“Mother.” Qin Huaiyuan said in displeasure with a deep voice: “Yining is my only daughter, your granddaughter! She’s now been kidnapped and her life or death is unknown, yet instead of worrying about her situation, you’re thinking about how to arrange someone beside her husband? Is this what a grandmother should do?”

What filled Qin Huaiyuan’s mind now were thoughts of his daughter’s life and death. Moreover, having barely gotten through this crisis, he didn’t know if His Majesty might figure things out later. He was even more worried about whether the location where he had hidden his in-laws’ family of three would be discovered.

These matters already left his mind in chaos. Add to this that although the Tatars had temporarily suspended hostilities due to losing their provisions, who could be certain that the Tatar nation definitely had no more grain to support continuing the war?

What if Si Qin had the same idea as him, using cavalry tactics, not bringing too much baggage, attacking wherever there was food, breaking into Great Zhou to plunder along the way – wouldn’t the border people suffer terribly then?

Just thinking about these matters already left Qin Huaiyuan mentally and physically exhausted. Yet the Old Dowager had to bring up this matter again right after he’d just gone through a battle of wits.

No matter how good his patience was, it had been completely worn away by her selfish and self-serving words just now.

The Old Dowager was stunned by her son’s scolding, saying in disbelief: “Meng Ge’er, what do you mean by this? How am I not behaving as a grandmother should? Aren’t I doing this for our entire Qin family?

“It’s true that Yining is my granddaughter, but she’s not my only granddaughter. What’s more, she’s not the most filial to me either. Shouldn’t I plan for the future of the other Qin family girls?

“Besides, with the marriage alliance between our two families, if one granddaughter cannot consolidate the position of princess consort, isn’t it exactly time to send another one over? What exactly are you being stubborn about?”

Hearing this, Qin Huaiyuan’s face darkened like water, and the aura honed through years of experience in court was released in full as he suppressed his anger.

Although the Old Dowager spoke with righteous indignation, facing Qin Huaiyuan’s cold gaze, she still felt somewhat fearful.

However, she didn’t think she was wrong – she only felt that her son was now favoring outsiders over family, caring more about his wife and daughter than his mother now that he had them!

The Old Dowager’s tears of grievance fell, and she sobbed while patting the pillow on her lap: “How miserable my fate is! How did your father teach you back then? I see you’ve forgotten it all! You’ve refuted my words time and again. You think your wings have grown hard, that you’re the family head now, so you’re no longer filial to your mother!”

Usually at times like this, when the Old Dowager cried, Qin Huaiyuan would gently comfort her, saying pleasant and soothing words to coax her.

But today, Qin Huaiyuan just stood silently in place, looking at her with distant and unfamiliar eyes.

Seeing that Qin Huaiyuan wasn’t coaxing her as expected, the Old Dowager felt even more wronged and began wailing loudly.

“What sins have been committed! I don’t want to live, I don’t want to live! Oh my heart, this heart of mine has all been wasted! You all just despise this old woman!”

While crying, she beat her chest and stamped her feet, covering her face with a handkerchief. The jade hairpin on her head had slipped halfway off, and her pinned-up hair bun had come loose, with her graying hair hanging disheveled, as if she’d been abused.

Second Master, Second Madam, and Third Master all stood silently to the side watching the Old Dowager make a scene.

Originally, Second Madam wanted to step forward and say a few words of persuasion – there were already enough problems at home, and crying and making a fuss over nothing, where was the dignity of an elder?

But Second Master secretly held back Second Madam, preventing her from approaching.

Third Master was even more disgusted by his stepmother’s behavior, snorted lightly, turned around and left first, out of sight, out of mind.

Only Nanny Qin stood awkwardly by the Old Dowager’s side, not knowing whether to offer comfort or withdraw.

The room was completely silent. The Old Dowager cried until her voice was hoarse, but no one came to comfort her, and Qin Huaiyuan didn’t come to apologize either, which only made her angrier.

She pounded her chest and pointed at Sun Shi, who had been standing silently beside Qin Huaiyuan, scolding: “It’s you, you cheap woman! Inciting my Meng Ge’er to misbehave – what kind of pillow talk have you been whispering!”

Qin Huaiyuan’s face turned black as a pot bottom.

Sun Shi could no longer endure it and finally said sarcastically: “How ridiculous! I incite your son to misbehave? Why don’t you see if your son is still a three-year-old child! Would he listen just because I whisper pillow talk? I’d like to tell him to drive out all those troublemakers who disturb the household peace, but does he listen?”

“You!” The Old Dowager glared with anger, knowing that Sun Shi was pointing at mulberry trees to scold locust trees – talking about her.

Sun Shi’s expression remained as stubborn as before, her words seeming to be squeezed hard from between her teeth.

“I’m truly fed up! The Old Dowager is clearly the mistress of the family and should think of ways to maintain harmony among the children! But why is it always you stirring up trouble!

“What’s wrong with Yining that you want to harm her like this!

“You first incited Eighth Miss, making her develop feelings for her brother-in-law. Didn’t you think that if this concubine business doesn’t work out, will the sisterly bond between Eighth Miss and Yining still be good? Have you thought about how sisters-in-law will get along?

“You’re dissatisfied? You think your son is unfilial? Well, let me tell you – in this residence, never mind others, even we as birth parents feel ashamed to live here! This house was bought with Yining’s money!

“You lost all your belongings clean on the road! If it weren’t for Yining using her personal money to buy this residence first, then quietly transferring the property rights to us because she was afraid we’d lose face and the brothers would be embarrassed, our whole family would still be renting rooms!

“Someone who doesn’t work for a living, eating Yining’s food every day, living in Yining’s house – our Yining doesn’t ask for your gratitude, she just wants to fulfill her filial duty. But what about you? She’s been kidnapped, her life or death unknown, and you’re actually stabbing her in the back! I think you don’t care about your granddaughter’s life or death at all!

“You’re supposed to be a grandmother! Do you still have a human heart!”

“How dare you!” The Old Dowager furiously pounded the bedding. “Meng Ge’er, if you’re really my son, divorce her! Divorce her!”

“Divorce me? I’d be delighted! I’ve finally seen through it all! Back when my father and brother were still alive, when Duke Dingguo’s mansion was prosperous, who was it that came rushing to beg for this marriage? It certainly wasn’t me rushing to marry into the Qin family!

“I went through ten months of pregnancy with great difficulty and gave birth to Yining – why was she lost? Our mother and daughter were separated for fourteen years – who will compensate for this suffering?

“You despise me for not being able to bear your son any sons, you despise my maternal family for losing power. When my family was being persecuted, you shamelessly welcomed the demon empress’s sister into the family as a noble concubine!

“During the natural disaster, the whole family tightened their belts, Yining was so hungry she became sallow and thin but still went to work and hunt. All the grain she saved was given to you to eat. You didn’t feel sorry for her, and smacking your lips, you turned around and ate the little rabbit she was raising! Such a tiny little creature, and you could bring yourself to eat it! Do you have any shame!

“You enjoy family happiness but don’t know how to cherish it. Instead, you sow discord among the children! If I don’t speak up, you think I’m mute? Divorce me – even better! My mother has long since become prosperous in the south. It’s not like I have nowhere to go! I’ll go outside and tell everyone how you, as a mother-in-law, treat your children!”

After Sun Shi’s furious tirade, she spat heavily and turned to leave.

Qin Huaiyuan’s brow was already knitted into knots. He turned to grab Sun Shi: “Don’t go, it’s dangerous outside now, war is about to break out…”

“Let go of me!”

Sun Shi shook off Qin Huaiyuan’s hand, tears streaming down her face: “Qin Meng, I’ve spent most of my life with you. All the grievances, frustrations, and dangers – I’ve endured and experienced them all with you. I can say I’ve endured what I should endure, and what I shouldn’t have to endure, I’ve endured too. Even when your mother despised me for not being able to bear sons, I helped you take concubines room by room. Though I was jealous, it was because I cared about our marital feelings over the years, but when have I ever prevented you from taking concubines?

“Your mother is a mother who loves her children and grandchildren, but I’m a mother too! Yining is my only daughter. I was confused before and didn’t treat her well. When Yining was lost, my heart felt like it had been carved out and roasted over fire! Your mother wants to harm my daughter’s marriage for the sake of other granddaughters! She wants to bully my daughter and still expects me to endure it? If you’re a real man, divorce me now! If you can’t leave the capital, I’ll go! I’ll go to the Tatars to find my daughter!”

By the end, Sun Shi’s voice was trembling, and she was sobbing uncontrollably.

Qin Huaiyuan’s eyes also reddened. Ignoring Sun Shi’s violent struggling, he slowly raised his arms and embraced her.

“Alright, it’s my fault for not doing well enough. We’re both not young anymore. Be careful not to cry yourself sick – it’s not worth it. We still need to keep ourselves alive to watch Yining have children in the future, don’t we?”

If no one had comforted her, it would have been fine, but now leaning against Qin Huaiyuan’s chest, breathing in the faint scent of books and ink on his body, Sun Shi grasped Qin Huaiyuan’s clothing and finally burst into loud tears, crying while pounding his chest.

“It’s all your fault! What kind of official are you! You’ve devoted yourself wholeheartedly to the Qin family, but why must you sacrifice my daughter! My daughter isn’t even seventeen yet, she’s still so young!”

Sun Shi’s long-suppressed worries, grievances, and dissatisfaction poured out recklessly this time. She buried her head against Qin Huaiyuan’s chest and cried her heart out.

Qin Huaiyuan rested his chin on top of Sun Shi’s head, letting her cry and soak his clothes, his eyes gradually reddening too.

Seeing the couple like this, Second Madam also sobbed and wiped her tears with a handkerchief. Thinking of that great catastrophe, when family members and servants died or went missing, she too felt overcome with grief.

The Old Dowager was dumbfounded. In all the years Sun Shi had been in the family, she had never seen her act so shamelessly, actually daring to monopolize her son’s chest to cry against!

When she had cried earlier, her eldest son hadn’t come to coax her!

The Old Dowager’s mouth quivered, and she began whimpering and sobbing again, muttering: “What sins, unfilial son, unfilial son…”

Second Master rubbed his temples. Seeing that his elder brother wasn’t paying attention to their mother, he had no choice but to steel himself and approach, sitting sideways on the edge of the bed to hand the Old Dowager a handkerchief.

“Mother, please don’t be sad. You’re the elder of our family. You’ve crossed more bridges than we’ve walked on roads. You’re the most understanding of your children.”