Chapter 169 Father, Let’s Give It a Try!
“What is it? Tell me,” Qin Huaiyong said.
“Your two concubines will be no more than de facto supervisors of the household affairs,” Qin Wanru said hesitantly, biting her lower lip.
“What should we do then?” Qin Huaiyong didn’t know what she meant. Considering Madam Di’s character, it was unsuitable to let her be a housekeeper. If she could cause so much trouble without being a housekeeper, she might very well turn the mansion upside down if she became one.
“Father, your two concubines aren’t the only one unsuitable for the position. Even for Mother, it’s a little… inappropriate. Madam is your first wife, after all,” Qin Wanru said, blinking.
She imperceptibly switched the focus of the conversation to Shui Ruolan.
Even though the first wife and the second wife were both wives, the first wife would always hold a more official position. It was unreasonable to have the second wife manage household affairs when the first wife was perfectly fine, much less leaving the job to two concubines.
If someone accused Qin Huaiyong of favoring his concubines over his wives, things would be quite a headache.
In her past life, after Qin Wanru married Wen Xichi, she would accompany him by his sickbed each day. Whenever he felt better, he would often tell her about court affairs as well as what he had previously learned—things that Qin Wanru, who was trapped deep within the inner courtyard, never knew about.
Those things unveiled a whole new world for her. Her curiosity would prompt her to question him down to the root of the matter. Sometimes, Wen Xichi wouldn’t even be able to answer her questions. Once, he even laughed and said that she could be a court official if she was a man, and a better official than most because of her thirst for knowledge.
In her past life, she was far away from officialdom. In this life, officialdom seemed a little closer within reach!
“Father, you’re a general. Your appointment will inevitably come. Even delays won’t last. Grandmother said even though a general doesn’t have as high a standing as a minister, a general’s control over the army means he’ll basically never be relieved from duty if he makes no mistake. Moreover, I heard you earned great merit by exterminating rebel bandits before.”
Qin Wanru pushed everything to Madam Dowager. It sounded as if Madam Dowager was responsible for the meaning behind her words.
She knew very well that she was still a child. If she was overly precocious or sharp-eyed, people might not necessarily find it to be a good thing. Abnormality was unusual, and excessive abnormality would only be uncanny. It would even draw all sorts of unfavorable speculations.
Being moderate was the most appropriate conduct in life!
Of course, the so-called moderation didn’t mean she couldn’t show off. She would demonstrate and hide her intelligence when she had to.
She owed all this knowledge to Wen Xichi in her past life. He had been both a master and a brother to her then. Unfortunately, her reputation was ruined early in life and other noble young ladies ostracized her. She didn’t have the chance to develop her skills then.
“I know!” Qin Huaiyong didn’t conceal things after seeing how much of a headache his youngest daughter was having. He nodded and gave her a curious look. To think that this neglected youngest daughter of his possessed extraordinary intellect. Even though she received guidance from his mother, it was still enough to make one exclaim over how bright she was.
He didn’t know when his youngest daughter shed off her childish temper and grew up into a noble young lady that startled him.
Recalling how Madam Di would look frustrated and helpless whenever she talked about Qin Wanru in the past, he realized that was just Madam Di being selfish. He felt ashamed that he believed her and often treated Qin Wanru as an insensible girl who only knew how to make a scene.
“Father, since you’re about to hold a post, you can rightfully request for the title of Honorary Lady,” Qin Wanru said.
Qin Huaiyong finally caught onto her point. With a raised eyebrow, he asked, “Do you mean to request the title of Honorary Lady for your Mother?”
“Yes!” Qin Wanru said frankly.
Madam Di had the title of Honorary Lady: five-rank Yiren. It was conferred when Qin Huaiyong became the Ningyuan Army General.
“Grandmother said you have a high chance of getting a lateral transfer. Since it’s a lateral transfer, a higher title can’t be requested.”
That meant Madam Di couldn’t get a higher title anymore.
“But I earned no merit. How can I request for another title?” Qin Huaiyong explained with a frown. He thought she didn’t quite understand how titles work.
“Outpost officials are given a chance to request for the title of Honorary Lady when they’re transferred to the capital, aren’t they?” Qin Wanru tilted her head in confusion.
“That’s when they don’t have a title in the first place. Madam Di is already an Honorary Lady and I have no major merits. I’ll surely be rejected if I request another one. The so-called request of the title of an Honorary Lady is just a show!” Qin Huaiyong said with a wry smile.
The establishment of this practice was, in fact, to raise the status of the officials’ first wives. Still, it wouldn’t be approved for a lateral transfer.
“Father, just give it a try. Perhaps the Ministry of Rites will approve it!” Qin Wanru raised her long and shapely brows as she looked at Qin Huaiyong. “If the Ministry of Rites approves of the Honorary Lady title for Mother, she’ll be able to officially manage the household. Even if she’s unwell and leave the duties to your other two concubines, it’s still acceptable. It’s been bestowed by the court, after all.”
If that were the case, it would really solve the issues in the inner courtyard. Madam Di would no longer be able to find a chance to torment Shui Ruolan. Duke Yong’s Mansion wouldn’t be so free to criticize Shui Ruolan as well. The bureaucrats at the Censorate wouldn’t be able to say anything about it either if they had the approval of the Ministry of Rites.
This was an outcome that delighted Qin Huaiyong. But upon second thought, he still found the matter unlikely. He wasn’t someone whose merits were greater than the sky itself. How could both his wives be conferred the title of Honorary Lady?
He looked into Qin Wanru’s expectant and innocent eyes with such a thought. In the end, he couldn’t bear to reject her. He nodded and said, “Very well. I’ll give it a try!”
Qin Wanru smiled, revealing dimples that resembled blossoming flowers. With unwarranted confidence, she said with certainty, “Father, you’ll definitely succeed!”
“That’d be for the best!” Qin Huaiyong felt helpless at his daughter’s utter confidence. “Get some rest for now. Make sure to put ointment on your wound.”
“Yes, Father!” Even though Qin Wanru looked pale, her expression was rather firm. It truly made one’s heart ache seeing how wan her delicate face looked.
She held onto Nanny Yu’s hand as she spoke, preparing to step out and see Qin Huaiyong off.
Qin Huaiyong immediately stopped her. “Get some rest first. I need to leave now. You don’t need to see me off!”
“Then, please remember your promise, Father,” Qin Wanru said, obediently pausing in her tracks.
“Very well, I’ll keep it in mind.” Qin Huaiyong nodded perfunctorily and walked away with large strides.
Nanny Yu had been watching Qin Huaiyong’s expression. When he was gone, she said with unease, “Miss, I don’t think the General is taking this seriously!” It seemed to her that Qin Huaiyong was just placating Qin Wanru.
It would be an immense blessing if they could get the title of Honorary Lady for Madam Shui. That meant that Madam Di wouldn’t be able to overdo her bullying when she and Madam Shui visit Duke Yong’s Mansion.
How could something this great be possible?
Worried that Qin Wanru’s high hopes would lead to tremendous disappointment, Nanny Yu thought she should be straightforward and prepare her mistress in advance.
“I know.” Qin Wanru smiled as she entered the house with Nanny Yu’s help and sat on the bed.
Yujie took off the haphazardly-wrapped cloth around Qin Wanru’s leg before taking a strip of white silk cloth laden with medicine and binding it around her wound. The ointment was of Qin Wanru’s own making, not the one that the physician sent over.
The physician’s ointment was a little too ordinary and not as effective as hers.
“Miss, since that’s the case, why do you still bring it up with the General?” Nanny Yu asked as she helped Yujie.
“That way, he’ll know there’s such an option and mention it at the right timing. Sometimes, some things are forever impossible if you never mention it. But if you bring it up, you give it a chance,” Qin Wanru said meaningfully with a smile.
“Miss, you mean you’re making an initial report to the General, so he’d mention it himself when an opportunity presents itself?” Even though the clever Yujie couldn’t quite understand Nanny Yu’s words, she could somewhat grasp the point.
The worried Nanny Yu burst into laughter when she saw Yujie acting as if she knew something when she didn’t. She gave Yujie’s head a gentle pat and said with a smile, “This girl!”
“Nanny, am I incorrect?” Yujie raised her head in dissatisfaction. Mingqiu Nun would often argue with her like this in the past, always telling her false things that sounded so much like the truth. After listening to such nonsense for a long time, she would also spout logical-sounding things and participate in many discussions.
“You’re right! You’re absolutely right!” Looking at Yujie’s mischievous look, Nanny Yu’s frayed nerves began to ease and her laughter became increasingly uncontrollable.
Happiness soon filled the house, ushering the gloominess out the door.
Qin Wanru smiled as she looked at her calves that were buried under the quilt. Suddenly, she thought they didn’t hurt that much anymore.
She didn’t intend for her father to immediately request the title of Honorary Lady from the Emperor, only to leave such an impression on him. With the addition of several supporting incidents, everything would go according to plan when the time came.
What sounded impossible now might not be so impossible anymore!
Opportunities would come and she could find one as well. The only thing she needed now was the right timing…
When Qin Huaiyong arrived at Madam Di’s courtyard, she was still throwing a tantrum inside the house. The young maid who had been half-kneeling to feed her earlier had been beaten into a pulp. Blood covered every inch of her motionless body. It was a mystery whether she was still breathing.
Qin Huaiyong stormed inside the house in a fit of rage. When he saw Qin Yuru was here as well, he chided, “Go out!”
“Father!” Qin Yuru was tattling to Madam Di when she saw a furious Qin Huaiyong entering the house. Little did she expect that he would ask her to leave without another word? She couldn’t help feeling stunned.
“Leave!” Qin Huaiying was emanating a frigid aura all over. He looked at his eldest daughter with enough coldness to freeze her over.
“Fa-Father…” Qin Yuru was about to say something when an older female servant, sensing that it was a bad idea, hastily pulled her out of the house. It was evident that Qin Huaiyong had something to tell Madam Di that wasn’t meant for Qin Yuru’s ears. If Qin Yuru was short-sighted and tried to butt in, she would surely infuriate Qin Huaiyong even more.