Sixth Miss’s repeated use of “wild hoof” would anger even the most even-tempered person, let alone Qin Yining, who had an unyielding character.

But Qin Yining knew that if she quarreled with Sixth Miss in front of everyone at this moment, others would certainly view her as being on the same level as Sixth Miss. She had no need to lower her own status.

Moreover, losing one’s temper should be targeted and based on reason to gain the upper hand. It wasn’t a matter of whoever was loudest winning, otherwise it wouldn’t have a deterrent effect and would just become shrewish squabbling. Over time, no one would fear her anymore.

Furthermore, she had just shown her authority last night. Going too far would be counterproductive—if she continued making a scene, she would truly become a “savage,” only knowing how to use force without using her brain. Not only would people look down on her, but she wouldn’t earn the Old Madam’s and the madams’ appreciation. How could she establish herself in this inner courtyard in the future?

However, who said that fighting back when provoked was the only way to gain the upper hand?

Qin Yining didn’t understand the twisted ways between these women, but she believed in the principle of “overwhelming force conquers all skill.” She didn’t believe a thirteen-year-old girl like Qin Shuangning could be fiercer than a wild wolf!

Qin Yining narrowed her bright almond eyes, her sharp gaze like poisoned arrows, treating Sixth Miss like a confronting wild beast. Her eyes were so cold it seemed she would immediately pounce and devour her alive!

Sixth Miss, raised in the inner chambers, couldn’t withstand such fierceness. Her hair immediately stood on end, her spine turned cold, and cold sweat trickled down her temples. Her recent clamoring was involuntarily swallowed back into her throat—she couldn’t curse out another “wild hoof.”

The sisters’ confrontation lasted only a breath, but who would have thought that Sixth Miss, who had been loudly arguing and giving everyone headaches, would be silenced by just one look from Qin Yining?

First Young Madam Yao Shi and Second Young Madam Meng Shi couldn’t help but marvel, curiously stealing glances at the two.

Third Madam smiled and lowered her eyes, picking up her tea bowl for a sip.

Second Madam, however, snorted coldly and said with a stern face: “Shuang Jie’er! How did you learn proper conduct?! The elders haven’t spoken yet—where do you get off jumping around like that? Old Madam will naturally judge what’s right and wrong. Stand aside!”

Sixth Miss wasn’t raised under her legitimate mother’s name. Though she shared the same tutor with Seventh Miss for academics, her etiquette had always been personally taught by Concubine Lin. Now being publicly scolded by her legitimate mother for lacking proper conduct—wasn’t this slapping both mother and daughter’s faces?

She felt her face burning with humiliation and was quite indignant. Looking at Qin Huining’s red and swollen face, she felt they were sisters sharing the same fate, both having suffered greatly because of Qin Yining. Her heart was truly filled with hatred.

Qin Yining, along with Third Miss, Seventh Miss, and Eighth Miss, approached and performed grand salutes to the Old Madam, greeting her.

The Old Madam had remained silent all along, like a Maitreya Buddha. Only now did she lift her eyelids, first glancing at Sixth Miss, then calmly waving her hand to indicate everyone should rise.

Qin Yining then stood aside with Third Miss and the others.

The atmosphere in the room was somewhat stagnant.

After all, such a major incident had occurred in the first branch last night. First came news that the Great Madam had quarreled with the Prime Minister and returned to her natal family. While everyone was speculating about what they had fought over, news then spread that Qin Huining had actually been severely beaten by Qin Yining.

Compared to the first piece of news, the latter was quite a shocking tale in the inner courtyard.

The Prime Minister’s mansion was a scholarly family where even the young masters wouldn’t resort to fighting when they had conflicts, let alone having a young lady hit someone.

By now, multiple versions of the story had spread throughout the mansion.

Some said Qin Yining was a savage whose wild nature had erupted; others said Qin Huining had deliberately provoked her, unwilling to accept that the legitimate daughter’s return had displaced her.

Regardless of whom these rumors favored, they undoubtedly muddied the Prime Minister’s mansion’s waters, making the servants laugh at their masters’ expense and providing outsiders with gossip material.

The Old Madam recalled what Qin Huaiyuan had urgently told her early this morning—

“This matter must be resolved quickly. His Majesty is old and most dislikes seeing such incidents in his ministers’ households, especially when court affairs are already overwhelming… Mother must ensure people know our family is harmonious. Moreover, if one cannot sweep one’s own house, how can one sweep the world? If my political enemies seize upon this matter, the consequences would be unthinkable.”

Thinking of this, the Old Madam’s face was like still water, wanting to resolve this quickly.

There were surely already rumors outside, but no matter how they spread, she couldn’t let Qin Huaiyuan’s flesh and blood bear these infamies, otherwise wouldn’t that give Qin Huaiyuan’s political enemies grounds to attack him? Poor guidance and protection would make him appear incompetent as a father, and if it extended to “when the upper beam is crooked, the lower beam is also crooked,” wouldn’t even Qin Huaiyuan’s character be questioned?

At this point, the Old Madam also somewhat blamed Qin Huining.

If Qin Huining hadn’t harbored those scheming thoughts, how could things have reached this point? Even if she wanted to protect her now, she couldn’t.

The Old Madam would rather have people say she as a grandmother couldn’t properly teach children than have them say Qin Huaiyuan’s crooked upper beam had led to his biological daughter being warped.

Moreover, the Old Madam had indeed seen through Qin Huining’s intentions, knowing she was targeting Qin Huaiyuan’s bloodline.

Thinking of this, the Old Madam cleared her throat and spoke deliberately: “You all know about yesterday’s incident.”

“Yes.” The female family members all bowed in unison.

The Old Madam spoke methodically: “Hui Jie’er, being young and ignorant, unintentionally provoked Sun Shi’s anger with her words. Yi Jie’er couldn’t stand it and taught Hui Jie’er a lesson. These two young sisters didn’t know how to be harmonious with each other and actually came to blows. I’ve already punished them to copy the Classic of Filial Piety. This matter is now closed—don’t mention it again.”

The Old Madam’s words made light of serious matters, turning Qin Yining’s one-sided beating into a mutual fight between sisters. This actually made Qin Yining appear wronged too, while Qin Huining truly became the one who had provoked the legitimate mother and been taught a lesson.

Seeing that the Old Madam, who was usually most partial, had now gone against her usual nature and was willing to speak of her darling this way, everyone had different thoughts and looked at Qin Yining with varying expressions.

Second Madam, Third Madam, First Young Madam, and Second Young Madam all responded in unison.

Sixth Miss looked at the tearful and wronged Qin Huining with complete disbelief.

Third Miss and Eighth Miss both lowered their eyelids.

Seventh Miss curiously studied the silent Qin Yining beside her.

At this moment, Qin Huining felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave, her entire body chilled through, yet her heart held a kind of “as expected” understanding.

Indeed, Qin Yining was the blood-related Qin family member. As soon as she returned, all the affection that had originally belonged to her no longer existed.

She somewhat resented the Old Madam. The grandmother who had once doted on her so much now no longer loved her, instead indiscriminately supporting her legitimate granddaughter to suppress her.

What nurturing grace, what years of affection—none could compare to bloodline.

Qin Huining was extremely angry and wronged, yet couldn’t explode due to fear. After all, she still had to live in the Prime Minister’s mansion—she couldn’t risk being sent away over a momentary fit of anger.

Her tears fell like broken pearls. With half her face red and swollen, plus crying continuously, she looked particularly pitiful.

Sixth Miss felt both anxious and heartbroken seeing this. She wanted to comfort her and was about to step forward when Second Madam glared at her.

She didn’t have the courage to directly confront her legitimate mother, so after hesitation, she still lowered her head without moving.

Seeing everyone’s reactions, the Old Madam couldn’t help but irritably rub her forehead. Having lived smoothly these years, it had been a long time since she had used her brain this much like in her youth.

Nanny Qin, understanding the Old Madam’s temperament best, timely offered a bowl of red tea at the perfect temperature.

The exquisite gold-decorated tea bowl was the Old Madam’s favorite. The tea was fragrant and strong with honey added, sweet and aromatic upon entry, warm in the stomach, diluting her previous displeasure somewhat.

Just then, they heard sharp crying and shouting from outside. Listening carefully, it was a young girl loudly calling “Please let the Old Madam judge fairly!”

Qin Yining found the voice very familiar. With her excellent memory, though the voice was hoarse from shouting, she could still tell the person outside was Yu Xiang.

Indeed, this person had kept her word and really come to complain to the Old Madam!

The Old Madam furrowed her brow, heavily setting the tea bowl on the table. “What person is that outside, making such a racket!”

Nanny Qin quickly stepped out, lifting the warm curtain to see a disheveled maid with a dirty face being pulled and tugged by two little maids at the entrance, whimpering pitifully.

Seeing Nanny Qin emerge, the maids outside all breathed a sigh of relief.

A clever little maid approached and whispered: “Yu Xiang from Xueli Courtyard barged in, saying she has something that requires the Old Madam’s judgment.”

“If you need judgment, then request it properly. Even for making a report, you must see if the Old Madam has time to listen. Making such a commotion and disturbing the Old Madam—can you bear the responsibility!” Nanny Qin’s authority in the mansion ran deep. Her words immediately intimidated Yu Xiang into silence.

However, watching Nanny Qin turn to go back inside, remembering she was after all a house-born servant with parents who were stewards in the outer courtyard who could stand up for her, Yu Xiang’s confidence mysteriously returned.

After hearing Nanny Qin’s whispered words, the Old Madam’s expression darkened.

“What does this person look like? Bring her in for me to see!”

Rui Lan and Qiu Lu, who had been waiting outside, had already heard the commotion and were anxiously pacing. Seeing Yu Xiang enter, Qiu Lu looked stunned while Rui Lan frowned tightly, sensing trouble.

Upon entering, Yu Xiang first raised an eyebrow at Rui Lan and smugly twisted her lips. Then, before Rui Lan could react, she grabbed her hand, tears falling as if a switch had been flipped, crying:

“Sister, you’re here too? After being tormented like that last night, you still have to endure pain to come today! The Old Madam is benevolent and has never mistreated servants. Come, let’s ask the Old Madam to judge fairly!” She then forcefully pulled her into the room.

Rui Lan was caught off guard and dragged into the inner room. She finally managed to shake off Yu Xiang’s hand, but seeing all the jewel-adorned masters in the room and meeting Qin Yining’s calm gaze, she nearly cried from fright.

Heaven and earth as witnesses, she truly hadn’t wanted to come complain!

Yu Xiang had already knelt and kowtowed, her dirty face streaked with two tear marks, looking as wretched as if she had just returned from exile.

“This servant Yu Xiang is a second-class maid newly assigned to Xueli Courtyard. Today I risk my life to come here, begging the Old Madam to judge fairly and give justice!” She then began kowtowing with loud “bang bang” sounds.

The Old Madam frowned, glaring at Qin Yining displeasedly and scolding: “Is this your maid?! How do you manage your servants!”