"Is this mansion mine to decide upon?" Madam Qin's mind echoed Qin Liusi's words repeatedly until she returned to her own quarters, casting a complex gaze at her eldest daughter-in-law, Mrs. Wang.
"What is she thinking?" Mrs. Wang remained silent, unable to comprehend Qin Liusi's intentions.
However, Mrs. Xie couldn't contain herself and anxiously asked, "Mother, what did that girl just mean? What old mansion is she referring to? Isn't it our Qin family's ancestral home?"
The grand ancestral home, even the thought of it was unimaginable. How could it become the property of that girl?
Madam Qin sighed, "Master Chiyuan, I'm afraid, had foreseen the difficulties our Qin family would face."
Mrs. Xie was puzzled. What did that mean?
It was because when Master Chiyuan took Qin Liusi away, he had a secret conversation with Madam Qin. Upon their return to Licheng, Chiyuan became a trusted confidant of Madam Qin. Although the old mansion appeared to belong to the Qin family on the surface, the deed had been transferred to Chiyuan's property and then gifted to Qin Liusi. During the confiscation of assets, all of the Qin family's properties and assets were sealed, except for this ancestral home in Licheng. Madam Qin claimed this ancestral home as her personal property, requesting the Empress Dowager to preserve it. Therefore, everything in this ancestral home remained untouched, and the Qin family members were allowed to return and take refuge here.
Yet, Qin Liusi suddenly brought this up.
"So, does that mean the deed of this mansion is now in the hands of Qin Liusi? Is it hers?" Mrs. Xie exclaimed in shock.
Did this mean they were entirely dependent on someone else's goodwill? If one misstep occurred, would they be driven out?
"This was merely a temporary measure," Madam Qin said wearily. "It's fortunate that this mansion went through a roundabout process; otherwise, we wouldn't even have a place to shelter ourselves now."
"But Mother, this is our ancestral home. How can it be given to Qin Liusi? We must retrieve the deed," Mrs. Xie urged anxiously. In Qin Liusi's hands, everything would eventually belong to her. How could this be allowed?
Mrs. Wang calmly interjected, "Second Sister, our family is currently under a cloud of suspicion. If we reclaim it, are we going to hand it over to the authorities for safekeeping?"
Mrs. Xie choked up, thinking that Mrs. Wang didn't care because the deed was now in Qin Liusi's hands, effectively controlled by the main branch.
"That's not what I meant..."
"Enough! Your eldest sister-in-law is correct. At present, the Qin family should maintain a low profile. For a deed, why make a fuss?" Madam Qin reprimanded sternly. "Your husband, your father-in-law, and your son are all still in exile. I don't see you showing any concern for them, but you're fixated on this deed?"
Mrs. Xie's face turned purple with embarrassment. She took a handkerchief and wiped away some imaginary tears from the corner of her eye, choking out, "Mother, you're tearing my heart apart. How can I not worry? If it weren't for the children, I would have followed him."
Madam Qin snorted, "Stop pretending to cry. You're not bothering me; I'm just annoyed."
Mrs. Xie felt sheepish.
Recalling the events of the day, Madam Qin glanced at Old Nurse Ding, who handed a purse to Mrs. Wang. "This purse was given to me by your grandmother when we left the capital. You hold onto it. In this family, it will be yours," Madam Qin said, looking at the purse. "They say true colors show in times of adversity. The Wang family is generous. Our Qin family hasn't made a wrong choice in this marriage. If our Qin family is ever exonerated, you must remember the kindness of the Wang family."
Adding flowers to brocade is easy, but giving charcoal in snow is difficult. Being able to resist the displeasure of the emperor and discreetly pass on something is both an ability and an act of kindness, unlike Qin Meiniang's family, who immediately wrote a letter of divorce when the Qin family encountered difficulties, severing all ties.
Qin Meiniang seemed to realize this and buried her head, quietly sobbing.