Looking at Qin Huining’s expression, Qin Huaiyuan didn’t need to guess closely to understand what she was thinking.
Regarding Qin Huining, even when she was the legitimate daughter, he had never felt much for her – he only thought about finding her a suitable good family in the future. Therefore, when he discovered she wasn’t his biological child, his feelings differed from Sun Shi’s.
What pained him was that his biological daughter had wandered the streets suffering so much hardship, nearly unable to survive several times. What frustrated him more was that despite priding himself on his intelligence, he had been deceived and fooled, wondering how the perpetrator must be laughing at him behind his back.
The emotions that Qin Huining thought she concealed so well might escape everyone else’s eyes, but they couldn’t escape Qin Huaiyuan’s sharp perception honed through court experience.
“Hui Jie’er.” Qin Huaiyuan spoke slowly.
Hearing this, Qin Huining looked up, her gaze suddenly colliding with Qin Huaiyuan’s, startling her into quickly lowering her head: “Father.”
“I have a few words to say. I’ll speak, you listen. How much you comprehend depends on yourself.”
“Yes, please instruct me, Father.” Qin Huining’s hands hanging at her sides clenched into fists.
Qin Huaiyuan gently set down his tea bowl and said in a mild voice, “You know your own origins. I was deceived for many years. After the truth came out, I could very well have sent you back to the charity house. Isn’t that right?”
Qin Huining’s face turned deathly pale, fear spreading to all her limbs, the blood in her hands and feet seeming to freeze.
“Father speaks truly.” Her voice was dry and trembling. She wanted to defend herself with more words but couldn’t utter a single sentence.
She hadn’t thought this deeply before, only feeling herself innocent, believing the Old Dowager, Sun Shi, her maternal grandmother and others were impossibly biased. After Qin Yining’s return, she not only took away everything Qin Huining possessed but also beat and scolded her, trampling her underfoot.
She hadn’t realized that her existence, to Qin Huaiyuan, was proof that he had once been deceived – a stain on her wise and intelligent father’s life. How had she forgotten this?! How could such a commanding figure as her father tolerate stains on his life? And keep this stain by his side to irritate him?
Now that Qin Huaiyuan spoke this way, was he planning to send her away?
The Old Dowager also grew nervous, anxiously calling out: “Meng Ge’er.”
Qin Huaiyuan gave the Old Dowager a gentle smile and waved his hand to indicate she shouldn’t panic.
“You are a girl our family raised for fourteen years. In the Old Dowager’s heart, in mine and your mother’s hearts, even knowing we share no blood relation, we still regard you as family and have never treated you as an outsider. Yet you yourself have treated yourself as an outsider first.”
The room fell silent as everyone watched Qin Huining with various expressions.
“Even after Yining returned home, your food, clothing, and expenses were all provided according to the standard of our manor’s young ladies. You were never shortchanged in any way. Think carefully – isn’t this so? I hope you can focus your thoughts on the right path. I can treat past matters as if they never happened, but going forward depends on yourself. I’ve said all I will. Now go attend to your mother’s illness.”
Qin Huining felt as if she’d fallen into an icy cave, yet her face burned bright red.
She had originally thought that Father, busy with court affairs and rarely home, surely knew little about household matters. Whatever she did, at most she needed to appease the Old Dowager.
Today’s words from Qin Huaiyuan had completely overturned all her assumptions.
Qin Huining no longer dared to equivocate, fearfully bowing before withdrawing.
Qin Huaiyuan shook his head watching her retreating figure, his slender hand once again picking up the tea bowl.
The Second Madam beside him felt even more embarrassed.
So Elder Uncle knew everything – his usual non-interference in household matters was simply because he couldn’t be bothered to manage them.
This time, Sun Shi had stormed out of the ancestral hall in anger because Sixth Miss had gone to report, then collapsed at the Garden of Compassion and Filial Piety, still lying in bed unable to rise. If Qin Huaiyuan blamed the second branch for this incident, would her husband have any future in court!
One must know, Second Master merely held an unimportant sinecure in the Ministry of Rites, drawing salary. People outside were desperately seeking ways to curry favor with the Crown Prince’s Grand Tutor with no success – there was no reason they, being family, should offend him over a thoughtless concubine’s daughter’s mistake.
The Second Madam smiled and said, “Yesterday Sixth Girl was reckless. I’ve already scolded her. Making her sister-in-law faint from anger was truly due to my poor management. Elder Brother shouldn’t take it to heart.”
Qin Huaiyuan smiled, “Sister-in-law needn’t blame yourself. The root cause of this matter lies with Hui Jie’er. You truly can’t be blamed.”
The Second Madam secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, Qin Huaiyuan was a perceptive person who understood everything. Good that he knew it was the main branch’s adopted daughter who had stirred up trouble.
“Fourth Miss has arrived.”
A young maid announced from outside. Soon they saw Qin Yining enter wearing a tea-white plain silk jacket with a dark azure eight-panel skirt below. Her long hair was arranged in double flat buns with dark azure satin ribbons, without rouge or powder, no hairpins or ornaments.
She was naturally tall and bright, with captivating beauty. Now dressed so plainly, combined with her pallid complexion from staying up all night and the bluish circles around her eyes, she appeared even more pitiable.
Compared to the freshly dressed Qin Huining from earlier, this was the proper reaction after a maternal family’s death.
Everyone couldn’t help but think: after all, mutton can’t stick to a dog – without blood relation, there’s still a difference. Qin Huining was indeed too cold-hearted.
Qin Yining came forward to bow to the Old Dowager and Qin Huaiyuan, then bowed to each of the women in the room before standing properly to one side.
Qin Huaiyuan asked, “Is your mother feeling better?”
“Replying to Father, Mother’s body is passable, but because of excessive grief, her mind is somewhat unclear. Last night she spoke nonsense in her sleep – hearing it made me feel heartbroken.”
Anyone whose family experienced such events would be strange to have a good mental state.
Everyone sighed.
Qin Huaiyuan said, “Console your mother more, but also pay attention to your own health. I know you’re filial, but some matters can be delegated to the servants. Look how pale you’ve become from staying up. You’re still young, at the age for growing – you must be more careful.”
“Yes. Thank you for Father’s concern.” Qin Yining smiled gratefully, her eyes moist and seemingly able to speak.
Being looked at by such small-animal-like eyes, Qin Huaiyuan’s face also showed a smile.
“The common people have already spontaneously collected and buried the men of Duke Dingguo’s manor. Tell your mother later that even if the Emperor wanted to pursue this matter, he cannot. This affair ends here.”
Qin Huaiyuan was telling her that her arrangements had succeeded – even the Emperor, to protect his reputation, could not pursue this matter. He could hardly have people dug up from their graves again – wouldn’t that provoke even greater public outrage?
Qin Yining breathed a huge sigh of relief and nodded, “Yes, I will certainly tell Mother. If Mother knows that Grandfather’s family’s righteousness and wisdom weren’t wasted, she’ll surely be happy.”
“Mm.” Qin Huaiyuan nodded, then turned to the Old Dowager: “There’s one matter I must ask Mother to help arrange.”
The Old Dowager said, “Whatever it is, just tell me.”
“The Emperor has issued a decree to bestow the eldest daughter of Imperial Uncle Cao’s family upon me as a noble concubine, to be brought into the manor before New Year’s Eve. Now Sun Shi is ill, and Miss Cao’s status is special. I hope Mother will arrange this appropriately and not disappoint the Emperor’s grace.”
Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent.
The eldest daughter of Imperial Uncle Cao’s family – wasn’t that Empress Cao’s biological elder sister?!
This soon-to-be Concubine Cao was now a full thirty years old. Because of her devastating beauty, she had taken time choosing a husband, only marrying at twenty. Who knew that after just three years she became a widow, remaining so until now. Many people said she should remarry.
Unexpectedly, the Emperor would assign her to Qin Huaiyuan as a concubine!
Even though everyone didn’t understand the intricacies of court politics, Grand Tutor Cao had been impeached and lost his position, while Qin Huaiyuan immediately became Grand Tutor – these two families had already formed a grudge.
Yet the Emperor was bringing Imperial Uncle Cao’s daughter into the Qin manor. What was his thinking?
Moreover, this was the wicked empress’s elder sister!
Her beauty was certainly guaranteed, but who could vouch for her character?
If this concubine entered their gates and proved arrogant and domineering, with Imperial Uncle Cao and the wicked empress backing her, would their manor have any peaceful days left!
Everyone grew somewhat uneasy.
The Old Dowager thought for a moment, then smiled broadly: “Good, good! Though you’re now Grand Tutor, Imperial Uncle Cao has held sway in court for so many years with many former students and subordinates – his foundation runs much deeper than yours. The Emperor giving you his family’s daughter as a proper concubine is helping you. Our family becoming in-laws with the Cao family – won’t all misunderstandings be resolved? Having the Cao family as in-laws in the future, you and the Emperor become brothers-in-law – excellent, excellent!”
The more the Old Dowager spoke, the more delighted she became, her face full of smiles: “Rest assured, I’ll handle this matter. I’ll certainly arrange it magnificently without wronging Miss Cao.”
Qin Huaiyuan nodded.
The Second Madam and Third Madam congratulated Qin Huaiyuan on gaining a beautiful concubine.
Seeing no major matters remaining, Qin Huaiyuan stood: “Your son will take his leave first to check on Sun Shi, then go out on business.”
The Old Dowager worried, “You should rest first. What matter is so urgent it can’t wait? Don’t ruin your health.”
The Old Dowager chattered worriedly, following Qin Huaiyuan with instructions until seeing him off at the corridor before returning inside. Excitedly pulling the Second Madam and Third Madam over, she began discussing how to arrange the concubine ceremony.
All the young ladies were dismissed at this time.
Qin Yining, wearing a dark azure cotton cloak, reached the courtyard where Third Miss, Seventh Miss, and Eighth Miss all consoled her before returning to their quarters.
Standing in the corridor, Qin Yining suddenly smiled helplessly.
Had she fallen to needing others’ sympathy again?
It seemed this manor had no real fools – everyone could see that before Miss Cao even entered, her position in the Old Dowager’s heart was already elevated.
Just as the Old Dowager had once fawned over Duke Dingguo’s family for her son’s career, she would soon fawn over the Cao family in the same way.
Only the new person’s laughter is seen, never the old person’s tears. With such a powerful concubine entering their gates, how would her proud and straightforward mother cope?
If someone were always suppressed it might be bearable, but Sun Shi was accustomed to being high above – this enormous contrast would likely shock her even more.
Presumably, Father personally visiting Mother was to explain and comfort her face to face.
Qin Yining sighed and quickly left the Garden of Compassion and Filial Piety.
She had received word from Nanny Jing early that morning that Duke Dingguo’s wife and female family members were now properly settled. She needed to hurry and check the situation.
Qin Yining ordered a carriage prepared, bringing Song Lan, Bingtang, and Qiu Lu, racing at full speed to the residence that steward Jingsan had prepared as instructed.