In Marquis Dingyuan's Mansion, in the early morning, several servant girls were attending to Pan Yueqing's grooming. At the door, Wan'er, a top - ranked servant girl beside the old lady of Marquis Dingyuan's Mansion, lifted the curtain and smiled at Pan Yueqing, "Miss, the old lady has sent me to invite you to have breakfast together." After saying that, she promptly reached out her hand in front of Pan Yueqing, indicating that she would help her up.
"Why is Grandmother up so early today?" Pan Yueqing placed her hand on Wan'er's and stood up.
"The old lady always gets up at this hour. She's been used to it for years," Wan'er bowed slightly and lifted the curtain inside the room.
"It was late when the commotion ended last night. Sister Wan'er, you should have persuaded Grandmother to sleep a bit longer," Pan Yueqing said with a smile and followed Wan'er straight to the Fushou Hall where the old lady, Zhao Taijun, lived.
After setting fire to Pinglong Nunnery that day, she went directly to Ruixiangji, a pawnshop owned by Marquis Dingyuan's Mansion in Shanyang Town, and handed over the white jade hairpin inlaid with gold and shaped like an orchid on her head.
This hairpin was selected by her uncle from the treasures presented by Nansheng Kingdom during the Spring Festival last year. Although its quality was average, its charm lay in the pattern of fish - roe - shaped gold plating on the hairpin, which was not found in the Qi Kingdom.
As soon as the hairpin showed up at Ruixiangji, Wuming, who was seriously injured, received initial treatment. Then, a carriage rushed to send the two of them back to Marquis Dingyuan's Mansion in the capital. Last night, when the old lady Zhao Taijun saw the disheveled Pan Yueqing, she hugged her and cried bitterly, and no one could stop her. Even her uncle, Marquis Dingyuan Su Jing, who had just returned victorious from the war, angrily hammered the table.
"Don't say anything! Yue'er is the apple of my daughter Lan'er's eye. Since the Pan family doesn't care about her, my granddaughter is mine. Our marquis's mansion is not so down - and - out that we can't afford to feed our granddaughter!"
There came such a powerful rebuke from the old lady Zhao Taijun in the Fushou Hall. Pan Yueqing stopped in the corridor, slightly raised her chin towards the direction of the old lady, and asked, "Has someone from the Pan Mansion come so soon?"
"Prime Minister Pan came early in the morning," Wan'er lowered her eyebrows.
"What do Grandmother and Uncle think?" Pan Yueqing asked indifferently.
She knew that someone from the Pan Mansion would come, but she didn't expect that it would be her father, nor did she expect that her father, who had gone to the south of the Yangtze River to investigate the salt and iron tax policies, would visit Marquis Dingyuan's Mansion so soon.
"The old lady and the marquis mean that as long as Miss says she won't go back, you don't have to go back," Wan'er thought for a while and added, "Miss, please understand the old lady. You..."
Pan Yueqing nodded. She knew that what her grandmother and uncle said was already very forceful. However, if she chose to hide in Marquis Dingyuan's Mansion, it would be neither good for her nor for the reputation of the marquis's mansion.
At the moment, she smiled brightly at Wan'er and said, "I know Grandmother dotes on me, and I also know that I'm still a Pan. Although my biological mother has passed away, my grandmother is still alive. It wouldn't be proper if I didn't go back. If I don't, it will make things even more difficult for Grandmother and Uncle, won't it?" Seeing Wan'er's hesitant look, she tilted her chin towards the Fushou Hall and said, "Let's go."
"Grandmother, Uncle," Pan Yueqing curtsied to greet the old lady Zhao Taijun sitting on the beauty couch in the hall and Marquis Dingyuan Su Jing standing beside her. Then she turned to Prime Minister Pan Haiyun sitting in the guest seat and said, "Father."
"Yue'er, how about Daddy taking you home?" Before the old lady Zhao could speak, Pan Haiyun said to Pan Yueqing. His eyes didn't leave Pan Yueqing's figure. When his eyes fell on the two dark - blue finger marks on her neck, a hint of displeasure flashed in his eyes.
Pan Yueqing slightly raised her eyes. She definitely wanted to go back, but she couldn't go back so easily.
Meeting Pan Haiyun's expectant gaze, her eyes brimmed with tears as she said, "Father, Aunt said that I killed your son. Do you believe it?"
"Nonsense!" The old lady Zhao struck the ground with her walking stick and coughed several times in anger.
Pan Haiyun lowered his eyes. Just when Pan Yueqing felt as if her heart was falling off a cliff, Pan Haiyun slightly shook his head and said, "You're a girl raised in seclusion. How could you understand such things? The loss of the child is also your aunt's fate."
"Aunt's fate is that even if she loses a child, there are still people to serve her. But my fate? I fought for my life to survive," Pan Yueqing said with tears in her eyes. As she spoke, she turned her face to wipe away the tears, making the dark - blue marks on her neck more clearly visible to Pan Haiyun. "Father, I didn't do anything, but there are so many 'evidences' proving that I did. If I go back with you today, I don't know what other trumped - up charges are waiting for me. Next time, it might be another temple or nunnery. What if I can't save my life then?"
Pan Haiyun was already in a bad mood. He had been scolded by his mother - in - law when he came to visit early in the morning, and his brother - in - law also showed him a cold face. Originally, he thought that if Pan Yueqing had really made a mistake, she deserved some punishment, and he silently complained in his heart that Marquis Dingyuan's Mansion was too indulgent towards Pan Yueqing.
However, seeing his beloved daughter being wronged and being treated like a snake or a scorpion, he couldn't help but doubt the stories from the inner courtyard. "Yue'er, it won't happen again. Daddy won't let you go to any temple or nunnery again."
After hearing this, Pan Yueqing knew that her goal for today had been achieved. Prime Minister Pan was the real person in charge of the Pan Mansion. Since Prime Minister Pan had promised to protect her in front of her grandmother and uncle, even if she found a way to get back at her step - mother, who thought she was safe and sound, her father wouldn't just scold her for being arrogant and overbearing.
As for other things, there was plenty of time, and she wasn't in a hurry.
The old lady Zhao understood Pan Yueqing's choice. She silently pulled her son's hand and still had an unfriendly expression towards Pan Haiyun. "I think none of the people in her courtyard should be kept. Those who betray their master for glory should be killed or sold off as soon as possible!"
"Yes, what Mother - in - law said is right," Pan Haiyun felt relieved when he saw that the old lady Zhao had relented. He followed her words and said, "I will immediately arrange for new..."
"Arrange for what?" The old lady Zhao sneered three times. "Are you going to let your good concubine arrange some more death - warrant - like things for Yue'er?" Before Pan Haiyun could stand up and apologize, she pointed at Wan'er, who had gone to invite Pan Yueqing, and Gupan, who was serving tea beside her. "Gupan and Wan'er are my capable servant girls. They know when to advance and retreat and understand etiquette. You two will follow Miss Yue back today."
Then she called two nannies, one surnamed Zhou and the other surnamed Zhao, and smiled at Pan Yueqing, "You can't do without the guidance of experienced people. These two were from the imperial palace and used to serve the Empress Dowager. They understand a bit about various relationships and interests. If you don't understand anything about social interactions, feel free to ask these two nannies."
Pan Yueqing was deeply touched by her grandmother's strong protection. She nodded slightly and saluted Nanny Zhou and Nanny Zhao. Then she turned back and smiled brightly at Pan Haiyun. After getting Pan Haiyun's nod of approval, she turned to the old lady Zhao and said, "Thank you, Grandmother."