Qin Yining nodded in tears, suppressing his grief.
She returned to the Qin family for five years, and she has experienced many ups and downs. Although she has been away from her parents less and less, she still has hope for the future after separation, knowing that no matter how much suffering she goes through, she will still have a chance to return home.
This time, the road ahead is slim.
It's really heart-wrenching pain to part with life and death like this. Parents, relatives, and her child who is only two years old... These are her most important people, but she may withdraw from their lives from now on.
Qin Yining was rarely so vulnerable when she was so restrained from crying. In Pang Xiao's eyes, it was even more heart-wrenching than crying. He really hoped that Qin Yining was a arrogant and domineering person. If he could not be so sensible, why would he suffer so much
"Father-in-law, all this is the fault of my son-in-law." Pang Xiao kowtowed three times, "Father-in-law, don't worry, this trip is not to die, but to keep important people alive. Even if there is a real danger one day, as long as I am here, no one will hurt Sister Yi. Even if it really comes to life and death, I will protect her with my life and will never walk behind her. Father-in-law, please rest assured. !"
Qin Huaiyuan nodded, holding back tears, and helped the two up.
"Okay. Okay, you all understand your intentions for the father. We are not parting from life and death. Although it is difficult right now, things have not reached that level. After this parting, there will be a day to see each other in the future. You and I don't have to be so pessimistic. "
"Yes." Qin Yining and Pang Xiao said in unison.
Xie Yue and Xu Weizhi watched with sympathy, and assured Qin Huaiyuan, "Don't worry, Duke Qin, I will do my best to assist the prince, and there will be no slack!"
"I believe the two gentlemen, and I will work two more from now on."
"Don't dare. This is what the two of us should do."
After the family agreed on a strategy, Pang Xiao first arranged to send Xie Yue and Xu Weizhi back.
Qin Yining followed Qin Huaiyuan back to the inner house.
There was no one else on the road, so Qin Yining took the opportunity to ask, "Father, is Aunt Cao still going with you this time?"
Qin Yining wanted to care about her father, but because she was the daughter of an outsider, she couldn't directly ask her father about taking a concubine, so she could only ask politely.
Qin Huaiyuan naturally understood what Qin Yining meant, and said bitterly: "I wanted to ask her what she meant, but she avoided me. She has been living in the guest house and refuses to come to the mansion, so I can't bother her anymore. "
Qin Yining heard Qin Huaiyuan take the initiative to talk about the details, and knew that he was really confused.
Even if Qin Huaiyuan had any difficulties, he wouldn't discuss it with the Sun family, would he? It's okay to talk about these things between brothers, but with Qin Huaiyuan's character, he will never lose the majesty of being an elder brother in front of the second and third uncles, otherwise how can the family convince the public in the future
So when my father encountered such troubles, he didn't even have a place to talk.
"Aunt Cao has no doubts about your sincerity. This can be known from her pursuits over the years. Back then in the Great Yanjing City, when Zhixi soldiers came under the city, when the capital suffered from drought and lack of water and food, with Aunt Cao's skills, In fact, you can leave us alone and walk away, but she is willing to follow you and lead the way for you.
"Although my mother and I are both true wives, and we don't want our husbands to take concubines, we are moved by Aunt Cao's sincerity and dedication. My mother told me and looked at her. Because she loves you, she is willing to sacrifice her life to protect the important people around you. She has saved the lives of our family members several times. Even her heart is moved.
"Father, for such a woman who is willing to give her all for you, I don't think you have humiliated you by accepting her. If you can't take the initiative, you will feel sorry for her affectionate feelings."
Qin Huaiyuan lowered his eyes with sullen expression, logically speaking, these things should not have been said to his daughter.
But he was really confused.
"I know in my heart what you said. I'm not hard-hearted, and I'm also moved. I admire her too. But now I mentioned it to her, but she refused. Earlier I accepted it for the sake of the children. Concubine, it broke your mother's heart. Your mother came from a famous family, and she suffered a lot with me in her life. Now that I have such an excellent daughter as you, I am no longer obsessed with having a son, and naturally I refuse to To take a concubine for the sake of the children makes your mother sad, but I don't treat the Cao family for the sake of the children..."
Qin Yi listened to Qin Huaiyuan's words quietly. She knew that her father's speech was always clear and organized, but this time it was a little confusing.
This is enough to prove that what happened to Cao Yuqing made her thoughtful father confused.
Since her father was willing to analyze her thoughts with her, she was not rigid and asked: "Daughter understands, you want to hire her as a concubine because you really appreciate Aunt Cao and are happy with her?"
Qin Huaiyuan nodded, looking a little uncomfortable.
Qin Yining asked the question that was hidden in her heart: "But father, Aunt Cao once expressed her feelings for you in front of you, she is a straightforward person, she did not hide it, she took the initiative in the past. , why did you refuse to accept her
"She came to the mansion as a concubine bestowed by the saint, but you would rather accept the other four concubines than get close to her and keep her on the shelf... If I were Aunt Cao, I would There will also be resentment in your heart. You will not nod your head as soon as you open your mouth, wouldn't it come when you call it, and go when you say it?"
Qin Huaiyuan gradually stopped after listening to Qin Yining's analysis.
The father and daughter were walking to the small lake in the back garden. To the right was Shuorenzhai where Qin Yining lived, to the left was the old lady's Cixiao Garden, and to the inside was Xingning Garden.
In winter, the night is dark and windy, there are no stars and no moon, only relying on the lights of Shuorenzhai to illuminate the road in front of you, the lake is dark, as if there is a lake of dark ink.
Qin Huaiyuan pursed her lips and stood there, looking at the dark lake, she didn't know what to say for a while.
After a long while, he said hoarsely: "So that's what it is. I think that's what she thought, but I didn't mean to despise her."
Qin Yining nodded and sighed: "If father has any thoughts, he can also tell Aunt Cao directly. Aunt Cao is not an unreasonable person."
"I know. When she came here on an order, we were colleagues, so naturally we had to stay away. Later, I didn't want to delay her, she wanted to be my bodyguard and no longer be a concubine. Of course I agreed. I want to keep people by my side.
"Even after Dayan's demise, our family has gone through many disasters to get to Dazhou. I know that the future is slim, and it is very likely that I will become a victim of the struggle of the three factions at any time. How can I drag her into the quagmire? She does not Be my concubine, just be a bodyguard, you can leave at any time.
"She could have been free, so was it because of my own selfishness that I let her be buried with her? It's also now that I'm about to live in seclusion in Xiyue, and I don't want to be involved in the world anymore, and my life has become more stable, so I thought of mentioning this to her, But she didn't want to.
"That's all, that's all. This kind of thing can't be forced, and there's no reason for me to force someone to be a concubine. Besides, your mother has followed me all her life, and I really can't feel sorry for her a lot."
Qin Huaiyuan seemed to be talking to himself, as if it was an emotional catharsis. He couldn't find anyone to tell these personal words, and he could only tell them in front of his daughter who was like a confidant.
Qin Huaiyuan turned around in embarrassment, "Sister Yi, you..."
But before he finished speaking, he saw the unexpected person behind Qin Yining.
Qin Yining saw that her father's eyes were wrong, so she turned her head quickly, and saw Cao Yuqing wearing a royal blue cloak with a collar of squirrel fur, standing two feet behind her, her fair skin seemed to be beautiful in the night. Porcelain, but her expression was not real, and she didn't know how long she had followed them and how much she had listened to their conversations.
Cao Yuqing looked at Qin Huaiyuan silently.
Qin Huaiyuan stood with his hands behind his back, slowly clenching the hands behind his back, and the two were speechless for a moment.
Qin Yining really had mixed feelings at this time.
She knew that there was a pair of lovers in front of her.
But thinking of her mother, she felt it was a betrayal.
From Cao Yuqing's point of view, as a spy since she was a child, she was trained into a killing machine. When she was young, her heart was tied to a man. She gave her sincerity, waited for him, and was even ready to give her life for him at any time. . Now that she has finally managed to keep Yunkai and see Yueming, she has no intention of grabbing the position of the main wife. All she asks for is the status of a concubine. What is wrong with her
From the father's point of view, there is nothing wrong for a man to take a concubine. With his father's identity and talent, he likes how many women he likes to bring in. This is all right, and no one can point out the fault.
But from the mother's point of view, the husband who treats him wholeheartedly, while loving himself, also shares his feelings with other women, he can only smile and nod, promise him to have other women at the same time, promise to share his husband To others, if you don't nod your head, it is not virtuous, it is jealous, and it is a sin. In order to maintain the family, maintain the relationship between husband and wife, and also fulfill another woman who was struggling, she could only pretend to be generous against her heart and nodded in agreement.
They are not wrong, they also have their own difficulties and grievances.
But what Qin Yining felt more distressed was his mother.
Qin Yining knew that her thoughts were difficult to tolerate in the current world, but she was full of emotion, this world has never been fair to women.
Qin Yining bowed his knees and quietly backed away, leaving space for the two of them.
She did not go back to Sydney Garden immediately, but went directly to Xingning Garden.
Mrs Sun was taking Mama Jin and the girl in the house to check the luggage. Seeing Qin Yining coming, Mrs Sun smiled and said, "Sister Yi is here, have you discussed business affairs with your father?"
"It's over." Qin Yining smiled and took Sun's arm, "Is your mother's luggage ready?"