As soon as the Old Madam spoke those words, Second Madam frowned deeply.
Seventh Miss blushed furiously and lowered her head.
Sun Shi could no longer tolerate it and slammed the table as she stood up: “Is this something a grandmother should say to her granddaughter? And you still call yourself a grandmother!”
“How I am as a grandmother is none of your business! The fine daughter you’ve raised—doing such filthy things before even being married, seducing men in public for so many people in the capital to see. As the old titled lady of this family, is it wrong for me to ask a few questions?”
“You!” Sun Shi was so furious she wanted to tear the Old Madam’s mouth apart: “You should speak with conscience! The peace negotiations weren’t something Yining chose to go to Xihua City for herself. How she went there, the Old Madam knows very well! If I had known the Old Madam would slander my daughter like this today, I should never have let Yining follow the imperial edict for the sake of the Qin family’s safety and national righteousness. So many men couldn’t accomplish it—why should my daughter have to sacrifice herself to participate in some peace negotiations!
“Now that things have come to this, a pure and innocent girl has to endure gossip, and even you, her own grandmother, won’t spare her. Touch your own conscience—are your actions proper? Yes, you’re right to ask. How impressive the Old Madam is! The Old Madam who gave birth to a fine son like Qin Meng—how could you ever be wrong? We’re the ones in the wrong! We should have directly defied the imperial edict from the beginning! And dragged all you Qin family members to be buried with us!!”
“What a Sun Shi! Using such sharp words to slander your mother-in-law—I will definitely convene the ancestral hall and divorce you!”
“You’ve wanted to divorce me for a long time! You couldn’t do it then, so try again now! I’m now a first-rank titled lady with imperial honors, and there’s even a chastity memorial arch erected for me outside the Qin family gates. You want to divorce me? Dream on!”
“You unfilial wretch!”
…
The Old Madam and Sun Shi began cursing each other face to face like this.
Second Madam and Seventh Miss were both shocked by this scene, momentarily forgetting to even try to separate them.
Qin Yining remained much calmer. She pulled Sun Shi back a few steps, smilingly helped her sit down, and poured her a bowl of tea: “Mother, please calm your anger. The Old Madam is my dear grandmother. This is the first time I’ve seen her speak of her granddaughter this way. I should thank the Old Madam for her teachings by word and example. Mother, please don’t get angry.”
Qin Yining had figured it out.
With the dispute over Sun Shi’s head execution, she and her grandmother had completely torn off all pretenses. Qin Yining no longer held any hope for the Old Madam, so she spoke without mercy now.
The Old Madam snorted coldly, “I’m asking you something—just answer. As your grandmother, for the future of all the girls in this family, I will also make plans for you. Don’t be ungrateful!”
“Thank you for the Old Madam’s kind intentions, but I wonder—could it be that the Old Madam has seen the ‘business opportunity’ in Prince Zhongshun and wants to sell her granddaughter for a good price to gain greater benefits for the Qin family?”
The Old Madam was so angry she was practically breathing fire. She pointed at Qin Yining and cursed furiously: “You wild girl with a father but no mother to teach you! Don’t get carried away! A few sweet words from Prince Pang and you’ve lost your bearings? Don’t forget whose surname you bear! Look at what you are—without the Qin family, would Prince Pang spare you even a glance?”
“Who has such audacity to presume to make decisions for this prince?” Outside the pavilion, Huzi lifted the bamboo curtain.
Pang Xiao had changed into a deep blue outfit, his hair bound high in a single tail hanging down his back. Compared to his earlier handsome nobility, he now looked more like an unsheathed blade.
Seeing Pang Xiao arrive, the Old Madam stood up in shock, unable to utter a single word.
Pang Xiao carefully looked the Old Madam up and down, then smiled and said, “It seems the rumors are true—you really do treat Yining poorly.”
Just this one ordinary statement was enough to make the Old Madam’s face turn deathly pale.
She feared Pang Xiao. Not only because of his notorious reputation that could stop children from crying, but also because of the past when Qin Huaiyuan had schemed to eliminate Pang Zhongzheng. This was also one reason why the Old Madam didn’t believe Qin Yining could win Pang Xiao’s favor.
The hatred of killing one’s father was irreconcilable—she didn’t believe Pang Xiao would ignore what happened back then. If he sought revenge, how could their Qin family withstand it? In the current situation, even the Emperor had to bow his head before Pang Xiao, let alone their Qin family.
The Old Madam had lived in luxury for these years, and Qin Huaiyuan was extremely filial, rarely troubling her with affairs. Having not dealt with major events for many years, when the Old Madam now faced Pang Xiao directly—with his sharp gaze that seemed ready to devour someone at any moment—she was like prey being stalked by a fierce tiger. She completely lost the courage to resist, trembling all over, her head spinning, unable to speak.
Pang Xiao snorted coldly. Since the Old Madam was Qin Yining’s grandmother after all, he didn’t continue frightening her—if he really scared her to death, it would be hard for Qin Yining to explain when she returned home.
Pang Xiao waved his hand, and Huzi immediately understood, bringing in a young and beautiful maid from outside.
The maid appeared to be sixteen or seventeen, as graceful as a young scallion, with a slender figure and delicate features. Her eyes were particularly bright.
“This servant pays respects to Miss.” The maid knelt and bowed.
Pang Xiao said, “This is Ji Yun. Have her serve you from now on.”
“Thank you for Your Highness’s kind intention, but I have enough people serving me and don’t need another.”
“I’ll pay her monthly wages. She has some martial skills and can protect you and help you with things. She’s obedient. You’re not allowed to refuse!”
Qin Yining frowned and pursed her lips—he was still so domineering.
Seeing that she seemed unhappy, Pang Xiao realized his words had been too harsh and quickly tried to make amends: “I’m doing this for your own good. In the future, whoever dares to bully you, you don’t need to endure it. When you can use your hands, never waste words—it’s too mentally exhausting. When you’re angry, just have Ji Yun kill them and be done with it. Don’t be polite.”
“You…” Qin Yining was so shocked she didn’t know what to say.
Pang Xiao seemed to see Qin Yining’s concerns. He lightly touched her delicate chin with his index finger and leaned close to her: “Remember this—even if you poke a hole in the sky, I can hold it up for you.”
Qin Yining kept backing away, avoiding Pang Xiao’s finger and the suddenly heated temperature around him.
The Old Madam, Second Madam, and Seventh Miss had long been stunned.
No one could have imagined that Pang Xiao would be so indulgent toward Qin Yining.
The Old Madam’s lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but Second Madam grabbed her hand firmly.
Second Madam came from a scholarly family and wasn’t usually like Third Madam in knowing how to flatter and please the Old Madam. The Old Madam didn’t particularly like her either. But Second Madam’s grip on the Old Madam truly made her shiver with alarm.
Yes. At this moment, it was best to say nothing and not anger this fiend. Otherwise, with his unpredictable temperament and tendency to kill like cutting grass, whether they could even return home was questionable.
Pang Xiao turned and instructed: “Go tell them below to prepare carriages and horses. This prince will personally escort Miss Qin and the Marquis Anping’s wife back to their residence.”
“Yes.” Huzi immediately bowed and went to prepare.
Pang Xiao then looked back at the Old Madam and smiled: “As for you all, do as you please.”
After saying this, without waiting for the Old Madam and the others to react, he turned and lifted the curtain first to leave.
Qin Yining supported Sun Shi, followed by the shocked Nanny Jin and Bingtang who was trying so hard not to laugh she was about to suffer internal injuries. They all left the courtyard gate and walked onto the small path covered with peach blossoms.
Pang Xiao walked in front, tall and straight, his bearing imposing as he moved like a fierce tiger descending the mountain, not to be underestimated.
Such a person who could be considered a threat to outsiders had always been accommodating and humble before her, keeping his posture extremely low. Actually, if Pang Xiao really wanted her, she believed that with just one word, he could make the Great Yan Emperor package her up and send her over. But Pang Xiao hadn’t done this. He would rather blacken his own reputation to save face for her in front of others, and had repeatedly shown such indulgence toward her.
Qin Yining wasn’t made of stone—how could she not be moved?
Although she didn’t like Pang Xiao’s high-profile methods, she felt his sincerity.
Qin Yining looked at his back, frowning thoughtfully.
But Pang Xiao seemed to sense something and looked back, meeting Qin Yining’s gaze that she hadn’t had time to withdraw.
Their eyes met. Pang Xiao seemingly paid no attention and turned back to continue down the mountain. But his accelerated heartbeat betrayed his current nervousness and excitement.
That kind of look—Qin Yining should have feelings for him too, right?
Sun Shi was supported by her daughter and wanted to speak several times but held back, finally only sighing.
The Old Madam and the others had long been kept at the back by Huzi’s orders, not allowed to approach Qin Yining. It was clear that Pang Xiao’s earlier words about letting them do as they pleased weren’t said in jest.
The Old Madam frowned tightly, feeling she had lost all the face of several lifetimes.
Even if she didn’t like Qin Yining and found her too clever to manipulate, Qin Yining was still a daughter of their Qin family. This Prince Pang’s indulgence toward Qin Yining and ruthlessness toward others formed a stark contrast. Such a strong difference made the Old Madam have to be on guard.
If nothing else, that maid called Ji Yun couldn’t be allowed to stay.
The Old Madam walked and thought all the way. Only when she got on the carriage did she realize that she, Second Madam, Seventh Miss, and Nanny Qin had all been left far behind by Pang Xiao and Qin Yining.
Lifting the blue brocade curtain of the carriage window, she actually saw Pang Xiao leading more than ten people on horseback following around the carriage that Qin Yining and Sun Shi shared. Even that maid called Ji Yun was riding a horse with heroic bearing—truly a martial artist!
The Old Madam was so angry her head buzzed. She said viciously, “Let’s go slower and let them go first. Let them be proud for now—I want to see how they’ll end up in the future!”
“Yes.” The coachman obeyed and slowed down.
Meanwhile, Qin Yining, who was sharing the carriage with Sun Shi up ahead, had her lips tightly pursed.
This man was too domineering, doing things without her consent at all. Fortunately he usually stayed in Great Zhou—if he remained in Great Yan longer, wouldn’t she die of anger?
Though she thought this resentfully, the smile and tenderness in Qin Yining’s eyes couldn’t be hidden, making Sun Shi secretly alarmed to see it.
It seemed that even Qin Huaiyuan hadn’t openly opposed this, and Pang Xiao had made such a high-profile declaration to Qin Yining. In the future, would she really have a fiendish son-in-law?
The carriage traveled all the way back to the Qin residence under Pang Xiao’s escort, truly shocking everyone in the household.
At the same time, the Empress had angrily summoned Imperial Uncle Cao to her imperial carriage, dismissed the palace attendants, and sternly demanded: “What’s the matter with that garden? Father built a garden without telling this palace, and won’t say who he gave it to. What exactly is father thinking!”