Chapter 419 A Good Plan Containing Strong Defence and Attack
“First Miss Qin, how could you do such a thing in Prince Cheng’s Mansion?” Madam of Duke Xing’s Mansion said in a fierce voice, as she banged the table with her hands, in her rage.
Second Miss, Shao Jie’er, who sat next to her, was happy to see this scene. It was she who had informed Madam of Duke Xing about this matter. As she was only a daughter of a concubine in Duke Xing’s Mansion, she had always been out of favor with Madam of Duke Xing. Even though she tried her best to flatter Madam of Duke Xing, her position was still inferior to that of Madam of Duke Xing’s principal maid.
Seeing there was someone whose situation was worse than hers, Shao Jie’er must seize this opportunity to enjoy the drama, as she had always been bossed around by others!
“Madam of Duke Xing, this is a mistake! I don’t know why things have become like this! But this, this is totally a mistake! I walked into the garden by accident!” Qin Yuru hurriedly tried to defend herself.
“Mistake? First Miss Qin, you must think everyone is an idiot!” Madam of Duke Xing was getting angrier. She was not Old Madam of Duke Yong’s Mansion, who would deceive herself and would whitewash Qin Yuru’s behavior. Thus, when thinking her plan would fail because of Qin Yuru, she was extremely angry and almost wanted to slap Qin Yuru hard.
“How shameless the woman is! Doesn’t she know she is engaged to someone else? How dare she try to seduce Prince Cheng? If the plan of claiming kin with Duke Xing’s Mansion succeeds, it would mean that not only is she related to Prince Cheng by blood, but there would also be a generational gap between them! Doesn’t she know what she is doing?”
“Madam! It was an accident! I just wanted to wander around, but I did not expect that I would come across Prince Cheng! And I did not know when I lost my earring!” Qin Yuru knew that at this time she could do nothing but bite the bullet, and refuse to acknowledge this matter!
She had decided to deny it by all means, as she thought that these people would not really force her to confess!
“Madam, don’t you know what kind of a person I am? How can I make such a ridiculous mistake at that time? Moreover, my parents are aware of the engagement between my cousin and myself!” Wiping away her tears, Qin Yuru thought it was the right time to use the excuse which she had figured out before, in order to defend herself.
“Jie’er, you’d better leave first!” Madam of Duke Xing waved her hands and said this severely, as she glared at Qin Yuru.
“Yes, mother!” Shao Jie’er obediently stood up and left the courtyard with her servant girl. However, when she was at the entrance of the courtyard, she turned around and walked behind the courtyard with her servant girl.
The talk between Madam of Duke Xing and Qin Yuru seemed to be meaningless, but she was suspicious of it, as she felt there were many secrets hidden behind the talk.
“It is said that Old Madam quite favors this First Miss Qin and now she seems to be familiar with Madam. However, why was Madam so angry?”
“It should be First Miss Qin and her Ningyuan Army General’s Mansion, who should feel embarrassed and the matter has nothing to do with our mansion. But according to madam’s look, it seems that First Miss Qin had ruined her plan.”
“Were there any secrets?”
“Where are you going, Second Miss?” Shao Jie’er had just walked a few steps, when a cold voice suddenly sounded behind her.
Shao Jie’er could not help but shudder, when she heard the familiar voice. It was Nanny Sheng. She immediately turned around and smiled. She answered, “Nanny Sheng, I was just wandering around.”
“You do not seem to be walking back to your courtyard?” Nanny Sheng asked coldly, as she looked in that direction.
“Ah, yes. I am going the wrong way. I was thinking about First Miss Qin’s matter. It seems that I went the wrong way because of that!” Shao Jie’er gave a hollow laugh and raised her head, which seemed as if she just realized that she was in the wrong direction.
“Second Miss, you’d better go back. It will be improper if others should misunderstand your action.” Nanny Sheng looked at her impassively and answered. Her expressionless stare almost froze Shao Jie’er’s smile.
“Fine, fine. I will return now!” Shao Jie’er smiled and turned around. She had to go back the original way.
Nanny Sheng was the best old maid, who served Madam of Duke Xing, and she had been Duke Xing’s wet nurse. Because of her status, Shao Jie’er did not dare to disobey her orders.
No matter how she much wanted to find out about the secret between Qin Yuru and Madam of Duke Xing, she could not stay and eavesdrop on their conversation. Thus, she had to pretend that she was going back to her courtyard in a hurry.
Seeing Shao Jie’er finally leaving, Nanny Sheng then turned around, went back to the room, and stood behind Madam of Duke Xing.
In the room, Qin Yuru retold the story which she had said in Duke Yong’s Mansion. She tried to use this story to defend herself and to show that this matter was totally an unintentional incident, which had occurred because of her carelessness.
Seeing her serious, sad and remorseful look, Madam of Duke Xing felt a little doubtful.
With regards to Duke Xing’s daughter, she did not believe her and thus, she asked Nanny Sheng to check if she left. However, since Qin Yuru looked so sincere and regretful, she began to have some doubts.
Did Shao Jie’er exaggerate about this matter again? She had done the same thing many times before!
“Madam, I am wronged by everyone! I have explained to my grandmother’s family! My grandmother, aunt and cousin believe I was wronged by others! I told them what you asked Second Miss to tell me. Because of this, my grandmother asked me to come to Duke Xing’s Mansion as soon as possible! She hopes those words can mitigate the impact of that matter! Since it is an accident itself, we certainly can reduce the impact about the other matter of hitting the carriage!”
Qin Yuru wiped away her tears as she watched Madam of Duke Xing’s expression, furtively. Although she still looked gloomy now, it seemed that she was not as angry as she was a few moments ago. Delighted, Qin Yuru spoke much more smoothly. It seemed that the whole Duke Yong’s Mansion believed her story.
“Your cousin also considers it as an accident?” Madam of Duke Xing stared at Qin Yuru and asked. She felt her words were true, but her words still sounded strange. However, she just did not know which part of her story sounded odd.
“Yes, he even comforted me and told me not worry about it. He said that everything will be fine, since this is just a rumor!” Qin Yuru answered, as she nodded.
Madam of Duke Xing was silent for a moment.
The matter about Qin Yuru hitting the carriage had turned up all of a sudden. Hearing her explanation, Madam of Duke Xing felt everything seemed to be reasonable. The news that Qin Yuru collided with the carriage of her third sister-in-law came out before the matter of Prince Cheng’s Mansion was spread. Since she was hurt because she tried to “save” the third sister-in-law, it made it increasingly possible for the matter of Prince Cheng’s Mansion to be an accident with her “rescue” here.
After all, a kindhearted woman would not do this shameless thing!
Thinking about it in this way, she realized that Qin Yuru’s matter would not interfere with her plan.
Seeing Madam of Duke Xing still keeping silent, Qin Yuru hurriedly said, “If you still doubt my words, you can ask my grandmother about this and if they really believe me!”
“Grandmother has always favored me! It will not matter too much if Madam of Duke Xing does send anyone to verify this!”
Thinking about this, Qin Yuru was emboldened to say these words. With regards to Di Yan, when her identity was authenticated, he would not dare to handle her!
“How is your neck now?” Hearing her answer, Madam of Duke Xing looked better now.
“It is fine. The physicians say that I will recover soon after a few days’ rest!” Seeing Madam of Duke Xing did not continue to ask about this matter, Qin Yuru hurriedly gave an astute answer.
She had been suspicious of those physicians before and even behaved in an unreasonable way. However, she did not dare to say this in front of Madam of Duke Xing.
“Will you recover completely by tomorrow?” Madam of Duke Xing asked, as she frowned. She could not relax until she got rid of Qin Wanru.
Since Qin Yuru had moved into Duke Xing’s Mansion now, the thing could not be delayed any longer.
“I suppose it will get better!” Qin Yuru did not dare to confirm this. The physicians had just told her that she would get better with a good sleep tomorrow, but they did not tell her that she would be fully recovered by tomorrow. Moreover, she needed time to take a good rest.
“It can’t be delayed anymore! Then it will be tomorrow! I will invite some seniors of our mansion to come here. There is no need to hold a large banquet and invite a lot of guests. When you have fully recovered, then we can hold a banquet again!”
Madam of Duke Xing said.
Fast speed was the most important factor in a war. Since there was such a matter happening, the best strategy now was to recognize Qin Yuru as her nominal daughter.
“Thank you very much!” Qin Yuru was excited. She bowed to Madam of Duke Xing with her twisted neck. She was finally able to get this matter off her chest. From now on, she would become the oldest Miss of Duke Xing’s Mansion and the biological granddaughter of Rui’an Great Elder Princess. In the future, everyone had to treat her with respect, when they met her.
“Old Madam will recognize you as her nominal granddaughter!” Madam of Duke Xing said this slowly, without allowing Qin Yuru to stop bowing.
Qin Yuru suddenly raised her head and looked at Madam of Duke Xing in surprise. She blurted out, “Shouldn’t I be, be the, well, the former Heir of Duke Xing…”
She was speechless and was sweating. There was a big difference between the title of biological granddaughter and that of nominal granddaughter!
If she was recognized as a nominal granddaughter, then her status would be the same as Qi Rongzhi’s!
When Qi Rongzhi became the nominal daughter of Madam of Duke Xing, she had envied her. However, now she felt she deserved more and she did not want the same position as Qi Rongzhi!
It was Madam Di who had been dealing with this thing. Qin Yuru did not know whether Madam of Duke Xing had been told about something, or whether Madam Di and she had reached an agreement before. She was totally speechless.
“Rui’an Great Elder Princess will not accept you!” Madam of Duke Xing scoffed at Qin Yuru.
“But Old Madam and you can!” Qin Yuru said hurriedly. She felt that the title of biological granddaughter was much better than that of a nominal one. Thus, she tried to fight for her own rights.
“It is troublesome and will cause many problems. I will recognize you as my nominal daughter on the surface, but I will say you are the biological daughter of our mansion privately. If Rui’an Great Elder Princess asks about this, I only need to say you are not the biological daughter!”
Madam of Duke Xing explained this slowly. She had discussed this with Old Madam. They would only recognize one nominal granddaughter, because Rui’an Great Elder Princess would not interfere. However, if they claimed that she was the daughter of the former Heir of Duke Xing, Rui’an Great Elder Princess would definitely interfere with them. If that really happened, her plan would be deflected.
She would spread the news that Qin Yuru was the daughter of the former Heir of Duke Xing. If Rui’an Great Elder Princess asked her, she would deny this. She would combine the lie with truth, which would make Rui’an Great Elder Princess confused. When she did not know what was true and what was false, she might think Qin Yuru was her biological granddaughter! At that time, things would be easier!
For Duke Xing’s Mansion, they would never pay attention only to Ningyuan Army General’s Mansion, and would not be willing to be trampled by a fake who tried to climb her way up.
They would deny every saying that Qin Yuru was the biological one, but they would also perform in a way that she was the biological one. This method would enable Duke Xing’s Mansion to defend or attack!
“Invite your seniors to come!” A trace of darkness flashed across Madam of Duke Xing’s eyes. She waved her hands and said. There was no time to wait for the next opportunity anymore! She had to do this right now!