Capítulo 771: Chapter 753: Qin iniang Seizes the Opportunity
When Qin iniang arrived at the Pri Minister Mansion’s gate, Madam Lin, the First-rank Old Lady, was gossiping about the capital’s Eight Diagrams with her daughter-in-law and granddaughter. She was taken aback upon hearing from the Chief Maid that soone from the Qin family had co and presented a wallet.
Madam Lin was startled at the ntion of the Qin family, “Which Qin family?” Suddenly, the image of soone ca to mind, and she joyfully inquired, “Is it the Junior Temple Master?”
Her confidant nanny opened the wallet, revealing the clear White Jade Linglong inside, and passed it to Madam Lin, “This was gifted to the Junior Temple Master by you. If she were the one visiting, there would be no need for a token like this.”
“Indeed, it’s that lady’s aunt by marriage, Mrs. Qin, the previous legitimate wife of Song Liyang, the Director of the Ministry of Rites who drowned in the Dragon Boat Festival this year. After the Qin family’s downfall, she was dismissed and sent back to her maternal ho,” explained the Chief Maid about Qin iniang’s background.
Madam Lin commanded, “Where is she? Please invite her in.”
She had t Grand Aunt Qin before, a woman of a gentle and soft nature. She couldn’t fathom why she would co calling, carrying a Token, fearing that she must have a request.
Though Qin iniang had brought a Token, she did not expect that the First-rank Old Lady would genuinely agree to et her. She felt joy in her heart but also so trepidation, uncertain if the old lady would be willing to lend her influence.
With a nervous heart, she arrived at Madam Lin’s Shoukang Hall, and upon seeing the kind and smiling old lady, Qin iniang bowed deeply, “Mrs. Qin iniang pays her respects to the Old Lady and wishes you good health and well-being.”
“Very good, rise, rise, my dear daughter-in-law, help her up. You girls, quickly serve so tea and offer her a seat,” Madam Lin said as she approached with a kindly laugh, pretending to help Qin iniang up. “The last ti we t was at the great law field lecture held by Master Yun Cheng at the Imperial Temple, indeed it has been a long ti.”
Qin iniang also paid her respects and smiled, “I am honored that you rember .”
Madam Lin inquired, “What brings you to the capital? Is there sothing the Junior Temple Master has entrusted to you?”
A slight blush appeared on Qin iniang’s face as she replied, “First of all, I’d like to thank the Old Lady for agreeing to see a re woman of acquaintance from only two or three etings. To be frank, it was a dire pressing need that emboldened to seek you, as I was guided by Xixi’s advice before coming to the capital. If there was any other way, I wouldn’t wish to impose this favor from her; it’s truly because…”
As she spoke, tears began to well up in her eyes, falling drop by drop.
Mrs. Lin was taken aback and quickly comforted her, “Oh dear, what’s the matter? Why the tears? Take your ti, we will help if we can.”
Wiping her tears, Qin iniang knelt before the Old Lady and said, “Old Lady, I am here to ask you for a favor, to help retrieve my daughters and save them from the clutches of wicked people.”
Madam Lin frowned, “Please, stand up and speak.”
Qin iniang sniffed, accepted the tea handed to her by Mrs. Lin, and after expressing her gratitude and regaining her composure, began to recount how the Qin family had fallen, how she and her daughters were dismissed and sent back to her mother’s ho, and then how a few months ago, Qin Liuxi had read her eldest daughter’s face and divined her fortune, followed by the various events that had transpired since their arrival in the capital.
“…Even with his death, since he was Yu Yan’s biological father, the sisters coming to mourn his passing was to honor that shallow father-daughter bond. Even if they had chosen not to return to the capital and had instead stayed in Li City to observe mourning, who could have faulted them? They had already been abandoned, and have started a female house with , taking my surna,” Qin iniang said through gritted teeth, “But the Song family’s plans are vile; they actually intend to sell my children for their own glory. It’s truly disgusting. I could have fought them until the very end, but that would only leave my children without hope. As a woman who has been cast aside, with my family ruined, for now, I cannot outfight them. Thus, I shafully co before you hoping the Old Lady would intervene, to help bring my daughters out. I am willing to dedicate an eternal tablet to the Old Lady.”
Madam Lin huffed, “The Song family’s behavior truly is despicable. Even while still in the mourning period, they’re scheming against a pair of girls they themselves expelled from the family. It’s truly reprehensible.”
Mrs. Lin also showed disgust, saying, “They are so indecent even during the mourning period; aren’t they afraid of losing face by letting it get out?”
“If they cared about face, they would not have abandoned the girls. Later, realizing the benefits those girls could bring, they tried every ans to take them back and hold onto them.” The so-called ‘the old beco sly.’ With the Song Family acting so blatantly, everyone present clearly understood the ins and outs. The Old Lady naturally also understood the Song Family’s intentions.
In a word, it is nothing more than selling their daughter for glory.
Mrs. Lin said to her mother-in-law, “Mother, how about this? I’ll use Miss Tang’s na to invite them over. After all, they are girls of similar ages. We’ll just say that we’ve heard they have returned to the capital and would like to et them.”
As to how the Song Family would wonder how the Qin Yuyan sisters knew the Pri Minister Mansion’s ladies, it was all about making up a story.
Madam Lin shook her head, “Miss Tang is not influential enough. Their grandmother holds them tightly under the pretext of serving the ill and observing filial piety. What can you do? Let do it. Just say that Lady i has co to visit and I’ve heard that Yuyan is good at embroidery. I’d like her to stitch a forehead cloth for , and to co over to decide on a design.”
Qin iniang was delighted; this was an agreent.
Madam Lin looked at Qin iniang and said, “Although Prince Zhao is not much, he is still of noble birth. Now that you and your daughters are in a fallen state, if she really becos a Princess Consort, she would be a woman from a noble family. Do you truly not wish for that?”
Qin iniang smiled bitterly and shook her head, “Old Lady, you don’t need to test . I used to think about marrying off my daughter high, albeit only slightly better than the Song Family – given both her father and I are illegitimate – and didn’t set our hopes too high. But later, I didn’t dare to think about it. Prince Zhao is of noble birth; to tell you the truth, wouldn’t he prefer to find soone with a bit of family background for his legitimate wife? The Song Family speaks beautifully of being a legitimate wife, but if it happens and Prince Zhao reneges, only willing to take a concubine, who could do anything to him? I just hope my daughter finds a husband who is understanding and empathetic, a young couple who can negotiate and communicate. That’s much better than wasting away unhappily in a mansion of false riches.”
Madam Lin looked at her with appreciation in her eyes, key monts indeed reveal a clear-headed person, not blinded by false opulence.
There is no better ti than now. Since the Song Family has already started arranging, it is best to take out the two sisters as soon as possible to avoid any actual spoilage.
Madam Lin sent her confidant nanny personally to the Song Family to pick them up. Qin iniang wanted to follow but was stopped by her.
“You are a guest in my house, just wait here, the old nanny will naturally know what to say,” Madam Lin said. “Tell about when the Junior Temple Master read her fortune, did he ntion a late marriage?”
“Yes.” Qin iniang then relayed what Qin Liuxi had said about the fate.
Madam Lin, propping her hand against the kang table, said, “If Prince Zhao knew that marrying this girl early would lead to the death of her husband, he would probably lay his anger on the Song Family.”
Mrs. Lin laughed, “Mother, Prince Zhao goes to Changyin Building to walk his birds every afternoon at the hour of Shen.”
Prince Zhao liked birds, and Changyin Building had the most exotic species, so he was sure to go.
“Then arrange for soone to inform the prince of the danger discreetly. If he is hexed by soone, there will be no birds to stroll with.”
Mrs. Lin agreed to arrange it.
Qin iniang blinked her eyes; could it really be played like this?
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