Chapter 70: Who is more favored?

  The news that Fourth Miss Qin Ruo Xin was going to the Jia Mansion as a concubine had spread throughout the Qin household. When Wang Shi first heard the news, she went to beg Fang Wan Ru to help arrange a proper marriage for Fourth Miss, and even knelt in Fang Wan Ru's courtyard for an entire afternoon. However, after being spoken to by Hai Tang, she meekly returned to her own courtyard and never brought up the matter again. Not even Fourth Miss herself had any objections, and although she hadn't agreed, she didn't cry or make a fuss either.

  But these days she doesn't know what's wrong, first not eating, crying alone in the house, later developing to run to Qin Qianxin's courtyard to make trouble, saying that Qin Qianxin is the **nurse of Jiafu, as long as she doesn't let herself be a concubine, no one can force her.

  This matter originally had nothing to do with Qin Dai, but unexpectedly today she suddenly looked distracted and loudly shouted "Third sister is right, I am not destined to be a concubine."

  Qin Qian knew about this and didn't ask about the details, she was certain that Qin Dai'er was behind it all, stirring up trouble. She then brought people with her to confront and interrogate them angrily.

  "Second sister, it's better if you go back and think clearly before coming again. Listening to your words, fourth sister might be ill, why not invite a doctor to take a look?" Qin Dai's heart had just woken up, speaking with a weak tone.

  "Don't be smug, thinking I don't know that Father gave the deed to Xia Qian Zhuang to you." As soon as she mentioned this matter, Qin Xiang's heart was filled with anger. If it were an ordinary day, she wouldn't have even bothered with such a shabby and old estate. She was the legitimate young lady of the manor, what kind of dowry couldn't she get? The good things in the manor were all hers for the taking! If this had happened in the past, this estate would have been given to her, but she would have still looked down on it for being dirty and old. Even if it was casually given to some random cat or dog, she wouldn't have cared. However, no matter who the estate was given to, it absolutely couldn't be given to that stinky little girl, who always opposed herself, thought she was superior, and even dared to hope to marry into the Jia family and steal her husband. How could this be allowed?

  How did she know about this? Qin Dai's heart was a bit puzzled, the thing about her getting a villa hadn't been made public yet! How did her cheap second sister get the news? But it's also good, sooner or later everyone will find out, but what does this small front villa deed and Fourth Miss going crazy have to do with each other?

  Qin Dai Xin would certainly not know that someone had been looking at her with disapproval and naturally found fault in everything.

  Qin Qianxin saw her careless expression, and the anger in her chest burned even hotter. "What exactly did you say to Fourth Sister? Why is she always shouting that phrase? You'd better explain clearly, are you jealous of others' happiness and trying to stir up trouble between us?"

  This is well said.

  "Why can't I get along with others? Are you referring to yourself or Si Mei?" Is marrying into the Jia family a good thing? Don't think that my thoughts are as superficial as yours.

  "I've already said it has nothing to do with me, if you still don't believe me, then just bring the fourth sister here and we'll confront each other face-to-face." Is it time to tear off the facade now? But why doesn't she go after the main culprit, instead wanting to drag herself down? Could it also be because she found out about the small front village land deed and is dissatisfied, wanting to kill someone with a borrowed knife?

  Qin Qianxin was speechless when asked, and for a moment she was stunned on the spot. With a sense of unwillingness in her heart, she said, "You wait." After finishing speaking, she turned around and ran away, with the same domineering momentum as when she came.

  Ru Yi and Chun Li were secretly anxious, fearing that their master would get into some kind of trouble. Qin Dai knew that this was an unavoidable fear, and there was no way to prevent it. If others wanted to scheme against her, they would naturally think of ways to deal with her, and all she could do was remain unchanged in the face of countless changes.

  After waiting for half a day, Qin Qianxin didn't show up, but Hai Tang did. She passed on the message that the mistress had invited her over. No need to ask, it must be that Qin Qianxin couldn't think of a way to get Fourth Miss to confront herself face-to-face, so she thought of the protective umbrella at home - with Fang Wanru there, she definitely wouldn't let her suffer any losses in secret.

  Qin Daiying slightly tidied herself up, changed into another outfit, and then took Ruyi to Fang Wanru's courtyard. At this time, the golden crow was setting in the west, it was exactly at dusk, the faint gold on the horizon painted the sky with an extraordinary charm, as if reluctant to leave, making a last-ditch effort to shine its final rays of light.

  Qin Dai Xin's mood suddenly improved, it was unclear whether it was because of that golden sunset or something else.

  "Haitang sister, do you know why madam called our young mistress?" Ruyi hoped to gather some information that would be beneficial to her master.

  Haitang didn't get annoyed either, and smiled saying: "I don't know about this." Then she fell silent.

  Haitang is Fang Wanru's most trusted maid, who keeps her mouth tightly shut and never easily reveals any news.

  Ru Yi glanced at Hai Tang and then at Qin Dai Xin, seeing that their expressions were the same, so she didn't say anything more.

  She entered the cross courtyard, walked through the corridor with a handrail, and came to Fang Wanru's flower hall. The little maid helped Qin Dai Xin roll up the curtain and had someone serve her to take off her cloak before entering the flower hall, where she saw Fang Wanru.

  "I don't know why Mother called you over, but is there something important?" The hall only had Fang Wanru alone, and Qin Qianxin was nowhere to be seen, it seemed that she also listened to her own daughter's words and called herself over for interrogation.

  Fang Wanru's expression was solemn, as if she was suppressing the anger in her chest. Although she was indignant, after all, she had experienced many storms and wouldn't lose her composure like Qin Qianxin did.

  "I heard that Xiao Si has been making a ruckus in the yard for several days, and even said some nonsense. Do you know anything about this?" Fang Wanru's eyes were filled with inquiring gaze, as if she wanted to see into her heart.

  "Replying to her mother, the daughter had just returned, but after resting for a day or two, she was in her own courtyard all day, how would she know about such things? However, before coming to see her mother, Second Sister had gone to the daughter's courtyard and had mentioned one or two things to the daughter."

  Fang Wanru's inquiring gaze continued to scrutinize her, as if trying to discover something from her expression. But what made her disappointed was that Qin Dai's heart didn't flicker or dodge, her eyes were clear and bright like water, with a calm and composed demeanor, looking as if she wasn't telling lies. Yet, why did Qian'er hear those words again?

  "What did your second sister tell you?" Sounds curious, seemingly also unaware.

  "It's just that she's worried that Fourth Sister is ill, and also said that Fourth Sister is probably muddled with illness, and actually told Second Sister that I advised her to give up the opportunity to become a concubine at the Jia residence." Qin Dai racked her brains for half a day before finally coming up with these two sentences, which can be considered as giving some face to Fang Wanru.

  Fang Wanru wouldn't know her own daughter's character, would she? Hearing Qin Dai Xin say this, she was somewhat surprised and astonished. If it were in the past, she definitely wouldn't have done anything to shield Qian'er, instead she would have taken the opportunity to criticize her shortcomings. What's wrong with this little three now?

  "Is Mother worried about Fourth Sister's affair?" I'm here to share your worries, Qin Dai thought to herself with a smile, you'd better be sensible.

  Fang Wanting was thinking of Qin Ruoxi, but she was actually thinking about the maid in front of her, who seemed to be not quite right. However, after hearing what she said, she felt that the fourth maid's situation was indeed a bit tricky. So she said: "That's right, I don't know if this maid has gotten herself into some kind of trouble."

  Poor ancient people! Whatever problem they couldn't solve, they would attribute it to gods and ghosts.

  "Although the daughter did not participate in this matter, she thought that if the fourth sister really didn't want to marry, it would be better not to let her marry. Could Qin Ruoxin's little trick escape her own eyes?"

  Fang Wanru looked her up and down, asking: "Why?"

  Qin Dai Xin smiled and said, "Although Mother didn't explicitly say anything about what happened at the Jia residence, I've already guessed a thing or two. That day when we returned from the Jia residence, Fourth Sister changed into a new jacket, although the color was the same as the one she wore to the Jia residence, but the pattern was different. After returning home, Mei Niang's behavior and the news that Fourth Sister wanted to become a concubine already explained everything... Fourth Sister..." She paused for a moment, then looked up at Fang Wanru's gaze and said, "I'm afraid she must have done something improper, which is why the Jia residence had the idea of taking her as a concubine."

  Fang Wanru hummed in agreement, which was tantamount to acknowledging it. At the same time, her gaze at Qin Dai'er changed, seemingly discovering that this young girl was actually so meticulous for the first time.

  Qin Dai's heart didn't dodge or evade, letting her scrutinize him, his eyes clear and calm, without a hint of panic.

  "The daughter thought, if we don't mention this matter, the Jia family won't either. For the fourth sister, her reputation hasn't been damaged. Since she doesn't want to be a concubine, then find her a husband and arrange a marriage for her, it shouldn't be difficult." Isn't that just stirring up trouble? Who wouldn't know how to do that?

  "The most important thing is that the Jia family has been dragging on Er Ye's marriage and hasn't given a clear answer yet. They might also be somewhat annoyed with Si Mei's behavior, and if they take out their anger on her, they probably won't consider Er Jie's marriage anymore. Anyway, marrying one of our own family's girls is also a way to settle the matter."

  How could Fang Wanru not hear the underlying tone of her words? This clearly meant that the Jia family didn't care about the rivalry between the legitimate and illegitimate children in the Qin household, they had already given them enough face. It was a glorious thing for a merchant's daughter to marry into a third-rank official's household as a concubine, let alone just a concubine? There was only one quota, if they took your family's girl as a concubine, then naturally there would be no reason to take another of your family's girls as a wife.

  "So that's to say, Fourth Young Miss doesn't want to be a concubine is a good thing?" Fang Wanru secretly let out a breath of relief, but didn't know why her heart suddenly became flustered for no reason.

  "It's actually a good thing for Second Sister."

  "What did you say?"

  Why is she so certain?

  "Mother thought, if Jia's family really married Second Sister as wife, on the surface it would seem like sisters united and inseparable, but in reality what would happen? Fourth Sister today will tell Second Sister that I won't let her go to Jia's house as a concubine, one day she'll also use this trick on Second Sister. In the deep inner courtyard of Jia's mansion, with Second Sister's temperament and Fourth Sister's, which one do you think would be more favored?" Qin Dai didn't have time to chat with her, directly hitting her weak spot.

  Sorry sorry, it's late today! Collect and refuel a bit more~~