Chapter Seventy-Nine: Schemes Exhausted, The Matriarch Returns!

A carriage that had just stopped beside the General’s Residence tilted suddenly before everyone’s eyes, crashing heavily into the General’s carriage. That particular carriage belonged to the old madam, and when pressed by the one next to it, it could not bear the weight and toppled toward another carriage, causing a cascade of collisions. One accident led to another.

When the crowd finally managed to separate the carriages, it became clear that the General’s carriage was severely damaged. Especially the old madam’s spacious carriage, which had been hit head-on; its roof was bent out of shape, the wheel crushed, rendering it completely unusable. The other carriages were also half-tilted, unfit for travel down the mountain. Qingyue was dumbfounded.

“Second Miss, it’s... it’s because the wheel of that carriage somehow fell off, and it couldn’t stay upright, that’s why it crashed into ours,” explained the sweating coachman, who had earlier reported everything was ready to Qin Wanru.

With the descent imminent, such an incident caused Qin Wanru’s brows to knit, her willow-shaped eyebrows tinged with coldness.

“What should we do now?” After a moment, Qin Wanru relaxed her brows and asked calmly, her gaze falling on the unusable carriages without a hint of panic, as if unaware that without a carriage, the old madam would be unable to descend the mountain.

“Second Miss, should we borrow some carriages?” the coachman asked, still sweating profusely.

“From where?” Qin Wanru replied. There were quite a few carriages parked nearby, but most were crude oil-cloth carriages—narrow, small, and unstable. Not only was the old madam’s status incompatible with such vehicles, but she was also ill; Qin Wanru would never risk her safety in so cramped a carriage.

If something were to happen, no one could bear the responsibility.

“This... I... I don’t know,” the coachman replied awkwardly, his gaze following Qin Wanru’s, confirming that indeed, there was no suitable carriage.

“Find a way to get these damaged carriages down the mountain for repairs,” Qin Wanru instructed.

“Yes... I’ll get them down soon, but what about the old madam?” The coachman was both embarrassed and panicked, clearly at a loss.

“Ask grandmother about it; you all go ahead,” Qin Wanru said, frowning as she turned and left, no longer concerning herself with the parking lot troubles.

Seeing her leave, Qingyue hurried to follow, but as they rounded a corner, Qin Wanru stopped.

“Miss, what now? The old madam must be up by now,” Qingyue asked anxiously. The young miss had just left the old madam to check if the carriages were ready, but with things as they were, the carriages were unusable.

Without a carriage, the old madam couldn’t descend the mountain. If she didn’t officiate at tomorrow’s wedding, rumors would surely spread, and Shui Ruolan’s marriage might not be recognized at all.

Qin Wanru’s eyes grew deeper. There was no need to ask; this was clearly Di’s scheme. For such a large carriage, how could its wheel simply fall off? The shifty looks exchanged between the other coachmen confirmed their involvement.

Di was determined to undermine Shui Ruolan’s marriage, and her cunning was undeniable.

The old madam’s condition required a special carriage—ordinary ones wouldn’t do. Yet there was one carriage that could certainly be borrowed, and Qin Wanru was confident it would be even more comfortable than their own.

The abbess of Jingxin Temple possessed a carriage—very stable, often lent to the wives of prominent families who came for medical attention and needed assistance returning home.

“Go find the abbess and tell her I wish to borrow her carriage,” Qin Wanru said thoughtfully.

“There’s a carriage at the temple?” Qingyue asked, eyes wide in surprise.

“There is; go borrow it,” Qin Wanru replied with a gentle smile. The carriage was rarely used, kept as a spare since most wealthy families had their own substantial vehicles. Thus, almost no one knew about it—not even the old madam, until Qin Wanru learned from Master Mingqiu during her recent medical studies. Mingqiu had mentioned the spare carriage specifically.

After dispatching Qingyue to borrow the abbess’s carriage, Qin Wanru hurried back to the old madam, who was already up, waiting for her return.

Qin Wanru did not conceal anything and explained the accident with their carriage.

When she finished, the old madam understood fully, coughing softly, and cast Qin Wanru a look of approval. While Di was clearly causing trouble, she was pleased with Qin Wanru—her granddaughter had truly matured, no longer the naive child she once was.

The carriage was soon borrowed!

It was large and wide, designed for patients, and very stable. There were no ornate decorations, only simple, practical furnishings—thick and soft.

As Qin Wanru helped the old madam into the carriage, she found it excellent inside—a large couch where the old madam could lie comfortably.

Beside the couch was a sizable window; even lying down, it didn’t feel stuffy. Qin Wanru opened the window and lowered the gauze curtain, letting in fresh air and unobstructed views.

The carriage moved steadily, even more comfortable than the old madam’s previous one.

“Grandmother, please rest for a while. I’ll call you when we arrive,” Qin Wanru said softly, covering the old madam with a blanket.

Knowing her health was poor, the old madam did not insist on anything, nodding and closing her eyes. She would confront Di once they were down the mountain, but for now, she needed to conserve her strength.

The broken carriages from the General’s Residence were sent down the mountain first; though tilted, with care and slow pace, they could still be driven.

The carriages entered the rear courtyard, and after the coachmen disembarked, the one who had spoken with Qin Wanru went to report to Di.

Hearing the coachmen had returned but that the old madam and Qin Wanru had not descended, Di’s taut face relaxed into a satisfied smile.

“Did Second Miss say anything?” Di asked, uneasy, suspecting the girl wasn’t so easy to deal with.

“Second Miss said there was no solution and ordered us to take the carriages down for repairs,” the coachman replied smugly.

“She didn’t tell you to bring them back immediately?” Di pressed.

“With the carriages in such a state, how could we bring them back right away? Even if Second Miss gave the order, we’d know how to answer,” the coachman said, growing more pleased with himself.

This amused Di, who picked up her tea, drank, and waved the coachman away.

Madam Zhou, shrewd as ever, handed the coachman a hush-money envelope as they withdrew, prompting him to express his gratitude profusely before leaving.

Once he had gone, Madam Zhou returned indoors.

“Let’s see how that little girl solves this,” Di’s smile could no longer be suppressed.

“Madam, you’ve covered all bases this time. Even a cunning adult would be helpless, let alone Second Miss, who’s still inexperienced,” Madam Zhou said, flattering Di. It was indeed what she believed—no matter what Second Miss tried, she couldn’t unravel the scheme set by the mistress.

“Shui Ruolan wants to marry the General openly? She should consider whether she’s fated for it. She’s just a widow—really thinks she’s so remarkable? I’ll make her the scandal of all Jiangzhou! Even if the General consents to marry her, so what? Smashing the bridal sedan isn’t exclusive to Qin Wanru; I can do it too!” Di exclaimed, her eyes flashing with malice.

The incident when Qin Wanru smashed Qi Tianyu’s sedan had inspired her greatly. If Qin Wanru could do it, so could she, and it wouldn’t be considered outrageous.

Moreover, the ones smashing Shui Ruolan’s bridal sedan would be her “in-laws.” Even with Qin Huaiyong’s overwhelming power in Jiangzhou, he couldn’t silence the gossip. In the flurry of explanations, no one would care whether it was truly Shui Ruolan’s in-laws. If the old madam didn’t appear, Di could claim the marriage was invalid, quashing the match as expected.

If the old madam refused to acknowledge it, and Di herself disagreed, even if Shui Ruolan entered the residence, she’d not be recognized as the wife—only as a concubine. With such a scandal, Qin Huaiyong would be too ashamed to grant her proper status; at most, she’d become a concubine. By the time the old madam descended the mountain, it would be too late.

If Shui Ruolan were only a concubine, Di could manipulate her at will. Even if the old madam wished to protect her, her frail health wouldn’t allow it.

“Is the person you chose reliable?” Di asked, glancing at Madam Zhou for reassurance.

“Rest assured, Madam. My nephew is trustworthy. Even if something happens, it won’t implicate you. Our families are distant relatives and haven’t been in contact for years. I helped him when he was young and needy, so I know him well,” Madam Zhou assured her confidently.

“Good. This time, the incident has nothing to do with me, and I won’t interfere. If the General needs anything in the residence, provide it. Don’t obstruct him. I want to see how he manages this marriage!” Di said coldly, gritting her teeth. She would prepare everything for Qin Huaiyong, but if any trouble arose, it would be none of her concern.

“Yes, Madam, I understand!” Madam Zhou responded, perfectly comprehending.

As they spoke, a maid hurried into the courtyard. Hearing voices from Di and Madam Zhou’s room, she rushed to the door and called out, “Madam, Madam, please come greet the old madam—she has returned!”

“Who has returned?” Both women were stunned, exchanging glances. How could someone they thought impossible to return suddenly appear?

“It’s the old madam. She just came back, and the General asks Madam to join him in welcoming her!”