"Mother-in-law, you flatter me."
Yin Wenxiao said, "Asheng is my first wife. I respect her and will never mistreat her."
"Yes, only by respecting each other can a couple go the distance," Qin's mother said meaningfully.
"Yes, I understand." Yin Wenxiao replied respectfully and sincerely.
Seeing that it was getting late, Qin's mother urged them, "Alright, let's go back. Ayu, go see your sister and brother-in-law off."
Once outside the manor, Qin Yu pulled Qin Sheng aside and deliberately spoke in a voice that Yin Wenxiao could hear: "If he dares to bully you, just send someone back to report, and I'll beat him to death!"
Qiao'er and Emerald, the two maids, almost blurted out, "Young Master is mighty!"
Before they returned, the lady repeatedly instructed them not to speak carelessly, especially about what happened at Songliu Courtyard that day.
Yin Wenxiao stood to the side, and for some reason, when he heard Qin Yu's words, he felt a sudden pang of sympathy.
...
From Emperor Hui to the previous emperor, and now to Emperor Jing, the chaos in the Northwest has lasted for more than twenty years.
When Emperor Hui wanted to reduce the power of the vassal states, the Northwest King refused to hand over his military power. Later, he even colluded with the Western Rong Kingdom in an attempt to rebel, and was eventually executed.
But the matter did not end there.
The Northwest King's lineage had many descendants, and later four more people declared themselves kings. They colluded with the Western Rong to frequently harass the people of Da Xiang, intending to march north and invade the capital.
The imperial court sent countless people to quell the rebellion, but the rebellion would often break out again shortly after it was quelled.
At the beginning of this year, Regent Yue Rongheng allocated 500,000 taels of silver for military expenses, and appointed Duke Zhenguo Xiao Shan as commander-in-chief and Qin Yu as vanguard, leading an army of 40,000 to the west to quell the rebellion.
Before their departure, several generals, including the Duke of Zhenguo and Qin Yu, were summoned to the palace by the Regent. What they discussed remains unknown.
In this war in the Northwest, the entire Yue Rong clan of the Northwest was wiped out. Nearly 20,000 soldiers from the Northwest died and 10,000 surrendered. All of them were scattered and arranged by the Duke of Zhenguo.
There was no longer a Northwest King; the Regent's direct descendants took over the reins.
After so many years of chaos, the people of Northwest China are living in misery.
After the rebellion was quelled, the first decree issued by the regent was to exempt the people of the northwest region from taxes for five years.
The people of the Northwest cheered, shouting "Long live the Emperor!" and "The Regent is wise!"
Since the rebellion in the Northwest had been quelled, a grand banquet was held in the palace, and all civil and military officials were allowed to bring their families to attend.
The palace banquet was held during the day.
Old Madam Yin specifically called Qin Sheng over and gave her some instructions, saying that the palace was not like the outside world, and that she must be careful with her words and actions, so as not to embarrass the Pingyin Marquis's family.
Things have definitely changed between the two of them since what happened last time.
Qin Sheng stopped being hypocritical. After arranging the renovation of the clan school, she no longer needed to leave the manor every day. The power to manage the household had been taken over by Old Madam Yin, and she was happy to have some free time.
They really think managing a household is easy!
Madam Yin did not trust Ye Jiaoniang, so naturally she dared not entrust all matters to her.
She herself was also suffering greatly. Dealing with these big and small matters every day, she couldn't sleep well, and her mental state deteriorated even further.
However, Madam Yin initially intended to teach Qin Sheng a lesson, although it was later proven that she was not teaching Qin Sheng a lesson, but rather shooting herself in the foot.
But it was too late.
We can't exactly ask her, an elder, to lose face and go to Qin Sheng and say that the family can't function without her and that she should take over the household management, can we?
She couldn't bear to lose face like that.
So he could only grit his teeth and bear it.
Since she didn't speak, Qin Sheng naturally wouldn't take the initiative to speak either. After leaving Songliu Courtyard, he went out with two maids and happened to run into the Second Madam and her two cousins.
The second master's family will be moving out in a few days.
The new mansion has everything, and even the servants have been purchased. You can move in right away.
They were all women from the Yin family. Qin Sheng and the second madam rode in one carriage, while Yin Wenxiao rode a horse.
As for the second master, he went to the Ministry of Personnel early this morning.
They chatted and laughed all the way, and soon arrived at the palace.
Qin Sheng was no stranger to the palace; she had visited it many times when she was a child, and she knew every road in the palace well.
The banquet was held at Qionglin Garden.
A young eunuch led the way, guiding them to their seats among the women of the Yin household.
Qionglin Garden was very large. Palace maids and eunuchs carried trays and moved orderly between the seats, placing plates of fine wine and delicacies on the small tables.
Qin Sheng and Madam Yan, the young mistress of the Yongning Marquis's mansion, have been close since childhood, but the Yin family and the Yongning Marquis's mansion do not have a good relationship.
Last time, Qin Sheng was scolded by Old Madam Yin for talking to Yan Shi a few too many words.
In the past, Qin Sheng might have had some reservations, but now---
Having been given a second chance at life, she no longer wanted to live for anyone in the Yin family.
The women of the Yongning Marquis's household came over to greet them, and Qin Sheng introduced her two sisters-in-law to Madam Yan.
This area is mostly women, so there aren't many rules and regulations, making it quite lively.
A short while later, Qin Sheng's mother, Madam Qin, also arrived. Qin Sheng quickly went over to greet her, and the second madam also came with her two daughters.
As the banquet was about to end, Qin Sheng accompanied Yin Rusi to the outhouse.
When they returned, Qin Sheng did not see Madam Qin in the women's section of the Qin family. He asked Qiao'er about it.
Because there were so many people, Qiao'er didn't notice.
After inquiring, Qiao'er returned with a strange expression and whispered a few words in Qin Sheng's ear.
Qin Sheng, without changing her expression, told the Second Madam to let Qiao'er stay, and then she took the jade and got up.
Just now, Qiao'er asked the maid of the Qin family, and the maid said that Madam Qin had been invited away by the Dowager Consort Jing.
Consort Jing...
Qin Sheng felt uneasy.
Consort Jing conspired with Yue Rongheng to save the young crown prince and then kill Empress Dowager Duanxian.
After the palace turmoil ended, Consort Jing lived in seclusion in the deep palace for many years, rarely interacting with others.
Why did she send someone to summon Madam Qin? Is it related to the late Empress Dowager Duanxian?
still---
The more Qin Sheng thought about it, the more flustered she became, and she quickened her pace, wishing she had wings.
She knew where Consort Jing's palace was.
Qin Sheng quickened her pace, but after turning a corner in a corridor, she saw her mother walking towards her.
"Mother!" Qin Sheng choked on her words, took a few steps forward, and grabbed her mother's hand tightly. "Are you alright?"
"fine."
Qin's mother gently comforted her: "It's just that I haven't been to the palace for a long time. When the Empress Dowager Jing found out that I had gone to the palace, she just asked me to say a few words."
"Really?" Qin Sheng was somewhat skeptical.
However, she did not ask any further questions, but instead took her mother's arm and walked back.
The path was quiet, and Qin's mother, fearing her daughter would ask too many questions, casually pointed to the flowers and plants planted by the roadside and changed the subject, saying, "What kind of flower is this? I've never seen it before."
Qin Sheng followed her gaze and paused slightly. "It looks like... a thousand-year-old orchid."
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