The anger and resentment that Qin Yining had suppressed for many days finally could no longer be contained after hearing this group of people’s unrestrained slander and abuse.

“Dangerous? At the foot of the Son of Heaven, when people come knocking at our door, should I be afraid of them? Have someone go inform the Five Cities Military Commissioner’s Office and tell them that there are people here trying to rob and plunder. The rest of the brothers should stay and guard the inner residence to the death, and the remaining ones follow me outside.” Qin Yining’s eyes were unprecedentedly cold. “I’d like to see what else these people can do.”

The Second Master and Third Master had been holding back their frustration for so many days and had long been furious. For a moment, they couldn’t care about anything else and turned around to look for weapons. One grabbed a broom, and the other found a door bolt.

“Being beaten at our own door and not even daring to fight back – if big brother knew, wouldn’t he be angered to death by us?”

“Right! Beat those bastards who speak without restraint to death!”

Everyone in the Qin family was filled with rage. The servants who had usually received many favors from the Qin family also grabbed whatever weapons they could find – some found axes or fire pokers, others went to the kitchen to get kitchen knives and iron woks for stir-frying. The guards uniformly carried staff weapons at eye level, and the group stood ready in formation at the gate.

The main gate was slowly pushed open. The shouting outside remained rampant, but seeing that the Qin family actually dared to open the door, the clamoring crowd fell momentarily silent.

Qin Yining stepped forward slowly, her face as dark as water. “Creating rumors and causing trouble here – aren’t you afraid that the Shuntian Prefecture won’t agree?”

“Bah!” The leading official spat at Qin Yining. “The female relatives of a traitor’s family – not one of them is any good!”

“Exactly! After all, they’re not from around here. Coming from the south with ill intentions. Didn’t they say he was the teacher of Yan Dynasty’s fallen ruler? How do we know he didn’t have intentions of restoration? Maybe Old Qin Meng was secretly planning to help the Yan Dynasty restore their country!”

“Truly wolf-hearted and dog-lunged! Betraying His Majesty’s great kindness – he deserved to die!”

The expression on Qin Yining’s face gradually became calm.

But those familiar with her could tell that at this moment, Qin Yining was already on the edge of explosive rage. Since returning to the Qin mansion and being tempered by reality into sophistication, it had been a long time since she had looked at people with that kind of predatory, beast-like aggressive gaze. But now, looking at this group of people shouting and cursing in front of her, her eyes saw them as nothing more than trash waiting to be torn apart by fangs.

“May I ask this lord, what is your surname and given name?” Qin Yining said. “My father was a court-appointed official who died in service to the country, yet this attracts such abuse from you. Tell us who you are, so we can all know exactly who conducts themselves so beautifully – is this a family tradition?”

“Bah! This official doesn’t change his name when walking or his surname when sitting – Right Vice Censor-in-Chief Dai Lin! Since this official serves as a censorate official, I cannot sit idly by and ignore such traitorous behavior as Qin Meng’s seeking glory through betrayal. I must inform the world of his true face to not disappoint His Majesty’s grace!”

“So it’s Lord Dai – I’ve long admired your reputation.” Qin Yining sneered coldly. “I wonder if the thirteen concubines in your mansion get along harmoniously? And those two mistresses you keep outside – just the other day they went to Jade Stone Studio to compete for the same set of ruby jewelry. They didn’t run into your wife, did they? You later spent lavishly to purchase complete sets of pure gold ruby jewelry for all three – truly showing tender care for the fairer sex.”

“You! Spouting nonsense!” Dai Lin flew into a rage, his face flushing red. “When have I ever had thirteen concubines, when have I ever kept mistresses! I’m an upright official – where would I get the money to purchase three sets of gem jewelry! Don’t you dare speak nonsense and slander this official’s reputation!”

“Oh? Is that not so? But the ladies and young misses of high society circles have all heard about it – this Princess also heard it by chance. Could this not be true?”

“Women with their limited understanding, ignorant fools, believing rumors and daring to speak of them – simply absurd!” Dai Lin angrily flicked his sleeve.

“Yes, absurd!” Qin Yining’s long eyebrows turned fierce as she angrily rebuked: “You stand here speaking without restraint, slandering my father’s posthumous reputation – isn’t this believing rumors and casually defaming others? Have you become someone’s ghost, or have you learned clairvoyance and supernatural hearing? Things that even His Majesty has not yet investigated clearly, you’ve personally witnessed?

“Saying my father transported the military provisions’ silver to the Tatars? Just because your upper lip touches your lower lip, everyone should believe you!

“With such character as yours, you still have the nerve to serve as a censorate official! Are you worthy to be His Majesty’s mouthpiece? Without self-cultivation, without establishing virtue, you’re unworthy of His Majesty’s salary. A censorate official like you who believes every rumor – I’m embarrassed for you!”

Dai Lin, after being severely dressed down by Qin Yining’s stern rebuke, was left red-faced and flustered, his pointing finger trembling.

Qin Yining looked toward the common people who had stopped to watch the commotion all around. Her nose tingled, and tears began to fall.

“Fellow villagers and common people, my father held the position of Minister of Rites during his lifetime and was a minister trusted by His Majesty. His Majesty entrusted him with important responsibilities, but my father was harmed by treacherous people and lost his life loyally serving the country. Though our family grieves, we also know this was for the Great Zhou, for the people, and we are also honored. But today, someone comes with nothing but words to make false accusations!”

Her slender finger pointed at Dai Lin: “This person – he doesn’t cultivate private virtue, has improper character, and hasn’t done any less of embezzlement, corruption, forming cliques for personal gain, and giving and receiving bribes. A mere censorate official, yet his family possesses vast wealth with silver of unknown origin! A person of such character actually comes to our door at this time when my father died for the country and his bones are not yet cold, to turn black into white and bully our family of old, weak, women, and children!”

Qin Yining cried like a pear blossom in the rain, sobbing uncontrollably.

The common people had been watching the excitement for a long time. Originally hearing this group cursing Minister Qin, they felt Minister Qin had done wrong and joined in the cursing.

Now seeing the Qin family’s main gate wide open, the whole family dressed in white mourning clothes, each with gaunt faces, and especially the delicate great beauty crying like a pear blossom in rain, speaking every word and sentence with such righteousness, those who had been certain that Qin Huaiyuan’s virtue was lacking couldn’t help but feel their convictions waver.

Seeing this, Dai Lin shouted: “Silence! Don’t listen to this woman’s nonsense! She’s slandering!”

From the crowd, a woman carrying a vegetable basket spat: “Bah! What you randomly say is the truth, but when others say a bit about you it’s slander – who do you think you are!”

This comment wasn’t too loud or too soft, just right for everyone to hear.

That woman seemed to feel that rashly speaking up wasn’t quite appropriate. After saying this and spitting, she quickly left the scene of trouble.

But this comment, combined with what Qin Yining had said earlier, made everyone’s hearts begin to have doubts again.

Dai Lin was so angry his seven orifices were smoking. Originally, following the Qiu family’s instructions to handle this supposedly easy task, he had been secretly pleased. But now he discovered that this woman had publicly exposed all his schemes.

Unable to bear it any longer, Dai Lin roared: “Betraying the country themselves, and stirring up a whole family of traitors! Men, charge in and smash Qin Meng’s memorial hall!”

“Yes!” The men behind him responded and moved aggressively to break in.

“I’d like to see who dares touch my father’s memorial hall!”

Qin Yining snatched the axe from the hands of a sturdy woman beside her and swung it in a full arc toward Dai Lin!

Author’s Note: Seafood poisoning, been down for three days, simply exhilarating…