Qin Junyao naturally had questions and asked, "Sister Man Shuang, how can you be so sure that my third uncle is the missing child of the Zisang family? It's been so many years, perhaps you misremembered."
"Jun Yao, my dear," Ling Man Shuang looked at the portrait on the table, "This person in the painting looks exactly like Madam Zisang."
"I have seen countless beauties, but only Madam Zisang is someone I can remember for a lifetime after meeting her just once."
Ling Man Shuang had grown up entering and exiting the inner courts of prominent noble families, and had seen many concubines in the imperial palace.
In terms of beauty, no one could compare to the person she remembered from her childhood.
"Oh, Bai Qing was very eager to know the identity of the man in the painting and extracted a lot of information from me. If I hadn't acted quickly to snatch this portrait, I would have lost everything."
"Never mind that," Ling Man Shuang said, a little agitated.
"After guessing that the person in the painting might be your third uncle, I went to find Bai Qing again, but he had already gone out with your third uncle. I had no choice but to come to you."
"Your third uncle has the cold poison, right? That was a drug administered by his father, and Madam Zisang also knew the truth and hanged herself."
The more Qin Junyao listened, the more confused she became. The poison her third uncle suffered from was intended for the mother and then transmitted to the fetus. A mother suffering from such a condition would be unable to conceive again. Since the Zisang family used women for marriage alliances, they should have wanted Madam Zisang to have more children.
Later, Ling Man Shuang explained the whole story to Qin Junyao.
Because she wanted to know how Madam Zisang's younger brother went missing, she implored her maternal uncle, who was then the Minister of Justice, to investigate.
The child's whereabouts were not found, but a secret was uncovered.
Qin Sen's father was named Zisang Bo, the second son in the family. Because he was handsome, his father gave Qin Sen's mother to him, hoping to produce even more outstanding offspring.
After Madam Zisang was found to be pregnant, she could not share a bed with Zisang Bo, so Zisang Bo often went out and did not return home.
Somehow, he got involved with the Fourth Princess, who had just divorced. Marrying into the imperial family, one could imagine the benefits.
When it was confirmed that Madam Zisang was carrying a boy, "removing the mother to keep the child" was the Zisang family's greatest gesture of sincerity towards the Fourth Princess.
Here, "removing the mother" did not mean killing Madam Zisang, but rather giving her to officials who favored married women as their playthings. The child born would be controlled by the cold poison, making it a perfect plan.
The Zisang family had their plans, but the Fourth Princess had her own.
She had a maid reveal the truth to Madam Zisang. When Madam Zisang died amidst the chaos, the child was stolen. If the servant tasked with abandoning the child had not taken pity on him because he looked so good, Qin Sen would not have survived to be found by Grandma Qin.
Qin Junyao's back of the head was patted again, pulling her back from her thoughts.
"Third Uncle, that family left during the chaos in the imperial city. Where would you find them? Moreover, after you, no more boys were born into that family. This is the best retribution."
"You are surnamed Qin now, a member of the Qin family, not the Zisang family."
Qin Sen took the chopsticks handed to him by Liu Yu and offered them to Qin Junyao, "They are coming to the Northwest. They are in Anshun Prefecture City now."
"Despair leading to hope, and then hope leading to despair is true retribution. Besides, I still want to provide a good life for your grandmother. The Zisang family is very wealthy."
Qin Junyao gripped her chopsticks tightly, unsure what to say to persuade Qin Sen not to stir up trouble.
After learning of Qin Sen's background from Ling Man Shuang, she had immediately told Grandma Qin. The old dynasty had been overthrown, and it was unlikely that the ruthless Zisang family would fare well after the new emperor ascended the throne.
Grandma Qin's attitude was to wait, to wait for Qin Sen's decision. He knew what he was doing.
Qin Junyao had clean chopsticks but couldn't eat anything. She listened to her family's casual conversation at the dinner table, her mind wondering what she could do to help Qin Sen.
After dinner, everyone except Qin Mu gathered around Grandma Qin to talk. Qin Mu did not want to see Zhang Dani and also did not want to displease her mother-in-law, so she retreated on her own.
During their conversation, Qin Dani mentioned the incident at the noodle shop in Yan County, emphasizing how Zhang Dani had prevented the situation from escalating and expressing gratitude to Doctor Sheng and the Ling family.
Qin Lin and his wife, who knew the inside story, had a change of heart towards Zhang Dani. Qin Sen's attitude was indifferent; he disliked anyone his sister-in-law disliked.
After chatting for a while, Qin Junyao sent someone to escort Zhang Dani back. Qin Dani stayed at home until after the summer harvest and planting before returning to Yan County.
As soon as Zhang Dani left, Hou Xingwang, the eldest grandson of the Hou family, ran over to borrow a carriage from Qin Junyao.
Old Master Hou had fainted.
Grandma Qin accompanied the carriage to take Old Master Hou to Yan County and did not return all night.
This Dragon Boat Festival left Qin Junyao with a muddled mind, and also made Qian Duo, who was outside the Northwest City, feel uneasy.
"I want to see Mr. Liu," Qian Duo said to the guards at the entrance of the tent.
"Miss Qian, Mr. Liu has already departed with the marching army."
Qian Duo asked in shock, "Gone?"
Although yesterday was the fifth day of the fifth month, the fact that Mr. Liu, the strategist by the Fifth Prince's side, had sent her wine made her sense something was amiss.
This morning, there were two soldiers guarding outside her tent, which filled her with panic.
After much speculation, she never expected the army to march and leave this place.
"Miss Qian, please return to your tent. Someone will come to pick you up later," the guards blocked Qian Duo, who was trying to leave the tent.
"Who will pick me up? Why aren't you taking me with you? Where are you taking me?"
"Don't stop me, Zhao Liangcai, where are you? Zhao Liangcai!"
Zhao Liangcai, standing at the city gate of the Northwest City, could not hear Qian Duo's cries. He sat on Xiao Fei's back, waiting for the result of the negotiation by Mr. Liu, the foremost strategist of the Fifth Prince.
The Northwest City had been besieged for over a month. The grain in the city was estimated to be nearly depleted.
Shao Yong, the commander of the Northwest Army, did not need to surrender. A battle would suffice.
Shao Yong knew he was doomed to lose. If he wanted to pledge allegiance to another master, he would have to show his capabilities to the new master.
A battle was the only way to demonstrate his abilities, wasn't it?
Besides, he had wanted to fight Zhao Liangcai for a long time.
After receiving the news that Shao Yong would not open the city gates to surrender, Zhao Liangcai smiled. He took out half a ginseng slice from his pocket and put it in his mouth, then swung the long-handled hammer in his hand.
It was good that they wouldn't surrender. He had been wanting Shao Yong's head for a while.
How dare he plot against his wife? He would have to pay with his life.
.
Qin Junyao waited all night but did not hear from Grandma Qin. As soon as dawn broke, she sent someone to inquire at Qu Bing Tang in Yan County.
"Madam, please get some sleep," Liu Rong said as she combed Qin Junyao's hair, persuading her.
Qin Junyao looked at Liu Rong in the mirror, "I can't sleep. I don't know how Grandpa Hou is doing. My heart is uneasy. Please comb my hair to make me feel refreshed."
The person sent to inquire returned before Grandma Qin and her party. They met a member of the Hou family halfway and specifically came back to report.
Qin Junyao learned that Old Master Hou was out of danger but still felt uneasy. She took Liu Yu and went to the Hou family in advance to wait.
The remaining members of the Hou family, knowing that the elder was safe, clasped their hands in thanks to heaven.
As soon as the carriage from Yan County stopped, Hou Gan was the first to skillfully get off the carriage and called out to his nephew, "Xingwang, take the door panel and carry your grandfather in."
"Fourth Uncle, why does Grandpa still need to be carried in? Isn't he alright?" Hou Xingwang looked at the carriage, hoping to see his grandfather.
"Demolish the door first. We'll talk later."