In the afternoon, the sun was blazing. The gatekeepers of the Prince’s mansion were idly gathering in groups of two or three, sitting in the shade, leisurely drinking tea and chatting.

The sound of rolling wheels and clopping hooves came from the quiet street. The few people turned to look and saw an ordinary blue-canopied carriage, paying it little attention.

In no time, the carriage stopped in front of the Prince’s mansion. A handsome scholar sitting on the cart shaft leaped down, and immediately the deep blue curtain was lifted, revealing a maid in plain white vest and deep blue jacket stepping down from the carriage.

Wasn’t this Ji Yun, the head maid beside the Princess?

The gatekeepers jolted alert and quickly rose to greet her.

“Paying respects to the Princess.”

Qin Yining stepped down from the carriage with Ji Yun’s support, brushing a strand of disheveled hair behind her ear. “You may dispense with the formalities.”

“Quickly go inside to report – the Princess has returned,” a gatekeeper whispered to the errand boy at the entrance.

The errand boy was new and hadn’t seen what the Princess looked like. He craned his neck to peek at the entrance, then responded with an “Ai!” and ran inside with quick steps.

The gatekeepers respectfully opened the side gate to invite Qin Yining inside.

The Prince’s mansion’s chief steward, having received the news, hurried out with his attendant and respectfully bowed: “Paying respects to the Princess.”

“Rise.” As Qin Yining walked toward the second gate, she asked, “How has the mansion been these past days?”

“Reporting to the Princess, everything has been well, with no abnormalities whatsoever.”

“That’s good. I must trouble you further during the time I’m not at home.”

“Not troublesome at all – this is my duty,” the chief steward replied with a smile and cupped hands.

Qin Yining nodded and didn’t ask further about inner courtyard matters.

“Would the Princess like to rest in her chambers or go to Chunhui Hall?”

“Let’s go to Chunhui Hall first.”

“Yes.”

After asking, the chief steward ordered someone to go announce her arrival. This was truly because the Old Madam’s face was too severely swollen – to avoid awkwardness when the masters met, it was better to announce first.

Qin Yining knew about Yao Shi’s situation, naturally understood, and didn’t ask more questions, even deliberately slowing her pace.

In Chunhui Hall, Ma Shi was applying medicine to Yao Shi’s face with a dark expression.

“This is what Miss Yining gave me last time, saying it’s a special medicinal ointment from the palace with miraculous effects for pain relief and reducing swelling.”

Ma Shi’s movements weren’t particularly gentle as she applied the pale green ointment to Yao Shi’s severely swollen cheek. Although she was angry at Yao Shi’s improper character, this was after all her biological daughter – after beating her, she still felt heartache.

Yao Shi only felt her injury burning with pain, making her involuntarily suck in a breath of cool air. “Oh my mother, be gentler, gentler!”

But Ma Shi deliberately added a bit more force: “This is what you get for having crooked thoughts! I see you don’t care about the relationship between you and Dafu anymore. With Dafu not at home, you’re mistreating his wife today – go ahead and keep it up! Sooner or later you’ll make Dafu lose heart toward you and then you’ll be satisfied!”

Yao Shi became anxious upon hearing this: “What did I do wrong? Which thing I did wasn’t for his sake? There are plenty of people in this world who avoid trouble when they see it – why can’t I do the same? Should I knowingly embrace that troublesome family under my arm? If Dafu blames me, I think he’s simply forgotten his mother after marrying a wife, not considering at all how I, his mother, feel!”

Ma Shi was quite angered by Yao Shi’s words. She wanted to reason with her, but seeing Yao Shi’s stubborn neck and staring eyes made Ma Shi unable to open her mouth.

After a long while, Ma Shi finally said: “I should never have let you go work for wealthy families – look what kind of bear you’ve learned to become!”

Ma Shi angrily covered the medicine box. Knowing that reasoning wouldn’t work, she simply gave a direct order: “In a while, you’ll come with me to the Qin family. The one who died was our in-law. When our son-in-law’s father-in-law was alive, he treated our Dafu well. With Dafu unable to help from afar, shouldn’t you as his mother at least be willing to pay respects?”

“But Father said…”

“Listen to your father’s nonsense!”

Yao Chenggu had just taken a puff of his pipe and, hearing this, couldn’t catch his breath properly. He choked and coughed violently, glaring hard at Ma Shi.

Ma Shi paid no attention. Just as she was about to speak again, a maid came to report: “Reporting to the Grand Madam, Old Master, and Old Madam – the Princess has returned.”

“What is she coming back for!” Yao Shi’s voice was shrill.

Ma Shi glared: “This is the Prince’s mansion, Miss Yining is the Princess – what do you think she’s coming back for? This is her home – can’t she return whenever she wants?”

Yao Shi pointed at her own face: “But how can I see people with my face like this!” As she spoke, she frantically searched for a hiding place like an ant on a hot pan.

Seeing Yao Shi’s appearance, Ma Shi’s anger flared: “Hide what? You weren’t ashamed when you did such things, but now you’re concerned about your status as mother-in-law.”

Yao Shi was so angry her teeth clenched, but she didn’t dare provoke Ma Shi’s wrath lest she receive another beating.

Ma Shi was too lazy to deal with Yao Shi’s fussing and went out with a maid to greet the visitor.

Not wanting to be laughed at, Yao Shi saw Ma Shi go out to receive the guest and quickly ducked behind the screen in the inner room.

Only Yao Chenggu remained in his original seat, leaning against the kang table smoking his pipe.

As Qin Yining walked through the courtyard gate, she saw Ma Shi with a beaming smile.

“Grandmother.”

“Ai! It’s good that you’re back, it’s good that you’re back. How is your mother’s health?”

“Thank you for your concern, Grandmother. My mother has improved. The doctor says with good care, there should be no serious problems.” As she spoke, Qin Yining curtsied.

Ma Shi supported Qin Yining’s arm as she stood up, breathing a sigh of relief: “It’s good that she’s alright. This incident was too sudden. When your mother learned the news in the south, she was already anxious. Guard Cao could ride day and night to rush to the capital, but your mother could only travel by carriage. She also traveled day and night all the way back. Being too heartbroken and exhausted from the journey, this must be why she fell ill.”

Qin Yining sighed: “I understand my mother’s suffering. Grandmother, this time has also exhausted you with the long journey.”

“What’s this compared to anything? Don’t worry – my body is quite robust.” Ma Shi took Qin Yining’s hand and entered the room.

Seeing Yao Chenggu sitting on the edge of the kang smoking, Qin Yining respectfully bowed: “Old Master, I hope you are well. How have you been during this time?”

The Old Master lowered his eyes, frowning tightly as he took several puffs of his pipe, lazily saying: “Still the same. There’s really nothing much happening in the mansion anyway – I’m just as before.”

“That’s good.” Qin Yining smiled, looking around. Not seeing Yao Shi, she already had her suspicions and smiled: “How is it I don’t see my mother-in-law?”

“Oh, she…”

“She’s not feeling well and is sleeping.”

Ma Shi was about to tell the truth when Yao Chenggu interrupted. After all, they were husband and wife of several decades. Ma Shi bit her teeth – she couldn’t beat Yao Chenggu like she would a child. She could only give Yao Chenggu a glare from an angle Qin Yining couldn’t see, then turned to Qin Yining: “Don’t worry, your mother-in-law is perfectly fine.”

Qin Yining sensed a very malicious gaze constantly fixed on her, just like the feeling of being watched by a venomous snake when she lived in the mountains.

Having a plan in mind, she didn’t say much and directly addressed the main matter, telling Ma Shi about the Qin family’s decision: “I was thinking that the capital is not a place for long stays – it’s too unsafe here. The Qin family this time is still a large family, but with this funeral, whatever the Qin family members do won’t be improper. If anyone asks, there’s an explanation available in secret. But I was thinking that the Prince’s mansion has an even closer relationship with the Prince. If someone is watching you, that would be bad. So I think if we’re leaving, the people from our Prince’s mansion must also leave.”