Chapter 16

Once she left Wanxiang Courtyard, Lady Su’s smile abruptly disappeared from her face. She snorted coldly, “Thing that can’t be shown in public!

“Since she was raised in the countryside, then she should’ve stayed there! Why insist on bringing her back and putting her on a pedastal¹ more accurately letting her be in the spotlight.?!

“Doesn’t even know her place, insisting on going to that poetry gathering to make a fool of herself!”

The more Lady Su thought about it, the angrier she became, secretly blaming the Empress for meddling.

Otherwise, even if that girl Qin Jiu had found her way to the marquis’s residence, they could have simply sent her off to one of the estates and let her stay there. After a few years, they could give her a modest dowry and marry her off far away. That wouldn’t count as mistreating her.

But now, the household gained this extra person out of nowhere. Truly an eyesore!

“Madam, don’t be upset,” Zhao Momo comforted from the side, “The Marquis is also doing this for the sake of our household.”

As Lady Su’s confidante, Zhao Momo knew that what truly angered her mistress was the Marquis’s decision to register the second young lady under her name, and even under the pretense that she was born during the mourning period. Naturally, this made her look even more unfavorably upon the third young miss.

“Madam, the Marquis is also thinking of the second young master. Think about it. The Sixth Prince has been frail and sickly since childhood, but the Second Prince is the Emperor’s eldest son. If one day…” Zhao Momo meaningfully gestured at the sky, “…then our second young master would become the Imperial Uncle. As the saying goes, endure for a moment and you’ll win for a lifetime.”

It was precisely for this that she endured! Lady Su clenched her handkerchief and finally said after a long time, “Let’s hope so…”

Regardless of what she truly thought, Lady Su still treated Qin Jiu warmly on the surface. That very day, she had someone come to take Qin Jiu’s measurements for new autumn clothes, and all her daily provisions were arranged according to the standards for a legitimate daughter of the marquis’s household. No one could find fault with it.

Qin Jiu ate when there was food, drank when there was drink, and after a good night’s sleep, she went early the next morning to the training grounds in the front courtyard.

The Qin family had built its reputation on the literary arts; generation after generation had risen through the imperial examinations. It was only Qin Zening, who had suffered hardships in exile as a child, who devoted himself to martial arts after returning to the capital. With the support of the Empress, he managed to secure a position as an imperial guard.

Qin Zening trained through the hottest days of summer and the coldest days of winter, never once slacking off.

Still, he never expected his younger sister to come looking for him, and his face immediately lit up with excitement.

Qin Jiu had come alone.

Although she had obtained the servants’ contracts, the household’s staff still didn’t take her seriously. That morning, a maid had said she would fetch breakfast and then disappeared without a trace.

So Qin Jiu went out by herself, asked around casually, and found her way to the training grounds.

In the novel, there was a line describing Qin Zening that left a deep impression on her: he disliked studying, knew nothing of worldly affairs, and aside from his morning martial practice, he rarely stayed at home. Though he supposedly held a post before the Emperor, in reality he spent his days idling with a group of idle rich youths in the capital, accomplishing nothing and indulging in a life of dissolution.

“Little sister.”

Qin Zening casually sheathed his sword and strode towards Qin Jiu.

A thin sheen of sweat covered his face and neck, his wheat-colored skin glistening faintly in the sunlight.

He stared at Qin Jiu without blinking, as if afraid she might disappear the moment he looked away.

“Big Brother,” Qin Jiu called brightly, getting straight to the point. “I heard from Auntie Empress that the Li couple committed murder and fled?”

When she first heard about it, Qin Jiu had been quite shocked. When she left, Li Jinzhu and Zhao Aman had been perfectly fine. Why had they suddenly killed someone and run off?

“That’s right,” Qin Zening nodded.

He had gone to Jiangyu County under imperial orders, and the local officials had cooperated fully. Thus, he had been able to review the case files of the Li couple and now explained to Qin Jiu one by one: “The victim’s surname was Hua. People nearby all called her Granny Hua. She was a well-known matchmaker in the area.”

At this point, Qin Zening glanced cautiously at Qin Jiu.

From what he had discovered locally, it was this Granny Hua who had arranged the marriage for the Xu family’s fool.

“The local authorities say that Granny Hua died in the Li household. Her skull was smashed from behind by a heavy object,” Qin Zening explained simply. “When she didn’t return home at night, her husband reported it, and that’s how they found her body at the Li residence. By then, the Li couple had already disappeared, and all the valuables in their house were taken away. That’s why the authorities concluded that the two of them murdered her and issued a warrant. But up to now, they still haven’t caught them.”

Qin Jiu was stunned, but after thinking it through, she quickly understood what must have happened.

Because she had run away, the Li couple definitely wouldn’t be able to give the Xu family an explanation. And since Granny Hua had been the Xu family’s matchmaker, she probably came to negotiate with them. Things escalated during the argument, and in the chaos, the Li couple accidentally killed her.

Qin Jiu voiced her thoughts aloud and added, “When I left Yaoqing County, I saw officials searching for a fugitive couple who had committed murder. So that was actually Li Jinzhu and Zhao Aman.”

Qin Zening gave a cold snort, “Too bad they managed to escape.”

While in Jiangyu County, Qin Zening had made a point of asking about the Xu family.

One of the Xu family’s daughters had become a concubine to the local magistrate and was quite favored. As a result, Master Xu strutted around acting like the magistrate’s brother-in-law.

The Xu family’s fool had been born that way. To ensure he had descendants, Master Xu had announced that anyone who successfully arranged a marriage for him would receive a reward of one hundred taels of silver.

But any family that cared even a little for their daughter wouldn’t marry her off to a fool. That was, until Granny Hua approached Zhao Aman, and the two hit it off immediately.

A trace of hostility radiated from Qin Zening. If his sister hadn’t been quick-witted and escaped in time, who knew what might have happened?

Whether it was Granny Hua or the Li couple, they had brought their fate upon themselves!

“Little Sister, Qin Xin still doesn’t know about this.” Qin Zening continued, “My guess is that when the Li couple runs out of options, they’ll most likely come to the capital to look for Qin Xin.

“I absolutely will not let them off easily!

“I’ll make them pay back all the suffering you’ve endured these years, little by little.”

Qin Zening looked deeply at Qin Jiu as he spoke earnestly.

He was her older brother. In the past, he hadn’t been able to protect her properly, but from now on, he would never let her be wronged again.

Seeing the firm determination in the young man before her, a warm feeling flowed through Qin Jiu’s heart.

She had never had family growing up, so even after transmigrating to this unfamiliar world, she had felt little attachment.

But now…

Since he treated her with sincerity, she would return that sincerity in kind.

The corners of Qin Jiu’s lips lifted into a bright, radiant smile.

She nodded, “Big Brother, I understand, but don’t act rashly.” The female lead’s halo was strong. Acting rashly would easily turn him into cannon fodder²Cannon Fodder – an extra or supporting role who gets killed off!

His sister really cared about him! Qin Zening was delighted.

When he smiled, the sharp edges of his previously stern features softened, like a wild leopard suddenly turning into a large dog wagging its tail.

Qin Zening quickly said, “Don’t worry, little sister. I’m quite familiar with the garrison in Wucheng. I’ll go ask them today to keep an eye out.”

He puffed out his chest proudly, looking as if he had extensive connections.

“Big Brother,” Qin Jiu’s eyes flickered as she asked, “what kind of person do you think Qin Xin is?”

Qin Zening’s expression immediately turned serious, and he hurriedly declared his loyalty: “Don’t worry, little sister—I’m not close to her at all!”

Qin Jiu couldn’t help but laugh, her bright almond-shaped eyes sparkling.

Qin Zening continued, “I’ve tested Qin Xin. She already knew long ago that she’s a fake. She was not even four when she came to the Qin family, yet she managed to hide it from everyone for so many years. You can’t say her scheming isn’t deep.”

Saying that, Qin Zening’s gaze gradually turned sharp. He understood the intent behind Qin Jiu’s question.

Qin Xin was not only calculating, but also greedy. She couldn’t bear to give up this life of wealth and privilege.

Since she was greedy, she would surely want more. If she ever felt that they were standing in her way, who knew what she might do?

Qin Zening raised an eyebrow, “I understand now. Once I have results, I’ll come tell you.”

“Then I’ll leave it to you, big brother.” Qin Jiu replied cheerfully.

Usually, Qin Zening would bathe and change after his morning training before going to Ronghe Hall to pay his respects. But since Qin Jiu was here today, he simply went together with her.

The siblings laughed and chatted all the way to Ronghe Hall. Just as they were about to enter the east side room, they heard Lady Su’s dissatisfied complaints from inside: “…Mother, Xia Lian only went to fetch breakfast, and Jiu’er disappeared. This situation…

“What kind of well-educated young lady would run off without a word so early in the morning?”

The maid who was about to lift the curtain looked helplesssly at Qin Zening and Qin Jiu and stammered, “Young Master, Third Miss…”

The voices inside abruptly stopped, and the siblings walked in openly.

When Lady Su saw Qin Jiu, her grip on her handkerchief tightened. With a slight frown, she sighed, “Jiu’er, where have you been? Just now, Xia Lian from your courtyard said you were missing. My heart jumped, and I hurried over to your grandmother’s place to look for you.”

Her brows were knit and her expression was full of concern, as if she had truly spoken out of worry for her niece.

Qin Zening crossed his arms and let out a mocking laugh, “Oh? Second Aunt, you shouldn’t put it that way. If the servants you assigned couldn’t even notice when their own mistress left, did you arrange servants, or ancestors [to be waited on]?”

The legitimate daughters of the Marquis’s household were each attended by two senior maids and two junior maids.

For these maids to not even know when their mistress left could only mean they hadn’t taken her seriously at all.

This was their own young lady, not some petty thief. It’s not like she had climbed over the wall to run off!

Lady Su’s smile faltered, and she quickly changed her tone. “Jiu’er, you’ve already been given the servants’ contracts. When it’s time to punish them, you must do so.”

What she implied was that Qin Jiu didn’t know how to manage her servants, which was why they dared to walk all over her. It definitely wasn’t any failing on her part as the lady of the household.

But Qin Jiu had only arrived at the residence yesterday. If Lady Su hadn’t shown her such indifference, how could the servants have dared to be so disrespectful?

And how would they have rushed off to report to Lady Su for credit the moment Qin Jiu was gone for a short while?

Qin Jiu of course understood this clearly.

She smiled and nodded, “Second Aunt is right. Then let’s follow your suggestion and punish Xia Lian with thirty slaps to the mouth.”