Qin Wan’s cold shout had the effect of dumping a bucket of ice water on the enraged Madam Lin. She stared at Qin Wan in disbelief. “What has Xiang done? How could someone as proud as her ever become someone’s concubine?! Unless something terrible happened, how could she possibly… What do you mean by this?”
Qin Wan forcefully brushed away Madam Lin’s hand, causing her to stumble back two steps.
Madam Hu watched this and let out a long sigh. “Sister-in-law, I told you not to be hasty. Why wouldn’t you listen to me?”
In the past, if Qin Wan had acted this way, Madam Lin would have certainly erupted in anger. But now, with Qin Wan’s unusual status, even if she was cold and discourteous, Madam Lin dared not say much. With reddened eyes and a face full of despair, she said, “Sister-in-law, it’s not that I won’t listen. When Brother originally wanted to bring the younger ones to the capital, I didn’t complain at all. I thought coming to the capital would give the younger generation a good opportunity. But now, Xiang has become Prince Cheng’s concubine!”
Madam Lin only knew that Prince Cheng was an imperial prince. Coming from a scholarly family herself, she could have accepted a proper side consort position, but being a concubine was a lifelong stigma that was unacceptable. Even if Qin Xiang had been confused, what were Loyal and Brave Marquis Qin Shu and his wife doing?! How could they watch Xiang become a mere concubine?
Seeing Madam Lin’s endless tears and Madam Hu’s hesitation to speak, Qin Wan couldn’t bear it anymore and said, “Aunt, Third Aunt must know the whole story. Wan He is still here, let her come and explain to Third Aunt.”
At the mention of Wan He, who had served Qin Xiang for many years, Madam Lin’s expression changed immediately. “Good, bring Wan He here. I’ll question her…”
Trusting Wan He more than Qin Shuang, Madam Lin agreed. Madam Hu sighed and glanced at Rain Mama, who nodded and immediately went to Qin Shuang’s courtyard. Madam Hu then stepped forward, “Sister-in-law, this is Wan’er’s courtyard. Let’s talk in the front hall. Wan’er and Shuang’er just woke up, let them join us later.”
Madam Lin wiped her eyes, probably realizing her loss of composure, and nodded before walking out. Madam Hu stayed back a step and said to Qin Shuang and Qin Wan, “Your Third Uncle is gone, and your Third Aunt is pitiful on her own. The Marquis wanted to wait until she had rested before explaining this matter properly, but she became anxious. Get yourselves ready and come over later.”
After everyone left, the Pine Wind Courtyard finally quieted down. Qin Shuang exhaled deeply and quickly grabbed Qin Wan’s arm. “Thank goodness you were here. I was terrified just now.”
Qin Wan sighed, “You’re about to get married, why didn’t you know to dodge?”
Earlier, Qin Shuang had closed her eyes in fear, ready to take the slap. If not for Qin Wan, Madam Lin’s hand would have struck Qin Shuang’s face. Qin Shuang said helplessly, “It’s always been this way. Others are different, but she is still my legal mother.” Then she added, “Will I still be able to marry?”
Qin Wan replied with resignation, “Of course you can. Would Third Aunt ruin your marriage to vent her anger over Qin Xiang’s mistakes?!”
She pushed Qin Shuang inside, saying, “Go wash up and then head to the main courtyard.”
After freshening up, Qin Wan and Qin Shuang went to the main courtyard. Just before reaching the main hall, they heard Wan He’s tearful confession inside.
“I felt it wasn’t appropriate, but Young Miss said it was fine. She said being a concubine to others wasn’t acceptable, but being Prince Cheng’s concubine was different. She said Prince Cheng would be imperial family in the future, which was better than marrying a mere seventh-rank military officer…”
“That day, I was taken to the small tent, and Young Miss stayed with Prince Cheng all afternoon. I don’t know what happened, but when Young Miss returned for her bath, I saw clearly that she and Prince Cheng had already been intimate.”
“When Prince Cheng’s household came to collect her, the Marquis asked Young Miss what happened. Young Miss herself said she wanted to go to Prince Cheng’s residence. The Marquis said if Young Miss was unwilling, he would certainly seek justice for her, but Young Miss insisted… I was afraid. With my lowly status, I didn’t dare go to Prince Cheng’s residence, so that day, I didn’t follow…”
“That day, the Marquis was so angry he said he would expel Young Miss from the Qin family…”
All servants had been sent away from the room, standing guard far away at the courtyard entrance. Qin Shu was nowhere to be seen; only Madam Hu and Madam Lin remained inside. Wan He knelt before Madam Lin, speaking through tears.
Madam Lin sat straight-backed in her chair, completely pale. After Wan He finished, Madam Lin remained silent for a long while. Madam Hu sighed, “Sister-in-law, these are the facts. That night we were all here when Qin Xiang insisted on going to Prince Cheng’s residence. Although the Marquis isn’t comparable to Prince Cheng, he still has some influence. He had planned to enter the palace to seek justice for Qin Xiang, or at least refuse Prince Cheng’s unreasonable demands. But unexpectedly, Qin Xiang herself insisted on going.”
“Qin Xiang’s marriage was already arranged with the Xue family. When we took her to the Great Hunt, we only wanted her to broaden her horizons and have fun with her sisters. We never expected things to turn out this way.”
“The engagement with the Xue family was nearly finalized, just waiting for the betrothal gifts and wedding date. After this happened, the whole city knew about it the next day. In all these years, when has the Marquis’s household ever faced such embarrassment? Sigh, you know about Prince Cheng – Yu’er is to become the Crown Princess. In everyone’s eyes, our household stands with the Crown Prince. This incident not only disgraced the Xue family but also made us lose face before the Crown Prince. Early the next morning, before dawn, the Marquis went to the palace to seek punishment. I went to the Xue residence at dawn to apologize…”
“To be frank, if Xiang had married into the Xue family, it would have been marrying down. You’re from a prestigious family yourself, you know the benefits of a noble lady marrying down. That Xue youth serves in the patrol division with Ye’er, and he’s an excellent young man. Sister-in-law, this marriage was truly arranged with Qin Xiang’s best interests in mind. After what happened to Third Brother, this Xue youth was the best match in the entire capital. If you say we chose someone of too low rank, I have nothing more to say. There were sons and concubine-born sons from noble families we could have considered, but these men either already had numerous concubines or were significantly older with various ailments. Wouldn’t sending Xiang to such a marriage be wasting a Qin family daughter?”
“We put in so much effort, but Xiang was dissatisfied. That day when she said she would leave, she was resolute, showing no softness even before the Marquis. What could we do? Moreover, she and Prince Cheng had already reached that stage. If we made a fuss afterward, not only would the Marquis’s household lose face, but wouldn’t we be forcing Xiang to her death?!”
“So when she wanted to leave, we couldn’t stop her, nor did we dare to. Although we stand with the Crown Prince, we dare not offend Prince Cheng needlessly, especially in such a thankless manner. That day when I went to the Xue family, fortunately, the Xue elders were understanding and didn’t pursue the matter, only saying it wasn’t meant to be. Later… it was Master Xue who, seeing that our Marquis’s household wasn’t the type to abuse power, and knowing we had another young lady in the family, suggested that another young lady could marry instead. After all, we hadn’t specified which one before. This way, both families could save face-“
“Don’t blame Shuang’er. This was decided by the Marquis and me. We only told Shuang’er after it was settled. Besides, when choosing a match for Shuang’er, we would have considered the same factors. The Xue youth is a good match, so we arranged the marriage between Shuang’er and him.” Madam Hu spoke at length, then looked at Madam Lin’s pale face and sighed again, “Sister-in-law, you had high hopes for Xiang, as did we. But in life, people choose their paths. We are only Xiang’s aunt and uncle. As for why she acted this way, you should ask her yourself. The Marquis and I have already done our utmost.”
After her initial fury, Madam Lin had never imagined such a story!
Qin Xiang… Qin Xiang dared to have an affair with Prince Cheng while already engaged! And they had been intimate!
Madam Lin didn’t know Prince Cheng well, but she understood that with his title, no one could stop him from taking Qin Xiang as a concubine. If Qin Shu had refused to let her go that day, with Qin Xiang’s reputation ruined, death might have been her only option.
Madam Lin swayed, unsure whether to cry or be angry. She knew Qin Xiang’s pride, and because of that pride, she had been certain Qin Xiang would never willingly become a concubine. But she never expected that Qin Xiang had orchestrated all this herself. For the sake of wealth and glory, she had completely discarded the dignity of a Qin family’s legitimate daughter-
Madam Hu sighed, “There’s something else you might not know, Sister-in-law. On the way back to the capital, Xiang had already made a similar mistake once. Even so, we still treated her as our niece, doing our utmost to arrange a good marriage for her. That Xue youth may seem low-ranked now, but with the Marquis above him, and the Crown Prince above that, his future wouldn’t be poor by any means. But Xiang’s ambitions were too high. Even if the Marquis were more powerful, how could he possibly send her to Prince Cheng’s residence?”
These words carried mockery and irritation. Madam Hu couldn’t contain herself anymore. While Madam Lin was indeed pitiful, Qin Xiang was raised by her. Because of Qin Xiang, the Marquis’s household had nearly lost the Crown Prince’s favor – what a grave offense! And now Madam Lin had come to cause a scene at the Marquis’s residence, completely depleting her last bit of patience and sympathy. If not for her proper upbringing keeping her in check, she would have spoken even more harshly, for what Qin Xiang had done was truly shameful!
Madam Lin swayed again, opened her mouth but found no words. She tried to stand up supporting herself on the armrest, but halfway up she began to fall forward. Wan He let out a soft cry and quickly caught Madam Lin. Madam Hu was also startled and hurriedly called for help. Qin Wan and Qin Shuang rushed in quickly, with Qin Wan immediately moving forward to check Madam Lin’s pulse.
Qin Wan quickly said, “Third Aunt is overwhelmed with anger, coupled with travel fatigue. I’ll write a prescription, and she’ll be fine.”
With a young medical prodigy in the household, there was naturally no need to call for other physicians. Madam Hu hurriedly had people take Madam Lin back to the guest quarters to rest, with Wan He staying by her side to care for her. Madam Lin had come to the capital alone this time, bringing only four guards, two elderly maids, and two young maids, with one elderly maid having been left behind on the road due to illness.
This journey had been extremely taxing. She had arrived only to cause an angry scene, then learned about Qin Xiang’s situation – it was naturally too much to bear. Qin Wan wrote a prescription for calming the spirit and promoting qi circulation, with all the medicines available in the Marquis’s medicine room.
This commotion had sparked numerous rumors among the household servants. Madam Hu summoned several housekeeper matrons to reprimand them, leaving her quite exhausted. When Qin Wan and Qin Shuang came from Madam Lin’s guest quarters, she said helplessly, “Third Sister-in-law is… well, never mind. Everything has been explained clearly. If she still doesn’t understand, then she’s truly being unreasonable. Shuang’er, don’t let this matter affect your mood. This has nothing to do with you…”
Qin Shuang, who had been anxious earlier, had now calmed down. “Don’t worry, Aunt. I understand. But since Mother has come to the capital, she will certainly want to see Qin Xiang. How should we arrange this?”
Madam Hu smiled bitterly, “What else can we do? Although your Uncle no longer acknowledges Qin Xiang, he can’t deny his Third Sister-in-law. She bore children for the Qin family and has both merit and hardship to her name. If she wants to see her daughter, we’ll send her to see her then. Though I wonder if Qin Xiang now has the face to meet her mother.”
The matter of Qin Xiang would anger anyone, and Madam Lin’s outburst finally brought out the frustration in Madam Hu’s heart.
After talking for a while longer, knowing that Madam Lin wouldn’t wake for some time, Madam Hu took Qin Shuang to review the dowry list. Only two days remained until Qin Shuang’s wedding. Although she wasn’t marrying off her daughter, invitation cards had been sent out. Any oversight would still bring shame to the Marquis’s household!
Madam Lin didn’t wake until dusk. She stared blankly for a while before realizing where she was and remembering the morning’s events. Thinking of Qin Xiang’s situation, Madam Lin felt another dull pain in her heart. Glancing around, she saw Wan He sitting on a small stool and called out hoarsely, “Wan He—”
Wan He immediately lifted her head. Seeing Madam Lin awake, she couldn’t help but feel pleased and quickly poured a cup of tea to bring over. “Madam, please drink some tea before speaking. The Princess said you were too exhausted and wrote a prescription. I gave you the medicine at noon.”
“Princess—” Madam Lin murmured, finally realizing Wan He meant Qin Wan.
She suddenly felt dizzy. Qin Shuang had changed, Qin Wan had changed – they had all changed for the better. Especially Qin Wan; by the time she reached Yuan Prefecture’s borders, she had already heard stories about the young medical prodigy. Later, when she reached Luo Prefecture, tales of Princess Yongci had spread far and wide. Now, Qin Wan had become a distinguished figure, closely connected to the imperial family.
To think that years ago, Qin Wan had been nothing but an abandoned orphan of the main branch…
Madam Lin’s heart was filled with bitterness. She understood Qin Xiang’s thoughts – Qin Xiang wasn’t inferior, yet she couldn’t compare to others. It was truly desperate. Qin Xiang must have been unwilling to marry a seventh-rank military officer, but she shouldn’t have become Prince Cheng’s concubine!
“Sister-in-law said something happened on the way to the capital. What happened? Tell me.”
After drinking half a cup of tea and collecting her thoughts somewhat, Madam Lin quickly questioned Wan He. Wan He hesitated briefly before telling her about how Qin Xiang had tried to elope with someone at Cloud Mist Mountain. Madam Lin’s hands trembled as she listened, and Wan He quickly took the teacup from her.
Madam Lin lay back on her pillow, breathing heavily, waves of despair washing over her. If Qin Shuang had done something so inappropriate in the past, she might have wanted to beat her to death. Yet the Marquis’s household had set aside past grievances and still found her a good family. They truly hadn’t mistreated Qin Xiang – it was Qin Xiang herself who had been worthless—
Suddenly, Madam Lin felt her face burning. After what Qin Xiang had done, she shouldn’t have come to the capital to embarrass herself. Yet not only had she come, but she had also caused a scene. This was truly too discourteous!
Madam Lin looked at Wan He with a bitter smile, “Why didn’t you go with Xiang’er?”
Wan He hunched her shoulders and lowered her head, “I didn’t dare—”
Madam Lin sighed, and Wan He’s eyes reddened as she spoke, “I’ve cared for Young Miss since she was small, you know my feelings for her. But this time with Prince Cheng, I was truly frightened. The best place I’ve ever been is the Marquis’s household, and even here I’m constantly on edge. How could I go to Prince Cheng’s residence? I was afraid…”
Speaking thus, Wan He knelt, “I abandoned Young Miss. Please forgive me, Madam. I was supposed to return to Jin Prefecture to serve you, but Jin Prefecture was too far, so the Marquis had me follow Sixth Young Miss first.”
Madam Lin asked again, “Does Sixth Young Miss treat you well?”
Wan He nodded, “Sixth Young Miss treats me well. She’s changed a lot since coming to the capital. Now she’s as close as sisters with the Princess, who also treats servants very well.”
Madam Lin thought about seeing Qin Shuang and Qin Wan this morning. Back in Jin Prefecture, Qin Shuang had been the one who bullied Qin Wan the most, yet now they were close enough to share a room.
Madam Lin closed her eyes briefly, her heart still aching wave after wave.
Qin Xiang hadn’t listened to her. She had also urged Qin Xiang to befriend Qin Wan, but Qin Xiang refused. If only Qin Xiang had grown like Qin Shuang, how could today’s tragedy have occurred?!
Madam Lin took a deep breath, “Qin Shuang’s wedding is in two days, right?”
Wan He nodded, and Madam Lin sighed, “I must return to Jin Prefecture eventually. You should come back with me then. You’re not originally from Sixth Young Miss’s household. Even though she treats you well, you must feel uncomfortable.”
Wan He quickly nodded. Previously, she had followed Qin Xiang and knew many things. Now staying by Qin Shuang’s side, although Qin Shuang hadn’t said anything, she indeed felt somewhat guilty. It would be better to return with Madam Lin and stay in the Jin Prefecture residence, where she wouldn’t have to be so constantly on edge as in the capital.
“Madam, are you leaving so soon? Won’t you see Young Miss?”
Madam Lin took a deep breath, “Since I’ve come, I must certainly see her. But I can’t arrange this myself. I’ll need the Marquis’s help. After seeing her once, I’ll return…”
Madam Lin closed her eyes. This matter would certainly need the Marquis household’s help, and she would have to beg Qin Shu again.
Hearing that Madam Lin had awakened, Madam Hu brought Qin Shuang, Qin Wan, and Qin Chaoyu to see her. Upon seeing Madam Hu, Madam Lin grabbed her hand and said, “Sister-in-law, I’m truly sorry. I was discourteous today. I must apologize to you.”
Madam Hu quickly stopped Madam Lin, “Sister-in-law, there’s no need for this. I have daughters too; I understand how you feel. This isn’t your fault. You’ve come from so far, and your health has suffered. We’re family; there’s no need for such formality. We were planning to have a welcoming feast for you tonight, but seeing you’re unwell, we’ll have to forgo it. You must get better soon.”
Madam Lin smiled bitterly, “Sister-in-law, though we haven’t met often, I’ve long heard of your virtuous reputation. Now that everything has been clarified, I won’t stand on ceremony with you. Sister-in-law, I came this time for Xiang’er’s marriage, but things have turned out this way. I have no complaints. Not only should I not complain, but I should also apologize to you and Brother. Xiang’er’s actions nearly brought great disaster to the Marquis’s household. It was truly inappropriate…”
Hearing these words, Madam Hu felt more at ease, and her tone became more sincere, “Sister-in-law, there’s no need to apologize. Xiang’er is still young, and she will likely regret this in the future. But what’s done is done, and we can do nothing about it.”
Madam Lin then said, “I understand this, so I have an unreasonable request. I want to see Qin Xiang once.”
Madam Hu had expected this and, after pondering for a moment, said, “If we send a visiting card, it wouldn’t be proper. Prince Cheng and the Crown Prince are now like fire and water – they probably wouldn’t even acknowledge our card. So Sister-in-law, if you want to see Qin Xiang, you’ll have to go to Prince Cheng’s residence…”
Madam Lin’s face burned with shame. Since Qin Shu had said he wouldn’t acknowledge Qin Xiang, there was no reason to let her enter their door. Firstly, Qin Xiang had acted inappropriately and damaged the Qin family’s reputation; secondly, they needed to prove their stance to the Crown Prince. Now that Madam Lin wanted to see her, the Marquis’s household couldn’t possibly summon Qin Xiang back. Besides, now that Qin Xiang belonged to Prince Cheng’s household, would she even return their call?
Madam Lin nodded, “Very well, I understand Sister-in-law’s meaning.”
Madam Hu also said, “Don’t worry. When would you like to see her? I’ll have someone escort you to Prince Cheng’s residence.”
Madam Lin’s heart filled with bitterness as she said, “Tomorrow, then.”
Madam Hu nodded, “Very well, I’ll make the arrangements.”
Since Madam Lin was ill, after a few more words, Madam Hu led the young ones away. Having been delayed like this today, Qin Wan didn’t go to the government office. The next day she would accompany Qin Shuang to try on her wedding dress and headdress, so she sent Bai Ying to the office instead. Early that morning, the Marquis’s household sent guards to escort Madam Lin to Prince Cheng’s residence. Madam Hu, feeling uneasy, also had Rain Mama accompany them.
The Marquis’s carriage traveled along the main road toward Prince Cheng’s residence. Madam Lin looked at the capital’s prosperity with a somewhat dazed expression. The capital was a good place, but at her age, she found herself somewhat uncomfortable with such bustle and noise. She lifted the curtain to look outside briefly before withdrawing her gaze indifferently, thinking only about what to say when she met Qin Xiang.
Before long, the carriage arrived at Prince Cheng’s residence. Located close to the imperial city, it had imposing gates with armed guards stationed at the entrance. As the carriage approached, guards immediately came forward. The attendant outside hurriedly said, “Brother, inside the carriage, is Madam Qin, here to request an audience with Miss Qin of your household…”
The gate guard lifted his chin, “Miss Qin? Which Miss Qin?”
The attendant’s expression changed slightly. The Marquis’s attendants originally had no good feelings toward Prince Cheng’s people, but today they were accompanying Madam Lin and had to speak politely. The attendant gritted his teeth and said, “The recently acquired concubine of Prince Cheng.”
The guard made an “Oh” sound, appearing to suddenly understand, but then smiled and said, “Then please trouble this young brother to use the side gate. In Prince Cheng’s residence, there’s no precedent for a concubine’s relatives using the main gate.”
Prince Cheng’s guards didn’t know that Madam Lin was inside the carriage. Hearing “Qin residence,” they assumed it was someone from the Marquis’s household, and they particularly had no good attitude toward the Marquis’s people.
The Marquis’s attendant’s expression changed slightly, but such rules were common in the capital. A concubine’s relatives weren’t considered proper family and typically could only use the side gate. The attendant, looking constrained, knocked on the carriage door. Inside, Rain Mama said helplessly, “Let’s go to the side gate.”
The attendant had no choice but to drive the carriage sheepishly toward the side gate…
At the side gate, hearing they were from the Qin residence, the guards showed no good attitude but had the carriage wait outside while they went to announce the visitors. This announcement took half an hour.
Inside the carriage, Madam Lin’s face burned hot enough to catch fire.
Inside Prince Cheng’s residence, Qin Xiang was drawing her eyebrows and applying floral decorations. With Feng Chenbi about to enter the residence, she thought daily about how to win Prince Cheng’s favor. Where she once dressed simply and elegantly with scholarly grace, she now appeared increasingly glamorous. Just as she finished applying the floral decorations, Xiu Zhi hurried in, “Young Miss! People from the Qin residence are here!”
“The Qin residence?!” Qin Xiang straightened up, quite surprised.
Xiu Zhi quickly nodded, “Yes, the gatekeepers reported it, asking if you want to see them.”
Currently, Prince Cheng’s residence had seven or eight concubines, but Qin Xiang was indeed the most favored, so the servants didn’t dare be too disrespectful. When the message was passed along, Qin Xiang responded unhurriedly, “Who came?”
Xiu Zhi looked confused, “I don’t know, they only said it was a madam…”
“Aunt?” Not expecting Madam Lin to come, Qin Xiang only guessed it might be Madam Hu, and immediately sneered, “What is she coming for?! Didn’t they say they wouldn’t acknowledge me as their niece anymore…”
Xiu Zhi snorted lightly, “This servant doesn’t know. Could they be trying to persuade you to leave the Prince’s residence?”
Qin Xiang thought this seemed possible, so she frowned angrily, “Let them wait at the gatehouse. I’ll go over after I’m done preparing!”
For the respected Madam of the Marquis’s household to enter the Prince’s residence through the side gate and be received only in the gatehouse was truly beneath the Marquis household’s dignity. Xiu Zhi was somewhat worried, but Qin Xiang sneered, “The Prince dislikes the Marquis’s household. Whatever their reason for coming, I can’t show them a good face. Do I even have a way back now?”
Xiu Zhi understood and immediately went to relay the message.
Qin Xiang then chose the most magnificent outfit and had Xiu Zhi help her change.
When Madam Lin saw that Prince Cheng’s guards only led her to the small gatehouse room, she frowned and her face immediately paled. “What is the meaning of this? Is this how your household treats guests?!”
The guard didn’t recognize Madam Lin, and neither the Marquis’s attendant nor Rain Mama dared reveal that Madam Lin was Qin Xiang’s birth mother, likely because Madam Lin herself didn’t want to declare her identity now. Seeing Madam Lin’s anger, the guard replied with a mocking smile, “These are the instructions from inside. Madam should just make do. Prince Cheng’s residence naturally wouldn’t treat guests this way, but you people don’t count as guests.”
The guard was arrogant, and Rain Mama quickly supported Madam Lin, “Madam, don’t be anxious. Let’s just wait.”
This small room was where guards rested, not only shabby but also smelling of male sweat. A pot of cold tea on the table showed extreme discourtesy, yet the guard had no intention of bringing fresh tea. He just threw a few mocking glances at Madam Lin before turning and walking out. Once the guard left, Madam Lin angrily slapped the table!
Rain Mama smiled slightly. This Fifth Miss, knowing people had come from the Qin residence, still treated them this way – clearly intending to deliberately shame the Marquis’s household… Rain Mama shook her head inwardly. Such an ungrateful person – fortunately she had left the Marquis’s household. If the Marquis had gone to make trouble in the palace for her sake, it would have harmed the Marquis’s household instead!
But Fifth Miss probably didn’t expect that the visitor wasn’t just anyone, but her mother!
After waiting for the time it took to drink two cups of tea, footsteps were finally heard outside the gatehouse. The previous guard said somewhat respectfully, “Ninth Concubine, the people from the Qin residence are inside—”
Hearing this, Qin Xiang said lazily, “I know. Xiu Zhi…”
Xiu Zhi immediately stepped forward to give a reward. The guard, holding the silver, said thanks and withdrew.
Qin Xiang looked at the narrow doorway and adjusted her clothes before walking in, “How strange that the Marquis’s household would send someone. Let me see who—”
Before she could finish saying “who,” Qin Xiang suddenly saw Madam Lin sitting by the table.
Madam Lin looked much more haggard than before, appearing to have aged ten years. She wore a plain gauze dress, looking particularly frail. Qin Xiang froze in the doorway, never expecting the visitor to be Madam Lin!
She stared in disbelief, and after a long moment softly said, “Mo-Mother… Why are you here?”
Qin Xiang stood still, looking at Madam Lin like this, her heart inexplicably panicked.
Madam Lin sat straight-backed in this narrow, dim room, her entire being shrouded in an air of ultimate despair. She slowly turned her head, looking at the elaborately dressed Qin Xiang, suddenly feeling that Madam Hu’s earlier words had been too mild. All this was what Qin Xiang had sought for herself – she had no unwillingness or grievance, she even took pride in it. Today, using such deliberate means to shame the Marquis’s household, this was her daughter, this was her daughter…
“Mother… I didn’t know it was you…”
Seeing Madam Lin’s gaze, Qin Xiang knew what she was thinking and became even more flustered. She could be resolute toward Qin Shu and the others, but with Madam Lin, Qin Xiang didn’t want her to know everything she had done. But clearly, Madam Lin already knew.
Qin Xiang suddenly panicked, stepping forward twice but not knowing what to say. She had worn her most magnificent clothes, wanting to show off, wanting to tell Madam Hu how well she was doing, but upon seeing Madam Lin, all these luxurious silks and golden ornaments made her heart tremble. Madam Lin knew her best – even if she armored herself perfectly, Madam Lin could see through to her true self at a glance, and these silks and ornaments became particularly ironic.
Qin Xiang was at a loss, her eyes reddening with anxiety, “Mother, why did you come?”
Madam Lin stood up, her eyes full of both heartache and disappointment. Her lips were tightly pressed together, then she suddenly closed her eyes and reopened them. Now her eyes held only clear coldness, “I heard your marriage plans had changed, so I came to the capital to ask what happened.” She looked Qin Xiang up and down, “Now I know. Having seen you this once, I will return to Jin Prefecture.”
Then looking around the room again, she smiled mockingly, “Well, I can say I’ve been to Prince Cheng’s residence.”
Qin Xiang immediately stepped forward to grab Madam Lin’s hand. She glanced at Rain Mama and said urgently, “Mother, it’s not what you think. Did they say something? Mother, don’t believe them. Your daughter has nothing to be ashamed of. Mother, since you’re here, stay in the capital. I’ll have the Prince buy you a large mansion. Stay, and you can enjoy your daughter’s good fortune.”
Madam Lin smiled bitterly, “Enjoy good fortune? The daughter I raised in the palm of my hand has now become someone’s concubine and has been expelled from the family. I feel only shame – what fortune is there to enjoy?”
Qin Xiang’s expression changed instantly. She stared hard at Rain Mama, “Mother, don’t believe those words! I’m not what you think. I was planning to tell you about this matter after some time, but… but I didn’t expect you’d come to the capital… Mother, your daughter misses you. Please stay, and I’ll explain everything myself…”
Hearing Qin Xiang’s words, Madam Lin finally couldn’t hold back. Her eyes reddened, filled with heartache, “Explain? Is it false that you had an affair with Prince Cheng? Is it false that you were engaged to the Xue family but broke the engagement?!”
Qin Xiang’s face changed, “Mother, it’s not what you think… I’ve entered Prince Cheng’s residence now, I’m living well… can’t you see? I’m living very well…” Qin Xiang released her hand, spreading her arms to show Madam Lin her magnificent clothes.
Looking at Qin Xiang like this, Madam Lin suddenly raised her hand and slapped her!
The slap was heavy and loud, making Qin Xiang’s face turn to the side. Madam Lin’s tears fell rapidly, “I thought the Marquis’s household had mistreated you, that your sister had mistreated you. This slap – I nearly gave it to your sister’s face. But now I know, this was all your own choice. Since that’s the case, stay here in Prince Cheng’s residence and enjoy your wealth and glory. I, the Third Madam of the Qin family, am not worthy to be the mother of Prince Cheng’s Ninth Concubine—”
After saying these words, Madam Lin pushed past Qin Xiang and walked out. Rain Mama quickly followed. By the time Qin Xiang reacted, she chased out with the handprint still on her face, only to see the carriage’s shadow in the distance. Qin Xiang stood motionless at the side gate, feeling as if all strength had been drained from her body.