Chapter 25

Huifang, in a moment of desperation, blurted out something. When the words settled, she realized that she had essentially admitted to the story of the child swap. She became flustered and frightened, choking up as she said, “Even if he isn’t Madam’s biological child, he’s still a child of the Cui family. Madam wouldn’t lose all sense to such an extent. It’s— it’s that the child didn’t survive…”

Concubine Zhang, already emotional outside, immediately responded upon hearing this: “No, impossible! The child was perfectly fine when taken away. How could it not survive? It must be Lin Mingyi. She must have killed my child!”

Concubine Zhang covered her mouth and cried miserably, unable to stand. Qingping and another servant quickly supported her, while Huifang, her eyes reddened, said, “At this point, why would I still lie? When the baby was brought over, he was quiet and well-behaved. But the very next day, the baby was often short of breath, choking on milk, with his throat sounding as if there was phlegm. If one weren’t careful, his face would turn bluish.”

Huifang continued, “Madam consulted a doctor at that time, but the baby was already sick when he was brought over, which easily made people think Madam hadn’t cared for him properly. Therefore, Madam always claimed she wasn’t feeling well herself to summon the doctor. The doctor prescribed medicine, but how could such a tiny baby ingest any medicine? After being tormented for seven or eight days, the baby couldn’t be saved…”

With determination, Huifang continued, “Having lost a perfectly healthy baby, Madam would be doubted, especially with Miss’s child still outside. That child was born only a little over a month later than Concubine Zhang’s baby. Moreover, when Miss gave birth, the fetal position was unstable, and she endured many hardships. The baby was born weighing just over five pounds and extremely weak. So Madam thought it wouldn’t be easily noticed if she swapped the babies. She could raise her biological grandson by her side while avoiding doubts and punishment. Wouldn’t that be a perfect solution?”

For over three years, Concubine Zhang had endured the pain of longing for her child. However, at least the child was still alive, healthy, and pleasant, fulfilling her maternal instincts from a distance. But she never could have imagined that her child had actually died in infancy before reaching full-term—how could she accept this?

Her grief pierced her like a knife, “No, I don’t believe it, I absolutely don’t—”

Huifang spoke hoarsely, “If the Concubine doesn’t believe it, you can summon the doctor from back then. He knows better than anyone about the young master’s condition. The doctor who visited privately then was Luo Mingcheng, who previously served as a physician in Lin’s household. His medical skills are exceptional. After leaving Lin’s residence, he opened Luo’s Clinic on Changfu Street in the southern part of the city. During his last visit, he mentioned that the child might not survive, and the next day, the child indeed passed away. After the child swap, Madam never summoned him again. When he learned that the young master had grown up healthy, he must have been astonished. However, Madam had once shown him kindness, and since he didn’t witness the child’s death with his own eyes, he wouldn’t spread any false rumors.”

Concubine Zhang’s vision darkened as she wept uncontrollably. Xie Xinglan immediately ordered, “Go and fetch this doctor!”

A guard set off to carry out the command, and Xie Xinglan continued his inquiry, “If the child wasn’t harmed by you, where is the body? And before Cui Wan’s child entered the household, where was it being cared for?”

Huifang, her face pale, replied, “The child was sent out of the city. Madam purchased a farmer’s cemetery and buried the child there. Knowing this harmed her karma, Madam also went to Baiyun Temple outside the city to dedicate a lamp. Miss’s child was born in Quzhou. Madam had the child sent away within a few days of his birth. She didn’t want the crying to disturb the household, so he was sent to the countryside of the maid’s hometown, with a trusted servant girl assigned to care for him.”

Huifang gave a detailed account, but Xie Xinglan needed to send someone to verify it before fully believing her. At this moment, he ordered, “Bring the other person in.”

The guards brought in Xinfang and asked her about Madam Lin’s child swap. Xin Fang was shocked and hurriedly looked at Huifang, only to see Huifang with a face full of tears, unable to meet her gaze out of guilt. “I had no choice but to speak. If I didn’t, they would accuse Madam of killing Concubine Zhang’s child. What a grievous crime that would be! Besides, they’ve already discovered that the child at the full moon banquet wasn’t Concubine Zhang’s child.”

Xin Fang felt as though a bolt of lightning had struck her. She gritted her teeth for a long while before being forced to answer Xie Xinglan’s questions. After two incense sticks’ worth of questioning, her account was identical to Huifang’s. At this time, the doctor surnamed Luo was brought back by the guards.

Luo Mingcheng was aware of the young lady’s death in the Earl’s household but was puzzled as to why Longyi Guards had brought him here. After paying his respects, he heard Xie Xinglan ask, “Back in the first month of the 17th year of Zhenyuan, you treated the young master of this household. What was his condition at that time? Recall it carefully and explain.”

Confused but honest, Luo Mingcheng said, “I remember that the young master was only four or five days old at the time. The hematoma on the top of his head hadn’t yet dissipated, and the jaundice on his body hadn’t fully cleared either. When I arrived, his lungs had collapsed, and he was struggling to breathe, his face ash gray. I’ve seen this condition before, often in premature infants. They can cry when first born but quickly develop shortness of breath and suffocation symptoms. This condition generally stems from underdeveloped lungs.”

“At that time, I judged the situation to be dire but still gave my best effort to treat him. I prescribed three sets of medicines. I recall that during my third visit, the young master’s breathing had been labored for days, and his cheeks had turned cyanotic. I cautiously hinted to Madam that he might not survive. Afterward, Madam never summoned me again. Not long after, I heard about the young master’s full moon banquet. I thought Madam must have consulted a miraculous doctor from the palace who managed to save him.”

Xie Xinglan asked in a low voice, “Do you still remember the prescriptions you made back then?”

Luo Mingcheng quickly responded, “I can’t fully recall the specific medicines used, but I indeed put a lot of effort into saving the young master at the time. I even consulted ancient texts and recorded the pharmacology, which I still have. I could return home to retrieve it.”

With Luo Mingcheng’s statement, the credibility of both Xinfang and Huifang’s accounts increased. Xie Xinglan immediately sent someone to accompany Luo Mingcheng to fetch the evidence. Just as they left, Cui Muzhi remarked, “If that’s the case, it wouldn’t be considered infanticide by the Madam. Since this isn’t a murder case, it should be handled by the marquis’s household themselves.”

Xie Xinglan glanced at him and said, “How can you be so sure without verification?”

Concubine Zhang, nearly fainting from crying, also said, “That doctor was originally from the Lin family; I don’t trust his words. Without sufficient evidence, I absolutely cannot believe that my perfectly fine child would have passed away.”

Deep in thought, Qin Ying added, “According to the doctor’s account, it resembles a neonatal illness. Let’s see if he can find the records from three years ago. If he can, then he wasn’t lying.”

Just as she finished speaking, the person sent to fetch the midwife returned. The elderly midwife Zhang, whose temples were streaked with white, entered with visible fear on her face. Seeing Concubine Zhang crying her heart out nearby, the midwife’s unease deepened.

When Xie Xinglan questioned her about the delivery back then, Midwife Zhang recalled carefully, “It was quite dangerous at the time. Because Concubine Zhang’s pregnancy had been unstable, labor occurred a month early. I was frantic during the delivery. After the young master was born, she was on the brink of life and death, and the young master initially neither opened his eyes nor cried. His tiny face was bluish-purple until I patted him for a long while, and then he finally cried out. Hearing his cry, I felt relieved. Later, I waited an entire night. When I left, the young master had opened his eyes, but his breathing was still weak.”

Midwives may not be as knowledgeable in medical matters as doctors, but from her account, one could infer that Concubine Zhang’s child had weak breathing right from birth. Xie Xinglan then turned to Qingping and the others and asked, “When you later cared for the young master, did you notice any signs of shortness of breath?”

Qingping, with fear evident in her eyes, hesitated and said, “To answer your question, my lord, at that time, we indeed noticed the young master having some difficulty breathing. But the older maids said that infants sometimes have labored breathing because their airways are not fully developed, and it would naturally improve after a few days…”

Hearing her maids say the same, Concubine Zhang felt even greater sorrow. At this moment, from afar, Madam Lin approached furiously with a group of people. A guard quickly ran over and said, “My lord, Madam Lin refused to comply with the watch. She tried to smash her head against the door; we had no way to stop her…”

Xie Xinglan waved his hand to dismiss the guard. As the guard retreated, Madam Lin, her hair disheveled, reached the group. She scanned the scene before her, then turned to the anxious and uneasy Huifang and Xinfang, questioning harshly, “What are you doing? The case has already been investigated. Why are you tormenting my people?”

Not seeing Cui Jin present, she turned to Cui Muzhi and said, “Muzhi, you came here to help clean up this mess. How can you watch them make such a farce? Yes, our household has indeed lost face today, but we are still an earl’s family. And you, the heir to the Marquis household, can’t even control the Longyi Guards?”

Cui Muzhi, inexperienced in dealing with women’s irrational behavior, finally realized how unreasonable Madam Lin could be when she turned her ire on him. With a stiff expression, he said, “Aunt, I advise you not to speak so rashly. The chaos in the Earl household today has already caused enough embarrassment. If this continues, it will be difficult for the Earl household to maintain its standing in the capital.”

Madam Lin raised her chin slightly and smoothed her disheveled hair on one side of her face, saying, “It’s merely the younger generation failing to follow the rules of propriety. We Cui family still has heirs—how could we fail to maintain our standing? We still have Han’er to uphold the family.”

In the presence of Xie Xinglan and Qin Ying, Madam Lin’s foolishness made Cui Muzhi’s face turn pale and green with embarrassment. Unable to hold back, he said, “Aunt, you mentioned Han’er—so is Han’er supposed to carry the surname Cui or Xue?”

Madam Lin froze abruptly. At this moment, Huifang burst into tears and said, “Madam, please stop speaking. They’ve already discovered the truth about the child swap from all those years ago. They know that the young master is… Miss’s and Xue Ming’s child…”

The blood drained from Madam Lin’s face, her eyes widened in disbelief, and she finally shrieked, “What do you mean, Xue Ming’s child? What nonsense have you been telling them?!”

Xinfang also knelt and said, “Madam, they know everything. Even if we wanted to hide it, there’s no way we could. They’ve even summoned Luo Mingcheng for questioning. They now even know where Concubine Zhang’s child was buried…”

When the fact that her daughter was pregnant came to light, Madam Lin had no choice but to accept it, whether she wanted to or not. At most, it would leave her with the reputation of failing to raise her daughter properly. But now, even her final secret was exposed. The distinguished Madam of Earl Zhongyuan’s household had replaced a legitimate son with a child born from her daughter’s illicit affair, raising him as her own. If such a scandal were to spread, Lin Mingyi would not only become the biggest laughingstock in the capital but also a disgrace to both the Lin and Cui families for generations.

Madam Lin’s breathing grew rapid, and her body trembled uncontrollably. “No… no, the words of a few lowly servants—how can they be trusted?”

She looked around desperately before suddenly stepping forward and grabbing Cui Muzhi’s arm. “Muzhi, tell them! Tell them it’s not true. Han’er is Concubine Zhang’s child—how could he possibly be Wan’er and Xue family’s child?”

Madam Lin had never been so desperate. Cui Muzhi, a dignified man, felt the sharp pain of her fingernails digging into him. Even so, he didn’t push her away but instead said, “Aunt, the truth cannot be hidden forever. Things have come to this point; no one can save the Earl household now.”

Cui Muzhi glanced at Xie Xinglan and Qin Ying. Xie Xinglan had always been at odds with the Cui family, and Qin Ying had undergone a drastic change in temperament. With so many Longyi Guards and servants present, who could guarantee that not a single word would leak out once they left?

Cui Muzhi straightforwardly said, “Aunt, you’d better think about how to salvage the situation. As for Han’er, Uncle already knows about his true identity. He’s so furious that he fell ill. When he wakes up, Aunt will no longer be able to continue raising him as a legitimate son at your side. Han’er likely won’t be able to stay in the Earl’s residence and continue as its young master. For his own good, it might be better to send him away.”

Madam Lin finally realized why Cui Jin wasn’t present, but she could not accept this. “Salvage? How can I salvage this? Yes, Muzhi, go and call your father and mother! Your father holds a high rank and has great authority—he can save us! Han’er is Wan’er’s flesh and blood. If I don’t keep him by my side, where else can I send him? Even if she isn’t my child, he is still my own grandson…”

“No… no, he isn’t my grandson. He’s the son I raised at my knee. Someday, I’ll have his name recorded as my own. He will be the legitimate son of the Earl’s residence in the future. He will become the next Earl Zhongyuan. I’ll watch him marry and have children, and one day, the entire Earl’s residence will belong to him. He is my child…”

Madam Lin’s expression became deranged, and her words grew frightening. Cui Muzhi pushed her away forcefully, causing her to fall to the ground. Blood instantly blossomed from her palm where it scraped the floor, but she seemed oblivious to the pain. She crawled up again and grabbed at Cui Muzhi’s clothes. “Go, quickly, call your father! Bring him here immediately…”

The Marquis of Changqing, Cui Yao, who held military power, was at the peak of his influence. Yet, since the incident began, Cui Yao had let Cui Muzhi handle everything, clearly signaling his stance. Disgusted, Cui Muzhi kicked Madam Lin away and stepped back a few paces, saying, “Aunt, pull yourself together. The disgrace in your household has ruined yourselves enough—do you intend to ruin the Marquis of Changqing as well?”

Kicked aside and faced with such reproach, Madam Lin finally understood that her fate was sealed; even divine intervention could not save her now. She ground her teeth loudly, then suddenly struck the ground with her hands. After a few piercing screams, her gaze shifted toward the direction of the main courtyard. “Han’er…”

She called out once, then staggered to her feet and began to stumble toward the main courtyard, mumbling to herself like someone possessed. “Han’er, my child… Mother will never let anyone take you away. Mother will never allow it…”

Her words, almost as if under a spell, sent chills down everyone’s spine.

Amid Concubine Zhang’s sorrow, she laughed bitterly, saying, “How pathetic. She’s even sadder than I am. Without a son of her own, she insists on taking someone else’s child. In the end, she raised her daughter’s son on her own. It’s karma—it’s all karma…”

Madam Lin had completely lost her sanity. No one could tell whether her actions stemmed from concern for her grandson or if she genuinely believed that Cui Han was her own son. If it were the former, it might be understandable. But if it were the latter, she had truly descended into madness.

Xinfang and Huifang, seeing Madam Lin running in a frenzy, hurriedly called out “Madam” and followed her. Xie Jian, witnessing this, signaled to two guards, who trailed after them. Before long, they disappeared down the pathway. Although the group was no longer visible, Madam Lin’s cries and incoherent mutterings could still faintly be heard.

Moments later, the guards who followed returned with a report: “My lord, Madam Lin has found Cui Han and is holding him tightly, refusing to let go. Sometimes, she calls him Cui Han, and at others, she calls him Cui Wan. To us, it seems… it seems she has gone mad.”

Hearing this, Concubine Zhang let out a bitter laugh, while Cui Muzhi, upon hearing the news, appeared relieved. His clothes, disheveled from Madam Lin’s earlier struggle, were finally smoothed down as he regained his composure.

Xie Xinglan frowned slightly and said, “Have the household servants call for a doctor.”

The guards received the order and left. At this moment, Cui Muzhi spoke, “Let the Longyi Guards investigate thoroughly. Once it is confirmed that there was no murder involved in the case, this matter can be considered resolved. However, since it has no direct relation to Cui Wan and Xue Ming’s case, certain internal details need not be included in your official report.”

Xie Xinglan’s eyes showed ridicule. “Does Heir Cui still want to cover up the murmuring public opinions?”

Cui Muzhi’s face turned exceedingly grim.

An imperial guard returned with Luo Mingcheng, who held a handwritten medical notebook. As Luo handed it to the guard, he explained, “This is a record I kept during my practice, documenting various pathologies and pharmacologies. The young master’s illness is noted on page eighteen. You may examine it thoroughly. Each time I encountered a case, I would record the year, month, and day, alongside the patient’s symptoms and the challenges faced. Although I did not record the young master’s name, I noted his birth at four days old and his condition in great detail.”

The notebook, already yellowed with age, was opened by Xie Xinglan to the referenced page. Indeed, as Luo Mingcheng claimed, it was a meticulous and comprehensive record. He had even made a diagnosis, predicting the child wouldn’t survive beyond five days. The entries before and after described other patients with severe illnesses, all in chronological order, suggesting it wasn’t a deliberately fabricated piece of evidence.

Observing closely from the side, Qin Ying confirmed the records’ authenticity. After reading through everything, she couldn’t help but cast a glance of sympathy toward Concubine Zhang.

Concubine Zhang, evidently understanding the truth, knew her child had long since passed away. Her expression turned more sorrowful. Qin Ying felt like a heavy weight was pressed upon her heart, and she was unsure whether to expose the truth or maintain the prior facade.

Xie Xinglan handed the notebook back to Luo Mingcheng, and after Luo retreated, he solemnly said, “His testimony is true. Once the baby’s remains are found at the burial site, this suspicious case will be concluded. You have my condolences.”

Concubine Zhang couldn’t hold back and began to wail in grief. Xie Xinglan instructed Xie Jian, “Find two people to accompany the wet nurse to verify whether the remains belong to the deceased infant. If it’s confirmed, bring them back to the mother.”

Cui Muzhi, fearing further complications that might make the matter widely known, ordered his attendants, “You should go and oversee as well.”

The deceased child was ultimately the bloodline of the Cui family, so Xie Xinglan didn’t say much further. At that moment, a servant came to report that Cui Jin had awakened. Seeing this, Cui Muzhi had to go meet Cui Jin.

Once he left, Concubine Zhang was escorted into a side hall to rest. Outside, only Xie Xinglan and Qin Ying remained. Xie Xinglan, noticing Qin Ying’s melancholic demeanor, said, “You have uncovered another truth.”

Qin Ying sighed, “But for Concubine Zhang, this truth is too heartbreaking.”

Xie Xinglan, however, disagreed, “Is it truly more comforting to spend a lifetime loving someone else’s child? Especially a child who cannot be seen or touched. Moreover, the Earl’s household has many immoral scandals; it’s better to expose them under the sunlight so that the world can see how depraved these aristocratic families truly are.”

Qin Ying sighed, “Indeed, keeping so many people in the dark is not right. But Cui Han is young. In this society, he is bound to face much criticism in the future. And as for the Xue family, they likely won’t let it go easily if they find out he is Xue Ming’s child.”

Xie Xinglan, expressionless, said, “That’s their business.”

Qin Ying shook her head. “At least the truth isn’t that Madam Lin harmed an innocent child, which would have been the most heartbreaking.” She turned to Xie Xinglan. “Will you record this case in the Longyi Guardss archives?”

Xie Xinglan raised an eyebrow. “What do you think?”

Qin Ying replied frankly, “I don’t think you will—”

A flicker of surprise flashed in Xie Xinglan’s eyes, but his face remained calm as he said, “I don’t get along with the Cui family. If this case were recorded in the archives, it would undoubtedly become known throughout the court and the common people. It would be a stain that the Cui family could never erase. Everyone knows I’m a person who holds grudges. Besides, since this is their doing, why shouldn’t it be written?”

Qin Ying shook her head. “Strictly speaking, you don’t have such deep hatred for the Cui family. Besides, matters of inner courtyards often involve women and children. You wouldn’t stoop to using this as a weapon.”

When Cui Muzhi had requested earlier, Xie Xinglan had initially planned to do the opposite and escalate the matter, even implicating the Changqing Marquis’ household. However, after hearing Qin Ying’s words, his rebellious intentions mysteriously faded, leaving him with a sense of ease and comfort. Suddenly, he frowned and asked, “Are you trying to plead on Cui Muzhi’s behalf?”

Qin Ying responded helplessly, “How does this even relate? This case has revealed so many scandals about the Cui family. If I were acting for his benefit, shouldn’t I have stayed out of it from the very beginning? If Cui Muzhi knows everything I’ve done, he’d probably hate me instead.”

While other arguments might not hold, this one was undeniably true. Xie Xinglan remained indifferent, refraining from any comment, yet his demeanor seemed brighter. With the matter proving not to be a case of infant murder, he proceeded to finish gathering the uncompleted testimony. Qin Ying, noticing this, didn’t rush to leave and lingered in the household for another hour or so.

When Cui Jin awoke, his face was as pale as paper. Upon learning that his biological son had long since passed away and that both Longyi Guards and Cui family servants had gone outside the city to search for the infant’s remains, he dragged his sickly body to await news. As for Madam Lin’s madness, he regarded it with cold indifference.

The guards didn’t return until dusk. Xie Xinglan and Qin Ying waited in the front courtyard, and Cui Muzhi came out to meet them. The crowd brought back a small box. One guard reported, “The remains have been found. I examined them—the bones were less than a foot long, confirming they belonged to a child born not long ago. It seems accurate. We also questioned the owner of the graveyard, and it aligns with what the Earl’s nanny said: the burial plot was purchased in January three years ago.”

With this report, the case was fully resolved. Xie Xinglan made no further complications and simply let Cui Muzhi take the remains. Having gathered all the testimony, Xie Xinglan prepared to return to the office to finalize the case. Walking out of the Earl’s household gates alongside Qin Ying, he instructed Xie Jian to escort Qin Ying back home.

Mounting his horse and raising his whip, Xie Xinglan couldn’t help but remind her, “After you return home tonight, stay indoors and do not go out. Tomorrow morning, I will come to pick you up and take you to the Jinwu Guards Office.”

Inside the Earl’s residence, Cui Muzhi, initially intending to negotiate further with Xie Xinglan, paused in his steps and furrowed his brows deeply with gloom.