“Father!” Qin Yining rushed forward with swift steps, her snow-white fox fur spreading out like a fan behind her, the hairpins and ornaments on her head swaying as she moved with the lightness and joy of a swallow returning to the forest.
Qin Huaiyuan couldn’t help but smile, quickening his pace to meet her: “Slow down, slow down. You’re a mother now, yet you still act like a child.”
Qin Yining smiled, unaware that even her front teeth had grown cold from the freezing air, breathing slightly heavily with white mist puffing out before her.
“Father!” Reaching him, she stood directly in place. Though she wanted to extend her arms in embrace, propriety prevented such action, so Qin Yining lifted her skirts and knelt on the ground to perform the grand salute.
“Get up quickly, get up quickly.” Qin Huaiyuan hastily helped her to her feet, using his sleeve to wipe away the snow flakes on Qin Yining’s forehead. “What are you doing? When we father and daughter meet, there’s no need for such empty formalities.”
As he spoke, he also helped pat the snow off Qin Yining’s shoulders, yet was unaware that his own beard had frosted over with a layer of white. “After being away from home for a year, you’ve grown thin. But I can see your spirits are good, and knowing that Zhixi hasn’t mistreated you puts my mind at ease.”
“What I wrote in my letters home was all true – I wouldn’t deceive you. Though it’s chaotic outside, with the Prince shouldering the burden, I haven’t suffered any losses.”
“That’s good. From the beginning, I valued him as someone who could take responsibility. My two grandsons went south with your mother?”
“Yes, they went south to see my maternal grandmother. The Prince arranged for people to protect them all along the way, and Aunt Cao also brought people to escort them. Father need not worry.”
“Naturally, I don’t worry. I still have confidence in how you handle things.”
“But you’re a bit disappointed not to see your grandsons?”
Qin Huaiyuan was tickled into hearty laughter and tapped Qin Yining’s forehead: “You naughty girl.”
Qin Yining laughed along as well. Whatever melancholy had accumulated during the journey dissipated upon seeing Qin Huaiyuan.
At this moment, Grand Manager Cheng led his people forward to pay their respects.
“Greetings to Lord Qin.”
Qin Huaiyuan smiled and returned the courtesy: “Grand Manager Cheng need not be so formal. My daughter has been under Grand Manager Cheng’s care throughout this journey, for which this official is deeply grateful.”
“Oh my, Lord Qin, you’re being too kind to this slave.” Grand Manager Cheng quickly stepped aside to avoid Qin Huaiyuan’s courtesy, then performed another salute to Qin Huaiyuan. “Throughout this journey, it was thanks to the Princess Consort’s compassion toward this slave. Otherwise, this slave would still be bedridden with illness, and might have delayed the imperial mission.”
“Not at all. Being able to render some small assistance was all for His Majesty’s mission.”
“Yes, yes, that’s exactly right.” Grand Manager Cheng nodded repeatedly in agreement, then tactfully smiled: “With wind and snow raging, why don’t Lord Qin and the Princess Consort return to the mansion first? This slave will go directly to report to His Majesty.”
As an outer court lady, Qin Yining naturally need not enter the palace for an imperial audience.
Qin Huaiyuan naturally smiled and nodded: “In that case, we won’t delay Grand Manager Cheng’s duties. Please proceed.”
“I dare not, I dare not.”
After Grand Manager Cheng and Qin Huaiyuan exchanged more pleasantries, he finally led his portion of people into the city first.
Qin Huaiyuan then smiled and said: “Come, let’s also head home first. Everything can be discussed once we’re back.”
“Yes.” Qin Yining smiled and nodded.
Both groups of master and servants boarded their carriages. Qin Yining ordered her people to drive behind Qin Huaiyuan’s carriage, while Qin Huaiyuan’s attendants’ carriage followed at the rear of the procession, all heading toward the direction of the imperially granted new Prince’s mansion.
This new Prince’s mansion was built based on what had originally been an official residence. Naturally, it could not compare in scale to the Prince’s mansion that had been burned to ashes, but it was still spacious enough for two families to live in comfortably.
Qin Yining’s carriage entered through the side gate, and she walked shoulder to shoulder with Qin Huaiyuan toward the interior.
Qin Huaiyuan smiled: “Now that you’re back, first go pay your respects to Old Master Yao and your mother-in-law, then come to our home. Your grandmother and your second aunt have already prepared meals, and your uncle is home too.”
Qin Yining nodded seriously: “Alright. I understand.”
Since Qin Huaiyuan hadn’t invited Yao Chenggu and Yao Shi over, Qin Yining knew that perhaps having two families living in one compound was indeed inconvenient and would inevitably lead to some friction.
Qin Huaiyuan wasn’t one to stir up trouble, but neither was he a soft persimmon to be pinched at will. Like the old matriarch, Yao Shi was no easy lamp to tend either. If the two sides clashed, some friction was certainly possible.
However, the reason both families lived together was because there was no other choice. With both Pang Xiao and herself away from home and limited manpower, living together for protection was naturally best. Moreover, no matter how clever Yao Chenggu and Yao Shi were, they were still a level below Qin Huaiyuan. Living together, Qin Huaiyuan could also look after them and prevent Yao Shi and Yao Chenggu from occasionally doing anything that might provoke imperial wrath.
But that said, when there are more people, there are more complications in everything. She didn’t know what specifically had happened to make Qin Huaiyuan so cold toward the Yao father and daughter.
Qin Yining followed Qin Huaiyuan along a wide stone path, around a frozen mirror lake, until they reached a fork in the road.
Qin Huaiyuan smiled: “Going inward leads to Old Master Yao’s courtyard. Your and Zhixi’s courtyard is adjacent to theirs. This way leads to the guest quarters where our family is temporarily staying. I’ll return first – come back after you’ve paid your respects.”
“Yes. I understand.” Qin Yining nodded, had Bingtang and the others follow an unfamiliar maid to put the luggage in the courtyard, and took Ji Yun to find a young maid to lead the way to the courtyard where Yao Chenggu and Yao Shi resided.
After walking only a few hundred steps and turning a corner, they reached a courtyard with a black-based, green-painted plaque bearing the three characters “Spring Radiance Hall.”
Qin Yining smiled and ordered the maids to announce her arrival.
Actually, Qin Yining knew what to expect. When she entered the mansion gates, she had seen a young servant who immediately ran off upon spotting her – likely to report to the old master and Yao Shi.
Qin Yining and Ji Yun stood before the door as the maid quickly stepped forward to knock. The old nanny guarding the door hurriedly pushed open the door, and upon seeing Qin Yining, quickly came forward with a face full of smiles to pay respects: “Greetings to the Princess Consort.”
“No need for ceremony. Are the old master and old madam in?”
“Yes, yes. Just now the old madam sent this slave out to see if the Princess Consort had returned – she’s been missing you terribly!”
Qin Yining smiled and nodded, raising her hand to signal the servant woman to withdraw, then led Ji Yun through the courtyard gate.
Among the servants in the corridor, some were familiar to Qin Yining and others were unfamiliar, but all showed great respect upon seeing Qin Yining.
A maid stepped aside to lift the deep red fortune and longevity patterned bamboo door curtain of the main room for Qin Yining.
A wave of warm air mixed with the rich smell of tobacco hit her face, forming a white mist in the gaps of the door curtain.
Qin Yining removed the cloak from her shoulders, handed it to Ji Yun, then quickly walked around the plain-carved cloud-pattern screen toward the inner room.
Yao Chenggu and Yao Shi were sitting sideways on the warm kang by the window, talking. Yao Chenggu was puffing on his pipe, filling the room with swirling smoke. Yao Shi was peeling and eating peanuts, with quite a few peanut shells scattered on her skirt and sleeves.
Qin Yining approached and curtsied: “Paying respects to Old Master and Old Madam.”
Yao Chenggu lifted his eyelids, exhaled a breath through the smoke, immediately making the smoke in front of him thicker.
“You’re back. Get up.”
“Thank you, Old Master.” Qin Yining straightened and stood with hands at her sides.
Yao Shi patted the crumbs off her hands, then brushed the peanut shells from her sleeves and thighs, frowning: “Why didn’t you bring my grandsons back?”
“In response to the Old Madam, Zhao Ge’er and Han Ge’er were taken south by the Grand Madam and my mother to visit my maternal grandmother. The Grand Madam was so delighted upon seeing the two boys that she couldn’t bear to be separated from them for even a moment. I could only painfully allow the two elderly ladies to take the boys on their journey.”
Hearing Qin Yining push forward Ma Shi as a shield, Yao Shi was momentarily speechless, then said: “What Zhao Ge’er, Han Ge’er? Who gave them these names?”
“In response to the Old Madam, it was the Prince who chose them – Ru Zhao and Ru Han. The Prince said that the Old Madam mentioned that this generation of the Pang family all follow the character ‘Ru’. Both Zhao and Han carry meanings of brightness. Since they continue the Pang family lineage and have good omens, the Prince decided on these names.”
Yao Shi was again left speechless. Pang Ruzhao, Pang Ruhan – they indeed sounded pleasant, better than the Xiang Bao and Yu Bao she had previously thought of.
But calling them by these names still made her heart uncomfortable. The Pang family had never looked upon her favorably. Why should the child she had painstakingly raised with such hardship be given freely to continue the Pang family bloodline?
Just thinking about it made her feel stifled with anger.
Displeased, Yao Shi’s tone became harsh: “Your belly was quite capable, and you were lucky enough to give birth to two sons in one go. But you must conduct yourself properly. After all, as a married woman, having any stains would not be good.
“After childbirth, your body may not be in the best condition either. You should select two girls from good families to place in the Prince’s chambers. If they bear a son or daughter, they would still call you Mother Consort, wouldn’t they? Not only would you gain several children for free, they would be legitimate Pang family blood.”
Qin Yining suddenly raised her head, her almond-shaped eyes containing a cold gleam that flickered like a blade flashing under moonlight – chillingly sharp.
Yao Shi’s remaining words caught in her throat and couldn’t be spoken.
This girl had been away for over a year – how had she developed such a temper! How dare she glare at her like that!
Qin Yining lifted her head, straightened her chest, and stood tall: “Slandering your own grandsons’ legitimacy – is this something the Old Madam should be saying?”
“What do you mean!”
“My meaning is very clear to the Old Madam! I was indeed fortunate to have two sons at once – that was the good reward for my virtuous deeds and accumulated merit!
“The Old Madam has repeatedly spread rumors and slander, causing the entire household to buzz with malicious gossip, all pointing toward me and the two children. If you don’t care about me as your daughter-in-law, don’t you care about your own grandsons? Don’t you care about the mother-son bond between you and the Prince? Does slandering me somehow demonstrate the Old Madam’s authority? Aren’t you afraid of receiving karmic retribution?”
“What kind of attitude is this? What family raises a girl with such manners! No wonder they say you’re a savage!”
“Since the Old Madam looks down on me, you’re perfectly free to have the Prince divorce me with a letter of divorce. I will naturally leave with my children.”
“How dare you! If you’re divorced, you can leave on your own – it’s not your place to take away the Pang family’s children!”
Qin Yining sneered: “You’ve spent years navigating the Pang household with rich experience. Naturally, you know what kind of girls are without stains and from good families. Please personally select them for the Prince’s chambers. If they bear a son or daughter, they would at least be legitimate Pang family blood, wouldn’t they?
“As for my sons, while you’re uncertain whether they’re your grandsons, I’m certain they’re my sons! From now on, if anyone dares slander my two children, I’ll let them know what a ‘savage’ really means!”