This night was destined to be sleepless. When Qin Yining closed her eyes, she could see Sun Shi’s severed head and body, blood everywhere, her head placed in a wooden cage and hung high on a pole. The pungent smell of blood seemed right at her nose—how could she possibly sleep peacefully?
Qin Yining stared blankly at the light azure silk bed curtains. Outside the curtains, a candle cast light that formed a hazy cross-shaped halo on the fabric.
Strong winds made the window lattice tremble and creak, and the candlelight flickered bright and dim, as if she could hear a woman crying.
Qin Yining’s heart lurched. She lifted the curtains and rose, standing dazed on the footstool. The crying sound disappeared again.
The room was filled with unfamiliar furnishings, the shadowy corners pitch black, as if hiding fierce beasts ready to pounce and devour her at any moment.
Qin Yining rubbed her aching forehead and wearily sat back on the edge of the bed, resting her head against the bedpost with closed eyes.
With a “creak,” Bingtang entered carrying a lamp, asking with concern, “Why isn’t Miss sleeping?”
“What time is it?”
“It’s already the middle of the yin hour.” Bingtang placed the lamp on the table, immediately brightening the room and driving away all the beasts hidden in the darkness.
“Miss must have been too worried to sleep all night?”
“With such a major incident happening, how could I sleep?”
Bingtang placed three fingers on Qin Yining’s wrist at the cun, guan, and chi positions. After checking the pulse in both hands, she said, “Miss’s body has no major problems. Later I’ll prepare some heat-clearing side dishes for you and have you drink more water—you’ll be fine in two days. But is Miss experiencing abdominal pain today?”
Qin Yining nodded: “Indeed there’s abdominal pain, and my hands and feet are terribly cold.”
“Miss suffered from cold in the past, and now with your first monthly cycle approaching, abdominal pain is natural. But don’t worry, Miss—I’ll help regulate your body from now on. Within a year, the cold symptoms from before can be resolved. Miss has a good physical foundation, so it definitely won’t affect childbearing.”
Qin Yining blushed upon hearing this: “What kind of talk is that?”
Seeing Qin Yining’s brow finally relax, Bingtang deliberately teased, “It’s the natural order of heaven and human relations, proper etiquette—nothing improper about it. We who study medicine see through these things and aren’t like those false moralists.”
“You’re such a chatterbox.” Qin Yining had almost forgotten that Bingtang was actually a girl the same age as herself.
“Miss should lie down for a while. I’ll go and come right back.”
“Thank you for your trouble.” Qin Yining smiled gratefully.
Originally, these matters should have been explained by her mother, but she had learned some from Nanny Zhan and Nanny Jin, and now it was Bingtang caring for her.
She felt grateful that Bingtang and Song Lan could accompany her at this time. If she were alone, she wouldn’t know what to do.
Soon Song Lan and Bingtang returned together, serving Qin Yining in dressing and washing. After tidying everything up, they brought warm rice porridge and several side dishes for her to eat.
With the warm porridge in her stomach, Qin Yining felt somewhat better, and her complexion was no longer as white as frost and snow.
“Is Master awake?”
Manager Zhong’s voice came from outside the door.
Qin Yining quickly went to open the door.
“Manager Zhong, how did things go?”
Manager Zhong entered, looking haggard from also not sleeping all night, but with a smile on his face: “Master, mission accomplished. I’ve hired four skilled men who promise they’ll definitely rescue the person. I’ve promised them five thousand taels of silver each as reward upon success.”
“Excellent. Thank you for your trouble, Manager Zhong.” Qin Yining’s heart, which had been suspended all night, could finally be put at ease.
She had tossed and turned all night, fearing that no matter how much money they offered, they couldn’t buy help.
Now that they had people, she began worrying about the operation failing.
Song Lan, observing her expression, supported Qin Yining as she sat down, saying, “Miss, don’t worry. We’ll catch them off guard, and Madam will surely turn misfortune into fortune. It’s still early now. What you needed to arrange has been arranged, and you’ve done all you could. You should go inside and rest for a moment to gather your energy for dealing with the noon affair.”
Qin Yining understood the reasoning, but it was difficult to put into practice.
Seeing Qin Yining like this, Bingtang couldn’t help but think of her former self, and her nose began to sting. Unfortunately, at this time, they as servants could only do their best to care for Qin Yining—there was nothing else they could do.
Qin Yining sat like this until the early part of the si hour, truly unable to wait any longer, and summoned Manager Zhong.
“Please arrange a carriage and horses for me, Manager Zhong, just as I usually use.”
“Does Master still plan to go to the execution ground today?”
“Whether it succeeds or fails, I must see the result with my own eyes. If it succeeds, I’ll return to the mansion and continue being the Qin family’s young miss as if nothing happened. If it fails…” Qin Yining’s voice caught, then she forced herself to speak calmly: “If it fails, I’ll still go back and continue being the Grand Secretary’s legitimate daughter.” But what she would do afterward, no one could stop her.
Manager Zhong sighed and nodded upon hearing this.
With the sudden incident, Qin Yining could make arrangements in the shortest time, think of countermeasures, and restrain herself from acting impulsively—not involving the entire Qin family due to worry and resentment. Compared to Qin Yining’s approach, Sun Shi’s unprovoked disaster seemed even more foolish.
Manager Zhong silently criticized this in his heart, but couldn’t very well openly judge his master’s mother, so he went to carry out the instructions.
Qin Yining dressed properly and, enduring the dragging pain in her lower abdomen, boarded the carriage with a pale face, heading toward the Meridian Gate.
Grand Secretary Qin had just successfully concluded peace negotiations, bringing peaceful days to the people of Great Yan, yet the Emperor immediately turned around to kill the meritorious subject’s legitimate wife. This news had already spread throughout the capital, and many citizens had come early to cry injustice for the Grand Secretary’s wife.
However, since it was an imperial edict of death, and the Grand Secretary’s wife had also insulted the Emperor, with the huge label of “having disloyal intentions” hanging over her, who dared to act rashly?
Therefore, the people’s petitions and citizens’ pleas were currently useless.
When noon arrived, Sun Shi—dressed in snow-white undergarments, hair disheveled, bound with ropes and gagged with torn cloth—was pushed forward by the executioner.
Seeing the person arrive, the watching crowd erupted in an uproar, with people pushing and surging forward.
If not for the Five City Military Commissioner’s Office and the Ministry of Justice having arranged everything beforehand, forming a circle to block them, the people would have rushed inside.
Qin Yining, with Bingtang and Song Lan, stood at the very front of the crowd.
Upon seeing Sun Shi’s dirty face, Qin Yining could no longer hold back her tears and cried out loudly, “Mother!”
The young girl’s voice was clear and crisp, and with genuine sorrowful emotion, it carried far into the distance.
The common people, discovering that beside them was Grand Secretary Qin’s legitimate daughter, all intentionally made way, as if afraid of crowding her.
Everyone around had already clearly seen Qin Yining’s appearance.
At this moment, everyone couldn’t help but feel:
No wonder the foolish ruler ordered Grand Secretary Qin to bring his legitimate daughter for peace negotiations.
Miss Qin was indeed worthy of being the daughter of “Intelligent Pan An.”
But the Qin family was truly too pitiful!
No matter which person from Great Zhou had taken a fancy to Miss Qin, Grand Secretary Qin had sacrificed his daughter for the peace negotiations. After returning home, not only did they encounter assassination attempts, but the foolish ruler also wanted to kill Grand Secretary Qin’s legitimate wife!
This was simply against heaven’s law and devoid of humanity!
The citizens became even more indignant, shouting in chorus:
“What crime did Lady Qin commit! Why must she be executed by beheading for public display!”
“Grand Secretary Qin has merit toward the state—shouldn’t His Majesty show leniency!”
“Exactly! For Grand Secretary Qin’s sake, he shouldn’t kill his wife!”
…
Sun Shi knelt on the platform, seeing Qin Yining blocked by soldiers from the Five City Military Commissioner’s Office not far away. Tears flowed uncontrollably down her face as she struggled while continuously shaking her head at Qin Yining, as if she had something to tell her. But because her mouth was gagged, she couldn’t make a sound and could only shed tears anxiously.
Seeing her mother like this, Qin Yining momentarily forgot about reason and forcefully pushed past the soldiers in front of her to rush forward. But this was, after all, an execution ground. Even though Qin Yining was strong, she was still just a woman. The soldier grabbed her and threw her back into the crowd, where she fell sitting on the ground.
“Miss Qin, we respect Grand Secretary Qin. Please think twice! The execution ground is a solemn place—how can you rush about recklessly!”
Qin Yining bit her teeth and stood up with the help of Bingtang and Song Lan.
With so many soldiers, and she had only found four people—could they succeed?
Just then, the crowd of onlookers surged again, as if someone was pushing from behind, causing those in front to advance several steps.
Only then did Qin Yining notice several tall men around her. These people were all dressed as common citizens, looking ordinary, but with very sturdy builds.
Qin Yining couldn’t help but feel puzzled.
Could these be the ones she had hired? No, they didn’t know who the real employer was and wouldn’t come to her side.
“Noon has arrived—execute!” The supervising official shouted loudly, and the scene fell instantly silent.
Sun Shi continuously shook her head, tears and snot flowing, sobbing muffledly.
The executioner pulled out the execution notice and threw it on the ground, then raised the ghost-head blade high.
Qin Yining’s heart leaped to her throat as she looked around for the people she had hired.
At the front of the crowd, more than ten men were already preparing to charge forward.
At this critical moment, a sharp whistling sound suddenly came through the air!
With a crisp “ding,” the ghost-head blade was broken in two by an arrow. The executioner fell sitting on the ground. The arrow’s momentum didn’t decrease as it embedded itself in the round wooden pole supporting the tent behind the supervising official, piercing deep into the wood with only the arrow’s tail visible.
The supervising official was shocked and shouted in alarm, “Who dares to cause trouble! Quickly capture them!”
The dozen or so men who had planned to act stopped their hands.
“Display this king’s banner and let them see who I am.”
Hearing a familiar voice, Qin Yining turned around in astonishment.
She saw Pang Xiao in gorgeous purple python robes, wearing a dark sable-collared cloak, sitting upright on a black, glossy tall horse. Leading more than ten Huben Army soldiers, he approached like a mountain splitting the sea. The common people on both sides scattered like waves, while red banners with black “Pang” characters and the Huben Army’s black banners with golden tigers fluttered arrogantly in the wind.
Qin Yining, Bingtang, and Song Lan were protected by those tall men and moved aside with the crowd, making way for the suddenly arriving troops.
Pang Xiao rode forward at a leisurely pace, holding a large bow in his hand, his eyes filled with world-conquering arrogance.
“What’s this? Just finished peace negotiations and you dare kill this king’s mother-in-law! Go ask your Emperor if he still wants to go to war? Hmm?”
Author’s Note: Pang Xiao: I saw little bunny! So happy! Foolish Moon: Finished writing early, so updating early! Happy Lantern Festival everyone! Pang Xiao: You’re the author? (stroking chin) When will you arrange for this king and bunny to have their wedding night? Foolish Moon: Hello, I’m busy right now, I’ll contact you later. Pang Xiao: …