Chapter 1250

She hadn't expected Tian Jiao Society to know such a secret.

Tian Jiao added, "My mother's dowry shop is right next door to my maternal uncle's house, so I know several of the young masters there.

My maternal uncle's house is the home of my maternal grandfather's old friend. In their family, there is a madman!

My sister-in-law says that madman is my mother's cousin, named Qin Yuhua!"

Tian Yulan's cousin?

What a coincidence?

Tian Yulan trembled all over.

She suddenly clenched her fists, lowered her voice, and snapped at Tian Jiao: "What nonsense are you spouting!"

Tian Tian looked at her: "Sister, I'm not blind, I heard everything."

"You…"

"I remember it all now." Tian Jiao cut her off. "I remember everything before I was three. I'm not a mute because I cracked my head in that fall back then. I remember those things."

Tian Yulan froze.

"You—you really aren't a deaf-mute?" Tian Yulan murmured, her tone full of doubt.

"No," Tian Jiao said firmly.

"That's not right. If you were a deaf-mute, how could you know those things?"

"I knew them in my dreams."

"…" Tian Yulan stood there dumbfounded.

Tian Jiao went on: "Sister, I know you harmed me, and I know you like Qin Mao. You think what you did was very secret, but I know it all.

I just couldn't be bothered to expose you.

If you're willing to admit your fault obediently, I won't see you utterly destroyed. Otherwise…"

She gave a cold snort, a vicious glint flashing through her eyes.

She was no saint.

Tian Yulan had already lost the strength to resist.

She slumped to the ground in despair, her face wretched, tears rolling down, and choked out: "I'm innocent!"

"Whether you're innocent or not, I don't care. I only believe in myself. I won't let go of anyone who has harmed me."

Tian Yulan cried until she could barely speak.

She clutched her chest in agony, feeling she couldn't breathe.

Tian Tian stared at her in silence until she fainted.

Tian Tian turned and left.

The next morning, Tian Yulan woke up and saw her maid.

She was terrified and threw her arms around the maid: "Where's Tian Tian? Where has Tian Tian run off to?"

"Miss, you coughed up blood and fainted last night. It was Miss Tian who brought you back." the maid answered nervously.

Tian Yulan breathed a sigh of relief.

She stayed in bed to recuperate.

Tian Yulan is her eldest uncle's concubine. The daughter she bore is six months younger than Tian Tian. Tian Tian is the legitimate eldest daughter, so she ranks fifth.

The eldest uncle has three wives and four concubines.

The eldest aunt is young and pretty, with a gentle temperament, and is very kind to all the brothers and sisters.

She is a generous and tolerant mistress of the house, praised by everyone in the household.

The eldest uncle is a hopelessly devoted man.

After Tian Yulan married Tian Qiwen, she moved out of the main house and lived in a country estate.

She didn't like lively places.

Tian Yulan's mother died early, and she was spoiled by Tian Qiwen like a princess.

Tian Yulan liked peace and simplicity, unwilling to attend any banquets or social engagements, so Tian Qiwen went along with her wishes.

"I'm not feeling well. I won't go out today." Tian Yulan said.

The maid hesitated, wanting to speak.

Tian Yulan looked at her: "If you have something to say, just say it."

The maid said: "I heard that the eldest young master is leaving the city today to visit the Lin family, and he'll likely be back around evening. I wanted to let you know, miss, so you can prepare."

Tian Yulan frowned.

She wanted to refuse.

But the moment she opened her mouth, her throat suddenly hurt, and she couldn't help but cough.

The maid hurriedly helped soothe her back, patting it for her.

Tian Yulan caught her breath and said: "You may go. I know what to do."

The maid withdrew respectfully.

Tian Yulan sat on the edge of the bed, lost in thought.

She was wondering why Tian Qiwen was going to visit the Lin family.

The Lin family are merchants, their household is poor, not even an official among them—why would Tian Qiwen go to the Lin family to curry connections?

Tian Yulan guessed that Tian Qiwen went to the Lin family because of his private friendship with Old Master Lin.

If the private friendship weren't deep enough, why would Tian Qiwen go visit a merchant?

There must be something fishy going on here.

"No, I have to go investigate and get to the bottom of this." Tian Yulan thought.

Tian Yulan walked out of her own courtyard and headed toward the Tian family's separate residence.

Tian Qiwen did not allow her to move about freely, and she could not enter or leave the inner courtyard. Only between the separate residence and the outer courtyard was it relatively convenient.

The Tian family had guards on patrol.

Tian Yulan took a roundabout route, avoided the guards, climbed over the wall, and entered the Tian family's separate residence.

She went straight to find her second aunt — Tian Yuxiang, her mother's distant cousin.

Tian Yuxiang and Tian Yulan were twins, and their appearances were somewhat similar. The Tian family had a great-aunt who bore two sons and one daughter; Tian Xiang was also a young lady of the house.

Tian Yuxiang was the youngest child of the Tian family.

She had been lively and adorable since she was little, delightful to be around.

"…Sister Ayu is here." She came forward with a beaming smile. "Quickly sit down and rest. I was just about to go out to see our father — how do you have the time to come over and play?"

Tian Yulan sat down and quietly told Tian Xiang everything she had heard.

Tian Xiang's face immediately changed.

Tian Yulan added: "Axiang, you know whether this matter is true or false. I was afraid you'd been deceived, so I came specially to warn you."

"Impossible." Tian Xiang said. "Is Tian Tian stupid or what? Why would she claim to be Qin Yulan's granddaughter?"

"That's because she doesn't dare to admit it. She is indeed Qin Yulan's granddaughter, that's correct, but she is not Qin Yulan's son." Tian Yulan explained. "She is a child my mother-in-law picked up."

Tian Xiang's eyes went wide, and only after a long while did she say: "No wonder Tian Tian is unwilling to acknowledge her ancestry and return to the clan."

So that's how it was!

She suddenly understood.

Tian Yulan, however, shook her head: "I don't understand either. My mother-in-law said that when she took Tian Tian in, Tian Tian was already on the verge of death.

Tian Tian was the one my mother-in-law saved.

After she woke up, she asked about her father. Her father had died; my mother-in-law told her that her father had gotten lost while fleeing with us mother and child.

Before her father died, he asked my mother-in-law to take good care of her, so she clung to the Tian family."

Tian Xiang was slightly surprised.

1071. Caught a handle.

1071. Caught a handle.

She thought for a moment, then asked Tian Yulan: "Sister Ayu, you said our family's maid Xiaohong — is she also not actually a maid of our household?