Under the night sky, that back looked all the more burdened. Née Sun’s heartbroken wail pierced through their ears. “Why is my life so hard?!”
The two turned back to see née Sun sitting on the doorstep, hugging the door frame and sobbing so hard that she looked ready to faint.
“Please get up, the floor is cold.” Qin Yining frowned and was about to help her mother up, but Qin Huining shoved her hand out of the way and shouldered the other girl aside.
“Younger sister Little Creek, is it not enough that there’s no peace in our family since you’ve come back, must you make mother sad as well?!” Qin Huining helped née Sun up after shoving the other girl aside and spoke tearfully, her voice catching in her throat.
This was enough to make née Sun glare at Qin Yining again. And wasn’t that right? Why would so much have cropped up if it wasn’t for Qin Yining’s return? Qin Huaiyuan knew very well how weak her constitution was, but he’d just left her here, all sad by her lonesome. He’d just left with a flourish of his sleeves and hadn’t even comforted her at all! She’d only lectured Qin Yining with a few words and slapped her once, but look at how Qin Meng was acting! That mistress of his was definitely a fox alright!
Née Sun’s eyes were bloodshot as she pushed Qin Yining roughly with both hands. She roared, “You blight on this family! I haven’t had a day of peace since the day we’ve heard of you. Get out of my way!” She turned and screeched at Jin-mama, “Wet nurse, prepare the carriage for me! I’m going back to my family’s manor!”
Jin-mama was so alarmed that all color drained from her face. “Madame, it’s almost curfew. It won’t be good for you to just go back now. Why not rest for now and go back first thing next morning? We’d able to explain things to the old dowager as well…”
“No! I have to go back now! I can’t spend another moment in this manor! Qin Meng will be the death of me!” Née Sun sobbed, completely beyond reason, “If you won’t allow it, then I’ll walk back myself!”
In her anger, née Sun didn’t even pay attention to Qin Huining. She shook off her daughter’s hand and stalked outside. However, the madame had used so much force that Qin Huining stumbled backwards from the momentum, her bound feet unable to find steady footing. If it wasn’t for Bitong reaching out a timely hand and Cai-mama giving a pull as well, she would’ve tumbled down the steps. The foster girl frowned with displeasure.
Née Sun was in the full throes of her temper tantrum. When Jin-mama saw that she couldn’t placate her mistress, she could only order the maids to quickly prepare the carriage, have Cailan fetch née Sun’s cloak with a fur collar and an exquisite brass hand warmer, and fling a meaningful look at head maid Caiju. She spoke to her in a low, urgent voice.
By now, it was impossible for word of fighting in the main branch due to née Sun’s temper tantrum not to spread. The servants might as well tell Old Dowager themselves lest a misunderstanding develop from someone else passing the message along. It’d be a free show for the second and third branch of the family if that came to pass. Caiju went to Garden of Loving Piety with a resigned and rueful expression on her face.
Jin-mama and Cailan supported the sniffling née Sun out of Garden of Tranquility. Peace was finally restored to the previously raucous yard. The final smear of color from the setting sun vanished silently behind the mountains, leaving behind a bright crescent in the night sky. Heavy clouds partially obscured the radiance of the moon, drenching the silent residence in cold, blue light.
The little serving girls were so frightened that they didn’t even dare breathe loudly. They crept lightly across the courtyard and hung up the evening lanterns in silence. Warm, orange light began to spread slowly, casting circles of light onto the covered hallway.
Qin Yining smiled coldly at Qin Huining. The latter grew nervous under the unsettling gaze and took out a handkerchief to dab at her tears.
“Don’t blame me for saying too much, Little Creek.” Her voice caught in a choke “How could I have not spoken a few words to mother just now when she was like that? Your words were jabbing right into her. You haven’t spent these years by mother’s side, so you don’t know her pain. It’s natural that you might say something out of turn.” When she saw Qin Yining slowly walk towards her, Qin Huining smiled amiably through her tears. “Little Creek, your face is swollen quite badly. I have a very good ointment for swelling. I’ll have Bitong bring it over to you in a while.”
“Is that so? Then it looks like I have to thank you.” Qin Yining planted her feet in front of the other girl, a cold light flashing deeply in her beautiful, almond shaped eyes. Qin Huining felt like a rabbit on the receiving end of a hungry wolf’s stare.
“No, no need.” She couldn’t help but swallow nervously. “You and I are sisters after all, we…”
SLAP!
A crisp slap reverberated through the air! Qin Huining’s ears rang as stars swam before her eyes. She collapsed in a heap, her senses deserting her at the sheer force of the blow. Off to the side, Cai-mama, Bitong, Ruilan, and Qiulu were all flabbergasted. They couldn’t even form the presence of mind to help the young miss up.
“I don’t need your ointment, save it for yourself!”
“You!” The dazed Qin Huining came to at the sound of Qin Yining’s voice and shrieked. Her mouth began to bleed freely, garbling her words. “You dare slap me?!”
“Yes, and here’s another!” Qin Yining bent at the waist, drawing her elbow back with gusto and whipping it across and down in a fierce blow. She had chopped her own wood and skinned her own game on the mountain; the strength in her hand was not to be underestimated. Both slaps landed in the exact same spot, and Qin Huining’s cheek swiftly began to swell.
The foster girl screamed loudly as she pointed at Qin Yining, “You wild barbarian! How dare you hit me! Servants, grab her!”
Cai-mama and Bitong finally snapped out of their daze and rolled up their sleeves, preparing to restrain Qin Yining. Even Ruilan was eager to join the fray. The three of them rushed Qin Yining, two aiming for the girl’s arms and one for her hair. But they didn’t even manage to touch the hem of her clothes.
Qin Yining sidestepped Ruilan, sending her sprawling with a neat hook of the heel. Her left foot came back down hard on Ruilan’s back. An arm whipped out, backhanding Cai-mama’s upper arm with a slice. As for Bitong, by the time the dust had settled, Qin Yining’s other hand was firmly clutching her throat.
The three were ashen-faced with pain. Bitong was even holding her breath in fright, not daring to do anything. Qin Yining ground her foot down onto Ruilan’s back, wrenching an agonized cry from her lips. The fourth miss smiled coldly. “It’s one thing for outsiders to try to grab me, but my maid? You went and joined them instead of protecting your mistress? Do you want to die?!”
“Mercy, miss, mercy!” Ruilan’s voice broke as she pleaded. The other servants of Garden of Tranquility who’d wanted to charge Qin Yining down all looked at each other. The desire to rush forward had been doused as thoroughly as a pail of water on a candle. All of them shuddered. Who would dare to look at Qin Yining as dismissively as they had before?
Qin Huining finally managed to scramble to her feet and stumbled behind a column to take shelter. “You, you, you barbarian! Lowborn harlot with no manners!”
“Yes, I am a barbarian!” Qin Yining discarded Cai-mama and Bitong like strays, leaving Ruilan moaning on the ground, and headed straight for the foster daughter. “I’ve had enough. I’ve done my best to please you, and yet all of you still treat me as a barbarian. If that’s the case, then why don’t I show you what a barbarian does?!”
* * *
Chapter 9: Consideration and Decision
Chapter 9: Consideration and Decision
“You! Shameless thing! Poisonous skank! Bitch!” Qin Huining shrieked in a trembling voice as she pressed herself against the column in vain.
“Just who’s the shameless one here?” Qin Yining grabbed Qin Huining’s collar and looked right into her
eyes, the two a nose-width apart. “I’d never once thought of hurting you. I was perfectly fine to live together in peace. But you, you just wouldn’t stop causing trouble, making mother misunderstand me and causing our parents to fight without end! A foster daughter like you occupying my rightful place, I’d think of you as a human being when I’m in a good mood, and absolutely nothing when I’m not!”
Qin Huining’s eyes had gone bloodshot in her rage, but she was just a sheltered girl of the manor, how could she possibly stand up to a “barbarian” who’d scrapped and fought to survive? Her battle strength was completely dwarfed, so she could only resort to threats.
“Grandmother will sweep you out the door when she finds out what you’ve done to me!”
“What a joke! I’ve already slapped you, so why would I be afraid of this? If that happens, I’ll just go back and be a ‘barbarian’. My life would be all the better for it!” Qin Yining’s cold, sharp gaze swept across the shell shocked maids frozen in the courtyard. She flicked a glance at née Cai and Ruilan still on the ground, revealing her pearly whites in a small smile.
In the dusk of night, her stark white teeth coupled with her bloodthirsty expression only elicited more terror from those assembled. “I’ve killed wolves and eaten their flesh, and you think you lot can scare me!? I didn’t bother to quibble before because I didn’t think it was worth it, but did you really believe that I was afraid of you!? Don’t you forget that, as much as you all disdain me, I’m still the firstborn of the official wife!”
She yanked Qin Huining hard, dragging her outside. “Come, we’re going to see Old Dowager! Don’t think I’ll let you off easy after you drove a wedge between father and mother!”
In all these years, Qin Huining had lived with the status of Qin Huaiyuan’s only official born daughter, the apple of the old dowager’s eye. When had anyone even harmed a hair on her head?! But now there was someone who slapped her and started to drag her around. Qin Huining lost every scrap of her self-control and composure. The girl struggled, sobbed, and cursed without pause, loudly, along the way, spewing every ugly and base insult that crossed her mind. It was not a sight fit for civilized company.
Yet, through it all, Qin Yining dragged her along serenely, so easily that it didn’t seem she was hauling anyone at all. It seemed more like she was carrying a chicken ready for the slaughter.
Go on, keep cursing. Let’s have everyone in the manor see your true colors. Qin Yining’s feet had never been bound, and many years of scaling the mountain had left her as surefooted as a goat. Therefore, she naturally set a brisk pace on level ground.
On the other hand, Qin Huining had bound feet and was currently bent over at the waist, floundering mightily with every step. Even at a trot, she couldn’t keep up and kept getting tugged off balance when she tried to walk. She couldn’t convince Qin Yining to stop, couldn’t curse her into oblivion, couldn’t push her away, and couldn’t fight her off! The foster daughter’s most desperate struggles couldn’t free her from the death grip on her collar. None of the servants dared help her, though she gave them plenty of meaningful looks.
Qin Yining enjoyed an unobstructed journey to Garden of Loving Piety, the very picture of a hunter bringing in her catch of the day. A train of servants bumbled along in her wake, but not a one dared speak. Qin Huining anticipated seeing a friendly face when they reached the door, so she gave vent to a loud shriek, “Help me, grandmother! Someone wants to kill me!”
The shriek carried far into the night and scared the old dowager so badly that she almost dropped the long-stemmed pipe cradled in her hands. She had been livid just now when she’d heard of her eldest daughter-in-law going home. Qin-mama had expended an enormous amount of effort to placate her mistress and had just lit the pipe when the shriek pierced through the air. The old dowager jumped in startlement, causing the lit tobacco to plop onto the old dowager’s snowy white skirt. It immediately burned a hole through the garment.
“Oh dear, mistress!” Qin-mama reacted swiftly and upended a cup of tea onto the skirt, then frantically checked to see if her mistress had been harmed. Thankfully the weather recently had been cold, so everyone had long since put on cotton leggings, sparing the old dowager from any burns.
Old Dowager threw the tobacco pouch aside, her temper back to livid levels, and bellowed, “Who dares make such a fuss?!”
The maid behind the door was frightened out of her wits as she stammered, “I-in response to O-old Dowager, i-i-it’s Fourth Miss and, and Miss Huining.”
The old dowager rose to her feet with a furrowed brow. “What are these two doing so late at night! What kind of strumpet is Née Sun to have such daughters!”
“Don’t be angry, Old Dowager. Here, I’ll help you dress.” Qin-mama and the head maid Jixiang placated the old lady, deftly helping her into a new skirt and a peacock blue satin, padded jacket. They completed the outfit by fixing a ribbon embedded with sapphires across her forehead. The old dowager’s ire had abated slightly with this pause, but her expression was still stormy as she walked to the Flower Hall with the servants.
Normally used for banquets, today it was graced by a kneeling Qin Huining and Qin Yining. Both girls had disheveled hair and reddened faces. Qin Huining’s face was now swollen beyond belief, and her makeup a streaky ruin from crying. Her face was a mess from tears and snot.
At the sight of a friendly face, Qin Huining broke into louder sobs, crawling forward on her knees to hug the old lady’s thigh. Qin Huining was wailing so brokenheartedly that it seemed like the sky was moments away from falling. Her sobs were so all-pervasive that she couldn’t even summon the breath to speak a word.
The old dowager couldn’t bear to see Qin Huining in such straits and instantly bent down to help the girl up. Distress suffused her voice, “What’s this now? Don’t cry dear!” Old Dowager turned to née Cai and Qiulu, anxiously asking, “Tell me! What happened here?!”
The old servant’s upper arm still hurt from the whip-like strike, so her trembling lips couldn’t summon the courage to voice a word. Meanwhile, Qiulu kept her head lowered, staying quiet as usual. It was Qin Yining who responded calmly.
“Please quell your anger, Old Dowager. Qin Huining sowed discord between mother and father, making them fight until father went to spend the night in the outer residence, and mother went back to her family home. I’ve already taught her a lesson, so please don’t harm your body with anger. If you wish to punish her further, please leave it to the servants.”
“What?!” The old dowager frowned fiercely. She was already angry about née Sun returning to her parents’ home, but that matter had something to do with her much doted upon granddaughter Hui?
Qin Huining shook her head rapidly, her words mangled by her swollen cheek, “That’s not true! Mother herself suspected that an outside mistress is Little Creek’s mother… Mother only slapped Little Creek once and yelled at her a bit. Then father got angry over that and started arguing with mother…” She was truly very skilled at turning things around.
Née Cai chose this moment to pipe up, “In response to Old Dowager, the fourth miss is truly too arrogant. Not only did she slap Miss Huining, but she even beat me and two other maids. Even now my arm is in too much pain to be lifted.” She moaned some more for effect, clutching at her arm.
Qin-mama looked at those assembled, then helped the old dowager to the luohan bed by the window. Jixiang was at her side as well, helping the old lady settle down on the thick padded brocade seat cushions while the old servant fetched a hand warmer. The time they spent in walking and sitting back down allowed the old dowager to calm down a bit.
When Qin Yining returned to the manor earlier today, she had given off the impression of a docile, steady, and somewhat overawed country girl. The old dowager would never believe that the girl she’s seen back then would hit someone on her first day. However, the throbbing handprint on Qin Huining’s face spoke otherwise.
Qin Huining panicked when her grandmother didn’t imm
ediately speak up for her. They’re true family alright. The ties of blood run thicker than water, and I’m already nobody after her real granddaughter’s come back. In her anxiety, Qin Huining lost some of the filter on her mouth as she started to plead her case.
“Grandmother, no matter what, she hit me and beat my wet nurse and maid. She’s the one at fault here! How can daughters of a noble family act like this? What will happen to our family’s dignity if word of this gets out? Isn’t this losing face for father? This kind of barbarian is…”
“Shut your mouth.” Although Qin Yining was kneeling, her back was ramrod straight. Her eyes, so similar to Qin Huaiyuan’s, shone coldly. Her slender brows were locked tightly and a sharp aura flared around her. “How dare you try to sow more discord in front of Old Dowager? Mother didn’t suspect my identity at all at first. It was only after all of your hints and snide words that she thought a mistress to be my mother. Father’s character speaks for itself! He can bring back any woman he likes, why would he secretly keep her outside? And even if he really did have an illegitimate child, why wouldn’t he be responsible enough to bring it back home?
“And that’s after discounting the fact that father wouldn’t stoop so low to begin with! With his character and talents, how many ladies wish to enter our doors and become a concubine? When has father ever been tempted? But you, you were the one who drove mother to suspecting father and created a wedge between them! Prosperity comes only when the family is peaceful. Qin Huining, you used public means for a private grudge. You fed your conscience to the dogs, did you?!”
Qin Huining hastily retorted, “Don’t speak so self-righteously. Aren’t you doing all this for yourself? You say you’re the daughter of the official wife, but who knows what really happened that year? It’s only normal that mother suspects you! I’m not starting anything at all!”
“Father is a noble and righteous person. Can there be any falsehood left after his men were done investigating? Daring to bring this up even in front of Old Dowager, how could you possibly say that you’re not starting anything?” Qin Yining slammed her final point home, concluding the debate, and looked towards the old dowager.
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