Chapter 93: Putting on a Show
He had an idea.
Miss Hong watched Qin Mingxu nervously, her heart full of the belief that he would be shocked by such a big secret and beg her to continue. She could sell this secret for a good price and save her brother. She wouldn’t have to ask Zou Cheng for money, snatching food from a tiger’s mouth.
But he wasn’t.
Qin Mingxu slowly drank a cup of tea, a few tea leaves floating in the green liquid. He blew on the leaves, creating ripples in the teacup.
After taking a gentle sip, he said, “Steward Zou is a trusted figure in the Maternal Uncle of the Emperor’s manor, deeply trusted by Lord Maternal Uncle. You, a woman of the world, spreading such rumors, are you trying to harm me?”
Miss Hong had never imagined Qin Mingxu would react this way.
She stepped forward, grabbed his sleeve, and said urgently, “You don’t believe me? I can swear an oath, I swear, if I’ve said a single false word, may heaven strike me with lightning…”
Qin Mingxu stood up, flung her hand away, walked out of the gatehouse, and called out sternly, “Steward, come here!”
The steward hurried over and bowed, “Young Master, you command.”
“Call five or six servants, carry this madwoman out!” Qin Mingxu ordered.
“Yes!” The steward agreed and waved his hand. Several servants rushed over and lifted Miss Hong.
Miss Hong cried out, “Young Master Qin, everything I said is true! If you don’t believe me, you’ll regret it!”
She was roughly thrown onto the snowy ground outside by the servants, sprawling awkwardly. She grimaced in pain and cursed, “Qin! You’re the one who’s going to die, not me! You’re so foolish, you shame the Immortals! Bah! All show and no substance!”
The manor gate of Qin Manor slammed shut with a bang.
Qin Mingxu summoned the short, sturdy house guard who had accompanied him to the wedding snatching and whispered, “Follow that woman secretly. Remember, keep your distance, don’t expose yourself.”
The house guard was his confidant, a capable man among the Qin Family’s servants. He quickly understood his master’s intentions, nodded, and, hunched over, slipped out through a dog hole at the base of the wall, unnoticed.
Outside, behind a large tree, several people had been watching the movements at the Qin Manor gate. From the moment Miss Hong entered the manor until she was thrown out, their eyes never left.
Qin Mingxu stood behind the closed manor gate, clenching his fist.
Heh, Miss Hong was slender. Why would it take so many servants to throw her out, causing such a commotion?
He wanted it to be as obvious as possible.
The bigger the commotion, the better.
The more miserably Miss Hong was thrown out, the more those watching would believe that he, Qin Mingxu, would not believe anything she said.
Through Miss Hong’s jumbled words, Qin Mingxu pieced together the general situation.
His father’s death was related to Zou Cheng. Zou Cheng had paid Miss Hong to help cover it up. Originally, it was a mutually beneficial business, and it had been a long time ago.
However, Miss Hong had recently encountered difficulties. Her brother owed a large gambling debt of eight thousand taels, and the creditor threatened to chop off his hands and feet if the money wasn’t paid. Miss Hong couldn’t come up with the money all at once. Having no other options, she thought of Zou Cheng.
She took a risk, intending to get money to save her brother. Believing she had leverage over Zou Cheng, she used both threats and persuasion. How could Zou Cheng be someone who would willingly be threatened? When Miss Hong couldn’t get the money, she said she would go to the Qin Family to inform them.
And so, the scene of the chase in the alley unfolded.
It was a snowy day, and households in Yangzhou City closed early, with few people on the roads. A prostitute dying on the street, disguised as a crime of passion, would not be taken seriously.
But, who knew, Qin Mingxu happened to witness it.
With the chase in the alley thwarted, given Zou Cheng’s usual caution, he would never use the same method to kill again.
He would be more careful.
Only when the Qin Family didn’t believe Miss Hong’s words would he make his next move.
Miss Hong’s expulsion and her curses would give Zou Cheng peace of mind.
It was difficult to act so realistically.
Therefore, it was best that Miss Hong was completely unaware of Qin Mingxu’s true intentions.
Qin Mingxu slowly walked into the courtyard. Cherry, dressed in a red jacket, came to greet him, “Godfather, why are you back so late today? Yu Niang stewed your favorite chicken soup, we’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”
Qin Mingxu picked her up and took a milk crisp candy from his pocket to feed her, “Today Godfather went to the ferry terminal to deliver goods and was so busy I lost track of time. I deserve to be punished.”
“Milk crisp candy! I said this morning I wanted milk crisp candy, and Godfather brought it back tonight!” Cherry smiled.
Qin Mingxu pinched her nose, “How could I not take to heart what my eldest miss says?”
Father and daughter chatted as they walked through the corridor towards the room.
I stood with one hand on my hip and the other on the doorframe, waiting for them. I was just over five months pregnant, but my belly was unusually large; the doctor said it looked like an eight-month pregnancy. Moving and resting felt heavy.
A traveler returning on a snowy night.
The courtyard was a vast expanse of white, and one large and one small figure walked towards me.
A snowflake drifted onto my eyelashes. Fleetingly, the human world turns from dawn to dusk. Only a gentle stream flows day and night.
I suddenly cherished this moment immensely.
I am just an ordinary woman, longing for gentle warmth to seep out of the everyday. A husband, children, family, three meals a day, and four seasons of peace.
“Sang Yu, I’ve told you many times, you don’t need to wait for me.” Qin Mingxu put Cherry down and helped me sit, “If you make soup again, I’ll be angry.”
I said, “It’s nothing. The doctor said that more activity during pregnancy is good for childbirth.”
Cherry clapped her little hands, “Godfather, I’ll testify for Yu Niang, the doctor really said that.”
Qin Mingxu squatted down, placed his ear on my belly, and felt the fetal movement, saying, “What a lively child.”
I laughed, “Indeed. Very mischievous. Moves a lot.”
The three of us had dinner together, washed up, and went to bed.
Qin Mingxu held me and said, “Sang Yu, it’s freezing cold now. You should go to the wine shop less. What if you fall?”
I nodded, “Yes, that child Xi Feng is becoming more capable. I’ll stay home and rest, and be at ease.”
“I heard there’s a highly skilled midwife in Guangfu. I’ve already sent someone to invite her. Your due date is at the end of March next year, so we should prepare early for my peace of mind,” he said.
I smiled, “You’re saying the same thing as Feng Gao. I received his letter three days ago, saying that the midwife is already on her way to Yangzhou.”
“Oh? Director Feng truly favors us,” he said, gently stroking my hair.
I tucked in Cherry’s blanket corner and said, “You two are just impatient. There are still over four months to go, plenty of time.”
The wind whistled through the window frames.
I fell asleep in his arms.
In the human world, the greatest joy is birth, and the greatest sorrow is death. Birth and death, an endless cycle. This Qin Manor, with its carved beams and painted buildings, would be more lively and gentle with the cries of a newborn infant.
The night watch drum sounded, long and desolate in the snowy night.
Miss Hong stumbled into a small house in the South Market.
Inside was a young man of seventeen or eighteen. He rushed forward and said, “Sister, you’re finally back! I was so hungry waiting for you for so long. I didn’t dare to go out, afraid of being caught…”
Miss Hong spat, “Where can I find such a spoiled brat like you! Heartless scoundrel! You had a good life, but you had to gamble like others! Not only did you gamble away all the money I earned from selling myself, but you also caused such a huge disaster! If I had known this would happen, I should have scalded you to death with boiling water when I gave birth to you, to be clean!”
She cursed and cried at the same time.
Even so, she took out a few warm steamed buns from her embrace and handed them to him. To ensure he could eat them warm, she kept the buns in her embrace, never taking them out, her chest burning with pain.
After all, he was her full-blooded younger brother.
An elder sister is like a mother.
No matter how foolish he was, how disappointing, how could she bear to abandon him?
The young man wolfed down the steamed buns and asked, “Sister, did you get the money?”
It was as if he hadn’t seen the stains on her skirt, her disheveled state, or her injuries, only thinking of himself.
Miss Hong said, “No… Sister will think of another way tomorrow…”
She hugged her brother and said fiercely, “Even if I have to break this body of mine and sell it, I won’t stand by and watch you lose your hands and feet…”
The door was suddenly pushed open.
A man’s voice carried the warmth of a charcoal fire.
“How can you bear to see yourself break your bones and sell them? Miss Hong, you have too much temper. Our Steward Zou only said a few jokes with you, and you took it seriously. Tsk tsk tsk. Hitting is love, scolding is affection; our Steward Zou misses you.”
Miss Hong looked up and saw a servant of Zou Cheng.
She said nervously, “Don’t do anything rash! I’ll shout! This is a busy street! Patrol officers pass by every fifteen minutes! If you kill me, you won’t get out of here! At worst, we’ll both perish!”
When she chose this place as a temporary refuge, she had considered this.
“Who said I’m here to kill you? I’m here to help you,” the servant said obsequiously.
Miss Hong watched him warily.
The servant continued, “Steward Zou has already decided to pay off your brother’s gambling debt.”
“Really?” Miss Hong didn’t quite believe it.
The servant took an IOU from his sleeve. The IOU clearly bore the words “Cai Le Workshop.”
It was indeed her brother’s IOU.
Miss Hong reached out to snatch it, but the servant stepped back, “Miss Hong, what’s the hurry? Don’t you know the rules of the gambling house? Only after both parties sign can the account be settled. Tomorrow, Steward Zou will be waiting for you and your brother in the Liu Yun Chamber at Cai Le Workshop.”
Miss Hong remained silent.
The servant said, “What? You’re afraid to go? Don’t want to save your brother?”
Miss Hong said, “I’ll go! I’ll go!”
She truly had no other options left, driven to desperation.
The servant smiled, “Good, then it’s settled.”
“It’s settled,” Miss Hong replied.
On the night of wind and snow, the moonlight appeared somewhat vast. Yangzhou City was covered in white, people asleep and lights extinguished. A cool breeze rustled, blowing through the snow-laden branches, shaking off tiny, stubborn snowflakes, making a rustling sound.
At midnight, the short, sturdy house guard returned to the gatehouse. Qin Mingxu was waiting for him.
After he reported, Qin Mingxu said, “Tomorrow, Cai Le Workshop, make arrangements.”
Just a few words.
The house guard understood.
“Yes.”
Qin Mingxu paced back to his room and lay down. His wife and daughter were sleeping soundly. His wife’s swollen belly was like a full moon.
It will get better.
Everything will get better.
My own affairs, I will handle myself. Once handled, it will be fine.
Peach blossoms bloom in spring water. Next March, when the peach blossoms open, the child will come. He will be the happiest person in the world.
