My Lady Always Lacks Ambition

Chapter 711 - 695: Talking about Relatives Must Be Realistic

Ever since the Qin family’s crisis, the Ding family went from distancing themselves and refusing to see Old Mrs. Qin, fearing entanglement and refusing to help, to later coming over to apologize only to be rejected by Old Mrs. Qin, and now, they are acting as if nothing has happened and have sent an invitation to a banquet. If you asked Qin Liuxi, she would say the Ding family must have faces made of city walls, right?

But this is also understandable, as "face" cannot be eaten like food, and it is not comparable to interests, especially when one is in the realm of officialdom, which values social connections even more. Seeing more and more people who have benefited from Qin Liuxi’s favor, and all of them are nobles out of the Ding family’s reach, how could the Ding family remain seated? They have come sniffing around, wanting to form an association.

And it’s also thanks to the fact that the Ding family isn’t in Shengjing; otherwise, the people that Qin Liuxi has made connections with there are the ones who stand at the top of the pyramid of power. That would have really made the Ding family green with envy.

Just the information they have learned is enough for them to swallow their pride and shamelessly seek to climb up by association.

"The world hustles and bustles, all for profit; the world bustles about, all for profit."

The action of the Ding family is easy to understand.

But understanding is one thing; whether Qin Liuxi will play along with their script is another matter.

"I am not someone who has the magnanimity to let bygones be bygones and make peace with a handshake. I won’t attend such a banquet," Qin Liuxi said indifferently as she straightened a little bead flower in Qin Mingbao’s hair.

She was not a girl who grew up in the inner courtyards; she had no interest in the banquets and social gatherings of the inner courtyards—not that she looked down on them, but rather she didn’t like the petty squabbles and comparisons between young ladies.

As for the transfer of benefits, as someone from the Mystic Sect, she does not play these games, and the Qin family can’t use her for their own benefit either.

Some things, if she gives, they will receive; if she does not give, they cannot use her name.

And the Ding family, what are they? Just because they say go, should she go? If she really went, they would be over the moon.

Qin Liuxi says she won’t go, and the one who is anxious first is the young girl Qin Mingyue. After returning to the ancestral home, this is the first time someone has invited them to a banquet. If they don’t go this time, what about the next?

Are they going to seclude themselves in this residence forever? Then what kind of future can be spoken of?

Qin Mingyue and the other young ladies in the boudoir differ from Qin Liuxi; they have lived like this since they were children. As children, they would occasionally attend banquets with their elders, and once they reached the age of twelve, they would go out to banquets even more frequently because this is the unspoken rule among official families. With a girl coming of age at home, it’s a good opportunity for the ladies to see if there are suitable matches for marital alliances.

And the fall of the Qin family occurred at a rather awkward time. Qin Mingyue is already fourteen years old, fifteen by the traditional reckoning, and it’s time to think about marriage. If they stay locked up at home, are they going to end up old maids?

If she is fourteen, then Song Yu Yan is in an even more awkward position; she is to come of age in June, and marriage talks need to be scheduled.

Qin Liuxi hears Qin Mingyue’s breathing become hurried, glances over, and then sees Song Yu Yan, wearing a pale autumn fragrance-colored Luo skirt and a serene expression by the door, and with a flash in her eyes, finally realizes what they are thinking.

"You all go down," she says to them.

Qin Mingyue is startled and wants to say something, but under Qin Liuxi’s cold gaze, she lowers her eyes, reluctantly performs a kneeled salute, and retreats.

With the youngsters gone, Qin Liuxi then turns to Old Mrs. Qin, "Would you like to attend the banquet?"

Old Mrs. Qin responds, "I am not fit to go."

It’s best for her frail body to stay put.

Mrs. Wang then says, "We don’t particularly wish to go, it’s just that after your sisters returned to the old house, they have been staying in the house and not going out."

"To go out, is it because you want outsiders to see them? Are you thinking of arranging marriages for them?" Qin Liuxi cuts straight to the point, "Haven’t even come of age yet, and you’re already in such a hurry?"

"Your cousin Yu Yan will reach her coming of age in June," Mrs. Wang glanced at Qin Meiniang, who looked both embarrassed and bitter, and sighed.

She actually wanted to mention Qin Liuxi too, but since Qin Liuxi had already stated that her marriage prospects were unset, she dared not raise the subject in front of her.

Qin Liuxi looked at Qin Meiniang and said, "The Ding family has a Magistrate Ding, and though the banquet attendees won’t all be officials’ families, there will be rich merchants among them. But when it comes to seeking marriage prospects for her, given the current situation of the Qin family, the choices are probably limited."

Song Yu Yan is indeed an official’s daughter, but she is an ousted official’s daughter; her maternal family has yet to overturn their criminal conviction, and so she and her sisters can only follow Qin Meiniang back to their maternal home and live at others’ mercy, with no dowry to speak of. What kind of good match could they possibly find?

Qin Meiniang was also aware of this situation, so her face grew even more uncomfortable and pale, the bitterness already spreading to her heart.

"It’s easy to talk about marriage, but what family would consider the match depends on one’s own circumstances and family background. Do you understand that, auntie?" Qin Liuxi’s voice was indifferent. "Do you intend to marry Song Yu Yan off to an official’s son as his legitimate wife or concubine, or perhaps to a merchant, a scholar from a poor family, or a farmer’s son? If it’s to be a legitimate wife to an official’s son, I think even if it was possible, it’s estimated that he wouldn’t be a decent man of good character."

"You’re underestimating your cousin Yu Yan too much, aren’t you?" Mrs. Xie couldn’t help but interject.

Qin Liuxi looked at her and smiled, saying, "Then let me ask you, second aunt, do you fancy Yu Yan? Think carefully before you answer. She’s only three years older than Qin Mingqi, and you know what they say—’a woman three years senior holds a golden brick.’"

Mrs. Xie’s face turned green. How could she possibly fancy Song Yu Yan? She had nothing to her name, her maternal family provided no support, nor did she have any dowry.

She stammered, "What nonsense are you spouting? Your third brother only respects Yu Yan as if she were his sister."

Qin Meiniang lowered her gaze, a mocking smile hanging on her lips.

"What about Yuqing then? She’s also lovely and charming."

Mrs. Xie frowned and said, "We were talking about Yu Yan; how did you bring up Yuqing?"

"I’m just curious, second aunt, if you fancy this niece of yours? Blood is thicker than water, after all."

"I..."

"You see, even you, second aunt, and Qin Mingqi, who is still studying and of common status, look down on them. If even their own family thinks so, what would outsiders think? Is an outsider going to be closer than an aunt? Second aunt, people are not fools; officials also want a daughter-in-law who can bring resources to the table. If a top-quality person was an option, why would anyone settle for the likes of Yu Yan or Qin Mingyue today?"

Mrs. Xie’s face darkened, leaving her unable to utter a single word.

Qin Liuxi’s words were piercing, yet no one present could object because everything she said was the harsh truth.

Yet it was precisely because they knew the truth of her words that the women present all felt a certain desolation.

If a marriage was to be discussed now, Song Yu Yan indeed had limited options.

Mrs. Wang turned to Qin Liuxi and asked, "Xixi, why don’t you do some face reading for Yu Yan and see about this marriage destiny?"

Everyone was startled.

Qin Meiniang was also somewhat taken aback, but she quickly caught on, her eyes filled with eagerness.

Indeed, this niece had grown up in the Taoist Sect, her medical skills were exceptional, so her face reading must also not be bad, right? Hadn’t she said that she could even perform exorcisms and ghost hunting?

Qin Liuxi hadn’t expected Mrs. Wang to ask her to do a face reading for Song Yu Yan, and was taken aback herself—wasn’t this shift a bit too drastic?