Chapter 4: Discussing Marriage

Qin Zheng avoided the debris on the floor and strode over to the chair beside the tea table to sit down; Madam Zhang followed and sat down as well.

Qin Wanyi had intended to ask Cuilian to serve tea, but even her silence was enough to disgust Qin Zheng, let alone speaking. She decided to simply stay quiet to avoid bringing trouble upon herself. Besides, even if she didn't call for it, there were plenty of others to wait on him hand and foot.

"Cuilian, why haven't you served tea yet? Does such a small matter require three orders before you act?" Qin Jingshu glanced sideways and commanded coldly.

Although Qin Jingshu was a concubine-born daughter, among Qin Zheng’s three daughters, Qin Wanyi was too sharp-edged, willful, and lacked the ability to get along with others. Qin Suyue was timid, cowardly, and submissive, which led the servants to neither respect nor obey her. Only Qin Jingshu was most like him: efficient, steady, calm, and capable of duplicity, managing to satisfy her parents while winning the respect of the servants.

Cuilian nodded in acknowledgment, scrambled to her feet, and trotted to the table to pour tea.

"The Emperor kept me today to discuss this very matter." After Qin Zheng took the teacup from Cuilian, he felt the icy coldness of it. He slammed the cup onto the tea table. "Is it midsummer? You serve me cold water—has the Prime Minister’s residence run out of firewood or tea?"

Cuilian was so frightened by the sound of the cup being slammed down that her legs went weak, and she knelt. "Master, please forgive me! Master, please forgive me! This servant will go boil water and make tea immediately."

"Truly, like master, like servant." Qin Zheng snorted coldly, glared at the two people on the bed, and grew even more displeased.

Qin Suyue was trembling all over, her face deathly pale. Unable to watch, Qin Wanyi pulled her into her arms and gently patted her back.

"You are Father, right? There are only three people in this room. Suyue has been by my side taking care of me without leaving for a moment, and Cuilian has to look after Suyue’s daily needs. Where would we find the leisure to boil water and make tea? As for Second Mother and the others, they each have a maid following them, and there are more maids waiting in the courtyard. Unlike us two sisters, who have no mother’s love, no power, and no influence, and can only command one maid—since we are all your daughters, shouldn't Father be a little more understanding?" Qin Wanyi spoke in a calm, measured tone, yet her words were filled with bitterness.

"What kind of talk is this?" Qin Zheng’s face stiffened. He thought he had misheard, but when he confirmed the words had indeed come from Qin Wanyi, his expression darkened further. "Isn't Cuiping your maid?"

"Cuiping? Who is that?" Qin Wanyi tilted her head in thought, her eyes hiding a sharp glint. "Ever since I woke up, I’ve only seen Cuilian busy running around. Where are there any other maids?"

"Insolent!" Qin Zheng slapped the tea table, causing the teacup on it to rattle. "At a time like this, you still want to play games!"

It seemed that no matter what she said or did, Qin Zheng would not believe her. He would rather trust Madam Zhang’s flowery, duplicitous words than consider the clues she provided, whether openly or subtly.

"Father, Sister is... not playing any games. She just... forgot some things." Qin Suyue hid in Qin Wanyi’s arms and spoke up for her. Among everyone, only Qin Suyue naively believed she had lost her memory.

"What?" Qin Zheng stood up abruptly, scaring Qin Suyue into closing her eyes, not daring to look at him.

"Master, please calm your anger." Madam Zhang hurriedly intervened. She hadn't yet obtained the information she wanted, and she didn't want to waste her energy on Qin Wanyi. "Ever since Wanyi woke up, she has been saying strange things. Perhaps she really did burn her brain and lose her memory."

*Clatter.* Qin Zheng swiped the teacup off the table. It shattered upon impact, and tea splashed onto Madam Zhang, whose face turned angry.

"When the Crown Princess was being chosen, how many eyes were fixed on that position? That old scoundrel Fan Jiguang even went to the Empress to propose a marriage. If the Emperor hadn't been worried that Fan Jiguang held too much military power—fearing that if his daughter became Empress, it would threaten the foundation of the Great Xing Dynasty—how would he have chosen you? And now, to think..." Every time Qin Zheng looked at Qin Wanyi, his chest felt tight and suffocated.

Upon hearing this, Madam Zhang couldn't care about anything else and pressed, "Master, the Emperor discussed this with you—could it be that he intends to give the position of Crown Princess to General Fan’s daughter?"

"In the entire Great Xing Dynasty today, besides that old scoundrel’s daughter, who else is worthy of the position of Crown Princess?" Qin Zheng was deeply unwilling and raised his voice without realizing it. The opportunity that had been within his grasp was gone, and he had even been scolded by the Emperor for disrupting the imperial plan, leaving him filled with suppressed rage.

Calling him an "old scoundrel" in every breath—it seemed the conflict between the Prime Minister’s residence and the General’s residence was quite deep.

Madam Zhang felt uneasy and blurted out, "Master, in what way is Jingshu inferior to General Fan’s daughter?"

At this moment, Qin Wanyi finally understood Madam Zhang’s scheme. She wanted to ruin her so that Qin Jingshu could take her place. But Madam Zhang didn't stop to think: how could a concubine-born daughter ever be the Crown Princess? If the Crown Prince were to agree to that, he would be demeaning his own status.

It would have been better if Madam Zhang hadn't spoken, but at this mention, Qin Zheng could no longer hold back his suppressed anger. "Don't even think about your status! Who did your brother rely on to climb to the position of a fifth-rank official in the Ministry of Revenue? That old scoundrel Fan Jiguang’s daughter was born to a legal wife and is the niece of the Minister of Justice. Can Jingshu even be mentioned in the same breath as her?"

Qin Zheng, perhaps blinded by rage, roared this out in front of Madam Zhang and Qin Jingshu, leaving them both humiliated.

Qin Wanyi remained indifferent, watching coldly from the sidelines.

"When all is said and done, you just despise my low status." Madam Zhang’s eyes reddened, and she began to weep. "Jingshu is also your daughter. In terms of appearance and family background, how is she inferior to anyone else? It’s just because of a mother like me that she is gossiped about even when it comes to marriage."

"Mother..."

Qin Jingshu, after reading the room, tugged at Madam Zhang’s sleeve, trying to get her to stop, but it was too late. Qin Zheng grew even angrier. "You still have the nerve to argue? How long has this year been, and the Prime Minister’s residence is already in chaos! How are you managing this household? All these years, it’s been nothing but noise and unrest—is there no end to it?"

Madam Zhang had never suffered such grievances. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she choked out her complaints: "I may not have the status or standing of Lady Fan, but have these years been easy for me? Wanyi has been against me every single day; I’ll just treat it as if I owed her in a past life, I accept that. But I also have to take care of Jingshu and Suyue, hire tutors to teach them music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, manage the household affairs, and entertain guests. Even if I have no merit, I have at least put in the effort! Do you think I want the house to be in chaos? I also want to live a peaceful life."

Qin Zheng hadn't intended to blame her so harshly. Having calmed down, he realized the situation had spiraled, but given his pride, he couldn't bring himself to offer a soft word of comfort. The group remained at a stalemate.

"Father, although I have forgotten some things, Second Mother has managed the household well despite being a concubine. She must have worked very hard all these years. Please don't blame her anymore. Since the matter has already happened, complaining won't help." Qin Wanyi offered Qin Zheng a way out.

Madam Zhang was stunned, not expecting Qin Wanyi to speak up for her. She stood there, frozen.

"If you would just behave your—" Qin Zheng stopped abruptly. His sharp eyes revealed a hint of astonishment. Were those words really spoken by Qin Wanyi?