Chapter Sixty-Three
"Make a move?" Qin Zhining picked up a piece of lamb's quarters and held it in front of him. "Compared to you guys throwing me back to my ancestral home where I almost starved to death, what is my little bit of strength?"
If Master Qin truly cared about propriety, he should first ask his sister why she knocked over my food as soon as she saw me.
Did I desecrate her ancestral graves or rob her of her money? Mr. Qin, which eye of yours saw me strike first?
Qin Youming was speechless at the question. He stared at the wild vegetables in her hand, his brows furrowing even more. "Didn't the manor give you any food?"
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Qin Zhining nodded, her voice devoid of warmth, "I had a bowl of thin porridge this morning, so thin you could see your reflection in it, and even the pigs wouldn't eat it."
Later, I went to the kitchen myself and grabbed a few steamed buns to fill my stomach. "Master Qin, your family really does value rules. Even a concubine and a stepdaughter can control the inner quarters. Heh..." She chuckled a few times, wiped her mouth with her hand, and her eyes darkened again. "During those years in my ancestral home, I was terrified of being tormented and starving."
"I'm stocking up on food now, just in case it gets thrown into some remote corner one day, where I won't even be able to find a single wild vegetable."
These words struck Qin Youming like a stone.
His face turned pale and then red, his fingers gripping his sleeves. He couldn't speak for a long time, and finally said in a muffled voice, "From now on, behave yourself and don't keep making your mother and sister angry."
After saying that, he turned around and walked away with his hands behind his back, his steps unsteady and somewhat unsteady.
"My mother? Mr. Qin, please be clear, which one is my mother? Hmm? Tch..."
Qin Zhining watched his retreating figure, raised her voice and shouted, her mocking laughter as sharp as a needle, piercing straight into Qin Youming's heart.
"Master Qin, don't forget that my mother is the legitimate daughter of the Xie family. This identity will not disgrace you or embarrass you."
Give me back my mother? You're really something, talking big with no sense of propriety. Let me tell you, hurry up and send my mother's dowry over, and we'll all be fine.
Also, I need to find Granny Cheng, who served my mother when she was alive, and Qiu Xiang too. I won't allow it to be delayed even a moment longer.”
Want her to behave? Let her get what she deserves and take revenge first.
Qin Youming paused for a moment, then quickened his pace, almost moving forward at a brisk pace, as if something was chasing him from behind.
He was in a state of turmoil, and the thought of what happened at the county government office that day made him feel even more uneasy.
The county magistrate was talking to him about official business when he suddenly changed the subject and asked, "County Magistrate Qin, I heard that your eldest daughter has returned from your ancestral home? And she wants to donate half of her late wife's dowry to our county government?"
He was stunned for a while before stammering, "Ah? Ah—yes, yes."
He still couldn't understand why the county magistrate would ask about this matter. Was it just because of that little bit of dowry money?
Based on the magistrate's usual character, he wouldn't be so naive as to ask him questions he shouldn't. After all, Qin Zhining's trouble was his family's private matter. The magistrate was busy with many affairs of state, so how could he have the time to care about this?
If it wasn't about the dowry, then could it be that Qin Zhining caused too much trouble when she returned to the manor today, and the commotion reached the ears of the county magistrate? The county magistrate thought that he was reckless, didn't know the rules, favored his concubine over his wife, and abused his legitimate daughter.
If that's the case, this little jinx is really disgracing the Qin family and ruining his reputation; he's a complete menace!
Qin Youming became increasingly agitated, completely unaware that the county magistrate had already heard about other matters.
Qin Zhining, accompanied by a mute maid, saved Prince Rui Qin and helped Grand Secretary Zhang escape the predicament of his clan's extermination. He received a considerable reward in return.
His own father treated such a capable daughter like a useless stone; he was truly blind.
Qin Youming walked forward, feeling agitated, while Qin Zhining remained standing in the same spot.
At this moment, a maidservant hurried over from the kitchen, curtsied to Qin Zhining, and softly reported, "Miss, Aunt Liu from the kitchen said that the basket of white flour buns and the two jars of braised meat that you asked me to keep have been delivered to your room."
Qin Zhining nodded, then asked, "Did the gatekeeper say anything?"
The maid shook her head: "She didn't say anything. It's just that Zhang Er from the gatehouse came over just now and said there's news from our estate that Granny Cheng and Miss Qiuxiang will arrive at the manor this evening."
Qin Zhining breathed a sigh of relief and smiled slightly. "I understand. Tell the gatekeeper that if Master Qin dares to stop us, they should come and tell me directly, and I'll go talk to him."
As he spoke, he took out a piece of silver from his sleeve, which weighed about two taels, and rewarded the little maid.
The young maid was overjoyed at the generous reward. She quickly thanked the maid, agreed, and withdrew.
Looking at the old locust tree in the courtyard, Qin Zhining thought to herself: First, bring back Granny and Qiuxiang, then get my mother's dowry, and next, announce the severance of ties.
The original owner suffered so much in his ancestral home; he should really seek revenge on this family.
"Aba aba—" Qin Xiaoxiao pointed at the little maid's back, babbling and gesturing, meaning that she wanted the little maid to find a few more people to help them out.
Qin Zhining nodded, "Yes, I understand what you mean. It's not impossible to bribe people to work for me."
As she spoke, she looked down at the wild vegetables in the earthenware pot and suddenly had an idea.
Most of the food at this market is ordinary. Perhaps she can use the methods from the interstellar era to earn some small change, explore different avenues, and then expand outwards.
Having made up his mind, he took Qin Xiaoxiao back to the woodshed, took out cooked food from his spatial storage, including steaming hot rice porridge and steamed buns, and ate with great relish.
After eating and tidying up, we strolled around the herb garden for a while to help digest our food.
In the innermost corner of the small garden, she found a few more dogwood, long pepper, and wild mint plants, which she sold directly to interstellar space.
Another small profit, a good haul.
"Miss, is that you?" Qin Zhining was looking down at other crops when she suddenly heard a trembling voice excitedly calling her from the entrance of the small garden.
Qin Zhining straightened up and looked up, and saw an old woman with a weathered face and a thin frame standing at the entrance of the garden.
Beside her was a younger woman, but whose face also looked haggard.
The woman was holding a sallow-faced little boy in her arms, and two little girls, about seven or eight and eleven or twelve years old, stood at her feet.
Behind them was a hunched-over man who looked very shrewd.
"Miss..." Granny Cheng and Qiu Xiang's family called out to their young lady and knelt down.
Qin Zhining recognized the person who came and was very excited.
This is a loyal servant left behind by the original owner's mother; he is the original owner's relative.
Therefore, from now on, he may be the closest person to Qin Zhining since she came to the Great Qi Dynasty from the interstellar era.
The small woodshed felt cramped because of the six extra people, but it was also particularly cozy.
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