Chapter Ninety-Six: Qi Baiyu’s Scheme

"To the capital? Why do you want to go to the capital?" The news came so abruptly that the smile on Qin Wanru's face froze.

In her previous life, Qi Baiyu had gone to the capital several years later. Although Prefect Qi had eventually been transferred, it was only after a few years. Once he reached the capital, it was after gaining the favor and patronage of someone that Qi Baiyu had entered official service within just a few short years.

"Since Qi Tianyu can go to the capital, why can't I? Am I supposed to stay here and watch Qi Rongzhi go on muddling herself into one fit of madness after another?" A trace of a smile appeared on Qi Baiyu's face, as if he had suddenly figured something out. "With Qi Rongzhi still here, her reputation is hardly any better than Qin Yuru's now!"

"Then?" Qin Wanru did not quite follow at first. She blinked her clear eyes, and a thought flashed through her mind. Then she suddenly widened them. "You mean Qi Rongzhi is going to the capital too?"

"Why not? In her present state, it would be impossible for her to find a decent match in Jiangzhou." Qi Baiyu laughed. When the thought had first come to him, he had only felt vaguely that it would be fine. After exchanging a few words with Qin Wanru, his purpose immediately became clear.

His playmate was going to the capital, and his so-called good elder brother had gone there as well. What reason did he have to remain behind?

To let Qi Tianyu rise to fame and then trample him deeper and deeper into the mud?

Originally, he had not had any grand plans for himself. Though he was not favored in the prefectural residence, he was still a prefect's son, and others outside treated him with due respect. He had never pursued much; eating and drinking, finding a few companions to play with—those had always been enough.

But too many things had happened lately. One incident after another seemed unrelated to him, yet in truth almost all of them could be tied back to him: the hypocritical elder brother, the protective father, the willful younger sister, the sharp-tongued legitimate mother. All of it had forced him to grow rapidly over the past few days.

He even had a faint sense of foreboding: if he truly did nothing at all, he might forever be left far behind Qi Tianyu. By then, Qi Tianyu could slander him however he pleased, pin any blame on him whenever he wanted. Men and women were not the same; reputation mattered, yes, but responsibility mattered even more.

"So Qi Rongzhi also has to go to the capital, and you can accompany her under the pretext of escorting her there?" Qin Wanru thought it through and analyzed.

"My father can't leave, and my mother can't leave either, so the only one who can send her to the capital is me." Qi Baiyu curled his lips, his tone carrying a hint of youthful cunning.

It was never quite proper for a young girl to travel to the capital alone, let alone someone like Qi Rongzhi, who seemed capable of causing trouble at any moment. Who knew whether she might run into something bad on the road?

And besides, she could not stay in Jiangzhou Prefecture any longer.

"Then where will you stay after you reach the capital?" Qin Wanru still felt uneasy, her willow brows knotting.

"We have a house in the capital. Qi Tianyu is living there now, and when Qi Rongzhi and I go over, of course we will stay there too. Qi Tianyu has always prided himself on being a refined gentleman, so naturally he couldn't turn away a younger brother like me. He'll probably even have to treat me with extra courtesy. After all, the capital is not Jiangzhou, and my father's hand can't reach that far."

Qi Baiyu spoke carelessly.

"And once you get to the capital, what do you plan to do?" In her previous life, Qin Wanru had been unable even to step outside the gates of the residence, so she had no idea how Qi Baiyu had come to be valued by those in power. At this moment, she could not offer him a good solution either, only worry that he was too young to go to the capital now and that it might not be a good thing.

"There are plenty of things I can do. My writing is not great, but my martial arts are decent. I can still go and try my luck." Qi Baiyu raised his fist and gave it a showy shake, then waved at Qin Wanru. "There's no point discussing now whether we can go to the capital together. We'll have to let our father speak to your father. Though in the end, I suspect their relationship will become even better."

After teasing her, Qi Baiyu turned away with a laugh. By his reckoning, the messenger he had sent would already have reached the prefectural residence, and the people from there should also be arriving soon.

Since this matter involved the Di family, it could be pushed onto the general's residence. Neither the prefectural residence nor the general's residence wished to tear off all pretense completely, so some necessary negotiation was inevitable. Having the House of General Ninyuan take Qi Baiyu and Qi Rongzhi along on the journey to the capital was not really a major matter.

Whether it was the earlier marriage alliance or this incident, in which the Di family had interfered and caused Qi Rongzhi to be scratched across the face, the House of General Ninyuan had been at fault for its lack of courtesy.

With that premise in place, it was only proper for the prefectural residence to make some demands.

It would be best if Qi Rongzhi could also be sent to the House of General Ninyuan. Qi Baiyu stroked his chin and silently considered how likely that was.

Actually, the chances were rather good.

Prefect Qi had come personally with the others. Only after seeing Qi Rongzhi's face did he finally breathe a sigh of relief. Even if there was a scar, it was at the temple; she could simply cover it with her bangs later. Besides, the abbess of the Quiet Heart Nunnery had said the problem was not serious. If one took care, there might not even be a scar left.

After hearing the whole story from beginning to end, Prefect Qi flew into a rage and had several servants from the Qi household dragged out and beaten before he finally descended the mountain.

With Qi Rongzhi's wet nurse as the lead, the matter involving the Di family was actually not difficult to investigate.

That very night, Qin Huaiyong came up the mountain. After visiting Qin the Old Madam, he had Qin Wanru take him to her courtyard.

Once inside, Qin Huaiyong sat down in the central chair, accepted the tea Qin Wanru offered him, took a sip, and fell silent for a long while.

Qin Wanru was not anxious. She waited quietly for him to speak.

After a good while, Qin Huaiyong finally said, "What has she done this time?"

His voice was weary, entirely unlike the softness one would expect from a man of the military.

Though Qin Huaiyong said nothing more, Qin Wanru knew he was speaking of the Di family mistress. She did not hide a single thing. Lifting her head, she said, "Father, the bird's nest soup prepared for Grandmother had powder from blue mold herb in it. That herb can trigger Grandmother's illness. If one is exposed to it often, her condition will become more and more severe... it may even make Grandmother..."

Qin Wanru's eyes turned red. In her previous life, Grandmother had passed away this way.

"Who sent the bird's nest soup?" Qin Huaiyong did not ask why Qin Wanru knew. The old madam had already told him that Qin Wanru was studying medicine with Nun Mingqiu, and she had even said that Qin Wanru was learning very well, already capable of occasionally giving the old madam acupuncture to relieve her symptoms, with very good results.

"It was Mother who sent it, but she has only been in charge of the inner quarters for a short time. If she was still using the old staff, it would be very easy for someone to slip a bit of blue mold herb powder into it."

Qin Wanru spoke dully, without lifting her head or adding any embellishment.

Qi Rongzhi's mishap was so serious, and they had even traced it back to the Di family. Prefect Jiang was not someone who accepted losses lightly, so he would certainly demand compensation from Qin Huaiyong. Since Qi Baiyu had that intention, this compensation would surely include taking Qi Rongzhi and Qi Baiyu to the capital under protection.

Qin Wanru had thought over what Qi Baiyu had said afterward and felt it was entirely feasible.

Of course, with Prefect Jiang's temperament, this would not be enough by itself. Qin Huaiyong would certainly have to make further concessions. Coming up the mountain now, he was probably here to ask about the cause of the matter.

"I heard that Miss Qi had originally been due to come up the mountain yesterday, and the bird's nest soup was also sent up yesterday. After Miss Qi came up the mountain, she would certainly have come to visit Grandmother. If Grandmother had then taken ill, the first person to be suspected would definitely be Miss Qi. With her temperament, she might well have stirred up other trouble as well. By then, it would not be easy to investigate Grandmother's illness."

Qin Wanru lowered her head and continued. She did not want to conceal any of it. The Di family mistress had tried to shift the blame onto Qi Rongzhi, and she had chosen her target precisely because she understood Qi Rongzhi's nature. This time, she was surely hoping to stir up a major uproar. Once Qi Rongzhi made a scene, Grandmother's health would worsen from the strain, and with the illness aggravated, who would pay attention to anything else?

Qin Huaiyong let out a deep sigh. "Wanru, Father has made you suffer."

"There is no real suffering... but please, do not touch Grandmother. She... she is old, and she has never concerned herself much with household affairs." Qin Wanru's eyes reddened. She shook her head, then lifted her gaze to look at Qin Huaiyong before pleading softly.

No matter how powerful the Di family mistress's background might be, she was already married. That was different from an unmarried girl. A married woman relied on her husband's family and on her husband himself. If the man she married felt only wariness toward her, with not a trace of affection, then the marriage was little more than an empty shell.

Repeated schemes had long since caused the Di family mistress to lose Qin Huaiyong's trust. From now on, when the Di family mistress tried to scheme against Shui Ruolan during her pregnancy, there would be far less chance of success. Whatever she did, Qin Huaiyong would first ask himself whether she was scheming again.

Dealing with the Qin mother and daughter, she could not rush. She had to proceed step by step. So what if the Di family mistress had the House of the Earl of Yongkang behind her? A thousand-mile embankment could still be destroyed by an ant's nest. She would take her time...

"I... will not allow your grandmother to be put in such danger. You should also rest properly. In a few days, take your grandmother down the mountain. After some time, we will be going to the capital, and there will be quite a lot to pack in the residence—your things, and your grandmother's as well. Your mother has never managed the inner quarters before, so helping her sort things out would be better."

Qin Huaiyong looked somewhat embarrassed. As a son, his conduct now could almost be called unfilial.

He knew the Di family mistress was improper, yet still kept her. At the thought of this, Qin Huaiyong felt deeply ashamed, but at present he could only endure it.

"Father is being transferred to the capital?" Qin Wanru knew she could not keep pressing this matter. She had to stop at the right time, so she changed the subject.

She took out a handkerchief and dabbed at the tears in the corners of her eyes, her face showing a hint of surprise.

"Yes, we are going to the capital. My transfer order will be coming down soon. Once all the procedures are completed, we will leave. During this time, you should stay in the residence and help your mother pack the belongings. Anything unnecessary may be thrown away."

Qin Huaiyong instructed her. In the past, he had only thought that his youngest daughter was innocent and ignorant of the world, but recently he had discovered that she was actually quite clever.

Not only clever, but useful too. He had originally worried that the old madam's health might not hold up during the journey to the capital, but now that Qin Wanru's medical skills were so good, and even praised by the abbess of the Quiet Heart Nunnery, what was there left for him to worry about?

If only he had known Wanru had such talent for medicine, he would never have opposed it as he once did, just as his mother had.

"All right." Qin Wanru smiled, her brows and eyes curving in a very lovely way. Her sweet, delicate expression caused much of the heaviness in Qin Huaiyong's chest to ease. Yet after thinking it over, his expression darkened again.

"Qi Rongzhi and Qi Baiyu will be going to the capital with us. Prefect Qi has entrusted them to my care."