“Fourth, Fourth Miss, why have you come? This is truly a rare honor.” Bi Tong’s hands and feet were ice-cold at this moment, her mind feeling as if it were filled with lead, unable to think. One hand instinctively pressed against the bulging contents in her bosom, her eyes darting about evasively.

Qin Yining pretended not to notice and smiled, “I was out inspecting the family properties today and happened to pass by here. Knowing that Miss Bi Tong’s family lives in this area, I came specially to visit Aunt He. Did your young miss give you time off today, allowing you to return home for a visit?”

Bi Tong’s original family name was He, and before entering the manor, she was called He Er Ya.

“Yes, yes indeed.” Bi Tong felt her mind finally beginning to work again and smiled cleverly, “Our young miss rewarded me with some silver. Knowing that things are tight at home, I specially came back to deliver it.”

“Miss Bi Tong is truly filial.” Qin Yining smiled at Aunt He, “Aunt He is truly blessed.”

“What words are these from the young mistress! It’s all thanks to the manor being willing to promote her. Er Ya is still young and hopes that the young mistress will provide more guidance.”

Aunt He was over sixty years old with graying temples at her sides. Hearing Qin Yining’s praise, she felt honored, her wrinkled face breaking into a smile that created several new lines.

Qin Yining smiled briefly, stood up and said, “Miss Bi Tong works hard serving in the manor on ordinary days. It’s rare for her to have time off to come out. You mother and daughter must certainly have private matters to discuss. I won’t disturb you further. Manager Zhong, leave the items.”

Manager Zhong was startled, then immediately understood and took out a piece of silver from his sleeve pocket, placing it on the table with a smile, “This is a reward from the young miss, and also a kindness from the Qin family.”

The silver gleamed with white frost and appeared to be worth three or four taels. Aunt He immediately knelt down to bow, expressing endless gratitude.

Bi Tong was also stunned and kowtowed along with her.

Could it be that she was frightening herself?

Was Fourth Miss truly just passing by to take a look?

That’s right.

Having just returned to the manor, she wanted to create a virtuous reputation for herself.

Qin Yining had already helped Aunt He to her feet here, exchanged pleasantries with her for a few sentences, then called Manager Zhong to take the people and bid farewell.

Bi Tong stood dumbfounded in place, watching them leave before her anxious heart finally settled.

“Phew—! That really scared me to death.” Patting her chest, Bi Tong let out a long sigh of relief.

At this time, Aunt He had already seen the people out and returned. She picked up the silver from the table with a smile, examining it and biting it with her teeth.

“This young lady must be the legitimate daughter that Grand Secretary newly found, right? She’s truly benevolent, actually rewarding so much silver at once.”

Bi Tong poured herself a bowl of water and gulped it down. Recalling Qin Yining’s beneficent expression just now, she couldn’t help but laugh, “Mother, don’t be fooled by her surface act. Just the other day she gave me a beating. I still have bruises on my body that haven’t faded. She’s just returned home and wants to gain a reputation for virtue, that’s all.”

“Really? She didn’t seem like that to me.” Aunt He asked with concern, “How are your injuries? Are you still serving at Fourth Miss’s side?”

“I’m fine. Fourth Miss has now become an adopted daughter and is called Miss Huining. I’m still her most capable servant. Look, today I specially came home to bring things. Miss Huining rewarded me with many pieces of jewelry.”

While speaking, Bi Tong began pulling things out, taking from her bosom a string of pearls, agate rings, gold earrings and other items one by one.

“Mother, please keep these for me. Don’t let my sister-in-law see them or she’ll clamor again about giving them to my nephew. At least leave your daughter a way to live, won’t you? When you were so poor you couldn’t make ends meet and sold me all those years ago, haven’t I been supporting the family by bringing money home all these years? In the future, I’m going to come out and start my own family. Mother should at least think more about me.”

When Aunt He saw the treasures on the table, her eyes went straight and she kept exclaiming, “Heavens! My Buddha! Miss Huining is truly generous, truly…”

Before she could finish speaking, the door was pushed open with a “creak.”

Bi Tong jumped in fright, afraid her brother and sister-in-law had returned. Before she could cover up the items, when she saw clearly who had come, she froze completely.

Qin Yining stood smiling in the doorway, “Aunt He, I just ordered someone to go to the rice shop to buy you a bag of rice. Someone will deliver it shortly. I came specially to inform you.” Her eyes swept over the jewelry on the table, and Qin Yining’s expression changed.

“Bi Tong, where did you get these things?”

“These, Fourth Miss, these were rewards from our young miss to me.” Bi Tong smiled stiffly in apology.

Qin Yining quickly entered the room and picked up the small crabapple flower azure jade hairpin, sneering, “This is one piece from the azure jade hair ornament set that Third Aunt gave me.”

She picked up the string of pearls and agate ring, “These were just given to me today by Lady Cai, wife of the Hanlin Academy scholar.”

She lifted the pure gold rose flower earrings, “These were given to me today by the wife of Censor Wang.”

Finally turning around, she pointed to the water drop-shaped azure jade earrings, “These were given to me today by the wife of the Left Chief Censor.”

“Bi Tong, how do you explain this?”

Bi Tong’s head buzzed, her legs went weak and she collapsed to the ground with a thud. Recalling Qiu Lu’s appearance in the storeroom today, her heart grew cold with waves of chill, cold sweat covering her forehead and dripping down along her chin.

She had fallen into a trap! She had fallen into a trap!!

That wretch Qiu Lu had actually harmed her!

No, no, no, it wasn’t just Qiu Lu.

Bi Tong suddenly raised her head to look at Qin Yining, her heart already half frozen.

Perhaps, from much earlier, from when those gifts were delivered, Qin Yining had already set the trap, just waiting for her to fall into it!

At the time, she had been following beside Miss Huining and clearly saw Fourth Miss only unfold the gift list and glance at it!

How could she remember which items were from whom after just one glance?!

Also, how could she have calculated that Miss Huining would leave her behind to follow Qiu Lu?

She had originally thought this person was just a crude and savage brute, never expecting that she could have photographic memory and such deep scheming, able to calculate her in from the very beginning!

She had not only once wanted to physically subdue her, but had also mocked her at the ancestral hall entrance.

Right, Rui Lan had also been indirectly harmed into leaving the manor because of her…

Who would have thought that this person could place her in a deadly situation without making a sound!

Bi Tong’s vision went black and she nearly fainted!

Aunt He said in panic, “Young mistress, could, could you have seen wrong? Er Ya said these were all rewards from Miss Huining to her. Could there be some misunderstanding?”

“Audacious!” Manager Zhong’s voice boomed like a great bell, startling Aunt He until her whole body trembled.

“How could our young miss falsely accuse your daughter over such trifling items? Since the origins of those things can be stated, the gift lists and gift boxes are naturally still in the manor. If you feel our young miss has wronged your daughter, we can certainly go find the gift-givers and confront them one by one!”

Manager Zhong then said disdainfully, “Our young miss, with good intentions, visited your door, giving silver and grain, already giving you full face. Who would have thought you would repay kindness with enmity!”

Aunt He began crying and wailing, only knowing how to beg for mercy.

Qin Yining frowned and turned to leave.

Manager Zhong hurriedly collected all the jewelry and followed her out, “Miss, your things.”

Qin Yining took the jewelry, lowering her eyes, “Handle this matter as I said before, leaving the rest to you. Only one thing – don’t harm the family, and don’t take any lives.”

Manager Zhong was startled upon hearing this and quickly bowed his head in agreement, gaining a new level of understanding of Qin Yining’s ability to see through people’s hearts.

“Where does the young miss wish to go now?”

“I want to go see Rui Lan and Miss Tang.”

“Yes, this humble one will arrange for people to escort the young miss.” Manager Zhong respectfully bowed, dispatching servants and guards to escort Qin Yining back to the Stepping Cloud Inn.

Here Manager Zhong entered the room and said to Bi Tong, “Do you want to die, or do you want to live?”

Bi Tong raised her pale face, trembling lips saying, “Please show me a way to live.”

…

The Stepping Cloud Inn was not far from the marketplace – it was only a moment’s journey by carriage.

Qin Yining was escorted by Manager Zhong’s servant through the entrance, going directly to a side courtyard in the back.

Just as she stepped onto the main room’s steps, the earth-yellow fine cotton padded bamboo warm curtain was lifted, and a little Taoist nun in Taoist robes with a ruddy complexion rushed out at once.

“Miss, you’ve come!”

Looking at the little Taoist nun’s round apple face, round bright eyes and cute appearance, Qin Yining couldn’t help but pat her head, “Yes, how has Meng’er been these past few days?”

“Miss needn’t worry, I’ve been very well. Manager Zhong has taken good care of me. Oh, by the way.” Tang Meng pulled Qin Yining’s hand toward the room, “Sister Rui Lan’s injuries have been mostly healed by me. The wounds have already formed scabs.”

Entering the door to the inner room, Rui Lan in white undergarments shuffled down from the bed, moving slowly as she was about to bow to Qin Yining.

“Miss.”

“Get up quickly, be careful the wounds don’t reopen.” Qin Yining hurriedly supported her with both hands, carefully helping her lie back down. Seeing her slightly pale complexion, she sighed, “You’ve suffered. I’ve brought trouble upon you.”

“What words are these from Miss.” Rui Lan propped herself up halfway, saying urgently, “Miss, though we’ve known each other for a short time and have had misunderstandings before, I’ve long thought it through. No matter which master one serves, it’s a fate of sharing glory and disgrace together. If I had been with someone else in this incident, I would probably have been beaten to death already. That Miss could preserve my life and generously provide ginseng and cinnamon for my treatment – I understand it all in my heart. Miss is a kind person. The great kindness of saving this servant’s life cannot be repaid in this lifetime.”

Rui Lan spoke while kowtowing to Qin Yining on the bed, “In the past, this servant was ignorant and did wrong things. Though Miss doesn’t hold past grudges, this servant feels guilty in her heart. I only hope to be able to serve Miss for a long, long time in the future to repay your kindness.”

“Alright, alright, I understand everything.” Qin Yining supported her to prevent the kowtowing, “What’s past is past. Those misunderstandings between us aren’t worth taking to heart. The wrongs you’ve suffered – I will certainly seek justice for you.”

Rui Lan cried and laughed at the same time, wiping her face, “This servant knows Miss will certainly stand up for this servant.”

Qin Yining sighed and sat down, taking out the jewelry from her bosom. Except for the crabapple flower azure jade hairpin that Third Aunt had given, she handed all the rest to Tang Meng.

“These are yours.”

Tang Meng looked strangely at those things, “Miss, what do you mean by this?”

“Today my father held a banquet in the manor and I received many gifts. These were all sent by the upright civil officials. I understand in my heart that on the surface these things were given to me, but actually they were being delivered to you through my hands. There are still some medicinal materials, scholar’s supplies and fabric lengths in the manor that were also sent by the upright officials. When you enter the manor, I’ll give them all to you together. Meng’er, keep these safe so you’ll at least have some personal money and won’t be completely in the dark about everything.”