Chapter 90 Play Fire and Burn Yourself
In the mansion of Grand Commandant, right after Xiu Gu, the messager of Dou Qing’e, informed her of what had happened in the palace, the mansion doorkeeper brought words back that Grand Miss and Third Miss already arrived at the gate.
“Now, Master will also know what Grand Miss did,” Xiu Gu said worriedly, “Will he blame her?”
“How will he?” Dou Qing’e calmed down quickly and analyzed, “We have been married for years. I know him very well. He will just pretend to blame Yunzhuang. No matter how Yunzhuang gets engaged with Prince Ray, it does no harm to Master. Perhaps, this is exactly what he is longing for.”
When Qin Yunuan just got off the carriage, Butler Xie was already there and said straightforwardly, “Grand Miss. Third Miss. Master is waiting for you.”
At the moment Qin Yunuan stepped into the room, Qin Zhi’s face turned purple and he looked so serious.
Shutting the door, Qin Zhi ordered, “You two, kneel down.”
Losing much strength already, Qin Yunzhuang freaked out and suddenly knelt down while Qin Yunuan was just stunned for a minute and stood still.
Qin Zhi was not that angry after Qin Yunzhuang knelt. After all, it was Sima Ray, the most promising heir to the throne, who she had a relationship with. But at the same time, this meant that he had to choose a side, and he was unable to remain neutral anymore.
Looking at the other daughter who didn’t kneel down, Qin Zhi raised his voice, “Yunuan, didn’t you hear what I said?”
“I did,” Yunuan said firmly, “But I did not understand. I did nothing wrong. Why should I kneel down?”
“You did nothing wrong?” Qin Zhi pounded the desk, “You know it clearly that Yunzhuang has been grounded for a long time to keep off rumors outside. The poem feast is so important. How can you decide by yourself to take her to the palace? It is so lucky that nothing bad happens. Otherwise, you definitely could not take the consequences.”
Hearing this, Qin Yunuan started to weep, “You just vent your anger on me and don’t understand why I did this. Everyone wants to raise their status and lives a better life. So do I. Before I headed for the palace, the legal mother threatened me with Baochuan’s life to take Yunzhuang together. We were lucky this time except that….”
Qin Yunuan gritted her teeth. She sounded like she was jealous of Qin Yunzhuang for Sima Ray’s favor. Besides, the shame and grievance mirrored in her eyes made Qin Zhi more convinced that everything was deliberately plotted by Dou Qing’e and Qin Yunzhuang.
“How dare you!” Qin Zhi rebuked her, “Dou Qing’e after all is your mother! How can you backbite her like this?”
Not doubting whether Qin Yunuan lied, Qin Zhi merely pointed out she was not supposed to talk about this in a straightforward way. He bought her theory by and large. Still on her knees, Qin Yunzhuang moved forward a few steps and explained, “Father, what she said is not true. In fact….”
“I can prove it,” Yunuan shouted out suddenly, “To take away Baochuan, the legal mother’s servants have hurt one of my maids. Father, you can interrogate Xiu Gu and the maid.”
Qin Zhi frowned, “Yunzhuang, is it true?” If they two really dared to play such tricks, it meant they treated him as nothing. He was the one to decide which girl could attend the poetry feast. No one could challenge him like this.
Being so weak because of the knockout drops, Qin Yunzhuang could only lower her head and defend, “Mother… mother, she did this for me and also for the whole family.”
“So you mean that I am not as good as you. Father made a wrong decision and those princes wouldn’t have liked me even if I were in the palace?” Qin Yunuan pouted, showing her girlish temperament and little anger. At that moment, she didn’t act in a poised manner as she usually did.
Clearly remembering the conflict happened in the palace, Qin Yunzhuang said unmercifully, “Qin Yunuan, don’t ask for too much. If I have a hard time, so will you.”
Qin Yunuan turned to Qin Zhi at once, “Father, hear. She dares to threaten me even to your face. Now, you must believe in what I said.”
Qin Zhi always believed that Dou Qing’e dared and could do such things. He had long wanted to get rid of the Dou Family’s control. But he didn’t expect that the old Princess Ning was close to the Dou Family, which made him hesitate to overturn the Dou Family. However, it was said that the Dou Family was involved in the East Qin assassinator case. It seemed to be a good opportunity.
Now, it was time to clarify his authority.
Qin Yunzhuang begged piteously, “Father. Mother has wholeheartedly served this family for 20 years and she always puts our family in the first place. You can’t blame her just for such trifles.”
“Trifles?” Qin Zhi went mad, “Do you really think I buy your word that Prince Ray and you have already fallen in love with each other? I know exactly what happened. Your mother really brought up a good girl. What you did today may be beautified as the uncontrollable intimacy with your love but it, frankly speaking, is fornication. If it had not been Prince Ray or if he had refused to marry you, you would have been tied up in a bamboo cage made for pigs and be sunk into water according to the clan rules.”
Tied up in the bamboo cage made for pigs? She was always father’s beloved daughter. How could he say that? Qin Yunzhuang felt dizzy and she wondered, “Is she, the exalted daughter of the mansion of Grand Commandant, really no better than a lowborn one who is shrewd and eloquent?”
“I, I…” Qin Yunzhuang murmured, “I’m innocent. Father, trust me. I did not know when Prince Ray came in. I was just to get changed there and then I smelled some strange scent. After that….”
“It’s of no use to defend now. Don’t play fire; otherwise, you will surely pay the price.” Qin Zhi was unsatisfied and regretful. He poured so much effort to bring up this daughter and spent heavily hiring the best teachers to teach her to play string instruments, to paint and to sing. She should end up like this. Although she was going to marry Prince Ray, receive abundant betrothal presents and have a spectacular wedding, Qin Yunzhuang might not enjoy a good reputation considering the tricks she played behind. Naturally, he was too shameful to brag about this wedding.
It was supposed to be a grand wedding, but turned out to be an unspeakable shame. Qin Zhi regretted that it was such a pity.
Although Qin Yunzhuang cried hard, Qin Zhi stayed cold and indifferent.
Then, Qin Yunzhuang confessed and wept to make an apology, while Qin Zhi rebuked her with a serious face. At that time, it seemed that Qin Yunuan was an outsider.
But….
“By the way, Officer Liu and Judge Li both have sent people to propose a marriage,” Qin Zhi looked at Qin Yunuan, “Yuwan is still young while Yunzhuang has engaged. Now, it’s time to choose a husband for you.”
Anyhow, Qin Zhi would merely choose the one who could bring him the most benefits to marry Qin Yunuan. But her current status would not attract big shots at all.
“Yes, father,” Qin Yunuan lowered her head obediently and said in a light tone, “But Baochuan still needs someone to take care of him. I’m afraid that when I get married and leave here, he will….”
“He’s my son. Is there anyone bold enough to bully him?” Qin Zhi sulked. He actually knew what a hard life Yunuan and Baochuan lived. It was shameful for him to scold her like this.
Qin Yunuan just smiled and said, “Now that father is willing to protect Baochuan from bullying, I have nothing to worry about.”
Qin Yunuan subtly shifted the topic from her marriage to Baochuan’s situation. She knew she would get married, but she already had her own choice.
Later, they talked about some other trifles. Qin Zhi was busy so he asked two girls to leave. Qin Yunzhuang was grounded again and was not allowed to get out of her courtyard until the wedding. When the two just came out of the Shunchang Courtyard, they saw Dou Qing’e and Xiu Gu waiting on the stone bridge. At a glimpse of Qin Yunuan, Dou Qing’e put on a poker face. She did not pretend to be nice to Qin Yunuan now and directly taunted her.
“Come here!” Dou Qing’e shouted at haggard Qin Yunzhuang in a cold voice and dragged her. “Why you always do something disgraceful?” It sounded like she was blaming Qin Yunzhuang for what she did in the palace, but she squinted at Qin Yunuan and quickly added, “Yunzhuang, you are the exalted daughter of Qin Family. If you get into trouble, your father and uncle will help you. But look at her, a girl whose mother is a degrading concubine. I have taught you not to walk together with such low-status people. Otherwise, you will become as low as her.”
Dou Qing’e became even more brazen. Obviously, she was telling Qin Yunuan that she was incapable of defeating the powerful Dou Family on her own. Qin Yunuan just raised her eyebrows slightly and replied casually, “Just now, father said something that I think is quite suitable for this occasion. I don’t know whether mother is interested in it.”
Dou Qing’e snorted and wore an aggressive and disdainful look. When she held Qin Yunzhuang’s hands and turned away, Qin Yunuan said something quickly and powerfully.
“Father said, ‘Don’t play fire; otherwise you will surely pay the price’.”
“How dare you!” Dou Qing’e turned around suddenly. Qin Yunuan was the first one to be so rude to her. While speaking, Dou Qing’e pulled all her strength together and raised her hand. She was definitely going to teach this disrespectful girl a lesson.
But all of a sudden, a black four-paw creature jumped towards Dou Qing’e’s face.