"Second Miss Qin, Miss Qi had invited you to join her in her visit to Eldest Miss Qin tomorrow to be a witness!" said Chun Yi, Qi Rongzhi's personal maid, with a smile as she bowed to Qin Wanru. She had come to convey a message for her mistress.
"What witness?" Qin Wanru asked without betraying any emotions.
"Tomorrow, my young mistress would be going to Elder Miss Qin's room to look for evidence. If they were to get into an argument and someone questions them, we would like Second Miss Qin to testify honestly what exactly happened," said Chun Yi with a smile.
"Is your young mistress going to find trouble with my elder sister?" asked Qin Wanru, frowning.
The question was so direct that Chun Yi found it too awkward to answer. She forced a chuckle and continued to explain, saying, "It's not that my young mistress is going to find trouble with Elder Miss Qin, but she just wanted to know if Eldest Miss Qin was speaking the truth regarding her breaking her engagement with our young master, as well as what happened today!"
"So she is still going there to find trouble after all!" said Qin Wanru impassively as she lifted her eyes to look straight at Chun Yi.
Chun Yi was cornered and did not know how to respond to Second Miss Qin, it was almost impossible to answer her.
"Go tell your young mistress that I've to take care of my grandmother tomorrow and have no time to accompany her to make trouble. Tell her not to make trouble too because this is our General's Mansion. While Miss Qi can do as she pleases in her own house and no could stop her, this is our house and my mother and elder sister would not allow do as she pleases."
The look in Qin Wanru's eyes was cold, indicating that what she said was a warning to Qi Rongzhi for her to keep from creating trouble. Otherwise, both Mrs. Qin and Qin Yuru would not let her off.
What was said had somehow upset Chun Yi. She bowed to Qin Wanru and turned to take her to leave in frustration.
"Miss, would Chun Yi complain to Miss Qi about you?" asked Qin Yue. Qing Yue was becoming worried, seeing that Chun Yi was provoked to anger.
"I'm sure she would!" said Qin Wanru, nodding her head, as she turned to walk towards her yard.
"What should we do then? Based on Miss Qi's character, wouldn't she storm over immediately?" asked Qing Yue as she followed closely behind Qin Wanru. She was really anxious now, knowing how spoilt and wilful Miss Qi usually was. She was never kind to Qin Wanru, but always vents her frustration on her. Unfortunately, even Mrs. Qin and Elder Miss Qin always sided with Miss Qi and as a result, Qin Wanru was always wronged.
"This time, however, she won't!" Qin Wanru said with confidence. Qi Rongzhi was not a dim wit. She used to have her way in the General's Mansion because she had Mrs. Qin and Qin Yuru backing her. However, she had lost her support from Mrs. Qin and Qin Yuru by now.
Moreover, she was no longer the Qin Wanru who was used to be an easy target.
"Then I suppose she wouldn't come to look for you, that's good!" said Qing Yue, feeling relieved as she patted her chest.
"She will definitely come to look for me!" said Qin Wanru as she entered the room, followed by Qing Yue who was taken aback by her words. "Miss Qin, did you say Miss Qi will come to you looking for trouble?"
"Yes, she will tomorrow!" Qin Wanru said with a smile, then made herself comfortable sitting down on a chair and taking up a book to read, which happened to be one on medicine again.
Puzzled, Qing Yue remained by Qin Wanru's side and asked, "Will Miss Qin go to Old Grandma's place tomorrow just so she could stop you?"
It was because Qing Yue overheard Qin Wanru saying that she planned to visit Old Grandmother tomorrow.
"She would naturally go there, perhaps even she will arrive before we do. She will be trying to persuade grandma to accompany her to confront Qin Yuru. She is looking for someone to back her up!" said Qin Wanru as her smile faded and she opened up the book in her hands and rested her eyes on a picture in the book.
She was not worried about what Qi Rongzhi was going to do. In fact, she would make use of Qi Rongzhi's anger to work to her advantage.
"Are you planning to go after all, Miss?" Qing Yue queried anxiously.
"Certainly! Since Qi Rongzhi tried so hard to get me to accompany her, I will take it as I'm going to enjoy some entertainment! It's even better if the matter is being blown out of proportion," said Qin Wanru. There were only a handful of people in her house who knew that she was not Mrs. Qin's real daughter. She would be happy to proclaim this information through Qi Rongzhi's mouth to the outsiders.
Coming to the book on medicine, she was actually staring at a picture of a herb that looked very familiar, yet she could not recall what it was after scrutinizing it. She widened her eyes and looked at the footnote beside the picture which said, "July Fragrance", which grows in bunches of three, golden in color, tiny flower, branches out from the main stem into three branches, tapers at the end, blooms during July and August, which gave the name "July Fragrance."
The root, stem, and flowers of July Fragrance could all be made into medicine for people who had difficulty in breathing and coughed blood!
Why did this picture look so familiar? Yet she was unable to put a finger to it. She vaguely felt that it had to do with something of importance, however, she was unable to pinpoint what exactly it was. Rubbing her forehead, she realized that in this life, she had totally no impression of certain things about her previous life, while she had some vague memories of other things.
This "July Fragrance" was a vague memory she had of a very important thing from her previous life.
"Your tea, Miss!" Qing Yue offered Qin Wanru a cup of tea she brewed when she saw her looking troubled.
Qin Wanru used her fingers to rub on her forehead again, then took the cup of tea from Qin Yue to take a sip, then she went back to look at the picture of the “July Fragrance". She was sure she had seen it before, or at least know something about it.
However, she was also certain that in her previous life, she had no use of this herb.
"Are you alright, Miss? Are you worried about how Miss Qi was going to make use of you tomorrow?" asked Qing Yue, looking concerned, when she saw Qin Wanru rubbing her for brows.
However, Qin Wanru shook her head. She folded the corner of the page with the picture and closed the book, brought the cup of tea to her lips and took another sip and she stared into the air for a moment, pondering.
She wanted to study medicine!
Looked like it was a good idea for her to pay a visit to Jingxin Monastery! She suddenly remembered that that day when she visited Jingxin Monastery, the reverend had asked about the ointment Grandma had put on her wound. She had yet to ask Grandma about it. She would do that tomorrow. However, she wondered why the reverend at Jingxin Monastery wanted to know who gave her the ointment. Could there be something behind this?
Chun Yi was Qin Ronzhi's most trusted personal maid. In the past, everyone in the Qi family treated her with some level of respect. No one in the General's Mansion treated her with contempt whenever she was here with her young mistress. This time she was being struck dumb by Qin Wanru's question time and again, she felt especially humiliated by Qin Wanru's mockery.
Feeling provoked, Chun Yi reported to Qin Rongzhi the exact words Qin Wanru had said.
"What did she mean by all these?" cried Qi Rongzhi, and she smashed her hand on the table, infuriated, after hearing the report.
"Miss, I'm guessing that the Second Miss Chin doesn't dare to accompany you to confront Mrs. Qin and Qin Yuru," said Chun Yu, rolling her eyes as she was also feeling indignant about it.
"While she doesn't want to go, I will make her! There's no way she can escape this!" said Qi Rongzhi, giving an evil laugh. Did Qin Wanru not say that she was going to Old Grandma's tomorrow? Qi Rongzhi made up her mind to pay Old Grandma a visit before going to look for Qin Yuru.
She made up her mind to go to the Old Grandma's the next day to stop Qin Wanru. After all, she had not visited her since her arrival at the Ningyuan Army General's Mansion.
Because of the cordial relationship between the magistrate and the army general, Qi Rongzhi had been a frequent visitor at the General's Mansion.
Early the next day, Qin Rongzhi got out of bed and prepared herself to visit the Old Grandma with Chun Yi.
By the time Qi Rongzhi arrived, Old Grandma had been awake but had not got out of bed. She was sitting on the bed, chatting with Nanny Duan. When she heard that Qi Rongzhi had come, she frowned with displeasure, but still instructed her servant to let her in.
Once in Old Grandma's room, Qi Rongzhi paid her respect to her and greeted her in pretense, saying, "Are you feeling better today, Old Grandma?"
"I'm fine. I'm getting old and it's only normal that there will be problems with my body!" answered Old Grandma with a hoarse as she cleared her throat with a cough. She had been coughing so much that she could only speak softly.
"You should take care of your health, Old Grandma, especially when the weather is turning colder now." Qi Rongzhi said while scanning the place to see if Qin Wanru had arrived. Was she glad when she realized that she had arrived earlier than Qin Wanru! Now there was no way Qin Wanru could escape from her.
Old Grandma could see from Qi Rongzhi's furtive eyes that she was putting up an act coming to visit her so losing all energy to entertain her, Old Grandma leaned back and said, "I'm getting old and I'm feeling tired even after sitting up for a while now."
What she meant was for Qin Rongzhi to leave.
"Old Grandma, I'm sorry about yesterday. After falling into the pond, I..." Qin Rongzhi did not seem to get the hint from Old Grandma for her to leave. Pretending to look apologetic, she continued, "I hit the Elder Miss Qin yesterday and felt really bad now. I would like to go apologize to her today!"
"You're being silly, Miss Qi. Yuru and you are like sisters. You just have to explain to her and that would resolve any misunderstanding!" said Old Grandma as she coughed and tried to comfort her. However, Old Grandma could see that Miss Qi was not sincerely apologetic but was just putting up an act. She did not think much of it since she had been so used to her acts.
The only difference this time was that she was here because Qin Yuru had been hit by her. Other times, Qi Rongzhi had always acted apologetic and regretful after bullying Qin, pretending to want to make good with her. Seeing her favorite granddaughter being bullied by Qi Rongzhi, Old Grandma truly irritated by her pretentious look of remorse.
In the past, Mrs. Qin and Qin Yuru would brush this off as petty quarrels so Old Grandma could not doing anything even if she was upset. She did not want to come across as some elder oppressing the young girl, or a petty old lady. Moreover, she did not wish that the relationship between the two families be strained.
"Old Grandma, Second Miss Qin is here to see you!" a voice said from outside the room.
Just as Qin Rongzhi expected, Qin Wanru had come and a smug looked flashed across her face. She hated both of the Qin sisters now and she planned to let both Qin Yuru and Qin Wanru suffer.
None of them would escape her!
"Please let Second Miss Qin in!" instructed the Old Grandma. Qin Wanru entered the room followed by Qing Yue. She first paid her respect to Old Grandma. Thereafter, she walked to the bed and reached out to touch Old Grandma's forehead, then her own, checking her grandmother's temperature against her own. "Not hot!" Qin Wanru cried, as a smile spread across her face. This was what Old Grandmother used to do to her when she was ill. This time, it was the other way round. This loving gesture coming from a little girl brought warmth to Old Grandma's heart. To Old Grandma, this was many times better than a word of concern. "I'm alright, it's an old problem!" said Old Grandma with a smile. She coughed a little, then took Qin Wanru's hand and sat her down beside her bed. "Grandma, you didn't use to cough this badly at this time of the years in the past!" Qin Wanru said, as her smile faded. In fact, she was starting to look worried and
Hearing that she was invited, Qi Rongzhi quickly took big steps into the house. "Sister Qi, come and have porridge with us. This is cooked using the Kongmy your brother sent us last time. It is very glutinous and fragrant," Qin Yuru passionately came over to hold her hand and said. It was as if Qin Yuru did not see Qin Wanru who came in behind Qi Rongzhi. She did not care about her. Qin Wanru glanced at her from head to tie very passively. Her gaze landed on the three bowls of porridge on the table. The steaming porridge really looked very appetizing. "Big brother indeed treats you the best!" Qi Rongzhi snorted. However, she did not take her seat. She turned her head and pushed away Qin Yuru's hand very unhappily. "Big brother treats you so well, how could you back out of the marriage?" "I...actually, I don't know what's going on too. I don't know where the box was from!" Qin Yuru's expression changed slightly. Sh
Qin Wanru was already prepared. She hid behind the back of the servants standing near her. The few servants saw that Qi Rongzhi was still coming for Qin Wanru and immediately went up to block her. However, Qi Rongzhi had just suffered some pain and was now coming towards them like a mad dog. She pushed the servants over and because they did not dare to hurt her, they could only keep on stepping back. Some of them got hit by Qi Rongzhi. Qin Wanru retreated to the door. Hearing footsteps coming towards them, she looked towards the incoming Qi Rongzhi and broke into a sinister smile before she stepped outside of the room with one swift step. Madam Di was hurrying over with a few servants and old women. She saw Qin Wanru step outside of the room and paid no attention to her while she tried to get inside. Qi Rongzhi was provoked by Qin Wanru to the extent that she was about to go crazy. She rushed out of the door and saw that someon
"What do you mean by what to do? Qi Rongzhi that vixen had scalded Yu Ru, what else can we do? We’ll go report it to the General later and make the Qi Magistrate give us an explanation. Last time Yu Ru and Qi Tianyu caused such a big scene, the General felt that it is us who have wronged Qi Magistrate. But this time around, this time they're in the wrong!” While walking, Madam Di scowled between gritted teeth. "Madam, are you saying that we should use this incident to make up for the previous one" Servant Chou took two quick steps and caught up with her and asked in a lowered voice. Madam Di's heart faltered. She stood rooted to the ground and her eyes lit up. “Yes, that's exactly what we're going to do. If they still want to tarnish Qi Rongzhi's reputation, then they must acknowledge what Yu Ru did in the past. Otherwise, they can forget about it! Qi Rongzhi is so evil-hearted, she could even destroy one's face just because of her wishful t
The body falling involuntarily to the side, Qin Wanru then closed her eyes and was ready to withstand the pain. It was out of expectation that there was no sharp pain, but just a tremble. She felt something under her body was a bit soft, not like hard ground. She reached out unbelievably and touched it, and found it to be warm. "Qin Wanru··· you are dead!" The voice came from under Qin Wanru, thus she suddenly opened her eyes, which looked straightly to another ones with rage. She was familiar with them. Qi Wanru glanced and saw the faint blood on the corner of the thin lips, it was Chu Liuchen, why was he here? She couldn't think of too much and got up suddenly after pushed him on his body subconsciously. "Qin Wanru, do you want to··· die!" Chu Liuchen snorted, since he was pressed to the ground again when he was about to get up. Qin Wanru was scared by his voice which was full of anger, thus she lo
"Miss, I just saw Madam coming back in a hurry with a few letters and went into Young Lady's yard. She then called in an old woman who was in charge, who then came out with several letters in her hand. I don't know if all those letters have anything to do with you!" Qing Yue said with concern. The reason why she hesitated was that she didn't know if it was useful to her. Qin Wanru thought about it for a moment. "Madam just left Young Lady's yard in a hurry, then she came back with a few letters and asked the old woman to send the letters?" Mrs. Qin still left Qin Yuru to write letters after something so serious happened to her, then the letters must be sent to the capital city for the medicine. It was impossible for doctors of Jiangzhou to cure Qin Yuru's hand since it was burned so badly. Then the letters were most likely to be sent to Duke Yong in the capital city for the medicine. "You now go to f
"Miss, the Young Lady is too outrageous. It is obviously her own business, but she just viciously blamed you for everything, and Qing Cui, she is also on her side!" Qing Yue was also angry and said, "Miss, let's go tell the general and the Old Grandma." "It's useless!" Qin Wanru smirked and smiled softly. She then folded the letter. "This letter was not written by Qin Yuru, since her hand is now hurt." Qin Yuru couldn't write it at all, because her right hand was injured. "Not written by her, who would write it?" Qing Yue was stunned and said with surprise. "It should be Mrs. Qin, who could only tell so many details." Qin Wanru said it calmly since she knew that it letter with so many details could not be written by the injured hand of Qin Yuru. "How can Madam write such a letter." Qing Yue's face turned red because of shame. If she was not mistaken, the beginning part sounded like it was written by the Young Lady
"Cousin, I... I am... wait a minute, I should wait for aunt to recover!" Shui Ruolan tried to break off his hand, while looking gently at Qin Huaiyong's body. There were not too many requests, only let him take care of the Old Grandma's body. Qin Huaiyong was in a shock. The Old Grandma was ill, and the disease was very serious. She was not sick at this time in the past, but suddenly she was sick. When he went to visit the Old Grandma, he had asked Nanny Duan that only the youngest daughter had came to visit the Old Grandma recently, Mrs. Qin and Qin Yuru had never been here to see her. Although the Old Grandma was not his biological mother, she had raised him up since childhood. He grew up with his own father died early. From this point of view, the Old Grandma was equivalent to his biological mother. The relationship between the mother and the child couldn't be replaced by anyone. He knew what Shui Ruolan meant