Sixth Miss shrieked: “Qin Yining, we’re both Qin family misses. You can bully an adopted daughter, but do you dare bully someone like me who’s blood-related! How dare you go to the second madam to sow discord!”
Qin Yining ignored her and swept her gaze over the surrounding servant women.
Immediately she saw Nanny Jing, mother of Manager Jingsan, pulling out a sturdy servant woman: “Fourth Miss, this servant is willing to be a witness.”
Qin Yining nodded: “Good, thank you.”
She didn’t address Nanny Jing familiarly, pretending not to know her well.
Nanny Jing then pulled the sturdy servant woman to follow Bingtang quickly toward the second branch.
Sixth Miss was completely panicked. She wasn’t even raised under her legitimate mother’s name – if this caused trouble, how could her legitimate mother spare her?
“What are you standing there for! Stop them!” Sixth Miss shrieked, pulling Cui Fu and Nanny Zhang to give chase.
The two obeyed and pursued, but Nanny Jing and the sturdy servant woman forcefully knocked them down.
Meanwhile, Qin Yining had taken advantage of the chaos to whisper a few words in Sun Shi’s ear.
Sun Shi first looked stunned, then her eyes rolled back as she let out an “ah” and fainted.
“Mother! Mother! Someone come quickly! Call a doctor!”
“Madam must have fainted from excessive grief! Someone come quickly!” Having heard Qin Yining’s earlier words, Nanny Jin now simply cried out as she rushed into the Garden of Filial Devotion for help.
By this time the Old Madam, wearing a cloak and supported by Nanny Qin, Ji Xiang, and Ru Yi, had emerged and stood frowning on the steps, glaring at Sun Shi.
Qin Yining was already supporting the collapsed Sun Shi as she sat on the ground, tears streaming down helplessly as she called out like a small cat: “Mother, don’t frighten me, please wake up.”
The Old Madam opened her mouth but was secretly pinched on the arm by Nanny Qin.
She looked at Nanny Qin unwillingly, who whispered: “The eldest master is still in the palace. You should at least consider the eldest master’s feelings. Moreover, so many people are watching.”
The Old Madam glanced at the watching servants and finally swallowed back the words “immediately divorce this fool and throw her out.”
She still cared about her reputation after all.
Besides, seeing her daughter-in-law, whose family had just met disaster, collapsed before her – could she refuse to take her in?
“Carry her into the Garden of Filial Devotion to wait for the doctor.”
Once the Old Madam gave the order, Nanny Qin immediately had people bring a spring bench and carefully move Sun Shi onto it. A crowd of people stumbled into the house.
Qin Yining took advantage of the chaos to hurry toward the second branch, meeting Bingtang, Nanny Jing, and the sturdy servant woman just returning from delivering their message.
“Fourth Miss?”
“Nanny Jing, please find a way to go out and deliver a message to Manager Zhong for me. Thank you!”
“I wouldn’t dare refuse. Miss, please just give your orders.”
Qin Yining whispered instructions in Nanny Jing’s ear until she understood, then quickly headed to the Garden of Filial Devotion with Bingtang.
Nanny Jing quickened her pace and left the mansion through the rear gate where vegetables and fish were delivered from the kitchen.