Qin Shuying concealed the hatred in her eyes and put on a sorrowful expression: “Nanny, during these few days when I was unconscious, I had a long dream. I dreamed of Father, and Father told me many things. He also blamed me for not taking Nanny’s words to heart and falling for the First Madam’s tricks.”

Nanny Fu’s entire body trembled with surprise and joy: “Did the master really appear in your dream? Heaven has eyes, Heaven has eyes! Miss, the master and madam were truly benevolent and charitable people who accumulated good deeds. They must have moved the Bodhisattva to send a dream to inform Miss! Xu Shi is plotting to seize the wealth the master left for Miss and has ordered people to harm Miss’s body. Miss, Xu Shi is cunning and treacherous—you must plan for the long term! Miss… this means everything you did to Hui Qin just now was intentional?”

“Nanny, this matter of dreaming about Father cannot be known by anyone else right now.”

“Miss, this old servant understands. Miss, you must first recover your health, find ways to regain Old Madam’s favor, and then slowly reclaim the management rights of the shops Master entrusted to you.”

Qin Shuying was quite pleased again: “Nanny speaks correctly.”

Seeing Qin Shuying’s clear and cold gaze, Nanny Fu was overjoyed. As long as Miss didn’t fall for their tricks and properly nursed her health, what was there to fear about not having a good future?

Therefore, she immediately began offering advice: “Miss, Xu Shi is only your uncle’s wife. Miss has Old Madam for everything and need not go through her. Previously, Xu Shi took advantage of Miss not understanding matters, luring Miss to distance herself from Old Madam, which gave her the opportunity to act. Now, as long as Miss is willing to spend time playing along and regain Old Madam’s favor, there’s no need to fear Xu Shi. Moreover, Miss can completely make her own decisions about matters in Spring Garden. Later, you can buy a few clever ones from outside—the atmosphere in Spring Garden needs to be properly reorganized.”

She explained priorities clearly—truly a person with a clear mind.

However, if she followed everything Nanny Fu said, wouldn’t that let Xu Shi off too easily? What she wanted wasn’t to “not fear” Xu Shi.

Seeing that Qin Shuying seemed to have plans, Nanny Fu feared she might act too hastily and harm her health, so she quickly said: “Miss, you just got up and your body is still weak. Eat well and first restore your health. Other matters cannot be rushed—you must take gradual steps.”

Gradual steps… A mocking smile appeared at the corner of Qin Shuying’s lips. Indeed, gradual steps—she had plenty of time now.

“Nanny, call someone in to help me bathe.”

Nanny Fu hadn’t expected Qin Shuying to change topics so quickly. She still had many things to instruct Qin Shuying about, so she said: “This old servant…”

Nanny Fu had just begun when Qin Shuying’s cold gaze swept over. Nanny Fu’s heart skipped a beat, and she swallowed the words that had reached her lips—Miss’s gaze was determined, but the cold chill within it…

Without time to think further, Nanny Fu almost instinctively obeyed Qin Shuying’s words, lifting the curtain and calling outside: “Hong Juan, come in and help Miss bathe!”

Looking back at Qin Shuying, she had already closed her eyes and was resting against the pillow. That bone-chilling feeling from just now seemed like an illusion. Nanny Fu rubbed her eyes—perhaps it was just old age and failing eyesight. She looked at Qin Shuying with concern once more before leaving.

Nanny Fu often went out of the manor because she had a family—sons and daughters in the city—so no one paid special attention to her.

Hong Juan had just returned. Compared to Hui Qin’s arrogance and frivolity, she was efficient and steady, with a respectful demeanor. She helped her bathe without much talk. Qin Shuying gave her an almost ingratiating smile, but Hong Juan seemed not to see it, only keeping her eyes lowered with a calm, unruffled appearance.

Looking at it now, Xu Shi’s methods were nothing more than two types: First, giving heavy tonic medicines to severely damage Qin Shuying’s vitality until she became chronically ill and difficult to cure; Second, personally “instructing” Qin Shuying to distance herself from those who were truly good to her, while sending over Hui Qin and those lawless maids in the courtyard to transform an originally gentle and shy young lady into someone submissive, self-deprecating, and unfit for public occasions.

These two methods were truly tried and true!

Qin Yaoyao had failed, and Qin Shuying had also failed!

After eating, Qin Shuying rinsed her mouth, sat briefly to digest, then lay back on the bed. But having slept too much earlier, she actually couldn’t fall asleep. She just closed her eyes to rest while carefully going through everything in her mind until she fell asleep late at night.

Hong Juan also stayed to keep watch at night, and Nanny Fu didn’t come again. Hong Juan was indeed meticulous and proper, speaking little. In her memory, Hong Juan had always been like this. Having cried so much during the day, although she couldn’t sleep at night, her tears seemed to have dried up. She stared into the darkness and endured through the night.

The next day her spirits weren’t very good. After eating some thin porridge in the early morning, she fell asleep again.

While still in a drowsy half-sleep, she heard someone chattering as they entered the room. Without explanation, they grasped her hand and began crying: “Seventh Sister, you’re finally well! Sister has been so worried these days that I couldn’t sleep or eat. I prayed before the Bodhisattva every day, wishing I could lose a few years of my life in exchange for your health. Today you’re finally well—the Bodhisattva must have heard Sister’s wish!”

Just from the voice, Qin Shuying knew who this self-promoting person was—none other than Xu Shi’s third daughter and the Sixth Miss of the Qin Manor, Qin Yunyun.

Xu Shi had given birth to five children in total: Qin Lianlian, Qin Kaile, Qin Kaiyu, Qin Feifei, and Qin Yunyun.

Qin Lianlian was the First Miss of the Qin Manor, several years older than Second Miss Qin Yaoyao. Now twenty-nine years old, she had entered the palace at thirteen and bore a son who was now fourteen—the Emperor’s sixth son. Qin Lianlian had been ennobled as Imperial Concubine Lianpin due to her son’s status.

Qin Kaile was twenty-seven and had been appointed as county magistrate in a quite prosperous county, with his wife and children accompanying him to his post.

Qin Kaiyu was sixteen this year, already a scholar studying at the academy with bright prospects.

Qin Feifei would soon be the legitimate wife of Fifth Rank Secretary Lu Changxuan. Each of them had obtained good futures.

Only Qin Yunyun remained—fourteen years old this year, not yet betrothed, with stunning beauty. Xu Shi had hired people to carefully educate her. She was accomplished in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and was generous and courteous in social interactions—a famous talented woman. Qin Yongtao and Xu Shi’s plan was surely to marry her to someone noble.

Qin Shuying wanted to pretend to be asleep. She really wasn’t confident that she could control herself when facing Xu Shi, whether she would lose control due to intense hatred and cry. But these people were really too noisy—pretending to sleep was impossible.

What must come would come. For Feng’er, for her loved ones, even if they roasted her over a fire, she could endure it, she must endure it!

Opening her eyes, she met Xu Shi’s gaze directly. The hatred in Qin Shuying’s eyes still couldn’t be controlled—

Qin Shuying quickly covered her face with her hands, which trembled uncontrollably. Her shoulders shook as such hatred, such hatred filled her!

She wished she could eat Xu Shi’s flesh and drink Xu Shi’s blood! But she couldn’t now, she couldn’t!