Qin Yining couldn’t help but be moved in her heart. She knew that Madam Ma spoke this way because she liked her, and not being a picky elder, valued the younger generation’s intentions more than their craftsmanship. But she was clear about her own needlework – while it might not be particularly exquisite, it was made quite sturdy.

“Mother, please have some tea.” Qin Yining again took a tea cup and knelt before Yao Shi to serve tea.

Yao Shi smiled as she accepted the tea bowl and took a sip, also giving Qin Yining a large red envelope and an exquisite carved wooden box.

Qin Yining smiled and bowed, “Thank you, mother.” She signaled for Bingtang to receive the items, then respectfully presented the embroidered shoes she had made for Yao Shi with both hands.

Yao Shi smiled as she accepted them, “Thank you. Please get up.”

“Yes, come sit with grandmother.” Madam Ma affectionately took Qin Yining’s hand, having her sit beside her. No matter how she looked at this granddaughter-in-law, she found her pleasing to the eye.

“Good child, we’ve been hoping and waiting like wishing upon stars and moon, finally welcoming you through the door. With you here, Dafu will have someone to take care of him. Our mansion has few masters but many servants. Your mother-in-law and I aren’t skilled at managing these matters – we’ll hand all of this over to you later.”

“I understand grandmother’s kind intentions, but I’m young and haven’t seen much of the world. I fear I might not do well and lose face for the prince’s mansion.”

Qin Yining wasn’t truly inexperienced at household management – she had served as the managing miss in the Great Yan court before. She was just afraid that seizing the mother-in-law’s authority immediately upon entering the door would provoke resentment.

Yao Shi smiled, “You’re a clever child. Household management becomes familiar with practice. If there’s anything you’re uncertain about, you can always come ask me. After I tell you a few times, you’ll understand. I’m getting older now. At this point I only hope to hold grandchildren – I can’t be bothered with other matters.”

Hearing this, Qin Yining’s face immediately turned red, stammering, “Yes. Then when I don’t understand something, I’ll come ask for mother’s guidance.”

Yao Shi nodded with a smile, “Later I’ll have Steward Zhao’s wife send you the household tokens to Jinhua Courtyard.”

After thinking briefly, Qin Yining smiled, “Mother, I have a presumptuous request – could you lend me Nanny Zhao for a while? I don’t need her constantly attending in the room. I’m young with limited experience, and there are many household matters I don’t understand. Having Nanny Zhao there would be good for guidance. Also, if messages need to be conveyed, having Nanny Zhao there would carry more weight.”

Hearing this, Yao Shi couldn’t help but look deeply at Qin Yining. Seeing her focused and sincere gaze without any reluctance, she couldn’t help but secretly admire her.

Truly a clever girl.

Rather than waiting for the mother-in-law to plant people and arrange spies in the courtyard, it was better to be proactive and do it beautifully. Moreover, Steward Zhao’s wife was a respectable person from whom she could borrow some influence to establish her footing. And requesting help this way meant Zhao’s wife would only move about during the day and wouldn’t feel comfortable staying overnight, returning home instead, not interfering with the young couple’s life. Truly killing several birds with one stone.

Yao Shi’s heart was quite complex.

On one hand, she was happy for her son to have such a wise daughter-in-law, which would be a great help to him. At least this woman knew what to do when.

On the other hand, she was somewhat worried, because having such a clever person nearby would be fine if their relationship remained good, but if conflicts arose, she might not have the advantage in a battle of wits.

Seeing Yao Shi’s silence, Pang Xiao became anxious. He had always heard that mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationships were difficult to manage. He was afraid that appearing too protective of Qin Yining in front of his mother would invite jealousy, and when he wasn’t home, Qin Yining would be the one troubled. So he could only stand there staring helplessly, constantly guessing what Yao Shi was thinking.

But Madam Ma couldn’t stand people being indecisive, immediately saying, “Dafu’s wife is speaking to you – what are you thinking about? If you’re too busy to spare Steward Zhao’s wife, then I’ll arrange for one of my capable assistants to go.”

“Mother, I think arranging for Steward Zhao’s wife to go is very good. I was just thinking that arranging only one person to help Dafu’s wife isn’t enough. Later I’ll inevitably need to gather all the household people to make proper arrangements.”

Qin Yining vaguely guessed Yao Shi’s thoughts and only smiled as she expressed thanks. Her heart wasn’t particularly disappointed.

After all, strictly speaking, she wasn’t yet familiar with Pang Xiao’s family, and a great-grandmother and mother-in-law would naturally have different feelings toward younger generations. When she first returned home, even her birth mother hadn’t been particularly good to her, but after long daily interactions, weren’t they now inseparably close?

Time reveals people’s hearts. She had no designs on Pang Xiao’s family assets, and she believed Yao Shi would like her in the future.

Seeing they had chatted enough, Pang Xiao said, “Mother, we still need to go to the palace today to express gratitude. We probably won’t be back for the noon meal.”

Now whenever Yao Shi heard the words “enter the palace,” she became nervous for Pang Xiao. Thinking of her son’s status, if Pang Xiao went on campaign in the future, the women at home would inevitably be “invited” to the palace for “temporary residence” as before. Having a clever daughter-in-law like Qin Yining was truly a good thing.

With this thought, Yao Shi’s gaze toward Qin Yining became even more gentle.

“You two quickly get ready and go. Don’t be late and anger His Majesty.”

“Yes.” Qin Yining rose and bowed to Yao Chenggu, Madam Ma, and Yao Shi before leaving with Pang Xiao.

As soon as the two left, Madam Ma’s expression dropped.

“Yuping, what was that about just now?”

“Mother, what are you talking about?” Yao Shi looked at Madam Ma helplessly.

“Yining girl just entered the door, politely served you tea, and gave you needlework she made herself. What kind of airs were you putting on? That child was the apple of her family’s eye at home – does she need to grovel here?”

“Mother, I don’t have that intention at all. I’m too busy liking her.”

“I think you do! When Yining girl spoke about asking for guidance and borrowing Steward Zhao’s wife, that shows her understanding. She was afraid you as the mother-in-law would be embarrassed to plant people in your son’s room, so she proactively requested someone. But you, putting on airs there – who doesn’t know your little schemes? Are you afraid your daughter-in-law will compete with you?”

Yao Shi, having her private thoughts exposed, felt somewhat uncomfortable, “Mother, I’m not afraid of that. I’m just worried she might not manage properly being newly arrived.”

“Enough. You’re my daughter – don’t I understand your little thoughts? You’re just afraid your daughter-in-law is too clever, that she’ll control everything in the mansion in the future, and if you don’t get along well, you’re afraid you can’t handle her.”

With one sentence, Madam Ma revealed all of Yao Shi’s scheming thoughts.

Yao Chenggu sat to the side puffing his pipe, pretending not to hear the mother-daughter conversation.

Yao Shi said, “Mother, after all, you know people’s faces but not their hearts. I don’t dislike her, nor do I want to make things difficult for her. It’s just that one must guard against others.”

“Guard against others?” Madam Ma sneered, “Your thinking is just wrong. You worked in a great household and picked up those bad habits – calculating against outsiders shows your ability, but treating even your own family this way, aren’t you tired? What’s wrong with that child? I think she’s very good. Understanding and knows when to advance and retreat. You think your little schemes are well-hidden? Even I, with my straightforward nature, can see through them. Do you think someone as clever as that girl can’t see? She just has good upbringing and doesn’t say anything.”

Yao Shi was criticized by Madam Ma until her face was red, but she still didn’t think her wariness was wrong.

She only had her son to depend on. Her son was currently infatuated – how could he maintain composure before such a great beauty? As his mother, she naturally had to watch out for her son.

Seeing Yao Shi’s silence, Madam Ma snorted coldly, “You don’t need to feel wronged. Although Yining girl suffered hardships as a child and didn’t enjoy blessings at home, the Qin family was formerly a great clan in the Great Yan court. Yining girl was deeply taught by her father – her character naturally won’t be poor.

“I heard from Dafu that Yining girl managed the inner household before marriage. If you’re really afraid of losing power, I must speak plainly – everything will belong to the children in the future. You’re clutching your fist so tightly without letting go – can you take it with you when you die?”

Madam Ma’s words made Yao Shi’s face burn with shame, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

The reasoning was sound, but emotionally, she just couldn’t control herself.

Seeing Yao Shi’s appearance, Madam Ma shook her head and pointed at her, “You Yao family people all have too many schemes. You think you’re clever, able to calculate everything under heaven, but you can’t calculate people’s hearts.”

Yao Chenggu, seeing the fire of war suddenly reaching him, said helplessly, “What did I do wrong? If you’re going to lecture your daughter, lecture her, but don’t drag me into it.”

Seeing Yao Chenggu’s appearance, Madam Ma was too lazy to waste more words with the old man.

She turned and called Nanny Mi over, “From now on, visit Jinhua Courtyard more often. Send Yining girl some nourishing soups and such, and see if anyone is giving her trouble. If there is, come back and tell me. Watch me deal with them!”

Nanny Mi was amused, “Grand Madam, those words aren’t really instructions for this servant – you’re still educating your daughter.”

Madam Ma glared at Yao Shi and snorted.

Yao Shi felt both helpless and amused, thinking she might truly be wrong. She knew her mother was straightforward, and her judgment of people was never wrong.

Perhaps she really was overthinking.

On Qin Yining’s side, she and Pang Xiao took a carriage to the palace.

“Yining, are you angry?” Pang Xiao held her hand, asking carefully.

Qin Yining was quite surprised, “Why do you ask that?”

“Just now, the way my mother acted – are you angry?”

“Of course not.” Qin Yining laughed, “Mother is very good to me. She just gave me a jade bracelet of excellent quality. I just entered the door and am not yet familiar with the elders. It will be better once we’re familiar. Don’t make wild guesses, making it seem like mother bullied me.”

Hearing this, Pang Xiao couldn’t help but secretly breathe a sigh of relief.

Regardless of who was right or wrong in past entanglements, Yao Shi had given birth to and raised him. It wasn’t easy for an unmarried woman to raise him. If his wife and mother didn’t get along well, he would feel regret. Of course, if his mother didn’t like his wife, he would equally feel regret. Fortunately, his Yining was magnanimous, and his mother wasn’t a confused person either.

As Qin Yining said, with time, familiarity might make things better.

The two chatted along the way and soon arrived at the palace gates. After changing to a palace carriage, they went directly to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

“We’ve been waiting for you this whole time and finally you’ve arrived. The Empress Dowager was just asking about you,” Li Qitian said with a beaming smile.