Qin Huining felt unprecedented fear at this moment.
She was no longer facing the Old Madam and Sun Shi, whom she could manipulate with “crying, making a scene, and threatening suicide,” but Qin Huaiyuan, who carried himself with dignity and commanded respect without anger.
Qin Huaiyuan had been immersed in court politics for many years. Even the ministers outside feared his methods, let alone a fourteen-year-old girl like Qin Huining.
Qin Huining felt that when Qin Huaiyuan’s sharp eyes swept over her, she was like being cut open by a knife. Even the twists and turns of her intestines were seen clearly, leaving lies with nowhere to hide.
She absolutely didn’t have the courage to lie in front of Qin Huaiyuan.
But if she told the truth, her position in the elders’ hearts would be completely finished.
Thinking of this, Qin Huining bit her teeth and choked out: “Father, please calm your anger. I know this matter is my fault. Originally, Yi Jie’er and I had some conflicts, and my wet nurse gave me an idea, saying this could suppress Yi Jie’er’s sharp temperament. I didn’t think much about it and left the matter for my wet nurse to arrange. I didn’t expect she would actually frame Rui Lan beside Yi Jie’er for theft.”
At this point, Qin Huining lifted her eyes to steal a glance at Qin Huaiyuan. Seeing his calm expression, still in the same standing posture as before, like an old monk in meditation, not knowing whether he had listened to her words, she became even more anxious.
“I, I originally wanted to speak up, but my wet nurse was also trying to help me vent my anger. I thought that Rui Lan would just be beaten a few times and thrown out, and that would be the end of it. I just didn’t expect things would develop to this point.”
Qin Huining began sobbing again, constantly wiping tears with her sleeve while stealing glances at Qin Huaiyuan.
Who would have thought that Qin Huaiyuan happened to look down at that moment? When their gazes met, Qin Huining was so frightened her heart pounded wildly, nearly falling to the ground.
“You didn’t expect?”
“I really didn’t expect, I was…”
“Enough, no need to say more.”
Qin Huaiyuan’s voice was flat as he turned to instruct his personal attendant Qi Tai outside: “Go tell those inside: First, drag Miss Huining’s wet nurse outside and give her forty lashes, then send her home never to be employed again. Second, replace all the maids around Miss Huining with a new batch. Have the Old Madam and Madam decide where to place those who originally served Miss Huining elsewhere, with one condition – these people are not allowed to personally serve any young miss again.”
Qin Huining stared blankly at Qin Huaiyuan, then suddenly burst into tears and tried to embrace his legs:
“Father, you can’t do this! Nanny Cai and the people around me are innocent. Besides, if you punish them all, how can your daughter hold her head up in the future? Who would dare to stay by my side? Although I’m not your birth daughter, I’ve been raised by your side for many years. Don’t you care about my life or death at all!”
Qin Huaiyuan brushed away Qin Huining with his sleeve and continued with a frown: “Third, Miss Huining’s confusion this time was due to instigation by unruly servants around her. Everyone must mind their own tongues and not gossip behind backs. Fourth, it’s inappropriate for Miss Huining to live in the Old Madam’s courtyard as it easily upsets the elderly. Move Miss Huining out of the Filial Piety Garden’s warm chamber to Snow Pear Courtyard. Go to Snow Pear Courtyard to help Fourth Miss move, clean out ‘Shuoren Study’ properly for Fourth Miss to live in, which will also make it convenient for her to frequently visit the Old Madam.”
When Qin Huining heard Qin Huaiyuan instruct that no one should gossip, she felt relieved. But upon hearing what followed, her face immediately turned bloodless as she collapsed onto the cold ground of the woodshed.
“Shuoren Study” was the small building where Qin Huaiyuan had lived alone in his youth, originally called “Pure Heart Study.”
Qin Huaiyuan was exceptionally handsome. When the old great-grandfather was still alive, one day while strolling through the garden and passing “Pure Heart Study,” he pointed at the plaque and said: “What Pure Heart Study? It’s not a monk’s temple. My great-grandson is so handsome, he should at least marry one wife and take ten beautiful concubines!” He then pulled Qin Huaiyuan over and asked: “Come, come, Meng Ge’er, recite a poem describing beautiful women for great-grandfather.”
Young Qin Huaiyuan was so embarrassed his face and neck turned red as he recited a verse from the “Book of Songs” describing the noble beauty of Lady Zhuang Jiang of Qi.
“The tall lady so stately, in embroidered robes so bright… Hands like tender shoots, skin like congealed cream, neck like tree grub, teeth like melon seeds…”
The old great-grandfather said: “This poem describes my great-grandson perfectly! From now on, this Pure Heart Study should be called Shuoren Study.”
Who could disobey the old great-grandfather’s word?
At that time, the Qin family wasn’t as wealthy as now, and the mansion wasn’t as large. After expanding once and building the back garden again, Shuoren Study was still preserved.
Later, when the old great-grandfather passed away, whenever Qin Huaiyuan missed his grandfather, he would often sit in Shuoren Study.
Qin Huining had liked the scenery there since childhood and had twice acted coquettishly asking father for it, but he never agreed.
Grandmother had comforted her then, saying Shuoren Study would be for the legitimate son to live in in the future. Since she was a girl, she couldn’t live there. Only then did Qin Huining gradually give up the idea.
Unexpectedly, now father would give Shuoren Study to Qin Yining!
Wasn’t Qin Yining also a woman? Why could Qin Yining live there when she couldn’t?!
But even with such unwillingness in her heart, Qin Huining no longer had time to be jealous.
What she immediately thought of was her own worrying situation.
Moving from Filial Piety Garden to Snow Pear Courtyard, and having all the people who once served her driven away – it was like being completely in the dark. How would she live in the future?
“Father, please show mercy. You can’t treat me like this. I still have to live in the future. If you do this, how can I have the face to go on living? You might as well give me a rope and let me hang myself!” Qin Huining again tried to embrace Qin Huaiyuan’s legs.
Qin Huaiyuan stepped back two paces, frowning and shaking his head.
A girl raised preciously and pampered by Sun Shi and the Old Madam, yet her mind was filled only with petty schemes, completely lacking any sense of the bigger picture. When encountering problems, she only knew how to cry and make scenes, completely without the bearing of a great general. This clearly showed the importance of bloodline.
After all, it was still his birth daughter who had inherited his blood.
Although Qin Huaiyuan had father-daughter affection for Qin Huining, he was ultimately dissatisfied that his birth daughter had been framed and bullied.
As for why he and the Crown Prince happened to overhear Bi Tong’s words behind the artificial mountain, Qin Huaiyuan knew without thinking that this was arranged by that little girl.
Being schemed against by his own daughter, Qin Huaiyuan felt both angry and amused.
However, teaching his daughter was necessary, but those with impure hearts needed to be disciplined first.
“Hui Jie’er.” Qin Huaiyuan’s voice was as usual, not even raising his tone, stating plainly: “As my daughter, you should be clear about what you should and shouldn’t do. You needn’t threaten me with things like hanging yourself – I am not the Old Madam.”
Qin Huining was so frightened she couldn’t even cry anymore.
Father actually knew about this matter! She had always thought father wouldn’t get involved in inner quarters affairs!
“Those who fool others will ultimately fool themselves. You say the bad things were done by people around you, making you take the blame. Fine, I believe you and will deal with those around you. If it happens again, it won’t be because of instigation by those around you, will it? If you can’t control your servants, then I’ll have to reconsider your future. Take care of yourself.”
Qin Huaiyuan calmly dropped this heavy blow and turned to leave.
Qin Huining sat there stunned for a long while, unable to recover.
Every sentence of Qin Huaiyuan’s words was like slapping her face. Although her face hadn’t been struck, it burned and swelled like purple eggplant skin.
But her unwillingness and resentment were even greater than before.
She indeed wasn’t his birth daughter, but he couldn’t treat her like this! After doting on her for so many years, suddenly telling her she wasn’t the legitimate daughter, taking away everything she possessed and giving it to Qin Yining – how innocent was she!
Although Qin Huaiyuan had instructed Qi Tai, some words still needed to be said personally to the Old Madam, so after leaving the woodshed, he went directly to the Old Madam.
The Old Madam had just been angered to the point of darkened vision and nearly unable to breathe, but had now recovered and was leaning against soft large pillows drinking ginseng soup.
Seeing Qin Huaiyuan arrive, the Old Madam couldn’t help but show a pleased smile: “Are you finished with outside matters?”
“All finished. What’s wrong with Mother? Are you feeling unwell?”
“Sigh!” The Old Madam sighed and told him about Sun Shi’s quarrel with her.
Qin Huaiyuan was silent for a moment, then said: “Mother, don’t be angry. You know Sun Shi’s temperament – I’ll talk to her later.”
Seeing Qin Huaiyuan busy with everything every day and still having to worry about such matters, the Old Madam grew even more displeased with Sun Shi. But for her son’s sake, she couldn’t continue harping on Sun Shi.
Qin Huaiyuan then told the Old Madam about his decisions.
When hearing about moving Qin Huining to Snow Pear Courtyard, the Old Madam frowned: “The people around her are no good, but punishing them would be enough. Snow Pear Courtyard is so remote – if she’s moving out from my place, just let her return to Xingning Garden. Why make her go to such a remote place?”
“Mother, if she’s in Xingning Garden, Sun Shi might cause even more trouble. Besides, Snow Pear Courtyard is remote – if Yi Jie’er can live there, why can’t Hui Jie’er?”
The Old Madam was rendered speechless by this statement and said awkwardly: “I was just angry at the time and suspected Yi Jie’er’s bloodline, so I spoke carelessly. Am I really such a bad grandmother who mistreats her granddaughters?” She added: “That Shuoren Study – you’re finally willing to give it to someone?”
Qin Huaiyuan wouldn’t dwell on his mother’s faults and smiled: “It was just sitting empty anyway. Yi Jie’er is already fourteen – at most she’ll live there a few years before marrying. If there’s a legitimate son in the future, he can move in then.”
Mentioning Qin Yining’s marriage, the Old Madam thought of how the Crown Prince had looked at Qin Yining today: “His Highness the Crown Prince – does he have feelings for Yi Jie’er…”
Qin Huaiyuan smiled mysteriously: “Mother, now that I’m the Crown Prince’s Grand Tutor, my position is naturally different from before. When my daughter marries, it probably won’t be something our family alone can decide. Let’s just wait and see what develops.”
The Old Madam understood immediately and smiled: “If the imperial family is willing to take charge, that would be our Qin family’s honor. It’s good for Yi Jie’er to go to Shuoren Study – not only is it close to me, but since it’s where you once lived and studied, she can absorb some scholarly atmosphere there.”
“Exactly my thinking.” Qin Huaiyuan smiled and nodded.
“Reporting to the Old Madam and Master – Madam and Fourth Miss have prepared black chicken soup to send over to nourish the Old Madam’s health.” Ji Xiang entered with a smile.
Then Sun Shi came in carrying a black lacquered mother-of-pearl food box, her face red and bashful. Qin Yining followed behind her with a smile, both curtsying to the Old Madam and Qin Huaiyuan.