Sun Shi was both angry and anxious. Having just recovered from her cold, her body was still weak. When Qin Yining and Qin Huaiyuan weren’t back, she could still force herself to stay strong. But now seeing Qin Yining—relying on and trusting her had become habit—just this one question made her eyes well up with heat as tears of grievance fell.
“Yining.”
Qin Yining quickly took out a handkerchief to wipe Sun Shi’s tears and asked Nanny Jin beside her, “What exactly happened?”
Seeing Qin Yining and Qin Huaiyuan return, Nanny Jin’s anxious heart finally settled. “Early this morning, Miss Huining brought personally cooked rice porridge and side dishes to serve Madam her breakfast. Madam, remembering their past mother-daughter affection, let her bring her maid inside. Who would have thought that everything was fine at first, but when Miss Huining’s maid helped Cai Ju arrange the bedding and cushions, she suddenly discovered a voodoo doll under the arhat couch. The doll was stuck with needles and had the Old Madam’s birth date and time written on it. Miss Huining then cried and took that doll to the Old Madam to make accusations.”
At this point, Nanny Jin’s eyes toward Qin Huining filled with hatred.
“This servant told Madam early on that she’s an ungrateful, turncoat white-eyed wolf! But Madam insisted on remembering years of mother-daughter affection and let her in. When Madam was about to be executed, she showed no concern. When Madam was bedridden, she didn’t serve at her bedside. Yet out of nowhere she comes bringing breakfast, and this happens! She clearly came to frame Madam deliberately!”
Qin Huining was now kneeling prostrate before Qin Huaiyuan, crying out, “Father, please see clearly—what reason would I have to harm Mother? Even if I’m not Mother’s biological child, I’m still a daughter of the main branch! Even if Mother favors Yining, I’ve never lacked food or clothing. I have no reason to harm Madam. Besides, does Father think I would be so foolish? To bring people and immediately have them plant evidence—wouldn’t that be putting the chamber pot on my own head? Father, please believe your daughter—I’m not that stupid!”
Qin Huining’s tear-filled eyes were full of grievance and innocence. Her fingers pitifully tugged at Qin Huaiyuan’s robe hem. Though sobbing, she forced herself to stay calm. Her appearance truly evoked pity and compassion.
Qin Huaiyuan frowned and pulled away the robe hem Qin Huining had grasped, quickly ascending the steps. “How is the Old Madam? Has a physician been called?”
Ji Xiang replied, “A physician was just summoned. Miss Bingtang from Fourth Miss’s side also came first to examine the Old Madam, saying that due to her advanced age, extreme anger affected her heart, but there’s no serious harm.”
Only then did Qin Huaiyuan feel relieved, quickly entering the inner room to see the Old Madam.
Qin Yining also supported Sun Shi as they entered, saying, “Mother, don’t worry. Leave everything for your daughter to handle.”
Sun Shi nodded. After the grievance came only anger.
“I’m truly stupid beyond measure. She doesn’t recognize me as her mother at all. After Concubine Cao entered the household, she immediately acknowledged her as adoptive mother. Yet I still thought that after fourteen years as mother and daughter, no matter how unfilial she was, there would still be some affection. Who knew she would harm me like this!”
Sun Shi’s words were filled with both anger and sorrow. Second Madam and Third Madam beside her were also mothers. Hearing her words, just imagining if their own children they’d raised would use voodoo to harm them made their spines go cold. Their looks toward Qin Huining also contained disdain.
Bingtang had just finished acupuncture treatment for the Old Madam, who was now slowly awakening.
Seeing Qin Yining had returned, Bingtang tidied up and stood behind her master.
The Old Madam stared at the people surrounding her couch in a daze for a while. Discovering Qin Huaiyuan had returned, she immediately cried out in grievance.
“You finally know to come back! Your wife plans to kill me! You’re busy with court affairs and can’t attend to your old mother, but now you’ve returned just in time!”
“Mother, please calm your anger.” Qin Huaiyuan took the teacup Nanny Qin handed him, supporting the Old Madam to sit up with one hand while feeding her warm water with the other, gently persuading, “It’s this son’s negligence. There have been many external matters these days—Great Zhou envoys in the capital, plus various affairs after the successful peace negotiations. This son has been so busy his feet barely touch the ground. It truly wasn’t intentional neglect in paying respects to Mother. Please understand.”
Qin Huaiyuan was the Old Madam’s most beloved son. Hearing his explanation and thinking of his difficulties at court, the Old Madam actually understood and her anger subsided somewhat.
Looking over Qin Huaiyuan’s shoulder, she saw Qin Yining supporting Sun Shi as they sat in a round chair nearby. The Old Madam suddenly flew into rage: “Meng’er, you’re filial—Mother knows this. If you’re truly my son today, then divorce this poisonous woman Sun Shi!”
Qin Huaiyuan’s brows furrowed again. “Mother, please calm yourself.”
“Calm myself? How can I calm myself? Sun Shi resents me and made a voodoo doll to curse me to death! If Huining hadn’t happened to discover it, I wouldn’t even know when I might die! Your wife is not only a hen that can’t lay eggs, but also unvirtuous, unfilial, and malicious! If you still acknowledge me as your mother, divorce her immediately! In this household, it’s either her or me!”
The Old Madam shouted until her face was red, continuously slapping the bed edge with her palm. The gold-inlaid emerald ring on her finger made loud noises against the wooden bed frame, making everyone’s hearts tighten.
Hearing the Old Madam’s heartless words, tears slid down Sun Shi’s face again. Sitting in the round chair, she felt her hands going numb and her vision darkening. She weakly leaned against Qin Yining standing beside her, sobbing uncontrollably.
She, Sun Haihan—when had she fallen to such depths, to be forced into such circumstances by a mother-in-law who once couldn’t grovel to her fast enough?
Her natal family had indeed fallen and no longer had value to the Old Madam.
But when the Qin family climbed to this marriage connection years ago, had her father’s and brothers’ help to Qin Huaiyuan simply vanished?
Even actors and prostitutes wouldn’t be as heartless and ungrateful as the Old Madam.
How fitting that Qin Huining was the Old Madam’s former favorite granddaughter. Looking now, weren’t many of Qin Huining’s mercenary, selfish traits exactly like the Old Madam’s?
She was truly a failure—couldn’t teach good daughters, couldn’t win others’ hearts either.
Seeing Sun Shi’s complexion growing worse and her fingers cramping from crying, Qin Yining quickly called for Bingtang: “Quickly examine my mother.”
Bingtang immediately grasped Sun Shi’s hand to press acupoints. “Madam has heart palpitations from extreme anger attacking her heart!”
Qin Yining’s good mood from accomplishing great things vanished completely. No matter who it was, seeing their mother bullied to this extent wouldn’t let it rest.
She knew Father would definitely find a way to persuade the Old Madam.
But the temporary peace gained through such persuasion would only make people more stifled!
Qin Yining glared at Qin Huining with gritted teeth. When everyone was unprepared, she suddenly pounced forward, throwing a punch at Qin Huining’s eye socket.
“Ah!” Qin Huining screamed in pain.
Before anyone could react, Qin Yining had already grabbed Qin Huining’s collar, pressed her to the ground, and began punching and kicking without regard for her image.
At this moment, Qin Yining had only one thought in her mind.
Kill this ungrateful dog!
What thirty-six stratagems, what hiding daggers behind smiles, what scheming—in front of these shameless people, none of it was as satisfying as directly taking her life!