“My grandmother is gravely ill and doesn’t have many days left to live?”
Yue Ning wore a moon-white fitted outfit, her black hair tied in a ponytail with silk ribbon. She had an oval face very similar to Madam Jiang’s, with delicate features, almond eyes, and white teeth. However, her sword-like eyebrows extending to her temples, combined with her martial arts training since childhood, gave her a strikingly valiant air.
Having grown up in a Marquis Manor, Yue Ning’s noble bearing alone was intimidating just standing there.
Her eyes narrowed now, her tone extremely dangerous.
She knew the people of the Qin family somewhat lacked judgment, but she never imagined that this illegitimate daughter of the Qin family would dare curse her grandmother this way. Yue Ning clenched her fist – if not for the fact that she was a girl, she would have already thrown a punch!
Qin Shuang was scared witless. She had accumulated days of resentment, only wanting to humiliate Qin Wan, only wanting to say that being favored by the Imperial Princess wasn’t anything special. But she had gotten too carried away and said the Imperial Princess didn’t have many days left to live…
This was even worse than cursing Madam Jiang, and more terrifyingly, Princess Yue Ning had heard it with her ears!
With a “thud,” Qin Shuang fell to her knees, “Pri-Princess, this commoner, this commoner only—”
Qin Shuang was so frightened she could barely speak, cold sweat running down her cheeks. Meanwhile, Qin Wan hadn’t expected Yue Ning’s sudden appearance either. She stood up and knelt as well. Mo Shu and Qin Xiang also dropped to their knees.
Yao Xin Lan reacted and hurriedly got up. Due to her weak condition, she trembled as she knelt on the cold ground.
Yue Ning looked at no one else, only stepping forward to stand before Qin Shuang, her lips curved in a cold smile, “In all of Great Zhou, no one dares curse my grandmother. What are you, to dare say the old lady doesn’t have many days left?”
Qin Shuang trembled in fear, “This commoner, this commoner spoke wrongly, this commoner just…”
“Spoke wrongly?” Yue Ning gave a cold laugh, “When one does wrong, they must pay the price. Otherwise, anyone in this world could claim to have ‘spoken wrongly.’ Do you know that in the Yue army, anyone who speaks like this would have their tongue cut out!”
Qin Shuang shuddered violently, nearly collapsing to the ground, “Please have mercy, Princess—”
“Princess.” Madam Jiang, her face pale with anger, also knelt. Though Madam Jiang held no official title and her status was indeed far below Yue Ning’s, when they had met earlier, Yue Ning had shown respect for her as an elder and hadn’t let her kneel.
“Please show mercy, Princess. I failed in my teaching, allowing her to speak such treasonous words. Please hand her over to me – I will punish her severely as a warning to others—”
Madam Jiang’s tone was sincere and pleading. However, in all these years, it had been a long time since she had needed to be so humble.
Her glance swept over Qin Shuang, Madam Jiang’s gaze seemed to carry knives, as if wanting to flay a layer of skin from Qin Shuang’s body.
Yue Ning turned to look at Madam Jiang, narrowing her eyes, “Well then, Old Madam, do tell how you would make an example of her?”
Madam Jiang’s lips pressed tightly together, and with steeled resolve said, “According to family law, first twenty strikes with the heavy paddle, then confinement for two months, copying the Qin Family Rules until she truly reforms…”
Qin Shuang’s eyes widened. Though she was an illegitimate daughter, Madam Lin had never mistreated her. Since childhood, she had been surrounded by maids and servants and had never even suffered minor bumps or bruises, let alone paddle strikes.
Twenty heavy strikes would half kill even a grown man, let alone her.
Tears streamed down Qin Shuang’s face uncontrollably. She didn’t want her tongue cut out, nor did she want to be beaten.
She couldn’t help looking to Madam Lin for help. Madam Lin had come with Madam Jiang and was now kneeling with a large group of servants behind her, not even looking at her. Qin Shuang bit her lip and turned to look at Qin Xiang.
Her Fifth Sister had always been loved by Madam Jiang – if she could speak up…
Qin Shuang looked at Qin Xiang, who felt her silent plea, but Qin Xiang only lowered her head further.
Qin Shuang sobbed silently, thinking of the twenty strikes to come, her whole body nearly collapsing to the ground.
“The Old Madam is quite reasonable,” Yue Ning said casually. “This time I’ll give a face to the Old Madam – your Sixth Young Miss will be left to the Old Madam’s handling.”
Just as Madam Jiang was about to express gratitude, Yue Ning added, “However, the Old Madam’s face won’t count for much in the future. I hope your family will be more careful.”
Madam Jiang’s face looked as if she had been slapped. She responded stiffly, “Yes, thank you for your mercy, Princess.”
Yue Ning gave a cold laugh, then turned to scan the room before looking at Qin Wan, “Ninth Young Miss, I come on my grandmother’s orders to fetch you. Last night Grandmother was unwell, so today I’m here to bring you to our manor to examine her again.”
Given what had happened at the An Yang Marquis Manor last night, and with the Imperial Princess being ill, it was indeed dangerous. Qin Wan raised her head to meet Yue Ning’s bright almond eyes. Yue Ning lifted her chin slightly, “Let’s go, the carriage is waiting at the gate.”
Qin Wan pondered briefly, then looked toward Madam Jiang.
Madam Jiang didn’t even look at her, only saying in a deep voice, “Go then. The Imperial Princess’s favor is your good fortune – be careful.”
Qin Wan nodded, then stood up.
Yue Ning didn’t look at any of the kneeling Qin family members as she turned to leave.
Qin Wan stepped forward to follow. Before they left the room, Qin Shuang’s uncontrollable sobbing could be heard.
Fu Ling waited outside and heard everything. Following Qin Wan, she couldn’t help showing some satisfaction in her eyes as she said softly, “Young Miss, Sixth Young Miss is finally getting a taste of suffering…”
As soon as the words left her mouth, Yue Ning, walking ahead, turned around, “Being kind isn’t wrong, but it’s not meant for being bullied.”
Qin Wan curved her lips, “Does the Princess think this commoner would be bullied?”
Yue Ning had grown up with the Yue army since childhood, not only learning martial arts but developing a strong personality. She always looked down on overly weak women. She had said this to encourage Qin Wan to be stronger but hadn’t expected such a response.
She raised an eyebrow, “Is that not the case?”
Qin Wan smiled, this young princess, though female, was forthright.
“Please don’t worry, Princess. That was all in the past – it won’t happen in the future.”
Yue Ning raised her eyebrows again and turned to stride ahead. Her whole being radiated vigor – though it was an overcast day when Qin Wan looked at her, she felt as if Yue Ning carried the brilliance of the sun. Thinking of how Yue Ning had just punished Qin Shuang with a few words, Qin Wan couldn’t help but admire her. Though young, Yue Ning carried an air of decisive authority.
As for Qin Shuang, though she would suffer this time, the family punishment would be carried out by Qin family members who would know the proper extent. Qin Wan narrowed her eyes, only hoping that after this, Qin Shuang would show some restraint.
They headed straight out of the manor, with Yue Ning leading the way, but she unconsciously took a wrong turn. Qin Wan noticed from behind and was about to remind her when suddenly two servant women appeared around the corner. They were carrying basins of clothes and unexpectedly collided with Yue Ning. With a splash, the basins and clothes inside fell to the ground.
Yue Ning stumbled back a step, raising her hand to cover her arm.
Seeing this, Qin Wan hurried forward, “Princess, are you alright?”
Yue Ning shook her head and lowered her hand, “It’s nothing.”
When the two servant women heard the word “Princess,” they immediately fell to their knees, “Please spare us, Princess—”
Yue Ning waved her hand, looking at the increasingly wrong path with a helpless frown, “Why isn’t this the right way?”
Qin Wan couldn’t help but laugh, “Because the Princess took a wrong turn.”
As she spoke, her gaze fell on the clothes strewn on the ground.
Among the scattered clothes was a pair of gray boots, clearly covered with a layer of black soil. Qin Wan’s eyes narrowed instantly – this was the flower soil from the Lan Garden that had been fermented with wood ash!
“Whose clothes are these?” Qin Wan asked one of the servant women directly.
The servant woman was slightly startled, then quickly said, “These are all Manager He’s clothes. We servants were just taking them to wash.”
Qin Wan’s lips pressed together slightly. She turned her gaze to find Yue Ning looking at her thoughtfully. Qin Wan’s lips curved slightly, “Princess doesn’t know the way – let this commoner guide you out of the manor—”
Yue Ning nodded, also glancing at the clothes on the ground before walking away.