"Everyone has walked far away, it's time for a certain person to regain his composure," Qin Chuyuan finally put down the carriage curtain and resumed his aloof demeanor, keeping strangers at a distance.
"I told you to stop being stubborn. Now look what's happened. You had a fiancée within your grasp but you can only look at her, not touch her," scolded Zhou Wenxuan.
"As a lady, such vulgar words from your mouth show no sense of shame," replied Qin Chuyuan.
"No matter how shameless I am, I'm still better than you, you hypocrite," Zhou Wenxuan shot back.
"You...forget it, it's useless speaking with you. Simply unreasonable," said Qin Chuyuan, exasperated.
"I'm the one who's unreasonable? Fine, when we get home, you can deal with Mother yourself," Zhou Wenxuan threatened.
Thinking of how his mother would pester him relentlessly, Qin Chuyuan felt a headache coming on.
He swallowed his pride, his face flushing as he tried to stay composed. "Go on, say it. What do you want?"
"Ha ha..." Zhou Wenxuan stared at Qin Chuyuan and laughed loudly. The eternal iceberg had finally melted.
This was the first time in Qin Chuyuan's life that he had genuinely liked a girl. Now he was being mocked and threatened by his own sister. Furious, he said, "If you don't tell me now, don't say anything more about this."
Seeing he was about to lose his temper, Zhou Wenxuan stopped laughing and straightened her expression. Slowly, she asked, "How...how is he?"
Hmph! Still shamelessly making fun of him.
"Which 'he' are you referring to?" Qin Chuyuan glared at Zhou Wenxuan with killing intent. Vile girl, still holding a grudge.
"Alright, sister was wrong. I shouldn't have mocked you. Forgive your sister just this once," said Zhou Wenxuan.
"He's fine," replied Qin Chuyuan.
"That's good then," said Zhou Wenxuan.
Silence fell in the carriage.
"Sister, has Zhou Wenxuan laid his hands on you again?" asked Qin Chuyuan.
"No," replied Zhou Wenxuan.
"Sister, leave the Zhou family," urged Qin Chuyuan.
Zhou Wenxuan looked at her brother. Her elder brother had already passed away. Now this was her only blood-related younger brother left. She knew how much the influential families valued reputation.
If she brought trouble to the clan for her own sake, those stubborn elders might banish her from the family tree the very next day, even implicating her brother, mother and father's reputations.
"Chuyuan, sister understands your kind intentions, but relationships in prominent families are complicated. For the honor of our clan, it's impossible for them to allow me to leave."
"Sister, leave those elders to me. Just pursue your own happiness," said Qin Chuyuan.
"That's enough. I know your kind thoughts. You don't need to worry about my affairs. What you urgently need to think about now is how you will explain this to Grandfather," said Zhou Wenxuan, changing the topic.
Qin Chuyuan knew he couldn't persuade his sister, so he said, "Sister, if the Zhou family bullies you again, I will definitely bring you back to the Qin family."
"Oh please, don't worry. Ever since you taught Zhou Wenxuan a lesson last time, they don't dare mistreat me anymore," said Zhou Wenxuan lightly.
Soon the carriage arrived at the gates of the Qin mansion.
Qin Chuyuan and Zhou Wenxuan had just gotten out of the carriage when they saw Li Mama, his mother's most trusted aide, standing outside next to the carriage.
Li Mama came forward and bowed to them. "Greetings to Miss Qin and Young Master Qin."
"Mama Li, nice to see you. Has Mother summoned you here?" asked Qin Chuyuan.
"Indeed. The Madam ordered me that as soon as Young Master returns, have him go see her immediately."
Qin Chuyuan and Zhou Wenxuan looked at each other.
If Mother had sent someone to stand guard at the gates waiting for Chuyuan's return, she must be quite angry. Zhou Wenxuan regretted promising to plead for her brother.
"Miss Qin, Young Master Qin, please follow me," said Li Mama.
"Let's go, brother," said Zhou Wenxuan.
The two followed behind Li Mama to the Third Madam's courtyard. They could already hear the sound of their mother smashing things before they even entered.
Ever since their elder brother had passed away, their mother was badly shocked. Now her temper had become increasingly volatile, even bordering mental breakdown at one point.
Fortunately, Chuyuan had grown up well later on and gained the approval of their grandfather and the elders. Only in recent years did the First Madam's harassment eased up somewhat, and their mother's volatile temper also began improving.
Now that she saw Chuyuan matched with an ordinary girl from the palace, lowly in status by their family standards, the First Madam had resumed her schemes to assert power and dominance.
They arrived outside the main hall. "Madam, Young Master Qin and Miss Qin are here," announced Li Mama.
The sounds of smashing ceased.
"Come in."
Qin Chuyuan followed behind Zhou Wenxuan into the room. Shards of broken porcelain were scattered all over the floor.
Only the Third Madam sat alone inside the room, an ominous expression on her face as she sat in the seat of honor.
The two stepped over the debris to stand by their mother's side. "Mother."
The Third Madam did not respond.
Seeing her mother's silence, Zhou Wenxuan tried to stay calm. She walked behind her and gingerly massaged her shoulders, attempting to placate her. "Daughter rarely comes home, yet Mother is so angry. Are you not happy to see me?"
"Am I angry at you? It's good you've returned. Tell your brother to get married soon instead of dallying around. And now His Majesty has granted him marriage to a mere prison guard!"
Qin Chuyuan and Zhou Wenxuan looked at each other. It seemed the First Madam had just returned from the palace and came to add fuel to the fire.
The First Madam was polite on the surface but schemed endlessly behind one's back.
Not long after the elder brother's funeral, she had pressured the Third Madam overtly and covertly, aggravating mother's already militant personality to become extremely volatile, even bordering mental collapse at one point.
Fortunately, Chuyuan grew up well later and gained the elders' approval. Only in recent years did the First Madam ease up, and mother's volatile temper began stabilizing too.
Now that she saw Chuyuan matched to a girl of lowly status in their eyes, she had resumed her tactics to assert power again.
"Mother, the First Madam came just now, correct?" asked Zhou Wenxuan.
"Need you ask? You didn't see the smug look on her face as she stood before me. And her own son is what kind of trash. Even if my Chuyuan marries a girl of low birth, she's still better than the Sixth Young Master of the First Branch."
"So Mother does not oppose this marriage alliance?"
"What use is my opposition? This is an imperial decree of marriage. If I object, that is defying the decree."
"Mother, the reason brother agreed to marry the palace maid has nothing to do with her identity. Even without her, he would have married someone else, but definitely not the young miss from the Lin Family," explained Zhou Wenxuan.
"And why is that?"
"Mother, there are machinations behind this incident that you do not know about," said Zhou Wenxuan meaningfully.
"Chuyuan, is what your sister said true?"
"Yes, Mother," affirmed Qin Chuyuan.
Upon hearing her son's confirmation, the Third Madam understood. So what Chuyuan said previously was right.
And the Empress Dowager seldom invited her to the palace to chat recently. She was not even invited to many major banquets.
She had wondered why she offended the Empress Dowager. So the answer lay here.
If her Chuyuan married the young miss of the Lin Family, he would not gain the Crown Prince's favor. That was equivalent to ruining Chuyuan's future prospects.
"But the palace maid's status is far too low! How can she be fit to serve as the prestigious madam of the Qin family in the future?" muttered the Third Madam to herself.
However, Qin Chuyuan's future prospects still took priority. They could always take in a prominent concubine for him later.
"I must send for your Father to return immediately." She promptly stood up, about to head out.
"Mother, you do not oppose this marriage?"
"Is now the time to talk about this? I'm sending for your Father to hurry back and propose marriage to the Gong family quickly," said the Third Madam impatiently as she rushed out, leaving the Qin siblings looking at each other speechlessly.
