Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Times Have Changed

Chapter 11: Times Have Changed

At Old Madam Qin's words, the dining hall was instantly filled with people kneeling in fear, their expressions filled with anxiety.

Except for one.

Everyone knelt except for her, standing alone, upright like a snow lotus perched on the edge of a cliff, impossible to ignore.

Qin Liuxi stood tall, her gaze lowered to the mandrake flower embroidered on her robe, acting as if she hadn't noticed the kneeling crowd.

Old Madam Qin's eyes swept over her, lips pursed and brows furrowed.

Though Qin Liuxi was a Qin by blood, she always seemed like an outsider, beyond control.

"The Qin family has fallen. Your grandfathers, husbands, fathers, and brothers are all suffering on their way to exile, enduring unknown hardships, hunger, thirst, illness, or worse..." Old Madam Qin's eyes brimmed with tears, but she stubbornly wiped them away.

A wave of sobbing filled the hall.

"Exile is not a death sentence. The only solace is the Emperor's 'mercy.' With proper management, there's hope for your elders' return. We must maintain this house and ensure the children at home study hard. If anything happens to them in the northwest, you are the future pillars of the Qin family."

"Grandmother, I will study hard," Qin Mingqi from the second branch said, clenching his fists, eyes red.

Wan Aunty nudged little Qin Mingchun beside her. He blinked his large, innocent eyes and muttered in confusion, "I, I will too."

Studying is so hard!

Old Madam Qin looked at her two grandsons, thinking of her eldest grandson, just twelve, exiled, and her second son's eldest illegitimate son, tears rolling down.

Her husband, three legitimate sons, and two grandsons, all on the road to exile. No one suffered more than her.

All she could hope for was divine mercy, for them to arrive safely, enduring hardships but staying alive.

"The confiscation was sudden, and we couldn't take our possessions, leaving only this old house, a small blessing in our misfortune. Times have changed, and the Qin family must adapt. We'll live on simple fare, trading silks for coarse cloth and cotton shoes... ahem, ahem," Old Madam Qin began to cough.

Wang Shi lifted her head, her eyes slightly reddened, "Mother, don’t worry. We have time. Everyone is just struggling to adjust. They'll come around."

Falling from grace requires an adjustment period for anyone.

Even for someone as strong-willed as her.

Wang Shi, thinking of her only son suffering on the road to exile, felt a piercing pain in her heart, but she took a deep breath, reminding herself that she was the mistress of the Qin family and must not show weakness.

"That's right, everyone get up. Eat your meal, and if there are things you don't understand, you can think them over later," Old Madam Qin gestured for everyone to rise.

People stood up and took their seats, picking up their utensils and eating in silence.

The food tasted bland and wax-like, yet they all forced themselves to swallow it.

After the meal, Old Madam Qin asked the aunts and younger family members to return to their rooms, leaving only Wang Shi, Xie Shi, and Qin Meiniang to discuss how the family should proceed.

Qin Liuxi, seeing this, started to leave but was stopped by Old Madam Qin.

"Xi'er, you stay too and listen," she said.

Qin Liuxi paused in her steps, sat back down, and picked up a cup of tea.