Chapter 480: Chapter 472: The Eldest Miss’ Aura Carries Wind

Qin Mingchun visited Qin Liuxi Courtyard once, and his understanding was greatly refreshed, leading him to realize a truth: Trust your elder sister and gain eternal life!

But the absurd notion of animals and ginseng becoming spirits, even after witnessing it with his own eyes, he truly did not want to believe it!

Teng Zhao escorted him out of the courtyard. Seeing his soul-lost appearance, he said, “I didn’t believe it either, once.”

Qin Mingchun suddenly looked over: “And now?”

Teng Zhao counter-asked: “What do you think?”

Qin Mingchun muttered: “You’re my elder sister’s disciple now, a member of the Mystic Sect, how can you not believe?”

“Having experienced it firsthand naturally makes one believe.”

Qin Mingchun sheepishly said: “You’re really good at accepting this, not scared at all!”

“They’ve never harmed me, so there’s nothing to fear,” Teng Zhao thought of the Little Ginseng Spirit, his eyes brightening somewhat, “And besides, they’re quite cute.”

Qin Mingchun also thought of the Little Ginseng Spirit and couldn’t deny: “Cute indeed, but, it’s really defying the natural order!

To think such beings exist in the world, truly miraculous.

“All things in the world have spirits. Just because we haven’t seen them doesn’t mean they don’t exist, so just keep a normal heart,” Teng Zhao said. “These spirits, they are actually very pure, purer than the human heart.”

Human hearts are malevolent and harder to test.

Qin Mingchun stared straight at him.

Teng Zhao: “What is it?”

“You’re not being sparing with your words today, quite talkative.”

Teng Zhao immediately straightened his face and turned to leave: “Take care, I won’t see you out.”

Qin Mingchun clicked his tongue: “Kids really aren’t cute at all.”

He hastily ran back to his own courtyard. Mrs. Wang was not there, and he sneaked into Aunt Wan’s room.

Aunt Wan was matching outfits for the Little New Year’s Eve dinner. Seeing her son come in, she twirled around and asked, “Does this look alright on me?”

Qin Mingchun saw his mother in a brand-new water-pink dress, cinched at the waist with a purple belt, her hair braided and arranged without any superfluous jewelry, except for an intricately carved gold hairpin. But that face, with its pale delicate skin, eyes filled with gentle charm, and a naturally seductive aura.

She indeed looked beautiful.

Yet…

“Beautiful indeed, but I’ve seen more beautiful.” The dog in elder sister’s room—oh, not a dog, that vixen. She is genuinely beautiful and enchanting.

Definitely a vixen, so seductive, I wonder if elder sister will be deceived!

Aunt Wan wasn’t convinced: “In this house, who is more beautiful than me?”

“Aunt, there’s always someone better,” Qin Mingchun sighed and said, “But you shouldn’t wear this water-pink right now. Grandmother is still sick. Wearing this might upset her.”

Aunt Wan looked down at her attire and said, “What’s wrong with it? People say when an elderly person is ill, wearing something festive is better. If I wore plain mourning attire, that would truly upset her more! I don’t mind either way, I look good in anything, even in mourning gear… I’d still look charming.”

Qin Mingchun opened his mouth, the rationale was plausible, but too showy could easily attract criticism.

“Anyway, as a concubine, it’s not my place to show off in front of Old Lady. I’ll let it be,” Aunt Wan touched her clothes and muttered, “It’s been a long while since I wore such vibrant colors.”

Qin Mingchun was still thinking about the ginseng and the vixen spirits, the wandering souls beyond the heavens, and said, “Aunt, do you think it’s possible for animals to become spirits?”

“What’s impossible about that?”

Qin Mingchun: “You believe in that?”

“Of course!” Aunt Wan said earnestly, “Your second aunt often curses behind my back, calling me a vixen. If there were no fox spirits that have achieved enlightenment, how would the term come about? It shows that such beings exist in this world, hence the term was coined.”

Qin Mingchun: “…”

It sounds quite reasonable, and I can’t even refute her!

New Year family banquet.

Everyone in the Qin family wore new clothes, as required by Mrs. Wang and as a proof to Old Mrs. Qin.

The Qin family has fallen, but they are not the kind who can’t lift their heads in fear. As long as they unite, no matter how bad the days are, they won’t be utterly destitute and homeless.

She needed to make Old Lady understand; the downfall of the Qin family, compared to the criminal officials who have had their families destroyed, was much better. At least the men were only exiled, and the women were able to return to their parents’ home. Some families, seized by the government, had women who entered the life of an official prostitute or official slave and were subjected to humiliation—how could their days be harder?

Their days were not too harsh, only with less servants and less luxurious clothing and jewelry, but compared to the truly impoverished peasants, their modest life was many times more comfortable.

The Qin family was down, but there was still a possibility to rise again.

They just needed to wait for the safe return of the men—that was the most important thing.

After some recuperation, Old Lady Qin could now sit, except her mouth was still crooked, and she could only spit out single words, not very clearly.

Like all stroke victims, especially those as frail as her, what’s needed is a long-term care.

She was helped by several daughters-in-law into new clothes and had some powder puffed onto her, making her look a bit more spirited. Then, she was half-supported and half-carried out of the flower hall.

The hall was filled with radiant beauty.

The men, like Qin Mingqi and Qin Mingchun, wore little brocade robes, and the young ladies were even more eye-catching with their new clothes restoring their past stubborn beauty. The few concubines, one glamorous and one elegant, were like the days before the Qin family’s fall.

Old Lady Qin was momentarily dazzled by the sight, her eyes moistening. It would have been so much better if the men were also here.

Seeing her come out, the younger generation rushed forward to show their filial respect, calling her “great ancestor” with auspicious words ready at their lips, truly bringing a few more smiles to the Old Lady’s face, even though her crooked mouth made the smile look a bit eerie and less kind.

Qin Liuxi walked in during this cheerful moment with two disciples.

Everyone looked at her; she wasn’t wearing any new clothes, still in her modest and elegant green long robe with wide sleeves, the fabric glossy and hanging well, embroidered with refined patterns at the collar creating layered pleats, her waistband equally exquisite with a Jade Gourd and a Jade Token hanging, looking rather slender. Her hair was pulled back into a high Daoist bun, secured with a wooden hairpin, displaying her smooth, fair forehead.

The two children by her side, though, wore new clothes, dressed as Daoist boys, but their good-looking faces kept close to Qin Liuxi, resembling two Little Immortals.

As Qin Liuxi approached, with a sidelong glance passing over the young boys and girls, her commanding presence frightened them into stepping back, their hearts beating rapidly.

That glance seemed inherently lethal!

Qin Mingbao was the only one unafraid of Qin Liuxi, rushing forward to courteously perform a salute, his eyes sparkling with pink bubbles, sweetly saying, “Big sister, you look really nice.”

This elder sister has a presence even more commanding than the brothers, her aura as if bringing a gust of wind—I will only marry such a man in the future!

And the elders had complex looks in their eyes.

Old Mrs. Qin lamented: If only she were a boy.

Mrs. Xie dissatisfied: More masculine than my son, it’s not proper!

Mrs. Wang pleased: The legitimate eldest daughter of our main branch is indeed outstanding!

Aunt Wan doubtful: The child I gave birth to, was indeed a girl?

Qin Mingchun was daydreaming, lost in thought about what ginseng spirits and fox spirits might eat to be full?