Qin Yining nodded with a smile, not saying anything, but also indicating that she’d heard the maid’s words. Ruilan breathed a small sigh of relief at this acknowledgement. It looks like miss isn’t planning on punishing me for my wrongs. A tolerant and charismatic mistress like this gave the greatest feeling of security.
They followed the alley and took a right at the fork, and the scene suddenly brightened in front of them. Before long, they’d reached the rear garden, and Qin Yining’s feet slowed of their own accord. She looked around with obvious interest. Having seen wild overgrowth everywhere she’d set foot on the mountains, such an exquisite and meticulously arranged garden moved her deeply.
Just as she was happily taking in her fill of the garden, a slightly young girl’s shrill voice shattered her serenity from behind. “Oho! And I wondered who it was. You, huh? A barbarian like you actually has the capacity to admire gardens as well?”
Qin Yining turned around, a smile already in her eyes as her hand gently brushed back the side bangs the wind had caressed over her eyes. She didn’t say anything. The newcomer was a slightly chubby girl with a similar hairstyle of hair trailing down her back from twin buns on her head. Two fine, silver butterflies had seemingly alighted on her head, tucked around a downy-white peony flower. Her silver and red padded jacket and skirt beautifully offset the white rabbit fur around her collar, making her apple-red cheeks even more adorable. She was a plum blossom flowering brilliantly amidst a dreary winter, quite fetching and easy on the eye.
Ruilan guessed that Qin Yining didn’t know all the girls in the manor, so she smartly curtseyed. “Greetings to Sixth Miss.”
Qin Yining’s eyebrow arched when she heard that it was the sixth miss. When she had Ruilan grind ink for her last night, she’d also gained a rough understanding of all the household members.
The sixth miss was named Shuangning, and her birth mother was the favored Concubine Lin of the second elder master. Concubine Lin was quite a fortunate woman, since she’d given birth to twin girls. Sixth Miss Qin Shuangning was the older twin, and her sister Anning less than fifteen minutes younger than her. Although they were twins, their personalities and appearances were vastly different.
The sixth miss was close to Qin Huining and depended greatly on her birth mother, Concubine Lin. On the other hand, the seventh miss was close to the third and eighth miss from the third branch of the family, and was goddaughter to the second madame. Second Madame née Su had given birth to Qin Yu, eldest master of the youngest generation, and fifth master Qin Xian. She hadn’t had any daughters, so she’d personally brought up the seventh miss and treated the girl as her firstborn.
Ruilan had praised the second madame for being a wonderful mother when she had explained it all, but Qin Yining had sensed something else. If the second madame really was so loving, why would she only elevate one of Concubine Lin’s children and suppress the other? With just one, she could hold the girl in the palm of her hands and could mold the child whichever way she wanted. Setting that aside, treating the twins unfairly meant that the one left out would be filled with resentment and jealousy. It would tear the sisters apart.
Seeing her twin daughters so divided in heart and practice, and one of them distanced from her, Concubine Lin must be the saddest of them all. The second madame seemed to be an expert at muddying the waters.
Qin Yining smiled, “So it’s sixth sister. Have you come to greet Old Dowager?”
“Naturally. I also wanted to see how fourth sister is doing, but who knew I’d bump into you instead, wild wench! How unlucky!” The sixth miss tilted her nose up with a huff.
The look in Qin Yining’s eyes turned cold, but her voice remained gentle. “So this is how sisters in the city greet each other, hmm? I’m learning a lot today.”
The sixth miss was quick to identify the contempt in Qin Yining’s eyes and flew into a rage. “Don’t you be proud of yourself! Look at you, so arrogant and cocky simply because you beat people up the first day after coming back, and fourth sister at that! Just wait until grandmother punishes you!”
“You mean Qin Huining?” Qin Yining smiled. “It looks like your sources haven’t been too accurate. In terms of punishment, grandmother has already done so. Qin Huining tried to create discord between my father and mother, severely angering grandmother. She’s already been sent to copy ‘The Classic of Filial Piety’.”
“You! You’re just spouting nonsense!” The sixth miss stamped her foot in anger. “You’re twisting things around!”
“I say, sixth sister isn’t that old, but you’re somehow going senile!” A sweet young voice rang through the air. Three young girls had rounded the corner while the sixth miss was angrily accusing Qin Yining. The one who’d spoken was eighth miss Qin Baoning. She had already rushed over like a young sparrow before Qin Yining could respond to the sixth miss, landing with a slight bend at the knee in greeting.
Straightening, Qin Baoning glared at the sixth miss, “Senior uncle already said yesterday that Qin Huining is just a foster child. Fourth sister has already been entered in the family books, but you’re still messing up the titles. You can’t even tell which is fourth sister, just wait until senior uncle and the old dowager punishes you!”
Qin Shuangning’s eyes had gone bloodshot in her anger. She shrieked, “Qin Baoning, do you even have a heart? You denounce fourth sister as soon as this barbarian enters?! My sources say she beat up fourth sister! Us sisters have lived together for so long, but you don’t care about our fourth sister at all?”
“Of course I do! I care why she deserved to be beaten up! But since she deserved it, she was in the wrong!” Qin Baoning rolled her eyes at her sixth sister. She wanted to continue battling, but Third Miss Qin Jianing quietly tugged on her younger sister’s sleeve to make her stop.
Seeing that the scene was about to erupt out of control, the quiet Seventh Miss Qin Anning quickly walked up and took her twin sister’s arm with a smile. “Sixth sister, let’s go greet grandmother. If not, we’ll be late.”
Qin Shuangning pushed aside her twin contemptuously. “Oh don’t you touch me. Stay away from me. I can’t be bothered talking to some traitorous thing like you. Don’t you like sucking up to the third branch? What are you playing at being a good person for?” She brushed off Qin Anning’s hand forcefully and stalked off.
Qin Anning’s face flushed beet red with indignation. Although the third elder master, born of née Wang, had no future as an official, he had a broad and smooth path as a merchant. Therefore, the third branch of the Qin family was the economic lifeline of the entire clan. The children of the third branch didn’t need to rely on the family’s coffers for their monthly stipend. Their allowance was naturally on a different level compared to the rest of the young Qin girls.
Seventh Miss Qin Anning had indeed received some small presents here and there; but how could she remain calm in the face of such indignity? She immediately retorted, “And don’t you suck up to the main branch of the family? Look at you, you’ve even hugged the thigh of an imposter!”
Eighth Miss Qin Baoning clapped her hands and laughed with delight at this riposte. Qin Shuangning turned back to glare at everyone, but left with a flourish of her sleeves when she considered the numbers against her. Third Miss Qin Jianing took Yining’s hand when the sixth miss had stiffly walked far enough into the distance. “Don’t be taken aback, fourth sister, sister Shuang plays with sister Hui the most. She’s just a bit emotional right now.”
“Third sister speaks truly. Sixth sister is innocent and naive, but she’s rather interesting.” Qin Yining smiled faintly. She’d always liked to carefully observe a new environment, whether deep in the mountains or a city’s crowds. Only after careful analysis of people and matters would she feel a sense of security. This was why she’d sought to form a picture of her new sisters as soon as possible.
When the third miss saw Qin Yining’s emotions were carefully regulated, and that she didn’t seem as shy as yesterday when dealing
with people, Qin Jianing assigned a bit more importance to the fourth miss in her heart.
The girls soon arrived at Garden of Loving Piety, chattering happily along the way. All of the serving girls in the covered hallway bent their knee in unison when the girls passed over the square tiles laid at the entrance. Two maids rolled up embroidered satin curtains stitched onto thin bamboo slats. A pair of jade gourds dangled from the corners, their tassels swaying becomingly.
The door curtains today are different from yesterday’s. Qin Yining inwardly marveled at the extravagance of the rich as she took off her cloak, instructing the maid to keep it well. She followed the rest in circling past the room divider that was carved with diagrams for happiness.
This morning, the old dowager was wearing a sapphire-colored cotton jacket with loose sleeves, embroidered patterns of fortune chasing down the row of buttons in the front. Her white hair was coiled into a large bun, a gold hairpin embedded with rubies dangling from it. She was currently sitting cross legged on the luohan bed next to the window with an extremely dark expression.
Second Madame née Su, Third Madame née Wang [2] were standing behind their respective mother-in-laws with lowered heads. Between them was Qin Huining, her face so swollen that it was difficult to make out her features. When she saw Qin Yining, her pupils contracted rapidly. She subconsciously shrank back, biting her lip. She invited great pity, as if she’d suffered so greatly but didn’t dare resist.
The sixth miss had arrived earlier and started raising a hue and cry before Qin Yining and the others could make their greetings. “Old Dowager, look at how swollen fourth sister’s face is! You have to punish that wild wench severely!”
* * *
Wives of the older generation. Qin Huaiyuan etc.] were sitting on either side of her, while First Wife née Yao and Second Wife née Meng [3. Wives of the younger generation, Qin Yining’s generation.
Chapter 15: Tattling
Sixth Miss Qin Shuangning’s “wild wench” was enough to irritate even the most placid person, much less someone as straightforward and tough as Qin Yining. But the latter also knew that if she got into an argument with the sixth miss in front of everyone, the family would only place her on the same level as the sixth miss. There was no benefit in devaluing herself like that.
Losing one’s temper required purpose. It wasn’t a matter of having the loudest voice. If she tried to shout down her opponent, not only would she fail to be intimidating, she’d be taken for a common shrieking harlot out on the streets. The longer things went on, no one would respect her. The upper hand came from occupying the high ground
Besides, she’d just shown her edge last night, and the effects of that were still reverberating within the manor. If she continued in the same vein, she’d really become the barbarian their eyes saw, someone only capable of brawn and not brains. It’d be one thing for outsiders to disdain her, but how would she gain a foothold in this manor without favor from the old dowager and the various madames?
On the other hand, there was no rule that stated the only way to gain the upper hand was to argue back when provoked. Qin Yining might not be familiar with the twists and turns of a woman’s mind, but she believed in the idea that if one was strong enough, it didn’t matter if they faced ten opponents who knew martial arts.
Qin Shuangning, do you think you’re tougher than the wolves of the forest?! She narrowed her charming almond-shaped eyes, her gaze as sharp as arrows dipped in poison. The effect was so cold that it seemed like Qin Yining was moments away from pouncing on the other girl to eat her alive. Qin Shuangning, you’re just a wild beast trying to stare me down!
The sixth miss had always led a sheltered life, so how could she possibly stand such a vicious stare? The hairs on her neck immediately stood on end as chills ran down her back.
Beads of cold sweat imperceptibly trickled down the side of her head as she subconsciously swallowed all of her impolite words. She couldn’t find it within herself to utter “wild wench” even on more time.
The sisters had crossed swords for all of a single breath, but who would’ve imagined that the shrieking sixth miss, causing headaches left and right with her shrill tone, would be silenced by a glance from Qin Yining? In particular, First Wife née Yao and Second Wife née Meng found this feat amazing, and snuck curious glances at both girls. Meanwhile, Third Madame née Wang smiled with lowered eyes and sipped delicately from her tea cup.
It was rather Second Madame née Su who sniffed contemptuously to break the sudden silence, rebuking Qin Shuangning with a dark expression, “Daughter Shuang! Have you no manners at all? What gives you the right to be jumping up and down like this when your elders have yet to speak? Old Dowager has a full grasp of the situation. Stand aside!”
This sixth miss wasn’t fortunate enough to be the second madame’s goddaughter; although she shared the same teacher as her twin sister, her manners had been taught to her by her concubine mother. The official wife of her family branch openly deriding her lack of manners was a slap to both mother and daughter!
Qin Shuangning felt her face burn hotly as she seethed inwardly. She glanced sideways at the swollen face of Qin Huining. Us sisters share the same fate, Qin Yining got us good this time! She really hated the new fourth miss now.
Qin Yining, followed by the third, seventh, and eighth miss, walked up to the old dowager, kowtowing in the most respectful gesture of greeting. The family matriarch had been silent this entire time, as inanimate as a statue of Buddha. As the four knelt before her, she finally lifted her eyes, glancing first at the sixth miss and then waving her hand in a noncommittal gesture for everyone to rise.
Qin Yining and the rest shifted to the side. The atmosphere within the room grew a bit heavy as silence reigned once again. After all, the main branch of the family had been party to a great carrying-on last night. The senior madame had publicly fought with the house lord, and then stormed off to her family’s home. Just as everyone was speculating on the reason for their argument, they were surprised by the news that Qin Yining had violently beat up Qin Huining!
Compared to the first bit of news, the second was practically earth shattering. In a learned household such as the prime minister’s, even the young masters wouldn’t physically fight when they disagreed, much less the young ladies of the family.
There were many versions of the story already floating around. Some spoke of how Qin Yining had finally shown her true barbarous nature, while others hinted that Qin Huining had started the fight because she wasn’t satisfied that the official firstborn daughter had come back to step on her.
Regardless of who the rumors benefitted, they ultimately muddied the waters in the manor. The servants were entertained by the hullabaloo, and the outsiders had new fodder to gossip about in the afternoon. The old dowager was reminded of Qin Huaiyuan’s hurried words before he left that morning…
“We must handle this as quickly as possible. The emperor is growing old and hates seeing affairs like these break out in his subjects’ homes, especially when we’re all swamped with matters at court. Mother must let others understand that everything is well in our family. How will I be able to administer the nation’s matters if I can’t even keep my household in line? If my political enemies seize this point and exaggerate it out of proportion, the consequences would be disastrous.”
The old dowager’s face sank as the gravity of the situation once again occupied her thoughts. Enough was enough, she needed to close the book on this as fast as possible. Rumors had probably already begun circulating outside, and Qin Huaiyuan’s child couldn’t bear the fallout, no matter what. Otherwise, her son’s political enemies would be given ample ammunition!
Uneducated and unprotected children only served as proof of an incompetent father, and if others started mumbling that his daughter’s flaws were inherited from Qin Huaiyuan… wouldn’t that lead to suspicions about his own character?
When her thoughts reached that point, the old dowager grumbled mentally,
placing some of the blame for this headache on Qin Huining. If it hadn’t been for the girl's scheming, this wouldn’t have developed in this way? I can’t even protect her now even if I want to!
The old dowager would rather people say that she’d failed as a grandmother in raising her grandchildren, than have people conclude that Qin Yining’s display was a result of bad breeding from her father. Not to mention, the matriarch wasn’t so blind as to not see through Qin Huining’s intentions. She was well aware that the girl was targeting Qin Huaiyuan’s bloodline. She came to a decision, and her eyes lifted to assess at the silent gathering arrayed in front of her. The old dowager cleared her throat and announced in a stately voice, “You all know what’s happened yesterday.”
“Yes.” All of the women and girls curtseyed in unison.
“Granddaughter Hui is ignorant in her youth and unknowingly incited née Sun’s temper with her words,” the old dowager continued slowly, her every word measured. “Granddaughter Yi couldn’t accept this and taught dear Hui a lesson. These two little girls forgot about coexisting in harmony, and actually ended up fighting instead. I’ve already set them to copying ‘The Classic of Filial Piety’ as a reminder of their folly. This matter is now over. None of you shall bring it up again.”
The old dowager’s words glossed over the details and transformed Qin Yining’s one-sided beating into a mutual fight. Moreover, it also cast the girl as a heavy-handed but well meaning daughter, while vilifying Qin Huining as the one who was being punished for provoking the official wife. Behind the calm eyes of those assembled, cogs started turning as glances flicked towards Qin Yining. Ever the most biased of Huining’s defenders, the old dowager was actually lecturing the apple of her eye?
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