"Yingxue, this is your older sister, Lixue!" Looking at his most proud daughter, Shen Minghui's kind eyes were full of smiles.
"Father, have you forgotten that Madam Qingzhu and my sister perished in a fire fifteen years ago?"
Shen Yingxue smiled and looked at Shen Lixue with a slightly arrogant and superior expression. Her long eyelashes curled slightly upwards, and her beautiful pupils formed two small black vortexes. A strong aura of tears filled her eyes, as if she wanted to suck people in.
Shen Lixue narrowed her eyes: Such strong hostility. She had just arrived at the Prime Minister's residence; she hadn't offended Shen Yingxue, had she...?
Shen Minghui coughed a few times awkwardly: "Yingxue, Lixue is carrying our Shen family's heirloom jade pendant, and her appearance is very similar to Qingzhu's. I have confirmed it..."
“Father, the world is vast and full of wonders. Not to mention similar ones, even identical people can be found. Although our Shen family heirloom jade is rare, it is not unique in the world. It is not entirely impossible to imitate one.” Shen Yingxue smiled gently, her words resounding and leaving no room for rebuttal. However, if one listened carefully, one would find that her words concealed a deep resentment.
"This..." If someone else said this, Shen Minghui would just laugh it off without comment, but Shen Yingxue was his most proud and intelligent daughter, and he would listen to her words, whether they were good or bad.
The jade pendant in his hand was warm to the touch, and a gentle warmth seeped into his skin, soothing his soul, just like when he first received the jade pendant twenty years ago. Shen Minghui was very certain that this jade pendant was the heirloom of the Shen family!
Looking at the pure and ethereal Shen Lixue, and then at the elegant and composed Shen Yingxue, Shen Minghui swallowed back the words of affirmation that were on the tip of his tongue. He had watched Shen Yingxue grow up, so how could he not understand her feelings?
“I understand Miss Shen’s meaning. The Shen family bloodline is a matter of great importance, and the Prime Minister’s daughter cannot be easily confirmed.” Shen Lixue finished Shen Yingxue’s sentence, then suddenly changed the subject: “I came alone, and Miss Shen can be so suspicious, but I was sent to the Prime Minister’s residence by the Prince of Nangong. Before that, the Prince of Nangong had already confirmed my identity. Miss Shen’s actions are to question the Prince of Nangong…”
After entering the living room, Nangong Xiao barely said a word, sitting elegantly in a mahogany chair, the lid of his cup lightly touching the tea leaves, leisurely drinking tea and watching the play until now.
Shen Lixue brought him up not to seek help, but to drag him into the fray: the masters of the Prime Minister's mansion are fighting fiercely in the arena, how can you, Nangong Xiao, sit idly by and watch the show? Join the fray in this chaotic battle!
Shen Minghui glanced at Nangong Xiao and said in a deep voice, "Yingxue!" These two simple words were filled with boundless care, implying to Shen Yingxue that Nangong Xiao was the heir of the Yun Prince, and that doubting or denouncing him was a serious crime!
Shen Yingxue remained calm and smiled charmingly: "Miss Shen, Your Highness, please don't misunderstand. I didn't mean to doubt you. I just have some doubts in my heart that I have to express. Miss Shen, please be magnanimous and don't take it to heart."
Shen Lixue smiled faintly. Shen Yingxue had flattered her. If she said she cared, she would be considered narrow-minded. If she agreed with her and said she didn't care, she would be considered to have suffered a small loss. Shen Yingxue was truly not simple.
"Of course, you could be Father's daughter, but I think that since this concerns the reputation of the Prime Minister's residence and Miss Shen, we shouldn't rush into a family reunion. Otherwise, it will surely cause gossip. It's better to investigate further before making a conclusion..."
Shen Lixue frowned. Shen Yingxue had said so much, but it turned out she was setting a trap. If she didn't fall into it, wouldn't she be letting down her good intentions? "Then, according to Miss Shen, how can I prove my identity to convince everyone?"
Shen Yingxue smiled faintly, the smile seeping into her eyes and blooming outward through her pupils: "It's very simple, a blood test to determine kinship."
Blood test for kinship! Shen Minghui was startled. His lips moved, but the words that were about to come out changed: "Prince Nangong..."
The blood test was a sign of distrust towards Shen Lixue. Shen Lixue was sent by Nangong Xiao, and to doubt her was to doubt Nangong Xiao. Shen Minghui had his reservations...
Shen Lixue sneered. She knew that Shen Minghui disliked her, this daughter who had appeared out of nowhere, but she did not expect that all the evidence she had to prove her identity would be no match for Shen Yingxue's few words of suspicion. Shen Minghui doted on Shen Yingxue so much that he must have known her purpose in doing this, but he did not stop her and even helped her achieve her wish.
Even so, in order to help Shen Yingxue achieve her wish, he was willing to sacrifice her. She is also Shen Minghui's biological daughter. Why is Shen Minghui so biased?
"Although I sent Miss Lixue to the manor, she is the daughter of the Prime Minister's family. How you prove her identity is a family matter of your Prime Minister's family, and I will not interfere..." Nangong Xiao pushed the matter away completely. He was just here to watch the show and had no intention of getting involved.
"Young Master, in Qingzhou, I only knew that my father was named Shen Minghui. You told me that my father was the Prime Minister and that I was the daughter of the Prime Minister's family..." Shen Lixue's eyes were resentful and her tone was miserable, indirectly reminding others that she was instigated by Nangong Xiao to come to the Prime Minister's family to recognize her relatives. Nangong Xiao wanted to continue to stay out of it, drinking tea and watching the show.
Nangong Xiao's lips twitched: "I only saw your jade pendant and Lady Qingzhu's nameplate, and thought you might be the daughter of Prime Minister Shen, so I brought you to the Prime Minister's residence..." He was just a spectator, trying to drag him into this mess.
Nangong Xiao didn't object to the blood test, and Shen Minghui secretly breathed a sigh of relief: "Lixue, this is a pragmatic measure to silence gossip. Don't worry, the blood test won't damage our father-daughter relationship; it will only deepen it..."
Looking at Shen Lixue's cold, mocking, and seemingly all-seeing gaze, Shen Minghui felt inexplicably guilty, and his voice grew softer and softer.
Shen Lixue smiled coldly. Now that things had come to this, she had no choice. It would be graceful to leave, but others would think she was guilty. If things went any worse, Shen Minghui would arrest her on charges of impersonating the daughter of the Prime Minister, and she would spend the rest of her life in prison.
From the moment she entered the Prime Minister's residence, it was already destined that no matter what happened, she could only move forward and could not retreat: "When in Rome, do as the Romans do!"
Shen Minghui coughed a few times awkwardly: "Li Xue, this is your home. You are the host, not a guest!"
Shen Lixue's eyes were filled with even more mockery. If she were the master of the Prime Minister's mansion, why would she need to perform a blood test to prove kinship?
Shen Minghui waved his hand and gently ordered, "Someone, prepare for the blood test to determine kinship!"
The servants of the Prime Minister's residence were very quick. After half a cup of tea, a bowl of water and a long, thin needle were placed on a tray and brought to Shen Lixue.
With a blank expression, Shen Lixue picked up the fine needle from the white brocade and, under everyone's gaze, gently pricked her middle finger. A drop of bright red blood fell into the clear water, splashing up a tiny water droplet.
"Master!" Shen Minghui was the prime minister, so he didn't have to do the blood sampling himself. A maid took a fine needle and carefully pricked his finger, letting a drop of blood fall.
The tray carrying the bowl of water was placed on the round table in the center of the room, and everyone's eyes were drawn to the two drops of blood in the bowl...
Two drops of blood, one above the other, one to the left and one to the right, stood steadily in the water, like the Chu River and Han Border, gazing at each other from afar, showing no intention of getting closer.
The result of the blood test for kinship is obvious.
"The blood didn't mix!" someone shouted, and a series of mocking whispers echoed in the living room.
"She's not the Prime Minister's daughter, so of course their blood won't mix..."
"And yet she came running off to claim kinship with such conviction..."
"shameless……"
The murmurs weren't loud, but they were enough for everyone in the living room to hear. Shen Yingxue smiled slightly, polite and poised, her beautiful eyes gleaming with undisguised pride: "Miss Shen, the blood test results are in..."
Shen Lixue ignored the mockery of the crowd, standing quietly by the window. Her cool gaze looked into the distance through the half-open window. The bright sunlight shone on her, and her light blue Xiang dress fluttered in the wind, creating a hazy, indescribable beauty: Blood does not melt!
Nangong Xiao, who had been enjoying his tea and watching the drama unfold, lost all interest in savoring it: Why was Shen Lixue so silent? Was she devastated by the blood-incompatibility issue? Should he help her through this difficult time, or else there would be no more drama to watch at the Prime Minister's residence...?
Setting down his teacup, Nangong Xiao was about to speak when a furious roar suddenly rang out: "Miss Shen, please give me an explanation!" Shen Minghui's large hand clenched quietly, trembling slightly, his dark eyes blazing with anger: the blood wouldn't dissolve!
Shen Lixue snapped out of her daze, glanced at the two unrelated drops of blood in the water, and smiled gently. Her bright smile was like a spring flower in bloom, delicate and beautiful: Shen Minghui wanted an explanation from her, fine, she would give him the most reasonable explanation!
---Aside---
Thank you, my dear!
Ripple z6822, 2 diamonds.