Chapter 12: The Work of Malicious Schemers

Chapter 12: The Work of Malicious People

"Little girl, your constitution was weak when you were a child and you were often ill; this was caused by the clash of fates with the Qin family. That old Taoist, Chi Yuan, said your destiny was peculiar, so he registered you under your legal mother's name early on. He intended to use her noble status to suppress your ill fortune, and then have you live away from home. Only then could everyone be happy, which is why you were sent back to the ancestral home. Grandmother knows you harbor resentment, resentment that we left you to be raised in the ancestral home for ten years, but this was for the sake of everyone involved."

Old Madam Qin looked at Qin Liuxi and said calmly, "All these years, the Qin family has not shorted you in your necessities, and the people assigned to you have been quite diligent in raising you to this day. Regarding how the Qin family treats you—to say we are heartless would be an exaggeration, but we have indeed shown you kindness."

Qin Liuxi raised her eyes to meet hers, her gaze deep and emotionless.

The old lady's words were not incorrect. Heartless, yet kind—there was the kindness of birth and the kindness of upbringing, though it lacked companionship and education. However, the causal relationship had already been established.

Qin Liuxi stood up and performed a formal bow to Old Madam Qin.

For some reason, Old Madam Qin felt an even greater sense of stifled discomfort. She bit the tip of her tongue and continued, "I understand the resentment in your heart. But your surname is Qin. The name registered for you in the Qin family genealogy is the eldest legitimate daughter of the first branch. As long as your name remains, you are a daughter of the Qin family, the eldest young lady of the first branch."

"The Old Master and the others have all been stripped of their official titles; what kind of 'young lady' am I now?" Qin Liuxi laughed self-mockingly.

Old Madam Qin bit her lip and said, "That does not change the fact that we were once of official lineage. I will not beat around the bush with you. Our Qin family was subject to house seizure and exile by the Emperor. Do you know anything of the details behind this?"

"I am eager to hear them."

Old Madam Qin closed her eyes, her face etched with endurance.

Seeing this, Madam Wang spoke up: "Your grandfather was the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, holding a third-rank position. During the sacrifices at the Imperial Ancestral Temple this July, one of the three sacrificial animals—the head sheep—suddenly died without warning. This was deemed an ill omen, which incited the Emperor's fury..."

In a dynasty, the sacrifices at the Imperial Ancestral Temple are a major affair, and the ritual itself is particularly vital. When such a significant problem occurs during such an important occasion, it naturally provokes the Emperor's wrath—especially when the animal in question is the sheep among the three sacrifices.

Legend has it that during the founding of the Great Feng Dynasty, the Founding Emperor and his troops were surrounded by enemy forces and entered a dense, misty forest. They were lost for nearly half a month, and their provisions were exhausted. A group of men survived for half a month thanks to a sheep that appeared out of nowhere; they even followed the sheep as it periodically turned back to lead them through the mist, allowing them to exit the forest and rendezvous with reinforcements. Not only did they turn defeat into victory, but they also achieved successive triumphs, ultimately establishing the Great Feng Dynasty.

Therefore, the Founding Emperor regarded the sheep of that time as a Sheep Immortal and treated it as the mascot of Great Feng. In the sacrificial offerings, a live sheep was a necessity, and once the sacrifice was complete, it was to be raised in the ancestral temple until the end of its life.

But now, the sheep in the ritual had suddenly collapsed and died, bleeding from its seven orifices. Naturally, this was viewed as inauspicious, disrespectful, and an ill omen, carrying the further implication that the Son of Heaven was lacking in benevolence.

When the Son of Heaven is enraged, millions fall.

Qin Yuanshan, as the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, was deemed to have failed in his supervision. Coupled with the whispers in the Emperor's ear from Consort Meng, who was a sworn enemy of the Qin family, the charges of disrespect and disloyalty came crashing down. The Qin family had no voice to resist; they immediately fell apart, and their great house collapsed.

As Madam Wang spoke, her fingers curled into fists and her lips tightened.

Qin Liuxi said, "In such an important occasion, how could the Old Master have been so careless? This must have been the work of malicious people!"

Old Madam Qin was somewhat surprised by her sharpness. She gritted her teeth and said with hatred, "You are right. Your grandfather was a cautious man by nature; in such an important setting, he would not have dared to relax for a moment. But one cannot guard against everything, and someone still found a way to exploit the loophole!"