When Qin Huaiyuan heard the tone of distress in the old dowagerâs voice, he raised his hands slightly and injected a comforting tone into his voice.
âDonât be anxious, mother. I have no intention of sending daughter Hui away. Itâs just that the Qin bloodline should remain clear, and the family books should not be confused. Qin Yining will be entered into the family books and Qin Huining taken off. We will report to the ancestors that daughter Hui was mistakenly brought into our family and will now be our foster daughter. She will not be listed in the family tree in the future. Qin Yining will be the official firstborn of the main family branch, the fourth miss of the Qin family.â
Everyone looked at Qin Yining and Qin Huining with varying looks. The old dowager was silent. The family books indeed couldnât have errors in them, but she couldnât bear to give up Qin Huining!
Qin Huining felt like a thunderbolt had struck her. Sheâd be a foster daughter with unknown origins from now on, no longer the official firstborn daughter of Prime Minister Qin! She would be of age next year, and Prime Minister Qin had been scouting for good matches for her these past few years. She wasnât married yet, what would she do when her status plunges into the abyss?
Why did this bad luck have to fall on my head at this time?! Why did Qin Yining have to come back! She couldnât accept these blows to her future, and once again started to bawl. But unlike before, these tears were real.
âBesides, father is the prime minister, the treasured subject of the emperor. He is above all and below only one. If he really did have a woman he liked, why would he need to keep her as a mistress? He could just bring her home. Who could stop him? He has no need to lie. I can wait for you to accept me if you canât right now. Iâm also willing to live amiably with Huining. So please donât be impulsive and harm your relationship with father because of some angry words.â
However, Qin Huaiyuan was moved to pity after hearing his daughterâs words. When he recalled how ravaged Liang had been and Qin Yiningâs experiences over the past six years, pain and anger instantly suffused his heart. Heâd been frazzled enough lately!
The two countries had been locked in war for many years, and Great Yan was showing signs of defeat. The supreme commander of Great Zhouâs armies was now Pang Xiao, the child of Northern Jiâs Protector of the Nation, Pang Zhongzheng. The child had been born shortly after Qin Huaiyuan had consigned his father to death with his schemes.
Pang Xiao, secondary name Xi, was twenty two years old this year. Great Zhouâs emperor had awarded his father with the title of âFaithful Prince of the First Rankâ after Pang Zhongzheng had been acquitted of his crimes. Pang Xiao had inherited the position, and was known as âthe little princeâ in the jianghu . He was the only common born prince since Great Zhou had been founded two years ago and was quite loved by the people.
Heâd risen up in arms with the Great Zhou emperor Li Qitian to opposed Northern Jiâs tyranny when he was only fourteen. His authority was now well established in the army. He didnât even need the proper command tokens to command and deploy troops. His very presence was legitimacy enough.
Although he was young, heâd already spent eight years on the battlefield. His tactics were strange and treacherous, and Pang Xiao was well known for being ruthless and cold-hearted in battle.
Back in the day, the Northern Ji emperor had sentenced Pang Zhongzheng to death by slicing. The man had been slowly sliced into pieces while he was alive and fed to the dogs. It also turned out to be the instrument which Pang Xiao had used to exact revenge. Of the officials who had framed and set up his father, heâd personally skinned and dismembered three. Who knew how many there were that he hadnât personally handled? It was said that servants had been unable to get rid of the stench of blood even after scrubbing the ground outside the Meridian Gate for three days and nights straight.
And he, Qin Huaiyuan, was the âculpritâ of the scheme that had cost Pang Zhongzheng his life back in the day! After Great Zhou had been founded, it had set out in a path of domination towards Great Yan. The two had fought for many years and weakness had long since set into Great Yan. How was it supposed to contend with a Great Zhou that was now in its prime? If the walls of the capital were breached one day, how would Pang Xiao forgo revenge for his father?
Qin Huaiyuan found it hard to sleep whenever he thought of that murderous demon being out there. War had long since emptied the national coffers, but the hawk faction and the two other main factions at court spent their days arguing. No one was actually doing anything. He was already being slowly crushed by his workload, but these ignorant women at home were also raising a ruckus in his household. How dare they cause trouble over such a minor matter?!
âClean up Snowpear Courtyard for the fourth miss. Darling Hui will move in with me.â She commanded, her tone low. The old dowager was forced to acknowledge Qin Yiningâs identity, but that didnât mean she was left without a response. She arranged for Qin Yining to live in the remote Snowpear Courtyard, while moving Qin Huining into the Garden of Loving Piety. Although Qin Huining had lost her status as the official firstborn, Old Dowagerâs actions in suppressing one granddaughter while raising the other were obvious.
Qin Yining didnât recognize this person, and it was the first time someone had called themselves a servant in front of her. She didnât quite know how to respond to something like that.
However, a girl of about twelve years old, her hair in twin buns, wearing light powder and a flowery cotton-padded jacket, sidled up to her and whispered softly in her ear, âThis is senior madameâs wet nurse, Jin- mama . Sheâs the senior madameâs most competent mama .â
Qin Yining smiled gratefully at the girl and then nodded at Jin- mama . âHello Jin- mama. â
âThe madame has put a lot of thought in for you. She picked out maids for you out of her own staff early this morning. This servant will lead them to you later.â Jin- mama smiled at her.
âMany thanks to Jin- mama. â Qin Yining nodded, and the old servant took her leave with another smile.
The old dowager had already given orders to Qin- mama to bring Qin Huiningâs things to Garden of Loving Piety. When the old dowager saw the crowd still loitering around, she had them all disperse. Qin Yining imitated what the girls around her were doing and curtseyed. She turned to leave with the others and had just reached the door when she heard the old dowager call her back, âQin Yining.â
The girls all hesitated for a moment, but had to leave with their curiosity afire since the old dowager hadnât summoned them. Qin Yining turned back to curtsy again. âGrandmother.â
The old dowager immediately rolled her eyes impatiently. âDidnât your mother tell you just now that a great family such as ours doesnât use such terms? You should be using our titles.â
Qin Yining shifted her gaze to the floor and tried again, âOld Dowager.â
âMm.â The old dowager drew out a note. âAlthough you can stay in the manor, Iâm still a little worried. You need to move and speak with care in the future. Weâll hire teachers for you later. You must learn well and not bring any of those city airs in here. The girls within the manor are all pure and noble, so donât you corrupt them now.â
In her sleeves, Qin Yiningâs hands had balled themselves into fists again. She didnât look up, but her jaw had locked into place. After a long moment of silence, a docile voice slipped out from between clenched teeth, âOld Dowager speaks truly, I will be careful.â
âDonât think you can lord it over granddaughter Hui just because youâve come back. She was the official firstborn daughter for fourteen years. Her manners and etiquette are exquisite, and her skill at the zither, chess, calligraphy, and drawing are all quite advanced. Her talent isnât something that a wild thing like you can measure up to. Make sure to learn from her in the future.â
Red painted nails was also a sign of nobility in ancient China. The southern gate of the Forbidden City/imperial palace in ancient China