Ziteng shook her head: “Nanny Fu, this servant believes Madam Liu deliberately avoids meeting Miss.”

Nanny Fu was shocked and incredulous: “Ziteng, you… why do you say this?”

Ziteng replied: “Madam Liu’s visits to the Qin family are only for show – for the old madam and outsiders to see. If she truly cared about Miss, regardless of what illness Miss had or how much Miss rejected others, she would personally visit Miss. She comes to the Qin family every year, making outsiders think Master Liu values relationships and keeps his word.”

Nanny Fu then asked: “If they’re so hypocritical, then why not continue the charade? Miss is already fourteen – wouldn’t sending betrothal gifts before the spring examinations better silence everyone’s mouths?”

Ziteng said: “There’s no need. By the time Young Master Liu takes the examinations, Miss might already have met with misfortune.”

Nanny Fu’s face changed drastically as she cried out: “What? Ziteng, you can’t speak carelessly!”

Ziteng looked calmly at Qin Shuying’s reflection in the mirror without responding.

Qin Shuying shook her head and said: “Ziteng, being too clever isn’t necessarily good either – look how you’ve frightened Nanny.”

Ziteng remained silent. Nanny Fu’s lips trembled: “Miss, miss, is what Ziteng said true?”

Qin Shuying didn’t answer.

She wasn’t a deity with prophetic powers, so naturally couldn’t be completely certain of the Liu family’s intentions. However, during those years moving about among common folk, she had indeed met people from all walks of life. These people had no other skills, but they had many channels for gathering information.

Under Qin Shuying’s direction, Mi Luo had established good relationships with several men and women, occasionally giving them silver to learn things from their lips.

For instance, when Madam Liu came to the capital before New Year and returned from Old Madam Qin’s birthday banquet, she visited several official families. This seemed unremarkable – they were all families with good relationships with the Liu family. But upon closer examination, there was different significance, because every one of these families had daughters of marriageable age.

Madam Liu was looking for a daughter-in-law.

Connecting many things together, the truth wasn’t difficult to guess.

Having seen all manner of human nature among common folk and experienced betrayal and matters of life and death, she now didn’t hesitate to speculate about human hearts with the greatest malice. She simply didn’t trust the Liu family, including that Liu Gongshan who sounded upright and strict.

Her previous position had been different, so naturally she couldn’t see the irregularities. Now, placing herself in a higher position and viewing things from an equal standing with Liu Gongshan, it was easy to see through the scheme.

If Liu Junqing married Qin Shuying, he would establish connections with Noble Consort Lianpin, but would also distance himself from the Empress’s faction.

Any discerning person could see that the future belonged to the Empress’s faction. Liu Gongshan would be foolish to willingly become a Sixth Prince partisan, especially with Liu Junqing being so outstanding. Liu Gongshan certainly wouldn’t be content with his son being sidelined in the future for backing the wrong side.

So how should they properly interact with the Qin mansion?

Canceling the engagement was absolutely impossible; not canceling it was also absolutely impossible.

If the Qin mansion could resolve this dilemma themselves, that would be perfect. Qin Shuying would either die or have her reputation completely ruined.

All these years, the Liu family had continued sending seasonal gifts to the Qin mansion, showing they acknowledged the engagement, while secretly waiting for Xu Shi’s actions. Madam Liu understood human nature very well – being just an orphaned girl, Xu Shi definitely wouldn’t treat Qin Shuying with genuine sincerity. If Xu Shi could cause Qin Shuying to meet with misfortune, they could eventually go with the flow and cancel the engagement – it couldn’t be better.

Qin Yongtao definitely wanted to form marriage ties with Liu Gongshan, as this meant Noble Consort Lianpin’s camp would gain another person.

So although he didn’t particularly like this niece over the years, he had also instructed Xu Shi to look after her. As for Xu Shi’s desire for Qin Shuying’s death, Qin Yongtao was unaware.

In Qin Yongtao’s eyes, Qin Shuying was a very useful chess piece. Moreover, with her timid nature, wouldn’t she obey whatever he said in the future?

He hadn’t expected her various behaviors over the past six months to exceed his expectations. Even so, he never thought of taking Qin Shuying’s life, only wanting the wealth in her hands. No matter what, she was his only brother’s daughter. As long as she married Liu Junqing, the relationship between the Qin and Liu families couldn’t escape.

As for whether Qin Shuying got along well with Liu Junqing after marrying him, he didn’t care much – it was irrelevant to the bigger picture and his own schemes.

Several times he had hinted that Xu Shi should “properly guide” Qin Shuying – both to make her obediently hand over money and to make her a puppet under his control.

Through multiple tests, Qin Shuying had already figured out Qin Yongtao’s thoughts.

Therefore, Qin Shuying would act harmoniously with Xu Shi on the surface while privately stabbing at Xu Shi’s heart again and again.

However, Qin Shuying wouldn’t show too much hatred in front of Qin Yongtao, because he was still useful and couldn’t be offended yet. The cost of openly breaking ties was greater than enduring humiliation.

And she currently couldn’t afford that cost.

From all indications, Qin Yongtao didn’t know Xu Shi’s intentions regarding the Duke Chu mansion incident.

As for Xu Shi, she didn’t care about so much. She simply found Qin Shuying displeasing and wanted to make her life miserable. Qin Shuying hadn’t died within the expected timeframe, her reputation hadn’t been ruined according to plan, and Qin Fangfang could no longer replace Qin Shuying in marrying Liu Junqing – what should be done now?

Therefore, Xu Shi would inevitably make more moves next.

As for the Liu family, they had been coldly observing from the sidelines, waiting to reap the benefits.

Qin Shuying pressed her lips together. Reap the benefits? How could things be so easy!

This marriage alliance with the Liu family – she, Qin Shuying, didn’t want to cancel it for now. The Liu family didn’t want her, but she still wanted to use the Liu family as a shield!

Xu Shi wanted to sever her ties with the Liu family without considering whether Qin Yongtao would be willing.

Xu Shi was truly so frustrated her head was muddled. Even if she died, would Liu Gongshan have Liu Junqing marry a concubine-born daughter like Qin Fangfang? How ridiculous!

Their original plan – was it to have Liu Junqing and Qin Fangfang have a “private meeting” after she met with misfortune at Duke Chu’s mansion, thus cementing this marriage? That way, she would be eliminated while the marriage alliance was preserved.

But unexpectedly, such an accident occurred.

The Liu family was remarkably composed – after such an incident, they said nothing at all.

Ordinarily, outsiders would think Qin Shuying had been frightened. If Madam Liu had sent someone to comfort her, it would have been natural human sentiment.

But Madam Liu made no such gesture.

This showed she greatly disliked Qin Shuying.

Some families might use this incident to throw dirty water on Qin Shuying – since the Qin mansion had someone like Qin Fangfang, they could completely question Qin Shuying’s upbringing and thus righteously demand to cancel the engagement.

But the Liu family didn’t do this either. They were like invisible people, as if the Qin family had no relationship with them whatsoever.

Through several months of observation and continuously studying foreign languages, deciphering the strange fragments and symbols in the foreign language books left by Qin Yongzhou, Qin Shuying increasingly felt that Qin Yongzhou’s death was shrouded in mystery.