Madame Sun said with a worried expression: “These past few days, your father has been discussing these matters with His Majesty. The preliminary date has been set for the day after tomorrow. However, we don’t know if there might still be changes.”

Qin Yining asked again: “Father isn’t home?”

“Your father was urgently summoned to the palace last night and hasn’t returned yet. It’s said to involve a series of matters concerning the surrender ceremony, many things need to be deliberated at length. After all, your father is wholeheartedly devoted to His Majesty and doesn’t want His Majesty to suffer any losses.”

Qin Yining nodded understandingly. With Qin Huaiyuan’s character, he would definitely stand guard faithfully until the very end.

Seeing that Qin Yining only spoke with Madame Sun, didn’t even bow when she saw her, and completely ignored her, the Old Dowager’s face became somewhat embarrassed, and the smile she had forced onto her face gradually faded.

“Yining, how is it that you don’t say a single word when you see me? Have you lived too well in the military camp these days and forgotten all your manners? The Qin family has never had daughters who don’t understand propriety.”

Upon hearing this, Qin Yining smiled and looked at the Old Dowager gently, though her words were anything but gentle.

“The Qin family has no daughters who don’t understand propriety, so may I ask the Old Dowager, does the Qin family have thieves who take things without asking?”

The Old Dowager’s face darkened as she said displeasedly: “It was just eating one of your rabbits. Surely you wouldn’t hold a grudge about it until now? Your filial piety has been eaten by dogs! That was such a time—you still kept the rabbit and refused to let me eat it. Would you have just watched me starve to death and not cared?”

“When it comes to twisting words and forcing logic, if you ranked second, no one would dare claim first place.” Qin Yining laughed mockingly. “Are you saying I ate alone and refused to give you food? When you say such things, aren’t you afraid of making people’s hearts turn cold? Moreover, did the Old Dowager and Second Madam ask for my opinion first at that time? Taking without asking is considered stealing! Now you act justified after being a thief?”

“You! Your father is such a filial person! How did he raise such an unfilial daughter like you!”

Qin Yining’s face turned cold. “Whether I’m filial or not isn’t determined just by the Old Dowager’s lips moving up and down! When disaster struck, everyone saw clearly how I treated you! Not to mention the Qin family members, even those disaster victims in Ning Garden witnessed it with their own eyes! But how did you treat me? Old Dowager, being so aggressive—do you want people to come and judge who’s right?”

At the mention of having people judge, the Old Dowager’s expression became completely stiff.

Qin Yining had been spending day and night with Prince Zhongshun these days. If there was to be any judging, naturally it would be Prince Zhongshun who would judge. Although they still hung the plaque of “Marquis Manor,” the title of “Marquis Anping” was bestowed by the previous dynasty’s emperor. In the future, when they went to the Great Zhou Dynasty, it was uncertain what kind of life they would lead.

Their future was uncertain, but Qin Yining was definitely going to become Prince Zhongshun’s woman.

Whether she became a concubine or a secondary consort, she would enjoy wealth and honor for life. Moreover, just by whispering a few words in Prince Zhongshun’s ear, she might be able to determine the life and death of people like them.

With this thought, the Old Dowager’s arrogant momentum completely disappeared. She wanted to say something pleasant but couldn’t bring herself to do so, standing awkwardly in place for a moment, unable to advance or retreat.

It was Nanny Qin beside her who best understood her master’s intentions. Seeing the Old Dowager’s difficulty, she immediately knelt down before Qin Yining.

“Fourth Miss, please calm your anger. That day’s incident was entirely this servant’s unauthorized decision and private action. Please forgive this servant, Fourth Miss.”

Qin Yining’s gaze softened. She had great respect for Nanny Qin, who was not only utterly loyal to the Old Dowager but also very sensible. Moreover, Qin Yining always remembered that Nanny Qin had once extended a helping hand to her.

Her expression eased as she helped Nanny Qin up with both hands: “Nanny Qin needn’t be like this. I originally didn’t want to pursue this matter further.”

She looked at the Old Dowager coldly. “From now on, everyone should not disturb each other and maintain their respective dignity.”

The Old Dowager’s face was gloomy. Although Qin Yining’s decision not to pursue the matter made her breathe a sigh of relief, she still felt she had lost face.

Qin Yining paid no attention to the Old Dowager or Qin Huining, only nodded to Eighth Miss in acknowledgment, then took Madame Sun’s arm and returned to Shuoren Studio, her own boudoir, to carefully inquire about the mansion’s situation these past days.

Madame Sun only said everything was as before, then pulled Qin Yining’s hand and asked in a low voice: “Yining, you and Prince Zhongshun… have you made up your mind to follow Prince Zhongshun in the future?”

Qin Yining’s face instantly turned red as if blood could drip from it. She naturally knew what her mother meant by asking this question, and coughed several times before feeling less embarrassed.

“Mother, don’t overthink it. Between him and me… there’s nothing. However, outsiders have long seen us as a pair, and if I don’t stay with him, public opinion probably wouldn’t allow it.”

Understanding her meaning, Madame Sun said: “Mother has no other intentions. I’m just afraid you won’t live well. Our family’s status is nothing like before. Previously, you and he could be considered well-matched, but now that Great Yan has fallen and your father is about to go to Great Zhou, we don’t even know if he’ll become a prisoner. I’m just afraid you’ll suffer losses.”

Qin Yining leaned obediently against Madame Sun’s shoulder and smiled: “I know Mother is concerned about me. But you can rest completely assured. The Emperor of Great Zhou is someone with extremely deep schemes. The current political situation of the Zhou Dynasty doesn’t allow him to mistreat surrendered officials, so when our family goes to Great Zhou, not only will we not lose our lives, but Father might even have greater opportunities for development.”

“Really?” Madame Sun looked at Qin Yining with hope.

Qin Yining smiled and said: “Of course it’s true. After all, Great Zhou hasn’t been established for long. The continuous wars back then had already emptied Northern Ji’s treasury, and Zhou Dynasty inherited a mess. Plus, these past two years Great Zhou has had Tatar invasions in the north and war with us in the south. The war losses have been enormous. If Zhou Dynasty wants to stabilize the realm, it needs at least twenty years of peace and prosperity to develop the economy and rest the population. To develop these things, they need capable ministers and talent.”

“The Emperor of Zhou Dynasty isn’t a foolish ruler like our Grand Emperor. He won’t do things that kill the goose that lays golden eggs, so naturally he’ll make good use of capable ministers like my father. Moreover, he still needs surrendered officials from Great Yan to create a balance in his court.”

Madame Sun wasn’t stupid. If she had to figure these things out on her own, she might not have been able to, but with Qin Yining’s explanation, she could understand.

“What kind of balance are you talking about?”

“The art of imperial rule lies in checks and balances. Currently, Great Zhou’s political situation has one faction of trusted associates who followed the Zhou Emperor in conquering the world, and another faction of surrendered officials from Northern Ji who surrendered to Zhou Dynasty. The Zhou Emperor now urgently needs a third group to join, with all three mutually restraining each other to form the most stable situation. And my father happens to be a representative figure of the Yan Dynasty surrendered officials faction. So Mother can rest assured—not only will the Zhou Emperor not mistreat our family, but in the short term, he’ll also make good use of my father.”

Hearing Qin Yining analyze the situation so thoroughly, Madame Sun’s heart finally felt at peace.

Just as she was about to speak, she heard Qin Huaiyuan laughing outside the door: “It seems Yining has made progress again.”

“Father!” Qin Yining joyfully stood up.

The door opened, and Qin Huaiyuan walked in smiling. “I didn’t expect that in my rare visit to see you, I’d overhear your private conversation with your mother.”

“Father is laughing at me.” Qin Yining bowed to Qin Huaiyuan, then asked, “Father, have you met with Lian Shengjie? Did he make any more unreasonable demands?”