Return of the Swallow c1-644

by Edited by Deyna up to chapter ~100.

  She turned her gaze to the old dowager, second madame, and née Sun. “We don’t have much food left either. If we stay here, not only will we face the looting and revenge of the mobs, but what do we do after we finish our stores? The capital will soon run short on food.”

  “Oh heavens!” The old dowager wailed loudly with frightened tears. “Wolves to our fore and tigers to our rear. How will we possibly survive? Damnation take all of them! The old trash emperor hid the silver and refused to buy grain everyone — wasn’t it my son who thought of how to resolve the situation for everyone? Not only are they not grateful, but they want revenge on us!”

  Née Sun and the second madame also wept out of fear, while tears had long since streamed down the eighth miss and Qin Huining’s faces. The second wife was three months pregnant and started retching from the terrified atmosphere, infusing further concern into the scene.

  Qin Yining quickly comforted them. “This is why I say that we should pack our things and leave before things are really a mess. Bring your valuables and useful items, come with me to Mt. Eternal Spring.”

  A few looked at Qin Yining, fear of the unknown written in their eyes.

  “I’ve put up quite a few refugees in the park on the mountain. You remember, right? I’ve been sending them supplies that I bought with silver from the Institute. They’re grateful to me. Come with me, they’ll protect us from the mobs.

  “The most important thing is that once food runs out and can’t be bought, we can still feed ourselves from the mountain. Thankfully it’s not winter. We can hunt in the woods, dig up wild vegetables, fish in the rivers, and catch birds in the trees. We won’t starve, at any rate.” The girl laughed lightheartedly. “Don’t worry at all, everyone. I lived in the mountains for six years! I’m well versed in hunting, trapping birds, and skills like that. I can keep all of us alive. No one will starve.”

  The family sniffled as they looked at the optimistic Qin Yining, deeply pitying her with true sincerity for the first time. They’d always lived under the shelter of the Qin name, being served hand and foot and wanting for nothing. Upon hearing that food wasn’t to be found in the city, they’d panicked and had no idea what to do.

  But Qin Yining had had to face this difficulty since eight years old. She had nothing to eat or drink she was just a little child eking out survival in the mountains. Six years passed in the blink of an eye, almost half of her lifespan…

  What was most precious was that she hadn’t been defeated by this hardship. Rather, she’d adamantly lived on and grown into a fine girl of intelligence and resilience.

  Née Sun enveloped Qin Yining in a tight hug, bawling loudly. “Daughter Yi! My good child, my good child!”

  The girl hugged her mother back, not sure whether to laugh or cry as she comforted the madame. “Don’t cry, mother. To be honest, we have a great chance of survival if we head into the mountains. There’s quite a few of us. We can look out for each other, and we’ll have the support and help from those in Ning Park. There’s strength in numbers. We won’t starve no matter what. We’ll at least have someone to talk to, no?”

  Née Sun was even more pain-stricken with the last line. Not only had her darling girl been forced to scrabble in the wilderness, she’d lived by herself for six years and hadn’t had a single person to talk to…

  The senior madame howled with fresh sobs as she clung to her daughter, bringing answering twinges to the old dowager and the others. They felt for Qin Yining, and even more for themselves that they had to endures ‘lives not fit for anyone’.

  Qin Yining soothed her mother and the old dowager to no avail. The second and third elder master, Qin Yu and Qin Han returned at this point.

  When they saw all the womenfolk clasping each other in tears, they were alarmed that something had happened. Qin Yining’s explanation set them at ease.

  “Niece Yi and big brother are father and ‘son’ alright,” the second elder master declared. “That’s what our brother said as well. He sent us back with instructions to make haste while bedlam has yet to engulf the city. We need to hurry and pack our things to seek shelter from the refugees that Niece Yi is housing on Mt. Eternal Spring. The people will remember what she’s done for them. No place else will, and they’ll be able to protect us.”

  Hearing that Qin Huaiyuan had proposed the same idea, the old dowager no longer hesitated. “Since we’re to flee, let’s release all of the new servants we’ve bought. We can waive their freedom price. We won’t be able to feed so many anyways.”

  But Qin Yining shook her head. “Even if we release them, where will they find new jobs in a time like this? They’ll starve to death if they don’t work. Let’s bring them with us. Even if we eat rice husks and pick at vegetables, that’s still a way forward. There’s no reason that the Qins can coexist peacefully with the refugees on the mountain, but not with the servants that have served us for so long.”

  “Niece Yi is right, let’s leave together as a family,” the second elder master concurred. “We can’t do something so heartless. How will my brother maintain his footing in the army if word of this spreads? Don’t forget that the soldiers are also people, that they have family in the city too. Who knows if someone’s relative is in our household? It’s best not to create unnecessary trouble.”

  Old Dowager flushed from embarrassment with Qin Yining and the second elder master’s responses. She waved a hand awkwardly. “Alright, alright. Let’s do what both of you say. I’m getting muddleheaded in my age, so don’t pay attention to me.”

  It was the first time that the old dowager had yielded with self-deprecating remarks. The Qin fourth miss and second elder master looked at each other, each heaving an inward sigh of relief. They really couldn’t afford to have any further trouble crop up at this time. If the old dowager had refused to come to her senses, they’d have to waste time talking her around. It was only a good thing that the matriarch wasn’t being obstinate anymore.

  They quickly summoned all of the family to give instructions for a journey. Qin Yining specifically reminded everyone, “Carefully lock up all the valuables that can’t be moved and put them into the cellars. We won’t be seeing any of the remaining furniture and decorations again. Bring practical clothing with you, and for all seasons, not just summer. If the war continues to the new year, we’ll be spending the winter on the mountain…”

  The Qins made fretful preparations and dismissed the craftsmen working on repairing the rear residence.

  All of the family branches and residences huddled together for hushed meetings. When it reached half an hour after midnight and thanks to the second elder master buying off the night patrol, the Qins hurriedly left the ruins of the Anping Manor. Carriages carrying the Qins, servants, and belongings made quick time to the outskirts of the city.

  Qin Yining, Jiyun, Qiulu, Bingtang, née Sun, and Jin-mama occupied one large carriage. The granny servant softly consoled the crying senior madame. Bingtang and Qiulu were infected by the mood and welled up as well.

  Qin Yining found the situation amusing. “Don’t be sad, mother. Fortune and disaster come hand-in-hand in life. One lives to an old age after weathering three great rises and falls. Don’t worry, even if we aren’t in the lap of luxury, I can ensure that you won’t go hungry.”

  Née Sun shook her head. “I’m worried about your father, your maternal grandmother and aunts.”

  The girl smiled. “Don’t even worry about that! Father’s in the army and won’t be the first to go hungry at all. With his smarts, he won’t get the short end of the stick at all. You need to worry even less about grandmother. She’ll definitely find a way to take the entire family to Bao Chang or down the coastline.”

  * * *

  Chapter 267: Good Deeds and Their Just Rewards

  Chapter 267: Good Deeds and Their Just Rewards

  After a bit of thought, Née Sun felt that her daughter made quite a bit of sense. She took in a few deep breaths. “You’re right. They’ll all be fine.
We’ll have the chance to meet again as long as we stay alive.”

  “That’s right. Just focus on taking care of yourself, mother. I’ll take good care of you.” Qin Yining shook her mother’s arm intimately.

  Moved, Née Sun smiled through her tears and held tightly onto her daughter’s hand.

  Mt. Eternal Spring was located on the capital’s outskirts, about forty miles from the inner city. There was quite a distance between it and the southern city gate. The outskirts were buttressed by the mountain. There was also a spring on the mountain, making it prime location to escape the worries of the world and live one’s days out in peace. Due to it being royal property, there were exceedingly few houses around it. The people usually didn’t dare come close, so the Qins ascended the mountain without obstruction.

  Steward Zhong was waiting in front of the park gates with a few leaders within the residence. He’d gotten there bright and early. He hastily brought the rest forward in greetings when he saw Qin Yining help née Sun out of the carriage. “You’re here, miss.”

  Behind him, there was a tall and stocky middle-aged man, a woman just over twenty who was dressed like a man, and an elder over seventy wearing worn robes. They knelt and kowtowed when they saw Qin Yining.

  “Greetings to our benefactor!”

  “Oh please do get up! How many times have I told you to not bow to me? I’m just a little girl, how could I bear such greetings?” The Qin fourth miss went to help the elder up first. “Mister Ni, please get up. I don’t need to help Big Brother Lu and Sister Nine up, do I?”

  “This is such an undeserved honor. I am unworthy. Of course we need to bow when we see our benefactor.” The elder Mister Ni bowed.

  Ni Liping had been ill and beyond hope when first taking up residence in the park. However, Qin Yining hadn’t given up on the aged and the young. He’d made it past that obstacle and had been a de facto ‘village head’ during this time due to his logical and rational style. He’d also set up a system in which children who could read taught those younger. The elder had quite a bit of authority on the mountain.

  “Indeed, undeserved honor, we are unworthy.” The middle-aged man bowed as well. “We must kowtow. I wouldn’t even be here today if not for our benefactor!”

  Lu Dehan was thirty two and had attended school when young, but didn’t have much to show for his efforts after spending all of his family’s silver on education. His mind wasn’t the sharpest, so he toiled in the fields for a living.

  When he fled the war with his family, his wife and daughter had died along the way. He’d carried his sick mother up the mountain on his back. Mother Lu had been incredibly sick, and it’d been Bingtang who’d brought her back to health. Lu Dehan’s gratitude towards Qin Yining couldn’t be described with words.

  But when the surrounding crowd heard Lu Dehan repeat ‘undeserved honor, we are unworthy’, chuckles and stifled laughter rippled through those close by.

  The cross-dressing young woman aimed a kick at Lu Dehan. “You big lug! Look at you getting all fancy like Mister Ni. You were just waiting for our benefactor to come help you up!”

  The feisty girl had a few hints of Sun Erniang in her [1] She was a widow and had the greatest authority among the women. She came from a family of hunters and had inherited the skill, earning the respect of most of the men as well.

  Open guffaws broke out when people saw that Lu Denan had earned another kick from Missus Nine again.

  The rest of the Qins standing behind Qin Yining were stunned by what they saw of the refugees in Ning Park. They’d thought it’d be a bunch of beggars and vagabonds.

  Hungry beggars would certainly be as wild and monstrous as tigers and wolves, protecting their last chance of survival. They would definitely compete with each other for food, with only winners able to live on. How would they ever accept outsiders in their midst?

  But now now they could see that though the refugees wore well-used clothing, they were all very clean. Smiles graced every face and kindness filled their hearts. Their respect towards Qin Yining was so obvious that the rest of the Qins couldn't remain nonchalant even if they wanted to.

  Steward Zhong was standing next to the old dowager and murmured, “The miss has kept them alive all this time, giving them jobs, food, doctors, and medicine. The children can continue their schooling, and the miss hasn’t thrown them back out to be refugees in the streets. She hasn’t let them die of hunger or illness in the drought, and hasn’t given up a single elder or child. You have no idea what a great thing the owner’s done.”

  The family’s shock could no longer be described with words.

  “Everyone, please come inside. We already cleaned out the best house when we heard the benefactor’s family was coming.” Missus Nine smiled and welcomed them in.

  “This won’t do,” Qin Yining protested. “We should follow the rules and leave the best house for the elders and children. We’ll just do as everyone else does.”

  “Now don’t be so polite with us, Benefactor. Your family will feel more comfortable if they’re all together.”

  This made sense to Qin Yining. They wouldn’t only be spending a day or two on the mountain. The family could get settled in first before further allocations were made. She went to support the old dowager with a smile and welcomed the rest of her family in.

  Helping each other through the door, the Qins were greeted with the sight of more waiting residents. They’d heard the news and neatly parted to the sides when they saw their benefactor’s family. Friendly smiles were cast, loud greetings lobbed at Qin Yining, and more murmured softly to each other.

  “This is our benefactor’s family, we must treat them well.”

  “It’s Wise Pan An’s family, then is he here too? Is that tall, old master Wise Pan An?” Someone pointed at the second elder master.

  Another with more information responded, “Wise Pan An’s defending the capital right now. He’s a hero!”

  “The benefactor’s family are full of good people. We must take very good care of them.”

  ……

  Thanks to the low buzz of discussions, the Qins finally understood what a tremendous thing Qin Yining had done outside the home. The old dowager even felt a blush rise to her face because she’d once complained that her granddaughter was spending silver on people who had nothing to do with them.

  But now it was a case of just rewards flowering from the seeds of good deeds. Because Qin Yining had helped the refugees, they were all quickly coming to the family’s aid after disaster had struck the Qins. This was all thanks to the fourth daughter of the house.

  Brimming with emotions, the family entered the residence proper. Ning Park’s tall and sturdy walls housed what appeared to be a small village inside. Houses had been raised everywhere as the exotic flora within had long since been sold off for funds.

  As they traveled along the small path to the magnificently opulent main building, a veritable immortal’s palace, Missus Nine said, “We’ve cleaned out all of the rooms on the second floor. Please have your family settle in there, Benefactor.”

  Qin Yining thought for a moment and decided not to protest. She asked the grand steward to help settle the servants instead. She herself brought her family upstairs.

  “We’re taking shelter from war right now, so it’s wonderful enough that the entire family is together. Later on, we’ll have to learn how to provide for ourselves with the fruits of our labor, so I hope everyone can make do here.”

  Unable to immediately adapt to the situation, the old dowager didn’t say anything. It was the second madame who spoke up.

  “This is very fine enough already. What else can we want for as long as the entire family is together?”

  The second elder master smiled at his wife.

  So it was decided that the old dowager, Qin-mama, the third elder master, and Qin Yu would squeeze in one set of rooms. The four from the second branch would take a set. Née Sun, Jin-mama, Qin Yining, and the three maids would cram in one
set. The eighth miss, Qin Huining, and the latter’s head maid would be Qin Yining’s neighbor.

  The family found it very difficult to adjust at first. Insects abounded on the mountain and there were none of the rules found at home. No maids waited to serve them and the chatter of other voices plagued them during every waking moment. It was as noisy as a market, quite discomforting to a family that had been used to a life of ease and comfort.

  With the exception of Qin Yining.

  On this day, she rose, washed up, put on an outfit of rough cloth, and plaited her hair into a long braid in front of her. She brought similarly dressed Jiyun, Bingtang, and Qiulu downstairs to help with food preparations.

  The enormous Ning Park had roared to life early in the morning. Many men blushed furiously and ducked their heads when they glimpsed four girls, pretty as could be, go fetch water.

  Qin Yining and Jiyun busied themselves with chopping up firewood and feeding the flames while Qiulu and Bingtang washed and cooked rice.

  As she put the stove in order, the Qin fourth miss laughed and chatted with Missus Nine and few other women. She even received pickled vegetables and salted dried fish from some of them.

  When a group of children came back with freshly picked wildflowers and berries, a little boy in patched clothing trotted over with a bright red face. He shoved a bouquet of riotously colored wildflowers and a large variety of berries wrapped in a leaf into Qin Yining’s hands before turning to sprint away. The girl laughed merrily from the antics.

  Her crisp peal of laughter, like a silver bell’s, drew the attention of all those nearby. Missus Nine burst out laughing. “Li Gousheng [3] you brat! You know to give our benefactor flowers, but you don’t give this laydee a single one!”

  Seven-year-old Li Gousheng stuck his tongue out at Missus Nine and scampered off.

  From the second floor, the old dowager observed the scene thoughts a window, brooding over her thoughts.

  The second madame smiled at her husband. “Our niece is something else alright! Us adults shouldn’t fall behind either. Milord, let’s change and go find something to do downstairs. We can’t just sit around and wait for someone to dance attendance on us.”