Chapter 240 A Mother's Strength
Cui Hao was carried back to the Cui residence. When Prime Minister Cui and Madam Cui arrived, the family physician had just left.
Madam Cui sat silently to one side, tears streaming down her face.
Prime Minister Cui sat down beside Cui Hao's bed.
Cui Hao leaned against the bed, his face pale. "Father, I have disappointed you."
Prime Minister Cui was not surprised at all.
“I told you, Qin Jinzhi is not as simple as she appears on the surface.”
Cui Hao looked at Prime Minister Cui, "Father, did you know this would be the outcome? Then why did you still allow your son to..."
Prime Minister Cui's eyes were cold. "Your trip to Qingzhou is just for training. You will have to return to the capital sooner or later. The future of our Cui family rests on your shoulders. Qin Jinzhi is a good whetstone for you. Even I have to admit that Qin Jinzhi is an outstanding young person in every aspect. I have never seen such an amazing young person."
Cui Hao frowned deeply. "Father actually speaks so highly of her!"
Prime Minister Cui's eyes were profound. "The downfall of the Zheng and Shen families was all orchestrated by her. Could you have done it?"
Cui Hao was silent for a moment, "But Aying... the Lu family has already exchanged betrothal gifts with our Cui family."
Prime Minister Cui dusted off his clothes. “Your sister is naive, but why are you naive too? She is still my daughter. It was arranged by our parents and the matchmaker. Besides, if Qin Jinzhi can get His Majesty to grant marriages to the families of these military officers, there’s no reason why I, the prime minister, can’t get a marriage decree.”
"no!"
Madam Cui, who had been silent all along, stood up with red eyes.
Cui Hao frowned. "Mother, this concerns a marriage alliance between our two families. Please don't cause trouble!"
Madam Cui sneered, "Me, causing trouble? You forced my daughter away, leaving my Aying unable to return home. I'd like to ask you, have you ever considered Aying as your daughter, your sister!"
Cui Hao looked at Madam Cui, who had never blushed in her entire life, with some surprise. "Mother, everything we do is for my younger sister's good. How can you be so confused as to do the same!"
Madam Cui's voice became somewhat shrill, "Aying doesn't want to get married!"
Cui Hao was completely baffled by Madam Cui's emotions. "Mother! What's wrong with you? Didn't you not object when we were engaged to the Pei family?"
Madam Cui waited for the father and son, "That's because Aying has never said she didn't want to get married! Now that she has, as her mother, I will never allow anyone to mistreat my daughter!"
Prime Minister Cui's expression also darkened. "Madam, this matter is of great importance. Please do not act recklessly. I did not blame you for letting Aying go today. Hao'er and I still have important matters to discuss. You should go back and rest first."
Looking at Prime Minister Cui's indifferent expression, Madam Cui laughed sadly, "You just knew I would release Aying. You used my daughter as bait to scheme against others. Have you ever thought that if Qin Jinzhi became angry and regarded Aying as an accomplice, would Aying still have a chance to live?"
Both father and son were taken aback.
Madam Cui pointed at the equally indifferent father and son, "Aying is my precious child, whom I carried for ten months. She is a living, breathing person! Not a stepping stone for you and your son to climb the social ladder! Cui Huai, let me tell you, if you dare to ask for that imperial decree of marriage, my corpse will appear in front of the Cui mansion tomorrow."
Madam Cui watched with disappointment as the father and son turned and left.
She grew up strictly according to Zongfu's standards.
She married Cui Huai, devoted herself to her husband and children, and managed the household affairs.
I have never argued with anyone.
From a young age, Aying was intelligent and well-behaved, and everyone in the capital praised her for raising such a wonderful daughter.
But she had never known that Aying had such lofty ambitions.
She hadn't done anything outrageous, and her family wouldn't allow it.
But she didn't want her daughter to become a caged bird confined to a small courtyard.
She knew that her husband bore the heavy responsibility for the entire Cui clan.
Let her be selfish then; no one should try to trade her daughter for their future.
Qin Jinzhi and the others returned to Qianniao Division.
Cui Ying was utterly astonished to see Si Sha eat ten bowls of vegetarian noodles in one go.
Si Sha placed the bowl on the table and bowed.
Then he looked up at Qin Jinzhi and said, "Sleepy."
Qin Jinzhi called over a servant to turn the soft couch next to her into a small bed.
Si Sha walked to the soft couch and curled himself up into a ball.
Cui Ying blinked at the sleeping Si Sha, "Are all experts like this?"
Hu Aman and Hu Ajiao said unsurprisedly, "Si Sha is rather simple-minded and only listens to the princess. You'll see in the future."
Just then, someone came to report from outside, "Commander, there is a woman outside requesting an audience."
Hu Aman immediately laughed and said, "Is she a woman dressed like a flower, whose fragrance can be smelled from ten meters away?"
The guard nodded.
Hu Aman laughed and said, "I'll go greet her."
Qin Jinzhi stood up. "Let's go, let Si Sha sleep here."
The group went to the front hall.
Before long, Hu Aman arrived carrying a large bundle, followed by a woman dressed in a purple silk skirt, with the most fashionable hair ornaments in the capital, skin as white as snow, and fingertips painted with bright red nail polish, exquisite down to every single strand of hair.
In short, she was extremely beautiful and flamboyant.
The woman came in, swaying and wiggling as she walked.
Just as he was about to speak, he saw Cui Ying standing to the side, who gave a perfunctory bow.
"Luoshui pays respects to the Princess."
Qin Jinzhi waved her hand, "Alright, there are no outsiders here, let's stop with the formalities."
Luo Shui sat down to the side, beaming with joy.
"The capital is so prosperous, even the variety of rouge is greater than elsewhere."
As she spoke, she opened her bundle, revealing a large bag full of jewelry and cosmetics.
Luo Shui handed two boxes of rouge to Cui Ying.
"Since you're a new member, this is a welcome gift."
Cui Ying blinked, feeling a sense of déjà vu, as if she had stumbled upon a bandit's den.
Qin Jinzhi looked at her and said to Hu Ajiao, "I knew she must have gone shopping."
Luo Shui's eyes sparkled. "I don't know martial arts, I'd only be a hindrance if I went."
She ran her fingers across her neck and asked, "Is my new necklace pretty?"
Several people simultaneously gave a thumbs up.
Luo Shui stretched her upper body with satisfaction, then pulled out a thick folded document from under her bundle.
"This is the Yang family's deployment in Guanzhong, the state of their army, and information on some of the court officials they have dealings with."
Qin Jinzhi took the document and said, "Thank you for your hard work."
Luo Shui sat down on the armrest of Qin Jinzhi's chair with a fawning expression.
He then stretched out his hands in front of Qin Jinzhi, saying, "It's not hard work."
Qin Jinzhi laughed out loud, then took out a 10,000-tael silver note from her sleeve and placed it in her hand.
Luo Shui took the silver note and raised an eyebrow at Cui Ying, "Beautiful lady, would you like to go shopping with me?"
Cui Ying was taken aback. "Me?"
Luo Shui carefully put away the silver notes, looking at Qin Jinzhi and the Hu sisters with disdain.
"Look at those three, which one of them looks like she could go shopping with me?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com