“Outrageous! Outrageous! How dare you threaten your mother-in-law! To think there’s such a venomous harlot in this world!” Yao Shi could no longer sit still and suddenly grabbed the small bamboo basket beside her to hurl at Qin Yining. The peanuts, pine nuts, and hazelnuts inside scattered across the floor with a crash.

Yao Chenggu was displeased and said: “Why lower yourself to argue with her? You’re the mother-in-law – must you personally take action to discipline your daughter-in-law? Aren’t you afraid of losing face?”

Reminded by her father, Yao Shi repeatedly called out: “Someone! Someone come!”

The maids and women who had been listening to the commotion outside looked at each other uncertainly, then hesitantly entered. A group of them stood in the outer room with lowered heads asking: “What are the Old Madam’s orders?”

“Lock this venomous harlot in the woodshed! She doesn’t know filial piety toward her mother-in-law and speaks back rudely – I must teach her proper rules!”

Ji Yun, holding Qin Yining’s cloak and protecting her, placed one hand on the buckle of the soft sword at her waist and shouted sternly: “I’d like to see who dares!”

The group of servants’ footsteps halted.

Qin Yining looked calmly at Yao Chenggu and Yao Shi, unable to help wondering how Pang Xiao could have such a mother and grandfather.

But they were, after all, Pang Xiao’s relatives. Her speaking back was already improper – she couldn’t really do anything to them, if only for Pang Xiao’s sake.

Thinking of this, Qin Yining felt only helplessness and said: “Old Master, Old Madam, I am the marriage envoy personally appointed by His Majesty, specially returned to the capital to supervise the arrangements for Tatar Princess Tana’s entry into the capital for the marriage alliance. His Majesty will summon me tomorrow. If you wish to do something, please think thrice.”

“You!” Yao Shi was nearly breathless with anger.

One mention of the Emperor’s orders blocked her completely. If she really imprisoned Qin Yining and delayed the imperial mission, it wouldn’t be just Qin Yining who suffered – the entire Prince’s mansion would be in trouble!

“You actually dare threaten me!”

“I wouldn’t dare – I’m merely stating facts.”

“My son married such a venomous woman like you – he must have been blind! You seduced my son before marriage, luring him until he could accept no one but you. He even refused the chance to become a prince consort. Now you’re disrespectful to your mother-in-law while my son isn’t home – you’re utterly without filial piety! I’ll tell my son to divorce you, you unchaste, unclean venomous woman!”

Hearing Yao Shi’s increasingly harsh words, Qin Yining’s face flushed red with anger, but she no longer wished to argue.

Because she knew that with this kind of person, arguing would lead nowhere.

“Then write a letter to the Prince and have him divorce me. I await your good news.”

Qin Yining raised her chin proudly. She was already breathtakingly beautiful, and in anger, she became even more fierce and aggressively stunning.

Meeting her eyes, Yao Shi felt both fury and jealousy, unable to distinguish which emotion was stronger.

Qin Yining performed a perfectly proper courtesy to Yao Chenggu and Yao Shi, then turned to leave with Ji Yun.

None of the servants gathered at the door dared to step forward to block them. Each was so frightened they hunched their shoulders and lowered their heads, stepping aside to clear a path without Qin Yining needing to say a word.

Qin Yining took her cloak and put it on, then strode quickly away from the courtyard. Though it was just her and Ji Yun, master and servant, they walked with the momentum of a mighty army.

Yao Shi felt as if she’d been slapped in the face. In front of so many servants, she hadn’t gained the upper hand, losing both face and dignity. In great anger, she scolded: “Don’t you know how to follow orders! Why didn’t you act when I instructed you just now!”

“Old, Old Madam, we servants, no, we didn’t dare…”

“Didn’t dare? You don’t dare deal with one little woman? Am I not the mistress of this household? With me backing you, what is there to fear! Usually you’re all so spirited, but facing one little hussy you all shrink back – what use are you!”

Yao Shi vented all her anger on these people, frightening them all into silence. They all hunched over like quails.

Yao Chenggu knocked his brass pipe against the edge of the kang and coughed: “Enough, all of you may go.”

The servants felt as if granted amnesty, all bowing and retreating. Upon reaching the door, they turned and scattered like birds and beasts.

Yao Shi sat on the kang edge, sulking.

Yao Chenggu said: “You’re just too hot-tempered. Making such a commotion – didn’t you immediately put yourself at a disadvantage? Can’t you restrain your temper a bit? If you look down on her, just ignore her. If you suspect she didn’t bear Dafu’s children, then arrange good girls for Dafu to take as concubines. But you had to be so obvious about it, telling everyone what you intended to do. Now she’s on guard – she might go back and write to Dafu to complain about you. What will you do then?”

“She wouldn’t dare!” Yao Shi was fierce on the outside but timid within.

Now whenever she saw Qin Yining, she was reminded of how much grievance she had suffered. Dafu was distant toward her, and even her own mother would scold her upon seeing her, specifically choosing harsh words. Now Qin Yining had returned without bringing her grandsons back to kowtow to her, instead letting her maternal family take the children away. Wasn’t this completely disregarding her as the mother-in-law?

She was too caught up in the situation, and only after Yao Chenggu’s reminder did she realize the implications. For a moment, she felt her intestines turning green with regret.

Yao Chenggu shook his head and began refilling his pipe with tobacco.

The more Yao Shi thought about it, the more wrong it seemed. She couldn’t let Qin Yining take the initiative. She immediately got up and returned to her own room, taking up her brush to begin writing a letter to Pang Xiao.

Meanwhile, after leaving Spring Radiance Hall, Qin Yining’s steps gradually slowed.

Ji Yun was so angry her face was red and her neck thick. She turned back to spit viciously: “Bah! What kind of thing is that!”

Qin Yining walked slowly forward, looking down at the tips of her shoes, saying sullenly: “Don’t be like that – it wouldn’t look good if others saw.”

“The Princess Consort is too good-natured. She says such filthy words without feeling it’s improper, yet you still want to preserve her dignity?”

“She is, after all, the Prince’s mother. If she loses face, doesn’t the Prince also lose face?”

“The Princess Consort shouldn’t indulge her. Just now this servant was so angry I nearly drew my sword.”

“If you had drawn your sword in her room, she could later claim we were trying to assassinate her. From now on, except for morning and evening greetings, we’ll just avoid meeting her as much as possible. It’s nothing much.”

“She treats the Princess Consort this way, yet you still have to pay morning and evening respects?” Ji Yun exclaimed.

Qin Yining sighed and said no more.

Ji Yun held back her anger, following behind Qin Yining and thinking how formidable the Princess Consort was – she had never suffered losses even against the Tatars, yet had to endure such frustration.

“Princess Consort, you should tell the Prince about these matters when you return, lest she speak ill of you to the Prince later.”

Qin Yining shook her head and sighed: “The Prince already has enough troubles. I don’t know what kind of person the newly appointed governor is, and there are the two mountains of Yuchi Yan and Yuchi Xujie, with the Qiu family behind them – I don’t know how things are developing there.

“Just because the Prince doesn’t tell me about troublesome matters doesn’t mean he has no troubles. We can’t help much, but at least we should try not to add to his burdens.”

Speaking of this, Qin Yining solemnly instructed Ji Yun: “Don’t mention this matter when we return, and don’t let the Prince know. Do you hear me?”