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Chapter 270: Surrender (II)
Some guilt assailed the the old dowager at the sight of her crying granddaughter, but she exhorted harshly, “It’s just an animal! Must you be like this?? Don’t think I don’t know where that rabbit comes from! It came back with you after the peace talks at Xihua, and then that devil Pang came strutting to our nation.
“I’m only eating the rabbit he gave you after all the harm he brought to the family. I haven’t even taught you a lesson yet! You’re overly close to him, are you thinking of mutiny??”
Clapping a high crime on her out of guilt?
Qin Yining waved a hand, not wanting to exchange another word with someone like the old dowager. She picked up the plum blossom-shaped knot from the blood drenched rabbit fur and left.
“Miss.” Bingtang and Qiulu came dashing out, each taking one of their mistress’ arms.
Meanwhile, Jiyun laughed coldly. “I’ve really learned something today! I can’t believe that such an ungrateful, shameless, scheming old bitch like you exists in the world! How can such an openminded and aboveboard person like Grand Preceptor Qin have you for a mother?? Just like black sheep can come from a good family, so can a good one come from rot! Or did you steal him from another family? How foul and disgusting!”
“You! How dare you, how dare you! Servants, attend to me!”
“Servants? You’re the biggest burden on us all. You need people waiting on you all day. Do you think you’re still at the manor?” Jiyun raked the old dowager with a contemptuous glare and took off running. She was afraid that something would happen to Qin Yining.
The guard found Qin Yining, Bingtang, and Qiulu by a small creek outside Ning Park. The Qin fourth miss was crouched by the water and washing off the bloodstains on the knot. She wasn’t crying anymore.
But Jiyun’s nose twinged at the sight of the thin, fragile girl stooped on the floor, her shoulder blades about to poke through her clothes at any moment, and the guard almost burst into tears.
When are you coming, Your Highness! If you don’t come soon, the future princess consort will be tortured to death! Not just from hunger, but from emotional anguish as well!
Jiyun wanted to comfort her mistress, but she didn’t know what to say after opening and closing her mouth a few times.
Footsteps suddenly sounded at this time. A slightly raspy male voice huffed out with suppressed surprise, “Yi’er, is, is that you?”
Qin Yining lifted her head to see Weichi Yan, so skinny that his cheeks had sunken in. He was wearing worn, long robes and had made it up the mountain with the help of a few guards and palace servants.
What’s he doing here?
An astonished Qin Yining put the now clean knot carefully away and walked up to make the grand gesture of greeting. “This subject greets Your Majesty.”
The maids also followed suit.
Drenched in sweat, Weichi Yan leaned against a small tree to catch his breath. He waved off Qin Yining. “Rise, all of you. No need to stand on formality.”
The Qin fourth miss rose and asked respectfully with a bowed head, “What brings Your Majesty here?”
Weichi Yan panted a bit more before regaining some of his breath. “We heard that your family’s manor was overrun by a mob, but no one from your family could be found. This was greatly worrying, so We investigated and learned that you had long since moved here with the rest of your clan.”
He raised his head to look at the painted walls and black tiles of Ning Park. The emperor frowned with displeasure when he recalled that this residence had been a gift from Pang Xiao.
Yet there was nothing he could find fault with Qin Yining for. She was just a weak girl, and if she hadn’t made arrangements for her family early on, the Qins would’ve been harmed by the mob.
Weichi Yan smiled mockingly at himself. He was the emperor, but all he could do was starve everyday. There was nothing he could give Qin Yining, so what basis did he have to pursue her? Would paintings or calligraphy feed the people?
“All of you are dismissed, We have words to exchange with Xuan Su.” Weichi Yan’s mood was much calmer when he waved off those around them.
Lu-gonggong and the palace guards backed away after making their bows, leaving Qiulu, Jiyun, and Bingtang no choice but to follow. The premises was vacated for the two of them.
The emperor held onto the tree trunk, looking closely at the person who occupied his thoughts day and night.
She’d lost a lot of weight. Her face was the size of a palm, but it only made her eyes appear larger and brighter. A delicate nose seemingly carved of jade and beautiful lips enhanced her charm. Though she wore skirts and tops of rough cloth, and her hair was done simply in one long braid, the lack of powder and rouge put her looks on further display. It wasn’t something that beauties made of cosmetics could compare to.
So I still like her, and my heart still pounds when I see her.
A resigned smile crossed Weichi Yan’s face. The nation was in peril, but here he was, still of a mind to think about things like this. It was just that life had been too miserable lately, and he had no place to vent his bottle up feelings.