Volume One, Chapter 15: This Daughter Is Better Off Unwanted

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Su Yan’er’s father had been a deputy general serving by Qin Huai’s side for many years. They had fought together on the battlefield, facing life and death side by side. In the end, he took an arrow meant for Qin Huai, the arrow piercing directly into his heart. Knowing he would not survive, he entrusted Su Yan’er to Qin Huai on his deathbed.

Qin Huai was deeply aware that if he had not shielded that arrow with his own body, it would have pierced his own heart. This was a debt he owed to the Su family.

As soon as Su Yan’er finished speaking, a low growl came from behind.

“You are the one I brought into this residence; let me see who dares to drive you away.”

The deep, furious roar echoed through the ears of all present. Everyone turned to see Qin Huai striding over with an imposing air.

Qin Wan had once seen that fierce look before—when she was forced to confess at the Empress’s birthday banquet. And now, it had returned.

Qin Wan knew they had all come, but not one was on her side.

Sure enough, Qin Huai stepped forward but, out of decorum, did not directly help Su Yan’er, who was kneeling on the ground. Instead, he ordered a maid nearby to assist her up, then glared sternly at Qin Wan, scolding her harshly.

“I see you’ve grown bold these past few days, your wounds just barely healing, yet you disturb the entire household. Since Yan’er has entered my Marquis’s residence, she is one of us—no one else may bully her at will. From today onward, you are confined to the Wan Yue Courtyard and shall not step outside without orders.”

“Others!”

Qin Wan’s heart twisted painfully; in the end, she had truly become an outsider.

Watching those who once cared for her now all protecting Su Yan’er, Qin Wan wiped away a tear—these people were not worth her sorrow.

“Since confinement is imposed, then remember this: do not set foot in the Wan Yue Courtyard either!”

The stubbornness in Qin Wan’s eyes seemed to tell everyone that she was not in the wrong.

But the more stubborn she was, the more the shame others felt toward her faded away.

Qin Wan felt the tearing pain within her body, so intense she struggled to stand. She no longer wished to entangle with them; she wanted to leave, to escape this heart-chilling Marquis’s residence. Anywhere else would do.

After speaking, with Wan Shuang’s support, Qin Wan turned and walked toward the inner chambers.

Her back faced the crowd; the torn wound bled anew, staining her dress in a vivid crimson that pierced the heart.

Seeing the blood on Qin Wan, Qin Ye’s heart tightened. Her wound was not yet healed? Could it be that when he slapped her earlier, she had fallen and reopened her injury?

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He had no intention of hurting her. Had he known his slap would tear her wound open again, he would never have struck her.

Or perhaps, if she had spoken gently from the start, he wouldn’t have acted rashly.

Qin Ye wanted to ask if she was in pain, but the words caught in his throat and never came out.

Han Shu's tears dropped one after another. She was his mother, and seeing her daughter in such a state broke her heart. She thought to herself: she should have listened to the Marquis; if she hadn’t come to the Wan Yue Courtyard today, none of this would have happened.

Everyone looked at the blood seeping from Qin Wan’s wounds. Concerned words hovered on their lips, yet no one dared speak.

Qin Huai saw how stubborn she was and hated her for it. He felt that confining her was too lenient a punishment.

“Yan’er, from now on you are the daughter of my Marquis’s residence. If anyone dares to say you must leave, I’ll be the first to drive that person out!”

His voice was loud, as if deliberately spoken for Qin Wan to hear.

But Su Yan’er hesitated—she did not want to be the daughter of the Marquis’s residence. A daughter would eventually be married off; she wanted to be the Marquis’s wife, to remain in the residence forever.

“Thank you, Uncle, for your affection. The position of the Marquis’s daughter belongs to Fourth Sister. How could I possibly take her place?”

“Hmph. She is the legitimate daughter of the Marquis’s residence, but she’s truly a disgrace. If she continues to be so arrogant, it’s better not to have her as a daughter at all!”

“Marquis—”

Han Shu quickly interrupted Qin Huai, praying inwardly that Qin Wan hadn’t heard those words.

But the inner and outer chambers were separated by only a single door. Qin Huai’s voice was loud; how could she not hear? She heard everything clearly.

The father who once held her in the palm of his hand now said he wanted to cast her out. How laughable!

Noisy footsteps sounded as they left.

Wan Shuang peered through the door crack, then turned to Qin Wan and said, “Miss, they have gone!”

Suppressing her sobs, Wan Shuang tried not to cry. She felt more and more heartbroken for her mistress. All these accusations were baseless, yet they blamed everything on her. They called themselves family—how could they treat her this way?

“Miss, your wound is bleeding. Please lie down quickly; I will apply medicine for you!”

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Qin Wan removed her outer garment and placed it on a nearby chair, only then realizing how much blood had seeped from her wound.

The outer garment was stained with a large crimson patch. The culprits were them—the ones who judged her—and she alone was the one hurt.

Elsewhere,

Xiao Jingyu left the Marquis’s residence and headed straight to the palace.

Within the Cining Palace, Empress Shen Jianing was enjoying tea with several concubines. Seeing Xiao Jingyu approach with a fierce demeanor, she knew he had urgent matters and dismissed the others.

After a while, the concubines left one by one. The Empress looked at Xiao Jingyu, who wore a displeased expression as he sat down, and refrained from chastising him.

“You are born of my womb and the future Crown Prince. Do not let every emotion show on your face. Only by being inscrutable can you secure your position firmly.”

Xiao Jingyu disliked hearing this from the Empress the most, but as she was his mother, he had no choice but to obey.

However, this time he did not interrupt but instead directly questioned her.

“Mother, Father intends to arrange my marriage with Wan’er. Why do you oppose it?”

Standing upright, he was a head taller than Empress Shen, whose disapproval was evident in the oppressive height difference. Rather than respond directly, she turned and ascended to a higher platform.

The palace maids, sensing the conversation was not for their ears, quietly withdrew.

The Empress sipped her tea, her gaze fixed on Xiao Jingyu’s resentful eyes.

“Wan’er? What is your relationship with her that you address her so familiarly?”

“Mother, you know I adore her, and Father intends this marriage. Why do you oppose it? Shouldn’t you be happy that your son has found someone he loves?” Xiao Jingyu could not understand. Mothers everywhere wished their sons happiness—why did his mother block him from pursuing love?

If it weren’t for Mother’s constant interference, he and Wan’er would have been engaged long ago. Why drag it out until now?

The more he reasoned, the more displeased the Empress became. In anger, she smashed her tea cup at his feet.

“I am your mother, and everything I do is for your good. That woman from the Qin family behaved disgracefully at the birthday banquet and cannot be entrusted with great responsibilities. How could such a woman become your legitimate wife?”