Qin Yining became so agitated that tears fell, choking out indignantly: “When the imperial gifts arrived, His Majesty instructed us to use them as we pleased. Naturally we would take out such exquisite items to use. The Old Madam broke it, yet instead of admitting she carelessly destroyed an imperial gift, she blames us for following the imperial edict – this is truly unreasonable!”

The Old Madam was so anxious that sweat beaded on her forehead, and she was about to grow two more white hairs.

“Old Madam, that was the snuff bottle the Empress Dowager used when she was alive, an old treasure that even the Empress must kneel before when seeing it. How could you dare, how could you dare…” Sun Shi finally came to her senses and also covered her face, sobbing along.

“What snuff bottle? I haven’t seen one – I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The Old Madam snorted, turned around calmly to leave, and when passing through the bead curtain, her movement of lifting it was extraordinarily careful.

Nanny Qin, Ji Xiang, and Ruyi came to their senses, hurriedly performed courtesy, and frantically followed the Old Madam’s steps out in panic.

The entire room fell silent. The mess of the shattered snuff bottle on the ground and the minty snuff scent permeating the air bore witness to the recent farce.

Song Lan and Bingtang exchanged glances, quietly went to the courtyard to check, and only after confirming that the Old Madam’s party had gone far did they burst into laughter.

Nanny Jin helped Sun Shi sit down, instructed Cai Ju and Cai Lan to get a dustpan to clean up the fragments on the ground, and laughed: “When Miss had Bingtang go find a similar snuff bottle that day, you had already calculated to this point, hadn’t you?”

“Indeed.” Qin Yining smiled in a pleasant mood: “I didn’t expect her to be even more cowardly than I anticipated.”

Thinking of the Old Madam’s panicked retreat, Sun Shi couldn’t help but laugh, and much of her anger and grievance from earlier dissipated with the laughter.

However, after laughing, she also had doubts and worries.

“Yining, if your father learns that you’ve played such a trick on the Old Madam, he might be displeased. Don’t think that just because he tacitly allowed us to stay here, he approves – your father is most filial. If the Old Madam truly believes she broke an imperial gift, especially something the Empress Dowager used, she’ll inevitably be frightened when she returns, and might even fall seriously ill.”

Speaking to this point, Sun Shi frowned with worry: “If your father asks, just say it was my idea. In any case, I already have no good image in the Qin family’s eyes – you’re different, you still have to discuss marriage in the future.”

Qin Yining was deeply moved and sat beside Sun Shi, hugging her waist and acting spoiled: “Mother cares for me, but doesn’t mind if Father criticizes you?”

“I’m not afraid. Your father and I are an old married couple – we’ve had face-tearing quarrels before. Without my natal family’s backing, this is how things will be from now on anyway.” Sun Shi had now grown accustomed to Qin Yining’s closeness, holding her shoulders and patting gently: “You’re different – you’re an unmarried young lady, ultimately different from me.”

“Mother, you’re so good to me.” Qin Yining hugged Sun Shi with a beaming smile.

Sun Shi felt her heart ache upon hearing this. Actually, she couldn’t really be called good to Qin Yining. Though she was trying to become familiar with Qin Yining and trying to be good to her, they had known each other for such a short time that the care and love she had invested in Qin Yining was far less than what she had given Qin Huining.

Now that Qin Huining had turned out that way, it formed a stark contrast with Qin Yining’s filial loyalty.

The more easily satisfied Qin Yining was, the more guilty Sun Shi felt.

She gently rocked Qin Yining, as if coaxing a child in swaddling clothes: “From now on, Mother will treat you well.”

“As long as Mother takes good care of her health, that’s the greatest kindness to your daughter.” Qin Yining’s tone was satisfied and cheerful.

This scene made Nanny Jin and the others nearby unable to help but moisten their eyes.

After all, true feelings are revealed through hardship – a biological mother and daughter are connected by blood and will eventually see the clouds part.

Qin Yining lazily nestled in Sun Shi’s embrace acting spoiled, but fearing Sun Shi would tire, she sat up straight after just a moment. After thinking, she called Song Lan in: “Go pack up all our things.”

Then she said to Nanny Jin: “Please help my mother pack up all her belongings as well – we’ll return to the manor shortly.”

Sun Shi asked in surprise: “Why are we suddenly returning again?” She had thought Qin Yining was determined not to go back.

Not only Sun Shi – everyone had this question.

Qin Yining giggled: “Mother, our staying outside temporarily and not immediately returning to the manor was to seek an explanation, to ensure you return in glory so no one dares look down on you, so your future days at the manor can continue smoothly. Now that the Old Madam has personally come to request our return, this honor is great enough to offset her previous clamoring and make her slap her own face. Our goal has been achieved. If we return now, we can still see the Old Madam’s splendid expression. If we don’t return, wouldn’t all the fault become ours?”

Forcing the Old Madam to personally come and request was their capability.

After the Old Madam came to request but they didn’t return, that would make them unfilial, turning reason into unreason.

Nanny Jin and Sun Shi both nodded repeatedly.

Sun Shi asked again: “If so, why did you still set a trap to deceive the Old Madam?”

Qin Yining smiled: “If we never show our claws, she might think we’re dead cats. With this incident, she’ll be quiet for a few days.”

“But what was broken wasn’t actually an imperial gift. If she goes back and spreads this around, wouldn’t you be guilty of deceiving the emperor?” Thinking of this, Sun Shi’s expression became somewhat ugly.

Qin Yining consoled: “If she’s even slightly clever, she won’t mention today’s events to anyone. The crime of breaking an imperial gift is something she’d want to completely distance herself from – how would she publicize it? If her brain isn’t working well and she asks Father, that’s possible, but my father’s brain definitely works well – he’ll certainly suppress this news when questioning me.”

Sun Shi pondered for a moment, slowly nodded, then asked again: “If your father questions you, how will you answer? Your father is very clever – ordinary lies can’t deceive him.”

“Mother, rest assured, I naturally have ways to deal with it.” Qin Yining smiled: “Let’s prepare now and set off shortly, returning before dinner to pay respects to the Old Madam.”

Upon hearing this, Sun Shi lightly pinched Qin Yining’s cheek: “Naughty girl. You’re full of schemes.”

Nanny Jin laughed: “Fortunately Fourth Miss has ideas, otherwise we would have been bullied into the dust.”

Sun Shi recalled the days she had lived after Duke Dingguo’s mansion was destroyed. If Qin Yining hadn’t constantly stayed by her side, helping her ward off all troubles, she might have been driven mad by now.

Sun Shi’s arms around Qin Yining tightened again.

In less than half an hour, everything was packed. Qin Yining went to the front desk to see the manager, instructing him to tell Manager Zhong that she had returned to the manor, then shared a carriage with her mother back to the Qin Manor.

As the carriage slowly passed the street corner in front of the Qin Manor, they could see craftsmen with workers busily working not far away – the memorial archway being erected for Sun Shi was under rushed construction.

Arriving at the manor gate, the original Qin Manor plaque had been replaced with a large gold-lettered plaque reading “Marquis Anping’s Manor” written in the Emperor’s own hand. The pink walls had been freshly painted, and the black tiles had all been arranged. Looking from the manor gate, the entire Qin family radiated vigorous vitality.

Though the Emperor was an incompetent ruler, a plaque written in his own hand was still supreme glory.

Sun Shi looked at the four large characters “Marquis Anping’s Manor” and felt pride rise in her heart, straightening her back even more.

Qin Yining instructed someone to announce their arrival, then helped Sun Shi down from the carriage, whispering in her ear: “Mother was recuperating outside and her health hasn’t fully recovered. Now that the Old Madam has personally descended to request our return, for the sake of filial piety we have no choice but to return home. When Mother encounters situations, don’t get angry – just focus on recuperating, and leave the rest to your daughter.”

Sun Shi suppressed her laughter, nodded and said: “I understand.” Then she gracefully leaned on Qin Yining, truly appearing somewhat weak from illness.

At this time, the Old Madam was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, gripping Qin Huaiyuan’s hand: “Meng Ge’er, I have something important to tell you!”

“Please speak, Mother.”

The Old Madam looked around and, seeing only Nanny Qin serving beside her, said: “The snuff bottle His Majesty rewarded to Yining was broken by Yining today. I saw it with my own eyes! That was something the Empress Dowager used before – a treasure that even the Empress must kneel before! Tell me, with Yining being so clumsy, not knowing to put away imperial gifts but casually taking them out to use, now that she’s broken it herself, what if His Majesty learns of this? If His Majesty punishes us, wouldn’t it implicate the entire family!”

Nearby, Nanny Qin couldn’t help but lower her head and frown.

At such an advanced age, making a mistake and wanting her son to find a way to remedy it without telling the truth!

Qin Huaiyuan asked strangely: “Yining isn’t a willful person, and she acts with propriety – how could she deliberately break an imperial gift snuff bottle?”

Upon hearing this, the Old Madam’s facial expression became somewhat stiff, and she said sourly: “I personally went to request your good wife and good daughter to return home today, but not only didn’t I bring them back, I also got scolded. Yining lost her temper and smashed the snuff bottle, then tried to blame it on me. How miserable my fate is! To encounter such a family-disrupting troublemaker!”

The Old Madam covered her face and began sobbing.

Nanny Qin quickly brought a handkerchief to serve and wipe tears, consoling in low voices.

Qin Huaiyuan understood the Old Madam’s temperament best – her words were full of holes and truly suspicious. Qin Huaiyuan looked questioningly at Nanny Qin.

Meeting Qin Huaiyuan’s scrutinizing gaze, Nanny Qin’s eyes became somewhat evasive. She couldn’t directly expose her master, but it wasn’t right to deceive Qin Huaiyuan either.

Seeing Nanny Qin’s behavior, Qin Huaiyuan became even more certain of his thoughts.

Just then, someone came to report: “Reporting to the Old Madam and the Marquis, Madam and Fourth Miss have returned and are heading to the Compassionate Filial Garden to pay respects to the Old Madam.”

Upon hearing this, the Old Madam was so frightened she hiccupped.

Indeed, the wretches had schemed against her!

She had just complained that they refused to return and gave her grief, and now they had returned! Didn’t that make her a rumormonger!

The Old Madam looked up to meet Qin Huaiyuan’s suspicious gaze, her heart went half cold, and she couldn’t help cursing: “That wretch actually has the audacity to return so brazenly to pay respects!”

Qin Huaiyuan smiled: “Didn’t she return because she listened to your words?”