"Whether it is true or not, Master Meng will know with a single check. I believe that everything done leaves a trace." After saying that, he quickly left.
Meng Changqing watched his retreating figure, lost in thought. He knew the other party harbored ill intentions and felt the child in the capital couldn't possibly be his. Yet, he couldn't help but replay the events over and over in his mind.
As soon as he returned to the Meng residence, he went to his son's courtyard and meticulously examined his features. The more he looked, the more the child resembled him, and he couldn't help but chuckle, muttering to himself, "He looks five-tenths like me, how could he not be my child?"
The eldest young master of the Meng family watched his father oscillate between laughter and self-muttering, completely bewildered as to what had gotten into him today.
He couldn't figure it out, and frankly, he didn't want to. His own life was difficult enough, and he didn't wish to concern himself with matters beyond his understanding. After all, his stepmother was still watching him like a hawk. At three years old, the eldest young master of the Meng family was already like a little adult, contemplating many things.
He remained silent, but someone else was growing anxious. After considerable effort, the wet nurse of the eldest young master of the Meng family was found in a remote village. They inquired if the child had any distinguishing marks.
The wet nurse thought carefully and shook her head. The questioner couldn't help but show disappointment. Finally, the wet nurse was brought along and together they went to the Meng residence.
Upon seeing them, Master Meng's good mood vanished. He said irritably, "I don't know what grudges you hold against Young Master Zhou, but we are divorced. Please do not disturb our lives any further."
These people were clearly from the capital. Their knowledge of Zhou Shaoqiu's current husband's identity indicated they were of no small standing, someone he couldn't afford to offend. He did not want trouble.
"Since we have doubts about your eldest young master, there must be a basis for them. Don't you want to know if he is truly your child? What if you're raising someone else's child?" The other party completely disregarded his refusal. They looked him up and down and sneered.
Meng Changqing suddenly felt as if he had been caught in a cuckold situation. Though he believed such a thing was impossible, he still let them in.
When the other party requested to see his son, he hesitated for a moment before nodding. He then instructed someone to bring the young master.
The wet nurse, upon seeing him, felt that although he bore a strong resemblance to Master Meng, something felt slightly off. After a long look, she finally realized that the eldest young master of the Meng family had a high-bridged nose and double eyelids, while this child had a flat nose and single eyelids.
"Are you sure?" Before Meng Changqing could speak, the other party exclaimed in disbelief.
"I cannot be certain about the double eyelids, as eyes can change as a person grows. However, a high-bridged nose and a flat nose are permanent differences. If Master does not believe me, you can find other servants who attended to the young master back then and question them thoroughly." The wet nurse looked at him with conviction.
Her words shocked Meng Changqing. He thought back; both he and Zhou Shaoqiu had high-bridged noses. How could they have a child with a flat nose? Could the other party be telling the truth? This forced him to doubt. He quickly followed their suggestion and sought out the maids who had served the child back then. Some said they hadn't paid attention, but others confidently stated the child had a high-bridged nose and double eyelids, which corroborated the wet nurse's account.
The only recourse was to go to the capital to see that child. Thus, he took his son and, with trepidation, set off for the capital.
Wu Caiwei was somewhat surprised to hear he wished to see her. She knew someone had passed the message to him when she learned he had brought a child. She had anticipated this day and calmly invited him in.
Looking at the child standing behind him, she saw a maturity beyond his years. It seemed his life had not been as easy as she had imagined, and she felt a pang of sympathy.
"I wish to see Young Master Huangfu." Upon arriving in the capital, he realized everything the other party had said was true. Although she had been a noble lady in the past and her marriage to someone prominent was expected, Meng Changqing felt a deep unease. He had thought she would struggle after leaving him, but she was living even better.
Wu Caiwei did not hesitate and directly ordered her son to be brought before him. The two children, seeing how much they resembled each other, stared wide-eyed, appraising each other with curiosity.
The moment he saw him, Meng Changqing understood everything. The child he had raised in his mansion was not his own, and the one before him was his biological son. He steadied his emotions and, with as much calm as he could muster, said, "I wish to know the full story."
Wu Caiwei felt there was nothing to hide and recounted the events.
"Regardless, he was our family's first child. I wish to take him back," Meng Changqing stated, looking at her intently.
"I heard your wife is pregnant and will soon give you a healthy baby boy. For the past year or so, you've dedicated all your energy to your wife. Even when my child was switched, it was someone else who informed you. Tell me, what if my child grows up and I bring him to fight for your family's inheritance? Can you compete? And would your wife be willing?" Wu Caiwei looked at him with a wry smile. This was a very practical question, one his current wife was also contemplating and could not avoid.
"What is meant to be will be. I cannot let the Meng family's bloodline wander outside," Meng Changqing said. Truth be told, he didn't have much affection for his son. Especially after his wife became pregnant, he was filled with anticipation for the child in her womb, and this child had become completely invisible. But as he said, he couldn't let his child be outside; this was a matter of a man's pride.
"Since that is the case, you should go find the Emperor. After all, he now bears the surname Huangfu, the imperial surname. If you want him to bear the surname Meng, it is not possible with me, and my husband will not agree." Wu Caiwei admitted she was intentionally making things difficult. The moment they left the Prince of Qin's mansion, they had the child's surname changed to Huangfu. In reality, he had never been formally entered into the family genealogy, as that resided with the Emperor. However, they were confident no one would dare question the Emperor.
Meng Changqing looked at her confident demeanor and knew he couldn't possibly seek an audience with the Emperor, nor could he even meet him. She was clearly confident that he was powerless against them. Though he felt a sense of helplessness, what else could he do despite his unwillingness?
"I think it would be better if you returned him to me. After all, he is the legitimate eldest son of our Meng family, and a significant portion of the Meng family's fortune will eventually be his. And if you are with Mr. Huangfu, once you have your own children, he will naturally favor them. Where will your son's prospects lie?" After a long silence, Meng Changqing decided to appeal to her sentimentality, hoping to sway her.
Unfortunately, his plan backfired. Wu Caiwei smiled and said, "You don't need to worry about that. We have no intention of having more children. The Huangfu family's fortune will be inherited by him. As for your Meng family's fortune, you can leave it to your future children. Gaining a share of wealth for free, in any case, you are the one who benefits."