âFourth Miss, youâre simply too polite.â Qin- mama was wreathed in smiles and curtsied respectfully at Qin Yining, then turned to pull the two behind her forward. âOld Dowager keeps thinking of you, miss, and sent this old servant over with two servants when she heard that the lord has forbidden your maids to serve you here. This is Wife Ge, and this is Xiaoling. Theyâll serve at your side over the next couple of days.â
The two made docile curtsies to Qin Yining, who smiled back at Qin- mama . âMany thanks to Old Dowager going to this effort and thinking of me.â
âOh miss, the old dowager is your grandmother, of course she would think of you!â The mama turned to give instructions for the other two to clean up the side wing that Qin Yining would be staying in over the next couple of days. âTheyâll bring you the meal boxes over the next couple of days. Just be at peace, miss.â
âHow could I not with the old dowager and Qin- mama âs care? Itâs nice and quiet here, so I can focus on my studies.â
Upon seeing that Qin Yiningâs composure was as usual, with none of the resentment of being punished, Qin- mama could only compliment the girlâs gracious composure. She really is like the lord when he was young. The old servant gave detailed instructions to Wife Ge and Xiaoling to serve the fourth miss well, and also issued further reminders to the granny servant guarding the door. âDonât think youâre doing your job well in just keeping watch at the door and making sure the miss doesnât leave. Serving her well is the most important! Even though sheâs here to study on the lordâs orders, sheâs still his most beloved daughter!â
The granny servant had already snapped to attention at Qin- mama âs arrival. Now enlightened with new perspective, she kept reassuring, âDonât worry!â
Qin- mama made another curtsey to Qin Yining when she saw that all was arranged for properly and nothing out of order. âThis servant needs to go back to Old Dowager. The night grows deep, you should rest earlier, miss.â
âMany thanks for Qin- mama for making this trip.â Qin Yining quickly returned the courtesy and spoke with gratitude.
âThis is what this servant should do.â The two exchanged pleasantries as Qin Yining politely accompanied Qin- mama to the doors of the ancestral hall before finally returning to her room.
When Qin- mama returned to Garden of Loving Piety, she made directly for the main house to see how the shifts were arranged for that night. Qin Huining happened to be kneeling on the reclining seat by the window in her room and had cracked the window open a sliver. She saw everything clearly.
âOld Dowager is so kind, hmm? A real granddaughter is deserving of different treatment indeed.â She walked inside with a cold smile after closing the window slowly.
âDonât dwell on it, miss,â Cai- mama responded. âThe old dowager needs to keep up appearances after all. She has her benevolent and virtuous reputation to consider. After all, there will be many pairs of eyes on something of this magnitude.â
âEven you know how many are keeping watch on what that barbarian does, wet nurse!â Qin Huining snorted. âBut why doesnât Old Dowager or my father know? She really ate the heart of a tiger in sneaking out to meet with an outside male! Who knows what kind of base, low acts sheâs committed there with how promiscuous she looks!
âSheâs lorded it over me since coming back and beaten me! But Old Dowager doesnât punish her for that and just makes her memorize classics! Even my maternal grandmotherâs given her the Institute of Luminous Grace! Sheâs never given me anything in the fourteen years Iâve been with the family! The entire family is biased towards her now. If I donât do something now that sheâs locked up, I wonât get such an opportunity to in the future!â Qin Huiningâs eyes were hooded.
âMiss, should you wait since the lord is quite angry at the moment?â Cai- mama was a bit worried.
âWait? For what?! How long will I wait for?! Am I to let that filthy barbarian step all over me?!â Qin Huining choked up as tears trickled down like a small waterfall. âYou know of my pain, wet nurse. The humiliation Iâve suffered these days is more than all Iâve endured throughout my entire life! How can I wait??â
Twinges of pain assailed Cai- mama âs heart when she saw Qin Huining thus. She made a moue and thought briefly. âDonât worry, miss. Itâs actually rather easy to deal with her. We canât do anything to her now that sheâs in the ancestral hall, so all we need to do is to clip her wings and make it that she has no one trustworthy to use.â
âDo you have a plan?â Qin Huiningâs eyes gleamed.
âItâs very simple.â Cai-mama nodded. âMiss, sheâs just returned to the manor and doesnât have many she can trust at all. If we get rid of those she depends on the most, who will dare be loyal to her in the future when she canât protect anyone by her side? If she has no confidantes in a great family as this, things are as good as over for her.â
âYouâre so very right. She wonât be able to do anything meaningful without anyone able by her side. Sheâll be ours to do as we wish in the future!â Qin Huining leaned cutely against Cai- mama and sighed. âThank goodness I have you, or I wouldnât know what to do at all.â
The mama was quite touched. âI nursed you, miss! Who would I give all of my efforts to, if not you?â When the old servant thought of Jin- mama , she made use of the atmosphere to say, âJust like I serve you wholeheartedly, so does my aunt serve the senior madame wholeheartedly. Sheâs just following orders. Please donât blame her, miss.â
I wonder how Snowpear Courtyard is getting along. Father ordered all the staff to stay inside and reflect. This is a form of protection as well. Not seeing anyone means that theyâll be safe.
Such peaceful times lasted for three days. Qin Jianing had her coming-of-age ceremony during this period, and preparations for her marriage to the son of the Earl of Jiannan started as well. She only learned of all this from Wife Ge and Xiaolingâs discussions.
It was the seventh day that Qin Yining had been grounded in the ancestral hall. She had just finished breakfast and had taken a cup of hot tea from Xiaoling to rinse her mouth when she suddenly heard a shrill scream from outside the yard. âFourth Miss! Save Ruilan!!â
Qin Yiningâs heart skipped a beat. She could tell that it was Qiulu and charged outside. Werenât those in Snowpear Courtyard all quietly reflecting? What couldâve possibly happened?!
âFourth Miss, be careful! Donât trip!â Wife Ge and Xiaoling quickly rang out in pursuit.
Qin Yining pushed open the ancestral hall doors to see two strong granny servants blanking Qiulu. Qiuluâs hair was a complete mess as tears streaked her cheeks. Someone who was usually dependable and taciturn was now a sobbing heap. Qiulu wanted to speak when she saw Qin Yining, but a strong granny servant had clapped a hand over her mouth. The maidâs eyes were bloodshot in her urgency and she kept voicing guttural sounds. Her tears fell even faster. Qiulu must have risked death to come here!
âStop.â Qin Yining shrugged off Wife Ge and Xiaoling. She took two steps forward to grip the granny servantâs arm and squeezed tightly. The servant immediately let go with a loud cry of pain, and neither of them dared restrain Qiulu anymore.
âWhatâs going on, Qiulu? Whatâs happened at home? What happened to Ruilan?â
âMiss, Miss Huiningâs maid Bitong came last night and summoned sister Ruilan. Ruilan didnât want to go at first, but Bitong said something that made her go in the end. She didnât come back all night.
âNews came from Old Dowagerâs this morning that a thief had been captured in Garden of Loving Piety last night. The thief was after the old dowagerâs things and one of Miss Huiningâs maids had captured them. They said it was Ruilan! Old Dowager was greatly angered and had Ruilan beaten with forty hits from a plank, then thrown out of the manor!
âMiss, sister Ruilan is definitely innocent. That punishment will take her life! She has an old mother and younger siblings at home. Theyâre all dead if something happens to her! Please miss, save her!â Qiulu was a kindhearted and honest one. She didnât know the value of discretion and just spilled out everything in one go. The granny servants, Wife Ge, and Xiaoling off on the side long since made their conjectures when they heard this.
Qin Yining was also well aware than Qin Huining must be taking advantage of her absence from Snowpear Courtyard to make a move against her people. Not only was the foster girl trying to prune her most trusted servants, but she was also trying to instill the thinking in Old Dowager that Ruilan had turned out bad because of her mistress. If Ruilan really was taken down by Qin Huining, then all her efforts a short while ago were wasted! If she couldnât even protect those by her side, then how would she keep the servants in line in the future? She finally had someone she could trust, was she to have to go at things solo again now? No! I must save Ruilan!
Although Qin Yining was currently grounded and supposed to be memorizing lessons, she urgently wanted to save her maid and couldnât think of too much. She was prepared to set out when a voice sounded behind her, âPlease hold your steps, miss.â
Qin Yining turned to see Qin- mama . It was unknown how long the mama had been present and how much sheâd heard. âQin- mama .â Qin Yining suppressed the urgency in her heart and politely greeted the old servant.
Qin- mama curtsied a curtsey and spoke gravely, âDonât forget miss, the lord himself grounded you. You cannot leave unless youâve passed his test. Besides, even if you go, what can you do with just words and no evidence? Thereâs clear evidence on the other side that Ruilan stole the old dowagerâs jade bracelet. They have proof and witnesses.â
It was as if a ladle of cold water had been dumped over Qin Yiningâs head. How could she save Ruilan without proof or witnesses?