The side hall fell into deathly silence, the air seeming to freeze due to the Old Madam’s displeasure. The servants remained silent as cicadas in winter, while Nanny Qin and several head maids like Ji Xiang retreated to the outer room, not daring to even breathe loudly.
Qin Yining, kneeling on the brocade floral carpet, looked up at the Old Madam and said slowly, “It was my adoptive mother who instructed me to hide before she died. She said that someone like me, if sold, would be finished for life. It would be better to be eaten by wild beasts and at least die cleanly.”
One sentence contained so much helplessness and hardship.
Originally a precious daughter of the Prime Minister’s manor, she had been switched by villains at birth and abandoned in the wilderness. With great difficulty, she had encountered a kind-hearted adoptive mother who died early, becoming an orphan at eight years old. During the chaos of war, she had no choice but to hide in the mountains and survive alone, experiencing all the coldness of life and the fickleness of human nature, yet stubbornly living on until now at fourteen when her birth father found her.
How could such a girl not evoke pity?
If it were them, could they survive alone in the wilderness for six years starting from the tender age of eight?
Not a single person present had such confidence.
They feared they couldn’t even endure six days.
Not to mention the problems of what to eat and where to live – just surviving alone, with no one to care for them when sick, no one to show concern during hot summers and cold winters, and even no one to talk to – such loneliness was not something ordinary people could bear.
After all, human hearts are made of flesh. Many of those present looked at Qin Yining with gazes that became pitying and gentle.
“You… it has indeed been difficult for you.” The Old Madam sighed inwardly, and her earlier sharpness weakened somewhat.
Seeing that the Old Madam had developed compassion, Qin Huining couldn’t help but clench her powder fists tightly. Her palms were scratched by her nails into four pale crescents, almost drawing blood, but the pitying expression on her delicate face became even stronger, and tears overflowed from her already swollen almond eyes.
Taking three or two steps forward, Qin Huining helped Qin Yining to her feet with both hands. Her fine white jade hands caressed Qin Yining’s rough, calloused hands as she said with heartache, “Little Xi sister, you have suffered.”
One phrase “Little Xi” was equivalent to agreeing with the Old Madam’s refusal to acknowledge Qin Yining.
Everyone present were shrewd people – how could they not understand? Some young ladies lowered their heads to avoid looking, while others whispered among themselves.
Qin Huining’s hands felt damp and cold to the touch, inexplicably reminding Qin Yining of cold snake skin. She blinked and withdrew her hands.
Since entering the door, this person’s hostility toward her had been most obvious. It seemed she was the foster daughter of unknown origin who had switched identities with her. Her return meant taking this person’s position.
Having survived in the wilderness, Qin Yining’s perception of hostility was almost an innate ability – otherwise, she would have been devoured by wild beasts long ago without a trace. Though she had hidden in the deep mountains, she hadn’t completely avoided going down the mountain. She would gather herbs and hunt, going down the mountain to exchange for some essential living supplies, which inevitably required contact with merchants or hunters. Having lived with her adoptive mother in the marketplace since childhood, her understanding of human nature was probably more thorough than these noble people with jeweled hairpins.
Because in times of war, in order to survive, she had seen every dirty and dark deed imaginable.
Qin Huining’s false gentleness and genuine rejection made Qin Yining purse her lips.
Second Young Master Qin Han frowned disapprovingly and stepped forward to bow, saying, “Old Madam, if Yi Jie’er’s pet name is called Little Xi, that’s fine – it shows we don’t forget her adoptive mother’s eight years of nurturing grace. But our Qin family daughters are all of the ‘Ning’ generation according to the genealogy. Jianing, Huining, Shuangning, An’ning, Baoning – which one isn’t like this? Moreover, First Uncle has already bestowed the courtesy name Yining on Little Xi. If the Old Madam here…”
“Are my words now subject to interference from the younger generation? Am I too old to manage this household? Or do you want to be the head of the family, making the Qin family follow your word?”
Although Qin Han was the legitimate eldest son of the third branch, the Third Master was born of a concubine. The Old Madam disliked concubine-born sons and naturally had little affection for Qin Han. Usually, she would still consider Qin Han’s dignity, but in her current anger, she couldn’t care about such considerations.
Second Madam Meng Shi stepped forward and tugged at Qin Han’s sleeve, reminding her husband not to provoke the Old Madam’s displeasure directly.
But Qin Han had a chivalrous heart and a stubborn temperament. Provoked by the Old Madam’s unreasonable words, he also became defiant: “Although Yi Jie’er grew up in the countryside, she is still First Uncle’s biological daughter. Anyone who isn’t blind or foolish can tell at a glance. Since no one questions her identity now, why does the Old Madam still speak this way?”
The Old Madam pursed her lips and said angrily, “There are many similar-looking people in the world! Just because someone resembles your First Uncle doesn’t mean they’re all our family’s offspring!”
“Old Madam, in your heart you also clearly know that Yi Jie’er is the child who was switched away by First Uncle’s political enemies years ago. We haven’t said that because Yi Jie’er has returned, Hui Jie’er must suffer any consequences. What are you nervous about? You could cherish and raise a girl of unknown origin, so why can’t you cherish your own granddaughter?”
The phrase “unknown origin” made Qin Huining’s face flush red, and then tears slid down her fair and beautiful face. She sobbed and threw herself into the Old Madam’s arms, choking out, “Grandmother, it’s granddaughter’s fault, granddaughter is no good…”
The Old Madam’s nose became sour from Qin Huining’s crying, and she also began to shed tears, patting Qin Huining’s back repeatedly, “Hui Jie’er, don’t cry. Grandmother is here – they wouldn’t dare do anything to you!”
She spoke as if everyone else wanted to drive Qin Huining away.
Everyone knew the Old Madam always acted this way and felt helpless.
First Madam Yao Shi stepped forward to mediate: “Little Uncle, please consider the Old Madam’s feelings and say less.”
Second Madam hurriedly tugged at Qin Han’s sleeve, signaling him not to say more to avoid increasing people’s dislike.
But Qin Han paid no attention and continued speaking loudly, “If we say Yi Jie’er can’t be called Yining, that would be too unfair to her. Hui Jie’er, you’ve lived comfortably in the Prime Minister’s manor, enjoying what belonged to Yi Jie’er! Now you should speak up for her instead of making sarcastic remarks.”
When called out by name, Qin Huining looked up at Qin Han with a pale face.
Qin Han continued, “Now war rages and the country is barely a country. Liang City is nine-tenths empty – a tragic sight! If you had seen it with your own eyes and experienced it personally, you would understand Yi Jie’er’s hardships! This trip out scared me half to death. I greatly admire Yi Jie’er’s resilience. Not to mention anything else, if any of you had lived the life she lived, the grass on your graves would be three feet high by now! We’ve found our family’s own flesh and blood – we should joyfully acknowledge her. Perhaps in a few days the country will fall anyway, so at least the family can die together.”
Qin Huining’s face turned red with embarrassment as she choked out, “It’s me who stole Little Xi sister’s life. It’s me who wronged her.”
Hearing this, Qin Han pursed his lips and rolled his eyes.
“Enough, Second Brother, you talk too much.” First Young Master Qin Yu waited until Qin Han finished speaking before saying coolly.
The Old Madam held Qin Huining, angrily pointing at Qin Han with her finger wearing an emerald ring, “You wretched child, I say one sentence, and you respond with a cartload of words to block my heart!”
“I know the Old Madam finds me irritating to look at. Can’t I just stay away!”
“You’d better get far away!”
Qin Han snorted, pulled his wife along, and turned to leave.
The Old Madam was so angry she slapped the low table beside her, her face red with rage as she shouted toward the outside, “Scoundrel! Scoundrel! Get out and don’t come see me!”
“Grandmother, please calm down.” Qin Huining choked back tears as she hurried to console her: “Second Cousin is straightforward and didn’t say anything wrong. It’s really me who doesn’t deserve this.”
Unable to bear it after Qin Huining said this, the Old Madam broke down crying while holding Qin Huining. This caused the other young ladies to shed tears as well, throwing the room into chaos.
Qin Yining observed coldly, the light in her eyes gradually dimming.
These people adorned in fresh reds and light greens, surrounded by gold rings and jade ornaments, seemed to live in a completely different world from her. Though they were right before her eyes, she felt they were too distant.
If the outside world were still in peaceful times, she would really want to leave, preferring to live in poverty but at least have freedom.
But she was unwilling! This was her home, she finally had relatives – should she really hand over everything that belonged to her?
According to Second Cousin, her birth mother was still alive.
A mother must love her children, just like her adoptive mother, who wasn’t even her biological mother yet had loved and protected her with all her might. If her adoptive mother was like this, her birth mother must love and protect her even more.
Qin Yining became somewhat anxious, turning to look at Qin Huaiyuan, whose brow was tightly furrowed, and asked uneasily, “Father, where is my mother? Why don’t I see her?”
Hearing this, Qin Huining suddenly turned to look at Qin Yining.
Qin Huaiyuan gave a light “mm” and then waved to summon Ji Xiang: “Go invite the First Madam.”
Ji Xiang acknowledged and withdrew.
Qin Yining no longer looked at the reactions of the Old Madam and others, just stared eagerly at the direction of the door. She had known since childhood that she was a found child and had always dreamed of what her mother might be like. Now that she was about to meet her, even someone whose calm nature had been forged through years of hardship and trials couldn’t help but be nervous, her palms sweating.
Soon, chaotic footsteps could be heard outside, followed by a young maid reporting from outside:
“Old Madam, the First Madam, Second Madam, and Third Madam have arrived.”
The warm curtain was lifted, and a middle-aged beautiful woman wearing a light purple fitted plain brocade jacket and an eight-treasure red gold phoenix-head swaying hairpin rushed in first.
She stood by the floor-standing curio shelf and looked around, her walnut-swollen eyes immediately falling on Qin Yining.
Qin Yining clasped her hands tightly and instinctively stepped forward two paces, also gazing at this woman.
Their eyes met, and though no one had told her, she just knew this was her mother.
“You…” Sun Shi slowly walked toward Qin Yining, her body seeming to weigh more than a thousand pounds, trembling as she raised her hand to touch Qin Yining’s face.
Qin Yining’s almond eyes finally filled with tears as she murmured, “Mother.” She raised both arms and unconsciously took two more steps forward.
Sun Shi immediately covered her mouth and began crying, backing away while shaking her head, “Impossible, impossible. All these years, the one I raised wasn’t my child. How could this be!”
Seeing this, Qin Huining hurriedly rushed over with red eyes, throwing herself into Sun Shi’s arms and crying loudly, “Mother, daughter has wronged you. Daughter doesn’t deserve your love. Daughter took Little Xi sister’s place, but I didn’t do it on purpose, I really didn’t do it on purpose!”