Footsteps sounded, and Qin Ke'er frowned subconsciously inside the room. "Didn't I tell you not to bother me? I want to be alone for a while."
"Ke'er".
A sigh escaped her lips, and Qin Ke'er immediately turned her head. "Mother?"
"You didn't even have lunch, Ke'er. Didn't your mother tell you that you must never miss a meal?" Because the head of the Qin family was unconscious, Madam Qin had also suffered a lot of cold treatment in the Qin family, and her health had visibly deteriorated.
"Mother, please sit down." Qin Ke'er looked at Madam Qin's pale face, her heart aching even more. "It's all my fault, leaving you alone in the Qin family..."
"Wrong."
Madam Qin smiled and patted Qin Ke'er's hand. Qin Ke'er's tears immediately flowed down her cheeks.
"The fact that you didn't stay with the Qin family is the best comfort for me."
The Qin family is now like a huge pit of fire. She went from crying every day to feeling fortunate that her two children were safe and sound in Dayu.
"Mother, I heard you took the imperial examination in Da Yu?"
Qin Ke'er nodded heavily upon hearing this, "Now that I've passed the imperial examination, I can become an official in Dayu. The Empress Dowager has also clearly stated that Dayu will have female officials."
"A female official?" Madam Qin's eyes were filled with shock. "Does she have the same right to discuss foreign affairs as men?"
“Yes, this is the first time a woman from Dayu has reached the palace examination.” Qin Ke’er looked proud, as if she had returned to the proud young lady of the Qin family. “Mother, I have not disgraced the Qin family.”
When the Qin family was mentioned, Madam Qin's expression gradually returned to calm.
"Ke'er, your mother has come here today to have a few private words with you." Madam Qin looked steadily at Qin Ke'er. Perhaps even Ke'er herself did not know how much she had changed, but her mother could see it clearly.
"There is no room for maneuver between Dayu and the aristocratic families now. If possible, you and your elder brother should stay in Dayu."
"Mother!" Qin Ke'er stood up abruptly, her eyes filled with disbelief. "Mother, what are you saying?"
"Your father won't wake up, will he?"
With just one sentence from Madam Qin, Qin Ke'er instantly lost her temper, like a punctured balloon.
"Mother, Father won't fail to wake up."
“If it weren’t for this, why would you lock yourself in your room? You were full of energy yesterday, determined to find the traitor.” Madam Qin gripped her handkerchief tightly. “Ke’er, listen to your mother, don’t stay in the Qin family.”
“But I am a young lady of the Qin family.” Qin Ke’er gripped Madam Qin’s hand tightly.
"Ke'er, actually you weren't so unhappy in Dayu, and neither was your elder brother." Madam Qin smiled kindly. "Now that your father is unconscious, my only wish is for you and your elder brother to be safe and sound. Dayu is a good place, and that Empress Dowager is a very good person, isn't she?"
"She's fine."
Qin Ke'er lowered her head. "Mother, no matter what, I must find the murderer who killed Father first."
......
Qin Ke'er did take Madam Qin's words to heart, and at the same time, there was new progress on Ling Ku's side.
“Your second uncle has a woman named Mei’er by his side.” Ling Ku clasped his hands in a fist salute, glancing out of the corner of his eye at the untouched lunch outside. “Miss Qin, you weren’t so devastated that you didn’t even eat lunch, were you?”
It was just a normal greeting, but coming from Ling Ku's sneaky mouth, Qin Ke'er immediately blushed with anger. "I was so engrossed in reading that I forgot to eat."
"oh--"
Ling Ku's voice trailed off for an extremely long time, clearly indicating that he did not believe Qin Ke'er's explanation.
“That Mei’er has your second uncle completely infatuated with her, and now she’s his concubine.” Ling Ku paused. “But she hasn’t had a child for so long, so she must have taken medicine before she was sent here.”
These spies are incapable of having children.
"That's all?" Qin Ke'er raised her eyebrows. "Not even a definite piece of evidence. That's not like your Ling Ku style of doing things."
"Concrete evidence?"
Several sheets of paper were placed on the table. Ling Ku curled the corners of his mouth and said, "Miss Qin, please take your time to look at them. They are all solid evidence. If it's not enough, I can go find more."
"Good, with General Ling Ku's words, I can rest assured."
Seeing that Qin Ke'er had no intention of backing down, Ling Ku was somewhat amused and said, "Alright, then let's see how Miss Qin performs next."
After saying that, Ling Ku disappeared in front of Qin Ke'er, leaving only a voice lingering in the air, "The Qin family's cuisine is quite good."
"Miss." The maid ran in to check on the situation and, seeing that Qin Ke'er was still somewhat dazed, quickly spoke again, "Miss, are you alright?"
"It's alright, I'm a little hungry. I'll have the kitchen prepare some food and send it over."
"Alright, I'll go right away." The maid was overjoyed to hear that Qin Ke'er was willing to have a meal, and hurriedly headed towards the small kitchen.
Inside the room, Qin Ke'er picked up the evidence on the table, took a deep breath, and began to read it.
And so they looked until late at night.
"Please invite all the elders to Father's courtyard first thing tomorrow morning," Qin Ke'er said wearily. "Also, invite Second Uncle, Second Aunt, and Mei'er."
"I've noted it down. It's getting late, Miss, please rest."
Qin Ke'er lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. Her second uncle used to be a carefree playboy who didn't care about worldly affairs, but that Mei'er actually had such methods, making her second uncle blinded by greed.
But Ling Ku also said that Mei'er is now very much in favor of Second Uncle, and if they want to get rid of Mei'er, they need to work on Second Uncle...
As she pondered this, Qin Ke'er closed her eyes.
The next day.
Everyone gathered in the courtyard of the Qin family patriarch, but Qin Ke'er did not show up. Everyone looked at each other, wondering what Qin Ke'er was up to.
"Calling everyone to my elder brother's courtyard so early in the morning, disturbing his peace and quiet, and then not showing up for ages yourself," Master Qin couldn't help but say. "I think Ke'er is becoming more and more disrespectful these days."
"Second Uncle, if you have any complaints about me, say them to my face."
Qin Ke'er arrived precisely at the appointed time, giving Second Master Qin a subtle but effective warning.
Behind him followed Ling Ku, who had a sword at his waist.
"Who's this next to you? I've never seen you with a guard like this before." Now, not only Master Qin, but the other elders also became wary.
"Ling Ku, General of Dayu."
"What? It's actually a general from Dayu! Guards..." Before Master Qin could finish speaking, Ling Ku's sword was instantly drawn and pressed against Master Qin's neck.
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