Qin Liuxi changed into a new dress, gently sipping red date and millet porridge, and asked Qi Huang what troubles had stirred up in the household during the past few days.
"Ever since the incident in Old Mrs. Qin’s courtyard last ti, those young masters and misses dared not wander over to your side anymore. Even if they strolled into the garden, they would deliberately avoid you," Qi Huang shook his head and continued, "nothing else much, everything has been quite peaceful; at most so complaints about life not being good enough."
Qin Liuxi acted as if she hadn’t heard, for life like this was already far better than that of a real farming family, even if the servants were not as good as before, only one or two in number.
"They complain about not being wealthy, but they should try visiting those places. The county magistrate’s wife in poor areas has to wear cloth clothes, wash her hands, and cook soups. Where can their situation compare, with still quite a few servants in the house?"
"It seems like the auntie who helped in the kitchen isn’t doing that job anymore, she found another one, but this ti it’s doing miscellaneous chores."
Qin Liuxi, surprised, asked, "Why did she stop?"
Qi Huang explained, "It seems that the auntie was quite good at helping in the kitchen and occasionally cooked a dish that earned the favor of an important guest, who then called her over to talk. Soone from the Ding family recognized her as belonging to our Qin family, ntioned it, and whether the shopkeeper feared the Ding family or just didn’t want trouble, he dismissed her."
It was the Ding family again.
Qin Liuxi frowned and said, "If she’s not doing it anymore, it doesn’t matter. The family is just about to open a shop. Let her help there when the ti cos."
"The servant also thinks so."
Qin Liuxi had just finished her breakfast when Nanny Shen from Mrs. Wang’s side personally ca to invite her, saying Old Mrs. Qin was angered and felt unwell, asking her to co and see.
Qi Huang imdiately fetched the small dicine box. Seeing this, Qin Liuxi said nothing and got up to leave. Nanny Shen, understanding the situation well, explained the identity of the visitor, the reason for the visit, and how Old Mrs. Qin had been upset.
No wonder Qin Mingchun could tell that the visitor ca with ill intentions; it turns out they ca to call off an engagent.
Indeed, the visitor was from the Shengjing Wen Family, concerning the marriage between Miss Wen and the Qin family’s Eldest Young Master, Qin Mingmu. They said Miss Wen had fallen seriously ill and had been sent to Jing’an Hall for recuperation. Not wishing to delay Qin Mingmu, they intended to call off the marriage.
"This serious illness is just an excuse; in fact, it’s also because they see the Qin family’s declining fortunes, improper social matching, and to avoid disdain, that’s why they want to call off the marriage," sighed Nanny Shen.
Upon hearing this, Qin Liuxi said, "Since you understand this, how could Old Mrs. Qin not understand? However, why is she upset? Marriage alliances are tied first and foremost to mutual benefits; if the Qin family can’t offer good benefits, their desire to dissolve the marriage aligns with common human feelings, where is the reason to be upset? If it were the Qin family..."
She noticed how Nanny Shen was looking at her, coughed, and said, "Well, if they want to call off the marriage, let them. How old is the Eldest Young Master? He is exiled and it’s unknown how many years before he can return. It’s not realistic to expect the girl to wait for him."
Nanny Shen softly said, "That’s true, but Old Mrs. Qin feels that the Wen family calling off the marriage at this juncture seems disdainful and like kicking us when we’re down, which is why she’s so upset."
"People didn’t call off the marriage publicly on the day the Qin family mber was exiled, that in itself saved so face," Qin Liuxi replied indifferently. "Old Mrs. Qin is thinking too much. If she puts herself in their shoes, these matters would be easier to accept."
Nanny Shen touched her nose, "There are indeed families who genuinely uphold virtues and reputation, never abandoning each other."
"There are, of course. But in my view, such families are mostly foolish, for the sake of virtue and decorum, completely sacrificing their daughters. Even if their betrothed is dead, they still expect them to marry and beco a widow of a dead fiancé. Such families are just sacrificing their daughters for their own reputation, which is thoroughly disgusting," Qin Liuxi snorted with disdain.
Nanny Shen: "..."
Perhaps it’s best if she said nothing more?
The young miss, clearly, was not going to side with her own family.
"When was my big brother born, do you know?" asked Qin Liuxi.
Busy, Nanny Shen replied, "Of course, I know. That year..."
Qin Liuxi arrived at Old Lady Qin’s courtyard, and imdiately heard Mrs. Xie’s shrill scolding, sentence by sentence, belittling the Wen Family girl, saying if Old Lady Qin gets seriously upset, even at the cost of her reputation, she would spread the word about the Wen Family.
"Miss has arrived."
When Qin Liuxi entered the room, she saw several Qin family daughters-in-law, but the younger ones were absent, perhaps not involved in such matters.
There were two unfamiliar servants standing in the main hall, one looking sowhat confused, and the other showing displeasure, yet forcibly suppressing her anger.
"Second sister-in-law, stop talking for now," said Mrs. Wang, seeing Qin Liuxi arrive as if seeing a savior, and quickly said, "Xixi, co and see your grandmother."
She had Nanny Shen go and call her, rely trying her luck, as these past few days Qin Liuxi had not co to pay her respects. She had asked Qin Mingchun, and the answer was that the elder sister wasn’t around, seemingly at the Daoist Temple.
Thus, Mrs. Wang did not know when she had returned.
Unexpectedly, her request worked this ti.
Qin Liuxi saw Old Mrs. Qin’s face turn pale, gasping heavily, hurriedly stepped forward, her fingers on her grandmother’s pulse. The pulse was erratic, chest rising and falling too quickly, a case of deficient Yin with flourishing fire, fury overwhelming the heart.
She really was infuriated.
Qin Liuxi withdrew her hand, did not perform acupuncture, but rely pressed a point on the base of the palm using Yin power. Old Lady Qin instantly felt a sour pain, that sour and tingling sensation, which montarily distracted her from her anger, only leaving her glaring at Qin Liuxi.
Qin Liuxi opened the dicine box, rummaged through it, took out a bottle, and placed a pill in Old Lady Qin’s mouth.
The action was anything but rough.
Old Mrs. Qin felt her anger rising again, infuriated by Qin Liuxi.
But as the dicine went down her throat, her heart gradually cald down a bit, causing her to glance at the dicine bottle, but it had already been put back in the dicine box and closed.
Seeing Old Lady Qin’s anger subside, Qin Liuxi then turned to the two servants, her gaze pausing briefly on their faces before withdrawing.
"Are you here to withdraw from the marriage?"
The two servants looked at each other, and the round-faced one, with a smile, asked, "Who might this be?"
Mrs. Wang glanced at Nanny Shen, who stepped forward to introduce, "This is our Qin family’s eldest daughter, raised in the old residence due to her physical condition since childhood."
Hearing this, the round-faced servant curtsied and said, "This servant has seen the Miss; I am here on behalf of my masters to return the engagent token left by your family’s eldest young master..."
She repeated the sa story Nanny Shen had prepared.
Mrs. Xie sneered: "Why bother with such a sanctified excuse? Just say that our Qin family is now destitute and a sinner, unsuitable for your Miss Wen."
The servant with a reserved long face then said: "Second Madam, though our families had an engagent and exchanged tokens, the marriage contracts were never exchanged. Now that our families are incompatible, it is normal to call off the engagent..."
The round-faced servant tugged at her: "Lu family servant, stop talking."
The servant called from the Lu family, still noticeably resentful, closed her mouth.
"You see, I wasn’t wrong, was I? Just say it if you despise us..." Mrs. Xie knew her guess was correct.
"They aren’t wrong either," Qin Liuxi suddenly spoke up.
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