TFWYH – Chapter 580 Conferring the Title of Vice Minister

“There’s no way.” Tang Wan spread her hands helplessly.

In this era, there was no parentage testing, so something like this could not be clearly determined.

“Unless Gu Yanshuang tells the truth. Why don’t you think carefully—did Gu Yanshuang have any trusted subordinates by her side? She did so many dirty deeds, she couldn’t possibly have handled everything personally. If we find that person, we can seize them and force a confession under harsh interrogation!”

“This…” Madam Jiang carefully searched her memories. After a long while, she said uncertainly, “Before Elder Sister married, there was a personal maid by her side named Qiuwen. But so many years have passed—I don’t know whether that maid is still serving her.”

Ling Yu said calmly, “Whether she is or not, we’ll know once we find a chance to look.”

“Right!” Tang Wan nodded and took charge of the matter. “Mother, don’t worry for now. The next time Qingfeng goes to the Second Prince’s residence, I’ll go with him. Then I’ll find a way to see that maid, sketch her appearance, and bring it back for you to identify.”

“Good, good…” Madam Jiang tightly gripped Tang Wan’s hand, her heart filled with anxiety.

If that girl was not her daughter, that would be one thing. But if she was… then she truly did not know what to do.

She certainly would not be able to take the child back. And since the girl had grown up treating Gu Yanshuang as her mother, she would never acknowledge her.

Wait…

Remembering something, Madam Jiang anxiously asked Ling Yu, “You said just now that child is foolish-minded. What happened?”

“It means she hit her head when she was young, and her intelligence is like that of a three-year-old child.” Ling Yu did not dare mention the matter of the gu poison, fearing it would distress Madam Jiang.

But how could a perfectly healthy child hit her head for no reason?

If there were no hidden story behind it, who would believe that?

The more Madam Jiang thought about it, the more she cried.

She was not a good mother.

She had been too weak.

It was one thing that she could not protect herself—but she could not even protect her own children.

Yu’er had been born in a mass grave and nearly suffocated in her womb.

And now the girl who might be her daughter had become simple-minded.

The Gu family!

At that moment, Madam Jiang truly came to hate the Gu family completely—those people who had once been her relatives.

But the one she hated most of all was Gu Yanshuang!

She swore that if this foolish girl truly was her daughter, she would never let Gu Yanshuang off.

…

Time flew by, and Ling Yu’s success in becoming the top scholar became the talk of the capital.

Because this top scholar was just too ridiculously handsome. And not only was he handsome—he was talented as well.

Even knowing he was already married, many wealthy merchants sent matchmakers to inquire whether they could send their daughters to become his concubines.

As for officials of all ranks, they were more tactful. Instead of openly proposing, they sent invitations to the Ling household—and all addressed to Tang Wan.

Today it was some madam’s birthday banquet. Tomorrow it was some old matriarch’s grand celebration…

Tang Wan did not know a single one of them, so she rejected them all.

When these officials saw Tang Wan refusing to play along, they became rather annoyed.

After learning that Ling Yu’s mother, Madam Jiang, had arrived in the capital, they began sending invitations to Madam Jiang instead. Even Ling Yue received several invitations from unknown households.

Especially three days later, when the top scholar, second scholar, and third scholar entered the palace to receive their appointments.

The Emperor personally appointed Ling Yu as a Director of the Ministry of Revenue, a fifth-rank official post.

The moment this imperial decree was announced, the entire court was shocked!

Throughout history, top scholars usually started no higher than seventh rank.

Some were even sent away to provincial posts, where they had to grind out years of experience before eventually being recalled to the capital as officials there.

For example, the former top scholar Wei Gao. Though he had taken first place, he was sent to Xiangxi Town as a county magistrate.

But Ling Yu was different—he started immediately at fifth rank, and it was a capital appointment at that!