Everyone present knew what Yanxi Nanny did for a living.

Qin Yining was an unmarried young lady from a noble family. Even if she was to be taken by Qin Huaiyuan to be offered to that old lecher from Great Zhou who was presiding over the peace negotiations, she still couldn’t have a nanny openly called in to teach her how to serve men!

She wasn’t getting married, much less was she one of those courtesans in brothels who had their names on the top billing and sold their bodies. For the Empress to do this was to humiliate the Qin family and slap the Qin family’s face in public!

Qin Yining pressed her lips tightly together. She knew that wicked empress would definitely cause trouble before her departure.

The expressions of everyone present were also unsightly.

Sun Shi had been ill these past few days and was very weak. Today she had barely managed to get up to attend the Lantern Festival banquet. Who would have expected to receive such news? She was immediately so enraged that her head buzzed and her vision darkened. If not for Nanny Jin’s quick reflexes, Sun Shi would have nearly collapsed headfirst.

Third Miss, Seventh Miss, and Eighth Miss—the cousin sisters—looked at Qin Yining with eyes full of both helplessness and pity.

Only Sixth Miss rolled her eyes at Qin Yining and secretly cursed that she deserved it.

She had been scolded by her father and confined by her legitimate mother to copy the Four Books for Women. Only this morning had her confinement been lifted.

Qin Huining dabbed at the corners of her eyes with her handkerchief and said worriedly, “It’s already like this before even leaving home. What will happen once she’s out there? Will Sister Yi even be able to return alive?”

Everyone was thinking the same thing, but to actually voice these words to block Qin Yining’s heart—only Qin Huining would do such a thing.

The Old Dowager, Second Madam, and Third Wife all felt that Qin Huining’s words in such circumstances were truly too heartless, but since Cao Yuqing was also present and they dared not offend her, they didn’t speak up to stop her.

Sun Shi was so enraged that she began coughing again, her face ashen as she glared at Qin Huining. She couldn’t believe that after raising her for fourteen years, she had raised an enemy!

Qin Huining looked smugly at the silent Qin Yining and the miserable Sun Shi.

Who knew that Cao Yuqing would furrow her brows and scold, “Qin Huining, are those human words coming out of your mouth! Shut up!”

Qin Huining stared in shock with wide eyes, unable to recover for quite some time.

She didn’t understand why Cao Yuqing would repeatedly speak up for Qin Yining! Why everyone in this household liked Qin Yining and everyone targeted her.

The women’s confrontation was but a moment’s affair.

On the other side of the screen, Qin Huaiyuan, Qin Xiuyuan, and Qin Xiuyuan all had grave expressions.

Among the younger generation, First Master Qin Yu and Second Master Qin Han could no longer contain themselves.

Qin Han had a chivalrous heart and loved fighting injustice most. Now he slammed the table and rose, saying anxiously, “Great Uncle, we cannot let people bully Fourth Sister like this! Fourth Sister going along for the peace negotiations—that’s because imperial commands cannot be defied, for the sake of national righteousness. What’s the meaning of bringing such a person now! What are they treating our family’s legitimate daughter as? If we really let this Yanxi Nanny or whatever come in, won’t people look down on our family?”

Qin Han’s words also reminded the women on this side of the screen.

Second Madam and Third Wife’s expressions gradually grew grave, unconsciously gripping their clothing tightly in their hands, creasing the fabric.

If Yanxi Nanny really came in, all sorts of gossip would spread. Where would the dignity of the Qin family daughters go? Never mind anything else, their second and third branches still had unmarried daughters!

Second Madam and Third Wife both looked to Sun Shi for help. But Sun Shi was only focused on her anger and didn’t look at them. It seemed she didn’t have the mental capacity to think about these things either.

The two then looked at the Old Dowager, but the Old Dowager just kept her head down drinking tea, not looking at them or anyone else.

The two knew that the Old Dowager had thought of everything but was unwilling to speak up, afraid of offending the wicked empress’s biological sister.

The two mothers immediately flushed with anger, their hearts turning cold.

What kind of mother-in-law had they encountered!

Second Madam hesitated, just about to speak, when unexpectedly Qin Yining spoke first: “Father must think thrice about this matter. Your daughter is destined to be sacrificed, but there are other sisters in the family who still need to live with dignity.”

With one sentence, she drew grateful looks from Second Madam and Third Wife.

Several young ladies now also realized the seriousness of the matter and furrowed their brows nervously. Some bowed their heads in silence with unclear emotions, some looked at Qin Yining gratefully, and others like Qin Huining and Sixth Miss glared at Qin Yining with resentment for implicating them.

Qin Huaiyuan slowly stood up, paced toward the door with his hands behind his back, and instructed Nanny Qin: “Have someone come over.”

“Yes.” Nanny Qin acknowledged and withdrew.

Before long, a woman of thirty-five or thirty-six in a crimson embroidered jacket hurried over.

Her face was powdered and rouged, and she wore a large red silk flower in her hair, dressed very festively.

Upon seeing Qin Huaiyuan, Yanxi Nanny curtsied with a smile: “Greetings to Grand Secretary Qin. This servant pays respects to Grand Secretary Qin and to all the masters.”

Qin Huaiyuan nodded slightly and said, “What is this nanny’s surname?”

“Dare not, dare not. This servant’s humble surname is Jiang.”

“Mm, Nanny Jiang.” Qin Huaiyuan smiled slightly and asked gently, “Your coming today—is it the Empress’s decree or His Majesty’s edict?”

Nanny Jiang quickly glanced up at Qin Huaiyuan, originally wanting to smile and speak, but although Qin Huaiyuan’s smile was gentle, his gaze was too cold, frightening Nanny Jiang so that her smile nearly froze. She hurriedly performed another respectful curtsy.

“Reporting to Grand Secretary, it is Her Majesty the Empress’s oral decree.”

Qin Huaiyuan nodded and said, “Someone come. Prepare carriages and horses to send Nanny Jiang back to the palace.”

Nanny Jiang stared in shock with wide eyes.

The Old Dowager, who had been silent all along, suddenly stood up, rushed out from behind the screen in a few steps, grabbed Qin Huaiyuan’s sleeve, and said, “Meng Ge’er, you cannot!”

Seeing the Old Dowager act this way, Second Madam and Third Wife nearly wanted to follow Sun Shi’s example and rage at this extremely selfish shrew. Even Second Master and Third Master frowned and pressed their lips tight.

Qin Huaiyuan didn’t become angry, because he understood the Old Dowager’s temperament too well. He only consoled her: “Mother, don’t worry. Your son has his own plans. I’ll speak with you later.”

The Old Dowager looked at Qin Huaiyuan hesitantly and only slowly nodded after a long while.

Qin Huaiyuan then instructed Nanny Qin: “Prepare a large red envelope for this Nanny Jiang.”

Turning to Nanny Jiang, he smiled gently and said, “Please trouble Nanny Jiang to return to the palace and give Her Majesty the Empress a message from this official.”

“Yes. This servant will certainly comply. Please speak, Grand Secretary.”

“Qin remembers Her Majesty the Empress’s kind intention. If the Qin household ever has occasion to marry off daughters in the future, we will certainly request Yanxi Nanny from the palace to serve.” This was a warning to the Empress—the Qin family wasn’t marrying off a daughter, so there was no need for her false kindness!

Nanny Jiang’s face turned pale with fright as she hesitated: “But Her Majesty the Empress’s oral decree…”

“If Her Majesty the Empress insists on this matter, then please have His Majesty issue an imperial edict. Upon seeing the imperial edict, Qin will certainly comply!” The implication was: we don’t resist imperial edicts because we’re loyal to the emperor and love our country, but the dignified Grand Secretary Qin’s household doesn’t regard a mere palace woman highly!

Such firmness was openly displaying anger and preparing to confront the Empress!

Among the Qin family members, some felt secretly pleased while others worried like the Old Dowager who nearly fainted.

Instead, Cao Yuqing stood up and came over, saying to Nanny Jiang: “You go back and tell Cao Yurou not to meddle in our family’s affairs. She should mind her own business.”

Nanny Jiang broke out in cold sweat!

This must be the Empress’s biological sister? But as a biological sister, she dared to speak like this. If she, a mere servant, also dared to relay such words, she probably wouldn’t see tomorrow’s sunrise!