Chapter 154: Affection
“I gave those men to father so I wouldn’t have to worry about what comes after, but you’re asking me instead?” Qin Yining pouted and pretended not to play along. “Are you quizzing me, father? Is there a prize if I answer well?”
Qin Huaiyuan was amused by his daughter’s rare display of mischief. That’s right, she’s just a girl who hasn’t come of age yet. Her usual stoic maturity is a forced result of these times. His sympathy and affection for the girl grew a bit more.
“You little imp. You haven’t learned anything about dependability from your mother, but you’ve honed some rascally mischief instead. Alright then, if you answer well, then I’ll give you a fine ink stone as a reward. How about that?”
“Thank you, father.” Qin Yining smiled and dusted off the crumbs on her hand, taking another sip of tea after she’d patted her hands clean. “I feel that there are three plans of bad, good, and better that we can try.”
An interested sparkle flashed through Qin Huaiyuan’s eyes and a smile spread on his face. “Oh? Do tell.”
Qin Yining smiled. “Alright. These people kept to their principles and committed suicide when they were captured during the assassination attempts. But that’s completely different to being unprepared and taken not on a mission, not to mention the large numbers we’ve caught this time. Not all of them will be tough and hold out under torture, so they’re sure to spit out some actual information. We need to tell the emperor what they say, but the manner and timing of when we tell the emperor can be different.”
Qin Yining lifted her eyes and was encouraged to see Qin Huaiyuan nodding slightly.
“The least preferable plan is for father to take the intelligence we gain and publicly call out Elder Statesman Cao during a court session. The good thing about this method is that everyone will see how viciously ambitious the statesman is. The emperor wants nothing more than peace, but the statesman is colluding with the Tatars to ruin this outcome. This is a capital crime.”
“But we won’t be able to predict what happens after with this option,” Qin Huaiyuan offered.
“Precisely.” Qin Yining nodded and continued. “We can’t take this option because we don’t know what the emperor thinks about Statesman Cao. The risks are too great. If the emperor favors Statesman Cao, then this will actually backlash onto father. This is why I deem it the worst option.”
“Mm. You’re right.” Qin Huaiyuan leaned easily on the big cushion behind him with a smile. “And the good option?”
“The good option is for father to make a private report to the emperor, asking him what he wants to do about Statesman Cao. If the emperor wishes to make use of this advantage to take down the statesman, then you can be the emperor’s sharp blade. If the emperor would like to endure mutely for now, then you can pretend you don’t know anything. This would be better than catching the emperor unawares in public.” Qin Yining frowned in thought at this point.
“But, there’s drawbacks to this option as well. Although we’ll know the emperor’s intentions in advance, we can’t guarantee that he doesn’t change his mind when push comes to shove, or some third party causes further changes. Father will easily become a scapegoat for all of the consequences.
“Not to mention that the statesman’s web of connections spreads throughout court with extremely deep roots. Although father is Grand Preceptor of the Heir Apparent, you can’t vie with others for power. It’s easy to imagine how devastating the consequences would be if you become a scapegoat for the statesman. Empress Cao has spent a long time in the palace as well, so it’s very likely that she has eyes and ears close to the emperor. If they learn of father’s conversation with the emperor, this matter will still go up in smoke.”
The more Qin Yining thought about this, the more perilous she thought this option was as well. Her expression grew stern. “If you can’t retreat intact after committing a loyal act for the emperor, then that would still be our loss. Therefore, this seemingly ‘good’ option isn’t really, either.”
Qin Huaiyuan was experiencing firsthand the thorough clarity of his daughter’s analysis. She was a young girl, but her consideration was on par with someone who’d spent many a year at court. He warmed even more to her in this moment, and found it even more of a pity that she wasn’t a son. If she was, then he wouldn’t worry about having no one to succeed him.
“Your analysis is very complete,” Qin Huaiyuan sighed. “I think that the best plan most people can think of is to discuss the matter privately with the emperor. But there are still risks inherent with this as no one can predict the unpredictable.”
Qin Yining was both flattered and embarrassed to receive such a compliment. Her cheeks reddened considerably and her eyes shone happily.
“Father praises me too much. I have a better option, but I think that father’s already thought of it with your intelligence. Why don’t we write it down together to see if we’re thinking the same?”
Qin Huaiyuan burst out laughing. “You girl. Alright, fetch brush and paper.”
Qin Yining nodded and went to the large, black table to grind some ink. She dipped a fine brush of purple hair into the thick ink and brought it over along with a piece of paper. The girl took another piece of paper and sat back to back with Qin Huaiyuan, penning her answer.
For a moment, the only sounds in the room were that of brushes scratching against paper and the melodious swaying of the pearl dangle behind Qin Yining’s head. The fragrance of the ink mixed with that of the tea and baked goods, imparting a particularly quiet tone to the serene atmosphere.
The two were finished after a few brushstrokes, and they put their papers together to compare. Qin Huaiyuan’s calligraphy was bold and dashing, while Qin Yining’s was fluid and neat. The two words on both sheets of paper were the same.
Auntie Cao.
A connection flourished between their hearts. Qin Huaiyuan was suddenly reminded that even thought his child wasn’t a son, she was still his own daughter. What did her gender matter? With her smarts, she could still carry on his legacy.
Qin Yining merrily took Qin Huaiyuan’s piece of paper and threw both into the brazier on the ground. Sparks danced and twined around the sheets, swiftly curling them up into ashes.
“Leave it for her to make a report to the emperor. Not only is this doing her a favor, but we take our family cleanly out of the situation as well. It’ll be up to the emperor and née Cao if they want to make a move against the statesman. In this situation, we’re not the ones who captured the Tatars anymore, so we don’t know anything.”
She grinned impishly. “The emperor’s been after these assassins for a while, so the Silver Masks naturally have this mission as well. They call themselves his secret service, so how much face will they still have if they can’t even find a few assassins? Née Cao isn’t a fool, so she’ll definitely claim credit for this achievement and also block all of the risks for us as well.”
“Scamp!” Qin Huaiyuan tapped Qin Yining’s nose with his index finger. “Aren’t you worried at all about the possibility that Auntie Cao won’t be willing to do this?”
“She’s the emperor’s secret service and under orders to capture the assassins. Why wouldn’t she be willing to do all this when the clues come knocking at her door? And even if she really doesn’t want to, she will if father talks to her.”
Qin Huaiyuan looked a bit awkward at this and coughed. “You little rascal, you’re full of nonsense. Seeing that you’ve helped me a great deal, I will give you that ink stone as a present.”
Qin Yining chuckled delightfully. “Thank you, father! Show me, show me!”
Qin Huaiyuan roared with laughter. “What’s the rush? Will I change my mind and pretend that this didn’t happen?”
He summoned Qitai. “Find the ink stone that I purchased a few days ago and send it to Venerable Study Hall for the fourth miss. Ah, there’s also a case of quality brushes with it. Give it to the fourth miss as well.”
; Qitai nodded and departed with a smile to find the items.
“Thank you, father.” Qin Yining dimpled adorably. “We didn’t sleep last night, so father must be tired. Why don’t we go back together so you can catch up on sleep at the Garden of Tranquility and I’ll go back to await my new ink stone and brushes.”
Qin Huaiyuan was in a wonderful mood and flung on a random cloak with sleeves. “Let’s go, I’ll go greet the old dowager with you and we’ll go catch up on sleep afterwards.”
The Qin fourth miss was touched by her father’s thoughtfulness. She knew that it’d been many days since Qin Huaiyuan had gone to see the old dowager. Ever since the snuff bottle incident, Qin Huaiyuan had been very cool towards his mother. He knew that it was a falsified matter that Qin Yining had cooked up to scare the old dowager, but still kept his distance to tell the matriarch that Qin Yining and née Sun were both people he cared about.
This immensely touched Qin Yining. When she’d first come home, she’d felt that her father was someone who appeared amiable, but was coolly detached at heart. After this time together, she understood her father’s love towards her. Someone as smart as father doesn’t easily form genuine relationships, but won’t easily give up on the ones he does make.
Coming back with the ink stone and brushes, Qitai handed them to Jiyun.
Following her father, Qin Yining took the maid with her to the inner residence. But they’d just set foot inside the flower-hung gate when they heard the sobs and wails of women from the Garden of Loving Piety.
Qin Huaiyuan’s expression changed drastically and he quickly strode forward. Qin Yining also thought something was off and called to Jiyun for her to keep up.
The closer the two got to the old dowager’s residence, the louder the cries and shrieks became. Qin Yining’s heart jumped in fright. The person shrieking was née Sun, and the one begging mercy was Qin Huining? Just what had happened?
* * *
Chapter 155: A Rampaging Qin Yining (I)
Chapter 155: A Rampaging Qin Yining (I)
She’d only spent a night away from home and hadn’t had time to pay her respects to née Sun. What had happened now?
Out in the yard, Jin-mama and Caiju were flanking née Sun in support. The madame’s face was covered with tears, but she was pointing at Qin Huining.
“…you rotten conscience and heartless whelp! What do you gain from framing me?”
Qin Huining had tumbled to the ground with loud sobs, but her voice raised in protestation was even clearer than before.
“Why be this way, madame! The voodoo doll wasn’t found in my house! I had the best of intentions when I came to deliver snacks, but the madame… How can I cover up something like this! It was the old dowager’s birth date on the doll! Now that the old dowager has fainted from anger and her condition is yet unknown, you only know to yell at me! If the madame really is filial, why aren’t you worried about defending yourself instead of looking in on the old dowager…”
Qin Huaiyuan circled past the decorative wall at the entrance and cut off Qin Huining with a frown. “What voodoo doll?”
“My lord!” The crowd in the yard greeted unanimously.
Qin Yining walked slowly to née Sun, supporting a madame almost beside herself with distress. She whispered, “What’s wrong, mother? Speak slowly, don’t be in a rush. Father will stick up for you.”
Née Sun was both furious and frantic, and still weak from newly recovering from a cold. When Qin Yining and Qin Huaiyuan had yet to return, she could just barely manage to hold on with her willpower.
But now that she saw her daughter, her habitual dependance and trust welled up, and tears trickled down sadly from reddened eyes.
“My daughter.”
Qin Yining quickly fetched a handkerchief and directed a question at Jin-mama. “What happened?”
“Miss Huining came by with hard rice porridge that she’d cooked herself and small plates this morning.” The old servant finally felt a bit more on solid footing now that the fourth miss and lord were back. “The madame thought kindly of their old relationship and allowed her to enter with her maid.
"Everything was fine until Miss Huining’s maid suddenly found a voodoo doll beneath the luohan bed cushion. The maid was helping Caiju organize the covers and cushions. Needles were stabbed into the doll, which had been labelled with the old dowager’s birth date. Miss Huining cried loudly and came to tell the old dowager of this.”
Jin-mama’s look at Qin Huining was filled with hate.
“This servant told the madame a long time ago that this is an ungrateful backstabber! But the madame dwelled on their many years as mother and daughter and still let her in. She didn’t express any concern when the madame was to be executed. She didn’t come either when the madame was sick. She came by with breakfast for no reason today, and this happened! She’s obviously trying to frame the madame!”
Qin Huining was kneeling in front of Qin Huaiyuan now and sobbed out, “Please look into this, father! What reason would I have to hurt mother? Even if I’m not her blood and flesh, I’m still a daughter of the main branch of the family!
"Even if mother is biased towards sister Yi, I’ve never gone short for clothes or food. I have no reason to harm the madame! Does father think that I’d be that dumb as well? Having my people do this moments after visiting? Isn’t this dumping shit all over myself? Please believe me, father. I’m not that stupid!”
The foster girl’s teary eyes were filled with wounded innocence. Her fingers were curled piteously around Qin Huaiyuan’s hem. She was crying, but trying to force herself into calmness at the same time. It was truly a sympathy-evoking sight.
Qin Huaiyuan whisked the edge of his robes away with a frown and quickly walked up the stairs. “How is the old dowager? Have you called for a doctor?”
“We just did,” Jixiang responded. “The fourth miss’ Bingtang has already come by as well. She said that it’s a matter of great anger at an elderly age, that it wasn’t serious.”
The diagnosis set Qin Huaiyuan at ease and he quickly went inside to see his mother. Qin Yining helped née Sun inside as well.
“Don’t fret mother, just leave everything to me.”
Née Sun nodded. Only fury was left after sorrow had drained away.
“I’m such a complete fool! She took née Cao for her foster mother as soon as the concubine entered the manor and doesn’t see me as her mother at all. But here I was, thinking that we were mother and daughter for fourteen years. That no matter how unfilial she is, we still have some love for each other. To think she would hurt me in this way!”
Her words were deeply vexed and pained. The second and third madames were off to the side. They were also mothers, and chills travelled down their backs when they considered the possibility of a child they’d raised using voodooism to hurt them. Their looks at Qin Huining filled with despise.
The old dowager awoke slowly when Bingtang finished her acupuncture treatment. The maid packed her things and stood behind her mistress when she saw that Qin Yining was here.
The Qin matriarch stared blankly at the people around the bed for a while, then burst out in hurt tears when she saw that her son was present.
“You finally know to visit your mother! Your wife is trying to kill me! You may have no time for me normally because of court, but you’ve come back at the perfect timing today, huh!”
“Don’t be angry, mother.” Qin Huaiyuan took the teacup that Qin-mama offered and helped his mother sit up, feeding her warm water with the other hand. He continued gently, “It’s my oversight. There have been many things to take care of outside these days. The Great Zhou envoy is still here and there are some things to wrap up after the successful peace talks. I have indeed been so busy these days that I’ve barely had time to sit down. I wasn’t purposefully not coming to greet you, mother. Please understand.”
Qin Huaiyuan was the old dowager’s most beloved son, and she understood very well after listening to his expl
anation and thinking of his awkward straits at court. Her anger subsided slightly, but it exploded again when she looked past his shoulder and saw that Qin Yining was helping née Sun to a round chair.
“Meng’er, I know you’re filial. But if you’re truly my son, then you’ll divorce née Sun today, that vile woman!”
Qin Huaiyuan started frowning anger. “Don’t be angry, mother.”
“Don’t be angry? How can I not be?! Née Sun hates me and made a voodoo doll to condemn me! If it wasn’t for granddaughter Hui discovering it, I would’ve died one day without knowing anything! Your wife is a hen that can’t lay eggs, lacking in virtue and filial piety, and possessing a venomous heart! If you see me as your mother, then divorce her immediately! There is only room for one in this family!”
The old dowager’s face was ruddy from her yelling and continual smacks against the bed frame. The jade embedded gold rings on her fingers connected loudly with the wooden frame, each blow a shuddering hit onto the heart.
Née Sun started crying wordlessly when she heard the old dowager voice such heartless words. Her hands and feet were numb as she sat on the round chair and the scene dimmed before her eyes. She leaned weakly on Qin Yining, beside herself with sobs.
When had she, Sun Haihan, fallen to such lows that the mother-in-law who’d once fawned over her would force her to the edge? Her family was no more and of no further use to the old dowager, but did that erase the help that her father and brothers had once given Qin Huaiyuan when he asked for her hand in marriage? Even performers [1] and prostitutes wouldn’t be as cruel and unkind as the old dowager!
And to think that Qin Huining had once been the old dowager’s most favored granddaughter. Indeed, it rather looked like Qin Huining had learned a great deal about looking out for herself and pursuing self gain!
Née Sun felt even more like a failure. She hadn’t taught her daughter well and couldn’t win over the hearts of others. Her expression grew more and more twisted, and her fingers started spasming as well. This alarming development immediately had Qin Yining turning to Bingtang, “Take a look at my mother!”
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