The expressions on the faces of the Yao father and daughter pair were not very pleasant, completely lacking Ma Shi’s pure joy.
Qin Yining had been kidnapped by the Tatars for so long. With her looks being what they were, and the Tatars in their impression being a fierce people, basically similar to a primitive tribe that ate raw meat and drank blood – would the men there remain unmoved seeing such a refined and beautiful girl?
If Qin Yining had returned without being pregnant, clean and pure, and later had children, they wouldn’t doubt the children’s bloodline.
What they feared was that Pang Xiao had been bewitched by beauty and would muddle-headedly raise someone else’s child without knowing it.
Yao Chenggu watched Ma Shi pulling Qin Yining’s hand as they walked ahead, her carefree back view, and felt a surge of frustration and helplessness in his heart. He thought to himself that this old woman’s heart was too big – wasn’t she afraid her grandson would be cuckolded!
In his melancholy, Yao Chenggu again pulled out his brass pipe from behind his back, taking tobacco from the small brocade pouch hanging on the pipe.
Hearing the movement, Ma Shi turned back to look, then scolded with a stern face: “You old man, Dafu’s wife is pregnant, and you’re still smoking! Put it away quickly!”
If it were before, Yao Chenggu wouldn’t want to quarrel with Ma Shi and would obediently put away his tobacco.
But right now Yao Chenggu was thinking that his grandson might be wearing a green hat without knowing it. Who knew if the timeframe he had just mentioned was accurate – perhaps that girl was carrying some barbarian’s bastard. Feeling depressed, he lowered his head and used his rough fingers to press the tobacco firmly, pretending not to hear Ma Shi’s words.
Ma Shi had actually been holding back her anger for a long time. Ever since last time when Yao Shi had said so many unconscionable things behind her back, she had gotten so angry she beat her with a shoe sole. Yet Yao Chenggu had patronizingly said they wouldn’t divorce the Qin family, but supported Dafu taking concubines. At that time she already felt this father-daughter pair’s actions were completely beyond her expectations.
Who knew that now, the news of Qin Yining’s pregnancy not only didn’t make Yao Shi and Yao Chenggu happy, but they even showed such expressions. The fire in Ma Shi’s heart grew fiercer and fiercer.
Looking at Qin Yining, Ma Shi was afraid that making a scene would upset her mood, so she could only suppress her anger and pulled Pang Xiao over: “People cannot be without conscience. How much effort did Yi girl’s parents spend raising their daughter so well, giving her to our family for nothing. Coming here to take care of you, to be filial to your elders, to help you manage household affairs, and to help you raise children.
“If people treat you well, you must treat them well, and be good to their parents too! They only have one daughter and gave her to you. When they’re old, you as the son-in-law must set a proper example! Do you understand? However you behave now, your children will learn from you in the future. If you do poorly now, when your children learn it and you’re old, they’ll treat you the same way!”
As she spoke, she found time to pinch Pang Xiao’s muscular arm.
Pang Xiao had heard such nagging from his grandmother since childhood and found it very endearing. He smiled and said: “Grandmother, I understand. This time when trouble occurred outside, I even implicated father-in-law and Sister Yi’s second uncle, causing them to lose their official positions. I was afraid that because of me, father-in-law’s family might face danger, so I took the initiative to prepare Snow Plum Courtyard and Tracing Snow Garden and invited father-in-law’s whole family to move in. It’s also convenient for us to protect them.”
Ma Shi smiled upon hearing this: “That’s very good! Did the in-law old dowager also come?”
“She came along too. The old dowager is good to Sister Yi, and Sister Yi is filial to the old dowager. Sister Yi is pregnant, and father-in-law’s whole family is delighted beyond measure. Now living close by, everyone is happy.”
Ma Shi nodded repeatedly without suspicion: “Later I’ll go talk with the old sister. I’ve long been hoping for someone to talk with. Usually the mansion is so quiet, but now it’s lively – this is what a home should look like.”
Behind them, Yao Shi and Yao Chenggu’s frowns deepened even more.
Yao Chenggu puffed hard on his pipe, thinking repeatedly: Isn’t this inviting wolves into the house? The Qin family has all been stripped of their official positions – His Majesty definitely dislikes them. Moving into the prince’s mansion like this, won’t it implicate the mansion?
What Yao Shi was thinking was: Living together, how should living expenses be calculated? Surely they don’t expect her son to support two families!
Yao Shi blurted out: “When did this happen? You child, at your age, still acting so rashly. Why didn’t you think to discuss it with us? Just inviting the in-laws over like this – aren’t you afraid of neglecting them?”
Qin Yining walked shoulder to shoulder with Pang Xiao and Ma Shi at the front. Although she didn’t turn back to observe, she was crystal clear about everyone’s confrontations in her heart.
Yao Shi suspected her of impropriety, suspected that the child in her womb wasn’t Pang Xiao’s. This already made her secretly angry, but she didn’t want to create friction with Pang Xiao’s family. After all, living under the same roof, with many days ahead together, once faces were torn, it would be difficult to meet in the future and would inevitably put Pang Xiao in a difficult position between them.
Pang Xiao already faced enemies on all sides in court – there was no reason to let him return home to chaos as well.
However, her forbearance seemed to mean nothing to Yao Shi.
Perhaps Yao Shi would even think that her silence was because she had wronged Pang Xiao and felt guilty.
Thinking of this, Qin Yining smiled and stopped, turning back to say: “Mother-in-law saying such things treats me as an outsider. Although my natal family is temporarily staying in the prince’s mansion, they’re not staying in those two courtyards for free. Our family’s original residence was rather cramped, and we were planning to find a different place anyway. It’s just that land in the capital is precious, with dense population and few residences for sale – we couldn’t find a suitable location for the time being. The courtyards in the prince’s mansion were sitting empty, so they’re also indirectly helping me out by renting Snow Plum Courtyard and Tracing Snow Garden.
“Usually, when the back alley gate is closed, they can live their own lives. Naturally eating and other matters won’t be shared. My old home near the former capital of Great Yan has many estates and old residences, including hot spring villas. It’s just too far away, and with the current tense situation, it’s inconvenient to leave the capital. Otherwise my grandmother would want to go south.”
Upon hearing Qin Yining change her address from “mother” to “mother-in-law,” everyone present understood clearly that Qin Yining was fully aware of their earlier confrontations – no one should take anyone else for a fool.
Yao Shi’s expression became even uglier as she said with a twisted smile: “Such words are too formal. Even if we lent the place to your family to stay, that would be fine – what need is there for rent?”
“I understand mother-in-law’s meaning,” Qin Yining smiled. “However, even close brothers must settle accounts clearly, let alone when we’re not close brothers? Mother-in-law needn’t worry – my parents will only provide more support to us young couple. As for the child… I know what you’re thinking. Whether it’s a son or daughter, that’s my child.”
The implication was: without you Pang family people, we Qin family can still afford to raise the child. At worst, after birth I’ll raise it myself – am I supposed to be afraid of them?
Pang Xiao had long been heartbroken, afraid that Qin Yining would anger herself into poor health. Seeing Yao Shi’s appearance, he himself felt quite angry. He put one hand around Qin Yining’s arm to help soothe her.
Qin Yining’s gaze moved away from Yao Shi’s face that alternated between pale and flushed, turning to smile at Yao Chenggu: “Old master, your smoking makes me feel choked – I’m afraid it will harm your great-grandson. Could you extinguish it and not smoke? In the future when I come to Pine Crane Hall to pay respects, please also go to the side room to smoke, otherwise it definitely won’t be good for the child.”
Yao Chenggu’s expression was as ugly as Yao Shi’s, his lips moving and his beard trembling. After a long while, he knocked his pipe against his shoe sole, forcefully stamped several times on the tobacco ash that fell to the ground, and sarcastically said: “A noble lady from a great family is indeed more precious than a country village woman.”
“Old master speaks truly.”
Qin Yining stood dignified and upright, clearly telling Yao Chenggu that she was indeed a noble lady from a great family – don’t try to use the methods for bullying country village women to bully her. Did he think she would endure it submissively?
Both Yao Shi and Yao Chenggu were quite angered, secretly cursing Qin Yining for being improper.
Seeing Qin Yining so resolute, Ma Shi had even less doubt about this pregnancy – if she truly had a guilty conscience, wouldn’t she have to act humble and submissive?
“Yi girl, don’t lower yourself to the level of those two bumpkins. And what rent – there’s absolutely no need for that. Your father and uncle sacrificed their careers for Dafu’s sake. Living together as one family, and they still want to charge you rent? Is that something humans do! Come, grandmother will escort you back and see what you’re still lacking in your room.”
Ma Shi slapped Pang Xiao’s hand away from Qin Yining’s shoulder and snorted: “Just stand there on the side. You watched your wife being wronged? In the future, if you’re a real man, stand firm for me. When someone bullies your wife, can’t you show some fire?”
Pang Xiao felt quite innocent being scolded: “Does grandmother mean for me to bully my mother and grandfather?”
Having already spoken, this made Ma Shi laugh: “Right! Whoever bullies your wife, you bully them back to death.”
As she spoke, she turned to glare fiercely at Yao Chenggu: “This old man must be an old fool. Go back and find a doctor to examine you properly – see if your brain has water in it.”
After saying this, she pulled Qin Yining’s hand toward Longing for Qing Garden.
Much of the stifling feeling in Pang Xiao’s heart dissipated as he smiled and followed behind Ma Shi: “If it were outsiders, naturally I could do anything. With my own family members, I can only ignore it.”
Yao Chenggu and Yao Shi stood in place, watching Ma Shi and Pang Xiao protect Qin Yining on both sides as they walked away. The father and daughter were both quite angry. Not wanting to go along and get more upset, they went to Pine Crane Hall first.
Returning to Pine Crane Hall, Dabai and Dahei had already been brought back by servants. Seeing the father and daughter, they bounded over, but Yao Chenggu, feeling angry, kicked Dabai away with one foot.
Dabai, being spiritually intelligent, whimpered once after being kicked – the small Pekingese carefully wagged its tail a couple times. Dahei used its mouth to nudge Dabai, and the tall and short, black and white pair simply ran away.
Yao Chenggu entered the room and began smoking again.
Yao Shi sat on the edge of the kang, pursing her lips and gripping the kang table until her well-manicured nails nearly broke.
“Father, what do you think we should do about this matter? Do you think what’s in the Qin family’s belly is really our family’s seed?”
Yao Chenggu took a puff of tobacco, then slowly exhaled a cloud of smoke, saying methodically: “From this perspective, my suspicions have lessened somewhat. If she truly had a bastard with an outsider, she wouldn’t be so assertive in front of Dafu. As his mother, don’t you know Dafu’s temperament? The way Dafu protected his wife today suggests he can confirm that child’s bloodline.”