When Madam Hu returned to the Marquis Manor with a grave expression, Qin Shu had already left the palace. Upon meeting, Madam Hu asked with surprise, “Why has my lord returned so early? What did the Crown Prince and the Empress say?”

Qin Shu sighed, “The Crown Prince likely knows this was King Cheng’s doing, so he didn’t say much. However, I didn’t get to see the Empress, so I’m not sure about her thoughts on the matter.”

Thinking of Yan Che’s few moments of cold gaze, Qin Shu sighed again, “This incident has certainly caused the Crown Prince to lose face. However, if they were to become hostile toward our manor because of this, it would play right into King Cheng’s trap. The Crown Prince has essentially swallowed this anger – when and where this anger will manifest, we’ll have to wait and see.”

“Is my lord suggesting that the Crown Prince might direct his anger toward us?”

Thinking of Qin Xiang, Qin Shu felt irritated, “Qin Xiang caused this trouble, and we failed in our oversight. If the Crown Prince wants to blame us, it would be justified – it’s not merely displaced anger. Moving forward, we cannot afford to make any more mistakes.”

Madam Hu nodded quickly, and Qin Shu asked her, “How did it go at the Xue Manor?”

Though Qin Shu asked this, he understood that nothing could have gone wrong at the Xue Manor. With their social standing, how could they dare express dissatisfaction? Besides, it was King Cheng who took the person away; they could only swallow this bitter pill.

As Qin Shu thought this, he noticed Madam Hu’s hesitant expression and raised an eyebrow, “Did they say something unpleasant?”

Madam Hu quickly shook her head, “No, not at all. I hadn’t met Master Xue and Madam Xue before, but upon meeting them today, both were quite straightforward people. Master Xue handled the situation very appropriately. After learning of the matter, he didn’t blame us, only saying they weren’t fortunate enough. While we were talking in the main hall, a servant came out and whispered something to Master Xue – I vaguely heard the word ‘Young Master.’ Afterward, Master Xue mentioned… mentioned that since the marriage arrangement was already set and their relatives and friends had been notified, he asked if we had another young lady in the Qin family. The implication was that since it wasn’t specified which young lady would marry into their family, and now that Qin Xiang has gone to King Cheng’s manor, perhaps Qin Shuang could marry into their family instead…”

A flash of light crossed Qin Shu’s eyes, “You mean… this was the Xue young master’s idea?”

Madam Hu nodded, “I believe so. The servant came to deliver tea as an excuse to relay the message, and Master Xue’s expression showed some awkwardness at the time.”

Qin Shu showed surprise and fell silent for a moment before suddenly smiling, “This young Xue is quite clever. He serves in the patrol division with Yan’er. I should have Yan’er bring him to our manor so I can see what kind of person he is.”

Madam Hu’s eyes brightened, “Does my lord mean to agree to this?”

Qin Shu smiled, “Why shouldn’t we agree? We carefully selected this family for Qin Xiang, and we would need to find a match for Qin Shuang eventually. We might not find such a suitable match later. Young Master Xue’s suggestion could save face for both families and provide Qin Shuang with a good marriage. Moreover, this young man clearly has his own plans.”

A marriage alliance between the Xue family and the Marquis Manor would naturally mean the Marquis Manor would assist in Xue Qingshan’s career advancement. Without the Marquis Manor’s support, he would face more difficulties. However, Qin Shu didn’t think Xue Qingshan was merely seeking connections. “This arrangement benefits both families, but we shouldn’t agree too quickly. I should meet him first. If he truly has ambition and aspirations, it would be better for me to understand him better.”

Madam Hu felt reassured, “Very well, then we won’t tell Shuang about this yet—”

“I’ll speak with Yan’er about it tonight, you don’t need to concern yourself with it.”

After finishing, Qin Shu glanced at the sky outside, “Get ready, and bring Yu’er and Shuang with you to visit the An Yang Marquis Manor.”

After preparing and bringing generous gifts, Qin Shu, Madam Hu, and the others arrived at the An Yang Marquis Manor before the hour of Wei.

Qin Wan had arrived at the Marquis Manor early in the morning. Her arrival alone surprised both Princess Royal and Marquis An Yang, but after hearing Qin Wan’s explanation, Princess Royal understood. While Qin Wan didn’t share many details, Princess Royal and Marquis An Yang immediately grasped the situation. Since Princess Royal would learn about this matter sooner or later, it was better to tell her now.

Moreover, given Princess Royal’s affection for Qin Wan, she would naturally extend her consideration to the Marquis Manor.

After Qin Wan finished explaining, Princess Royal indeed criticized King Cheng briefly. This matter, when considered deeply, involved the succession struggle. Princess Royal sighed deeply for a while, then pulled Qin Wan aside for a private conversation. By the time it was past noon, Lord and Lady Qin arrived.

Princess Royal hadn’t recognized Qin Zhaoyu, who was still a child when she left the capital, nor was she very familiar with Qin Shuang from her time in Jin Zhou. Therefore, this was their first formal meeting. Although Qin Shu and Marquis An Yang were of the same generation in their youth, the old Marquis An Yang was a military official while the old Loyal and Brave Marquis was a civil official, so their interaction had been limited. Now, because of Qin Wan, Marquis An Yang treated the Loyal and Brave Marquis very warmly. The two men went to the outer courtyard’s study to talk, while Lady Jiang joined Madam Hu in accompanying Princess Royal.

Madam Hu, being quite astute, quickly found herself at ease. Although Qin Zhaoyu didn’t approve of Qin Wan, she dared not show disrespect to Princess Royal. Currently in the palace, apart from the Empress Dowager, Princess Royal’s words carried the most weight. The Empress Dowager was the Empress’s birth mother, while Princess Royal held the highest generational status among the royal bloodline!

The conversation naturally turned to Qin Xiang’s matter, and Madam Hu said, “We never expected things to turn out this way. This morning, I went to the Xue Manor to apologize. Fortunately, Master Xue was very understanding and didn’t blame us. Otherwise, our Marquis Manor would have broken faith with others for the first time.”

Princess Royal sighed lightly, “That child Yan Qi’s actions have indeed become too reckless!”

As Princess Royal was an elder of the royal family, Madam Hu, despite her hatred for King Cheng, couldn’t directly criticize him. Instead, she smiled and said, “It must not have been fated. Qin Xiang herself was willing, so we couldn’t say anything.”

Understanding the Loyal and Brave Marquis Manor’s difficult position, Princess Royal said, “Your situation is challenging, but the fault doesn’t lie with you. I believe the Empress and Crown Prince understand this. The Eighth Miss is about to become the Crown Princess, and at this time, stability is paramount. How should I put it… everyone has their own destiny, and Fifth Miss’s choice is her destiny.”

Princess Royal, now in her sixties, saw these matters very clearly. Madam Hu quickly agreed and changed the subject. Meanwhile, Yue Ning pulled Qin Wan aside to talk. Seeing that Qin Shuang was somewhat reserved but very close to Qin Wan, she also drew Qin Shuang into the conversation. Although Qin Zhaoyu showed great respect to Princess Royal and Lady Jiang, she maintained an air of pride among her peers.

After sitting with Princess Royal for a while, Yue Ning pulled Qin Wan aside, saying, “Oh right, Young Master Wei sent gifts yesterday, including a young horse. Come with me to see it—”

Wei Qizhi? Qin Wan was slightly surprised but stood up. Seeing Qin Wan about to leave, Qin Shuang instinctively rose as well. However, Qin Zhaoyu maintained a detached expression. As the future Crown Princess, she only showed interest in refined arts like music, chess, calligraphy, and painting – looking at horses? She had no interest. Yue Ning then led Qin Wan and Qin Shuang outside, while Princess Royal smiled and said, “The Eighth Miss is indeed refined. My daughter, on the other hand, has learned to be like her two brothers, just like a boy…”

Madam Hu dared not agree with this statement, “The Princess has inherited your grace from your younger days, spirited and not inferior to any man. Where can we find such heroic spirit among today’s young ladies? They’re all so delicate…”

Meanwhile, Yue Ning looked at Qin Wan and said, “This Eighth Miss from the Marquis Manor seems rather aloof?”

Qin Wan just smiled, “That’s just her nature, it’s fine.”

Qin Shuang added, “Eighth Sister is proud and lofty, after all, she’s going to be the Crown Princess.”

Yue Ning seemed to understand and snorted lightly, “Proud and lofty indeed – who isn’t? Even though she’s known as the capital’s foremost talented lady, she’s too full of herself. To remain so detached in front of Grandmother, one can imagine she barely speaks to you all normally.”

Yue Ning had guessed correctly. Qin Wan gave a bitter smile, “We didn’t grow up together, and she won’t be staying at the Marquis Manor much longer. Don’t worry about me.”

Yue Ning looked at her, “So you didn’t grow up together either?”

Qin Wan’s heart skipped a beat, having momentarily forgotten about the Ninth Miss’s childhood circumstances. She cleared her throat and said, “Where’s the young horse? Why did Wei Qizhi send gifts to the An Yang Marquis Manor?”

Understanding that Qin Wan didn’t want to discuss Qin Zhaoyu behind her back, Yue Ning shook her head and dropped the subject. “Not only did the Wei Manor send gifts, but the Duke Song’s Manor also sent some. Duke Song’s Manor was supposed to become our in-laws, but who would have thought such a thing would happen? Unlike the Loyal and Brave Marquis Manor’s sudden change, they didn’t even bother to apologize early on. They were simply despicable – their daughter in such a situation, yet they tried to marry her off to us in secret. What did they take us for?”

Yue Ning sighed, “Song Rou was innocent, but Duke Song is not a good person. Though the apology incident has passed, Grandmother, Father, and Mother won’t forget it so easily. They thought we wouldn’t return, but now that we’re back, they naturally want to reconcile. We accepted their gifts, but Grandmother didn’t send any response.”

Yue Jia was supposed to marry last year, but because of Song Rou’s incident, the marriage fell through and led to a violent incident. Yue Jia likely lost his desire to marry and thus went to the Northwest Army. Moreover, Duke Song knew that Song Rou had been violated yet still wanted her to marry Jin Zhou, clearly showing no respect for Princess Royal. Though this couldn’t be called a vendetta, Princess Royal wouldn’t tolerate such humiliation from Duke Song’s Manor!

“This was indeed Duke Song Manor’s fault.”

Qin Wan’s voice was solemn. Yue Ning added, “Grandmother isn’t one to let things go easily. They were the ones who committed the wrong, and now they think sending some gifts and bowing their heads will make us forget. How could things be so simple? Elder Brother will be gone for two or three years, his marriage delayed.”

Qin Wan sighed inwardly, feeling Duke Song’s Manor was even more shameless, and asked, “What about Wei Qizhi?”

Yue Ning replied, “Wei Qizhi’s mother is merely from Duke Wei’s Manor. I heard when this happened, his mother also blamed the Duke’s Manor. He sent gifts now to thank us for the care shown in Jin Zhou, though his parents didn’t have the face to come to our manor. These gifts show his sincerity. Second Brother met him at the government office recently. He’s been dealing with various offices lately, though we don’t know what for.”

Thinking of Wei Qizhi’s role as a royal merchant supplying horses, Qin Wan asked, “Perhaps he’s planning other business ventures?”

Wei Qizhi had no interest in court politics, but his family needed support, and the Wei family had built their fortune through commerce – he seemed to be following that path again. Yue Ning said she didn’t know, and then led them to the manor’s stable. Qin Wan immediately spotted a particularly glossy chestnut-colored young horse, her eyes brightening as she laughed, “This Wei Qizhi! When I saw him before, he never sent any horses!”

Qin Wan spoke teasingly, and Yue Ning raised an eyebrow, “You wouldn’t ride the horse even if he gave you one…”

Yue Ning often rode horses, so the horse would be better suited for her. Ignoring Qin Wan’s teasing look, she walked to the stable and led the young horse. Though Qin Shuang didn’t know much about horses, she exclaimed, “What a beautiful horse, so small and endearing.”

Yue Ning smiled, “This horse is called Chi Luan. I heard he caught it in the northwest. It has quite a fierce temperament…”

As soon as she finished speaking, the young horse, nostrils flaring, immediately reared up with a neigh. Yue Ning quickly shouted and pulled the reins closer, then stepped forward to pat the horse’s head, finally calming it down.

“Yesterday when it arrived, several servants couldn’t even get it into the stable. I had to train it for quite a while before it would listen to me. We seem to have some affinity.”

By the time they finished looking at the horse, the sun was setting westward. Princess Royal ordered the meal to be served, and everyone gathered to dine. Though Marquis An Yang commanded troops, he was also quite adept at court politics. Qin Shu was even more accustomed to such occasions, and because of Qin Wan, the two men chatted quite pleasantly, even sharing several drinks during the meal. After dining, Qin Shu finally led Madam Hu to bid farewell.

Lady Jiang and Yue Qiong saw Qin Wan’s group off. Upon returning, they heard Yue Ning talking to Princess Royal, “Granddaughter thinks that Eighth Miss’s temperament is too proud. I wonder if she’ll make things difficult for Fourth Sister.”

Princess Royal tapped Yue Ning’s forehead, “You usually don’t care about such things, why are you concerned now?”

Yue Ning snorted lightly, “There weren’t any such people in Jin Zhou who held their heads so high…”

Princess Royal smiled, “Being proud and lofty has its advantages. Some people who consider themselves noble might not be easy to get along with, but they won’t do despicable things. Don’t worry, she won’t be able to bully Xiao Xi.”

In the returning carriage, Madam Hu was also instructing Qin Zhaoyu, “Yu’er, when they went out today, you should have gone with them. In front of Princess Royal, you should at least pretend to be close to Wan’er.”

Qin Zhaoyu pursed her lips, “What’s there to pretend about? We’re not sisters from the same branch anyway, being distant is normal. If I were too friendly, that would be strange.”

Madam Hu smiled bitterly, “That may be true, but you need to be more diplomatic. You can’t let everything show on your face. Later when you enter the Eastern Palace and become Empress, with three thousand people in the palace, you must be virtuous and dignified to be Mother of the Nation.”

Qin Zhaoyu’s expression suddenly darkened, though she didn’t contradict Madam Hu. That day had once seemed far away, but now it was approaching quickly, and she hadn’t thought it through clearly yet. If she didn’t understand it fully, she would surely suffer later.

“Mother, I understand. Don’t show emotions on my face, I understand this principle.”

Madam Hu sighed, “Your father said the Empress and Crown Prince want to set your wedding date earlier. It might be before the seventh month. Mother will miss you…”

Qin Zhaoyu remained silent, only gripping Madam Hu’s hand tightly.

Upon returning to the Marquis Manor, learning that Qin Yan had returned, Qin Shu immediately summoned him to the study and gave him instructions. Though it was late, Qin Yan suggested, “Why don’t I visit the Xue Manor now? I wasn’t very familiar with Brother Xue before, but knowing he might become my brother-in-law, I’ve met him a few times. I think this person is quite extraordinary.”

Qin Shu became interested, “How so?”

Qin Yan thought for a moment before saying, “I can’t quite explain it, but in my years of handling family affairs and traveling widely, I’ve rarely met someone my age whom I couldn’t read. Brother Xue sometimes puzzles me. He’s only a year older than me, but he acts much more steadily.”

Hearing this, Qin Shu grew even more interested, “Good, go to the Xue Manor now. Ask him to come tomorrow, and hint that I’m very likely to agree to what he’s thinking.”

Qin Yan acknowledged and left the Marquis Manor with two guards in the night, turning left at the gate and heading straight toward the southern part of the city.

The night fell like an ink net, pressing down. The Xue Manor was located in Ming De District, south of Xing An District, an area where nobles and wealthy people lived together. Qin Yan took the side road, riding toward the Xue Manor with his horse’s hooves echoing from Xing Le District to Xing An District. In a dark alley at the border of Xing An and Ming De Districts, a dying figure suddenly opened their eyes wide at the sound of hoofbeats. A wheezing sound came from their throat, but as the hoofbeats grew more distant, they couldn’t move at all. Soon, those eyes trembled and, staring at the pitch-black sky, would never blink again…