When Qin Yining returned to the rear hall halfway up the mountain, her face was deathly pale as she breathed a sigh of relief. Wiping her forehead, her hand came away covered in cold sweat, and her heart was still pounding violently.
Qiu Lu hurried to wring out a handkerchief to serve her in wiping her face, still shaken as she said: “That was truly terrifying just now! So many people, a mass of black shadows—if they had rushed in, they could have drowned us with one mouthful of spit each! Fortunately Miss was clever and answered the questions so skillfully. If we had provoked popular resentment, we would have been trampled to death by now!”
Qin Yining took the honey water that Ji Yun brought and drank a whole bowl before feeling like she had come back to life.
“Me, clever? I was almost nervous to death.” Setting down the white porcelain gold-rimmed covered bowl, Qin Yining pressed her chest. “Do you think pretending to be a charlatan is so easy? In that kind of scene, I had to weigh every word carefully—I didn’t dare say even one word wrong. Moreover, I had to act like I really was a ‘saint,’ but you all know best what kind of person I am. Where would I get that otherworldly immortal air? I had to think about what to say while also thinking about what gestures to make. Fortunately, I had already guessed some of the questions they would ask in advance, otherwise I wouldn’t have known what to do.”
“Exactly. When I was supporting Miss, Miss’s body kept trembling, which made me nervous and tremble along with her.” Ji Yun smiled bitterly. “How did Miss manage to anticipate what questions they would ask?”
“That wasn’t difficult. At this critical juncture, I could still guess what the common people would be concerned about.”
As Qin Yining was speaking, a guard came from outside to report: “Reporting to the True Person, people from the Marquis of Anping’s mansion have arrived.”
Hearing this, Qin Yining was delighted and hurriedly said: “Please invite them in quickly.”
She rushed downstairs with Ji Yun and Qiu Lu.
Upon seeing Qin Huaiyuan, Second Master, and Third Master, Qin Yining smiled joyfully. Seeing that their clothes were not only soaked with sweat but also wrinkled like pickled vegetables, Qin Yining knew these three must have been squeezed together with the crowd just now and had definitely rushed to the villa as soon as they heard the news.
Qin Yining was moved and bowed: “Father, Second Uncle, Third Uncle, it’s so late, yet you still had to make this trip.”
“What are you saying?” Third Master seated himself in a circular chair. “Yining, quickly get your third uncle a bowl of herbal tea—my throat is so parched it’s smoking.”
Qin Yining urged Ji Yun and Qiu Lu: “Why don’t you hurry up?”
After inviting the elders to sit down, soon Qiu Lu and Ji Yun returned carrying trays, smiling as they said: “We have chilled sour plum soup that both quenches thirst and relieves summer heat. Please enjoy, my lords.”
They served each of Qin Huaiyuan, Second Master, and Third Master a large bowl.
Qin Yining stood beside them with a pot, serving refills. After serving her father and two uncles half a pot of chilled sour plum soup, the several men finally put down their bowls.
“We rushed over as soon as we got the news, but there were too many people, so we could only abandon the carriage and walk, squeezing in with the crowd. Your father saw your performance just now—you did very well.” Qin Huaiyuan smiled.
Qin Yining said bashfully: “Father and uncles all saw it? I was deliberately putting on an act.”
Second Master laughed: “You acted well, quite convincingly, even holding a little rabbit? Under the lamplight you looked like Chang’e. The common people had never seen such a spectacle—just looking at your appearance was enough to awe them.”
“Exactly. You did very well this way, otherwise no one would have believed what you said.” Third Master also commented.
Qin Yining said: “I was precisely afraid that what I said wouldn’t work, so I resorted to this desperate measure. At least I managed to deal with the crisis temporarily.”
“You said tomorrow you would set up an altar to ask Heaven—what will you do then?”
Qin Yining smiled bitterly: “How would I know how to set up any altar? I don’t know anything. When the time comes, I can only ask proper Taoist priests to teach me. I believe that following the procedures shouldn’t result in any disgrace. As for how to give the common people an explanation, that still depends on the Emperor.”
Hearing this, Qin Huaiyuan raised his eyebrows. “So you’ve already thought of how to solve the grain problem?”
“Your daughter cannot be certain whether the problem can be easily solved. I was just thinking of discussing it with Father, and Father arrived with perfect timing.”
Hearing this, Qin Huaiyuan laughed.
Just as Qin Yining was about to voice her countermeasures, a somewhat shrill voice came from outside: “His Majesty the Emperor arrives!”
Upon hearing this, Qin Yining’s brows furrowed.
It was already this late. Even if something major had happened outside and the Emperor wanted to inquire about the situation, he need only send someone trustworthy from his side—why would he need to personally leave the palace for a trip?
Today it happened that Father and her two uncles were here. If they hadn’t come, with a man and woman alone together, how could that be explained if word got out?
Obviously, Qin Huaiyuan, Second Master, and Third Master had also thought of this, and their expressions didn’t look very good either.
Everyone rose to receive the imperial visit.
“Long live the Emperor.”
“We respectfully welcome the Emperor!”
Yuchi Yan wore a hair net and regular clothing, with soft-soled indoor boots on his feet. Having walked hastily, his face was flushed and the wrinkles between his brows were deeply furrowed, clearly showing he had rushed over upon hearing the news.
Entering the room, Yuchi Yan’s eyes saw no one else, only Qin Yining in her snow-white layered gauze jacket and skirt. He anxiously reached out both hands to support her: “Xuansu, are you alright?”
Qin Yining’s brows were tightly knitted as she quickly stepped back to escape Yuchi Yan’s warm hands, lowering her head: “Thank you for Your Majesty’s concern. This subject-woman is fine.”
Qin Huaiyuan, Second Master, and Third Master were all experienced men. Just seeing the Emperor’s undisguised adoring gaze when looking at Qin Yining, they all understood in their hearts. Although Qin Yining had been forced to cultivate, how could the Emperor have given up on her? If Qin Yining had even half a mind to curry favor with those in power, it probably would have succeeded long ago.
“Your subject (commoner) pays respects to the Emperor.” Qin Huaiyuan, Second Master, and Third Master all performed grand ceremonial bows.
Only then did Yuchi Yan notice there were others in the room. Somewhat embarrassed, he coughed and said: “Rise.”
“We thank the Emperor.”
Yuchi Yan then seated himself in the place of honor in the room and asked: “Just now when I returned to the palace, I heard that the city’s common people had gathered here, so I immediately rushed over. How are things? You weren’t hurt, were you?”
“Reporting to Your Majesty, this subject-woman is unharmed.” Qin Yining replied respectfully.
Yuchi Yan nodded. “That’s good. You did very well this time. Just now I asked the guards about the situation at the time—your words were also very appropriate, soothing the people’s hearts and avoiding a great disturbance. If the common people had rioted, then without waiting for the Zhou people to attack, I’m afraid the capital would have descended into internal chaos.”
“This subject-woman was acting out of urgent necessity and resorted to this desperate measure.”
Seeing her with lowered brows and eyes in her white robes, though Yuchi Yan hadn’t personally witnessed her earlier demeanor, just by imagination he could know how otherworldly she had appeared before the people. The affection in his eyes was almost overflowing as substantial matter, and his voice was extremely gentle.
“I heard from the guards that you plan to set up an altar tomorrow to ask Heaven?”
“Yes.” Qin Yining deliberately ignored Yuchi Yan’s gentle tone.
“You are someone Tianji Zi calculated could protect the nation’s prosperity. I suppose you can also communicate with the heavenly gods?”
Qin Yining looked up and met Yuchi Yan’s interested gaze.