Seeing Dong Shi waiting for him to speak, Qin Yongtao said, “Eighth Miss need not return to the Sun family! Once she recovers, let her go to the family temple!”

With that, he flicked his sleeves and departed.

Where was there any family temple in the residence? This meant she would have to build one.

Returning to Rongfu Courtyard.

Before long, someone came to report to Dong Shi that Qin Fangfang had awakened, had drunk porridge and taken medicine, then fallen asleep again.

Dong Shi instructed that for now, they must not tell Qin Fangfang about Qin Yongtao’s decision. If she heard it, who knew what kind of commotion she would cause.

She sighed to Nanny Zu: “Nanny, there truly is no peaceful place anywhere. The south is like this, and the capital is the same.”

Nanny Zu had been staying by Dong Shi’s side these past few days and had come to understand much about the household affairs. She agreed: “First Madam, you are the legitimate sister-in-law, yet Sixth Miss is now confined, and First Madam has only visited her once. If you visit more, the master would be angry. Seventh Miss is no easy person either. Both Sixth Miss and Eighth Miss ended up this way because of her schemes. Having such a sister-in-law, I fear Madam will have to be cautious everywhere in the inner quarters from now on.”

Dong Shi said: “Seventh Miss is not easy to get along with. Second Miss has already tested this out. Yue’er, you must remember this – this aunt cannot be offended.”

Qin Yue obediently said: “Mother, I understand.”

“That’s good then. Fortunately, she’ll be married off before long. Everyone can mind their own business and live in peace. Yue’er, you may go now. I still have matters to discuss with Nanny Zu.”

Qin Yue knew that what followed was probably not convenient for her to hear, so she withdrew.

Nanny Zu asked in confusion: “First Madam, young ladies all cherish their reputation and fear most being labeled as harsh and ungrateful. How can Seventh Miss treat her own cousins like this without fearing what others might say?”

Dong Shi also rubbed her brow in confusion: “I can’t figure it out either. If it were someone else, upon discovering these schemes, they would simply avoid them. Why go to such lengths to scheme back? She’s quite something – not willing to suffer even the slightest loss. Speaking of which, great households have plenty of bloodless methods of killing. Since Seventh Miss is so clever, how could she not understand? Yet look at her – she disdains to use such methods. Moreover, you can see from her manner that she clearly doesn’t care at all how others view her or judge her.”

Nanny Zu said: “This old servant has inquired about it. The noble ladies in the capital have a very poor opinion of Seventh Miss – extremely poor. They say she has a sharp tongue and a cold, harsh nature. It’s fortunate she was already betrothed early on, otherwise who would dare marry such a daughter-in-law?”

Dong Shi thought of the information she had gathered and felt very troubled.

This sister-in-law had both courage and cunning, but lacked feminine virtue.

The affairs with Duke Chu’s residence and Dongyin Temple were her counterattacks. But the matter with the Lu residence made it impossible to feel any fondness for her.

A young lady, yet she caused such a scene at the Lu residence!

Now Lu Changxuan has been impeached and suspended from office – wasn’t all this caused by this sister-in-law!

Yet the Old Madam still protects her.

In any other household, after such a commotion, she would have been confined. But Qin Shuying was fine – the Old Madam showed not the slightest punishment.

Even if Qin Shuying’s mother’s belongings were taken by Old Madam Lu, she should have spoken about it quietly. How could she make such a fuss? It was too contrary to a woman’s virtuous and quiet demeanor, bringing shame to womankind.

Dong Shi shared her confusion with Nanny Zu, who pondered: “First Madam, the person Old Madam loves most is Third Master. This Seventh Miss is both intelligent and decisive. Old Madam says she greatly resembles Third Master in character.”

Dong Shi thought for a moment and said: “Old Madam is reasonable in her actions. If she behaves this way, there must be significant reasons. Back then, if Old Madam had been in the capital, how could that wretch Concubine Miao have given birth to Wei’er?”

Nanny Zu nodded.

Old Madam valued rules above all. If she had been in the capital then, Concubine Miao would certainly have been forced to drink the abortion medicine to get rid of the child.

Dong Shi continued: “But she is, after all, just a young lady in her boudoir. Acting this way, losing her composure and being disliked by others – what good does it do her? Young Master Liu is now the Third Place Scholar, and we still don’t know the Liu family’s attitude. Earlier, when Second Madam sent gifts to the Liu family, their response was lukewarm. In my opinion, this marriage arrangement…”

In great households, there were plenty of secrets and schemes, which was why Dong Shi spoke this way. But she didn’t dare speak too definitively, as many things in this world were unpredictable.

Nanny Zu asked: “First Madam, should we remind Seventh Miss? If the Liu family acts excessively, it might not be good for First Miss either.”

Not just not good – it would be terrible.

Dong Shi said: “No need. Seventh Miss is so clever, where would she need our reminders? In my opinion, anyone wanting to move against Seventh Miss should really weigh their own capabilities first.”

Nanny Zu nodded and said: “It’s good that First Madam can think this way.”

Dong Shi knew what Nanny Zu meant – that she now understood the importance and urgency of matters, understood priorities and trade-offs.

Dong Shi said: “Nanny, you watched me grow up. Don’t you know what kind of person I am? In the past, how would I have known to scheme, plan, and manipulate? I was forced to become this way. If I don’t toughen up, where would Yue’er and Shuo’er have a place to stand? You know this too – the master favors Lin’er most, saying he’s clever and quick. Shuo’er is the legitimate son, yet the master is so confused, bewitched by that wretch Luo Ziwei!”

Nanny Zu was alarmed: “First Madam, you mustn’t say such things, you mustn’t!”

A married woman follows her husband – how could she speak of her own husband this way?

Dong Shi bit her silver teeth and said hatefully: “The master also comes from a scholarly family, and I see that the Old Master is also a sensible person. How can the master be so confused!”

Nanny Zu hugged Dong Shi with heartache: “Miss, you’ve suffered, you’ve suffered!”

Dong Shi was raised by her, and had always stayed by her side afterward, closer than her own daughter. Especially after Dong Shi’s mother died, Dong Shi’s affection for her was extraordinary.

Nanny Zu knew most clearly how Dong Shi had lived these years.

She had married so joyfully, but before long discovered that her husband actually had a particularly favored personal maid. Shortly after the wedding, when she became pregnant, the personal maid also became pregnant.

If the personal maid gave birth to a son while she bore a daughter, would there still be a place for Dong Shi to stand in the Qin residence?

Dong Shi begged Xu Shi to support her, but what did Xu Shi say?

“Qiuxiang, I see you’re a good person, so why can’t you think of the Qin family’s reputation? She’s been serving the young master since childhood, and now that she’s pregnant, if you make her drink a bowl of medicine, what will outsiders think of you? Could it be that you’re willing to bear the reputation of a poisonous woman for life?”

At that time, she was stunned. Every household had the same rules – there was absolutely no precedent for a concubine’s child being born before the wife’s, especially when she was only a personal maid.

It was just that, having just married in, when her mother-in-law spoke so harshly, she was somewhat intimidated.

The matter dragged on and on. Concubine Miao’s pregnancy advanced, and finally nothing could be done – she had to let her give birth to the child. Fortunately, she bore a daughter, otherwise who knew what Dong Shi’s fate would have been.