The heart that Qin Yining had kept suspended these past days finally settled when she saw Qin Huaiyuan being led through the gate by Qi Tai. However, seeing her father’s disheveled appearance, Qin Yining paused in her steps, tears nearly falling.

Because he had been stripped of his official robes, boots, hat, and accessories by imperial decree when imprisoned, Qin Huaiyuan now wore only a dirty undergarment and silk trousers. His hair bun was askew and loose, with strands of hair hanging down in disarray. Two pieces of straw were stuck to the top of his head, and even his beard was tangled into a mess.

Her father, who had been as graceful and wise as an exiled immortal, was now in such a wretched state.

Qin Yining bit her lip tightly, using all her strength to keep from crying aloud. She just quickly ran forward and knelt down, throwing her arms around Qin Huaiyuan’s legs.

“Father!”

Qin Huaiyuan looked down and raised his hand to touch his daughter’s head, but seeing the dirt on his palms and the grime under his fingernails, then looking at Qin Yining’s neatly combed, glossy black hair, he hesitantly withdrew his hand and just smiled: “Get up quickly. Father is fine – didn’t I come back safely?”

This scene moved all the servants nearby to tears.

Qin Huining stood there in a daze, never imagining that Qin Huaiyuan would be reduced to such a state.

Qin Yining affectionately nuzzled against Qin Huaiyuan’s knee, blinking back her tears before standing up and giving Qin Huaiyuan a brilliant smile: “Father, would you like to bathe and wash first, or go see the Old Madam first?”

Qin Huaiyuan smiled: “Let me bathe first, to avoid frightening her.” Noticing Qin Huining was also there, Qin Huaiyuan said, “Hui Jie’er has returned?”

Qin Huining snapped back to her senses and hurried forward in two or three steps to perform a full kowtow.

“Father, your daughter has returned. In the past, it was because I was ignorant and did many wrong things that disappointed Father. Please be magnanimous and forgive your daughter.” Qin Huining pressed her forehead to the ground, very humble.

Qin Huaiyuan looked at Qin Huining with complex emotions for a moment before saying: “Mm. Since Yining has allowed you to return, then settle in properly. From now on, conduct yourself properly and never do such things again.”

Qin Huining’s heart skipped a beat upon hearing this.

Since returning to the marquis’s residence today, this was the first time she had such a clear understanding of Qin Yining’s position in the household.

Now Qin Yining was the one in charge of the inner quarters of this household. The Old Madam, Sun Shi, Second Madam, and Third Lady all had to follow her arrangements!

Why had she tried to please the Old Madam and Sun Shi before? Wasn’t it because they held household authority and had a say in matters?

Now it was Qin Yining who managed the household, and she had just been scheming against Qin Yining…

Qin Huining suddenly realized that she and Qin Yining could never be opponents.

Because to be opponents, one first needed to stand on equal, opposing ground.

She and Qin Yining could never be equals.

Qin Yining could easily and arrogantly step on her head, while she, if she wanted to preserve her life, could only depend on the Qin family. As long as she depended on the Qin family for even one day, she couldn’t offend Qin Yining.

This realization caused her heart to ache with pain, yet she was helpless. But she had suffered enough hardship at the manor. Those days of being harassed by war refugees – she didn’t want to live through even one more day of that.

“Father, your daughter understands. From now on, I will certainly obey the Old Madam, Father and Mother, and also follow Fourth Miss’s instructions.”

Hearing her sincere tone and the change in how she addressed Qin Yining, Qin Huaiyuan nodded: “That’s good then.”

Qin Yining had already arranged for people to spread the news throughout the inner quarters and had someone prepare fragrant bath water in the side room of the outer courtyard study.

While Qin Huaiyuan and Qi Tai went to bathe and change clothes, Qin Yining also instructed the kitchen to prepare a feast to be held later in the flower hall of Cixiao Garden. With Qin Huaiyuan safe and sound, the whole family could reunite – they must celebrate properly.

After giving these instructions, Qin Yining couldn’t sit still for even a moment. Her heart was full of joy and excitement at her father’s safe return, so she stood outside the study waiting for Qin Huaiyuan.

After a full half hour, Qin Huaiyuan finally emerged.

His hair was half-dry, loosely gathered at the top of his head and secured with a black net cap. He wore a jade-colored Hangzhou silk robe and soft cloth shoes. Though he had grown somewhat thinner, he still looked like the elegant, refined, handsome, and dignified man he had always been.

Qin Yining smiled: “Father, let’s go back together.”

“Good.” Qin Huaiyuan nodded with a smile. “Qi Tai just told me about the household affairs. You did very well.”

“Father, please don’t praise me. This was my first time managing a household – I was frantically busy and couldn’t keep track of everything. I could only maintain stability thanks to the Old Madam and Mother’s guidance from the sidelines.”

“You girl, you’ve even learned to be modest.” Qin Huaiyuan chuckled. “You’re very intelligent, have courage, and are good at understanding people’s hearts – this is excellent. What you did at home this time, and what you did outside, were both very good. Without your matter of sheltering the refugees, I’m afraid it would have taken more effort for me to return.”

Qin Yining was naturally happy to be praised by her father, but what she cared about most was that last sentence.

“Father, did His Majesty become angry?”

Qin Huaiyuan nodded: “He did become angry. After all, your residence on Changchun Mountain is adjacent to the Empress’s. How the people think about this need not be detailed – you can analyze why His Majesty was angry. But precisely because of this, public sentiment ran high, Imperial Uncle Cao couldn’t make a move against me, and His Majesty also became somewhat wary. Taking advantage of the scholarly officials pleading for me again, His Majesty relented. However, it implicated your Second Uncle, who was transferred to the Ministry of Rites as Vice Minister.”

Both were third-rank positions, but the Ministry of Revenue and Ministry of Rites were naturally different. The Emperor’s willingness to release Qin Huaiyuan early was probably also because he feared Imperial Uncle Cao might take advantage of the situation. After all, no matter how angry the Emperor was, he still retained a trace of reason, wanting to keep Qin Huaiyuan as a useful assistant to restrain Imperial Uncle Cao in the future.

In fact, that the Emperor hadn’t stripped all the Qin family members of their official positions in one fell swoop already made Qin Yining very grateful.

Most gratifying was that her approach hadn’t been wrong.

“As long as I could help Father, that’s good. What I feared most was doing something wrong and making things worse.”

“How could that be?” Qin Huaiyuan smiled. “Thanks to you and your Second and Third Uncles managing things outside. I also received all the things you had sent to me. That insect repellent medicine was indeed very good – otherwise I might have been bitten all over with welts by now.”

Qin Yining smiled: “Thanks to Manager Zhong’s thoughtfulness.”

…

Father and daughter chatted leisurely, as if they had endless things to say. Qin Huaiyuan acted as if he had never experienced this prison ordeal at all. Both their attitudes seemed normal, as if these troubles had never weighed on their hearts.

The whole family was now gathered in the Old Madam’s Cixiao Garden, even Eleventh Cousin, who rarely appeared, was there.

Upon seeing Qin Huaiyuan, the Old Madam’s tears wouldn’t stop. She held her eldest son and cried until tears and mucus covered her face.

Second Master and Third Master also gathered around Qin Huaiyuan, patting his shoulders and comforting him about the hardships he had endured.

The womenfolk smiled and wiped away tears on the side. Sun Shi was grinning while crying, her eyes red from tears.

Soon, servants reported that the feast was ready.

Qin Yining smiled and went to help the Old Madam: “Today the whole family is together. Let’s have a proper reunion meal. The Old Madam is blessed with both fortune and longevity – from now on, our whole family will be safe and sound, blessed with much fortune and long life.”

The Old Madam was delighted to hear this and repeatedly said: “Good, good!”

The whole family laughingly took their seats. Since it was a family feast and Qin Huaiyuan had narrowly escaped danger, the Old Madam ordered the screen in the middle to be removed. Though the family observed the rule of not speaking during meals, the atmosphere throughout the meal was very joyful and harmonious.

After the meal, servants cleared the table, helped everyone rinse their mouths, and served tea. Only then did Qin Huaiyuan slowly say: “With the whole family here today, I have a few words I’d like to say.”