Actually, ever since Qin Yining had followed Xie Yue to Great Zhou and made up her mind to be with Pang Xiao, she had imagined many possible attitudes her father might have. Perhaps he would advise her to distance herself from Pang Xiao, or maybe he would gently remind her of the family’s importance. But she had never imagined that Qin Huaiyuan would react as he was now.
As the patriarch of a great family, shouldn’t he focus solely on the family’s interests, disregarding his children’s wishes and seeking only to maximize benefits?
Like the Old Madam’s calculating nature, building all decisions on the foundation of gaining profit for the family and herself—that was the norm.
But her father wasn’t like that. Instead, he tried to put her happiness and wishes first.
Qin Yining’s heart warmed, her eyes stinging with tears. She took several deep breaths to suppress the surging emotions before smiling at Qin Huaiyuan: “I know Father will support me, so when facing Pang Zhixi, I’m never afraid, because I know that even if my choice is wrong and I fail, I still have a home to return to.”
“Right. You just need to remember this.” Qin Huaiyuan patted Qin Yining’s shoulder with his large hand.
“You’ve been implicated by me since childhood, never enjoying a single day of the life a young lady of a great family should have. You suffered countless hardships outside, barely survived, and after returning home, you’re still burdened by family matters.
“Everything you’ve experienced isn’t what an ordinary young lady from a prominent family should go through. Since you’ve never enjoyed the happiness of being such a young lady, how could I have the nerve to bind you with the standards expected of one? That would be too unfair to you.”
As Qin Huaiyuan spoke, he slowly paced forward, with Qin Yining following at a leisurely pace. The snow crunched underfoot, leaving two sets of footprints, one large and one small.
Qin Huaiyuan continued: “Fortunately, I still have some ability, and I assume Emperor Zhou will use me to build his framework for the sake of court stability. I also have the capital to protect you. I know you’re a clever child who understands clearly what should and shouldn’t be done. I won’t nag you about it, but remember this one thing: you must learn to protect yourself well—physically, emotionally, and in terms of your life. Do you understand?”
Qin Yining nodded emphatically with deep emotion: “Father, I understand. I’ll maintain proper boundaries and won’t hurt myself. Moreover, I know that there are many important things in life, and romantic feelings aren’t everything.”
Qin Huaiyuan stopped walking and smiled at Qin Yining: “That you can think this way already sets you apart from many women your age.”
“Perhaps it’s because I’ve seen much living among common people since childhood.” Qin Yining smiled. “People most easily reveal their worst nature when facing hunger and poverty, and they’re even more likely to show their true colors when their lives are at stake. Liang City was located on the border with frequent warfare, so I’ve seen plenty of such scenes. It’s not surprising.”
Qin Huaiyuan sighed, exhaling a white mist in the cold air.
“Oh, Father.” Qin Yining smiled. “Earlier, when the Old Madam was on her way here, she lost all our family’s belongings. The family has been living quite frugally lately. I privately asked Pang Zhixi to help find a good residence. After Shopkeeper Zhong arrived, I had him buy and renovate that house under someone else’s name. It’s ready to live in now.”
“Oh?” Qin Huaiyuan smiled. “How thoughtful of you. I was still considering the housing problem when I returned. I didn’t expect you’d already taken care of it.”
“Fortunately, I had some personal savings. Later, Father can go through the formalities with the nominal owner of the house to transfer the property to your name, and our whole family can move in. It’s not good to keep staying here.”
Qin Huaiyuan raised his eyebrows and smiled: “It seems Zhaoyun Trading Company brought you quite a profit back then. We should thank your maternal grandmother’s family for that.”
Qin Yining respectfully agreed, then decided to be completely honest with her father: “Actually, Zhaoyun Trading Company’s profits weren’t that substantial. It’s just that when the capital was under siege, people were desperate to flee and sold many properties and shops at low prices.
“I figured since I couldn’t escape anyway, and if Zhaoyun Trading Company’s silver was left behind, it would probably be embezzled by officials appointed by Great Zhou, so I might as well give the money to common people to help them flee for their lives. Who knew there would be no massacre later, and I inadvertently profited from the national disaster.”
Qin Huaiyuan looked at Qin Yining with raised eyebrows and smiled: “How do you know it wasn’t good deeds receiving good rewards?”
Qin Yining smiled wryly and continued: “The income from the land I now own is approximately…”
Before she could finish, Qin Huaiyuan waved his hand, interrupting her.
“Yining, your choice to be with Pang Zhixi won’t be an easy path. How much silver you have, what business operations and connections you have behind you—you don’t need to tell me in detail. Just consider these as your personal possessions. In the future, you two might encounter countless troubles, and having money and connections will give me some peace of mind.”
Qin Yining blinked, her eyes gradually misting over. She sniffled before nodding: “Alright.”
Qin Huaiyuan smiled and tapped her nose tip, then said: “Just now I saw an unfamiliar young girl. I heard she’s your lifesaver?”
Qin Yining’s heart skipped a beat. Her father was being so good to her that hiding Lian Xiaozhou’s matter seemed inappropriate.
But Lian Xiaozhou was, after all, the Princess of Northern Ji, and her identity was too sensitive. The fewer people who knew, the safer Lian Xiaozhou would be. Perhaps it wasn’t a bad thing for her father not to know.
With this thought, Qin Yining simply repeated the same story she had told others to Qin Huaiyuan.
Qin Huaiyuan had no reason to doubt her and sighed: “I didn’t expect this child’s experiences to be so similar to yours. Being able to meet is your fate. Since she has no parents to depend on, take good care of her. This isn’t just about repaying a life-saving debt, understand?”
“Yes, Father, I understand.” Qin Yining smiled brilliantly.
Qin Huaiyuan returned her smile.
Father and daughter continued walking in circles, chatting leisurely while leaving circular patterns of footprints in the snow.
After discussing everything that had happened during their separation and talking about moving houses, they returned inside.
The next day, a palace eunuch came to deliver an imperial edict, summoning Qin Huaiyuan for an audience.
Qin Huaiyuan had just returned to the capital and received the emperor’s attention the very next day. This news quickly spread throughout the court and the public.
After the grand court session, news spread that Minister of Rites Lian Shengjie had been publicly reprimanded by the emperor for personal conduct issues exposed during the imperial evaluation, demoted three ranks from a second-rank minister to a fifth-rank deputy director.
Meanwhile, Qin Huaiyuan was personally appointed by the emperor as the new Minister of Rites, holding the second rank.
When this news broke, all the former Yan Dynasty officials felt both elated and envious.
In the Great Zhou Dynasty, except for those like Pang Xiao who were promoted to the cabinet by the emperor’s special favor due to outstanding military achievements, civil officials who wanted to enter the cabinet first had to be selected as Hanlin scholars, then toil in the court for ten or twenty years like burning oil. Only when they became second-rank ministers of the six ministries would they have a chance to enter the cabinet.
Qin Huaiyuan’s appointment as Minister of Rites was equivalent to telling everyone that he would be one of the next to enter the cabinet.
The Old Madam sat in the flower hall of their new home’s main quarters, drinking tea and listening to news from a newly bought servant girl. She smiled until her eyes became slits: “That’s my Meng Ge’er indeed.” She then said to the Second Master, “You should also discuss with your brother about what official position to choose.”
Qin Yining frowned at this. This matter wasn’t something her father could decide alone.
Just then, Ji Yun quietly approached Qin Yining and whispered a few words. Qin Yining raised her eyebrows and nodded. Ji Yun then went to the Old Madam and bowed: “Old Madam, Madam Lu from the Zhongyong Marquis Mansion has sent an invitation for Fourth Miss to attend a banquet.” She presented a gilt-edged invitation with both hands.