Sun Shi kept a rigid face with tightly closed lips throughout the journey, as if opening her mouth slightly would cause her to shout out something unpleasant.

Seeing Sun Shi like this, the accompanying Nanny Jin, Cai Ju, and Cai Lan all remained silent as cicadas.

The two maidservants supported Sun Shi on either side, afraid she might stumble if she walked too quickly.

Nanny Jin imperceptibly fell back a few steps and gave Qin Yining a meaningful look.

Seeing this, Qin Yining nodded understandingly.

Nanny Jin breathed a sigh of relief as if she had found her backbone.

These past days she had seen clearly that Qin Yining held unusual weight in the eyes of both Old Madam and Duke Dingguo’s wife. Since her mistress wasn’t particularly clever or sensible, if she wanted to continue living peacefully in the future, she at least couldn’t be enemies with Qin Yining.

As for what her niece had said about each serving their own master and looking out for themselves, she wasn’t so naive as to think an adopted daughter who could barely protect herself could promise her much of a future.

Qin Huining walked at the back with Nanny Cai, Bi Tong, and Bi Tao, clearly seeing the interaction between Nanny Jin and Qin Yining.

At this moment, Qin Huining’s expression was quite ugly. All the recent events hadn’t been completely favorable to her. She could only watch helplessly as Qin Yining stepped on her head step by step. No matter how she tried to please Old Madam or Sun Shi, blood relations would always be a wall between them.

Qin Huining smiled self-mockingly. She had been adopted in the first place – how could these people truly treat her well?

Returning to Xingning Garden, Sun Shi ignored the bowing servants and angrily lifted the warm curtain to enter the room, sitting heavily in the main seat and immediately demanding: “Hui Jie’er, what exactly is wrong with you!”

Upon hearing this, Qin Huining bit her lower lip, frowning grievously as she slowly stepped forward and knelt before Sun Shi, lifting her skirt.

“Mother, please calm your anger. Don’t hurt yourself with rage. Everything is your daughter’s fault.”

Sun Shi felt a breath of frustration stuck in her chest from this response. Looking at Qin Huining’s pitiful appearance, as if she, the mother, had bullied her, she felt even more stifled and raised her hand to slap her.

“Slap—” A crisp sound rang out as Qin Huining’s head was knocked to the side.

“Who gave you permission to speak to me like this? What, you put on an act before Old Madam, and now you want to act before me too!”

Qin Huining covered her face in disbelief, looking up at Sun Shi as two streams of tears slid down her cheeks, her voice broken with sobs: “Mother, how can you treat me this way?”

Seeing Qin Huining’s aggrieved appearance, Sun Shi’s anger intensified as she scolded: “You still feel wronged? Do you think everyone in the world is a fool? You kept instigating me back and forth, stirring up trouble behind the scenes. Do you think I don’t know? I raised you, treated you like my own flesh and blood, yet you harmed me instead. Not to mention other things, just the words you spoke at Old Madam’s place – was that something you should have said?”

The grievance that had just surged in Qin Huining was replaced by fear.

How could this be?! Sun Shi had only been away for a few days, yet she returned like a completely different person, actually figuring things out so easily!

It must have been Duke Dingguo’s wife who instigated this!

Qin Huining’s sense of crisis was unprecedentedly strong. Even when Qin Yining had been formidable before, she was confident she could handle Sun Shi and Old Madam. But in such a short time, she discovered she could no longer control these people!

Previously, Sun Shi had been most obedient to her words. As long as she appealed to emotions, Sun Shi was most easily moved. But now?!

“Mother, please don’t misunderstand, I…”

“Enough!” Sun Shi didn’t want to hear Qin Huining’s excuses. “I saw with my own eyes – you dared to stir up trouble right in front of Old Madam, making her hate me. What good does that do you? Qin Huining, I’m so disappointed in you!”

As Sun Shi spoke, she also began crying grievously.

“What kind of life have I lived all these years? You’ve been by my side and seen it all with your own eyes. Now you treat me this way – what am I supposed to do!”

Sun Shi felt wronged, and Qin Huining felt even more wronged, collapsing to the ground covering her swollen face and sobbing.

Nanny Jin, Cai Ju, Bi Tong, and others quickly stepped forward to comfort and console them.

Qin Yining quietly withdrew from the room and returned to Xueli Garden.

It wasn’t that she didn’t feel sorry for Sun Shi. But she felt she couldn’t manage her. Even someone as wise as Duke Dingguo’s wife hadn’t been able to properly educate Sun Shi – what could a young girl like her do?

As for Qin Huining, getting beaten was what she deserved. She even felt it wasn’t enough. There was no reason only she should get beaten while Qin Huining couldn’t.

Qin Yining was too lazy to care about the situation between the mother and daughter in Xingning Garden. She peacefully lived her normal life and slept well that night.

The next morning, Qin Yining went to pay her respects to Old Madam as usual. Originally, Old Madam had said in anger yesterday that Sun Shi needn’t come for morning and evening greetings anymore. Qin Yining was somewhat worried Sun Shi would take it seriously, but today she saw Sun Shi at Old Madam’s place. Although Sun Shi couldn’t be called warm toward Old Madam, there were no faults either. Seeing this, Qin Yining felt relieved.

However, Qin Huining’s face was once again swollen like a pig’s head on one side, even her mouth corners were bruised purple, successfully entertaining Qin Yining.

It seemed that after she left Xingning Garden yesterday, Qin Huining had been beaten again.

This person had evil intentions and repeatedly harmed others – getting beaten was deserved.

Today Qin Huining appeared on the verge of tears to everyone, as if she had suffered great wrongs in Xingning Garden, causing Sixth Miss to frequently glare over.

Qin Yining was too lazy to pay attention to her act.

Qin Huining’s current behavior was equivalent to digging her own grave.

Previously, everyone trusted her character and naturally couldn’t bear to see her wronged.

Now that both Old Madam and Sun Shi had doubts about her character, how could they feel pity based on suspicion? Qin Huining’s self-important schemes would only fall flat. She could still act arrogantly now only because her time hadn’t come yet.

Qin Yining wasn’t anxious at all.

“Old Madam.” The head maidservant Ji Xiang entered the room with a smile: “Nanny Bao from Duke Dingguo’s wife has come.”

Everyone in the room was startled upon hearing this.

Old Madam straightened up and smiled: “Please invite her in quickly.” As she spoke, she didn’t forget to glance sideways at Sun Shi.

Sun Shi gritted her teeth, lowering her eyes and forcibly restraining herself from erupting.

At this time, Nanny Bao entered under Nanny Qin’s guidance. Seeing all the young misses and masters in the room, she bowed to each in turn.

The young ladies dared not put on airs, didn’t accept Nanny Bao’s bows, and instead exchanged greetings.

Old Madam smiled: “What brings Nanny Bao here today?” Could it be to apologize again?

“In response to Old Madam Qin, today our madam is going to Immortal Lady Temple to perform religious rites. She specially instructed this servant to come seek your favor – our madam wishes to take the young cousin miss along to relax.”

Old Madam was startled upon hearing this, then laughed: “That’s easy. Just have the young miss pack up and go with you.” She then asked: “How is your madam’s health?”

“Thanks to your blessing, all is well.”

Nanny Bao smiled and chatted with Old Madam, her attitude respectful but not servile. She didn’t mention Sun Shi’s return, nor did she show any apologetic behavior, not diminishing Duke Dingguo manor’s dignity at all.

Here, Qin Yining took the cloak Nanny Qin brought and put it on, then took a small brass hand warmer covered with a light green brocade warmer cover and held it in her hands.

When Nanny Bao and Old Madam’s conversation paused, she smiled and bowed to Old Madam.

“Old Madam, your granddaughter will go out first.”

Old Madam smiled and waved: “Go on, serve your maternal grandmother well.”

Nanny Bao smiled and bowed again, then respectfully withdrew.

Qin Yining followed, walking around the screen to the door. Seeing Qin Huining had also put on a light blue cloak and followed, she gently tugged on Nanny Bao’s sleeve.

Nanny Bao turned back and saw Qin Huining following as well. With a half-smile she said: “Blame this old servant for being clumsy with words and not speaking clearly. Duke Dingguo’s wife wanted to take the young cousin miss to Immortal Lady Temple for religious rites, but she didn’t say to bring Miss Huining.”

This was at the doorway, separated by a screen, and the words carried clearly into the room.

Qin Yining heard several muffled laughs and felt embarrassed for Qin Huining.

Qin Huining’s already swollen face had now turned eggplant purple, her eyes full of tears as she looked accusingly at Nanny Bao.

Sun Shi felt somewhat sorry and came around the screen: “I’m not going out with Mother today. Why don’t you let Hui Jie’er go too? The two young sisters can look after each other.”

Nanny Bao smiled: “Young madam, it’s not that this old servant won’t follow your instructions, but Duke Dingguo’s wife ordered to only bring the young cousin miss out. Our Duke Dingguo manor has only one proper young cousin miss – you understand that in your heart, don’t you? If you want Miss Huining to go too, why don’t you personally go speak with Duke Dingguo’s wife? Don’t put this old servant in a difficult position.”

Upon hearing this, Sun Shi could only awkwardly stop speaking, since Duke Dingguo’s wife had already made it clear yesterday that she would take Qin Yining out alone today.

As for Qin Huining, she was already angry enough to kill.

What did this mean! Had Nanny Bao come to publicly slap her face!

In front of so many people, saying Duke Dingguo’s wife only had one young cousin miss was trampling her dignity underfoot!

However, Nanny Bao wasn’t finished speaking. She smiled at Qin Huining: “There’s one more thing this old servant will presume to say to the young miss.”

Qin Huining trembled with her lips, forcibly restraining her anger: “Speak.”

“Our Duke Dingguo manor has never practiced scheming and plotting. Both the old madam and the marquis have said that if people have abilities, they should use them outside. Using skills against one’s own family in internal strife isn’t called ability – it’s called sordid. Duke Dingguo manor doesn’t produce such people and doesn’t want such people. The young miss is a smart person. Having reached this point, you should think carefully about what you’ve done wrong. Don’t just think you’re the world’s smartest person while everyone else is blind, deaf, and stupid.”

After speaking, Nanny Bao bowed with a straight spine. Though it was a bow, it gave Qin Huining the feeling of being despised once again.

Qin Huining could no longer hold on and ran out crying.

Nanny Bao respectfully said to Qin Yining: “Young cousin miss, let’s go.”