TFWYH – Chapter 671 Tang Wan Arrives

“Father?” Madam Jiang let out a self-mocking laugh. Then her smile slowly faded, and she looked coldly at Gu Hengcang. “What kind of father would allow his eldest daughter to frame his younger daughter? You are not my father, and I am not the Second Miss of the Prime Minister’s Manor. Now I am only Jiang Liniang, an ordinary village woman.”

Gu Hengcang frowned slightly. “If I told you that I was deceived by Shuang’er as well, would you believe me?”

Madam Jiang froze. “What… do you mean?”

Gu Hengcang sighed and shook his head bitterly. “When you suddenly disappeared, I had no idea that she had hidden you away. I sent many people to look for you, but you were an unmarried young woman. What reputation would remain for a girl who stayed away from home for days and nights? I had to consider your reputation, so I couldn’t search openly and make a big commotion. By the time I learned the truth, three years had already passed.”

Madam Jiang was genuinely taken in. She stared at Gu Hengcang, unable to recover from the shock for a long while.

Gu Hengcang caught every change in her expression, and a sharp glint flashed briefly through his eyes.

When he spoke again, his eyes had already reddened.

“Yanran, don’t you know what kind of man your father is? While you lived in the Prime Minister’s Manor, did I ever let you go without food or clothing? Whether it was you or Shuang’er, I had high hopes for both of you. The palm and the back of the hand are both flesh—do you really think that, because of favoritism, I could stand by and watch you die? I… was deceived by Shuang’er too!”

Madam Jiang’s expression softened, though she still said unwillingly, “But when I returned, I saw white funeral banners hanging around the house. The servants all said that the Second Miss had passed away…”

“That was because Shuang’er found a horribly disfigured corpse and claimed it was yours!” Gu Hengcang said, tears streaming down his face. “When your mother learned that you were dead, she cried herself to sleep every night. Within a few months, she left me as well. You always thought I didn’t love you, but Yanran, what parent does not love their own child? A parent’s affection runs deep.”

At that moment, the elderly servant who had accompanied Gu Hengcang also burst into tears.

“Second Miss, after you left, the Old Madam passed away too. Master wanted to follow her in death, but he didn’t dare. If he had died as well, what would have become of the entire Prime Minister’s Manor?”

Tears poured down Madam Jiang’s face. She completely believed him.

She opened her mouth, intending to say something comforting, when a cold female voice suddenly rang out:

“If that is the case, then why was the real culprit never punished?”

Madam Jiang, Gu Hengcang, and the old servant all looked up.

They saw Tang Wan striding toward them from against the light.

“Wan’er…” Madam Jiang’s eyes were still red, tears hanging on her cheeks. She looked at her in surprise. “Weren’t you at the clinic?”

“I heard distinguished guests had come to our home. As the host, how could I neglect them?”

After entering the room, Tang Wan stepped in front of Madam Jiang protectively and looked coldly at Gu Hengcang.

“Greetings, Prime Minister Gu. I never expected you to honor us with your presence. The Ministry Manor is truly illuminated by your visit.”

Gu Hengcang’s brows knitted briefly before relaxing again. Looking at Tang Wan, he smiled kindly.

“County Lady Wengnai, I never imagined you would be my granddaughter-in-law. No wonder I felt an immediate sense of closeness the first time I saw you.”

Tang Wan was not Madam Jiang and had no intention of falling for such tactics.

“I don’t feel the same. Prime Minister Gu, you still haven’t answered my question. Since you know who the culprit was, why didn’t you punish her?”

Gu Hengcang sighed and continued his deception.

“The matter was already settled. What could I do? Both daughters are equally precious to me.”

Tang Wan had no intention of believing the old fox.

“Oh? Then you knew about my mother-in-law losing her chastity to the Second Prince, didn’t you?”

Gu Hengcang hesitated for a moment before nodding.

“Yes.”