Hearing this, Cai Ju responded affirmatively, but her steps weren’t quick.

“Madam.” Nanny Jin tied the collar ribbons for Sun Shi and gently advised: “As Fourth Miss said, Duke Dingguo’s wife must be in a poor mood right now. She probably doesn’t have the heart to chat and laugh with people. Why don’t you just take Fourth Miss? Duke Dingguo’s wife has always liked Fourth Miss, and Fourth Miss is good at comforting people – she’ll surely be able to console Duke Dingguo’s wife somewhat.”

Nanny Jin was being quite tactful. If Qin Huining went along, she would only add to Duke Dingguo’s wife’s troubles rather than comfort her.

Sun Shi shook her head: “It doesn’t matter to have one more person. If we all go out together without bringing Huining, she’ll be heartbroken later.” She waved her hand and instructed Cai Ju: “Hurry and go.”

Only then did Cai Ju trot off to deliver the message.

On Qin Yining’s side, Bingtang and Song Lan helped her put on the light green cloak and wear the newly made white fox scarf and sleeping rabbit ornament inlaid with a red ruby. She dressed elegantly, and the snow-white fur made her already delicate and fair cheeks look smooth as silk.

Looking at her face, Sun Shi could imagine Qin Huaiyuan’s absolutely stunning appearance in his youth.

Over the years, as Qin Huaiyuan had aged, he’d grown a beard and gained a more ethereal air, but he no longer had that captivating handsomeness of his youth. Looking at Qin Yining now was like returning to those most beautiful years of the past.

Sun Shi smiled and adjusted the sleeping rabbit ornament for Qin Yining: “Looking closely, though Yining’s features resemble your father’s, your face shape and nose are still very much like mine.”

Hearing this, Qin Yining just smiled obediently.

Nanny Jin laughed and said: “That’s natural. Fourth Miss is the daughter of you and Grand Master, so she naturally takes after both of you. In this servant’s opinion, Fourth Miss’s temperament is also very similar to yours in your youth, Madam, including the dimples when she smiles.”

Hearing this, Sun Shi nodded and gently tapped Qin Yining’s nose tip.

Qin Huining entered with Fugui following Cai Ju, just in time to see this warm scene.

Looking at them all wearing matching scarves and sleeping rabbit ornaments, intimately holding hands, Qin Huining felt like an outsider who could never truly belong to this family.

“Miss Huining has arrived.” Nanny Jin smiled and bowed. Seeing that Qin Huining only wore a light pink brocade-trimmed cotton cloak, she smiled and asked: “This servant remembers that the fox fur scarf and sleeping rabbit were sent to Miss – why isn’t Miss wearing them?”

Qin Huining coughed lightly twice before saying: “I was thinking such fine things should be saved for New Year’s. I didn’t expect Mother and Miss Yining to already be using theirs.”

Sun Shi laughed: “What’s worth saving? If you have them, wear them. Won’t there be new ones for New Year’s?”

Qin Yining smiled and walked over to Qin Huining, looking her up and down with smiling eyes, then tucked her own hand warmer into Qin Huining’s hands, saying gently: “Really, Fugui too – on such a cold day, how could she not think to bring a hand warmer when you go out? And this cloak – I remember there’s a matching hood, why isn’t that on either? If you catch a cold, Mother will worry again.”

Sun Shi frowned: “When it’s cold, why don’t you think to add more clothes yourself? Didn’t Cai Ju tell you we were going to the Duke’s manor when she came to get you? If your grandmother’s family sees you like this, it’ll look like I’m treating you poorly.”

As she spoke, she turned and instructed Nanny Jin: “Go get my hood in a similar color for Huining.”

“Yes.” Nanny Jin smiled and withdrew, giving Qin Huining a meaningful look before turning away.

Qin Huining held Qin Yining’s hand warmer. Though warmth entered her palms, her body still felt cold, with only her heart seeming to burn with flames.

Qin Yining was definitely doing this on purpose!

How had she never noticed before that Qin Yining was such a skilled instigator? With one seemingly caring remark, she made people think Qin Huining was putting on a pitiful act! Yet no one who heard it would think ill of Qin Yining!

Qin Huining stiffly forced out a smile: “Thank you, Mother.”

She had learned to be smart now, knowing that Qin Yining was someone who could do anything, and didn’t dare cause friction with her in front of Sun Shi.

Nanny Jin came to help Qin Huining put on the hood. Just then, a little maid came to report that the carriage was ready. After informing the Old Dowager, they all went to Duke Dingguo’s manor together.

Duke Dingguo’s manor was indeed as Qin Yining had imagined – shrouded in gloom and melancholy.

Though the eldest aunt and second aunt were smiling, anxiety was hard to hide in their eyes. Duke Dingguo’s wife showed no emotion on her face, but the “川” character wrinkles between her brows were more pronounced.

“How thoughtful of you to come see me.” Duke Dingguo’s wife smiled with great satisfaction.

“It was Yining who said she was worried these past few days that Grandmother was keeping all her concerns bottled up inside. I only thought of it after she mentioned it.” Sun Shi was straightforward and naturally said whatever came to mind.

Duke Dingguo’s wife smiled gracefully and beckoned to Qin Yining.

Qin Yining was just handing her cloak to Bingtang. Seeing this, she came forward to bow: “Grandmother.”

Duke Dingguo’s wife smiled as she looked her up and down: “Very good. This white fox fur perfectly suits a young lady’s complexion. How is it that I think your color looks better than before, and your skin more delicate?”

“It’s all thanks to Bingtang’s care. Recently I’ve been eating and living well – my waist has gotten a whole size bigger.” Qin Yining brought her face close to Duke Dingguo’s wife: “Look, my face has gotten rounder too.”

Duke Dingguo’s wife was delighted by her antics and burst into laughter.

The eldest aunt laughed: “It’s not as exaggerated as you say. Your face has just gained a little flesh. For a young girl, I still think you’re rather thin.”

The second aunt nodded: “Yes, Yining should eat more, sleep more, and take better care of herself. When she’s as well-nourished as Huining, that would be good.”

Everyone’s gaze turned to Qin Huining, who stood with hands at her sides.

She wore a water-green jacket with a crimson eight-panel skirt below. She didn’t seem fat, but was pleasantly plump. Standing next to her, Qin Yining appeared much more delicate.

Qin Huining stiffly maintained her smile, but inwardly cursed the second aunt for being meddlesome – why bring her into it, making it sound like she was so fat! Wasn’t this a roundabout way of reminding everyone that she had stolen Qin Yining’s good fortune for over ten years!

Qin Yining laughed: “Second Aunt is right. I’ll work hard at eating.”

This one sentence made the elders laugh again.

But Qin Huining was so angry she nearly bit her gums until they bled.

What did that mean! Was she implying that Qin Huining was a big eater?

Nanny Bao was just entering with pastries at this moment. Hearing this, she laughed: “Since Miss says so, you must have more of these mung bean cakes and osmanthus sugar cakes.”

“Right, your mother said you like osmanthus sugar cakes. Quickly eat more.” Duke Dingguo’s wife picked up a piece of pale yellow translucent pastry and fed it to Qin Yining.

Qin Yining didn’t act coy and took a big bite, making everyone laugh. Even Sun Shi, who had been frowning with worry for days, felt her mood lighten, thinking: Nanny Jin was right – Yining really does know how to comfort people.

Just as the atmosphere in the room was becoming cheerful, urgent footsteps suddenly came from outside.

“Old Madam.” The one speaking was Xiao Yao, a little maid by Duke Dingguo’s wife’s side. “The Duke and Young Master have returned. Hearing that Auntie and the young misses have come, they’ve instructed the kitchen to prepare food, saying they want to dine together shortly. Right now the Duke and Young Master have both gone to the study.”

Duke Dingguo’s wife nodded upon hearing this, then thought and asked: “How did the Duke and Young Master look?”

Xiao Yao lowered her head even more, her voice trembling slightly: “Reporting to Old Madam, this servant saw from far away at the second gate that both the Duke and Young Master seemed unhappy.” She quickly glanced up at Duke Dingguo’s wife.

Duke Dingguo’s wife knew there were some things Xiao Yao dared not say.

Not wanting to make things difficult for a little maid, she said: “Go call the senior attendant who follows Yuanming. Tell him to come immediately – I have questions for him.”

“Yes.” Xiao Yao secretly breathed a sigh of relief and hurried out.

Soon, a young man wearing a dark blue cotton jacket and a six-harmony hat entered, kneeling only in the outer room and bowing through the screen: “This humble one greets Old Madam.”

“Liu An, stand up and speak.”

“Thank you, Old Madam.” Liu An stood up but remained bowing with lowered head.

Duke Dingguo’s wife asked: “Did you hear Yuanming say anything today? Why are your Duke and Young Master unhappy?”

Liu An said: “This humble one doesn’t know the specifics, but while outside the carriage I vaguely heard the Duke and Young Master say that the Great Zhou Dynasty’s Empress Dowager has contracted a head wind disease and suffers daily headaches that prevent sleep. They say only eating human brains can cure it. This humble one also heard Young Master say that the Emperor seems to want to find divine physicians to present to Great Zhou to treat their Empress Dowager’s illness.”

Duke Dingguo’s wife nodded upon hearing this: “You may go.”

“Yes.” Liu An bowed and withdrew.

The room fell into complete silence.

After a long while, the eldest aunt squeezed out through gritted teeth: “Great Zhou truly is a barbarian tribe. If eating human brains can cure head wind, then wouldn’t a cripple eating human legs be able to walk again?”

The second aunt couldn’t suppress her worry: “I wonder how the situation is with them fighting those barbarians at Xihua City. If I’d known we’d be so worried now, we really shouldn’t have let Second Brother and Fourth Brother’s entire family go…”

Qin Yining’s eldest uncle and second uncle guarded Xihua City, and even her second and fourth male cousins had brought their families to live permanently in Xihua City.

The second male cousin was the second aunt’s legitimate eldest son, the fourth cousin was the second aunt’s concubine-born son. Both the second and fourth cousins each had a son, who were also currently in Xihua City. Counting carefully, the second branch had far more people at the front lines than the first branch. The eldest aunt only needed to worry about her husband, but the second aunt worried about her husband, then her sons, then her grandsons – she had no peace day or night.

Duke Dingguo’s wife naturally knew her younger daughter-in-law’s suffering and took her hand to pat it: “Be at ease. Our family has never done anything to harm our virtue. With our ancestors’ accumulated merit, our descendants will surely receive Heaven’s protection and turn danger into safety, transforming difficulties into blessings.”

The second aunt nodded and smiled: “Mother is right. Look at me – I worry about them, but you worry even more than I do, yet I’m making you unhappy. It’s truly this daughter-in-law’s fault.”

“A loving mother’s heart – what fault is there in that?” Duke Dingguo’s wife smiled and instructed Nanny Bao: “Tell the kitchen to prepare. The Duke and the others will return shortly. Have all the girls come too – we’ll all dine together.”

Nanny Bao smiled and agreed, then instructed little maids to run to each courtyard to call all the young ladies and young masters to Chunxi Hall.