The disposition of the princess was remarkably considerate.
In regard to the Emperor's judgments, Qin Liusi himself was a victim of wrongful accusations, thus he empathized deeply. In essence, if the Emperor is willing to believe in you, even if you err, leniency might be shown. However, if the Emperor distrusts you, even your very breath could be deemed as wrongdoing.
This is the privilege of the sovereign, reigning supreme.
From her tone, Qí Qian sensed her disdain towards imperial authority, his expression turning somewhat cold.
"The facial features of Xí Zhēng's parents exhibit signs of misfortune and abandonment. The asymmetry of the eyebrows suggests a downfall for both father and mother. When I assessed her brother's pulse, I employed the Tàisù pulse diagnosis technique, and it revealed that their father met a violent end," Qin Liusi's voice was chillingly clear.
Qí Qian's breath hitched. "Are you implying that Xí Péng-Hǎi did not die by his own hand but was murdered?"
Qin Liusi shrugged, reverting to her nonchalant demeanor. "I cannot say for sure. There are various ways one could meet their end. However, for a high-ranking general like him, rumors of fleeing during battle could only arise if he obtained his military merits through nefarious means."
While her words seemed to denigrate Xí Péng-Hǎi, they were, in fact, an attempt to exonerate him. How could a man who reached such a high rank solely through merit flee from battle?
Qí Qian fell into contemplation.
Qin Liusi stifled a yawn, half-closing her eyes.
Qí Qian tentatively inquired, "Does the Tàisù pulse diagnosis technique truly determine one's fate?"
Qin Liusi smirked playfully in response. "Why, is Master Qí seeking divination from this old charlatan? How peculiar. A gentleman of your stature should not dabble in such bizarre superstitions, should you?"
Qí Qian replied, "While it is said 'a gentleman does not seek bizarre forces,' many of us believe in Daoism and Buddhism. Otherwise, why would the Dafeng have Buddhist temples and Daoist monasteries? I choose not to speak, yet I respect others' faith."
Qin Liusi was quite pleased with his response, as it wasn't ignorant. She then asked an incongruous question, "What is your view on the familial tragedy of your father's murder?"
Qí Qian: "?"
What kind of question is that?
"Forget it, I shall take a nap. After two days of travel, I am truly exhausted," Qin Liusi lay down, closing her eyes.
Qí Qian was at a loss. How could someone be so carefree?
As Qin Liusi turned on her side, a barely audible sigh escaped her lips. Precious indeed was life...
Back at the Qin residence.
Wang watched as Li Daguī returned with bolts of cloth and cotton stuffing, somewhat surprised. "Li, it seems I did not instruct you to procure these..."
Li Daguī bowed slightly, respectfully saying, "Madam, these were ordered by the young miss. You may not be aware, but the autumn in Licheng is brief, and winter arrives swiftly. It is already August, and the weather is cooling down. The young miss was afraid of not being able to keep up and ordered me to procure winter clothing and bedding in advance."
Upon hearing this, Wang couldn't help but sigh at Qin Liusi's thoughtfulness. "That child is considerate indeed. You've gone to so much trouble; I will reimburse you."
"Madam, there's no need to worry. This has already been accounted for. These are orders placed from the Qi Huang. It was the young miss's instructions before she left. She said to handle the procurement through the Qi Huang, and you only need to distribute and manage them. If there's anything else you need to procure, just tell me, and I will handle it," Li Daguī explained with a smile.
Wang understood. It meant that she didn't need to spend any money on supplies; she just had to distribute and manage them.
Looking at the courtyard filled with goods, Wang fell into contemplation. Where did Qin Liusi get the money from?