The carriage traveled along the official road leading to the Immortal Maiden Temple. Qin Yining and Cao Yuqing shared one carriage – Qin Yining brought Bingtang, while Cao Yuqing brought a personal elderly nanny. The four women sat on either side, with six household guards following outside the carriage.

Both Qin Yining and Bingtang maintained dignified and elegant postures with proper etiquette.

The elderly nanny Cao Yuqing brought was slightly more relaxed, while Cao Yuqing herself lazily leaned against a large pillow, holding a small bag of snacks. Her cherry-small mouth slightly pouted as she sucked on a plum while reading a story book, occasionally letting out soft laughter.

Her voice was delicate and gentle. When she laughed, it was like an oriole singing in the valley – particularly pleasant. The bits of light filtering through the carriage curtain gaps illuminated the gold-inlaid pearl hair ornament at her temple, creating elegant halos that made her skin appear snow-white and her beauty exceptional.

Bingtang kept her head lowered, playing with a small wooden box about a thumb’s width and three inches long, hiding her hatred toward the Cao family well.

Qin Yining, on the other hand, openly and generously admired the beauty without reservation.

Cao Yuqing spat out a fruit pit and looked up to meet Qin Yining’s gaze, couldn’t help but smile slightly: “Why is Fourth Miss looking at this concubine like that?”

“Concubine Cao’s beauty could topple cities. Everyone has a heart for appreciating beauty – having the fortune to share a carriage, I naturally must seize the opportunity to look a few more times.” Qin Yining smiled as she spoke quite seriously.

If these words came from a man’s mouth, it would be undisguised flirtation. But coming from Qin Yining speaking so earnestly, it evoked no feelings of disgust.

Cao Yuqing laughed: “Fourth Miss is joking. This concubine is already middle-aged – where is there any city-toppling beauty? However, Fourth Miss speaks reasonably – when a beauty is present, one must certainly seize the opportunity to look a few more times.”

She tossed aside the story book and lazily propped up half her body with her elbow, beginning to admire Qin Yining.

Her gaze contained no hostility, falling on Qin Yining’s face as if appreciating a precious antique treasure.

If Qin Yining were an ordinary young lady, she would have blushed by now.

But she wasn’t – she simply felt that if Cao Yuqing wanted to look, she could do as she pleased. After all, she hadn’t looked at her any less, so this was also fair. Moreover, they were both women – why care so much?

Gradually, Cao Yuqing’s gaze at Qin Yining’s pretty face became even more gentle, warm as if containing spring water. Yet her eyes gradually became somewhat vacant, as if seeing someone else through Qin Yining.

Qin Yining keenly perceived the change and, thinking of people’s comments about her appearance, understood somewhat.

Qin Huaiyuan now wore a beard and had changed in temperament with age – he certainly no longer had the appearance that once crowned the capital in his youth. The current Qin Huaiyuan was an elegant middle-aged handsome man with somewhat ethereal scholarly bearing.

What Cao Yuqing saw through her face was probably the beardless young man who was called “Wise Pan’an” in his youth.

“How long have Auntie and my father known each other?”

Qin Yining’s words brought Cao Yuqing back to her senses.

She blinked and smiled: “Knowing each other is mutual, so true acquaintance hasn’t been long. However, before I married, I had seen the Marquis and Madam at palace banquets.”

Qin Yining nodded in understanding.

Actually, she could see that Cao Yuqing was fond of Father.

Regardless of whether Cao Yuqing was Imperial Uncle Cao’s daughter, and regardless of why Cao Yuqing had lured Mother into staying at the palace and what role she played in it – undeniably, when facing Father, Cao Yuqing was extremely respectful, restrained, and even subtly accommodating.

This accommodation wasn’t for competing for favor, but because of genuine affection.

When Cao Yuqing was unmarried, Father should have already been over thirty.

Thirty years old was a man’s prime. Having shed youthful inexperience, at peak appearance and most mature and steady age.

“I was born when you were already old” – this too was a regret.

Qin Yining smiled slightly: “Auntie recently…”

Before finishing her words, the carriage suddenly shook violently!

The horses neighed loudly, followed immediately by the guards’ shouting: “Who are you people!”

Qin Yining’s heart tensed. She quickly lifted a corner of the carriage curtain to look outside, while Cao Yuqing yanked open the window curtain.

Outside the carriage, they saw a group of men dressed as poor commoners, each with faces covered by ragged cloth and wielding clubs, with a few holding knives – over twenty people total, surrounding the carriage completely.

They were currently in a location with no village ahead and no inn behind, with forests on both sides of the road. Though the main road to the Immortal Maiden Temple was straight and clear, there were no other travelers passing by!

Qin Yining shrank back into the carriage in fright. Seeing Cao Yuqing still recklessly looking outside, she quickly pulled her back: “Auntie, be careful not to show your face!” Was this person trying to cause trouble! With her looks, even if the mountain bandits had no ill intentions, they would develop some upon seeing her!

“What do we do, what can we do!” Bingtang anxiously grabbed Qin Yining.

Cao Yuqing was also supported by the elderly Nanny Lü, both trembling uncontrollably.

The mountain bandits outside the carriage had already charged forward, fighting with the guards.

When clubs clashed, Qin Yining could still hear crude men roaring: “That woman is really pretty! Capture her to be the mountain stronghold wife!”

Qin Yining and Cao Yuqing looked at each other, both showing terror on their faces.

“At this point, we can only fight for our lives!” Qin Yining randomly pulled out the silver hairpin from her head and gripped it reversed in her hand. “Quick, look for anything that can be used as weapons – prepare quickly!”

“But, but they have knives!” Cao Yuqing also followed Qin Yining’s example, pulling out a hairpin to hold.

Just as she finished speaking, several screams came from outside the carriage.

The Qin family guards had actually been slain outside the carriage!

A blood-stained steel blade lifted the carriage curtain, followed by a rough, thick-browed man poking his head in. Though his face was covered by cloth and couldn’t be seen clearly, the amazed look in his eyes upon seeing Qin Yining and Cao Yuqing was completely undisguised.

“Tsk tsk, the little ladies are truly beautiful!” As he spoke, he extended his large hand toward Qin Yining’s face.

Qin Yining glared at the man through gritted teeth. The instant his hand approached, she suddenly stabbed fiercely with her hairpin.

The man was caught off guard by the stab – not only was a bloody hole poked in his arm, but a gash was also torn open, with blood immediately spurting out.

“Ah!” The man retreated.

Seeing that he had actually been injured, his companions all burst into laughter.

The man was furious and pointed his knife tip at Qin Yining, cursing: “You damn girl! You’re seeking death!” He then threw away his knife and pounced forward.

Qin Yining fought with all her strength against the man. Though she was strong, she didn’t know martial arts. Among the four women in the carriage, only she could be of any use. Cao Yuqing and Nanny Lü were already frightened pale and weak all over, not daring to move. Bingtang’s resistance could also be ignored in their eyes.

In the end, all four women were still dragged out.

Cao Yuqing screamed once in fright and fainted. Nanny Lü supported her, frightened to tears.

Bingtang was more composed but still pale and trembling all over.

Qin Yining’s hands were twisted behind her back by two men. The pain forced her to bend over, but she still glared at them defiantly and demanded: “What exactly do you want to do!”