“And so I called her ‘master’, but she felt that I was a bother and refused to admit that I was her disciple. She told me to call her martial uncle, and that if the grandmaster took another disciple in the future, I’d be that disciple’s disciple.”
Huzi was stunned senseless by this background, not even noticing that he’d chewed the tea leaf stems to a pulp. Pang Xiao however, roared with laughter.
“This sounds like something the Soothsayer would say. But you don’t have that many bad parts to you, apart from being a little dense, too wooden, too honest, a bit silly, and too miserly. So why doesn’t your master want you?”
Mu Jinghu lifted his head and responded after a long pause. “You reeled off so many faults, no wonder my master doesn’t want me.”
“Heh!” The prince once again barked with laughter at the block of wood’s expense.
Huzi also chuckled. “Then has Sir Mu’s grandmaster taken in another disciple?”
The young man shook his head honestly. “I don’t know. The grandmaster is a very mysterious person. I haven’t seen him in many years.”
Pang Xiao’s laughter petered out with a sigh. “Blockhead, I’m here to call in that bet.”
“I know, Sly Fox Pang. The two of you wouldn’t be able to find me otherwise.” Mu Jinghu put down his cup. “We’re even after I help you this time.”
“Alright, you have my word.”
“You’re a fox. You’re too slippery. I don’t trust you.” Mu Jinghu took out half a sheet of paper from his sleeve and scribbled a note with charcoal. “Handprint.”
Pang Xiao looked down wordlessly at the scrap of paper. “Since you want to put it down in writing, can’t you get a better piece of paper?” Still, he covered his palm with some ash and pressed his hand down.
This finally set Mu Jinghu at ease and he put the paper back into his sleeve. “Alright, what is it?”
“Blockhead. I’d like to ask you to protect someone for me. Someone very important to me. Protect her until I can do so myself.”
The young man nodded and didn’t ask who that person had offended, why was he being put on protection duty, when Pang Xiao would take over this job himself, and thought even less of what kind of trouble this would bring him. He only nodded in acceptance.
“What’s his name and where does he live?”
“Her surname is Qin, given name Yining. She’s fifteen years old and lives in the Marquis of Anping Manor in the Great Yan capital. She’s the official daughter of the Marquis of Anping, Qin Meng, and comes fourth in her family.”
“A female?” A trace of surprised emotion finally colored Mu Jinghu’s tone.
Pang Xiao nodded with a smile. “Yes, she’ll be my wife in the future.”
“Oh.” Mu Jinghu nodded. “Another fox.”
Pang Xiao roared with laughter again.
……
Those in the Great Yan capital had no idea of Pang Xiao’s doings in the city of Liang. Meanwhile, the empress was beet red from anger after hearing a eunuch’s report.
She smashed everything her enraged eyes alighted on in a grand show of fury. In the blink of an eye, her Soaring Phoenix Palace looked like bandits had gone through it. Shattered porcelain covered the floor and pots of coral decorations were tipped over. Braziers were knocked this way and that, mimicking the disarray of jewelry boxes. Strands of large pearls had been snapped and pearls were rolling everywhere on the floor.
The servants shuddered and trembled, hunching in on themselves as they knelt on the ground, deathly afraid that the empress’ wrath would descend on them as well. Even after all that, the towering rage within the empress’ heart wasn’t the slightest bit abated. She kicked over a young eunuch, using such force that he tumbled over the ground.
“That damned Soothsayer! How dare she deceive me!” The empress spat through grit teeth.
A confidante eunuch tried to pacify in low tones. “Don’t be angry, Your Majesty. Perhaps the Soothsayer has other things to do and went away on a short trip. She might be back after a few days. You know how mysterious these types of people can be. Besides, she still has to produce the divine pill for the emperor. She wouldn’t dare leave for too long.”
“I’ll skin her alive if she dares come back!”
“Your Majesty has a harsh mouth but a soft heart.” The eunuch smiled. “You’d still think of the emperor even if wanted to skin that baldie alive, no? Don’t be angry. The statesman said for you not to be in a rush. Be at ease, he’s making a list of all those who dare displease you. You’re the emperor’s most favored and the apple of the elder statesman’s eye. Whoever displeases you is displeasing the two strongest men in the world! Nothing good will come of them! Why harm yourself with anger over them?”
The eunuch had served the empress for many years and knew that she was proudest of two things. Being a Cao, and being the empress. These comforting words mentioned her two most cherished qualities, instantly cheering her up.
“You old thing, you always have such a sweet mouth.” The empress sighed. “Forget it, have someone clean this place up. The emperor will surely visit soon. This seat will go freshen my makeup and outfit so I am ready.”
“Understood, this servant will do so immediately.”
* * *
Chapter 176: Must Have Her Die
Chapter 176: Must Have Her Die
The empress didn’t put on her usual heavy makeup today or wear her preferred jade and pearl accessories. She had on very light coverage and put some gloss on her lips, appearing wan and sallow, evoking pity in the eyes of those who saw her.
The emperor was used to a stunning empress glowing with good health. The unexpected plain sight of his consort pricked his heart with pain as he ran his hand down her smooth locks.
“My darling, my sweetheart. Look at you, you’re so run-down after a day. Are you angry that I’m incompetent, that I couldn’t get née Qin for you?”
The empress had laid her head down on the emperor’s knees, her hair cascading down his lower legs. She tilted her head up and responded weakly, “How would I ever fault Your Majesty? I only sigh that my fortunes are too weak to overcome the one that the Soothsayer says has a good life chart.
“Except, I also don’t understand why the Soothsayer first said née Qin’s flesh can maintain looks, but then suddenly said her life chart is exceedingly good and is a talisman that can protect Great Yan. These words conflict and seem very contradictory.”
“Indeed, I think so too. Perhaps people removed from the mundane world don’t think too much. That née Qin can maintain looks is true, but so is her life chart being a talisman for the nation.”
The emperor’s health had gradually improved thanks to taking the Soothsayer’s pill. He was in fine spirits and showed increasing vigor in the bedroom. Having personally experienced the potency of the Soothsayer’s pill and knowing of her reputation, he devoutly believed her words. Therefore, when she said that Qin Yining was born of great fortune, and that her presence would ensure stability for the nation, the emperor didn’t doubt it one bit.
Besides, he was just planning on having fortune tellers spend the word that “Qin Yining is the reincarnation of a vixen spirit in the mortal world, here to cause trouble. She must be executed to ensure Great Yan’s longevity”. But the Soothsayer announced the girl’s true life chart before he’d done anything. This proved how clairvoyant the Soothsayer was and how she had a clear grasp of everything.
If this wasn’t the case, how would the Soothsayer possibly have such good timing to declare this before he’d given the imperial decree? In the emperor’s view, the Soothsayer was a loyal one who was thinking of protecting Great Yan. That she happened to save née Qin as well was just a coincidence.
He was the son of heaven and quite willing to believe in idea of a mascot, having been beaten down by Great Zhou for so long. As for whether or not the existence of a little girl like Qin Yining could really ensure that Great Yan wouldn’t fall… did it matter?
“It’s naturally so if Your Majesty has spoken.” The empress was enduring it, but that didn’t mean she was happy about it. Aggrieved tears rolled down her face. “I feel that my birth chart is a bad one. Your Majesty criticized Wang Yuxian earlier, which spelled the doom of one of my father’s few students. There aren’t that many men in my family either, so we can only look to my father’s students to hold up the family. Wang Yuxian was demoted and I was mocked in the imperial harem for it. I wanted to cheer up through improving my looks, but we can’t do anything to née Qin. I really am so sad.”
The emperor’s heart was completely melting with the empress’ soft and tender tones. “Yurou, my dearest darling. What will it take to make you happy? I promise you whatever I can do, but you really can’t have née Qin. I need her to ensure our nation’s safety. What if you try using someone else?”
A spark of inspiration struck the empress.
“I was thinking of that as well. The Soothsayer says we need a great beauty, and don't we have a lot of those in the palace? In my eyes, Consort Shu is exceedingly beautiful and also born in the six month. She should be close enough to née Qin?”
The emperor had long since forgotten who Consort Shu was, much less her looks. He immediately nodded at the suggestion. “Do whatever you’d like, you little minx. I care not a whit. It’s fine even if you use all of the imperial harem for your beauty, much less a single Consort Shu.”
“Really?” The empress sparkled with delight and sit up with her arms around the emperor’s neck.
“Naturally.” The emperor kissed the beauty in front of him with a loud smack. The empress instantly smiled with satisfaction and started fooling around with the emperor.
……
“What did you say?! The empress chopped up Consort Shu and steamed her flesh, as well as fried Honored Concubine Xiang in a big pot of oil!?” The teacup in Qin Yining’s hand slipped from utter shock, startling Riceball so that it buried its head into Qin Yining’s lap. The girl absentmindedly stroked Riceball’s furry head and murmured in a daze, “That monster, that animal!”
Bingtang nodded with a pale face. “I also thought it was simply too ludicrous when I heard it. Apparently, the empress invited the emperor to taste the two concubines when the flesh was cooked through. This servant… blargh!” She didn’t even finish before leaning over and dry heaving.
Qin Yining also felt a roiling of nausea in the back of her threat. She ultimately kept the contents of her stomach down after tremendous effort. She’d escaped disaster, but the empress had ended up pointing her spear at the imperial harem instead. Was the emperor this decrepit to allow the empress to do whatsoever she wished?
“Consort Shu’s father is the Left Attendant Gentleman of the Bureau of Punishment, Master Yuan, and Honored Concubine Xiang’s father is the Assistant Inspector of the Chief Surveillance Bureau, Master Wang. How will they just let this matter rest after losing their beloved daughters? The Bureau of Punishment and the Chief Surveillance Bureau… ai. The emperor is truly trash. He’s not thinking about anything else, just favoring that trampress of his!” Qin Yining grit her teeth, feeling distressed by the loss of two young lives. She both hated and resented the empress, her expression growing quite ugly.
Songlan and Qiulu were next to her, their faces also drained of color. Even Jiyun, someone who’d seen much of the world, felt a chilly wind scrape through her heart when she heard this.
“If it wasn’t for your timely reaction, miss, you probably wouldn’t be here by now.” Songlan wiped off a forehead of sweat.
Qin Yining nodded and placed the snow-white Riceball on the eight-sided table. She looked into the bunny’s clear eyes and thought deeply for a moment, the look in her eyes slowly settling to down to determination.
“Don’t worry, aren’t I fine? The trampress’ viciousness is helping me see things clearly. She took her anger out on others this time because she didn’t get me, but she’ll definitely keep trying for me. She can’t do anything to me, but who’s to say she won’t harm our family?” The fourth miss rose, her hands tightly clutching the hem of her shirt. “I must strike first!”
She had to kill the trampress first, or there would be no peace for the Qins!
Her words were highly treasonous, but she was speaking to a group of confidantes. Songlan and Qiulu were highly loyal to her, Bingtang had a blood feud with the empress, and Jiyun was loyal to Pang Xiao, so she had an intrinsic hate for the Great Yan empress. This was why Qin Yining could speak so freely.
“You’re right, miss.” Bingtang nodded. “The trampress’ cruelty and ludicrous actions are beyond belief. If it wasn’t for her entrancing the emperor and raining down destruction onto the nation and people, father wouldn’t have colluded with the Clearists. It was a pity that the trampress was only half-dead from the poison and gradually recovered, ending the lives of my entire family.”
Everyone knew of Bingtang’s circumstances. Qiulu and Songlan flanked the girl, patting her shoulders and lowering their heads in shared sorrow.
The former Tang daughter sniffed and forced a smile on her face. “I’m only saying this to remind you to be careful, miss. Don’t do anything unless you’re certain you can take her life with one blow. The trampress doesn’t act with reason at all. If you don’t kill her and give her the opportunity to strike back, you won’t be able to take suffer consequences. If matters really do develop to that point, it’d be better for you to hide first and slowly strategize in the shadows. Otherwise, it really wouldn’t be worth it to pay the price of your entire family.”
Qin Yining nodded and clasped Bingtang’s hands. “I understand everything you say. Don’t worry, I won’t harm a jade vase in order to shoo a rat, but I won’t let her off for this either.”
Bingtang nodded heavily. “Tell me to do whatever you need, miss. I may not know anything else, but I know how to create poisons.”
Qin Yining smiled slightly decided to tease the girl. “My Bingtang is so wonderful, I’ll have great need of you in the future. Don’t cry yourself silly. What will I use to kill the trampress if you forget how to make poisons?”
“How would I cry myself silly?” Bingtang rolled her eyes at Qin Yining as a smile finally broke through her tears.
* * *
Chapter 177: Loans
Chapter 177: Loans
Qin Yining changed the topic when she saw that the maid was finally smiling.
“Third cousin’s wedding is next month. I’m thinking of gifting her a set of Beauty Works rouge and powder. She normally shies away from conflicts and treats me quite well, so I’d like to ask you to create a rose-scented set for her.”
Third miss Qin Jianing was very partial to the fragrance of roses and had once spoke admiringly of Beauty Works’ rose-scented ointment. Outsiders didn’t know that Qin Yining had invested in Beauty Works, and the fourth miss wasn’t the type to spread the information around, but she naturally wouldn’t be stingy when her own sister mentioned it.
“That’s nothing,” Bingtang smiled. “The third miss is a nice person, I’ll take care of this personally. I see that you’re almost out of jasmine lotion as well, miss. I’ll make more for you too. You have some more scabs on your hand… you can’t be like this next time, miss. A girl’s skin is quite tender, and scabs can’t always be gotten rid of. You need to bring a weapon along next time you beat someone up!”
Qin Yining burst out laughing. “What kind of words are these? I’m not always beating people up.”
“That’s not necessarily true. Who can stop you when you’re really angry, miss?” Bingtang teased happily.
Songlan, Qiulu, and Jiyun started giggling as well. The atmosphere within the house lightened. Qin Yining’s resolve to kill the trampress grew even stronger as she looked around at the pretty, charming girls loyal to her. She couldn’t just sit here passively and wait for disaster to fall or the blade to be at her throat before she took action. Once was enough of that!
……
Qin Huaiyuan’s position was now domineeringly unparalleled. Not only was he a prime minister, Grand Preceptor to the Heir Apparent, Marquis of Anping because of the successful peace talks, but he was also the soon-to-be father-in-law to the Faithful Prince of the First Rank. Who basked in greater glory than him? Who boasted of higher honors than him?
Qin Huaiyuan’s increased status brought up everyone’s as well. Apart from Qin Yining’s identity as the official daughter of the Marquis of Anping, she also had the Faithful Prince of the First Rank’s tag on her. The Soothsayer had also said that she was an exceedingly fortuitous person who could safeguard the peace of Great Yan.
Not only did Great Yan nobility not dare run afoul of the prince by asking for her hand in marriage, but her position in the capital was also higher than that of other noble girls. It was a given that the old dowager and her cousins were polite to her, but that favorable attention extended to née Sun as well. Cao Yuqing on the other hand, was quiet for a long time because of the empress torturing Consort Shu and Honored Concubine Xiang to death.
Anping Manor was courted by all these days. Even Qin Jianing, from the third branch of the family, stood in the shared halo of attention. She was wed on the twenty-eighth day of the fifth month.
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