Chapter 23

Qin Jiu left Shenghua Pavilion together with Qin Zening.

Along the way, Qin Jiu recounted everything that had happened earlier and then asked, “Qin Xin went to Grandmother to complain about me, didn’t she?”

Qin Zening nodded and said angrily, “You didn’t do anything wrong, Little Sister. If Qin Xin dares to provoke you again in the future, just hit her back directly. No matter what happens, your brother is here! Heh, that Qin Xin actually has the face to tattle.”

Qin Jiu wasn’t surprised at all. More accurately, she had guessed long ago that she would tattle once she returned to the Marquis’ residence.

But they had already torn off each other’s faces, so there was no way she would try to shamelessly curry favor with them.

What she hadn’t expected was that Qin Zening would come to pick her up personally.

As they spoke, Qin Jiu spotted Cui Momo waiting beside the carriage. Seeing the siblings emerge, Cui Momo smiled and gave them a respectful curtsy: “Young Master, Third Young Miss.”

Qin Zening said, “It was Cui Momo who sent someone to tip me off.”

Qin Jiu looked at Cui Momo who was standing a few steps away, blinking.

“This servant watched the Heir grow up,” Cui Momo explained on her own initiative.

The “Heir” she referred to was the former heir of the Zhongyi Marquisate. In other words, the biological father of Qin Zening and Qin Jiu: Qin Jue.

“Back then, the Old Madam’s wet nurse for the Heir suddenly fell ill, so I became his wet nurse instead. In a way, you could say this servant watched the Heir grow up.”

Cui Momo’s own child had died before reaching six months of age, and she had come to regard Qin Jue who she nursed and raised as a son of her own.

Remembering Qin Jue’s untimely death in his prime, a trace of sorrow inevitably appeared on her face.

“Twelve years ago, when the Qin family, Cui Momo went along as well.” Qin Zening added, “Little Sister, if you ever run into difficulties in the future, you can discuss them with Cui Momo. I have official duties and can’t always be at the residence. Having Cui Momo look after you will make things a lot better.”

Qin Jiu responded with a cheerful smile and then curtsied to Cui Momo. Cui Momo quickly stepped aside, repeatedly saying she dared not accept such a gesture.

“Third Young Miss,” Cui Momo said worriedly, “the Old Madam is still in the heat of her anger right now…”

“Let’s head back first.” Anyways, one more debt wouldn’t make much difference.

The siblings and Cui Momo soon returned to the Zhongyi Marquis Residence and went straight to Ronghe Hall.

The moment they stepped inside, a teacup suddenly flew toward Qin Jiu and smashed at her feet.

Crash!

The cup shattered, sending tea splashing everywhere.

Immediately afterward came the furious voice of Old Madam Qin: “Kneel!”

Qin Zening narrowed his eyes and protectively pulled Qin Jiu behind him.

Cui Momo frowned worriedly and was about to say something to ease the situation when Qin Jiu spoke first, “Grandmother, why are you so angry? Who made Grandmother upset?”

As she spoke, she glanced at Qin Xin, who was seated beside the Old Madam. Although she didn’t utter even half a name, the meaning couldn’t have been more obvious.

Qin Xin grew even angrier under Qin Jiu’s gaze, her eyes darkening.

When Qin Jiu returned to the Marquis Residence yesterday, she had been quiet and withdrawn, barely speaking a word. Qin Xin had assumed she was timid by nature.

Now, she wished she could go back in time and slap some sense into that naïve version of herself.

Qin Jiu calmly met Qin Xin’s eyes.

Anyways, they had already torn off their faces. As the saying went, “When your debts are many, one more doesn’t matter¹No longer feeling anxious when you already have a lot of debt..”

“Aish.” Qin Jiu sighed, “Second Sister is really…”

“Qin Jiu!” The Old Madam Qin was so furious that she called her by her full name. Whatever little sympathy she had felt for the girl had now been completely replaced by anger. “You still refuse to admit your mistake!”

Qin Jiu blinked her large eyes innocently, “I don’t understand what Grandmother is talking about… What have I done wrong?”

“Grandmother, please don’t say any more.” Qin Xin’s voice trembled with tears. Her eyelashes quivered, and it seemed as though tears might fall at any moment. “It’s all my fault. Third Sister doesn’t like me. Grandmother, you should just send me to the estate.”

Saying that, she made a show of rising to leave.

“Xin’er, what nonsense are you talking about?” Old Madam Qin hurriedly pulled her back and patted her affectionately on the back. She furiously blurted out, “If anyone is going, it should be Qin Jiu!”

After those words came out, Old Madam Qin found the idea rather appealing.

This girl Qin Jiu had become so arrogant simply because Empress Wei was backing her. She had only just returned to the residence, yet she already caused such a disturbance that the entire household was in turmoil. If she stayed in the Marquis’s residence, she might eventually turn the whole place upside down!

Today, Qin Xin and Qin Sheng had kindly taken her to the Yongxu Gathering to broaden her horizons, yet she had recklessly aired the family’s private affairs in front of all those noble young ladies, showing absolutely no regard for the reputation of the Marquis’s household.

Madam Su had been right. A girl raised in the countryside was crude by nature. So what if Empress Wei had trained her into seeming refined? She was still just a wild country girl.

This girl needed to learn that living in the Marquis’s residence meant obeying by the estate’s rules!

“Cui Momo,” the Old Madam ordered sternly, “have a carriage prepared immediately and send the Third Youns Miss to Yanghe Manor!”

“Old Madam, Third Young Miss she…”

Cui Momo wanted to persuade her, but Old Madam Qin cut her off coldly: “Don’t say any more. Today she must be punished and reflect seriously on her behavior!

“When she knows what she did wrong, she may return!

“There is no place in the Zhongyi Marquis Residence for someone so selfish and self-serving!”

Her sharp gaze fixed on Qin Jiu, who stood several paces away.

Qin Jiu stood silently with her head bowed. After the Old Madam finished speaking, she slowly raised her head, crystal-like tears welling up in her eyes. With a look full of grievances, she gave a plaintive cry: “Grandmother…”

Old Madam Qin was startled by her tearful appearance. She hesitated. For a moment, her heart softened, but she quickly pressed it down and raised her voice a few notches: “Cui Momo, what are you still standing there for? Go prepare the carriage at once to send…” her off.

“Grandmother.” Qin Jiu’s eyes looked as though they had been washed clean by rain, clear and bright. The Old Madam’s face was reflected vividly within them, “It was obviously Second Sister’s fault. I refuse to accept this.”

Her voice caught with sobs. The last few words sounded both wronged and stubborn.

“I know Grandmother favors Second Sister. Who let her be the one by your side for ten years? Who let the one who was brought back to the residence that time not me!” The more she spoke, the sadder she seemed to become. She pressed a handkerchief to the corner of her eye, her shoulders trembling slightly.

She was already small and slender to begin with, and her large eyes looked even bigger on her palm-sized face, making her appear even more pitiful.

Old Madam Qin’s heart began to soften. Indeed, being raised in the countryside wasn’t Qin Jiu’s fault.

Qin Xin immediately sensed trouble.

Having grown up by the Old Madam’s side, she knew all too well how soft-hearted and indecisive her grandmother was.

She shot Shuxiang a meaningful glance. Shuxiang instantly understood and said anxiously, “Young Miss…”

Taking out a vial of smelling salts, she held it beneath Qin Xin’s nose while gently rubbing her back.

Seeing Qin Xin looking so frail and sickly, the Old Madam felt as though needles were piercing her heart. The physician had just said that her second granddaughter had suffered such emotional distress that excessive worry and pent-up emotions had harmed her health. She would need several days of careful rest to recover.

When had her precious Xin’er ever suffered such humiliation before?!

With that thought, Old Madam Qin hardened her heart once more, “Qin Jiu, you—”

“Grandmother…” Qin Jiu lowered her face halfway, sobbing so hard she could barely catch her breath. “Since you love Second Sister so much, why did you insist on bringing me back in the first place?”

“If the Qin family doesn’t have room for me, then I’ll leave right now!

“Aunt Empress likes me. She’ll definitely believe me.

“I’m never coming back!”

Qin Jiu covered her mouth with her handkerchief, letting out pitiful little sobs as she turned to run away.

“Little Sister!” Qin Zening hurriedly gave chase.

The curtain leading to the outer room was flung aside and then dropped back into place. It swayed gently in the air as the sound of retreating footsteps faded into the distance.

Old Madam Qin: “…”

What did she just say?

That’s right!

She was going to send Qin Jiu to the estate, but where was the person?

Old Madam Qin stared blankly at the swaying curtain, completely bewildered. For a long while, she could not process what just happened.

As soon as Qin Jiu ran out of Rong An Hall, she lowered the handkerchief from her face. Her jade-like face was perfectly clean without a single tear stain.

Stuffing the handkerchief into her sleeve pouch, she turned and flashed a brilliant smile at Qin Zening, who had “chased after” her. Her eyes sparkled like cold stars in the night sky.

When the Old Madam mentioned sending Qin Jiu to the estate, Qin Zening had nearly exploded in anger. However, Qin Jiu had secretly tugged at his sleeve to stop him.

So he held back for now. The next moment, he watched his little sister “cry” even more heartbreakingly than Qin Xin.

That pitiful, aggrieved performance really was enough to make anyone who heard it move them to tears.

…

Far too interesting!

As expected of his little sister—she was exactly his type of person!

Qin Zening looked at his sister, who was a head shorter than him, and the corners of his lips curved upward.

When the young man smiled, his handsome face seemed to shine with the brilliance of the rising sun, full of spirit and vigor.

“Big Brother, remember to tell Cui Momo to not worry later.” Qin Jiu added.

Earlier, Cui Momo had repeatedly given her meaningful looks, her face full of concern. It was obvious that she was genuinely worried about the siblings.

Qin Zening nodded and agreed, “Little Sister, I’ll escort you to the palace.”

Thus, Qin Zening rode on horseback, personally accompanying Qin Jiu’s carriage as it left the residence.

As a member of the Imperial Guard serving the Emperor, Qin Zening presented his identification token at the palace gates and asked someone to notify Empress Wei.

Before long, a young eunuch from Fengluan Palace hurried over and respectfully led Qin Jiu inside.