Qin Yining looked at Qin Huaiyuan’s calm expression, from which she could only read bitterness and helpless resignation.

Just as one cannot choose the family they’re born into, neither can one choose what country they’re born in, whether that country is strong or weak, peaceful or war-torn.

A person, even with talents that could order heaven and earth, when dragged down by such a foolish emperor as Great Yan’s, is helpless. In Qin Yining’s view, this was even more tragic than a woman marrying the wrong man.

“Father, please don’t be too sad. As a minister, you’ve already made the greatest effort for the Emperor—you’ve fulfilled your loyalty. The Emperor stubbornly refuses to improve himself, so we can’t blame others for seizing his weaknesses to manipulate him. In conflicts between two nations, positions differ. Although we’re implicated by the Emperor, that too is our fate.”

With war resuming, this time the enemy’s forces were directly targeting the capital. If it were an ordinary woman, she would probably already be crying in terror, yet his daughter could so calmly see the situation clearly and even comfort him.

Qin Huaiyuan couldn’t help but ask: “Yining, aren’t you afraid?”

Qin Yining raised an eyebrow: “Afraid of what?”

“You’re a Qin family daughter. With my status, you can’t even flee. If Little Prince Pang’s forces really attack the capital, we must defend it to the death. If successful, that’s fine, but if we fail, you’ll be implicated. The Qin family men probably won’t survive, and the women will likely end up like your maternal grandmother’s family. And this time, no one will come to save our family’s women like you saved your maternal grandmother and them.”

“Father, I know all that you’re saying. But it’s too early to start worrying and being afraid now—haven’t we lost the country yet? If we really lose the country and reach that day, I still have the courage to die. If I’m not even afraid of death, what else should I fear? I’ll just let go and fight with everything I have now.”

Qin Yining’s words brought tears to the eyes of Bingtang and Ji Yun standing behind her. Qi Tai behind Qin Huaiyuan was also moved.

Qin Huaiyuan took two deep breaths before ignoring his burning eyes, then suddenly smiled: “You’re right. Everyone dies eventually—there’s nothing to fear or worry about.”

Qin Yining smiled with pursed lips, the two shallow dimples on her cheeks making her smile extremely sweet.

Qin Huaiyuan sighed: “Come, let’s go to Cixiao Garden first. Most likely there will be news from outside soon. I’m afraid I’ll be very busy in the coming time, and the family absolutely cannot be in chaos.”

“Yes. I went out riding again today, which the Old Dowager originally forbade, saying it’s too unbecoming of a great family’s young lady and damages our Qin family’s reputation. If the Old Dowager scolds me later, it would be good for Father to speak up for daughter.”

“I’ve spoken up for you plenty of times, but I’ve never seen you learn to behave.” Qin Huaiyuan laughed.

Qin Yining proudly raised an eyebrow with some little girl willfulness, yet this was also her greatest trust and dependence on Qin Huaiyuan as her father. She wouldn’t have been like this before. Living outside, she had to be careful and cautious about everything. If not for having someone who doted on and protected her, she wouldn’t feel so secure about “causing trouble.”

It was just unknown how long this protection could last in the face of war and before the strong, unreasonable imperial power.

Father and daughter returned to the inner residence together. Just reaching the hanging flower gate, they heard the “crack” sounds of beating boards from inside, along with an old woman’s screams and pleas for mercy.

Qin Huaiyuan and Qin Yining entered the hanging flower gate one after the other. The women administering punishment saw them and stopped to bow.

Qin Huaiyuan frowned: “What’s happening?”

“Replying to the Marquis, the Old Dowager ordered these people beaten fifty strokes and expelled.”

Qin Yining looked carefully and saw that those being beaten were actually Nanny Jin, Cai Ju, and Cai Lan from Sun Shi’s side.

She had only gone out for a while—how had Sun Shi’s people already been beaten!

Qin Huaiyuan naturally also saw that Sun Shi’s wet nurse and maids were being beaten. Displeased, he said: “After fifty strokes, they’ll be dead. Saying ‘expel them’ is no different from saying ‘dispose of the corpses.'”

Normally Qin Huaiyuan wouldn’t speak so directly to make the Old Dowager lose face, but now with war resuming outside and the court about to face chaos again—not just the servants, even these masters were living precariously—he increasingly couldn’t stand such harsh beatings and killings. Moreover, with such chaos outside while the inner residence remained turbulent with one crisis after another, it truly annoyed him.

Qin Huaiyuan walked toward Cixiao Garden with his hands behind his back.

With him speaking thus, the women administering punishment didn’t know whether to continue or not, just standing there dumbly.

Fortunately, Qin Yining reminded them: “Don’t you understand Father’s words? Stop beating them and call a physician to examine them first.”

Only then did the woman have direction and responded affirmatively.

Nanny Jin, Cai Ju, and Cai Lan all breathed sighs of relief. As long as Qin Yining was there, they would be saved. Lying on the ground, they repeatedly kowtowed to Qin Huaiyuan and Qin Yining: “Thank you, Marquis, thank you, Fourth Miss, for the grace of not killing us.”

Qin Yining crouched down to help Nanny Jin up: “How did this happen? I only went out for a little while—how did you get beaten?”

Nanny Jin gritted her teeth, her face a sickly green from pain, cold sweat continuously flowing down.

“It was, was the Old Dowager, saying Madam, embezzled Miss Huining’s monthly allowance from the manor. Madam didn’t do it, so naturally she denied it. The Old Dowager then discovered it was, was us people who did it. So she became angry.”

Nanny Jin’s words came out broken and intermittent, showing how severely she’d been beaten.

Qin Yining knew the Old Dowager was finding fault to target Sun Shi, not daring to touch Sun Shi herself but using the servants as scapegoats. She didn’t ask more questions and urgently urged Bingtang to come examine them.

In the courtyard, Qin Huaiyuan had already reached the corridor.

A maid called inside: “The Marquis has returned,” then respectfully lifted the door curtain.

Qin Huaiyuan entered the side room where the Old Dowager usually rested with a stern face. He saw the Old Dowager sitting cross-legged on a arhat couch, Sun Shi kneeling on the ground sobbing, Third Lady kneeling beside Sun Shi offering gentle comfort, and the Second Madam standing beside the Old Dowager with bowed head pleading. As Qin Huaiyuan entered, he only heard the last sentence: “…Those are people Big Sister-in-law brought after all. Duke Dingguo’s manor has no one left—the Old Dowager should at least leave the dowry servants for Big Sister-in-law!”

The Old Dowager slapped the table: “Duke Dingguo’s manor has no one left—does that mean our Qin family has no one either? Should we indulge those unruly slaves in mistreating my Hui Jie’er?”

Qin Huaiyuan entered without bowing, sat in a chair with armrests nearby, pushed away the teacup Nanny Qin offered, and said coldly: “If this continues, the Qin family won’t be far from having no one left either.”

The Old Dowager stared at Qin Huaiyuan in disbelief, choked by this statement.

But Qin Huaiyuan rubbed his brow wearily: “Mother, I know you work hard with the inner residence affairs being chaotic. Punishing the embezzling steward was appropriate, but how did innocent people get involved? Now war has resumed and troops will soon be at our gates. We don’t even know where our family’s future lies—why can’t Mother be understanding and cause fewer problems? When Mother acts this way, where does it leave your son?”

Upon hearing this, the Old Dowager was stunned, then trembled all over, her face pale as she said: “Meng Ge’er, what are you saying? What do you mean troops at our gates?”

The women also fell silent, looking at Qin Huaiyuan in terror.

Just then, urgent footsteps suddenly came from outside.

Qi Tai forgot to announce himself and ran quickly to the corridor, lifting the door curtain and crawling behind the screen in the outer room, his voice trembling:

“Marquis! Little Prince Pang led ten thousand Huben Army troops in a surprise attack on our capital suburbs’ Five Army Camps’ Right Sentry Camp. All provisions and supplies were seized, and the Right Sentry Camp… was completely annihilated!”

Upon hearing this, Qin Huaiyuan wearily closed his eyes.

The Old Dowager screamed: “Heavens! Then isn’t the capital…” then broke into loud sobs: “What shall we do? The Zhou people are attacking—they don’t keep their word, those bastards!”

Hearing this, the women were so frightened their bones went soft, collapsing on the ground holding their heads and crying loudly.

Qin Huaiyuan stood up and went to the outer room, ignoring the women’s crying inside: “Get up and report.”

“Yes.” Qi Tai stood up, wiping cold sweat from his forehead.

“What exactly is the situation? Where did the Huben Army go after raiding the camp? Are they heading straight for the capital?”

“Replying to the Marquis, our people discovered that after raiding the camp, the Huben Army headed straight for Xihua City. This time they came with ten thousand cavalry in a surprise attack—they seized provisions and left. Now the supply route between Xihua City and the capital has been occupied. The surprise cavalry attacked from behind Xihua City while the main Huben Army forces advanced directly to Xihua City’s south gate, creating a front and rear pincer attack. Without rear supply support, Xihua City will surely fall soon, and next will be the capital!”

Qi Tai kept his head down, both urgent and sad, tears nearly flowing.

Qin Huaiyuan sighed: “That Pang Zhixi really knows how to fight… Have refugees entered the city?”

“Yes, the Emperor already knows about these matters and knows refugees are fleeing to the capital. He’s already ordered the outer city gates opened—the streets are full of refugees now. The Emperor has arranged for the Capital Prefecture to work with the Five Cities’ Military Commissioner’s Office to set up relief points. Now…”

Before Qi Tai could finish, someone else rushed in urgently: “Marquis, Marquis!”

“What is it?” Qin Huaiyuan stood with hands behind his back, looking calmly toward the entrance.

The servant bowed: “Someone from the palace has come—the Emperor summons the Marquis to enter the palace immediately!”

“Understood.”

Qin Huaiyuan pressed his lips together and instructed Qi Tai: “Go get my court robes.”

“Yes.” Qi Tai bowed and ran to prepare court robes and ready the carriage.

Qin Huaiyuan turned back into the room, looking at the house full of women crying in fright, and said sternly: “From now on, no more incidents are permitted in this household. I’m sure everyone heard clearly what Qi Tai said. If Xihua City falls, the capital will be next. Refugees have already flooded into the capital. You must all control your people. From now on, strengthen the manor’s defenses. Even if you must go out, be extremely careful.”

Turning to the Old Dowager, he said: “Mother, you’re advanced in years and shouldn’t be troubled by these matters. From now on, all inner residence affairs will be handled by Yining.”

Qin Huaiyuan called to Qin Yining, who had been standing at the door.

“Come here.”

Qin Yining quickly approached Qin Huaiyuan: “Father.”

“Mm. Your grandmother, mother, and aunts are kindhearted and soft, easily panicked when trouble arises. I don’t know when I’ll return from this palace visit, and I fear the Emperor’s anger—then it would be more danger than safety… If I don’t return, you must watch over the inner residence for me. Discuss outside matters with your second and third uncles—don’t panic, don’t be chaotic. Do you understand?”