… I know the General feels indebted to me and wants to find that child to make amends, but that child really isn’t of the General’s bloodline! I can’t accept an imposter as my daughter! This is like stabbing me in the heart!”
Seeing Jiang's tears, Old Madam Shen sighed softly, "The general was confused for a moment. I will go and persuade him tomorrow!"
"Now that things have come to this, only Mother can persuade the General!" Madam Jiang wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes with her embroidered handkerchief, placing all her last hopes on Old Madam Shen.
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"She really said that?"
After hearing the news Xiao Ling had gathered, Shen Yuan picked up her tea and took a small sip. "This couple is really interesting. One of them is convinced that I am their daughter, while the other cannot accept my existence."
Moreover, the couple brought her back without even discussing it together.
It seems that the Shen couple were not as harmonious and loving as outsiders claimed.
Xiao Ling made the bed for Shen Yuan, "Get some rest."
Shen Yuan: "Mm."
Although she was in a new environment, Shen Yuan adapted quickly. She wasn't picky about the bed and fell asleep in the light and soft silk quilt in no time.
I slept soundly through the night.
The next day, as soon as it was light, a maid stood outside the door and gently called out, "Young Miss, are you awake? The General requests that you go to the ancestral hall at 9:00 AM. It's time for you to get up and do your hair!"
Shen Yuan had already woken up, and upon hearing this, she let the maidservant in.
A head maidservant, accompanied by four younger maidservants, pushed open the door and entered one by one, carrying a basin of water, a towel, and a brocade box.
Although Shen Yuan was not used to being served, she did not know how to style the complicated hairstyles commonly used by daughters of officials, so she sat down in front of the dressing table and was served by the maids.
Half an hour later, Shen Yuan came out of the house.
Xiao Ling stood outside the house, momentarily lost in thought when Shen Yuan came out.
Shen Yuan wore a scarlet silk dress with a gold belt embroidered with butterflies and flowers. The dress flowed gracefully, and the gold-threaded peonies on the hem were faintly visible as she moved.
Her hair was styled in an intricate and elaborate updo, adorned with a peony flower made of gold gauze, paired with a jade stone facet, the long black hair contrasting beautifully with the jade's emerald green hue.
Extremely beautiful.
Xiao Ling snapped out of his daze. He suddenly felt that the girl in front of him should be so bright and dazzling, and that these clothes and jewelry should be worn on her.
The maid glared at Xiao Ling with an unfriendly expression. "What are you standing there for? Lead the way!"
Xiao Ling snapped out of his daze, bent down, and gestured for Shen Yuan to enter, "Miss, please!"
Shen Yuan nodded slightly and followed Xiao Ling to the ancestral hall.
When she arrived, many people had already gathered at the ancestral hall.
In addition to informing Old Madam Shen, Madam Jiang, and the three children in the family, Shen Wei also invited the two collateral branches of the Shen family and the old patriarch of the Shen family, all to add Shen Yuan to the family genealogy.
So when Shen Yuan arrived at the ancestral hall, it was already packed with people.
Xiao Ling stood outside the ancestral hall and announced loudly, "The young lady has arrived!"
Miss?
Everyone inside the ancestral hall immediately turned to look at the door. Shen Yuan, with Xiao Ling's hand on her arm, stepped over the high threshold of the ancestral hall and gracefully walked into the house, meeting everyone's gaze.
"This...this is the eldest daughter that Uncle found? She looks exactly like Yun Jin, no, she looks even more like Uncle than Yun Jin! She's beautiful and spirited, she's definitely Uncle's daughter!"
"Didn't they say she'd been living in the countryside for over a decade? How come this child doesn't look like she grew up in the countryside at all? Look at her, she's not shy at all, so poised and confident, it's like she's always been raised in the General's Mansion!"
"As expected of the eldest daughter of the General of the North's Mansion! She's definitely a member of the Shen family!"
"..."
"Young Miss?" Upon hearing these words, Shen Yunjin clenched her fists tightly. Today, she had dressed up specially, wearing a custom-made palace gown made of moonlight gauze and adorned with jewels, hoping to outshine Shen Yuan.
Let everyone in the Shen family see that even though they are all of the same bloodline, Shen Yunjin is unique and no one can compare to her.
But as soon as Shen Yuan appeared, she stole everyone's attention.
The title "Young Miss" used to belong to her!
She is the eldest daughter of the General's Mansion!
But now they're actually calling that wild girl Shen Yuan "Young Miss," how ridiculous!
Shen Yuan stood below the hall, facing the probing, curious, or suspicious gazes of the crowd, but she remained calm and composed, as if she didn't care about anyone's stares.
It wasn't until the old lady Shen, sitting on the high chair, coughed softly that Shen Yuan raised her eyes and glanced at her from afar.
On her way here, Shen Yuan had already inquired about the basic family members of the Shen family from her maid. She glanced at the old lady of the Shen family sitting on the high chair and another old man with a white beard, and then walked over.
"Shen Yuan greets Madam Shen and the head of the Shen family."
She bowed gracefully, her movements elegant and proper, so much so that even the old lady Shen, who frequently visited the palace, could not find fault with her.
This girl seems to have deliberately learned the etiquette of a lady from a prestigious family.
Where did she learn it?
Was it Liu Mama who taught her? Thinking of Liu Mama, Old Madam Shen twirled the Buddhist prayer beads in her hand. After all, Liu Mama was an old servant of the Shen family, capable of being both a midwife and a governess.
She left without saying goodbye and her whereabouts are unknown. Now she has deliberately raised such a young girl and sent her to the general's mansion. What is her true intention?
Shen Yuan kept her knees slightly bent, maintaining the gesture of bowing.
"Mother!" Shen Wei couldn't bear to watch any longer and tugged at Old Madam Shen's sleeve.
Only then did Old Madam Shen glance at Shen Yuan, "Get up!"
Shen Yuan stood up. "Thank you, Madam!"
"A-Yuan, come to your father." Shen Wei beckoned to Shen Yuan, gesturing for her to stand beside him.
Shen Yuan obediently walked over.
Shen Wei looked at Shen Yuan, his joy barely concealed. He proudly introduced her to everyone, "Yuan is my first child. Because she was weak, she had been staying at the estate with Granny Liu to recuperate for the past few years. Now that she is much better, I have brought her back to the manor."
After saying that, he looked at Shen Yuan and introduced her: "Yuan, this is your grandfather, the clan chief, this is your grandmother, this is your sister Yun Jin, and your two younger brothers Chang Shu and Qing Shu."
Shen Yuan raised an eyebrow imperceptibly. Why did Shen Wei introduce everyone but skip over Jiang Shi?
Could it be that Shen Wei and Jiang Shi have reached this point of disagreement because of her?