Chapter 12: Chapter 14: The Acts That Glorify the Petty Man
"Miss Xi, when you were young, your constitution was weak, and you often fell ill. It was due to clashing with the Qin family's evil spirits. Master Chi Yuan said your Life Chart was unusual, so he had it recorded under your legitimate mother's name early on. With the noble rank of your legitimate mother to suppress it, and your living away from home, this would lead to happiness for all. Only then did we send you back to the old residence. Grandmother knows that you harbor resentment in your heart, resentful that we left you to be raised in the old house for ten years, but this was also for the best interests of each other."
Old Mrs. Qin looked at Qin Liuxi, her tone indifferent, "Over these years, the Qin family has not short-changed you in your expenses, and the people arranged to look after you have also done their utmost. The Qin family has brought you up to this day; to say we were heartless is not true, but there is grace."
Qin Liuxi lifted her gaze, meeting her grandmother's eyes, her own devoid of any ripples.
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Old Lady's words weren't wrong—Heartless and yet graceful: it is the grace of giving life and upbringing, only lacking the companionship and guidance, but the consequences had already been formed in the beginning.
Qin Liuxi stood up and gave Old Mrs. Qin a formal bow.
Old Mrs. Qin didn't know why, but her heart felt even more suffocated. She bit the tip of her tongue and continued, "You have grievances in your heart, Grandmother understands. But you are a Qin; your name is registered in the Qin Family Genealogy as the legitimate eldest daughter of the main branch. As long as your name exists, you are a daughter of the Qin family, the Miss of the main branch."
"My grandfather and the others have been stripped of their official ranks, what kind of Miss does that make me?" Qin Liuxi said with self-mocking laughter.
Old Mrs. Qin bit her lips and spoke, "This does not change the fact that we once came from an official family. I will not beat around the bush with you—the Holy Emperor has confiscated our property and exiled us. Are you aware of these details?"
"I would like to hear more."
Old Mrs. Qin closed her eyes, her face showing restraint.
Seeing this, Mrs. Wang then said, "Your grandfather was a Minister of the Ministry of Rites and held a third-rank position. During the ritual sacrifice at the Grand Ancestral Temple in July, the sacrificial lamb suddenly died without warning, considered an ill omen, which incited the Holy Emperor's wrath..."
For a dynasty, the Grand Ancestral Temple sacrifice is a major event, and the rituals are particularly important. Such a significant error in the ritual would naturally infuriate the Emperor, and it was, of all things, the lamb of the sacrificial animals.
At the founding of the Da Feng Dynasty, it is said that the Grand Ancestor Emperor, besieged by enemy forces with his troops, entered a forest maze and got lost for nearly half a month. With food and supplies exhausted, the team sustained themselves for days on a magically appearing lamb, and by following the lamb, which looked back occasionally to lead the way, they eventually emerged from the woods, joined with reinforcements, not only turning defeat into victory but also flowering from victory to victory, ultimately establishing the Da Feng Dynasty.
Thus, the Grand Ancestor Emperor regarded the lamb at that time as a celestial lamb and made it Da Feng's mascot. In the sacrifice of the three animals, a living lamb was an essential presence.
But now, the lamb in the ritual had suddenly fallen dead, blood flowing from its seven orifices; such an offering to the ancestral temple was naturally seen as an ill omen and disrespectful, and it even suggested that the Emperor was unkind.
When the Emperor is enraged, a million lie dead.
Qin Yuanshan, as the Minister of the Ministry of Rites, failed in his oversight. Coupled with Noble Princess Consort Meng, his family's sworn enemy, whispering in the Emperor's ear, heavy sins of disrespect and disloyalty were brought down on the Qin family. With no chance to resist, it immediately fell apart, like a building collapsing.
Mrs. Wang, reaching this point, clenched her hands into fists and pursed her lips.
Qin Liuxi said, "Such an important occasion, how could my grandfather have been careless? There must have been treachery at play!"
Old Mrs. Qin was somewhat surprised by her sharpness and said through gritted teeth with hatred, "You're right. Your grandfather, by nature cautious, would never dare to be negligent on such an important occasion. But one can't guard against everything, and still, someone found a loophole to exploit!"