In the Qin mansion, the Grand Old Madam joyfully ordered servants to prepare a sumptuous dinner and stationed people every fifty paces along the route Qin Huaiyuan must take home from the mansion gates, instructing them to immediately report to the mansion the moment they spotted Qin Huaiyuan’s carriage.

Everyone remained in the Garden of Compassion and Filial Piety to keep the Grand Old Madam company, and the joyful atmosphere was even more lively than during the New Year celebrations just days ago.

Naturally, Qin Yining couldn’t very well return to the Garden of Sagely Leisure first, so she had no choice but to stay and chat with everyone.

However, this wait stretched on for two full hours.

The sky had already darkened, yet Qin Huaiyuan still hadn’t returned.

The Grand Old Madam began to grow anxious.

“Even if the palace is hosting a banquet, they wouldn’t keep someone this late. What kind of feast goes on until this hour?”

When the Emperor keeps someone, he should at least consider the longing feelings of family members who haven’t seen each other for many days!

The Grand Old Madam ultimately revered the Emperor and dared not voice her complaints aloud, but in her heart she had already criticized him a thousand times.

Third Madam was always the most adept at currying favor. Seeing the Grand Old Madam’s impatience, she smiled and said, “Elder Brother-in-law has achieved great merit that will be recorded in history for generations. It’s only proper for His Majesty to keep him longer for conversation. Only Elder Brother-in-law could receive such honor—if it were someone else, they might never experience such treatment in their entire lifetime!”

“Indeed, Grandmother.” Qin Huining also chimed in with a smile: “We’re all family members of the Qin household, so seeing Father is easy for us, but those officials and colleagues outside who usually find it difficult even to speak with Father—wouldn’t they want to take advantage of today’s banquet to have a proper conversation?”

Qin Huining had spent over ten years as the Grand Old Madam’s most beloved, but since Qin Yining’s return, she had been overshadowed at every turn. Now, once again clustering around the Grand Old Madam, she felt both nostalgic and excited, naturally employing all her skills to please the Grand Old Madam.

In the Grand Old Madam’s mind, she envisioned Qin Huaiyuan being surrounded by admiring crowds like stars around the moon.

When she thought of how that person being revered was her son, and how her son had always been filial to her, her heart felt as if it were soaked in a honey jar, and she couldn’t help but laugh heartily.

Seeing the Grand Old Madam’s joy, Third Madam and Qin Huining exchanged cheerful banter with her, while Sixth Miss, Seventh Miss, and Eighth Miss also joined in the merriment, coaxing the Grand Old Madam into beaming smiles.

Qin Yining simply sat with Third Miss, drinking tea and chatting quietly in low voices, showing no intention whatsoever of going forward to curry favor.

Third Miss was already engaged to be married, with her wedding day not far off, and she had always been of a character that avoided worldly conflicts.

As for Qin Yining, she had seen through the Grand Old Madam’s true nature and no longer wanted to beg for the pure familial love she had always yearned for. Moreover, since the Grand Old Madam currently disliked both her and Sun Shi, she wasn’t the type of person who, after being slapped on the left cheek, would offer up her right cheek as well.

Just as the room full of women was filled with cheerful laughter and conversation, they suddenly heard urgent footsteps from outside, and faintly, the sound of a man’s voice could be heard.

“It must be Meng Ge’er returning,” the Grand Old Madam said with a smile, looking toward the door.

But when the door curtain was lifted, the person who entered was Qi Tai, Qin Huaiyuan’s constant attendant!

Qi Tai entered and immediately dropped to his knees with a thud.

“Grand Old Madam! Something has happened at the palace!”

The smiles froze on the faces of the Grand Old Madam and everyone present.

“Speak quickly, what happened!”

“Reporting to Grand Old Madam, the palace held a grand banquet for all the ministers, and Master and Madam both attended together. His Majesty praised Master, and due to Master’s merit in peace negotiations, conferred upon Master the title of Marquis Anping!”

“This is good news!” Third Madam exclaimed joyfully.

Qi Tai kowtowed and said, “It is good news, but immediately afterward, Her Majesty the Empress said that such a hero as Master should rightfully have beauties to serve him, and selected Lady Lu and Talented Lady Xu from His Majesty’s palace consorts to bestow upon Master, saying they were for continuing the family line. These two are both currently favored by His Majesty, yet when His Majesty heard this, he didn’t object.”

“The First Madam rejected the Empress in front of everyone. The Empress then quarreled with the First Madam. Her Majesty the Empress rebuked the First Madam as a jealous woman, while the First Madam cursed Her Majesty the Empress as a demon empress who destroys others’ families and harms loyal subjects—all extremely sharp words that enraged Her Majesty the Empress, who in her fury ordered the First Madam to be executed, saying she would bestow poisoned wine!”

A deathly silence fell over the room, everyone’s faces turning deathly pale.

Qin Yining’s mind was buzzing even more intensely.

She carefully studied Qi Tai’s expression, trying to find flaws in his words and demeanor. But Qi Tai’s anxious and worried appearance wasn’t feigned.

Speaking of Sun Shi’s resentment toward the Emperor and Empress, there was probably quite a lot of it indeed.

But Sun Shi, even if filled with resentment, wouldn’t have the courage to directly insult the Empress unless pushed to desperation.

The feud between the Duke Dingguo’s mansion and the Cao family wasn’t a matter of just one or two days. Although Sun Shi had harbored hatred these past days, she had seen the Empress during the New Year’s Day palace visit for court greetings, yet no conflict had arisen then.

During her own journey away, Sun Shi had also lived in the palace for some time without incident.

This was sufficient proof that after suffering enough humiliation in the mansion, Sun Shi had recognized reality. Moreover, Sun Shi’s heart was still full of devotion to Qin Huaiyuan.

Sometimes when Qin Yining observed coldly, she even felt that if all the male members of Duke Dingguo’s mansion died, though the blow to Sun Shi would be great, it wouldn’t be as devastating as Qin Huaiyuan taking Cao Shi as a concubine.

Such a woman whose heart was devoted entirely to her husband—merely being granted two palace consorts as concubines, who could be well fed and cared for at home afterward—Qin Huaiyuan wasn’t without concubines already. Why would Sun Shi go so far as to publicly insult the Empress?

Could there be some hidden scheme in all this?

But the deed was already done, leaving no room for even the slightest wishful thinking!

“Qi Tai, tell me the details of the scene at that time.”

Qi Tai quickly nodded: “Reporting to Fourth Miss, I didn’t witness the scene myself. After the incident inside, Master instructed a eunuch to come out and relay the message to me. Seeing how that messenger eunuch was silent as a cicada in winter, not daring to speak an extra word, I guessed that Her Majesty the Empress must have flown into a terrible rage. You also know that His Majesty has always doted on Her Majesty the Empress, unwilling to let her suffer the slightest grievance. This time, the First Madam has really, really…”

Really brought death upon herself with no one able to stop her!

Qin Yining rubbed her aching temples and quietly instructed Song Lan beside her with a few words.

Song Lan nodded, and while everyone in the room was still in shock and hadn’t noticed her, she slipped away from the Grand Old Madam’s Garden of Compassion and Filial Piety, lifting her skirts and running out swiftly.

Qin Yining then turned back to bow to the Grand Old Madam: “Grandmother, given the current situation, what do you think should be done?”

“What should be done?” The Grand Old Madam finally managed to recover from her shock, angrily striking her brass tobacco pipe against the table, chipping off a large piece of lacquer from the small black-lacquered table with cloud-spiral patterns!

“That ignorant fool of your mother! How dare she shout at Her Majesty the Empress! If she wants to die, she shouldn’t drag others down with her! Let her die! It would be cleaner if she died!”

Although she had long anticipated such a reaction from the Grand Old Madam.

But actually hearing such heartless words from the Grand Old Madam’s mouth, Qin Yining’s heart still felt a moment of numbness and wrenching pain, like having a bucket of cold water poured over her head in the dead of winter, chilling her through and through.

“Grandmother, even if Mother was impulsive, it was because of her sincere devotion to Father. Moreover, she has been a daughter-in-law of our Qin family for over twenty years. Though she is your daughter-in-law, she’s also like half a daughter to you…”

“Silence!” The Grand Old Madam interrupted Qin Yining’s words, scolding: “Half a daughter? How nicely put! If I had such a daughter, I would have pressed her into a chamber pot and drowned her long ago! Such an ignorant fool, that damned wretch! She can’t do anything right herself, can’t even produce an egg, yet still wants to harm my son! Even if she dies, she shouldn’t think of dragging any member of my Qin family down with her!”

Qin Yining pursed her lips, her gaze turning cold: “Will the Grand Old Madam truly disregard years of affection?”

“I have no affection for that woman surnamed Sun!” The Grand Old Madam waved her hand fiercely, glaring at Second Madam who was about to speak up in Sun Shi’s defense.

Qin Yining nodded and said: “If the Grand Old Madam wants to distance herself now, I’m afraid it won’t be possible. If you were to plead for my mother, not only would it not harm you, but it would earn you a virtuous reputation. The Empress wants to execute my mother, yet you, as her mother-in-law, show no reaction at all—aren’t you afraid of being mocked by outsiders?”

“Ridiculous! I’m an old woman at my age—do I care what others think? Your father said you have brains, but I see you’re completely muddled. If that mother of yours dies, it would be for the best. In the future, you won’t lack powerful women to call mother. Cao Shi is better than that woman surnamed Sun in every way, you…”

“Enough!”

Qin Yining could bear no more. Unable to strike the Grand Old Madam, with her rage having no outlet, she immediately kicked over a round-backed chair beside her feet.

The chair crashed to the ground with a clang, toppling a nearby small table with drum-shaped legs and a narrow waist. The blue and white porcelain covered bowl and teapot on top fell to the floor, producing sharp sounds of shattering porcelain.

“Rebellion, rebellion! Someone come quickly, throw her out, throw her out!”

“No need to trouble yourselves. I’ll leave on my own!” Qin Yining said coldly: “Since the Grand Old Madam shows such callousness, aren’t you afraid others might also be heartbroken? Heaven may be merciless, but it always leaves a thread of hope for people. Though my mother may have erred, her crime doesn’t warrant death. My father has just successfully concluded negotiations and been granted the title of Marquis Anping—do you think His Majesty would allow my mother to just die like this? Though the Empress may not care about public opinion, His Majesty is still someone who values his reputation! The Grand Old Madam’s fearful appearance is truly enlightening!”

Qin Yining dropped these words and turned to leave.

But her words were like several slaps across the Grand Old Madam’s face.

Now she too began to have doubts. Yes, with His Majesty’s character of cherishing his reputation so much, would he allow the Empress to execute Sun Shi? Harming the wife of a meritorious subject—if word of this spread, it wouldn’t sound good at all.

However, His Majesty had done plenty of things in the past that harmed meritorious subjects.

The Grand Old Madam was momentarily unable to process this.

When she came to her senses, she realized Qin Yining had already left the main hall.

She was startled and shouted loudly: “Someone come, stop her!”

With Qin Yining’s violent temper, she was probably going out to cause trouble!

Everyone snapped back to reality and surged outside.

The servants on duty in the courtyard were about to block Qin Yining’s path. But these people were merely domesticated dogs—how could they match a wild wolf?

Qin Yining now had only one thought—to save someone. Even if her abilities were insufficient, at this point, she would never give up hope and would definitely try her best.

Anyone who dared to obstruct her was easily knocked down by Qin Yining. More than ten maids and old women couldn’t stop her.

The Grand Old Madam, Second Madam, and Third Madam stood under the corridor with the young ladies, clearly witnessing Qin Yining’s wild behavior. Everyone was once again stunned by her martial prowess.

The Grand Old Madam shouted loudly: “Quick, go catch her and bring her back! Don’t let her leave!”

But how could Qin Yining care about them? With that momentum of killing anyone who stood in her way, whether human or divine, she directly broke out of the inner quarters.