“Husband! My husband!” Fifth cousin-in-law wouldn’t let go of her husband’s hands no matter what. As the soldiers tore her hand away, she was sent tumbling to the ground in the chaos and clutched her stomach with cries of pain. A trail of blood was left behind as she was forcefully dragged away, leaving fifth cousin out of his mind with anguish. My child!
Qin Yining couldn’t sit back anymore and roughly shoved the soldier in front of her aside. He stumbled, not expecting that a noble girl would have such immense strength to her frail looking frame! Someone wanted to draw their blade on her but was stopped by a knowing eunuch. “That’s Grand Preceptor Qin’s daughter!”
Although they didn’t dare harm her, four stocky men still barred her way. She could only yell, “Don’t worry, cousin!”
The duke, her uncles, and cousins all looked at the source of that strong shout. Tears brimmed in her eyes, but her look was extremely resolute. “I’ll go to the Royal Academy right now!”
The Institute of Luminous Grace hired only from the Royal Academy, and that was Qin Yining’s business now! The duke smiled and nodded firmly at her. Qin Yining also nodded, looking at her fifth and eighth cousin one more time before turning away. Fifth cousin’s voice sounded from behind her. “Cousin Yi, your brother thanks you!”
* * *
Chapter 77: Saving Lives is as Urgent as Extinguishing a Fire
Chapter 77: Saving Lives is as Urgent as Extinguishing a Fire
Qin Yining quickly ran to née Sun, who was sobbing broken heartedly on the ground. She helped her mother up from her kneeling position. “Mother, go home first!”
“I’m going to cry my grievances to the emperor! I’m going to the Bureau of Punishment! How dare they, how dare they…” Née Sun shook her head numbly as she hiccuped.
“They dare because they’re holding an imperial decree! The emperor gave the order, who are you going to air your grievances to?!” Qin Yining rested her hands on née Sun’s shoulders and pressed down lightly. She lowered her voice and forced out each word between her teeth. “Mother! The imperial decree has been announced and there’s nothing we can do. We’re only females and Qins as well. Our actions will impact the life and death of the Qins! Mother, do you want everyone in the Qin clan to become burial goods for grandfather and the others?!”
“How can you be so cold blooded?!” Née Sun looked incredulously at Qin Yining and pushed her away roughly. “Do you want me to just watch your grandfather and family die?!”
Qin Yining remained standing firmly where she was, no longer adjusting her grip to née Sun’s motions. She clamped tightly onto her mother’s shoulders until the madame frowned with pain and forgot to cry. “Yes, maybe I’m cold blooded. Although I most recently lived in the mountains, I scrabbled for life out on the city streets when I was young. I’ve experienced life and death and seen the kindness of humanity. But more often, I’ve seen the reality and ugliness of human nature. Disaster has struck, and although father wants to help the Ding Manor, will the emperor listen to him? Think about it, mother. Father is the pillar of the family. Would he dare offend the emperor so deeply that his own family is hauled over the fire as well?
“Father is the grand preceptor and you are a woman of the inner residence. Will you be able to do what he can’t? If you do anything now, you’ll only doom the Qins to the same fate!”
Née Sun looked dumbly at Qin Yining, tears springing forth again. “Then, then we can only watch as your grandfather, uncles, and cousins are beheaded? Your third cousin’s youngest son is only five!”
Tears also brimmed in Qin Yining’s eyes. “That’s reality, mother! Listen to me. Go home right now and refuse all visitors because you’re sick. Don’t see anyone. If the old dowager demands to see you, don’t talk back to her. You have to face reality, mother. You have no family of your own side anymore!”
No family of her own side.
No backer.
The source of née Sun’s pride and confidence all these years, and the crutch she’d used most often when fighting with the old dowager and Qin Huaiyuan was her family. No one would be able to back her up in the future. Her family was gone!
When Qin Yining saw née Sun stare blankly, she knew that her words had had some effect. She quickly gave orders to Jin-mama. “Help the madame back to the manor first. Press on her the importance of not conflicting with the old dowager or anyone else. Let’s talk when I get home. Everyone will soon know what’s happened to the Suns, and things are about to change for the Qins as well.”
“Understood, Fourth Miss.” The mama nodded firmly. It was the first time she’d felt that, even without the duke’s doting on her mistress, even if her mistress lost the support of her side of the family, they still had someone supporting them as long as the fourth miss was there.
Qin Yining had the groom unharness one of the horses. “I’m going to find Steward Zhong and might get home a bit later. Hold down the fort for me until I get back.”
“Yes miss, don’t worry.” Bingtang nodded. “I’ll take good care of the madame as well.”
Qin Yining jerked the reins around and sent the horse off in a fast gallop. She’d never learned how to ride, but since she’d spent some time with herds of wild horses and even ridden some of them, it wasn’t difficult to command a tamed horse. She quickly arrived at Grand Steward Zhong’s.
He wasn’t at home.
When the pageboy saw that the owner had come, he sprinted quickly to the Rising Delight Inn to bring Steward Zhong back. The steward had heard of what’d happened at Ding Manor and came back on a fast horse when he heard the pageboy’s message. Qin Yining didn’t need to even speak. He already knew what she wanted to do. “Don’t worry, miss. I’ll take out our petty cash [1] and do whatever it takes to hire out the old owner and all female relations.”
Qin Yining was quite touched to see the sincerity in his face and lack of fear of becoming embroiled in this mess. “Then I’ll have to trouble you to go to some effort, Steward Zhong. Although hiring them is an urgent matter, what’s even more pressing is sending doctors and midwives to the Royal Academy. My fifth cousin-in-law is about to give birth and I’m afraid eighth cousin-in-law might’ve affected her child as well.”
Steward Zhong was alarmed by these words and nodded quickly. “Okay, okay. Our Institute has the widest network, to say nothing of anything else. I’ll go make the arrangements now! Mingjie, you stay and carry out the miss’ orders. Saving lives are as urgent as putting out a fire. I’ll go take care of things now.”
“Alright. I leave things in your care, Steward Zhong.” Qin Yining nodded in thanks. The grand steward waved a hand and ran off like a fire was at his back. Qin Yining sent him off with her eyes and sat down with a frown after he was a ways away. She finally noted a man roughly over thirty standing off to the side with his head down. He was of average build and wearing a padded jacket of fine cotton fibers. He wore a six panel hat with sharp eyes set into an honest-looking face.
When he sensed that Qin Yining was sizing him up, he bowed. “Greetings to the owner. This humble one is Jing Mingjie. My mother serves in the kitchen of the Qin manor.”
So it’s him! When Qin Yining had been locked in the ancestral hall, it’d been Jing-mama who came by with food and information. She’d helped Qin Yining pass along messages as well, and had conveyed then that she had a son who was a third rank shopkeeper under Grand Steward Zhong.
“So it’s Shopkeeper Jing.”
“Not at all. It’s because of the owner that I can learn at Grand Steward Zhong’s side.” Jing Mingjie bowed.
Qin Yining knew that Steward Zhong was a highly competent person, so anyone he sent to her would be someone exceedingly trustworthy. One didn’t doubt the people they made use of, so Qin Yining asked, “The Institute originally had two brothels. One of them’s been converted to a tavern, what about the remaining one?”
“In response to the miss, there’s no use for the remaining house for now. We’ve only set some s
taff to keeping an eye on it.”
Qin Yining mentally counted up the numbers of Sun clan females and then thought about the sizes of the two inns the Institute was running. It wasn’t appropriate to arrange them at the inns. There wasn’t enough space, and given the general flow of people, it wasn’t safe enough either. She had to make appropriate arrangements for them after hiring them. There were already no more males in grandmother’s household, Qin Yining couldn’t separate the remaining family. She thought for a moment more and felt that the only place she could shelter them was the empty house that’d originally been a brothel.
“Shopkeeper Jing, please have someone clean up the empty house and place all daily necessities within them. Record all of your expenditures and just turn them into Steward Zhong.”
Jing Mingjie understood what Qin Yining wanted to do. “You’d like to house the Sun females there? That’s a good arrangement. The house has already been cleaned up and is very suitable for people to live in. We’ll still need to arrange for some guards though. Don’t worry, miss. I’ll go make the arrangements now.”
Qin Yining nodded and had Jing Mingjie go about his business while she waited in the outer study of Steward Zhong’s home. He returned when night fell.
“Thank goodness we got there in time. If we were even a little bit later, we’d only be in time to deliver two corpses. The child has just been delivered and it’s a girl. Both mother and daughter are safe. I’ve handled everything at the Royal Academy. We can take them all tomorrow morning.”
Qin Yining’s heart could finally settle back down in her chest. She clasped her hands together and motioned a few times in gratefulness. “Thank you so much, Steward Zhong.”
“Say none of that, miss. You saved my entire family’s life, and the old owners have always treated me well. You are a heroic lady possessing of great loyalty and justice. You uphold righteousness, so I really have no reason to watch idly off on the side.”
Qin Yining stood up and thought for a moment. “The Institute has such a wide network, can we get anyone to pass a message into the dungeons of the Bureau of Punishment? If we can, let’s get a message to my grandfather and them, letting them know that fifth cousin-in-law has delivered a girl.” She sighed. “It’s just as well that the child is a daughter. If a son…” The emperor probably wouldn’t let even a newborn off the hook.
Steward Zhong also gave a long sigh. “What’s happened at the Duke of Ding Manor has spread all throughout the capital. Everyone knows that they’re innocent. Many scholars who admire the duke are signing petitions for leniency. I hope the emperor will hear the voice of the people and lighten the punishment.”
“May that be the case.” Sudden hope ignited in Qin Yining’s heart, but when she thought carefully of what Elder Statesman Cao had said today and the emperor’s personality, the hope began to fizzle out. “I’m afraid that the emperor will think the Suns are skilled at manipulating public favor and be even warier of them…”
Steward Zhong’s expression grew stern as he too became uncertain. Qin Yining gave her remaining orders and relayed to the steward that she’d had Jing Mingjie clean up the house for the Sun females before she headed home.
She’d been out all day while mother had returned home earlier. I wonder if anything’s happened because of this enormous change? Qin Yining knew that the old dowager was an extremely materialistic person who sought personal gain at all cost. However tolerant she was of née Sun before, that’d been because the madame had the Duke of Ding Manor at her back. Now that the Suns were tarred with crimes, the old dowager would most likely be afraid and hate everything to do with the Duke of Ding. She’d be worried that the Qins would be affected.
Therefore, née Sun’s position would take a tremendous fall. Even a granddaughter who’d received some Sun businesses like Qin Yining would probably come in for her share of wariness from the old dowager, not to mention that she’d immediately hired out the Sun females. The affection that she’d worked hard to win from the old dowager would likely be wiped out entirely by this event.
But Qin Yining didn’t regret things nor find it a pity. Even if the old dowager disliked her, she’d be able to live out her days happily. She would never disregard the lives of the females on the maternal side of her family just to win favor from the old dowager. She was saving them not to be benevolent, but because of her mother and for the family that the Ding Manor had given her.
When Qin Yining returned home, Qitai immediately called out to her.
“You’re back, Fourth Miss! The lord told me to wait here for you and have you go to the study as soon as you return. He needs to talk to you.
* * *
Money that’s immediately available on hand
Chapter 78: A Father Daughter Chat
Chapter 78: A Father Daughter Chat
Qin Yining was actually quite nervous, because she wasn’t sure what her father’s attitude would be in this situation. To the best of her knowledge, her father was a taciturn and reserved person, an official with unparalleled wisdom. This kind of person was never the kind and benevolent type.
But she had to save the Sun females. Qin Yining wasn’t afraid of the old dowager disapproving of her actions, because no matter how much the old dowager disapproved, the matriarch wouldn’t be able to do anything to directly impact Qin Yining’s plans.
However, father was different. If father opposed her intentions, he would absolutely have multiple ways to control her movements. She apprehensively followed Qitai to the outer residence study, meeting two beautiful maids wearing faint-blue sleeveless robe dresses in the covered hallway. It was Moxiang and Danqing, who curtsied when they saw the fourth miss approach. One went inside to announce her arrival and the other walked up in welcome.
“Greetings to Fourth Miss, the lord has told us to wait here for you.”
“Thank you, big sister Danqing.” Qin Yining nodded with a smile as the maid carefully lifted up the ink-green bamboo and cloth door curtains, walking into the study.
Qin Huaiyuan was wearing a light-gray robe, covered by a navy brocade, padded jacket with a gray squirrel fur collar. He was sitting cross-legged on the black lacquer luohan bed next to the window, leafing through a book. “You’re back? Have a seat.” A long finger slipped down the book, idly turning the page when it reached the bottom.
Qin Yining went through all the proper courtesies first before taking a seat on the other side of the luohan bed. She accepted the teacup that Moxiang offered and carefully set it on an end table. The maids took their leave all at once.
Qin Huaiyuan was still reading his book and asked distractedly, “What did you do today? Tell me everything.”
Although Qin Yining had mentally readied herself for that question, her heart still skipped a beat. She quickly rose, keeping her head low as she responded. “In response to father, I heard that senior and second uncle had returned and wanted to greet them. But mother and I had just gotten to the doors of Ding Manor when we bumped into the scene of the manor being raided.”
“Mm.” Qin Huaiyuan placed ‘The Commentary of Zuo’ [1]softly on the end table.
“Elder Statesman Cao had brought soldiers to arrest everyone and announced that all Sun males will be executed in three days, regardless of age. The females will be sent to the Royal Academy and the servants sold in three days as well. At that announcement, the crowd erupted in indignation, so Statesman Cao killed a citizen to quiet the dissension.”
“And then?” Qin Huaiyuan asked.
“Then, Statesman Cao had the family taken away. Grandfather, grandmother, my aunts and uncles, cousins and cousins-in-law knew then to be their final parting. The scene was… Mother cried out from grief and we were seen by Statesman Cao.” Qin Yining tried to gloss over things, but knew she had to mention the fact that Statesman Cao had seen them. This way, her father would be mentally prepared if anything happened.
Qin Huaiyuan was silent for a moment and then nodded. “And you? Did you do anything aft
erwards?”
His voice was low and warm. There was even the hint of a smile in his tone, but Qin Yining could feel a cold shiver travel down her back. She dropped to her knees.
“Please don’t be angry, father. Fifth cousin and his wife are a young couple and they weren’t willing to be parted. Fifth cousin-in-law fell to the ground when the soldiers were pushing and pulling at them. But, it affected her baby. The scene was very heartrending. Father knows that the Suns are innocent, and I really couldn’t just sit by and watch her die. So, I ordered people to use their connections to save her. Thankfully, she gave birth to a girl…” Qin Yining snuck a quick glance up at Qin Huaiyuan at this point, but his expression had remained unchanged. It was impossible to discern his emotions.
She could only continue sincerely. “As for the orders I gave to hire the women through the Institute, I thought it was fine. Since the emperor has ordered the Sun women to enter the Royal Academy as servants, then that means the Institute is allowed to hire them. There is no other organization that can hire from the Royal Academy, right? Unless… unless the emperor was so negligent that he didn’t know the Institute of Luminous Grace was already in my hands.”
The emperor really hadn’t known that. He was probably deep in the throes of regret right now. He’d probably confiscated the Duke of Ding’s properties because he’d wanted the Institute. Qin Huaiyuan coughed before saying softly, “Impertinence.”
Although his voice was soft, the velvet in his tone did not hide the steel authority beneath. Qin Yining quickly kowtowed. “Yes, I understand my wrongs. I shouldn’t talk about the emperor behind his back.”
Qin Huaiyuan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at her response. For some reason, he was actively struggling to keep his lips from twitching. “Are your mistakes only in talking about the emperor?”
Qin Yining pursed her lips and lifted her head. Her eyes were like the clearest spring of water as she looked at her father in confusion. “I haven’t defied imperial orders, nor done anything out of line. The emperor rules the world with the principles of benevolence and filial piety. Even if the Duke of Ding is guilty, there’s never been a precedent set to ignore the pregnancy of a convicted woman. I feel that the emperor would’ve sent someone to help fifth cousin-in-law if he was made aware of the situation. Besides, I’m the owner of the Institute. The Royal Academy has received a new batch of staff and I happen to be short on people. There’s nothing wrong in hiring them. Wasn’t it the imperial family that set this rule?”
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