Chapter Twenty-Four: The Mask of the Gentle Mother

Qin Wanru stood beneath the eaves and did not step forward. She waved her hand at the approaching maid, signaling her not to speak or perform any courtesies.

Inside, the old matron’s voice rang out, furious and sharp, “What on earth happened last night? Why did Yuru go out so late, and to meet with Qi Tianyu, no less? Has she no concern for a young lady’s reputation?”

A sound of shattering followed—likely the old matron, so enraged she smashed her teacup.

“Mother, Yuru went out last night only to buy some medicinal herbs for me. She was afraid of being seen, so she wore a veiled hat. Who would have thought that Qi Tianyu would intercept her halfway and insist she explain herself? That’s the only reason she went with him; it was never her intention to meet him!” Lady Di, inside, had fallen to her knees, her voice aggrieved.

“What medicinal herbs could possibly be needed at such an hour, and why must a young lady be sent out so late?” the old matron scolded, exasperated.

“These herbs were originally the general’s responsibility—they’re to be sent to the capital. I checked them the other day and saw they weren’t of the best quality. I meant to go myself, but with the deadline so near, it couldn’t be delayed. But then all this happened. I was unwell, too upset to get up, and Yuru, worried for me, snuck out at night, thinking no one would notice. Who would have expected Qi Tianyu to be waiting outside!” Lady Di sobbed. “General, you know about this too. I mentioned it to you yesterday, but you paid it no mind. I had no choice but to let Yuru go!” As she spoke, she turned to Qin Huaiyong.

Qin Huaiyong’s expression was gloomy as water; what Lady Di said was true. The herbs were to be sent to important people in the capital. He was waiting for a chance to be transferred back there, so these connections were crucial. But with so many matters lately, he hadn’t given it much thought when she told him.

“Is this true, Huai’er?” the old matron asked.

“Yes, mother, that is indeed how it happened,” Qin Huaiyong replied, brows knitted. The rumors outside were getting worse. He’d hoped things would quiet down in time, but after last night, they had only grown more outrageous.

“Even if it was urgent, it didn’t require Yuru to go. If you’d told me, I could have found better herbs myself!” The old matron, though Lady Di’s explanation was reasonable and confirmed by Qin Huaiyong, had no intention of letting her off so easily.

“With such trouble in the household and you already anxious at your age, how could I trouble you further, mother!” Lady Di said, full of grievance. “I didn’t think it was such a big matter, and Yuru promised repeatedly all would be well. But… who could have guessed Qi Tianyu would be lying in wait outside…”

“That’s enough, there’s no need to discuss this further. Just keep Yuru confined and don’t let her out again,” the old matron ordered impatiently. At this point, there was nothing to be done. In Jiangzhou, Qin Yuru’s reputation was utterly ruined.

“Yes, mother. I’ll keep Yuru indoors from now on and never let Qi Tianyu have another chance to harm her!” Lady Di wiped her eyes, painting the entire incident as if Yuru had been wholly framed.

“All right, all right, you may go now,” the old matron said, still impatient.

Hearing that the conversation inside had run its course, Qin Wanru signaled the maid to announce her arrival.

“Old Madam, Second Miss has come!” The maid, clever and quick, hurried in to deliver the message.

“Very well, you may go,” said the old matron to Qin Huaiyong and his wife as soon as she heard Qin Wanru had arrived.

“Mother, then we’ll take our leave,” Qin Huaiyong replied, rising to his feet. The maid helped Lady Di up from the floor.

“Go and invite Second Miss in,” the old matron instructed.

The maid, receiving the order, left to summon Qin Wanru. At the doorway, Qin Wanru crossed paths with Lady Di, who, seeing her, took two steps forward, seized her hand, and her eyes immediately reddened with apparent affection.

“Wanru… It was a failure on my part, Mother misunderstood your intentions. I thought you truly wished to marry Qi Tianyu, otherwise your elder sister would never have let you take her place.”

Qin Wanru restrained herself from pulling her hand away and inwardly sneered. Lady Di was quick-witted indeed, already trying to write the whole matter off as a misunderstanding.

“Mother, why would you think such a thing?” Qin Wanru blinked, her expression innocent as she looked at Lady Di.

“I… I was misled by Nanny Fang’s words at the time. I thought you had feelings for him… Who could have known it was all that old servant’s nonsense? I nearly let her words drive a wedge between us,” Lady Di replied, pushing all the blame onto Nanny Fang, who was dead and could offer no defense.

“Mother, I am your own daughter! How could you trust only the word of a servant, especially about something so important? Shouldn’t you have come to ask me?” Qin Wanru said, her voice full of wounded sincerity. Her clear eyes shifted from Lady Di to Qin Huaiyong, her eyes rimmed with red but stubbornly refusing to shed tears—a sight that made Qin Huaiyong feel both guilty and pained.

“How could you, as her mother, fail to handle your own daughter’s affairs yourself?” Qin Huaiyong could not help but interject. He had always cherished this younger daughter; though not his by birth, he truly regarded her as his own. They had wronged her, and he felt it deeply.

“It was all that wretched servant’s fault. Wanru, you don’t blame your mother, do you?” Lady Di’s face was all regret and sorrow as she looked at Qin Wanru with such concern that, were it not for her knowledge of the truth, Qin Wanru might almost believe Lady Di really was her birth mother. In her previous life, it was this very look that had led her step by step to her doom.

Since Lady Di was so adept at manipulating hearts, today Qin Wanru would see to it that she lost hers.

“Mother, I don’t blame you. You have to care for elder sister as well as me, and you’re not well yourself. It’s understandable if you can’t manage everything and some mishaps befall me or my sister,” Qin Wanru replied with heartfelt sincerity.

She meant every word, for she had truly believed this in her previous life.

Whenever something befell her, Lady Di would show such regret and concern. Thinking her to be her real mother, Qin Wanru always forgave her.

Seeing Qin Wanru so readily accept her words, Lady Di felt a surge of satisfaction and smiled. “So long as you don’t blame me. You and your sister are both precious to me—I couldn’t bear to see either of you hurt. This is all Qi Tianyu’s fault, and from now on, let’s not speak of it again. We’ll be mother and daughters just as before.” She dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief, looking every inch the gratified, loving mother.

Watching Lady Di’s performance, Qin Wanru laughed coldly to herself. This so-called “loving mother” had pushed her to her death. But she was no longer the naive, ignorant girl of the past. She intended to see just how long Lady Di could keep up this act, and would see to it that the impostor’s true face was revealed, so she could no longer plot against her unchecked.

“Mother, you needn’t worry about me. Elder sister’s health is what matters now,” Qin Wanru said quietly, withdrawing her hand and then respectfully saluting Qin Huaiyong. She then spoke with a hint of shame, “Father, isn’t mother overburdened? My sister and I always seem to trouble her. Perhaps she should be given more capable help.”

It was precisely because Lady Di was so overburdened that such things had happened.

It was precisely because she was overburdened that Qin Yuru had gone out last night and caused new scandal.

Who knew what rumors were circulating outside now? Even though Qin Huaiyong was a military man, rougher than most, he felt too ashamed to show his face.

His expression darkened suddenly.

The moment Qin Wanru spoke, Lady Di sensed trouble.

“If you’re too busy with household matters, let Concubine Xu handle some things. Better that than failing to manage the house and the daughters both!” Qin Huaiyong said coldly to Lady Di.

Had Qin Wanru been wrongly raised under Lady Di’s roof all these years?

Concubine Xu had originally been Qin Huaiyong’s maid, later raised to concubine after Lady Di entered the house. She had borne no children and was always quiet in the household.

“I…” Lady Di was so stifled she could hardly breathe. She had intended to put on a show of motherly affection at the door, but Qin Wanru’s words turned it all on its head—now it seemed she lacked the ability to manage her daughters or the household, and indeed, that was how it had happened. She wanted to protest but had no grounds, leaving her feeling both aggrieved and furious. This little girl was clearly not as biddable as before.

A sudden cold snort from the old matron inside interrupted Lady Di’s retort.

“Aren’t you leaving? Didn’t you say you were going to fetch a doctor for Yuru?” Qin Huaiyong said, striding out.

Lady Di could only follow, seething. After a few steps, she stopped, turned back, and shot a sinister look at Qin Wanru, her eyes hardening with resolve. She could not allow this girl to gain dominance in the manor. Since Yuru had already explained things to Qi Tianyu, perhaps she could borrow someone from him.

That person was Qin Wanru’s nemesis—once they crossed paths, Qin Wanru would surely suffer.

Qin Wanru entered, greeted the old matron respectfully, and saw that she looked displeased and tired. She hurried forward, moving to stand behind her and gently knead her shoulders. Though her strength was slight, she pressed with earnest effort, bringing a faint smile to the old matron’s face.

The old matron took her hand and sat her down beside her.

“That’s enough, no need to keep at it. Grandmother isn’t tired,” she said, smiling.

“But Grandmother, let me do it a little more; you’ll feel better. Now that autumn is here and the weather is cooling, your shoulders always ache. If I massage them more, the pain eases,” Qin Wanru insisted, her bright eyes blinking as she stood to knead the old matron’s shoulders again.

“Second Miss is truly filial—she knows your shoulders can’t bear the cold and comes straight in to massage them,” said Nanny Duan, who had served the old matron loyally for many years and knew her mind best.

Her words amused the old matron, who spoke with both comfort and regret, “In this house, only this girl still remembers. The others…”

Her expression darkened.

“What about the others? Aunt Shui always thinks of you, Grandmother. Have you forgotten her?” Qin Wanru pouted, as if speaking up for Shui Ruolan.

That, after all, was the purpose of her visit today.