As Madame Wang walked out of Qin Liusi's courtyard, she lowered her head slightly, looking at the object in her hand, her thoughts drifting.
She had come to give Qin Liusi the belated hairpin for her coming-of-age ceremony, but instead, Qin Liusi had returned a jade hairpin to her.
The moon-white jade hairpin, carved with a knot of happiness, didn't have the same quality as the various colored jade stones she used to possess, but it felt smooth and moist in her hand, definitely not comparable to a silver hairpin.
"It's a knot of happiness, ease your mind, may all things go smoothly." That's what Qin Liusi had said.
Madame Wang's eyes clouded with a hint of bitterness. "This girl..."
She pressed her chest and took off the hairband she used to tie her hair, replacing it with the jade hairpin. Then, she walked away slowly.
Inside the house, Qihuang looked at the silver hairpin in Qin Liusi's hand and muttered, "Miss, that jade hairpin could buy many of these silver hairpins. Are you really willing?"
"Qin's family was confiscated, and they need to settle in the northwest. With a large family to support, every piece of silver needs to be used wisely. For those who have no intention, how could they remember to send me even a hairpin for my coming-of-age ceremony? For those who do have intention, a silver hairpin is also a token of their goodwill." Qin Liusi's voice was calm.
Qihuang said, disdainfully, "Are you really that generous to accept such a silver hairpin?"
"Qin's family was confiscated, and they have to manage the northwest. With a large family to support, silver coins are needed urgently. Those who have no intention wouldn't even remember to send me a hairpin for my coming-of-age ceremony. For those who do, a silver hairpin is also a gesture of goodwill." Qin Liusi's voice was light.
Qihuang said, "You are kind-hearted and generous."
Qin Liusi smiled, neither affirming nor denying, "Let her wear that hairpin and see if it changes her luck. If the heavens are unkind, our family will have to prepare for a funeral."
Qihuang was taken aback. "Are you saying...?"
Qin Liusi's expression was inscrutable as she said, "Whether my brother can meet a benefactor depends on his fate!"
Just as they were talking, they heard Li Shu's request for an audience outside, and Qihuang looked like she was watching a good show.
Qin Liusi felt a little numb.
Being poor was a bit troublesome!
...
On the road to exile in the northwest, as August approached, the nighttime temperature was already freezing cold. For someone dressed in thin clothing, the chill seeped into their bones.
"Yan'er, Yan'er." A desperate cry echoed along the official road.
The guards accompanying the convoy exchanged glances before approaching. "What's going on?"
The middle-aged man, holding his son and disheveled, looked at the guard with a pained expression and pleaded, "Sir, my son has a high fever, and he has fainted. Please, sir, take my son to see a doctor."
He said as he knelt down with a thud, knocking his head several times.
"Sir." An elderly man with gray hair, trembling, was helped over by another son and also knelt down. "Sir, have mercy. Our Qin family will remember your kindness."
The guard looked at the thin child and then at the old man, then said to another guard, "The inn is not far ahead. I'll take him there first to see if there's a doctor available. Let's see how it goes, it's all in the hands of fate."
"Thank you, sir."
The guard picked up the child and rode off on horseback, leaving a cloud of dust behind.
At the inn, a caravan was approaching. Seeing the guard coming on horseback, they quickly made way.
A steward came out from the inn and approached the carriage. "Master, you can get off now."
"Just heard some noise inside, what's going on?" A slightly hoarse voice came from inside the carriage, and the curtain was lifted.
"It's a child with a high fever. The guard is looking for a doctor, and it seems to be with a group of exiles from the Qin family in the capital."
The middle-aged man with a hooked nose sighed and didn't care much. They had seen enough exiles heading northwest.
"By the way, I heard that the child's family is surnamed Qin. It seems they were sent from the capital!"
The man's footsteps halted. Surnamed Qin?