Chapter 109

Having thousands of emotions in her heart was one thing, but on the surface, Qin Hongying looked at Wei Cheng with sharp eyes. "Old Mr. Ding has miraculous medical skills, and my second brother's injury is no longer a major problem. What exactly happened in the past, the younger generation doesn't know, and those who don't understand the inside story don't know either, but don't you and I know the inside story?"

The Wei family put on such a high air back then, demanding that the second brother marry the concubine-born daughter of the Wei family as a second wife was only one of the conditions, and there were two, three, four, five, and six more to follow.

Without waiting for Wei Cheng to speak, Qin Hongying said displeasedly, "My second brother has a strong personality and dislikes others threatening him the most. In the past, bandits in the Bolei Mountain and Tianze Mountain range became a disaster. My second brother originally only wanted to send his subordinates to suppress the bandits, but those two bandit leaders didn't know the immensity of heaven and earth, and actually sent a letter to my second brother, intending to ask for an official post so as to give themselves a proper title. They even boasted that if the second brother didn't agree, they would lead troops to slaughter all the surrounding common people. Heh, what do you guess the result was, Fifth Lady Wei?"

When Qin Hongying mentioned "Bolei Mountain and Tianze Mountain range", Dai Li recalled some old memories.

That was more than half a year ago. At that time, she fled from Nankang Commandery to Taiping Commandery, and was caught by Qin Shaozong in Taiping Commandery. The troops of the salt smuggler Li Zan came upon hearing the news, and Qin Shaozong took her to climb the mountain to hide.

In that small cave, the guard told her that the bandit suppression campaign back then was personally led by Qin Shaozong, and several Jingguan were built in a row. For more than ten years since then, there has been no bandit disaster in those two places.

Wei Cheng seemed to have heard of this, and her face turned slightly pale.

Qin Hongying sneered and said, "After my second brother received the letter from the bandit leader, he was furious, scolding them for their wishful thinking. He immediately changed the commander before the battle and personally put on armor to go into battle."

Qin Hongying also emphasized the four words "wishful thinking".

"Fifth Lady Wei, have you ever seen a Jingguan? A small mountain piled up with heads, each head bloody. When the heads were cut off, those bandits still had their eyes wide open, terrified and dying with remaining grievances. Several Jingguan lined up in a row, and the blood dyed the surrounding land red, even converging into a red stream. Even the land was soaked soft by the blood. When you stepped on it, blood would seep out from the side of your boots with a 'zi' sound, and sometimes you could even see some minced meat." Qin Hongying sighed as if reminiscing.

Dai Li couldn't help but turn her head, with a little imperceptible suspicion in her eyes.

This eldest miss spoke as if she had been there in person. But if Qin Shaozong was the commander, would he let his sister go with him?

But regardless of whether it was true or false, the power of Qin Hongying's words was extraordinary. The blood color on the faces of the Wei sisters faded little by little, one paler than the other.

Wei Cheng's lips trembled, but she couldn't speak.

Chun Ri

Qin Hongying stared at her without blinking, the implication in her eyes even stronger. "So, those who threaten my second brother are really trying to be clever but ending up making a fool of themselves. What kind of temper does my second brother have? He has been a tough bone since childhood. If you talk to him nicely, he can still give you a way out for the sake of your obedience. If you don't know what's good for you and insist on poking his reverse scale, then it's really..."

Qin Hongying didn't say what it really was, but only replaced it with a sneer.

The delicate bodies of the Wei sisters trembled, like yellow leaves hanging on the treetops.

And just when Dai Li suspected whether these two would be scared out of their wits in the main hall—

"Pingzhi!" Wei Cheng saw the person beside her go soft, and was shocked at first.

But later she reacted, restraining the bright light in her eyes to support the person. "Pingzhi, what's wrong with you? Is it a relapse of your old illness? Don't be afraid. The best doctor in Yuyang is in this mansion. Your brother-in-law is magnanimous and kind-hearted, and he will definitely be able to help you turn danger into safety."

Dai Li: "..."

Qin Hongying: "..."

Qin Hongying was really laughed out of anger.

She married the legitimate eldest son of the Shi family back then. Her husband was a subordinate of her father, which was considered a marriage down. After marriage, her husband's backyard was clean. Her mother-in-law and uncle treated her like a biological daughter. Her several sisters-in-law respected and feared her, and even if they had ulterior motives, they didn't dare to play tricks in front of her.

Seeing less after marriage didn't mean she couldn't understand.

Thinking back to the time after her twin brother died in battle, for a period of time, all the monsters and demons of the collateral branches of the Qin family came out and made a big fuss in front of her.

But that was more than ten years ago. This daughter of the Wei family was fine. After more than ten years, she helped her review the feeling of being designed, and the method used was so clumsy.

"Aunt, this..." Qin Qinian was dumbfounded and didn't know what to do.

He subconsciously took a few steps forward, wanting to help Wei Pingzhi up, but felt it was inappropriate.

Qin Hongying turned her head and said to Qin Qinian: "Qinian, you run fast, go quickly to find Old Mr. Ding. When he came to the mansion earlier, he was accompanied by two servants who understand medical principles. You let one of the servants bring the needle box and come with you, and wake the person up first."

Qin Qinian ran out like a gust of wind.

And as soon as the words "needle box" came out, Wei Cheng clearly saw Wei Pingzhi's eyelashes tremble.

She quickly stopped him and said: "There's no need to let the servants come. I just looked at it. Pingzhi shouldn't be suffering from a relapse of an old illness, but just fainted from fright. It's better to find a courtyard for her to rest. When she's well rested, she will naturally wake up."

"Inappropriate. My second brother previously said that a sick person must not be moved without authorization. If she accidentally bumps into somewhere and aggravates her condition, it will be too late for regrets." Qin Hongying said with a half-smile: "Second brother is experienced in hundreds of battles and has rich experience. He certainly won't make a mistake. Fifth Lady Wei, am I right?"

Having just said "give a way out for the sake of obedience", now Wei Cheng really didn't have the courage to shake her head.

The situation was in a stalemate for a while. Dai Li personally watched a small-scale inner courtyard struggle at the scene, and sighed repeatedly in her heart, feeling even more that the main wife of a wealthy family was not easy to be.

Today this one faints, tomorrow that one has body aches, it's really not peaceful.

Qin Shaozong wasn't here, and he didn't know what Dai Li was thinking. If he knew, he would probably be so angry that a breath of air would rush straight to the top of his head.

Not long after, Qin Qinian returned with an attendant carrying a medicine box.

"This Junior Lady Wei looks sickly. Don't be stingy, be sure to give her a few more needles." Qin Hongying smiled from the side.

Although he was an attendant, how could someone who could accompany Ding Luying be an ordinary doctor. The other party didn't rashly insert the needles, but first felt the pulse. As soon as this pulse was explored, he knew what was going on.

Wealthy and powerful families have always had many struggles, and doctors didn't dare to say too much, but carefully said: "Madam Qin, she is fine."

Qin Hongying urged: "If she's fine, hurry up and give her two needles. As long as you wake her up, it's fine. My second brother is now spending money like water everywhere to seek famous medicines, and the pressure to support the family is quite high. The mansion can no longer support other people."

Doctor: "..."

Dai Li touched her nose.

"Stick the needles. If there's a problem, it's on me. Even if you hit some acupoint and make her half paralyzed, it doesn't matter. Anyway, my dowry is generous. At worst, I'll take this woman back to Nanyu Commandery, casually find a manor, and send two or three slaves to serve her for a lifetime." Qin Hongying said lightly.

As soon as these words fell, the person who had been "unconscious" just now made a movement.

Wei Cheng secretly gritted her teeth, but there was nothing she could do. She could only feign pleasant surprise, "Pingzhi, you're awake? Good thing it was just a minor ailment. If something bad had happened, how could I explain it to my brother-in-law? After all, you have served in the Marquis's manor for so many years; even if you have no merit, you have worked hard!"

Qin Hongying couldn't even be bothered to reply to this. "Since you are feeling unwell, go back and get more rest. Don't run around everywhere, otherwise, if something bad happens, you can only blame yourself for not listening to others' advice."

Having said that, Qin Hongying called her nephew's name, "Qinian, see them out."

At first, Qin Qinian truly thought Wei Pingzhi was unwell, but after that scene, even a fool could see through the act.

Feeling played, Qin Qinian was not very happy, but the other party was his elder, so he could only say, "Aunt, please come with me."

With the situation turning out like this, Wei Cheng knew she could not stay any longer today. "Qinian, your Aunt Pingzhi and I will go back first. We will come see you another day."

Qin Qinian hesitated to speak.

After leaving the main hall, Wei Cheng showed a sorrowful expression. "Qinian, the Wei family is your mother's clan; this is an unbreakable bloodline. We will always be in the same boat. In the future, whatever you seek, the Wei family will spare no effort to plan for you."

Qin Qinian was sixteen years old. He wasn't old, but he couldn't be considered young either.

At his age, there were already people automatically gathering around him. Whether it was to eat, drink, and play together, or to help him plan for the future, a faction had formed with Qin Qinian at its core.

It wasn't that Qin Qinian didn't know certain things. Just like now, even though Wei Cheng spoke tactfully, he still heard the implied meaning.

The young man shook his head. "Aunt, you don't need to do this. Father has already made decisions on many matters. I trust his judgment, and as a son, I only need to obey his arrangements."

Wei Cheng felt resentful that he failed to meet her expectations. "Qinian! Yanzhou has already been taken by your father, and he will definitely not stop there in the future. You are his only biological son; no one is more legitimate than you. How can there be any reason to hand over such a massive family estate to someone else?"

Qin Qinian just smiled and said nothing.

Seeing his foolishly happy and carefree appearance, Wei Cheng almost lost her breath. "You treat others well, but who knows what they secretly think of you! Qinian, even if you don't plan for your own future, you must consider your deceased mother and your relatives. The honor and disgrace of the entire Wei family rest entirely on your shoulders!"

Qin Qinian said with a headache, "Aunt, please spare me. My first, second, and third uncles all have children, and my older male cousins are all older than me. It's not my turn to carry the honor and disgrace of the Wei family."

Wei Cheng hadn't felt much when Qin Hongying made veiled sarcastic remarks at her in the main hall earlier. But hearing her nephew's words now, her vision truly went black, she felt dizzy, and almost collapsed to the ground.

When Daili returned to the main courtyard, she saw that Qin Shaozong was surprisingly there.

She didn't know since when, but he increasingly liked coming to the main courtyard to handle official business.

Letters were moved here to be answered. While Daili took her afternoon nap, Qin Shaozong would sit by the desk in the outer room to process official affairs. Sometimes, when guards brought urgent letters into the manor and couldn't find him in the study, they would immediately come to the main courtyard.

Seeing Daili return at this moment, Qin Shaozong asked, "Madam is back. How did it go?"

Daili told the truth, "Quite spectacular."

Qin Shaozong's brush-wielding hand paused slightly. On the not-so-smooth mulberry paper, this pause caused an obvious break in a stroke.

Finishing the character expressionlessly, Qin Shaozong put down his wolf-hair brush and patted the seat next to him. "Come, Madam, come over and tell me, why do you say it was spectacular?"

Daili didn't think much of it; she was used to it.

When this man handled official business in the main courtyard, he would occasionally assign her small tasks, such as sealing letters with clay.

Daili walked over, sat down, and sighed, "A sharp tongue is like a dragon-spring sword, killing without drawing blood. You weren't there, so you don't know how formidable your sister is. With just a few short sentences, she made Wei Pingzhi, who had fainted and intended to stay in the manor, wake right back up."

After briefly explaining, Daili further praised Qin Hongying's combat power, "Hongying is quick-witted and handles things with ease. She truly is worthy of being the matriarch of a noble family."

Qin Shaozong was certain. He indeed heard a sense of rejoicing in her few short sighs.

Rejoicing that she wasn't the one who had to deal with these troublesome matters.

Qin Shaozong's face darkened slightly. He had Hongying come to Yuyang, but not to scare Daili into staying far away from the position of the matriarch. "There won't be so many matters in the future."

Daili muttered something softly.

Her voice was small and mumbled, but Qin Shaozong heard it clearly.

She said: It's not up to you.

Did these words mean that if she didn't nod, she simply wouldn't take the position of the matriarch, and therefore it wasn't up to him?

Or did it mean that this matriarch position was destined to be burdened with numerous affairs, and it wouldn't magically become unbusy just because he said "there won't be so many matters"?

"Seal these." Qin Shaozong placed a stack of letters in front of Daili.

Daili began to fiddle with the sealing clay.

Qin Shaozong stopped writing letters. Instead, he sat to the side, rolled up her naturally hanging skirt ribbon with one hand, wrapped it around his fingers, and watched her while playing with it.

For some reason, Daili felt the creeps from his gaze at this very moment, and her sixth sense's alarm was blaring.

It wasn't as if she hadn't helped him seal letters before, nor was it that she had never been watched by him.

However, the feeling this time was quite different.

If forced to make an analogy, it was like being stared at by a starving tiger in the night. Those tiger eyes, emitting an eerie, cold light, carefully scrutinized every part, occasionally nudging with its nose, seeming to consider the most suitable place to take a bite.

After sealing three letters in a row, Daili could no longer stand his gaze, which was so vastly different from usual.

She didn't know what this man was brewing, but it was definitely about her, and to her, it might not be a good thing.

"Qin Changgeng, I suddenly remembered there are some things I need to instruct Zhou Zhou about. I'll go find him first. I'll help you with these letters when I come back." Daili put down the things and wanted to leave.

The man who had previously been playing with her waist sash around his fingers now grabbed her sash and gave it a light tug.

Daili's footsteps paused slightly.

He immediately let go, and the crimson waist sash uncoiled and scattered. Then, a large, dark hand with distinct knuckles reached over and precisely grabbed Daili's arm, forcefully pulling her back just as she had stood up.

The force of his pull was controlled exceptionally well; it only made Daili sit back in her original position without falling toward him.

"Madam, I have an important matter to discuss with you." Seeing her gaze drifting toward the door, Qin Shaozong added, "This matter involves Qin Yanzhou."

Daili was stunned. "It involves Zhou Zhou? What is it?"

"The amount of musk is insufficient," he said thus.

"How is that possible?" Daili's first reaction was to question it.

She was completely clear about every medicinal herb and its required amount on the three lists of medicinal materials written by Old Mister Ding.

Only later did she learn that the musk and fleeceflower root Qin Hongying brought that day were things she had started saving since her youth. She had saved them for over twenty years, and they were all in those two brocade boxes.

The amount was absolutely enough; she had seen it with her own eyes.

"Not enough," Qin Shaozong repeated. His tone was calm, yet it carried an unquestionable dominance.

Dai Li gazed into those light-colored eyes, her emotions churning. She suddenly felt a profound sense of absurdity, as if he were deliberately twisting the truth.

If he said it was not enough, then even enough would become not enough.

"Qin Changgeng..." Dai Li's lips parted slightly.

Qin Shaozong stared at her intently. "Musk is expensive and unsafe to be left out, so I had it stored away in the treasury of the Marquis Manor. And this treasury, other than myself, can only be opened by the Lady of the House."