Quick Transmigration: The Cannon Fodder Female Supporting Character's Revenge

"It's nothing," Qi Yuan changed her words. "It's just that seeing the new second aunt today reminded me of the old second aunt. My elder sister was worried about you, so she asked about your situation."

"Thank you for your concern, elder sister." Qi Ning said seriously, "Of course I don't regard Zeng as my mother, but now that she has her father to support her, what can I do?"

She sighed, feigning sadness, "Elder brother and sister, I won't say any more. I'll take Tang'er back first."

"Okay, then you should go back quickly," Qi Yuan replied hastily.

Qi Ning's gaze swept quickly past the artificial hill as if by accident before she left with Qi Tang and the maids.

Watching Qi Ning and his group walk away, Qi Jinglin stroked his chin: "I feel like Qi Ning's attitude towards the Zeng family is a bit strange. Didn't you say you had already tried to sow discord?"

“I also find it strange,” Qi Yuan said thoughtfully. “Judging from what she just said, it seems to be because of her second uncle.”

"It can't go on like this..."

"Don't worry, didn't she just say that she doesn't consider Zeng Shi her mother? She probably still dislikes her, but she didn't show it because of Second Uncle's sake."

"I hope so."

"Alright, alright." Qi Yuan looked around and then pulled Qi Jinglin back. "Don't say it here, or someone might overhear."

After the brother and sister left, a while later, Qi Jingyu emerged from behind the artificial hill with Xiuzhu.

"Second Young Master..."

Xiuzhu hesitated, as if he had just heard something he shouldn't have.

It seems the eldest young master and young lady are plotting something against the second young lady.

Qi Jingyu's face was expressionless, and no one could guess what he was thinking.

Seeing this, Xiuzhu dared not say anything more.

Qi Ning took Qi Tang back to Qiyun Pavilion. Because Qi Tang was young, she did not live in a separate courtyard and temporarily lived in the same courtyard as Qi Ning.

In the afternoon, Qi Ning was reading in the room, with Dong Yue fanning her. Suddenly, Dong Xue came in.

"Miss, the Second Master has sent word that he requests your presence in his study," Dongxue reported.

Qi Ning calmly put down the book in her hand: "I understand."

She stood up and instructed, "Dongxue, come with me. Dongyue, you stay here. Tang'er will probably come looking for me later, so you can play with her for a while."

"Yes," Dongyue and Dongxue replied in unison.

Qi Ning could guess why Qi Congming had come to see her; it was probably one of two things: either it was about Zeng Wanqing or it was about Qi Jingyu.

She led Dongxue to the door of Qi Congming's study. Dongxue was stopped at the door, and Qi Ning went into the study alone.

Qi Congming was the only one in the study, but as soon as Qi Ning entered, she sensed a faint presence behind the screen.

At this time, Qi Congming and Zeng Wanqing were not yet familiar with or trusting of each other, and he could not possibly let Zeng Wanqing hide behind him and eavesdrop.

Then there's only one possibility: Qi Jingyu.

She looked at Qi Congming: "Father, you wanted to see me?"

Qi Congming was standing behind his desk, writing something, when he heard Qi Ning's voice. He immediately put down his brush and looked up at Qi Ning.

"Ning'er is here? Please have a seat."

Qi Ning sat down in the chair and looked up to examine Qi Congming carefully.

Qi Congming was dressed in a black robe. He was tall, handsome, and had bright, piercing eyes.

Although he was thirty-two years old, his face was still full of masculinity. Time had not left too many marks on his face, except that his skin was slightly dark due to years of guarding the frontier.

Such an image certainly makes him worthy of the role of the male lead in a novel about a second wife.

Qi Congming also sat down in the seat opposite Qi Ning, and he instructed the servant to serve tea.

As soon as the servant who served tea left, Qi Ning asked, "I wonder why Father summoned me here today?"

Looking at Qi Ning's unfamiliar demeanor, Qi Congming couldn't help but feel a little sad.

To outsiders, he does indeed have three children.

However, Qi Jingyu was not his biological son, and Qi Tang was born after he went to the frontier.

Qi Ning was different. She was his first child and grew up by his side until she was eight years old. During those eight years, Qi Congming watched this child grow up little by little.

As a child, Qi Ning was very spoiled and clingy. She would always run into his arms and call him "Daddy" to pester him to buy her candied hawthorns. Her mother would always watch the father and daughter with a smile.

But later... later he went to the frontier, and his wife died in childbirth. As her father, he was unable to be by her and their youngest daughter's side for seven years.

He heard from the people in the manor that Qi Ning, at such a young age, had lost her mother and her father was not around, yet she still took care of her younger sister in a sensible way.

He was absent for seven years. His daughter grew up and no longer called him "Daddy" in a spoiled way. Instead, she addressed him as "Father" in a distant and indifferent manner.

Qi Congming hadn't shed a single tear even when he faced death on the battlefield, but now, looking at his daughter, his eyes welled up with tears.

So much so that he almost forgot the purpose of calling Qi Ning over today.

It was only after Qi Ning called his name again that Qi Congming managed to suppress his tears.

He said in a deep voice, "Ning'er, my marriage to Zeng Shi this time was rather rushed. I didn't have time to discuss it carefully with you and Tang'er. I'm sorry to have troubled you."

Since returning to Beijing, Qi Congming has been extremely busy.

He first discussed border issues with His Majesty many times. After the matter was settled, before Qi Congming could even rest for a few days, His Majesty issued another decree appointing Qi Congming as the commander-in-chief of the Five Armies.

The Fifth Army Camp was located in the outskirts of the capital. Qi Congming spent most of his time in the military camp in the outskirts of the capital and did not have much time to spend at the Marquis's residence.

Ever since he and Zeng Wanqing agreed to get married, Qi Congming had asked the old lady to handle everything, and he himself had no time to take care of it.

As for Qi Ning and Qi Tang, it was also a matter that the old lady discussed with the two sisters.

Only now did Qi Congming have time to properly talk to his daughter about this matter.

When they met in the morning, Qi Congming felt guilty because he saw that the two sisters, Qi Ning and Qi Tang, were very cooperative and did not embarrass Zeng Shi.

Hearing Qi Congming's words, Qi Ning replied with a half-smile, "It's understandable that Father remarries without consulting his daughter, who is his junior. I just don't know if Father has discussed this matter with Mother. You've only just returned from the frontier, and you're remarrying so soon. Is this fair to our deceased mother?"

Upon hearing this, Qi Congming's expression stiffened slightly.

He didn't expect Qi Ning to say these things.

“Ning’er, I know you are unhappy about my quick remarriage, but there are some unavoidable reasons why I married Zeng.”

"Yeah."

Qi Ning had a question in her mind that she had to voice.

She asked, "Are those unavoidable reasons only resolved by marrying Zeng? Are there no other ways to deal with them?"

Upon hearing this, Qi Congming's dark complexion visibly paled.

Qi Ning's question hit the nail on the head.

Indeed, there are other ways to resolve the issue besides marrying Zeng to apologize for trespassing into her room, repay her for saving his life, and keep her secret from that night.

But this is the only convenient way to solve the problem in one fell swoop.

At first, Qi Congming had no intention of marrying Zeng Wanqing. However, if he wanted her to keep the events of that night a secret, the only thing that could be kept secret was the mouth of a dead man.

But Zeng Wanqing was innocent after all, and Qi Congming couldn't just kill her to silence her, not to mention that she had helped him escape the search.

Qi Congming then told his advisors about the matter and asked them for advice.

After hearing the whole story, the staff told Qi Congming about the rumors circulating in the capital about Zeng Wanqing's troubled marriage.

At the time, Qi Congming's advisors told him that what happened that night was of great importance and that Zeng Wanqing had to be kept secret. The best way to do this was to kill her, but Qi Congming was not one to kill innocent people indiscriminately.

Given this, the advisors proposed that Qi Congming marry Zeng Wanqing, claiming that this method would solve the problem once and for all.

Moreover, Qi Congming needs someone to occupy the position of his wife; otherwise, His Majesty will find an opportunity to arrange a woman for him.

It would be better to marry Lady Zeng than to marry a spy arranged by His Majesty.

Therefore, Qi Congming proposed to Zeng Wanqing.

But these reasons were of great importance, and Qi Congming did not want Qi Ning to get involved, so he could not tell her any of them.

Seeing that Qi Congming remained silent, Qi Ning smiled and said, "If Father doesn't speak, does that mean that there were other ways to resolve those issues, but Father still married her?"

"Father, stop acting like you're so deeply in love with Mother. If you really cared about Mother, you wouldn't have remarried so soon after returning to the capital. If you had waited a year or two before marrying, no one would have said anything."

Yes, the original owner's mother had indeed been dead for seven years, but Qi Congming had not been there for those seven years; he had only just returned.

In fact, he had other ways to deal with Zeng Wanqing, but he still chose to marry her.

Perhaps he had other compelling reasons, but in the end he still failed the original owner's mother.

Qi Ning couldn't bear to see Qi Congming acting like he deeply loved his wife.

However, any couple would likely have a fading relationship after being separated for seven years, let alone the fact that the original owner's mother had been dead for seven years. Even if their feelings were deep seven years ago, they would have worn away with time.

"Ning'er..." Qi Congming hesitated, wanting to say something but stopping himself.

Qi Ning said, "Father, please stop talking about this now. It's no use saying more now. I just hope that you can take care of your guilt towards Mother and treat Tang'er, whom Mother risked her life to give birth to, well."

"And then there's Madam Zeng. I'm only sparing her from trouble because of my father, but if she dares to treat Tang'er badly, I'll definitely fight her to the death."

Qi Congming nodded: "Don't worry about that. If Zeng treats you two sisters badly, you don't need to do anything. I will definitely stand up for you."

Qi Ning didn't respond to this. She only said, "Did Father call me here just to talk about this? If that's all, then I'll go back now."

Qi Congming composed himself and quickly said, "There's something else."

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