Qin Huaiyuan’s smile was gently as he responded evenly, “Sir Zheng’s talents are hardly any less, why overly humble yourself this way? I’ll have to trouble you with this matter. I trust that Sir Zheng will give His Majesty a satisfactory answer.”
If you dare try to cover this up or protect your cronies, I’ll criticize you mercilessly in front of the emperor!
Sir Zheng had the sudden urge to cry, though tears weren’t forthcoming. It suddenly occurred to him that no matter the Great Yan officials or the Great Zhou nobles, both were the emperor’s loyal faction.
With these two groups in his hand, it was a simple thing for the emperor to move against the Lu clan or the former Northern Ji officials!
It’s time for me to take a side.
Though he would avoid giving offense if he remained neutral, that also meant he might just offend everyone.
A deeply worried warden sent off the Qins, still frowning even as he saw them into the carriage.
A smile clung to Qin Huaiyuan’s face all the while and he remained pleasant, thanking Sir Zheng and affably taking his leave.
Qin Han burst into laughter when the carriage was quite far away from the Warden’s Office.
“Senior uncle, that was masterful! I was just stumped when you resolve it in the blink of an eye!”
“That’s right,” piped in Qin Yu. “I’m sure that Sir Zheng knows who the real culprit is. Senior uncle came off worse for the wear out of that incident, but he wants senior uncle to protect his dignity and stop kicking up a fuss. Have you ever heard of such a ludicrous notion??”
“It’s all because we just arrived in Great Zhou and haven’t established ourselves yet,” remarked Qin Yining.
Qin Huaiyuan shook his head with a smile. “All this is normal behavior, there’s no need to mind it.”
Qin Yining respected her father even more so to see him so open-minded.
“Father, were you hurt?”
“Not in the slightest. Née Cao’s guards aren’t just paper tigers. I’d already been rescued when the carriage started tipping over.
The girl chuckled. “Then you have to give them good rewards, father. They came in handy this time.”
“Of course.”
The male cousins didn’t quite understand what Qin Huaiyuan and Qin Yining were talking about, but both of them smiled to see father and daughter talk like this.
They were right and proper Qins. It made them happy to witness someone else’s happiness.
The carriage returned home before long. It’d just creaked to a stop when a serving girl standing guard by the door sprinted inside with news. A pageboy came up to bow and place a footrest down.
Qin Yining alighted and followed her father and brothers into the yard. Née Sun had already flown out and finally relaxed when she saw her husband safe and sound.
“Were you hurt, my lord?” she asked tearfully.
A round of explanations were in order when Qin Huaiyuan saw his beloved wife like this.
The explanations were repeated when he set foot inside and saw the old dowager. Hearing that it was some Great Zhou noble scions racing horses through the streets both infuriated and vexed the Qin matriarch.
“These boys are so arrogantly lawless, don’t their mothers know to keep them in line!? But Meng’er, can we afford to offend them, having just arrived in town?” The old dowager was nothing if but consistent. She could concede defeat in Qin Yining’s matter, and could do the same thing with her son.
Both Qin Yining and née Sun were very displeased by the reaction, but Qin Huaiyuan didn’t mind. “Don’t worry, mother. Your son will handle it well.”
* * *
1. There are four dragon kings in Chinese mythology responsible for ruling the four seas.
Chapter 384: To Be Directed At
Being a mature and dependable sort, Qin Huaiyuan always remained calm no matter what happened. He was the compass that kept the entire family grounded.
The old dowager relaxed greatly to hear her son say this. She patted Qin Huaiyuan’s hand. “Meng’er, you need to be more careful in the future. None of these noble children have simple backgrounds. They dare charge their horses in the streets because they aren’t afraid of hurting anyone. Even if anyone was injured or trampled to death, that would only mean that the victim was unlucky.
“These scions have plenty of ways to keep themselves in the clear. That would mean we would’ve suffered for nothing.”
“Mother speaks truly.” Qin Huaiyuan smiled warmly.
“Therefore, go in another direction when you run into this next time. Thankfully, you weren’t hurt this time.”
Upon seeing that the old dowager seemed inclined to further lecture Qin Huaiyuan, Qin Yining interrupted gently, “The old dowager is also tired herself from all the worrying. Why don’t we all go back and rest.”
Anything further that she wanted to say stuck in the back of the Qin matriarch’s throat. She glared at her granddaughter as she wanted to speak on, but none of the intended nagging came out when she met her son’s calm eyes.
Everyone dispersed, and née Sun went off for a private conversation with Qin Huaiyuan.
Qin Yining didn’t want to bother her parents, so went back to her house to rest instead of née Sun’s. With how this issue had blown up today, it was likely that everyone in town knew about it. I wonder how the Warden’s Office and yamen will take care of this.
The boy from earlier was an obvious scapegoat. Whoever it was behind the scenes remained a mystery. There wouldn’t be much of a point in proclaiming a sentence on the boy. A knot of frustration and melancholy formed in Qin Yining’s heart.
This time, even Qin Yu and Qin Han experienced the difficulties of Qin Huaiyuan’s day-to-day. Because their senior uncle usually handled everything so easily, they’d almost forgotten that their uncle was just an ordinary person of flesh and blood.
A surprising development made its way to Qin Yining’s ears on the afternoon of the next day.
Apparently Han Le’an, the son of Vice Minister Han of the Ministry of Personnel, had charged his horse into an official on the streets. He remained defiant and unrepentant of his transgression. Upon confirmation, the Wardens’ Offices of the Five Wards referred the case to the yamen. After confirming the veracity, the yamen sentenced the boy to be banished three thousand miles from the capital.
Openmouthed with astonishment, Qin Yining asked Jiyun, “Banished three thousand miles out? Are you sure you heard that right?”
“I’m certain, three thousand miles.” Jiyun could tell that her mistress didn’t really believe it. “Han barged into our lord, but thankfully milord is alright. If something really had happened, even an execution wouldn’t be enough to make up for it, to say nothing of a banishment. You’re too kindhearted, miss. You don’t need to be sad for someone like this.”
The Qin fourth miss came back to herself and shook her head with a slight smile. “Ah no, you misunderstand. I’m not thinking of this. Han Le’an is just a scapegoat. Being vice minister of the Ministry of Personnel and Rites isn’t a small position. Willingly giving up his own son to take someone else’s blame means that the real culprit occupies a high position.”
Jiyun nodded. “Absolutely. At the feet of the Son of Heaven, there’s no shortage of prominent officials in the city. A falling signboard can smash three of them. There’s a mess of rankings that’s all very complicated.”
“That’s right.” Qin Yining sighed deeply. “Though this matter was investigated by the Warden’s Office of the Five Wards and sentenced by the yamen, it’s all because of father. I’m worried about those noble sons seeking revenge.”
After some thought, she called Jingzhe over. “Go tell the brothers at my father’s side to keep an eye out these days. Don’t let unsavory sorts find an opening in.”
“Understood. Don’t worry, miss.” Jingzhe bowed and went off to carry out his orders.
However, the fourth miss’ concern seemed misplaced. Life p
roceed as normal for Qin Huaiyuan over the next few days. Nothing out of the ordinary happened.
She began to think that she’d thought too much as well. Perhaps that group also wanted to just have everything blow over. Maybe they didn’t want to cause any further trouble either.
After a few more days of quiet peace, spring arrived in all of its glorious, flower-budding warmth.
Qin Yining attired herself in a spring outfit and gave orders for the carriage to be prepared. “Let’s go for a walk. I also haven’t visited Grand Steward Zhong for a while.”
“Understood.” Bingtang was delighted to hear that they were going outside. “Miss, we haven’t gone out in a while. Xiaozhou’s been heavily bored at home, why don’t we take her with us?”
The manor wasn’t as spacious as before. Though it was livable, it still wasn’t very convenient to move around in. As sensible as Lian Xiaozhou was, she was still a child at heart. Bingtang quite doted on the girl and always brought her out if there was a chance to.
The Qin fourth miss chuckled and took Xiaozhou’s hand. “Big sister Bingtang is so good to you. She thinks of you in everything. Don’t forget her when you grow up.”
Lian Xiaozhou nodded merrily. She still wasn’t good with words, but had grown adept at using nods, shakes, or blinking as substitutes.
The little girl poked Qin Yining’s shoulder. “Big sister good too. No forget.”
Qin Yining blinked, warmth flooding her heart. She lightly pinched Lian Xiaozhou’s cheeks, making the girl break out in giggles.
When the carriage outside was ready, Qin Yining brought Bingtang, Jiyun, and Lian Xiaozhou with her into the vehicle. Jingzhe and the other three hidden guards followed them outside, while Xianyun and Qiulu stayed home to keep an eye on things.
A large carriage with four followers outside made for a modest retinue. They quietly left the Qins and made a circle around the back before choosing to go through a bustling market. Though that made for a longer route to Steward Zhong’s, the group didn’t mind since they were going out for a walk today.
Holding Lian Xiaozhou’s hand, Qin Yining pointed at various things out the window and went over some common sense knowledge. The little girl listened seriously.
Bingtang and Jiyun held a low conversation filled with lighthearted chatter.
Occasional fits of giggles from inside put the four guards outside at ease as well.
Just as the carriage pulled into the market, a frenetic clip clop of various hooves sounded in front of them.
Jingzhe raised his head to see eight men in luxurious clothing astride tall and bulky horses. They charged in the direction of the carriage without slowing down at all.
Seeing that disaster was about to develop, the groom yanked on the reins of a horse spooked by the fast approaching group in front. It reared and whinnied loudly. Inside the carriage, the four girls were thrown every which way. Xiaoman quickly jumped onto the carriage and threw his weight behind the reins, stabilizing the vehicle and placing himself in front of the door.
Jingzhe, Xiaoxue, and Dahan formed a triangular formation in front of the carriage.
The stampeding group had drawn near them. Fury burned in Jingzhe to see the horses almost at their feet. One who’d previously served under an emperor naturally did things different. Since he was in the lead, he raised his hand and smashed it down on the charging horse’s head.
Chapter 385: Provocation
The tall, chestnut horse at the head of the group dashed forward with uncommon speed. The young man on it had obviously planned all of this out in advance; he was putting all of his strength into his actions.
However, Jingzhi possessed exceptional martial arts and had perfected his internal force. What was the momentum of a charging horse to him? When he slammed down his palm, the horse whinnied shrilly and fell to the ground, bloody foam bubbling at its mouth.
Its rider was a young man clad in blue brocade robes. His exuberant laughter at sending his horse into a gallop instantly cut off. Mind blanking for a second, he didn’t even have the time to react before his steed brought him and his head smacking down onto the ground.
A loud hum filled the youth’s ears, and he knew nothing more at all.
Seeing their leader so easily brought down with a single palm strike and not even having the time to cry out, the noble scions behind him yanked their horses to a stop. Peering anxiously at the person on the ground, they couldn’t even tell if their peer was alive or not.
Jingzhi remained poised at the head of the triangle, glowering at the group with a black expression. “Who might you be to send your horses careening through the streets, threatening my miss’ life!”
“And what the hell are you?! A worthless servant who dares raise a hand against young master Cheng?!” Another youth hopped down from his horse and charged the carriage. “You’re just an outsider little slut who should know her place and stay at home when discarded! What are you doing out and about, spreading your slutty airs everywhere? Don’t you…”
Jingzhe’s eyes narrowed and he raised his hand, delivering a vicious smack across the face at this insolent noble son. “Watch your filthy mouth!”
SMACK!
“Aiyo!!” The youth spun around twice and stumbled to a sitting position on the ground, seeing stars.
This band was used to throwing their weight around in the capital. They’d just accidentally spooked the Qin carriage horse a few days ago, but that mewling coward of a surrendered official had relentlessly pursued them for that fault!
The one fainted on the ground was Cheng Yue, the only son of newly promoted minister of the Bureau of Military Personnel—Minister Cheng Meng. Cheng Yue was the actual culprit behind the Qin carriage accident. However, after a round of activities from the Bureau of Military Personnel, the group ended up just fine, while the son of the vice minister of the Bureau of Personnel and Rights had been hauled up as the scapegoat.
This band of noble sons were all about brotherhood and loyalty. Qin Huaiyuan’s pettiness and causing one of their own to be exiled, his life utterly ruined, was absolutely unforgivable!
A recipient of great imperial favor, their fathers had instructed them to stay away from the Qin minister. So, they may not be able to afford offending Qin Huaiyuan, but he had a daughter that the Faithful Prince of the First Rank had gotten bored of!
Thus, they’d set a watch outside the yard door of the Qins’ little manor, waiting to nab themselves the Qin fourth miss. Now that the opportunity had arrived today, they weren’t going to let it pass on by!
Wasn’t Qin Huaiyuan a miserly sort and afraid of charging horses crashing into carriages? They were going to do just that to his precious daughter!
But despite Qin Yining being just a girl, the minister had been willing to hire such domineering guards for a used, unclean girl! What was wrong with Qin Huaiyuan’s brain??
“How, how dare you hit me! Do you know who I am?!”
“It doesn’t matter who you are. It only matters that you want to hurt my miss.” Jingzhe’s frigid expression petrified all those who would upset the carriage.
The disturbance had drawn quite a crowd by now.
Some of the noble sons felt that the situation was taking a turn for the worse and wanted to leave, but didn’t dare just leave an unconscious Cheng Yue here.
Others closer to the Cheng young master dismounted to check on their friend’s condition, cursing and hurling insults at the carriage as they did so.
There were also some in the group who’d just come along for the show. They were now worried that Qin Yining’s guards would act in self-defense. Things would be dire and unsalvageable if casualties developed. Therefore, some of the smarter ones ordered their pageboys to either make a report to the yamen, or bring word of the happenings back home.
Qin Yining sat primly in the carriage, her arms around Lian Xiaozhou and preventing Bingtang and Jiyun from lifting the curtains for an almighty fight with those outside.
Her rose
quartz ring tapped lightly against the surface of a small table as she intoned, “This has probably long been in the making. None of them have simple backgrounds. Tell Jingzhe to not hurt anymore people.”
“Understood.” Xiaoman replied equally lowly and then gnashed his teeth. “This is all because we’re in Great Zhou now and have no other options open to us. With us brothers’ temper, we take lives with each move we make! We’ll see who dares be so insolent to the miss then!”
Previously under the command of emperors, there was always someone to pick up the pieces even after they punched a hole in the sky. Naturally, all bets were off when it came to their operations, and no consideration given to the consequences.
Due to this habit, to them, mercy was to just avoiding killing someone.
If it’d been any ordinary guards, first reaction would’ve been to lead away a horse charging straight at them—not just outright smack the horse to death. Would an ordinary person have that kind of skill? And how many of them would have that courage?
Outside the carriage, the noble scions had gotten well and truly into the swing of insults.
“Miss Qin, hey girl, I hear that your beauty is worth cities. You’re not pure and chaste anymore, so come on out for us brothers to have a look!”
“Haha, exactly! We’re all powerful and influential. [1] Any of us is able to keep a concubine. Miss Qin, we’ll forgive you if you become one of our concubines!”
……
“These people are so damnably foul!” Bingtang ground her teeth in fury.
Jiyun’s hand was already on the soft sword wrapped around her waist. If it wasn’t for the miss wanting them to keep their cool, she would’ve long since charged out and filled each of those scoundrels with a hundred holes!
The four guards outside the carriage were also chomping at the bit to tear the scum into pieces. But they hadn’t received any orders, so could only remain put and silently suffer through the abuse.
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