"What?!" Jiang Mingzhu gasped, genuinely shocked.
Her eyes snapped instantly toward Jiang Lukang and Feng Lan, filled with disbelief.
"Dad, this really is the best outcome for everyone involved!" Jiang Lukang argued defensively. "Meixia has been officially acknowledged and brought back into the fold, while Yanna gets to remain safely by our side."
"He is right, Dad! I have raised Yanna since she was a helpless infant in my arms." Feng Lan chimed in, dabbing at her eyes with a delicate handkerchief as tears began to spill over. "I love her dearly! How could I possibly cast her aside after eighteen years of maternal devotion?"
Jiang Yanna moved swiftly to rub her mother's back in comfort. Feeling her daughter's tender touch, Feng Lan pulled Jiang Yanna into a dramatic, tight embrace.
"No one is asking you to throw the girl out into the streets! We are simply demanding that you tell the world the truth!" Old Master Jiang bellowed, striking his cane against the floor.
