Qin Yining’s actions appeared rebellious and unconventional to everyone, especially daring to confront her mother-in-law face to face and telling her mother-in-law to petition His Majesty to divorce her daughter-in-law. This was something no one had ever seen before, not to mention defending her unique position beside her husband in front of everyone.
All the male guests frowned, disapproving of her jealous and rude behavior.
Many of the female guests whispered among themselves in judgment.
But while these women criticized and scorned Qin Yining’s wifely virtue with their mouths, their hearts secretly harbored some envy.
Because Qin Yining had done what they dared not do.
Those with more careful thinking delved even deeper.
Why did Qin Yining have the courage to act this way? Wasn’t it because someone was backing her up?
Her father had just passed away – who else could be supporting her?
More than one person had this realization, including Sun Shi and Ma Shi, who also thought of Pang Xiao.
In all the female guests’ eyes, if she hadn’t received authorization, which woman would dare act so openly and invite her husband’s family’s displeasure?
The lively Hundred Flowers Banquet quietly dispersed after an intense face-slapping episode.
With the first guest leaving, a second followed. Within half an hour, everyone had departed, leaving only Qiu Feishan sitting in the distant corridor enjoying the shade and eating pastries.
Yao Shi trembled with rage, her face ashen.
She had just found Pang Xiao a concubine of good birth, appearance, and temperament, only to have Qin Yining ruin it like this. Moreover, this woman had completely abandoned face and dared to defy her in public!
If she didn’t discipline her today, how could she maintain her standing in noble lady circles when word spread? Wouldn’t the whole world know she couldn’t control her daughter-in-law!
“Kneel down!” Yao Shi violently smashed the teacup at hand, the porcelain shards splashing right at Qin Yining’s feet. If she knelt down like this, her knees would surely be cut.
Before Qin Yining could move, Ma Shi stepped forward first, calmly brushed Yao Shi aside, took Qin Yining’s hand, and led her to the shady area under a nearby grape arbor.
“Yi girl, today’s events were Dafu’s idea, weren’t they? Dafu is really something – he wants to accomplish things but doesn’t consider your situation. Acting this way, when you’re criticized and gossiped about behind your back in the future, it won’t be him bearing the burden.”
Facing such gentle Ma Shi, who wholeheartedly considered her welfare, Qin Yining felt truly uneasy. How could she bear to deceive her?
“Grandmother, don’t think so well of me. I did this myself – it has nothing to do with His Highness. I can’t blame my mother-in-law for being angry or others for gossiping. I am indeed jealous.”
Qin Yining lowered her head. “His Highness and I reaching today wasn’t easy. We’ve weathered so many storms together to have the perfect His Highness of today. Those women – not one has experienced life-and-death situations, not one has participated in His Highness’s life, none have helped His Highness, and none love His Highness like I do. Yet they want to come pick the ready-made fruit.”
Qin Yining raised her head, her expression determined, tears glimmering in her eyes as she said stubbornly: “They have no right to enjoy this fruit! Whether today’s His Highness is perfect or not, he became what he is now because I participated in his life. I’ve given so much for His Highness to become today’s His Highness – why should I share such a wonderful him with others?”
Qin Yining’s words left Ma Shi momentarily speechless.
Should she criticize her for being too willful? Or lecture her on inadequate wifely virtue?
But which ordinary family’s wife had suffered so much because of her husband’s family’s troubles?
Qin Yining said other women had no right to pick ready-made fruit – this was true. Because everyone, including herself as grandmother and Yao Shi as mother, had always been in protected positions. Only Qin Yining, a girl not yet twenty, had been constantly advancing and retreating alongside Pang Xiao.
Including this withdrawal from the capital, it was also Qin Yining protecting them, sending them out first while she herself fell into a bandit den.
What those vicious bandits would do to such a beautiful young woman was obvious without thinking. If Pang Xiao hadn’t arrived in time, things might have developed to an irreparable point.
Yao Shi stood not far away and naturally heard Qin Yining’s words clearly.
Her finger, painted with pink nail polish, pointed at Qin Yining. “You shameless poisonous whore! How do you still have the face to make excuses for yourself? Speaking so eloquently – you’re still just brazen and shameless, not learning women’s books and teachings. Someone who grew up in the wilderness like you is truly unacceptable. Without proper guidance, look how arrogant you’ve become!”
Though Yao Shi’s scolding was harsh, Qin Yining paid no attention to it, not even listening to the content, treating it like hearing dogs bark.
Ma Shi turned back to glare at Yao Shi. “Shut up and say less.”
“Mother! What kind of spell has she cast on you? She’s done such shameless things and you still favor and protect her! If you don’t discipline such behavior now, who knows what she might do in the future – maybe she’ll even strangle me, her mother-in-law!”
“Enough! Do you think everyone is like you?”
Yao Shi looked at Ma Shi in disbelief, momentarily so angry her chest hurt and she couldn’t speak.
Yao Chenggu approached with a dark expression. “Regardless, what Qin Shi did today was excessive and truly disgraceful. Which daughter-in-law dares to publicly contradict her mother-in-law and challenge her?”
Ma Shi said, “This is a matter between Dafu and Yi girl. Can you father and son interfere less?”
Yao Chenggu’s face darkened as he said heavily, “Don’t you interfere! If you keep favoring outsiders, I won’t be polite to you!”
“Oh?” Ma Shi smiled. “How will you not be polite to me?”
Yao Chenggu felt pain all over his body, face, and joints from her smile.
Yao Chenggu was ultimately afraid of Ma Shi and had to turn to Qin Yining instead. “With Dafu not home, I’ll make the decision today to open the ancestral hall and divorce you! I’ll explain to His Majesty later – I believe His Majesty wouldn’t want to see Dafu with such a daughter-in-law!”
“Yao Chenggu, you’ve gone mad!” Ma Shi was furious.
But Qin Yining tilted her head. “Old Master speaks of opening the ancestral hall – whose ancestral hall would that be, yours, the Yao family’s?”
Yao Chenggu was so choked his face turned black. “You…”
Yao Shi quickly interjected, “Naturally the Pang family’s ancestral hall!”
“Oh?” Qin Yining smiled. “The Pang family lineage is sparse. As far as I know, the only person qualified to open the ancestral hall as clan matron is me.”
Yao Shi became frantic. “Are you treating me as if I’m already dead!”
“Of course not, but in what capacity would you open the Pang family’s ancestral hall?”
“You!”
Yao Shi’s greatest stain in life was climbing into Pang Zhongzheng’s bed through disgraceful means when he was drunk, nearly losing her life in the process. Ma Shi had stabbed her in the back countless times over this. Whenever she made mistakes and was beaten or scolded, eight out of ten times involved cursing her for improper conduct and bed-climbing.
Who would have thought that Qin Yining, as her daughter-in-law, would also look down on her!
“Look, look what this wench is saying!” Yao Chenggu stomped his feet in anger.
Ma Shi also felt uncomfortable, but she didn’t blame Qin Yining – she blamed Yao Shi. If she had conducted herself properly, how could others have found something to hold against her?
Yao Shi angrily tried to grab and tear at Qin Yining, but Ma Shi said, “Enough! Haven’t you lost enough face?”
“Mother!” Yao Shi roared.
“As an elder, you should act the part. Don’t always bring those mannerisms you learned into the family. Enough, go back!”
Yao Shi felt greatly wronged. She had been humiliated by Qin Yining, yet her mother refused to support her. The more she thought about it, the sadder she became. Tears streamed down her face as she covered her face and ran away.
Yao Chenggu stamped his foot hard, not daring to argue with Ma Shi for fear she might physically attack him. He could only point at Qin Yining and say, “When Dafu returns, I must have an explanation!”
With that, Yao Chenggu also left.
Yao Chenggu was a clever man who knew what Qin Yining cared about most in her heart. Qin Yining cared about Pang Xiao – otherwise she wouldn’t have acted this way today. Having played the jealous wife, she would naturally be somewhat worried, fearing Pang Xiao might find her tiresome.
But Qin Yining had never been a vine clinging to a man for survival. She herself was a towering tree with her own opinions and survival abilities. After giving her heart, soul, and even life, she hoped to receive equally kind treatment. If not, she would rather have nothing.
Though she thought decisively, she was still worried deep down.
Yao Chenggu’s words were more attacking than if Yao Shi had cursed her a thousand or ten thousand times.
Seeing Qin Yining’s expression, Ma Shi sighed. “Yi girl, you’re a sensible person. I won’t say unnecessary words.”
“Grandmother, I won’t contradict Old Master and Old Madam again in the future. Today was truly my fault – I shouldn’t have said such hurtful words.”
Qin Yining sincerely performed a bow to Ma Shi.
As Yao Shi’s mother, when her daughter’s character was questioned, Ma Shi couldn’t possibly feel entirely comfortable. But with Qin Yining apologizing so sincerely in person and promising not to act this way in the future, it only made Ma Shi feel more heartache.
“Alright, alright. Grandmother knows you were desperate and pushed to your limit. Even rabbits bite when cornered, don’t they? Your mother-in-law takes after her father – she’s been clever since childhood, opinionated, knows what she wants, and used unscrupulous means to get it. Speaking of the wrong things she did back then, as her mother I really… It’s also my fault for not having read much or teaching her properly.”
“Grandmother, don’t say that. There are too many worldly complications. Over time, it’s easy to develop devious thoughts. You can’t be blamed for that.”
Ma Shi shook her head, thinking of her lifetime filled with too many sighs and regrets.
“Yi girl, this is how my life will be. I haven’t been successful as either a mother or wife. Though I’ve acted with a clear conscience and no regrets, there are still some regrets that can never be remedied in a lifetime. Listen to me – don’t leave regrets.” Ma Shi patted the back of Qin Yining’s hand and prepared to return home first.
Qin Yining felt very uncomfortable. How did such a good person like Ma Shi end up with such a family?
She couldn’t replace Yao Chenggu and Yao Shi’s positions, but she could do her utmost to be filial to her.