With her delicate face and slender waist, the royal uncle lost control.

Qin Senyao quickly stood up, feeling somewhat embarrassed, and bowed, replying, "Grandmother, Nian'er... perhaps she was delayed on the way. I have sent someone to urge her, and she should arrive soon."

Qin Jiuchen kept his eyes lowered, leaning back in the rosewood armchair. His slender fingers tapped lightly on the smooth armrests, his expression indifferent, revealing neither joy nor anger.

Time passed slowly, and one exquisite dish after another was served, their aroma filling the air, but Yun Nian's seat remained empty.

The atmosphere at the table began to become somewhat awkward, and the old lady's expression gradually darkened.

Qin Senyao was extremely restless, sweat beading on his forehead. Finally, he couldn't help but whisper to his servant Bai Shi behind him, "Go quickly to the door and see where Miss Yun is."

Just as Bai Shi was about to leave the warm pavilion, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the door.

Everyone looked up and saw Yun Nian walking in hurriedly, supported by her maid Qi Luo.

She was clearly dressed up carefully today.

Wearing a brand-new light red floral soft silk dress, with powder on her face, rouge on her lips, and bright lipstick on her lips, she looked radiant.

However, this "brightness" has an inexplicable strangeness about it.

The colors of her rouge and lipstick were too intense, creating a stark contrast with her pale complexion, as if she were deliberately concealing something.

Her once bright and clear eyes, though she tried to open them wide, could not hide the deep weariness and a hint of unfocus.

Qin Jiuchen's gaze lingered on her face for a moment, and his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

He recalled Chensha's report, saying that when Qiluo went to the pharmacy that day, she only bought some ordinary and cheap heat-clearing and detoxifying ointments and antipyretic herbs, without even a decent tonic.

At the time, he was busy with government affairs and did not think about it deeply.

Looking back now...

Yun Nian stood at the doorway, trying to suppress the dryness and itchiness in her throat and the dizziness that was making her vision blur.

She released Qiluo's hand, took a few steps forward on her own, and gracefully bowed to the old matriarch in the main seat, her voice gentle and melodious.

"May the Dowager Madam be blessed. Greetings to all the elders. I am late, please forgive me, Dowager Madam and all the elders."

The old lady sized up the future granddaughter-in-law in front of her, and her first impression was not very good.

This makeup and attire, while beautiful, lacks a certain elegance and grace, appearing rather frivolous and deliberate.

More importantly, being late for a family dinner is considered impolite.

"Miss Yun,"

The old matriarch's voice carried the authority of someone who had long held a high position; it wasn't harsh, but it made one's heart tighten.

"Next month you will marry into the Prince's Mansion and become Senyao's wife. Now you are practically a daughter-in-law of the Qin family. Once you enter the Qin family, you should know how to behave and be polite. Today's family banquet is here, and all the elders are present, yet you have arrived late, which truly shows a lack of manners befitting a future daughter-in-law of the Qin family."

These words, though not harsh, struck Yun Nian's face with every single one, as well as Qin Senyao's, who had arranged for her to come.

Yun Nian lowered her head, her long eyelashes trembling. She knelt down again, her voice even lower: "Grandmother is right. Nian'er knows she was wrong."

Seeing her submissive appearance, Qin Senyao felt no pity whatsoever, but rather felt even more ashamed.

He abruptly stood up, walked to Yun Nian, his face dark. "Yun Nian, you are utterly lacking in manners. How can you expect Grandmother and all the uncles and elders to wait for you alone? You should apologize sincerely to Father, and to your eldest and second uncles."

Yun Nian raised her head, her gaze slowly sweeping over everyone at the table.

Their eyes all revealed a mocking look of anticipation.

Her gaze fell on the man next to the head of the table.

Qin Jiuchen was looking at her quietly, his eyes devoid of any emotion, yet sharp enough to pierce through the heavy makeup on her face.

Yun Nian felt a slight chill and quickly suppressed all outward emotions, leaving only a face full of vulnerability and grievance.

She opened her mouth, as if trying to explain something.

In the end, she just bit her bright red lips and stubbornly refused to speak.

Her eyes quickly reddened, tears welling up inside, threatening to fall but not quite, making her look even more pitiful.

Qin Jiaxue, who had been quiet all along, spoke softly at the opportune moment, "Sister Yun Nian, what Grandmother said makes sense. As the younger generation, we should be even more careful in our words and actions before we are married, and respect our husband's elders. It was indeed wrong of you to be late today and keep all the elders waiting. In my opinion, a verbal apology is not enough to show your sincerity."

She paused, her voice becoming even softer, "Sister, why don't you kneel down and apologize to the elders to show your remorse?"

Upon hearing this, Qin Senyao not only didn't help Yun Nian, but immediately echoed, "Xue'er is right. Yun Nian, kneel down and apologize to everyone properly!"

kneel down?

Yun Nian swayed slightly.

A cold, mocking glint flashed in her eyes, so quick that no one noticed.

Then, she raised her head and looked at Qin Senyao through teary eyes.

Qin Senyao felt a sudden pang of unease under her gaze, but with everyone watching, he couldn't back down. He urged, "What are you still standing there for?"

Yun Nian seemed to have finally resigned herself to her fate, and the light in her eyes gradually faded.

She tilted her head slightly and gave Qiluo beside her a wink.

Qiluo understood, and holding back her tears, she was about to help her young mistress slowly bend her knees.

At that moment, a deep voice suddenly rang out.

"Since when did it become your place, Qin Senyao, to dictate the rules of the Qin family?"

Everyone, including the matriarch in the main seat, turned around in astonishment to look at the source of the sound.

Qin Jiuchen remained in the same posture, not even glancing at Qin Senyao, and slowly put down the wine glass in his hand.

He slowly raised his eyes, his gaze like an icy blade, sweeping over Qin Senyao, whose face instantly turned deathly pale, and Qin Jiaxue, who was equally frozen.

Finally, the gaze fell upon Yun Nian, who looked up in astonishment.

Yun Nian maintained her half-bent knees position, but her heart began to pound violently at that moment.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Qin Senyao's face turning deathly pale, and the fleeting fear in Qin Jiaxue's eyes.

The old lady frowned slightly, but did not speak immediately.

"stand up."

Qin Jiuchen's voice rang out again, this time addressed to Yun Nian, still devoid of emotion: "Come and sit down."

He gestured with his eyes to indicate that there was an empty seat.

Yun Nian slowly straightened up, took slightly unsteady steps, walked to the empty seat, and sat down quietly.

The atmosphere inside the warm pavilion became even more somber.

The old lady cleared her throat, breaking the suffocating silence. She glanced at Qin Jiuchen with a complicated look, then turned to Yun Nian, her tone softening slightly.

"Alright, I suppose Yun didn't mean to be late; perhaps she was genuinely delayed on the way. Now that everyone's here, let's begin the meal."

After saying that, the old lady took the lead and picked up a piece of vegetarian food in front of her with her chopsticks.

With her taking the lead, the others seemed to be freed from their spell and gradually began to pick up their chopsticks.

The previous relaxed conversation and laughter were gone, replaced only by the soft clatter of bowls and chopsticks and the suppressed sounds of chewing.

Yun Nian lowered her eyes and ate the white rice in front of her in small bites, hardly touching the delicate dishes.

My stomach was empty, yet it was churning inexplicably.

She managed to eat a few bites before a fine layer of cold sweat appeared on her forehead, and her fingers holding the chopsticks trembled slightly. She had no choice but to gently put the chopsticks down.