The Shuoren Study was Qin Huaiyuan's residence before he got married. The collection of books there was very precious, and it was right next to the back garden. It could be said that every window opened was a beautiful view. It was an incomparable honor to be able to live in the Shuoren Study.
Who would have thought that Qin Yining would be willing to share such a precious place and take the initiative to ask her sisters to live together?
Qin Huaiyuan smiled with satisfaction. "Sister Yi, that's a good idea."
Seeing that Qin Huaiyuan had also nodded his head, the girls all became happy.
Miss Liu pursed her lips awkwardly. She didn't find Qin Yining as annoying as she used to.
Miss Liu and Miss Liu both smiled happily and thanked Qin Huaiyuan and Qin Yining.
Miss Liu grabbed Qin Yining's hand and wouldn't let go. "That's great! I already knew that Fourth Sister's place has a beautiful view and a lot of books! I don't want to live in an empty room. I want to live with Fourth Sister! Fourth Sister also has a very cute little bunny. I want to touch the bunny too! "
Third Madam burst into laughter. "You little girl, I gave you an inch and you wanted a mile."
Miss Liu blushed and stuck out her tongue in embarrassment.
However, Qin Yining liked Miss Eight's straightforward and romantic character very much. She shook Miss Eight's hand and said, "Why can't I? If you like, we can live together. " Then she smiled at Miss Liu and Miss Liu and said, "Sixth Sister and Seventh Sister, you can choose which room you want to live in later."
"Okay!" Miss Liu beamed and nodded.
Miss Liu, on the other hand, quickly looked up at Qin Yining and stammered, "Fourth Sister, you haven't told me where Miss Huining lives."
This was the first time Qin Yining heard Miss Liu call her Fourth Sister in such a straightforward tone. In the past, she and Qin Huaiyuan were on the same page and disdained this "savage" sister of hers the most.
Now that she saw Miss Liu's expression and realized that she was still thinking about her good sister, she couldn't help but find it funny.
After all, they were all young girls. Even if they had some devious thoughts, they wouldn't be so dark in their bones.
However, she would not easily forgive someone like Qin Huining, who was so black in the bones that no medicine could save her.
"Sixth Sister, I understand what you mean. But Huining Miss is a guest, and the rooms in my Master's Study are limited. If we live together and bring our own servants, I'm afraid we won't be able to squeeze in."
The Sixth Young Mistress pursed her lips.
She knew that back then, in order to frame Eldest Aunt, Qin Huining had actually made a voodoo doll to harm the old madam. At first, she felt that she could understand Qin Huining's actions.
However, after Qin Huining went to the farmstead, she heard concubine mother Lin say several times that Qin Huining wasn't a good person and that he was using her as a tool. She had already begun to have doubts about Qin Huining's character. Later on, she discovered that without Qin Huining at home, her days were much more peaceful. Even her di mother, who didn't like her, began to treat her kindly.
Now that she had calmed down and witnessed so many things in the manor, she had a new understanding of Qin Yining, who Qin Huining called a "barbarian", "untalented and uncultured", "mean and harsh to her sisters".
She didn't feel that Qin Yining was as abominable as Qin Huining made him out to be.
Although she didn't really like Qin Yining, she didn't hate him either. At the very least, she was still a person of flesh and blood who cared deeply about her family.
Thus, when she heard Qin Yining's words, the Sixth Young Mistress surprisingly didn't refute him. Everyone was a bit surprised by this.
Second Madam was very satisfied with her concubine's daughter's performance. She smiled and said, "This is very good. You sisters can live together and be close to each other. It can't be better if you can discuss things with each other."
The most important thing was that everyone would gather together and not be separated like before. Not only would it be more convenient for the guards to protect them, if there were any sudden problems, they would be able to take care of each other in time.
Qin Yining nodded.
Qin Huaiyuan, Second Master, Third Master, First Master Yu, and Second Master Han also began to discuss where they would live.
Third Master, Third Madam, and the concubines would live separately in Ci Xiao Garden's rear courtyard.
Second Master, Second Madam, and the concubines would live in the east wing and side rooms of Ci Xiao Garden's front courtyard.
The fourteen-year-old Fifth Young Master Qin Ding and his three younger cousins would live in the west wing of Ci Xiao Garden's front courtyard.
Qin Han and Qin Yu had both married, so the young couple would each live in the east and west wing of Ci Xiao Garden's rear courtyard.
Qin Huaiyuan and the members of the Sun Clan would live in the side rooms to the east of the Old Madam's main room. Cao Yuqing was also arranged to live in the side rooms to the west.
The young ladies would live in the Shuoren Pavilion, which was separated from Ci Xiao Garden by a small road. This way, they wouldn't collide with each other.
Qin Huaiyuan thought for a moment, then called Qin Yining to the side and said, "Now that the whole family is gathered together and Qin Huining is allowed to come back, why don't you give her a place to live in the Shuoren Pavilion? If it wasn't for me instructing her birth father to come to the capital, perhaps her birth father wouldn't have been trampled to death by the refugees."
Qin Yining was shocked upon hearing this, "You're saying that Qin Huining's birth father is dead?"
"En," Qin Huaiyuan said in a low voice, "I specially ordered people to search along the way and have already collected her birth father's body. Although her birth father was that kind of person and didn't have any feelings for Qin Huining, if it wasn't for my instruction, she wouldn't have lost her birth father. In the end, I still feel a bit guilty towards her. Moreover, we're in a time of crisis right now. She's been surnamed Qin for more than ten years. As your father, I don't want to throw her out to fend for herself. I know her character isn't good and you're worried that she'll lead the other sisters astray. However, with you here, she won't be able to make any waves. If she makes a mistake again, you should punish her. If not, I'm still here. "
"Alright." Qin Yining smiled and nodded, "As long as father doesn't hate for me to punish her, then I'll listen to your arrangements."
Qin Huaiyuan couldn't help but laugh, "Do you think you'll let her off lightly if I don't allow it?"
"Right now, the world is in chaos. I don't want to deliberately make things difficult for her. As long as she knows her place and everyone keeps up appearances, it's fine."
The father and daughter were chatting and laughing here. The two of them looked alike. If Qin Yining were to wear men's clothing, she would simply be a young version of "Wise Pan An". The current scene was different from the scene of father and son reprimanding each other, where one of them was strict and the other lowered her head to answer. The Sun Clan couldn't help but smile as they watched from the side. Second Madam and Third Madam were also envious and began to quietly tease them.
When the father and daughter returned from their discussion, Third Madam smiled and said, "What are the father and daughter planning now?"
Qin Huaiyuan smiled, "They're discussing with Sister Yi about arranging for Sister Hui to also live in the Shuoren Pavilion. Sister Yi was soft-hearted and agreed."
As soon as he said this, everyone looked at Qin Yining in a different light.
If other people's fathers encountered this kind of situation, they would probably just give a few instructions and leave it at that. However, Qin Huaiyuan only made this decision after discussing it with Qin Yining. It could be seen how much he cherished and respected this daughter of his. In addition, Qin Yining had recently shown her skills in managing the household and her sensitivity to political affairs. Not only did Second Madam and Third Madam think highly of her, but even her cousins also naturally looked up to her now.
Everyone made arrangements to bring the people to move first. Third Master also hurried to the front courtyard to make arrangements for the servants to stay and to work.
Right at this moment, the young maidservant, who was newly arranged to work at the second gate, rushed in.
"Marquis, Marquis! Someone from the palace has come to pass an oral order. His Majesty has ordered you to enter the palace immediately! "
The originally relaxed and happy scene was suddenly splashed with cold water by this sudden sentence. Everyone's expressions were very unsightly.
Old madam anxiously grabbed Qin Huaiyuan's hand, "Brother Meng, His Majesty, what does His Majesty want to do now? If you don't go, we won't go! "
Qin Huaiyuan comfortingly patted old madam's arm and said with a sigh, "His Majesty's oral order. How can I go against it?"
In reality, he had already guessed that the Emperor would definitely look for him now that Xi Hua City had fallen.
Qin Huaiyuan turned around to look at Qin Yining.
Qin Yining said, "Father, don't worry. Leave the house to us. Please come back soon."
"Alright." Qin Huaiyuan smiled with relief, then turned around and left the inner residence.
The womenfolk looked at each other in dismay, their hearts hanging in the air.
Qin Yining was also worried, but he couldn't show it on his face. He only made arrangements for the people to move and personally led people to patrol the inner residence. He counted the things that weren't in use in the courtyard, locked them up, rearranged which kitchen to use, and arranged how the servants should be on duty, and other miscellaneous things.
While Qin Yining was busy, Qin Huaiyuan had already changed his clothes and entered the palace.
In the imperial study, the Emperor fiercely threw the reports from the frontlines to the ground with a heavy expression.
"Rice Bucket, Rice Bucket! You're all a bunch of idiots who eat for nothing! Soldiers are trained for a thousand days to be used in a single moment. What's the use of raising a bunch of rice buckets! "
The Emperor was furious. Guozhang Cao, Qin Huaiyuan, Yuchi Yan, and Prince Ning all knelt down in unison and saluted, "Your Majesty, please calm down."
The eunuchs were already scared witless and hid in the courtyard. They didn't dare to approach for fear of being implicated.
"Calm down? How can I calm down by raising a bunch of idiots who don't do proper work? Pang Zhixi is simply a bastard. On our Dayan, I treated him to good food and drinks, but he actually turned around and led his troops to attack us! He said that the Tatan people came to assassinate us. I think he's just using this opportunity to pick a fight! Qin Meng! "
"This official is here." Qin Huaiyuan kowtowed in response.
"I told you to go negotiate, and this is how you negotiate! Can't you see that those scum from the Zhou Dynasty are trying to cheat us of our money? Look, Xi Hua City has been occupied. Our East, North, and West Roads have a total of 300,000 soldiers, but they were defeated by the Tiger Army's 100,000 soldiers. Is this because my generals don't know how to lead troops? Are you the only one in the world who knows how to lead troops? I think you're to blame for all of this! Since the start of the negotiation, you've made one wrong step. Now, every step is wrong. You still have the nerve to kneel here! "
The Emperor became angrier as he spoke. He stood up and walked around the paulownia table covered with a bright yellow tablecloth. He rushed in front of Qin Huaiyuan and kicked him in the shoulder, sending Qin Huaiyuan rolling on the ground.
"Imperial Father!" Yuchi Yan hurriedly supported Qin Huaiyuan. "Imperial Father, please calm down. The people of Da Zhou are crafty and crafty. Moreover, when we were negotiating, the Marquis of Anping had already reported the shortcomings to Imperial Father. It was only because of Imperial Father's decree that the Marquis of Anping signed the contract. Why is Imperial Father blaming the Marquis of Anping for all of this? The people of Da Zhou are treacherous. What does it have to do with the Marquis of Anping? Aren't you afraid that your meritorious servant will be bitterly disappointed by your actions? "
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