The Second Master and Third Master thought about how Qin Huaiyuan had looked after and promoted them over the years. Then they considered how he had lost his life serving the court, yet the Emperor’s attitude was like this. They couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed with grief and held their heads as they wept bitterly.
After the palace people arrived, the two masters shut themselves in their room to cry, naturally alarming the servants waiting outside in the hall. However, no one dared say a word, all keeping their doubts buried in their hearts.
In the inner residence, the Old Dowager and Second Madam and others still knew nothing about the outside events. They were discussing with Second Madam and Second Young Madam Han about how to handle the wedding arrangements for Eighth Miss and Qin Huining. They had chosen a date in summer, and there were barely two months left.
They knew people had come from the palace, but seeing that Second Master and Third Master hadn’t returned after quite some time, the Old Dowager became somewhat worried and ordered someone to go to the front to investigate.
Before long, Second Master and Third Master returned with red, swollen eyes, following a maid.
Seeing the two men in such a state, the Old Dowager was stunned.
“What, what’s wrong? Don’t tell me the palace brought bad news? Is something wrong with Yi Jie’er?”
Qin Yining had been serving in the palace by imperial decree for so long. Now palace people had come and made her two sons cry until their eyes were swollen – the Old Dowager naturally wondered if something had happened to Qin Yining.
Second Madam, Second Young Madam Han, Eighth Miss, Qin Huining and others all couldn’t help but look toward Second Master and Third Master, their faces showing some anxiety.
The two brothers had already discussed this – could they possibly hide holding funeral rites from the Old Dowager? This matter would have to be known by them sooner or later.
The two men dropped to their knees with a thud.
“Mother… Please, please don’t get agitated when you hear this, don’t be too sad. My elder brother… he had an accident in the north.”
“What? What happened to Meng Ge’er?” The Old Dowager’s eyes went wide.
“Elder brother he…” Seeing the Old Dowager’s expression, Second Master really couldn’t bring himself to say it.
The Old Dowager leaned forward, nearly toppling headfirst from the soft couch. Second Madam and Nanny Qin quickly supported her on both sides.
Third Master saw that Second Master couldn’t speak, so he had to open his mouth with difficulty: “Eunuch Xiong from the Emperor’s side came to say that elder brother was ordered to reward the army. He had reached very close to the military camp outside Tianyu Pass, but encountered bandits. All the grain, gold, silver and other supplies for rewarding the army were robbed, and elder brother… not even his bones remain.”
“What!” Second Madam exclaimed in shock.
Everyone was so frightened they froze, momentarily forgetting even to cry.
The Old Dowager stared straight ahead, and only after a long while did a hoarse voice emerge from her throat: “Are you saying that Meng Ge’er… is dead?”
“Mother, please take care of your health.”
“You’re not lying to me?”
“Mother, please don’t be sad, elder brother really…”
“Ahhhh!!!” Before Second Master could finish speaking, the Old Dowager suddenly let out a wailing cry. “My son, my son! My Meng Ge’er! How do you expect your mother to go on, how do you expect your mother to go on! Heaven has no eyes!”
The Old Dowager screamed hoarsely at the top of her lungs, her eyes bloodshot, yet no tears could flow. She stared with eyes that seemed ready to pop from their sockets, and that infinite heartbreak and rage made everyone present weep.
The Old Dowager’s cries reached the corridor below, and all the maids now knew what had happened. Remembering Qin Huaiyuan’s kindness, they too couldn’t help but cry.
The Old Dowager beat her chest and screamed wildly. No one could understand what she was actually shouting, but that kind of grief of a mother losing her child made everyone feel the same pain.
“Meng Ge’er!” After one final wailing cry, the Old Dowager’s eyes rolled back and she lost consciousness.
“Old Dowager!”
“Mother!”
The whole room fell into chaos – some pressed acupoints, others frantically searched for a physician. The entire side courtyard of the prince’s mansion was thrown into disorder.
The news quickly reached the ears of Yao Chenggu and Yao Shi.
“How could this happen? Everything was fine – how could a person just disappear like that?” Yao Shi asked the maid in amazement. “Did you hear clearly? You’re not deceiving me?”
“This servant truly heard it. They said he reached outside Tianyu Pass and was killed by bandits. All the supplies for rewarding the army were robbed, and Master Qin didn’t even leave a complete corpse behind. Right now the Old Dowager of the Qin family has already fainted, and the side courtyard is in complete chaos.”
Yao Shi waved her hand, dismissing the maid, and asked Yao Chenggu, who was puffing on his pipe: “Father, what should we do now? Does this count as our in-law dying in the line of duty? Should we go take a look?”
Yao Chenggu hesitated: “Didn’t you hear? He failed in his duties – all the supplies were lost, and he lost his own life too.”
“Then let’s not go, to avoid getting into trouble.”
“That won’t do. We still need to go.” Yao Chenggu tapped his pipe on the edge of the kang. “Think about it – we’re living under the same roof after all. Even if we don’t go, outsiders will still see us as one family. Besides, we are in-laws in the end. If we don’t go, it would inevitably give people something to talk about.”
“But…” Yao Shi bit her lip and said: “You know, the prince’s mansion was lent to the Qin family for temporary residence, but this is still a prince’s mansion after all. It doesn’t matter that our in-law died, but if they set up a mourning hall in our home, how inauspicious that would be. The Qin woman isn’t home either – if she were, we could discuss with her to have the mourning hall set up outside, to avoid bringing bad luck to our home.”
“Enough. They just had an accident, and if we say such things, won’t people point fingers at our backs?” Yao Chenggu stood up, shaking the ash from his robe, and instructed Yao Shi: “Go change your clothes, dress plainly, and we’ll go together.”
“Yes.”
Yao Shi agreed and quickly went outside to change into a sapphire blue jacket, also removing her jewelry and replacing it with silver ornaments. Then she went with Yao Chenggu to the side courtyard where the Qin family lived.
Second Master and Third Master, along with Qin Han and Qin Yu, were busy in the front, discussing setting up the mourning pavilion. Seeing the two arrive, there was a round of polite exchanges.
Yao Chenggu offered a few words of comfort and inadvertently exchanged glances with Yao Shi.
Yao Shi immediately understood the meaning. She dabbed at the corners of her eyes with her handkerchief and said: “With such a thing happening, Dafu has no way to return from the south – we can’t have him abandon his post. But Yi Jie’er should be brought out of the palace first. Such a major matter, and our in-law only has this one daughter – we can’t have his own daughter not by his side at the end.”
Second Master and Third Master both nodded in agreement.
Their family had supported each other through difficulties to reach today. Although their mother was partial and their elder brother’s achievements were higher than theirs, in the brothers’ hearts, their gratitude and affection for their elder brother was not one bit less. To be fair, Qin Huaiyuan as an elder brother had been good to them.
Third Master wiped his tears with his sleeve: “In-law mother speaks truly. We brothers will discuss and arrange it.”
Both Yao Shi and Yao Chenggu nodded.
Yao Shi then went first to the inner residence to check on the Old Dowager’s condition.
Yao Chenggu also stepped aside to leave space for Second Master and Third Master to talk.
Third Master said: “In-law mother is right – taking this opportunity to get Yi Jie’er out of the palace is the proper thing. After such a long time, we don’t know what the palace really intends. Moreover, with the current complex situation at court, Yi Jie’er might know more inside information from the Prince than we do. Having Yi Jie’er at home would also be good for discussion, so we won’t panic.”
Second Master also nodded.
In the past, whenever the Qin family had any matters, they would all discuss and overcome difficulties together. Although he was the uncle, he had to admit that Qin Yining’s political insight far exceeded his own. With Qin Yining at home, their family would at least not touch the wrong nerves above.
After the two men decided, Second Master found a way to submit a request to the palace.
The next day, Qin Yining received a visit from the Empress.
“Sister Qin, please accept my condolences and take care of yourself.” The Empress’s eyes were full of sympathy. “The Emperor said that with such a major incident in your family, it wouldn’t be appropriate to keep you continuing to accompany Noble Consort Shun. You may leave the palace at any time.”
Qin Yining hadn’t slept all night. The area under her eyes was clearly dark with obvious fatigue. She smiled wearily at the Empress: “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“Your voice… what happened to your throat?”
Qin Yining’s speaking voice was extremely hoarse, almost unable to make sound.
Qin Yining smiled and shook her head.
The Empress sighed with pity: “You’ve suffered. Hurry and pack up. If you need anything, just tell me.”
The corner of her lips twitched stiffly. Qin Yining forced out a smile with difficulty: “This subject’s wife understands Your Majesty’s kind intentions. Thank you for your care these past days. If not for you, I don’t know what would have happened to my two maids.”
The Empress smiled: “To speak frankly, I also did it to investigate the truth, not entirely for you.”
“That Your Majesty can handle matters fairly is already this subject’s wife’s good fortune.”
This statement carried the implication of criticizing Li Qitian for handling matters unfairly. But what Qin Yining said was the absolute truth. When facing Qin Yining, the Empress even felt as if her own husband had done such sordid things that her face burned with shame for him.
However, such thoughts could only remain in her heart. Qin Yining trusted her to say such things.
After bidding farewell to the Empress, Qin Yining immediately had Ji Yun and Bingtang take the bundles they had packed long ago, called for a palace servant to guide them, and left the palace.
Having lived in the palace for over two months, from early spring to near midsummer, she had experienced so much. All the suffering she herself had endured was nothing – what she couldn’t accept most was that Qin Huaiyuan had died.
Just thinking about these things made Qin Yining’s tears constantly flow uncontrollably. Yet in the palace she couldn’t cry freely, lest she bring bad luck to the noble persons.
Finally out of the palace, the family carriage had been waiting for a long time.
The one who came to fetch her was a familiar young servant, wearing plain gray clothes with a white mourning band around his waist. Upon seeing Qin Yining, he bowed: “Princess Consort, this humble one has come to take you home.”
The white mourning band on the servant’s waist was too glaring. Qin Yining closed her eyes, and tears flowed uncontrollably from her dry, red, swollen eyes again.
The three got in the carriage, and the servant drove the horses at full speed. All the way back to the mansion gates, Qin Yining lifted the carriage curtain to look and was hurt by the overwhelming white that met her eyes.
Getting out of the carriage, she ran headlong into the mansion without regard for anything else. Along the path, white banners hung everywhere, and every servant she encountered wore sackcloth and mourning bands.
The main hall was in chaos. The mourning hall hadn’t been set up yet. Qin Huaiyuan was in his prime – unlike the Old Dowager who had long ago considered preparing a coffin. The incident was sudden, and the family was completely unprepared. Moreover, since not even Qin Huaiyuan’s bones remained, even if they prepared a coffin, it could only contain his everyday clothes.