A single sentence from Qin's mother silenced the lively atmosphere.
Qin Xiaoyu, unaware of the true situation, looked around and tiptoed towards Qin Danui and his wife.
She placed her hands on her lower abdomen, bent her knees slightly, and curtsied, "Brother, sister-in-law, greetings."
"Greetings, greetings," Qin Danui's eyes, which had been fixed on Qin mother, shifted to his younger sister. He didn't know where to put his hands and could only gesture vaguely.
"Elder brother, don't move your hands around. A nod of your head in return is fine, sister-in-law, do the same. Nod like this," Qin Xiaoyu stood up and taught her elder brother and sister-in-law how to return a greeting.
She hadn't seen her elder brother in a long time, and her sister-in-law hadn't returned either. She wanted to ask if she could take her sister-in-law away with her, even if it meant secretly doing so.
Qin mother was about to get angry when Qin father stopped her. With no gates and no yard walls, and with villagers around for the festival, it wouldn't do to make a spectacle of themselves.
After the two elder women paid their respects to the Qin family, they followed Qin mother into the kitchen, while the others continued chatting by the entrance.
Qin Junyao and Grandma Qin both noticed Zhang Danni's displeased expression, but they didn't rush to ask.
They chatted about recent happenings, and without Qin mother's presence, the atmosphere was relatively lively.
Qin Sen only returned before lunch, and with Qin Erniu, the Qin family was all together.
As Qin Junyao was a married daughter, she was to celebrate the festival with the Zhao family and their household that evening. Therefore, the Qin family's Dragon Boat Festival reunion dinner was held at noon.
When the food was served, Grandma Qin's first words were to Qin Xiaoyu, "You can talk while eating today."
"The festivals I can celebrate are fewer and fewer. Let me have a happy time today, or I'll make sure you all have an unhappy year. Eat."
With Grandma Qin's words, Qin mother could only suppress her dissatisfaction and ate the food in front of her.
Qin Xiaoyu, finally having the opportunity to speak at the table, chattered incessantly. Suden Novel Network
Occasionally, her words would make everyone laugh heartily.
Qin Junyao served Qin Sen a piece of lamb, "Third Uncle, you and Bai Qing have been traveling outside. Have you found any interesting places?"
"Big niece, you want to ask what we've been doing, don't you?"
Qin Junyao looked at Qin Sen's mask, "Hehe, Third Uncle, your mask is a bit dark."
"Heh, there's no harm in telling you, but don't tell your mother."
"Mhmm," Qin Junyao agreed with a nod.
"I was looking for someone, inquiring about them."
"Looking for whom?"
Qin Sen placed his chopsticks on his bowl, "Looking for the person who poisoned me and threw me away."
The chopsticks in Qin Junyao's hand clattered to the floor.
"Third Uncle, do you know who it is?"
"You know? Right, you're good friends with Miss Ling, you must know."
"Third Uncle," Qin Junyao was a little flustered, "Just because they look similar doesn't mean it's them. Besides, that family isn't worth you searching for, and certainly not worth risking your life for revenge."
"What nonsense are you talking?" Qin Sen raised his hand and patted the back of Qin Junyao's head.
"My life was given to me by your grandmother, your mother, and you. How could I risk myself for people like them? But since they care about their offspring, I will make them watch as their line ends."
Qin Sen's resolute gaze sent a shiver down Qin Junyao's spine. For their line to end meant Qin Sen's line would also end.
This matter began about a month ago when Ling Manshuang came to find Qin Junyao.
At that time, the houses around the Zhao family had just been demolished and were being cleared, and half of the Zhao family's outer wall had been taken down, creating a lot of dust.
"Sister Manshuang, has something happened at Cheng Yao Pharmacy? You're looking for me at this hour?" Qin Junyao hadn't expected Ling Manshuang to visit so suddenly.
Normally, she would send someone to notify her in advance when she visited.
Ling Manshuang shook her head and gestured towards the door, "Ahem, let the servants leave first."
"Junyao sister, look, is this your Third Uncle?" Ling Manshuang saw that the maids had left the room and took a piece of paper from her sleeve, spreading it on the table.
Usually, Ling Manshuang kept her belongings with her maids, so this was the first time Qin Junyao saw her carrying something with her, and she was asking about her Third Uncle.
Qin Junyao collected her thoughts and looked intently at the drawing on the table. Her pupils flickered slightly, "Sister Manshuang, this painting?"
Her reaction was enough for Ling Manshuang to know the answer.
"Your Third Uncle is not born to Grandma Qin."
Ling Manshuang didn't know that Qin Lin and Qin Sen were adopted by Grandma Qin, but now she was sure that Qin Sen was not Grandma Qin's biological son.
"Sister Manshuang?" Qin Junyao's large eyes were full of confusion.
"Don't get agitated. It's my fault. Sit down, and I'll tell you in detail."
Ling Manshuang took a sip of tea, "Yesterday, I took in a new eight-foot painting. This morning, I thought I'd let Bai Qing take a look before he left. Coincidentally, I saw him painting this portrait."
"You don't know, he never draws men. I was drawn to the long robe in the painting and inquired a little. Bai Qing only said it would be a pity not to preserve the image of such a person."
"When the facial features were almost complete, I realized I recognized the person. I didn't know it was your Third Uncle, and Bai Qing was intentionally inquiring. Alas~~"
Ling Manshuang sighed, and Qin Junyao's heart grew heavy.
Today, the decisive Manshuang sister was speaking so indirectly, making her anxious.
Little did she know, Grandma Qin felt the same way when facing her.
"Sister Manshuang, what exactly is it?"
"In the imperial city, there is a family named Zisang. Decades ago, they used silver to donate for an official position in the imperial city, and since then, this family has established its roots in the imperial city..."
Zisang, a surname unique to the imperial city.
It only took a few decades, three generations, for this family to go from having an obscure minor official to producing a high-ranking minister.
It wasn't that this family was particularly capable, but that their family members were good at producing offspring.
Every member of this family was strikingly handsome. Once, a daughter of the Zisang family entered the palace, but unfortunately, her scheming was insufficient and her background was weak, and she died in the palace.
But there were many daughters in the Zisang family.
Intermarriage.
Whether it was the matriarch, the second wife, a concubine, or even an outside mistress, as long as it brought benefits to the Zisang family, they could use their own daughters to exchange for it.
It could be said that the power of the Zisang family in the imperial city was all obtained through women.
Having tasted the sweetness of this, the Zisang family spared no effort in finding beautiful women.
Qin Sen's mother was forcibly taken by the Zisang family.
At that time, it was rumored throughout the imperial city that a man saw the Zisang夫人 once and fell into lovesickness, becoming bedridden and dying of melancholy.
"I was young then, and I always wanted to see what kind of beauty could make someone fall ill and die."
Ling Manshuang fell into recollection, "I pestered my mother and finally found an opportunity to visit the Zisang mansion. It was for the Zisang夫人's son's third-day celebration after birth."
"Our arrival naturally made the Zisang mansion roll out the red carpet. I saw the Zisang夫人 and the newborn younger brother."
"Beautiful, truly beautiful. Both the mother and child were beautiful. When I looked forward to the full moon banquet to see them again, I heard the news of the Zisang夫人's death and the younger brother's disappearance."
"I never expected that beautiful younger brother would become your Third Uncle."
Hearing this, Qin Junyao's mind flashed with melodrama.
Was this a fated encounter that had been sprinkled with melodrama?
From Dr. Sheng, she learned that Third Uncle was poisoned with a poison commonly used by royalty, and she had thought he was a member of the imperial family.
What was this?
However, if it were only this, Manshuang sister wouldn't have come to find her specifically.