Ancients were steeped in superstition, and the people in this household were no exception, especially Qin Liuxi who had grown up in the Daoist Temple. As she said, even if she couldn’t learn the full extent, wasn’t learning some trivial tricks still better than what they knew?
Mrs. Xie became more restless thinking about her own misfortunes.
Qin Mingyue, standing by her side, glanced at Qin Liuxi’s dress and said softly, "But big sister, our mother was injured in your courtyard."
Qin Liuxi looked over, feigning the gesture of Xishi clutching her heart, and said with sorrow, "Are you implying that our destinies inherently clash, Second Sister? That I am the bane of our aunt? If that’s the case, then I shall leave."
She made a show of beginning to leave.
Qin Mingyue was baffled, this—this wasn’t her usual demeanor; how brazen and tough she had been before, so why did she appear so pitiful and bullied in front of our grandmother?
Even more exaggerated and affected than herself.
Qin Mingyue instinctively looked at Old Mrs. Qin and, indeed, saw that her expression was not good. She hastily added, "Big sister, I didn’t mean that. You were not home, so I was just telling you about it. Please don’t be upset."
"I’ve already heard from Qi Huang, so when I say our aunt is unlucky, it’s not without reason. If it is not bad luck, then why else would a perfectly healthy person suddenly fall over? Our aunt is no child. If it’s not bad luck, it must be that our destinies are in conflict," Qin Liuxi said disdainfully. "Please don’t blame yourself, Second Sister. I don’t hold you at fault; it’s just my own ill-fate."
Come on, who hasn’t had a taste of the bitter tea?
Mrs. Xie’s temples throbbed violently.
Mrs. Wang looked at Qin Liuxi, suppressing the urge to smile, and said, "Alright, we’re all family here; what you’re saying is too terrible. Mother, everyone’s hungry, shouldn’t we serve the meal now?"
After dining with the Old Lady, Mrs. Xie grew restless and left with Qin Mingyue.
Old Mrs. Qin kept Qin Liuxi behind. Mrs. Wang also sat down, each holding a cup of tea in hand.
"What I called you here for is nothing else. Li City is our ancestral home; before the Qin family’s decline, we often had official and wealthy individuals visit us. Now that our family has fallen, some of them have become unreachable," Old Mrs. Qin said, with a tone tinged with disappointment and bleakness, and continued, "Your mother has a point too. Our family has only just returned to Li City and is seeking connections everywhere; we’re afraid that even those willing to help might not dare, for fear of offending powerful people. However, your master from the Mystic Sect is different. He used to have a private relationship with our family, otherwise, he wouldn’t have taken you away. We can hold off on seeking connections, but we cannot neglect your grandfather and your father."
She paused, breathing heavily, took a sip of water to recover, and then went on, "Li City is starting to get cold, and what’s worse is the bitter cold of the northwest. In the northwest, we have no relatives; being there with no kin, no cause, and nothing, I fear they won’t withstand the harshness. Therefore, I wish to ask Master Chi Yuan if he could arrange someone to look after them in the northwest. With his status, it would not draw too much attention or easily offend anyone."
Old Mrs. Qin’s voice carried a hint of meekness toward the end of her plea.
Mrs. Wang added, "We will handle all necessary finances on our own; it is just a matter of asking someone to take care of them a little."
Exiled individuals faced great hardships; without anyone to look after them, their situation would only get worse, and finding work would be no easy task.
The Qin family, being scholars, except for Qin Laoer who knew some trick martial arts, were all incapable of any physical labor. If they were made to do heavy work, the adults might manage, but the Old Master and the two young ones would likely suffer.
After a moment of silence, Qin Liuxi said, "My master had already informed me before he left his nomadic travels, and has arranged for someone to look after them. Grandmother and mother can rest assured."