Chapter 14

Qin Zening curled his lips into a mocking smile.

Whether the second branch of the family wanted Qin Xin didn’t matter to him. He was already eighteen, and sooner or later he’d split from the household to live on his own. As long as that impostor didn’t remain under his parents’ name, that was enough!

Qin Xin’s eyelashes trembled slightly as she looked toward Qin Zhun.

She was tempted.

Her second uncle was a marquis; if she were registered under his name, she would rightfully be a noble young lady of a marquis household.

Even Qin Jiu wouldn’t be as distinguished as she was!

“This is good too,” the Old Madam Qin nodded repeatedly. “Second Eldest¹Lao Er, then let’s register Xin’er under your name. We can tell outsiders that your wife gave birth to her while we were in exile!”

“Mother, I’m afraid this may not be appropriate?” Lady Su hesitatedly said, “Our family lost two daughters in those three years of exile. If we say this, I’m afraid no one will believe it.”

Back when Qin Xin was brought back, they had told outsiders that the eldest branch’s daughter had accidentally been separated and lost. If now the second branch’s daughter had also been lost there… it would be like treating others as fools.

Even though the Emperor and Empress already knew the truth, it still had to be concealed from the public.

Qin Zhun also hesitated. What Lady Su said made sense. Besides, Xin’er was the future consort of the Second Prince and would become the Empress in the future. They couldn’t leave her with a murky background; it wouldn’t sound good in history books either.

Since she would stay in the second branch, then it had to be made completely foolproof!

“Mother,” Qin Zhun’s eyes flickered, “do you remember that fifteen years ago when I was posted away, Ah Yuan was once pregnant?”

As soon as he said this, not only Old Madam Qin but also Lady Su remembered.

Fifteen years ago, Lady Su had indeed been pregnant.

However, not long after, news came that her grandmother from her maternal family had passed away. Judging by the timing, the child had been conceived after her grandmother’s death. According to propriety, she should have been in mourning. So the couple discussed it and quietly terminated the pregnancy, and very few people knew about it.

“If that child had been born, they would only be about half a year older than Xin’er.” Old Madam Qin’s thoughts began to stir.

This would work perfectly!

They could say to outsiders that even though Lady Su was in mourning, she couldn’t bear to abort the child either. Thus, she secretly gave birth and sent the baby away to be raised elsewhere. Only after returning to the capital did they bring the child back and register her under the eldest branch. Now that the eldest branch’s biological daughter had returned, the child could be transferred back to the second branch.

Although bearing a child during mourning didn’t sound proper, Lady Su had been away with Qin Zhun at the time, and it was understand if they said the news arrived late.

Saying all this, they simply didn’t have a better solution beyond this.

Qin Zhun gritted his teeth and made the decision, “We’ll do it this way then. Once my elder brother and sister-in-law’s child returns, we’ll register Xin’er under our name and open the ancestral hall together.”

“Good, good,” Old Madam Qin nodded eagerly. This truly was a solution that satisfied both sides.

Her husband had agreed, and so had her mother-in-law. Although Lady Su felt somewhat unwilling, she knew she had no say in the matter, so she readily agreed as well.

Sure enough, Qin Zhun looked at her with gratitude, thinking that Lady Su was indeed sensible and understanding.

“Xin’er, from now on you are my daughter,” Qin Zhun said gently as he looked at Qin Xin. “Don’t worry, you will always be a daughter of the Qin family. No one can drive you away.”

“Heh.” Having watched the whole spectacle, Qin Zening let out a timely sneer.

Qin Zhun flushed with anger and embarrassment but held back from scolding him, afraid that if Qin Zening became stubborn, he might stir up more trouble.

Qin Xin dug her fingers deeply into her soft palm, feeling even more humiliated and resentful. She had already yielded again and again, so why wouldn’t Qin Zening leave her even a shred of dignity?!

In the future, she wouldn’t have a shred of expectation for him!

No matter what, for most of the people in Ronghe Hall, this matter had finally been resolved “perfectly”.

Afterwards, Old Madam Qin instructed Lady Su to prepare a courtyard, arrange maids and servants, and take care of all the necessary provisions. She also set a date five days later to personally enter the palace and bring the girl back.

Lady Su agreed to everything one by one.

Qin Zening didn’t interrupt either. Lady Su was always good at keeping up appearances. Since the second branch held the noble title, they wouldn’t neglect the eldest branch siblings on the surface.

As for everything else, they could wait until his younger sister returned!

Thus, over the next few days, Lady Su busied herself getting the courtyard cleaned and arranged, and assigning maids. She worried that Qin Jiu had grown up in the countryside and didn’t understand proper etiquette, which might invite ridicule in the future. That was why she even arranged for two elderly momos, intending for them to properly teach Qin Jiu manners and decorum later on.

Once everything was ready, Old Madam Qin sent in a request to the palace and entered together with Lady Su.

Inside Fengluan Palace, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law paid their respects to Empress Wei. They first expressed gratitude for the Emperor and Empress’s grace, then brought up their wish to bring Qin Jiu back.

Empress Wei gently brushed away the floating tea leaves on the surface of her cup with the lid, offering no immediate response.

Old Madam Qin smiled apologetically: “Back then, it was truly handled too hastily. We never imagined that vile woman would do something so heartless. Alas, that child has really suffered all these years.

“Thanks to Your Majesty’s attentiveness, otherwise who knows how much more hardship that child would have endured?

“This time, our family will take good care of the child when we bring her back.”

Lady Su knew that Empress Wei must be worried Qin Jiu would suffer grievances in the Qin household, which was why she had kept her in the palace for several days.

To be honest, Lady Su felt disdainful in her heart.

Qin Jiu was nothing more than a wild girl raised in the countryside, and by such filthy “adoptive parents” at that—she might even be cruder than their rough servant girls. Lady Su was even worried she might lead her own daughter astray!

Though she thought this, Lady Su smiled on the surface as she said, “Your Majesty, this one²Chenfu – technically “this minister’s wife” has already prepared a courtyard and attendants for the child, and also commissioned some jewelry for her.

“This child is truly pitiful. Ever since I learned of this matter, I have thought of her day and night. Once she returns to acknowledge her ancestry, my late elder brother-in-law and sister-in-law can finally rest in peace.” As she spoke, she pressed a handkerchief to the corner of her dry eyes.

Empress Wei looked at Lady Su with a faint, knowing smile. She saw through Lady Su’s pretense completely.

However, one thing Lady Su said was correct. Qin Jiu should indeed return to her ancestral roots. Otherwise, her sister and brother-in-law would not rest peacefully in the afterlife.

As for Qin Xin… if they wanted to keep her, then let them.

A trace of cold mockery curved on Empress Wei’s lips. She then gave a subtle signal to Xu Momo, who withdrew. Before long, she returned with Qin Jiu.

Over the past few days, Qin Jiu had been well fed and cared for under Empress Wei’s watch. The palace momos also helped tend to her skin and hair. In just a few short days, she already looked heavens apart from how she was before.

Today, she wore a bright crimson woven jacket embroidered with butterflies among flowers paired with a rose-red pleated skirt. Her waist was slender enough to be encircled with one hand.

Her dark hair was styled into twin buns, with pomegranate-shaped hair ornaments set with rubies adorning her temples, making her bright, almond-shaped eyes shine brilliantly.

Her features were delicate and beautiful. When her petal-like red lips pressed together slightly, a pair of shallow dimples appeared at the corners.

As the young girl walked forward gracefully, her bearing was elegant and poised.

Old Madam Qin and Lady Su both stared dumbfoundedly.

Originally, they had imagined just how crude Qin Jiu’s manners and bearing might be, thinking that they would have to teach her from the ground up lest she embarrass herself in public. But now, the young girl before them completely overturned their expectations.

“Auntie.”

Qin Jiu curtsied to Empress Wei.

When Empress Wei looked at Qin Jiu, her eyes were filled with a gentle smile.

She hadn’t wanted to restrain Qin Jiu too much, but she also feared that upon suddenly returning to the marquis household, she might be looked down upon. Thus, she had asked Xu Momo teach her a few basic rules of etiquette. Unexpectedly, Qin Jiu grasped everything immediately. In just a few days, she had already learned to carry herself quite properly.

This girl was just as intelligent as her mother!

While feeling pleased, Empress Wei also felt even more tender toward her.

Empress Wei beckoned Qin Jiu to her side and, smiling, introduced both parties: “Xiao Jiu, this is Old Madam Qin of the Zhongyi Marquis Residence, and the Marchioness.”

“Old Madam Qin, this is Xiao Jiu. ‘Qin Jiu’ is the name this Empress bestowed upon her.” Empress Wei held Qin Jiu’s hand affectionately and gave her a meaningful wink.

A name bestowed by the Empress was both a favor and honor. Whenever the Qin family called her “Qin Jiu” in the future, they would be constantly reminded of that.

Qin Jiu smiled faintly, understanding Empress Wei’s goodwill.

She performed a curtsy with impeccable posture to the two: “Old Madam Qin, Marchioness.”

“Good child.” Seeing features that resembled her deceased daughter-in-law, Old Madam Qin felt an indescribable emotion rise in her heart.

Before seeing her in person, Old Madam Qin hadn’t felt much towards this granddaughter. She cared more about Qin Xin, whom she had raised herself. But when Qin Jiu stood before her, a subtle feeling surfaced in her heart, as if it was suddenly softening.

This was the granddaughter who had been taken away while still in swaddling clothes.

Facing Old Madam Qin’s complicated gaze, Qin Jiu smiled gently, her demeanor warm and dignified.

“Xiao Jiu, today you shall return with your grandmother and the others,” Empress Wei said with a smile. “After the Qin family opens the ancestral hall and you formally acknowledge your lineage, this Empress will bring you back to the palace for a short stay.”

Empress Wei was subtly reminding the Qin family’s mother-in-law and daughter-in-law that she could summon Qin Jiu to the palace at any time, to prevent her from being bullied in the Qin household.

Qin Jiu responded with a soft, coquettish “Yes”, her smile bright and charming.

After that, Empress Wei dismissed them.