Chapter 54: Drifting (3)

The hall was eerily silent as Shen Xiling knelt silently, listening to Grandmother Qi’s reprimands. From the side, Qi Ning stole a glance at her face. The beautiful young girl’s visage was marred by crisscrossed bloody scratches, her complexion alarmingly pale.

Pity flickered in his eyes, mingled with a subtle affection for Shen Xiling. For a moment, he considered defending her just as Qi Le had defended Zhao Yao. But then he remembered his position as a concubine-born son—his grandmother had never favored him, so any attempt to intervene would be futile. His gaze shifted to the long coat lying on the floor, and his expression unconsciously turned cold.

Why should I speak up? he thought bitterly. In the end, Wenwen is no different from Zhao Yao—her eyes are only fixed on my second brother, who always outshines everyone else. If I were to foolishly stand up for her, wouldn’t I just become another naive fool like my fourth brother?

And she might not even appreciate it.

With that thought, Qi Ning’s lingering emotions faded completely. He turned his head away, no longer looking at Shen Xiling.

Grandmother Qi paused briefly before continuing, “Girl, what happened today may seem bad to you now. But if you look further ahead, you’ll realize it’s actually a good thing. While those inappropriate thoughts haven’t yet taken root deeply, it’s best to uproot them entirely, leaving no trace behind. That’s what’s truly best for you—do you understand?”

Lady Yao listened from the side, finding the matriarch’s words increasingly harsh. Yet Wenwen, kneeling there, remained composed despite her pallor. Alone in the middle of the room, under the scrutiny of everyone’s eyes, she endured this public humiliation without shedding a single tear. She simply listened in silence.

Now, she even nodded slightly, replying, “...Thank you, Grandmother, for your guidance. I understand.”

Grandmother Qi nodded, letting out a slow “Mm,” as she picked up her teacup, sipped her tea, and gently set it back down. “No matter what, this matter requires resolution.”

“Truthfully, I’ve always felt it was inappropriate for Miss Fang to attend our academy,” the old woman said sternly. “Yao’er and Rong’er, at least, have some familial ties to the Qi family, so their studying alongside Jing’an and the others makes sense. But Miss Fang’s presence here has always been awkward.”

She sighed and continued, “I know Jingchen meant well in trying to repay Master Fang’s kindness, but as a man, he didn’t consider these details thoroughly. In my opinion, it’s improper for Miss Fang to stay in the Qi household. It would be better for her to leave.”

Hearing this, Lady Yao was shocked. She had assumed the matriarch would merely scold Wenwen, but she hadn’t expected her to decide on expelling the girl outright! Wenwen, so young and orphaned, where could she possibly go if forced out of the Qi household?

Unease rose in Lady Yao’s heart, prompting her to interject, “Grandmother, Wenwen is still so young, and all her relatives are gone. If she leaves the Qi household, where will she go? Besides, she was brought here by Jingchen—we should at least consult him before making such a decision...”

Before she could finish, the matriarch let out a cold snort. “Consult Jingchen? What good can come of a bachelor bringing a young girl into his life? As a mother, how imprudent of you to handle matters this way!”

Her sharp tone rebuked Lady Yao as well.

Though advanced in age, the matriarch’s domineering nature hadn’t diminished. The hall grew even quieter. Qi Ning and Qi Le sat frozen in their chairs, while Zhao Yao, kneeling on the ground, dared not breathe loudly. Only Fu Rong remained calm, gently refilling the matriarch’s teacup to soothe her anger.

Accepting the cup, the matriarch’s ire hadn’t fully subsided. She addressed Lady Yao again, saying, “The Qi family isn’t a household that disregards reason. Having received Master Fang’s kindness, we naturally owe care to his orphaned daughter. Go to the accounts office later and arrange for a generous sum of silver to be given to Miss Fang. Don’t shortchange her. If she encounters difficulties in the future, she may come to us for help—we won’t refuse assistance.”

Before Lady Yao could respond, the matriarch turned her attention to Shen Xiling, raising her chin slightly. “Miss Fang, do you find this arrangement acceptable?”

Once again, all eyes in the room turned to Shen Xiling.

Facing expulsion under such humiliating circumstances, the orphan remained composed, neither crying nor protesting. Her face bore fresh wounds, yet her expression remained calm. Lady Yao noticed the young girl glance at her, offering a grateful look before quickly lowering her gaze. Then, bowing respectfully to the matriarch seated on the platform bed, she replied softly, “This arrangement is very kind, thank you for your compassion.”

Watching her kneel and bow, Lady Yao felt an inexplicable pang in her heart. Tears welled up in her eyes.

Unmoved, the matriarch found the girl quite sensible. With Jingchen currently absent, it was best to send her away promptly. Her second grandson’s indifferent nature meant he likely wouldn’t object upon returning—even if he learned of this matter later. Better to nip these inappropriate tendencies in the bud.

Fu Rong, sitting gracefully beside the matriarch, observed everything unfolding in the hall. Lowering her eyelids, she concealed a faint smile.

Her brother Fu Zhuo had been right—when dealing with troublesome matters, it was best not to get one’s hands dirty.

Sure enough, without lifting a finger herself, everything had proceeded smoothly. How convenient.

________________________________________

In just a single day, significant changes unfolded within the Qi household.

Zhao Yao faced punishment—not only was she scolded and made to kneel by Grandmother Qi, but news of her misconduct also reached Master Wang, who was furious. Declaring he would no longer teach her, he expelled her from the academy. As for the Fang family’s orphan, her plight was even more pitiful; Grandmother Qi had driven her out of the estate. Word spread that she had left the premises shortly after departing the Rongrui Hall that afternoon.

It had been a long time since such turmoil occurred within the Qi household. Naturally, this incident sparked gossip among the staff.

For instance, Qi Yun and his wife, Han Ruohui.

That night, after the wet nurse took Hui’er away to be put to bed, the couple sat together chatting. Han Ruohui massaged Qi Yun’s shoulders as she recounted the events of the day—the matriarch expelling the Fang orphan from the estate. This revelation surprised Qi Yun greatly.

Frowning, he said, “How could Grandmother act this way? Master Fang did Jingchen a great favor, and Miss Fang is his orphaned daughter. To drive her out like this is morally indefensible. If word spreads, what will people think of the Qi family?”

Han Ruohui gently kneaded her husband’s neck, responding soothingly, “You know Grandmother’s temperament—she’s always been resolute. Even Mother tried to persuade her for a long time today, but to no avail.”

Qi Yun sighed, his brow furrowed with worry. After a moment of hesitation, he said, “Perhaps I should speak to Grandmother about this—it’s highly inappropriate.”

He moved to rise, but his wife stopped him, chiding gently, “Are you confused? Haven’t you realized what’s going on here? Why involve yourself?”

Qi Yun raised an eyebrow, puzzled by her words. Smiling both exasperatedly and amusedly, Han Ruohui explained, “Don’t you see? Grandmother wants her niece-granddaughter, Rong’er, to marry Jingchen. She views the Fang girl as an obstacle and thus decided to drive her out. How can reasoning about morality sway her?”

“Is that true?” Qi Yun exclaimed, astonished. “Rong’er and Jingchen?”

At first glance, the idea seemed far-fetched, but upon reflection, it appeared plausible. The matriarch had always favored her maternal relatives, and supporting Fu Rong wasn’t surprising. A marriage between Rong’er and Jingchen would stabilize the Fu family’s waning status. Moreover, Rong’er’s dignified and steady demeanor made her a suitable match for Jingchen.

Still…

“Grandmother is being overly cautious,” Qi Yun remarked with a chuckle. “Miss Fang is so young. Surely Jingchen wouldn’t…”

His wife laughed, interrupting him. “What makes you so sure? I think Grandmother’s concerns aren’t entirely unwarranted—don’t you notice Jingchen treats her rather differently?”

Qi Yun thought for a moment, shaking his head. “No, I don’t think so…”

Han Ruohui laughed behind her hand, lightly patting her husband’s arm. “You’re clueless. How could you notice anything?”

Qi Yun pressed further, and his wife responded leisurely, “You know your younger brother’s personality better than I do. Actually, Grandmother’s words today made some sense. Caring for the orphan of a benefactor—giving a sum of money would suffice. Bringing her into the household is rare. Such arrangements are uncommon, especially for someone like Jingchen, don’t you think?”

Her explanation struck a chord.

Qi Yun reconsidered, recalling his second brother’s usual aloofness toward worldly affairs. Indeed, Jingchen had treated the Fang girl with unusual attentiveness. Reflecting further, when Jingchen first proposed allowing Zhao Yao into the academy, perhaps part of his intention was to benefit the Fang girl.

Qi Yun began to discern something beneath the surface. Still, he trusted his younger brother’s integrity—he wouldn’t entertain improper thoughts about a twelve-year-old girl. Hearing this, his wife smiled. “Perhaps there’s no romantic involvement between them now, but the future remains uncertain.”

Qi Yun remained skeptical, prompting his wife to add, “I’m just unsure of Jingchen’s stance on this matter… You know his temper. If he returns to find the girl he brought home mistreated like this, who knows how he’ll react?”

At this, Qi Yun felt uneasy.

Jingchen had always been filial to his elders, yet he was decisive in his own ways. If Han Ruohui’s assessment was correct and Jingchen truly held special regard for the Fang girl, learning that Grandmother had driven her out might provoke him.

Qi Yun suddenly felt overwhelmed.

Han Ruohui sighed again, saying, “My second brother has it hard. Already burdened by official duties, he now has to deal with this mess at home. I say you shouldn’t interfere—it’s too complicated.”

Qi Yun wanted to step in, but caught between Grandmother and his second brother, he felt powerless to meddle.

After some hesitation, he prepared to rise again, but his wife stopped him, asking, “What are you doing?”

Turning back, he replied, “I’m writing a letter to Jingchen. It’s better he knows beforehand than to return and confront this situation unprepared.”

Jingchen’s temperament was unpredictable. Though seemingly mild-mannered, he rarely argued with others. Yet, when angered, his fury could be terrifying. Qi Yun believed it prudent to inform him early to prevent further complications.

Patting his wife’s hand gently, he said, “Go to sleep first. I’ll join you once I’ve finished writing.”

Han Ruohui nodded, watching her husband move to write by lamplight.