Return of the Swallow c1-644

by Edited by Deyna up to chapter ~100.

  Yet reluctant to leave, the prince planted a shy kiss on her cheek. “Then I’ll be off, really off now.”

  Qin Yining kicked him angrily. “Get out of here!”

  This bunny even bites when it’s cornered! This is so much fun!

  Deeply amused, Pang Xiao jumped lightly out of the rear window.

  Qin Yining watched him leap up onto the wall in one go, like a black leopard on the hunt in the middle of the night. His body was agile and light, vanishing into the darkness in the blink of an eye.

  The girl quickly shut the window tight and crawled back into her blankets. The events of this evening were mortifying. That shameless guy deserves a, a, a wad of spit or something!

  Next morning saw Qin Yining sitting in front of the dressing table while Xianyun and Bingtang put her hair up. She scooped a bean-sized portion of the new jasmine flower lotion that Bingtang had mixed for her, spreading it out over the backs of her hands and wrists.

  Lian Xiaozhou instantly stuck her nose onto Qin Yining for a few deep sniffs. “Big sister, smells so good.”

  The fourth miss smiled. “Let’s have your big sister Bingtang apply some for you in a moment.”

  The little girl bobbed her head, beaming merrily at Bingtang.

  Bingtang deftly twirled a strand of Qin Yining’s ink-black locks and secured it on her mistress’ head. She used a delicate golden hairpin with a bug motif to pin it in place.

  “All the miss knows is to lavish her with attention. She’s spoilt to no end!” Though her tone was sour, it was obvious that the maid was joking.

  Lian Xiaozhou grabbed the satchel hanging on her waist and brought it up for a sniff, then waved it at Bingtang.

  Qin Yining smiled. “Don’t underestimate Xiaozhou, she understands everything. She knows that you give her nice things and treat her well, don’t you Xiaozhou?”

  The little girl nodded rapidly. “Big sister Bingtang, good!”

  It was a sad fact of reality that Lian Xiaozhou had lost a great deal of her speech abilities. Bingtang pitied her all the more for it and shared anything fun or delicious that she came across. The maid had also taken up the task of teaching Xiaozhou how to read and recognize various herbs. She really did spend more effort on Xiaozhou than compared to serving Qin Yining.

  Being the highly intelligent person she was, Xiaozhou had a clear grasp of everything, even if she couldn’t vocalize it. How would she not know how kindly Bingtang treated her?

  Therefore, the little girl viewed Bingtang as another big sister and sought to grow closer to the older girl. She always set aside a few skewers of roasted bird whenever she cooked her favorite cuisine.

  Sadly, their current manor provided only cramped quarters. It was a hassle to have to find an unoccupied rear alley whenever Xiaozhou wanted to roast her latest catch.

  “Greetings to Madame Cao.” Qiulu’s voice travelled in from outside. The door curtains lifted to admit Cao Yuqing wrapped in a blue-black cape with a fur collar.

  Ever since Cao Yuqing informed the Qins that she was no longer Qin Huaiyuan’s concubine, but a guard in his employ, the family had stopped calling her Auntie Cao. Taking into consideration her age and two marriages, they swapped her address to Madame Cao instead.

  Cao Yuqing smiled down at the girl sitting in front of her dressing table. “I’m here early.”

  “Please have a seat, Madame Cao. Qiulu, quick, go and fetch the almond tea.” The fourth miss smiled up at her visitor. “I had them make almond tea this morning. It’s wonderful when paired with snacks. Would you like a taste, Madame Cao?”

  “Alright.” The older woman’s smile was a stunning stroke of beauty across an otherwise stern demeanor. Her limpid eyes spoke of depths of emotion, as if seeing someone else far off in the distance when she looked at the Qin fourth miss.

  Qin Yining didn’t think too much about it and quickly put up the rest of her hair. She skipped powder and grabbed two random pearl earrings to round out her outfit. Taking a seat at the eight-sided table with a smile, she offered with her own hands the tea and snacks that Qiulu had brought over.

  “Try some.”

  Cao Yuqing happily accepted and took an elegant sip, carefully savoring the flavor notes within. “It really is very fine.”

  Putting down her cup, the guard captain broached the subject of her visit. “I’m here today on orders of milord to bring you new guards. All four of them are very dependable and highly skilled in their own ways. They’re perfect candidates to keep you safe.”

  She rose and called at the door for four teenagers of average height, build, and looks. The four bowed in unison.

  “This is Jingzhe—his name is the characters for the time of spring when insects wake. This is Xiaoman, a reference to the eighth solar term of the year. Xiaoxue is named for the twentieth solar term, and Dahan for the cold of winter.”

  Qin Yining looked at each person as they were introduced.

  Jingzhe was taller than the rest and looked kind. Xiaoman had more delicate features and seemed a bit like a girl. Despite having the character for snow in his name, Xiaoxue was the exact opposite with a deep tan and thick eyebrows paired with a large mouth. Dahan looked the oldest, but was quite expressionless.

  Though all four were talented in different ways, they shared the common trait of being completely nondescript in a crowd.

  The fourth miss smiled. “Were they named for various types of weather?”

  “Yes. Their original names weren’t these, but the emp… the one that made this rule said we are to use the twenty solar terms as code names. Replacements are to take the place of any that fall. Jingzhe is very strong in martial arts, Xiaoman adept in the art of disguise. Xiaoxue has the best qinggong [ref. The flying skills that we often see in wuxi films.[/ref] among the four Dahan is steady and experienced—he’s very good at thinking on the fly and coming up with adjustments on the spot. They’re all very loyal. Milord took great pains in selecting the four of them for you.”

  Cao Yuqing reclaimed her seat next to Qin Yining, bestowing a satisfied smile on her well-trained men.

  The Qin fourth miss nodded solemnly. “Thank you for going to this trouble, Madame Cao. I understand your kind intentions. I will show them only the best treatment at my side.”

  “That’d be the best.” Cao Yuqing smiled. “They all come from impoverished backgrounds and sold themselves when they had no other choice left. I know you treat your people well, so it’s their great fortune to become your men. Milord has given them the cover story of being part of your future dowry. They’re known as honest and obedient servants who will look after the family. No one will suspect them of anything.”

  Chapter 363: Missus Liao

  “Father and Madame Cao’s gone to great effort on my behalf.” Qin Yining rose and looked back at Xianyun.

  The maid paused, then immediately fetched the money pouch when she grasped her mistress’ intention. She handed a hundred tael bank note to each of the four new guards.

  Pang Xiao’s people are highly trained alright! Qin Yining smiled to see her maid with such an agile mind.

  “This is just some spending money for everyone. There will be plenty of good days to come as long as you remain unswervingly loyal to me.”

  Pleased looks crossed the four’s faces and they bowed. “Understood, miss.”

  The fourth miss nodded. “Then you’re dismissed for now. I’ll send my trusted maids to you if I’m going out or have further instructions. Let’s introduce you to the rest of my people first.”

  Qin Yining gave her orders to Xianyun and Jiyun, who led the four out and introduced Bingtang, Qiulu, and Lian Xiaozhou to them.

  Cao Yuqing relaxed when she saw how generous the fourth miss was. Giving her new guards such a hefty greeting gift at their initial meeting was a sign that she was a sensible person. The guard captain took her leave after a bit of casual chitchat.

  Jiyun returned to Qin Yining before long and exclaimed softly with amazement, “As to be expe
cted of former Silver Masks! Though I didn’t spar with them, I can tell from the way they walk and their presence that they’re totally different from the usual hired hands that stand guard. Milord really does love you deeply.”

  Thinking of her father’s understanding and lenience, Qin Yining was also moved. “That’s right, father really is very good to me. He doesn’t keep me under lock and key like other fathers. He takes my feelings into consideration and carefully looks at things from my perspective. He lets me live with freedom.”

  Xianyun, Bingtang, Qiulu, and Lian Xiaozhou came inside at this time.

  Xianyun also waxed eloquent. “Thanks to being at your side, miss, I can finally see for myself the impressiveness of the foremost official of Great Yan! Milord really does live up to his reputation! He’s so very friendly to us servants and good to you.” What she didn’t say was that the lord seemed to care about his daughter more than the madame did.

  This particular maid hadn’t joined Qin Yining until later in life, so she didn’t know much about née Sun. If she’d known how the senior madame had been like before, she would’ve been equally eloquent about how much the madame had changed.

  Qin Yining made her morning greetings to the old dowager and née Sun, then set out to find Steward Zhong.

  Her father had clearly analyzed everything for her and didn’t suspect anything she did. He didn’t direct any of her actions, just gave her sufficient personnel to keep her safe so that she could let loose and carry out her plans in full.

  How could she disappoint a father who trusted her wholeheartedly?

  After giving orders to prepare the carriage, Qin Yining went inside to tell her mother where she was going. “I’d like to take a spin around the markets. We’ve arrived at the capital for a while but I haven’t gone for a thorough stroll yet. I also want to visit the teahouses.”

  Née Sun found her daughter’s schedule amusing. “I’ve never seen you want to play so much. Alright, make sure to bring a few more servants with you. Do you have enough silver?” She’d turned to Jin-mama with the last question.

  The smiling granny servant took out a brocade box from the redwood dresser and retrieved a silk pouch from inside.

  “This pouch contains Great Zhou bank notes. Madame gave us instructions to prepare this a long time ago. It’s perfect for your outing today, miss.”

  Qin Yining knew that her mother had a bit of personal spending money, as the farmstead that’d been part of née Sun’s dowry was in active production. It was just, the fourth miss didn’t lack for silver these days, so she was rather hesitant to accept the money.

  Née Sun took the pouch and shoved it at her daughter. “Go pick some fabrics that really catch your eye. It’s about time that you had some outfits made. You lost much of your jewelry when we travelled here, so go and see if there’s any pretty new designs. Come back and let me know if you run out of silver.”

  The girl wrapped her hands around her mother’s arm and played cute. “Alright, I know. I won’t be scrimping and saving since my mom is so rich!”

  Her antics teased delightful chuckles out of the senior madame.

  The sight warmed Jin-mama’s heart and she also laughed happily off to the side. “If only the old madame knew that mistress gets along well with the miss these days. Who knows how happy she’d be?”

  Qin Yining sat properly upright. “I wonder where my maternal grandmother and aunts have gone to. Mother, should I send people out to investigate?”

  Worry crossed née Sun’s face. “I really would like to conduct an investigation, but we’re so far away that it’s inconvenient to do so. I talked this over with your father not too long ago and he said that His Majesty is currently sending men to the south to investigate where Great Yan’s emperor emeritus hid his treasure. In fact, several waves of men have been sent. If our family sends people out as well right now, it’ll give rise to suspicion. It’s be better for us to lay low for now.”

  “Father’s discretion is all-encompassing. Mother, it’d be inappropriate for us to make any brash moves at the moment.” However, Qin Yining had already made up her mind to privately contact Azure Justice and have them poke around. Since she wasn’t sure if the alliance would be successful, she didn’t see fit to mention this.

  Giving it further thought, the girl continued, “You don’t need to be too worried, mom. Grandmother is very smart and my aunts and cousins are extremely filial. Even if they end up in an unfamiliar place, grandmother has it in her to reestablish the Suns.”

  “I too believe that your grandmother can do so,” responded née Sun pensively. “I just think that their lives have been too hard and too full of misfortune.”

  Tears welled up in both of their eyes when they thought of the tragic deaths of the innocent Sun males. Blood spraying from Qin Yining’s resolute eldest cousin, the last words of her maternal grandfather and uncles, and her baby nephew—all these lives lost, thanks to a single word from the trash emperor.

  Chapter 363.2: Missus Liao

  And now, the trash emperor’s whereabouts were unknown. No one even knew if he was still alive. Although, Qin Yining’s pet theory was that the old fart was dead. The famine had been so severe; what kind of survival abilities would someone used to being waited on hand and foot possess?

  But even if that person was dead, it still wouldn’t placate the girl’s raging fury.

  She kept née Sun company a while longer before leaving with her newly gained allowance. She had Jiyun and Bingtang accompany her out, as well as Jingzhe, Xiaoman, Xiaoxue, and Dahan.

  A carriage with turquoise cloth draped over it stood ready at the front door. Qin Yining and her two maids clambered into the compartment while Xiaoman and Xiaoxue hopped onto the shaft. Jingzhe led the horse up front, and Dahan walked alongside the carriage.

  They’d just taken a few steps out of the alleyway when a large, spacious carriage draped in blue cotton pulled up to them. The window curtains lifted to reveal the head of a middle-aged woman roughly thirty years of age, of average built and wearing jewelry of precious metals.

  “Is that younger sister Qin’s carriage?”

  Baffled, Qin Yining lifted her curtains to see that the woman had already alighted from her carriage. Her cape rippled in the wind as an infectious grin spread across her face. “Younger sister Qin, it’s me from Old Liao’s household! Do you remember? Liao Zhibing who sold silks and jewelry back in Great Yan!”

  Liao Zhibing?!

  Wasn’t that one of the four hallmasters of Azure Justice, the one with swift and fierce blade work?

  The Qin fourth miss instantly understood that this was Azure Justice sending a contact to her. They were approaching her this way so as to evade notice.

  She quickly plastered an answering smile on her face. “Aiya, so it’s Missus Liao! Will you look at my awful memory!”

  She hastily alighted and walked up for enthusiastic greetings. “I’d thought that your family was staying in Great Yan. What brings you to the Great Zhou capital?”

  “Ai. We’re businessmen, so we go where business is good. Old Liao is doing business near the Tartar border and I stay home to look over the family. I felt the weather was alright enough today and decided to go for a walk. But to think I’d run into younger sister Qin instead! What a happy coincidence!”

  Qin Yining chuckled gaily as well. Meanwhile, Jiyun and Bingtang exchanged glances of silent speculation.

  This woman looks very unfamiliar.

  But the miss always knows what she’s doing.

  There must be something going on that they were unaware of, so the two remained silent.

  Jingzhe and the others determined the lack of threat from the newcomer, so they waited quietly off to the side like ordinary servants.

  The Qin fourth miss and Missus Liao engaged in delightful conversation.

  “It’s so wonderful to meet old friends in a new place. Do you have some spare time, younger sister Qin? A purposeful invitation is less than a chance meeti
ng, so why don’t I play host? I’ve reserved a room at Smooth Providence. Why don’t us sisters have a nice chat?”

  “That’d be lovely. But my father’s settled down in the capital now, which makes me a Great Zhou citizen. Why don’t I play host and Missus Liao can return the favor next time?”

  “That’d be even better.” The woman smiled. “Then shall we?”

  “After you.”

  “After you.”

  After a few more pleasantries, the two returned to their carriages and set course to Smooth Providence.

  It wasn’t until the two carriages had rolled off into the distance that the window of a third carriage parked on the roadside opened. A jeering sneer hung on Madame Lu’s exquisitely made-up face.

  “What a menial, lowly person unfit for the bigger stage. An official daughter of an imperial official befriending the wife of a merchant??”

  The maid next to her piped in obsequiously, “Isn’t that so, mistress! Aren’t there many officials who collude with merchants? Perhaps the Qins are doing this because they really are down on their luck and out of money. Weren’t all of their family valuables robbed on the way here? Just look at the small manor they live in now. It’s not even enough to be your fish pond, mistress.”

  These words greatly soothed the madame’s heart and she flicked an approving glance at the maid.

  “Don’t say that,” she responded lazily. “Costs of living in the capital are high as can be. It’s already not bad that a little family has a place to call home. What else can they find fault with?”

  The maid administered a light slap to her own face. “This servant has seen so little of the world. But although I am lowly, I was so fortunate to come to the Lus to serve you, mistress. Having seen much of how the family lives, nothing outside looks right to my eye anymore.”

  “Oh you,” laughed the madame cheerfully. “Where did they say they were going just now? Smooth Providence?”