The mere thought of née Sun was enough to irritate Old Dowager as she cursed. “I hate that haughty attitude of hers the most! So what if she’s had a good birth. She’s just feeding off the achievements of her ancestors! She has no talents or wisdom. How is she worthy of my Meng’er?”
Qin-mama spoke a few more words of comfort when she saw that her mistress work herself up again. She summoned a married servant and a young serving girl when the old dowager had washed up and gone to bed. “Old Dowager instructed the two of you to go to the ancestral hall and serve Fourth Miss in her studies for the next few days. Follow me.”
The married woman was surnamed Ge and called Wife Ge. The serving girl was named Xiaoling, a clever looking girl who had just turned ten. The two curtsied to Qin-mama, who ordered two granny servants to deliver some blankets, braziers, and other necessities to the ancestral hall.
The ancestral hall was situated in a quiet courtyard in the southeast corner of the outer residence, next to a door that led to the inner residence. The main house paid tribute to the various Qin ancestors, and servants were often rotated in to clean the two side wings. It was more than enough space to house someone, and was much cleaner and more luxurious than Qin Yining’s Snowpear Courtyard. When Qin-mama arrived, she was already studying a copy of “Internal Lessons”. She rose in welcome when she heard the disturbance outside. “Mama, how would I dare have you make a trip yourself?”
* * *
A Confucian treatise written by the Late Han female scholar Ban Zhao on how a woman should conduct herself.] and ‘Internal Lessons’ [2. Written by an empress of the Late Ming dynasty.
Let’s take a moment to remember that we’re in ancient China. So although Qin Yining is a beautiful, vivacious, gusty, and wonderful girl in her own right, sadly she’s just a pawn good for marriage by current societal standards.
Chapter 40: Clipping of Wings
Chapter 40: Clipping of Wings
“Fourth Miss, you’re simply too polite.” Qin-mama was wreathed in smiles and curtsied respectfully at Qin Yining, then turned to pull the two behind her forward. “Old Dowager keeps thinking of you, miss, and sent this old servant over with two servants when she heard that the lord has forbidden your maids to serve you here. This is Wife Ge, and this is Xiaoling. They’ll serve at your side over the next couple of days.”
The two made docile curtsies to Qin Yining, who smiled back at Qin-mama. “Many thanks to Old Dowager going to this effort and thinking of me.”
“Oh miss, the old dowager is your grandmother, of course she would think of you!” The mama turned to give instructions for the other two to clean up the side wing that Qin Yining would be staying in over the next couple of days. “They’ll bring you the meal boxes over the next couple of days. Just be at peace, miss.”
“How could I not with the old dowager and Qin-mama’s care? It’s nice and quiet here, so I can focus on my studies.”
Upon seeing that Qin Yining’s composure was as usual, with none of the resentment of being punished, Qin-mama could only compliment the girl’s gracious composure. She really is like the lord when he was young. The old servant gave detailed instructions to Wife Ge and Xiaoling to serve the fourth miss well, and also issued further reminders to the granny servant guarding the door. “Don’t think you’re doing your job well in just keeping watch at the door and making sure the miss doesn’t leave. Serving her well is the most important! Even though she’s here to study on the lord’s orders, she’s still his most beloved daughter!”
The granny servant had already snapped to attention at Qin-mama’s arrival. Now enlightened with new perspective, she kept reassuring, “Don’t worry!”
Qin-mama made another curtsey to Qin Yining when she saw that all was arranged for properly and nothing out of order. “This servant needs to go back to Old Dowager. The night grows deep, you should rest earlier, miss.”
“Many thanks for Qin-mama for making this trip.” Qin Yining quickly returned the courtesy and spoke with gratitude.
“This is what this servant should do.” The two exchanged pleasantries as Qin Yining politely accompanied Qin-mama to the doors of the ancestral hall before finally returning to her room.
When Qin-mama returned to Garden of Loving Piety, she made directly for the main house to see how the shifts were arranged for that night. Qin Huining happened to be kneeling on the reclining seat by the window in her room and had cracked the window open a sliver. She saw everything clearly.
“Old Dowager is so kind, hmm? A real granddaughter is deserving of different treatment indeed.” She walked inside with a cold smile after closing the window slowly.
“Don’t dwell on it, miss,” Cai-mama responded. “The old dowager needs to keep up appearances after all. She has her benevolent and virtuous reputation to consider. After all, there will be many pairs of eyes on something of this magnitude.”
“Even you know how many are keeping watch on what that barbarian does, wet nurse!” Qin Huining snorted. “But why doesn’t Old Dowager or my father know? She really ate the heart of a tiger in sneaking out to meet with an outside male! Who knows what kind of base, low acts she’s committed there with how promiscuous she looks!
“She’s lorded it over me since coming back and beaten me! But Old Dowager doesn’t punish her for that and just makes her memorize classics! Even my maternal grandmother’s given her the Institute of Luminous Grace! She’s never given me anything in the fourteen years I’ve been with the family! The entire family is biased towards her now. If I don’t do something now that she’s locked up, I won’t get such an opportunity to in the future!” Qin Huining’s eyes were hooded.
“Miss, should you wait since the lord is quite angry at the moment?” Cai-mama was a bit worried.
“Wait? For what?! How long will I wait for?! Am I to let that filthy barbarian step all over me?!” Qin Huining choked up as tears trickled down like a small waterfall. “You know of my pain, wet nurse. The humiliation I’ve suffered these days is more than all I’ve endured throughout my entire life! How can I wait??”
Twinges of pain assailed Cai-mama’s heart when she saw Qin Huining thus. She made a moue and thought briefly. “Don’t worry, miss. It’s actually rather easy to deal with her. We can’t do anything to her now that she’s in the ancestral hall, so all we need to do is to clip her wings and make it that she has no one trustworthy to use.”
“Do you have a plan?” Qin Huining’s eyes gleamed.
“It’s very simple.” Cai-mama nodded. “Miss, she’s just returned to the manor and doesn’t have many she can trust at all. If we get rid of those she depends on the most, who will dare be loyal to her in the future when she can’t protect anyone by her side? If she has no confidantes in a great family as this, things are as good as over for her.”
“You’re so very right. She won’t be able to do anything meaningful without anyone able by her side. She’ll be ours to do as we wish in the future!” Qin Huining leaned cutely against Cai-mama and sighed. “Thank goodness I have you, or I wouldn’t know what to do at all.”
The mama was quite touched. “I nursed you, miss! Who would I give all of my efforts to, if not you?” When the old servant thought of Jin-mama, she made use of the atmosphere to say, “Just like I serve you wholeheartedly, so does my aunt serve the senior madame wholeheartedly. She’s just following orders. Please don’t blame her, miss.”
Qin Huining naturally knew of Cai-mama’s concerns. Jin-mama had changed her attitude towards the former fourth miss so swiftly, but hadn’t she done so based on née Sun’s attitude as well? Qin Huining actually did hold resentment, blaming Cai-mama for not keeping her family in order, but it wasn’t like she could say that. She only comforted her wet nurse with a smile, then began discussing in detail how their plan should work.
Meanwhile, Qin Yining was having a grand time being punished in the ancestral hall. She wasn’t stinted on accommodations or meals, and she had the ability to remember anything she glanced
at. Therefore, even memorizing all four classics for women would be an easy task for her, to say nothing of just the thin “Lessons for Women” and “Internal Lessons” that were part of that set. The only drawback was that the flow of information was rather obstructed. She only heard about née Sun returning home three days later, when Wife Ge and Xiaoling were gossiping quietly.
She felt that née Sun didn’t have a good way of handling things. She would always throw a big fuss and go home in style whenever a fight cropped up. Qin Yining had only returned home for a few days, but had witnessed two occasions of this already. I’m sure even her own family must be sick of her, much less the in-laws. Née Sun was completely banking on the status of her birth to flaunt and fritter away the goodwill that the Duke of Ding had accumulated. Qin Yining felt that she had to take stern lessons from this kind of behavior. Even though she had a good birth as well, she could never imitate née Sun like this if she married as well.
I wonder how Snowpear Courtyard is getting along. Father ordered all the staff to stay inside and reflect. This is a form of protection as well. Not seeing anyone means that they’ll be safe.
Such peaceful times lasted for three days. Qin Jianing had her coming-of-age ceremony during this period, and preparations for her marriage to the son of the Earl of Jiannan started as well. She only learned of all this from Wife Ge and Xiaoling’s discussions.
It was the seventh day that Qin Yining had been grounded in the ancestral hall. She had just finished breakfast and had taken a cup of hot tea from Xiaoling to rinse her mouth when she suddenly heard a shrill scream from outside the yard. “Fourth Miss! Save Ruilan!!”
Qin Yining’s heart skipped a beat. She could tell that it was Qiulu and charged outside. Weren’t those in Snowpear Courtyard all quietly reflecting? What could’ve possibly happened?!
“Fourth Miss, be careful! Don’t trip!” Wife Ge and Xiaoling quickly rang out in pursuit.
Qin Yining pushed open the ancestral hall doors to see two strong granny servants blanking Qiulu. Qiulu’s hair was a complete mess as tears streaked her cheeks. Someone who was usually dependable and taciturn was now a sobbing heap. Qiulu wanted to speak when she saw Qin Yining, but a strong granny servant had clapped a hand over her mouth. The maid’s eyes were bloodshot in her urgency and she kept voicing guttural sounds. Her tears fell even faster. Qiulu must have risked death to come here!
“Stop.” Qin Yining shrugged off Wife Ge and Xiaoling. She took two steps forward to grip the granny servant’s arm and squeezed tightly. The servant immediately let go with a loud cry of pain, and neither of them dared restrain Qiulu anymore.
“What’s going on, Qiulu? What’s happened at home? What happened to Ruilan?”
“Miss, Miss Huining’s maid Bitong came last night and summoned sister Ruilan. Ruilan didn’t want to go at first, but Bitong said something that made her go in the end. She didn’t come back all night.
“News came from Old Dowager’s this morning that a thief had been captured in Garden of Loving Piety last night. The thief was after the old dowager’s things and one of Miss Huining’s maids had captured them. They said it was Ruilan! Old Dowager was greatly angered and had Ruilan beaten with forty hits from a plank, then thrown out of the manor!
“Miss, sister Ruilan is definitely innocent. That punishment will take her life! She has an old mother and younger siblings at home. They’re all dead if something happens to her! Please miss, save her!” Qiulu was a kindhearted and honest one. She didn’t know the value of discretion and just spilled out everything in one go. The granny servants, Wife Ge, and Xiaoling off on the side long since made their conjectures when they heard this.
Qin Yining was also well aware than Qin Huining must be taking advantage of her absence from Snowpear Courtyard to make a move against her people. Not only was the foster girl trying to prune her most trusted servants, but she was also trying to instill the thinking in Old Dowager that Ruilan had turned out bad because of her mistress. If Ruilan really was taken down by Qin Huining, then all her efforts a short while ago were wasted! If she couldn’t even protect those by her side, then how would she keep the servants in line in the future? She finally had someone she could trust, was she to have to go at things solo again now? No! I must save Ruilan!
Although Qin Yining was currently grounded and supposed to be memorizing lessons, she urgently wanted to save her maid and couldn’t think of too much. She was prepared to set out when a voice sounded behind her, “Please hold your steps, miss.”
Qin Yining turned to see Qin-mama. It was unknown how long the mama had been present and how much she’d heard. “Qin-mama.” Qin Yining suppressed the urgency in her heart and politely greeted the old servant.
Qin-mama curtsied a curtsey and spoke gravely, “Don’t forget miss, the lord himself grounded you. You cannot leave unless you’ve passed his test. Besides, even if you go, what can you do with just words and no evidence? There’s clear evidence on the other side that Ruilan stole the old dowager’s jade bracelet. They have proof and witnesses.”
It was as if a ladle of cold water had been dumped over Qin Yining’s head. How could she save Ruilan without proof or witnesses?
* * *
Chapter 41: Great Joy
Chapter 41: Great Joy
Qin-mama felt immensely gratified when Qin Yining halted and a thoughtful expression floated onto the girl’s face. It looked like the fourth miss wasn’t the impulsive, brash sort. The old servant had had a good impression of Qin Yining to begin with, and this only heightened her impression. She’d only wanted to help the fourth miss a little bit, but that feeling was now greatly magnified.
“Miss.” Qin-mama quickly walked up to Qin Yining. “You’re a smart person and know what kind of action is most appropriate. You are hard pressed to save even yourself now. If you disregard the lord’s words to charge out, you might fail to save Ruilan and lose the lord’s affection as well. How will your future look then?”
Qin Yining knew that Qin-mama was right. Ruilan had been caught redhanded and she had no evidence to prove otherwise. She could only beg the old dowager for mercy if she wanted to save her maid. However, she didn’t command much face with the old dowager. But could she possibly just hang Ruilan out to dry? Even though Ruilan had made mistakes, she’d repented and had taken good care of Qin Yining all this time.
Qin Yining’s expression was tight in this moment as she hated Qin Huining like she never had before! How much trouble had the foster girl created for her since she returned home? She’d wanted to empathize and forgive, since it wasn’t Qin Huining’s fault that the two girls had been swapped at birth. Her sense of danger was understandable. But as threatened as she felt, she couldn’t harm innocents just for a moment of petty revenge!
Ruilan had never harmed Qin Huining or done anything that endangered the latter’s interests. Qin Huining was more frightening than wild beasts in threatening someone else’s life like this! Wild beasts would starve if they didn’t eat humans, but what would Qin Huining lose if she didn’t scheme against others?
Qin Huining could be a filial child to the old dowager and mother if she wanted favor. She could display her charms and vie openly with Qin Yining! Qin Huining didn’t offer sincerity but demanded it in turn, becoming vengeful when she didn’t receive it, eaten up with jealousy when others outshone her, and disdained other lives for a moment’s revenge.
Qin Yining didn’t think that she herself was a good person as she would strike back without hesitation if someone tried to harm her, but she would never use her identity to hurt innocents.
“Thank you for your warnings, Qin-mama. But Ruilan is my maid and was dragged into this because of me. I feel very guilty. I am her mistress, and it’s my incompetence if I can’t save her after the best of my efforts, but my lack of morals if I ignore her because all is well for me.” Qin Yining felt incredibly weary in both body and soul with these words. But this weakness was only momentary, and the look in her eyes incredibly resol
ute when she lifted her head again. “Qin-mama, I would rather be someone incompetent than one lacking in morals.”
She started walking out after saying this. Qin-mama’s original favorable disposition towards the fourth miss spontaneously grew to deep esteem. She was a servant herself and had weathered the elements of life with the old dowager for most of her years. They’d made it through untold hardships and trials together, and she had a deep relationship with her mistress. Qin Yining’s words had touched the deepest, most tender parts of the old servant’s heart. Qin-mama quickly snaked out a hand to grab the fourth miss.
“Miss, please listen to me.” She drew close to Qin Yining’s ear and spoke at a volume only the two could hear. “There’s nothing to gain and everything to lose if you go. I can guarantee that Ruilan won’t die. Any further plans can be made as long as you pass the lord’s test and leave the ancestral hall, miss. Do you still wish to leave after hearing this?”
Qin Yining halted in her tracks. If Qin-mama could guarantee that Ruilan wouldn’t die, wouldn’t that be more useful than her own presence? After all, the only thing she could do was to beg the old dowager for mercy. She could only acquit the maid when she found evidence in the future. Qin-mama was doing what she wanted to do with this promise!
The last time she’d written lines for her punishment, it’d been Qin-mama speaking offhandedly in front of the old dowager that resulted in the number of copies being checked. After being grounded in the ancestral hall this time, it’d been Qin-mama making a personal visit that resulted in seven days of comfort for her, in an environment where servants would change like the wind and short her on food and necessities for her fall in favor.
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