CHAPTER 485: CHAPTER 477: A FACE THAT COMES KNOCKING MUST BE SMACKED!

Qin Liuxi walked into Old Mrs. Qin’s room and saw her eyes filled with a longing and combative spirit, as if she was about ready to leap up and spray venom on that ungrateful wretch Ding Shouxin, which involuntarily caused the corners of her mouth to twitch slightly.

"You better not meet with Ding Shouxin, lest you become even more livid at the sight of him, causing your mouth to twist further and your illness to worsen. Bickering may feel good at the moment, but it can shorten the lifespan of the paralyzed."

"Heh heh." Old Mrs. Qin was so irritated that her eyes rolled back.

Can’t this girl say something pleasant?

"Even if you were to meet him, your speech is not coherent. Wouldn’t it be the case that only he gets to talk? That old fox seasoned in the ways of officialdom, spouting articulate but insidious words, would leave you infuriated and unable to retort. So why bother?" Qin Liuxi said, "Just lie down like this, let me give you a couple of acupuncture needles, and take a nap. This will also make your complexion look worse, which should make them realize that your current health has been affected by their actions."

Old Mrs. Qin’s eyes widened in shock. Not let her meet people, and still want to needle her?

Seeing this, Mrs. Wang quickly advised, "Mother, just listen to Xixi. There’s no need to engage in a quarrel with that sort of person. It’s more important for you to recover. You still need to wait for father and the others to return."

"There will be other days." Qin Liuxi had already taken out her needle bag.

Old Mrs. Qin closed her eyes and her fingers weakly clutched the quilt.

Qin Liuxi took out the needles and announced, "I am going to give you the acupuncture."

Her needling was unhesitant, choosing several acupoints to needle swiftly and accurately.

One of the selected points was a fainting acupoint; upon insertion of the needle, Old Mrs. Qin slowly began to feel her vision blur and soon she fell into a deep, unconscious sleep.

After the needles were removed, Mrs. Wang and the others saw Old Mrs. Qin’s complexion turn pale, devoid of any color. To speak irreverently, the emaciated old lady lying before them, if not for the rising and falling of her chest, might have seemed to have already passed away.

Mrs. Wang averted her gaze, knowing it was done on purpose, yet she still found it unbearable to witness.

The end of life must resemble the person before her, after all.

"Mother, the guests must have arrived. It’s time for you to go out," Qin Liuxi interrupted her thoughts.

Mrs. Wang nodded, tucked in a corner of Old Mrs. Qin’s quilt, and then left.

Once Ding Shouxin and the others had entered, they covertly surveyed the Qin family’s ancestral home. The courtyard was still tidy, but not a single servant could be seen; even the gatekeeper leading the way kept apologising for the lack of house staff and hoped the guests would not take offense.

Mrs. Ding’s gaze showed scorn, yet she couldn’t help but feel a bit of lamentation. The Qin family once had servants in droves, but now it was bleak and withered.

Watching him build high towers, watching his towers collapse.

That was pretty much the situation before their eyes.

If her own family were to be reduced to such a state, then...

Mrs. Ding, not knowing whether she was cold or frightened, shuddered and dared not think further.

No, the Ding family would never be so unfortunate.

Mrs. Xie and Mrs. Gu were waiting at the secondary gate when they saw people arriving. Their eyes were filled with spite, especially Mrs. Xie, who, glaring at the gold hairpin and step-shake headpiece Mrs. Ding was wearing, her eyes turned red.

That cheap woman, she’s definitely here to flaunt!

Mrs. Ding also sensed the opportunity for drama and briskly stepped forward, taking a look, she suddenly grabbed Mrs. Xie’s hand: "Madam Qin..."

Mrs. Xie: "?"

Mrs. Gu: "..."

Mrs. Xie’s face flushed red, and she forcefully shook off Mrs. Ding’s hand: "Are you blind? I am the Second Madam of the Qin family."

Mrs. Ding was exceedingly embarrassed. Taking a closer look, it was indeed Mrs. Xie whom she had met once before. Good heavens, how could she have mistaken her for the prestigious Mrs. Wang? It was as if driven by some divine force that led her to make such an assumption.

"Second Sister-in-law, let’s have the guests enter first. The Qin family has fallen, but hospitality is something we cannot lack," said Mrs. Gu with a detached tone.

Hospitality? You left us out in the cold, enduring wind and snow for half a day, and only now do you remember hospitality?

Mrs. Ding and her party took a deep breath, silently telling themselves to endure it.

The group arrived at the Xiao Hua Hall, only to find not even a single maid present. The hall was desolate and bitterly cold with no brazier in sight, a stark manifestation of bleakness.

Having stood outside for a while, Mrs. Ding and Ding Shouxin felt even colder upon entering. The room was freezing, not even offering a cup of hot tea.

Worn out, Mrs. Wang arrived and upon seeing Ding Shouxin and Mrs. Ding, she apologized, "Mr. Ding’s visit is rare, forgive us for the lack of hospitality. Just now, I was attending to mother as she took her medicine and went to sleep. Old Lady Qin is advanced in years and her temperament is quite... sigh. Third Sister-in-law, go and serve some tea to Mr. Ding and the others. Please, do not take offense; with no servants at home, we must manage on our own."

Mrs. Gu complied and went to pour several cups of tea.

Ding Shouxin stood up and saluted with a pained expression, "Sister-in-law, it’s my fault for arriving late. I had already sent an associate to inquire about Master’s case a while ago. But, as it pertains to sacrificial rites, and with the Holy Emperor enraged, that associate dared not reveal much. Alas, it’s also because my influence is limited. However, I’ve also requested another associate to communicate with those in the northwest. Although I can’t be of help in other matters, ensuring a change to a more tolerable living situation or lighter tasks for Master should be possible."

Mrs. Xie scoffed, "Such arrangements require Silver, don’t they? Is Mr. Ding here to persuade our family to hand over our sole livelihood, the preserved fruits shop, for your efforts?"

A fleeting hint of chill and embarrassment crossed Ding Shouxin’s eyes, but his face remained composed, "Sister-in-law, this is all a misunderstanding..."

Mrs. Wang spoke up, "With my husband not around, Mr. Ding might as well address me as Mrs. Qin."

This was her way of distancing the relationship between the two families.

Ding Shouxin’s face nearly lost its composure; he glanced at his own wife.

"Mrs. Qin, it’s our fault for not properly managing our household, leading to this misunderstanding. My sister-in-law, born from a minor family, acts without understanding and has offended your esteemed family. On her behalf, I apologize to you," said Mrs. Ding, standing up to make a gesture of apology.

She had assumed that Mrs. Wang, a lady from a prestigious family, would take the cue to graciously step down and exchange pleasantries.

Yet as she bowed down, Mrs. Wang merely sipped her tea, meaning that while Mrs. Ding made her bow, Mrs. Wang, composed as ever, accepted it.

Feeling humiliated, Mrs. Ding thought to herself, Mrs. Wang was once an Imperial Decree Wife, and it was reasonable for her to accept such a greeting. But now, she was no more than the wife of a criminal official, stripped of her Imperial Decree, how dare she accept the courtesy of an Imperial Decree Wife?

Mrs. Ding had already been irate during her journey here, left hanging outside the door, her anger compounded. And now, humiliated in silence, her anger was so intense that it contorted her face and made her sway slightly as if she were about to collapse.

Upon accepting the apology, Mrs. Wang then feigned astonishment and stepped forward: "Mrs. Ding, please, I cannot accept such a grand gesture from you. Being but a commoner, I dare not receive such honor. Please, stand up."

Xixi had said it, when someone offers their face willingly, it would be foolish not to strike!

With a forced smile, Mrs. Ding thought: Putting on such an act, where were you earlier?

She was also accustomed to the niceties of society and swiftly took Mrs. Wang’s hand, saying, "Dear sister, please do not let my younger sister-in-law come between us."

On the side, Mrs. Xie said coldly, "The divide was there long ago, wasn’t it? Just now, Mrs. Ding, did you not mistake your dear sister?"

Mrs. Ding’s face flushed red.

Listening in the side room to the sharp exchanges outside, Qin Liuxi, while cracking melon seeds, remarked to Qi Huang, "My Second Aunt really suits the role of a finisher. Wherever it’s wounded, she stabs precisely—perfection!"