Qin Yining’s imposing manner frightened Qin Huining, who shook her head with a pale face.

“You wouldn’t dare! What right do you have to speak like this? What are you in this household anyway? Above us is the Old Dowager, and there are Father and Mother. What right do you have to punish me! Grandmother! She wants to kill me! Please save me!”

Qin Huining tried to get up and run inside for help.

But Qin Yining grabbed her by the collar and with what seemed like effortless ease, tossed her aside with one hand. Qin Huining staggered back several steps and fell in the middle of the courtyard.

“Try shouting again!”

This fierce warning scared Qin Huining into stunned silence. She no longer dared to make a commotion, only covering her face and crying pitifully.

The surrounding servants were all frightened, not daring to breathe loudly. In the courtyard, only Qin Yining’s gentle voice could be heard, completely opposite to her tone moments before, calling to Sun Shi: “Mother, don’t be afraid. The doctor will be here soon.”

Nanny Qin glanced at Qin Huining and quietly entered the room.

“Old Dowager, about what’s happening outside?”

The Old Dowager shook her head and sighed: “I’m truly disappointed in Hui Jie’er. Now that I’ve calmed down and thought about what just happened, wasn’t it precisely because she mentioned Meng Ge’er that my anger flared and I spoke without thinking? She’s done this more than once or twice.”

Nanny Qin thought to herself: You don’t care now because you didn’t personally witness Fourth Miss knocking out someone’s tooth.

She only dared think this silently, but still had to respond.

“It’s just that Miss Huining just had a tooth knocked out by Fourth Miss.”

“What?” The Old Dowager stood up in surprise.

She could hear the commotion outside but couldn’t see the scene.

Hui Jie’er actually lost a tooth?!

The Old Dowager immediately wanted to go out.

But Nanny Qin held the Old Dowager’s arm and said gently: “Old Dowager, you’re not feeling well today and were upset by the First Madam. You shouldn’t go out now—it would be bad if you caught cold. I see that Fourth Miss has both ideas and restraint. Her taking action is exactly what you needed to discipline Miss Huining, isn’t it?”

“But Hui Jie’er…”

“Old Dowager, the reason Miss Huining dares to sow discord back and forth is precisely because she relies on your favor and acts without restraint. She should learn a lesson and see if she’ll show more restraint. Moreover, don’t you want to see Fourth Miss’s methods for handling people and affairs? At least this servant is very curious to see if Fourth Miss will be like the Master when he was young.”

Mentioning Qin Huaiyuan hit the Old Dowager’s soft spot.

When Qin Huaiyuan was young and hot-blooded, he had used thunderous methods to deal with several old concubines. Anyone who dared touch her would face her son’s wrath first—he could torment them to death.

The Old Dowager smiled: “Yi Jie’er is very much like Meng Ge’er. Her filial piety follows her father’s.”

“Indeed.” Nanny Qin helped the Old Dowager sit down and said: “You can observe the situation first before deciding. Moreover, it’s not like you’re abandoning Miss Huining entirely. Let her learn her lesson first, then you can provide timely help—that won’t be too late.”

The Old Dowager thought this made sense and nodded with a sigh.

The girl she had personally watched grow up had become such a calculating person, even scheming against the mother who had raised her for fourteen years. The Qin family had never mistreated her, and her food, clothing, and expenses were even better than those of the household’s other young ladies, yet she still wasn’t satisfied.

She indeed needed to be taught a lesson.

While they were talking, Ji Xiang had already brought Bingtang running over.

After examining Sun Shi’s condition, Bingtang took out a simple, somewhat worn wooden box from her chest, opened it, and retrieved a thin, long silver needle. She inserted it at several points on Sun Shi’s body, with the final needle placed at the philtrum.

Sun Shi let out an “eh” sound and opened her eyes in confusion.

Everyone couldn’t help but sigh with relief: “The First Madam has awakened!”

Some who didn’t know the details secretly admired that the maid beside Qin Yining possessed such remarkable medical skills.

“Mother! You’re awake? Are you alright?” Qin Yining joyfully took her hand and carefully helped her sit up.

Sun Shi shook her head and leaned against Qin Yining’s shoulder, her voice still somewhat hoarse: “I’m fine. What happened to me?”

Bingtang smiled: “Madam has been too exhausted these days and overwhelmed with grief. Naturally, your body couldn’t handle it. Your foundation is good, so physically there’s nothing serious—it’s just emotional effects. You’ll be fine after resting quietly for a couple of days.”

Sun Shi remembered what had happened earlier and was still angry, but felt somewhat powerless and couldn’t manage to argue anymore, so she just nodded.

“Bingtang, go have someone prepare a small sedan chair.”

As soon as Qin Yining finished speaking, Ruyi brought sturdy women carrying a warm sedan chair, smiling: “Nanny Qin already instructed me to prepare it. The doctor has arrived at Xingning Garden. Please, First Madam, board the sedan chair.”

Qin Yining didn’t rely on others—she placed both hands under Sun Shi’s arms and directly lifted her up, then helped her into the sedan chair, bowing beside it while lifting the curtain:

“Mother, go back and rest. I’ll have Bingtang accompany you back. Once I handle this mess here, I’ll immediately come serve you.”

Sun Shi nodded and leaned tiredly against the sedan chair wall padded with dark green velvet.

Qin Yining patted Bingtang’s hand: “Help me watch over her.”

Bingtang smiled: “I understand, Miss. Don’t worry.”

After seeing them off, Qin Yining glanced at the main room that had shown no reaction, thought for a moment, then a cold smile appeared at the corners of her lips. She turned back and grabbed Qin Huining by the collar, physically lifting the person sitting on the ground.

Qin Huining screamed in fright: “What are you doing! Mother has already awakened! This is Grandmother’s courtyard—how dare you be so presumptuous!”

Qin Yining said nothing and grabbed her hair, dragging her outside until her hair became disheveled and hairpins scattered.

With Qin Yining’s hand pressing down on her head, Qin Huining could only bend over and follow, her hands flailing wildly but unable to reach Qin Yining. All the way, she was like prey being dragged by a hunter, screaming and struggling.

The senior maids Ji Xiang and Ruyi were stunned!

In all their years at the Qin mansion, where had they ever seen such a young lady with such strange strength!

The two hurried inside to report.

“Old Dowager, Fourth Miss is pulling Miss Huining by her hair and dragging her away!”

The Old Dowager finally couldn’t sit still.

“Let’s quickly go see—we can’t let this result in someone’s death!”

Nanny Qin was also somewhat worried. Could Fourth Miss really be so impulsive as to actually chop someone up?

She grabbed a cloak for the Old Dowager and, together with Ji Xiang and Ruyi, helped her go outside.

Curious maids and servants had already followed Qin Yining out of Cixiao Garden, trailing all the way to the back garden.

Now in winter, though the water surface wouldn’t freeze with thick ice like in the north, there were still ice chips in the pond.

Qin Yining reached the lotus pond and without a word directly threw the person in.

Only a “splash” could be heard as Qin Huining fell completely into the lotus pond full of mud, withered lotus stems, and ice chips.

The water wasn’t deep, only reaching the waist, but Qin Huining had fallen in sideways.

Stunned by fear yet driven by survival instinct, by the time the Old Dowager arrived, she only saw Qin Huining flailing in the lotus pond crying for help.

Qin Yining stood on the shore, sneering: “You won’t die. Stand up.”

After struggling for a while, Qin Huining hesitantly stood up upon hearing this, only then realizing the water only reached her waist. She immediately felt both furious and humiliated, all emotions transforming into resentment.

Her appearance—covered in mud and utterly disheveled—was witnessed by the Second Madam, Third Lady, Third Miss, Sixth Miss, Seventh Miss, and Eighth Miss, who had just arrived after hearing the news, whether from near or far.

The female relatives were all shocked speechless.

Nanny Qin frowned and ordered: “What are you all standing there for? Pull Miss Huining up!”

Seeing the Old Dowager’s arrival, Qin Huining found her backbone. After getting on shore, she squatted on the ground, hugged her shoulders, and began to whimper, acting as if she was too frightened to do anything but cry.

Qin Yining said: “I had you go down there to wash your mouth with this pond full of muddy water, and also to wash your brain and your heart!”

Qin Huining whimpered even louder.

“The Qin family has raised you for fourteen years and never mistreated you. Even though you’re no longer a legitimate daughter, the Old Dowager, Father, and Mother never considered sending you back to the foundling home. Instead of being grateful, you sow discord between Mother and the Old Dowager. Do you even deserve to be human?!”

Qin Huining shook her head: “I know you hate me, but what wrong have I done!”

“Your being switched was indeed innocent, but are the things you do human? I don’t hate you—you’re not worthy of my hatred. I’ll just eliminate you!”

Qin Huining hugged her knees and cried, trembling all over.

Qin Yining sneered: “Don’t put on that pitiful act. I’m a wild person—what I least buy is your routine. While the Old Dowager and all the sisters are here today, I’ll lay down my words: if I discover you sowing discord again in the future, using Mother, it won’t be as simple as today!”

This was simple?

Not only knocking out a tooth but also throwing her into the lotus pond to eat ice water and mud—what would the not-simple version be like!

“You dare!” Qin Huining finally raised her head, shaking like a sieve.

“Whether I dare or not—don’t you know?”

Qin Yining knelt before the Old Dowager and said sincerely: “Granddaughter’s behavior was unruly. I know I was wrong. Please punish me, Old Dowager.”

For a moment, the Old Dowager didn’t know whether she should punish her.

Her appearance was seven parts similar to Qin Huaiyuan in his youth, and that attitude of not allowing anyone to harm her mother in the slightest reminded the Old Dowager of herself and her eldest son from years past.

The Old Dowager also knew that someone like Qin Huining really needed a formidable person to control her, otherwise there was no telling what chaos she might create in the inner quarters.

Thinking of this, she frowned and said: “Though you had reason, your methods were too harsh. Throwing someone into the lotus pond on such a cold day—aren’t you afraid of making her sick?” She didn’t even mention the tooth.

“Yes, granddaughter knows she was wrong.” Qin Yining immediately understood the Old Dowager’s thoughts and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Qin Huining looked up at the Old Dowager in disbelief: “Grandmother, don’t you love me anymore! How can you treat me like this!”

The Old Dowager looked at her muddy, wretched state with both heartache and anger: “Hui Jie’er, I watched you grow up. I know what you’re thinking. You’d better conduct yourself properly.” She then ordered everyone: “All of you disperse! What are you all gathering here for!”

Having said this, she actually left with Nanny Qin, Ji Xiang, and Ruyi, with no intention of punishing Qin Yining.

The Second Madam, Third Lady, Third Miss, and others who hadn’t been clear about today’s events now understood that Qin Huining must have brought this on herself again, to the point where even the Old Dowager wouldn’t help her.

Qin Yining paid her respects to her two aunts and cousin sisters, explaining that Sun Shi had fainted today and she needed to immediately attend to her illness. The sisters all followed Qin Yining to Xingning Garden with concern.

Qin Huining was carried back to Xueli Garden in a small sedan chair by Fugui and Caiyun, who had arrived upon hearing the news, with rough servant women ordered to carry her.

After the back garden quieted down, Qin Huaiyuan and Yuchi Yan emerged from behind the artificial mountain not far behind the lotus pond with their respective attendants.

“Your Highness must find this amusing. My daughter grew up in the wilderness and behaves improperly. If there were any offenses, please forgive her, Your Highness the Crown Prince.” Qin Huaiyuan bowed.