“Yes. I asked your father and prepared many things that aren’t available in Xi Yue, so we won’t want something and be unable to find it. Yining, what kind of place is Xi Yue?”
Seeing Sun Shi so anxious, Qin Yining couldn’t help but feel heartache: “It’s a place discovered by people who went into hiding to avoid disasters in earlier years. The oasis can be said to be boundless, so survival and reproduction won’t be problems. It’s just that the climate there is different from here, so mother should prepare more medicinal materials—the family will definitely have trouble adjusting to the local conditions.”
“Yes, your father told me. I’ve prepared all of these.” Sun Shi took out a small booklet from her bosom to show Qin Yining: “I didn’t know what to prepare, so your father made this list for me, saving me from having to think.”
Qin Yining carefully looked through the contents listed in the booklet and couldn’t help but admire Qin Huaiyuan’s meticulousness and foresight.
She returned the booklet to Sun Shi: “With father making arrangements, everything will naturally be foolproof.”
“Yes, this is your father’s strong point—he never makes me worry about anything. He always thinks of everything first.” Sun Shi smoothed Qin Yining’s stray hair and smiled: “How long will the business you and the prince need to handle take? When will you return? One month, or two months?”
Looking at her mother’s gentle face, Qin Yining felt a pang of sorrow. How could she tell Sun Shi that this time they might very well not return?
She couldn’t show any unusual emotions lest she worry her mother.
“I’m not very clear either, but mother, rest assured—after we resolve matters, it will be easy for the prince and me to visit Xi Yue or for you to return. Moreover, though Xi Yue is in the desert, I have people who know the way, so it won’t be too troublesome to send letters back and forth or transport various needed items.”
Sun Shi smiled and nodded: “I know. Since your father is having the whole family move there, he must have made complete preparations. It’s just that our family rarely gathers together, and after such a short time, we have to separate again.”
Perhaps realizing that saying these things would make Qin Yining’s heart ache, Sun Shi smiled and waved her hand: “But don’t worry—Zhao Ge’er and Han Ge’er will be with us, so you needn’t worry at all. We’ll take good care of them. With so many people in the household, if each person helps watch them, Zhao Ge’er and Han Ge’er will have endless blessings. What’s more, your father will personally teach them studies. When you return, these two boys will definitely have made great progress.”
“I know, mother. I’m very at ease leaving the children for you to raise.” Qin Yining hugged Sun Shi’s arm and leaned against her shoulder: “After the prince and I finish this busy period, we’ll find a way to visit you in Xi Yue.”
“Good, good. But I also have something to instruct you about.”
“What matter?” Qin Yining asked with a smile.
“It’s about your mother-in-law. Though the prince sent her to the countryside to rest quietly, regardless of what she said or did, she is ultimately the prince’s birth mother. The prince dotes on you now and stands on your side, but who knows if he might regret it someday?
“Taking advantage of this opportunity, after your mother-in-law is brought back, you should also apologize to her and give her a way to save face. After all, you’re all one family—it won’t do to keep fighting irreconcilably. It’s unseemly and will make the prince think you’re harsh.”
Qin Yining hadn’t expected Sun Shi to advise her in this way. If this were three or four years ago, mother would definitely have supported her in fighting Yao Shi to the end. After all, Sun Shi used to threaten to return to her natal family at the slightest disagreement.
Over these many years, mother had ultimately been tempered by adversity.
With Sun Shi having such a great transformation, Qin Yining believed that in Xi Yue, with grandmother’s guidance, she wouldn’t suffer losses in front of Cao Yuqing either.
“Mother, daughter also has something to tell you.”
“Speak.” Sun Shi looked at Qin Yining curiously.
After thinking, Qin Yining said: “If Mrs. Cao enters the household in the future, mother shouldn’t make things too difficult for yourself. You are father’s wife—what’s important is capturing father’s heart. Competing with her is secondary. When father welcomes Mrs. Cao into the household, his heart will surely feel guilty toward you. You also bore father’s only child, and Han Ge’er and Zhao Ge’er will be before father’s eyes every day, calling him grandfather and you grandmother. No matter what he does, you are his legitimately wedded principal wife—this point won’t change. As long as you grasp these things, your future days can go smoothly. For some things you can bear to see, just look at them; for those you can’t bear, you can completely ignore them. No one can take away your position.”
Sun Shi slowly nodded: “I understand what you’re saying. Your grandmother also advised me this way. I’ll go discuss with Mrs. Cao again. If your father’s heart is with her, the more he can’t obtain her, the more it will trouble his mind. It’s better to let her enter the household directly. Besides, she… she isn’t that detestable.”
Sun Shi spoke awkwardly, still feeling unwilling in her heart.
Qin Yining couldn’t advise more and could only sigh helplessly.
Actually, Qin Yining wasn’t too worried about Sun Shi. Even without her around, father wouldn’t mistreat her. Moreover, Qin Huining was ultimately a daughter raised by Sun Shi, and with Qin Huining there, Sun Shi wouldn’t end up without someone to confide in. What’s more, father wouldn’t do something like favoring concubines while destroying his wife—father still had these principles.
As for safety, with father there, she wasn’t worried about the whole family.
Qin Yining leaned against Sun Shi’s shoulder and murmured: “Mother, take good care of yourself from now on. Be harmonious with father. The Grand Dowager is also old—don’t argue with her. Turn a blind eye to everything, and all matters will pass. Take good care of yourself, maintain your health, and live to a hundred years old. Wait to hold great-grandchildren in the future—that’s the greatest blessing.”
Upon hearing this, Sun Shi laughed with a puff: “You girl, these are all things decades in the future. Why did you think to instruct me about this now? Your tone sounds like you’ve become a little old lady.”
Qin Yining also laughed and pretended to be annoyed: “Daughter was just giving you advice. If you don’t want to listen, I won’t say it anymore.”
With her daughter rarely acting coquettish, Sun Shi found it both interesting and fresh, holding Qin Yining and talking intimately for a long time.
Qin Yining discovered that under grandmother’s guidance, Sun Shi no longer so strongly resisted father taking concubines, and she quietly felt relieved. If she could not take it to heart, perhaps she could suffer less anger in the future.
This world had always been harsh in its demands on women. To survive, there were no other methods. Could she really advise father and mother to divorce because of holding onto resentment?
Qin Yining felt both helpless and sighing in her heart. She accompanied Sun Shi for a long chat until Qin Huaiyuan returned to the room to rest, then she rose to take leave.
“Father and mother, please rest. I should also go back to sleep.”
Qin Huaiyuan nodded slightly. Facing his daughter earlier, he couldn’t help but say so much, and it was accidentally all overheard by Mrs. Cao. Though the misunderstanding was cleared up, he still felt somewhat embarrassed.
Qin Yining was very considerate of Qin Huaiyuan and didn’t ask more questions.
The night passed without incident.
The next day, Pang Xiao went to the military camp early.
Qin Yining stayed home to accompany the children. After noon, Qiu Lu and Lian Xiaozhou came back quickly together.
“Princess consort, the prince sent people to bring Old Madam Yao back. The carriages and horses have arrived at the mansion gate. The great madam asked this servant to inform you.”
Qin Yining nodded: “I understand.”
She stood up and told Qiu Lu and Lian Xiaozhou to help watch Zhao Ge’er and Han Ge’er. She took her white fox fur collar cloak and put it on, then carried a hand warmer and brought Ji Yun to go to the front.
She knew Sun Shi told her this because she wanted her to give Yao Shi some face-saving steps.
Though Qin Yining felt Yao Shi’s character was questionable, she was ultimately Pang Xiao’s birth mother. Sun Shi’s analysis also had some merit—they couldn’t keep their relationship completely torn, making Pang Xiao caught in the middle, right?
Moreover, if something happened to her and Pang Xiao, there would be no chance to see Yao Shi again in the future.
She merely had conflicts with her mother-in-law—it wasn’t some blood feud. There was no need to be so petty. It would be better to be magnanimous and at least leave each other with good thoughts.
Qin Yining walked quickly toward the front courtyard and immediately saw two elderly servant women in deep blue cotton vests supporting Yao Shi on either side as she descended from the carriage.
Yao Shi wore a rose-red crossed-collar jacket with a red fur coat, and after getting off the carriage, she took a hand warmer to hold.
“Why so slow? Didn’t you say we’d arrive this morning?”
“In reply to old madam, we’re not much late. We took a slightly roundabout route.”
Yao Shi said displeasedly: “Why take a roundabout route for no reason? Do you think my son no longer cares about me, so you neglect me? I’ve returned now! Be careful, or I’ll tell my son later and have him punish you!”
“You are the master, we are servants—how would we dare!” Both servant women quickly put on apologetic smiles.
Yao Shi snorted and looked up at the high-hanging plaque of the Qin mansion, then at the vast residence, and couldn’t help but sneer: “Isn’t this exceeding one’s station? A commoner’s household is actually larger than a prince’s mansion.”
The attendants nearby said nothing.
Qin Yining suppressed her displeasure and came forward to pay respects: “I greet old madam.”
The moment Yao Shi saw Qin Yining, her expression immediately darkened.
“Oh, I wondered who it was—isn’t this the noble Princess Consort Zhongshun!” Yao Shi walked before Qin Yining with affected steps, looking askance at that detestable face. Since their relationship was torn, she was too lazy to pretend maternal kindness and filial piety anymore.
“How about it? You had the ability to slander me and make my son imprison me—if you’re so capable, why don’t you prevent my son from bringing me back! What are you pretending to be so filial and respectful for now? Have you forgotten how you treated me back then?”
Qin Yining sighed helplessly. It seemed Yao Shi had been driven mad by anger, actually making such a commotion at the mansion gate. Didn’t she fear outsiders’ gossip?
Yao Shi didn’t care about reputation, but Qin Yining couldn’t ignore Pang Xiao’s reputation. If people knew Prince Zhongshun’s mother spoke this way, he wouldn’t be able to hold his head up when talking to people in court.
Qin Yining didn’t respond to Yao Shi’s words but stepped closer to bow: “Old madam must be tired from the journey. The mansion has prepared…”
Before finishing her sentence, Yao Shi raised her hand and threw the hand warmer filled with hot coals at Qin Yining.