Chapter 111: The Fall of the Qi Clan

  Qin Dai Xin's probe got an unexpected response!

  When she was first told about the miscarriage, she felt that something was fishy. The child that Wang lost must have had nothing to do with Su, and with Su's character, she would never do such a thing that would ruin her conscience. If so, it's not possible to talk about revenge, and Wang naturally wouldn't blame Su for it. Even if she was resentful and didn't want Su to get pregnant before her, there was only the maid and money as evidence, which seemed unreliable. After all, the maid could be bought off, and money in the Qin household was an even more unreliable piece of evidence.

  So she thought of Fang Wanru, at that time Qin Zichen was still young, she probably didn't want to see any illegitimate children appear? In this way, only Fang Wanru's suspicion is the greatest. Therefore, she wanted to take advantage of Qin Ruoxin's affair to probe her bottom line. Just based on the fierce and cruel look in her eyes, Qin Daijin dared to confirm that Su Shi and Wang Shi's lost children were all related to her.

  Qin Dai's heart got the answer she wanted, and of course, she didn't want things to escalate further. Taking advantage of everyone's stunned expression, she hurriedly said loudly: "Mother, it was originally not a big deal, I was wrong, it has nothing to do with Fourth Sister, please calm down! Today is a good day, don't get angry and hurt your body."

  Mrs. Fang looked at her with a discerning eye, and Fang Wanru's eyes clearly showed a tense expression. She had been married for over twenty years and was still steady, no longer the little girl she used to be. What could make her lose her composure in front of her juniors? Although she wanted to intervene, there were too many people in the hall, so it wasn't easy to speak up. All she could do was pretend not to notice and let Fang Wanru handle it herself, knowing that eventually, she would have a chance to clear things up with her.

  Fang Wanru heard Qin Daihe say this, and her mind suddenly cleared up. She knew that now was not the time to argue, so she hurriedly said: "Forget it, it's just a small matter, and San Yaotou has already spoken up for you, so let's drop it."

  Qin Ruoxin had ten thousand unwillingness, but she didn't know how to defend herself. She didn't even know what Qin Dai said to Bao Wanru, let alone how to defend herself! At this moment, she was so wronged that she couldn't help it, and tears were about to rush out, but they weren't fake.

  The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became awkward, and everyone was like being in a fog, not knowing what had happened. Fortunately, everyone was also a worldly person, knowing that some things are like "sneaking into the village, don't shoot" - they need to be done behind people's backs. So everyone simply pretended to be deaf and dumb, as if nothing had ever happened in the hall.

  At this moment, Wan's mother came in and reported to Fang Shi: "Yi Ge has already fallen asleep, let the wet nurse hold him! The fifth lady wanted to come over, but I didn't let her according to your intention. All the aunts except Lan Aunt are waiting in the side hall to pay their respects to Old Lady!"

  Mr. Fang fiddled with the green jade rosary in his hand, his eyes narrowed into a small slit, and he said comfortably: "The children are still young, they are growing up, how can they eat vegetarian food? There will be plenty of time to show filial piety later. It's those few madams who are anxious." After finishing speaking, he opened his eyes and pointed at a servant girl: "You go back and tell them that it's exempted." Family banquet, the master sets up a feast, where do the servants have a share?

  The old woman went out at the sound, leaving a room full of people waiting for Mrs. Su to speak.

  Mr. Fang nodded to Wan's mother, who gave orders to the servants to set up tables in the outer room. The servants of the Qin family had always been well-trained and filed in quietly without making a sound.

  The seats were quickly settled, and the masters of the Qin Mansion escorted Fang Shi to the main seat. After they sat down according to their seniority, Fang Shi picked up her chopsticks and symbolically took a bite from the "Riches and Honors Welcome Spring" dish. Only then did everyone else pick up their chopsticks and start eating.

  The Fang family was born into an official aristocratic family, with more rules than ordinary people. Don't talk while eating, don't speak while sleeping, and must be followed. No one spoke at the banquet, it was very boring. Qin Dai secretly criticized the Qin family in her heart, such a family is really boring, even eating is so rigid, where can you show any affection?

  Ten thousand mothers stood behind, for Fang's dishes, she had been waiting by Fang's side for almost a lifetime, too familiar with her, deeply knowing her likes and dislikes, and even more clear about which dish on the table was in line with Fang's intentions. Just as her chopsticks were about to pick up a cold dish made of tofu skin, she was interrupted by Su.

  "Don't move." Fang said: "No one has moved yet, take this away, it's sour and suitable for people with a good physique to eat, let someone send it to Lan Garden."

  Ten thousand mothers were busy collecting chopsticks, letting people bring food boxes, packing up the whole dish, and putting in two auspicious pastries, letting two little girls carry the food box to Lan Garden.

  The main hall is tranquil and peaceful, with a harmonious atmosphere of filial piety, making one feel bored to the extreme; but in the side hall, those aunties are secretly surging with undercurrents, having a different kind of rivalry, which is actually quite entertaining.

  The dishes were also ordered from Jifu Hall, but compared to the main hall, there were six fewer main courses, four fewer cold dishes and several fewer desserts.

  Li glanced at the several "sisters" beside her, with Feng sitting in the main seat on this side of the table. To her right was Wang, and Li herself sat to her left, followed by Qi, Zhao, and only Su was absent due to her pregnancy. Li picked up her chopsticks, picked up a piece of bamboo shoots, and put it into Feng's bowl beside her, saying with a thick smile: "Sister, try this quickly, this thing is rare, and can only be seen in this month after being made into dried bamboo shoots."

  Mrs. Feng is a weak and timid person, originally from a slave background, always suppressed by several eloquent and virtuous aunts-in-law, if not for Fang Wanru's support and her own son being literate, probably no one would have taken her seriously.

  "Thank you, sister." Feng had never seen Li treat her with such courtesy before, so she said: "Sister, use more yourself and don't worry about me."

  "Alright, dear sister, there's no need for us to be so polite. This thing is rare, but it's not that expensive. Father knows I love to eat it, and he often has someone buy it and send it to my room. Now I'm even tired of eating it. But you, sister, don't often get to eat such luxurious food, so take this opportunity to have a good taste." After she finished speaking, she couldn't help but laugh out loud.

  Feng knew that Li was making fun of her for being inexperienced, although she also felt embarrassed, but she never countered back, could only laugh at herself and let it go.

  Everyone knew that Li was bullying Feng, but each person took care of their own business and no one wanted to help Feng. If Su were here, she would definitely speak out in support of Feng a few words, but now that Su is not here, Feng can only swallow her pride and let them humiliate her.

  "Oh, sister, you say I have no vision, but where can you go? " Qi Shi also picked up a piece of bamboo shoots with chopsticks and placed it in the middle of the table, shaking it slightly: "What do you think this is? It's just dried bamboo shoots, made by slicing fresh bamboo shoots and drying them repeatedly. You northerners are rough eaters, unlike us southerners, who have good food even in this month. This green vegetable is only edible when fresh, but once it's dried, what's the point of eating it? Sister, you can say that at home, but don't go out and say it, or you'll lose face for Master." Qi Shi was a southerner, with a delicate and pale complexion, and had been favored by Qin Zongwen when she was young. However, after giving birth to the fifth miss, her body hadn't recovered well, and she looked even older than Su Shi.

  Miss Li smiled and said, "Sister is right, I'm a clean and honest person from a humble background, naturally I haven't seen much. Unlike sister, who is delicate and precious, those aunties in the brothel must have reserved all the good things for sister to use?"

  "You!" Qizi was originally a courtesan in the art house, but before she even started "working", she was bought by a merchant and given to Qin Congwen. She had a bad background, so she couldn't bear to hear this.

  "Although I have a humble origin, at least I'm a decent concubine, and when I entered the mansion, I was still a clean and innocent person. Unlike some people who lost their chastity, got pregnant out of wedlock, and were only brought in because they had a child. She's just a worthless thing. Eating with her is an insult to my eyes."

  Wang didn't know that she was talking about herself, but she had seen these people's faces so many times that apart from counterattacking, she didn't think this remark was particularly hard to hear.

  "Sister is right." Wang said: "This matter originally had nothing to do with me, it was the sisters' own words, but now they want to drag me into it. Feng sister is the madam's favorite, you don't dare to suppress her; Li sister has Yi brother by her side, she also has a backer; Zhao sister although has no children, but has always been obedient and well-behaved, very pleasing to the madam, you also don't dare say anything unpleasant in front of her. In this way, only I am left as someone you can bully." Wang stood up and said to Qi: "Sister is right, sister and I are not comparable. You are a courtesan, from a young age learned how to serve men and please them; I am just a daughter from a rural family, how can I compare with sister's skills? In front of the master, naturally sister is more favored."

  "You! Good one, Wang. " Qi didn't expect this move from Wang and said, "We'll see about that." With that, she flicked her sleeve and left the table with her servant girl.

  Mr. Feng and Mrs. Zhao were both people who avoided trouble, so they didn't want to see this scene. But when Mrs. Li saw it, she had a look of gloating on her face. This whole thing started because of her, but at this moment, she acted as if it had nothing to do with her, and calmly started eating her food. She ate with relish, but didn't notice that Mr. Wang's gaze, which was originally directed at Mrs. Qi, had quietly shifted towards her.

  Qī shì led Yāo tóu out of Fāng shì's courtyard, all the way feeling suffocated, only to feel a severe pain in her chest. Her personal maid Zhū Guǒér hastily supported her and said: "Auntie, don't listen to that person's nonsense, getting angry will harm your body."

  Mr. Qi steadied himself, took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, only then did he feel slightly better.

  "Auntie, the banquet in the main hall hasn't even ended yet, won't it be too good if we leave just like this?"

  "Those people in the main hall, when have they ever looked at us with a straight eye? Even if everyone else has left, they still won't notice." Just as she was saying this, she suddenly saw two maids carrying food boxes walking towards them.

  The two of them saw Mrs. Qi and didn't dare to think much, hastily gave her a half bow, and both shouted: "Auntie Qi." After finishing speaking, they turned around and wanted to leave.

  Qī shì lěng bù dīng de hǎn le yī shēng: "zhàn zhù."

  Translation:

  "Stop right there!" shouted Qī shì coldly.