Qin Yining watched with some worry as her father and his group departed.

Although she had already sketched out this plan completely in her heart countless times, considering several possible contingencies for each step, when the matter was truly laid before her eyes, she still worried for their safety.

Qin Yining returned to her room and waited quietly.

However, when Qin Huaiyuan, Cao Yuqing, and the remaining guards from the household were all taken away together, it still caused panic among the Qin family members.

It was truly because the Qin family had experienced far too many unexpected incidents. The entire family had long since realized that their current circumstances were far from any comfortable living environment. Being in this position, there were too many dangerous factors that needed to be resolved.

The Old Madam’s tobacco pipe was lit, but she hadn’t taken a single puff. She just held it in her hand, staring blankly at the spring-filled courtyard outside the window.

Nanny Qin beside her softly consoled: “Old Madam, please don’t worry. What a clever person the master is—this servant believes there’s nothing the master can’t accomplish. This time, perhaps His Majesty has some urgent matter to entrust to the master.”

“Indeed, that’s quite possible.” The Old Madam felt considerably more at ease hearing this.

Sun Shi and Second Madam also nodded, “Look at how courteous Director Li from the palace was toward our family’s master just now, even with a hint of flattery. It seems there shouldn’t be any serious trouble.”

With this explanation, everyone felt much more relieved.

They all began speculating again about why Li Qitian still wanted to see Cao Yuqing.

“Could it be because of Cao Shi’s beauty?” Second Madam Han, supporting her belly as she neared childbirth, couldn’t help but frown in speculation.

After all, Cao Yuqing was truly an extremely beautiful woman. Even without looking at that face, just her natural charm and allure made them, as women themselves, feel their bones go soft with shame and inadequacy.

Li Qitian, as an emperor possessing all under heaven, liking beautiful women was very natural.

This speculation made everyone feel it was reasonable.

Sun Shi, however, was somewhat worried: “We haven’t yet figured out His Majesty’s temperament—unpredictable as it is. I see that Cao Shi has been behaving herself now, and our family can certainly afford to support one guard. If she enters the palace, who knows what kind of dire straits she might face.”

“What kind of talk is that? Truly long hair but short insight.” The Old Madam snorted coldly. “Entering the palace means becoming a master, becoming someone close to His Majesty. If our family could produce such a person, wouldn’t our future wealth and honor be overwhelming?”

“But the world’s good fortune doesn’t necessarily lie in such things!”

“You certainly manage quite broadly!”

…

In the room, the Old Madam and Sun Shi began bickering again. Second Madam and Second Madam Han tried to mediate from the side.

Qin Yining paid no attention whatsoever to what trivial matters the women of the household were worrying about.

However, she was also grateful that these people didn’t know the inside story—it meant fewer people like her with their hearts roasting over fire.

Qin Yining didn’t sleep all night.

Ji Yun, Xian Yun, Bingtang, and Qiu Lu all stayed in the room, accompanying Qin Yining through the night.

Though they didn’t understand what exactly was happening behind the scenes, seeing Qin Yining too worried to sleep, they all felt heartbroken.

“In just six or seven days, the little bit of flesh you’d finally gained has gotten thin again. When the Prince sees this later, won’t he be heartbroken to death?”

Bingtang helplessly brought a bowl of warm red bean porridge to Qin Yining: “You should at least consider yourself more. Exhausting yourself mentally and physically like this—don’t you want your body anymore?”

Qin Yining pressed her lips and shook her head: “Don’t worry needlessly. My body is perfectly fine.”

“How is this servant worrying needlessly? How many times have I helped you recuperate your body from front to back? Ever since you were injured that time and lost too much blood, your constitution has never recovered.

“After that came the famine, followed immediately by migration and fleeing. Arriving in Great Zhou, every day has been spent calculating how to get by. Let me tell you, continuing to torment yourself like this will ruin even the best constitution.”

Qin Yining, intimidated by Bingtang’s nagging, had no choice but to pick up the porridge and eat a few spoonfuls.

Only then did Bingtang continue: “Even if you don’t think of yourself, you must think of the Prince. The Prince sent away all the women around him to marry you, and fearing you’d be bullied, he also sent away the disagreeable old shrews. The Prince has no other women by his side—he’s counting on you to continue his lineage. If you don’t recuperate properly, what will happen in the future?”

Qin Yining nearly spat out the porridge in her mouth at these words.

She pointed at Bingtang’s forehead: “You little rascal!”

Then, thinking further, she said: “Speaking seriously, we should all start taking better care of ourselves. You’ve all grown up too, and you’ve all reached marriageable age.”

Xian Yun and Ji Yun both wore expressions of “just as we expected”: “We knew Miss would definitely drag us down with her!”

Their playful conversation helped dispel much of the gloom in Qin Yining’s heart.

Just as they were talking, a woman outside suddenly called loudly: “The master has returned!”

Qin Yining jumped up at once, dropped her bowl, and rushed outside to look.

She saw Qin Huaiyuan walking in front, Cao Yuqing following behind, and behind Cao Yuqing was a group of secret agents.

Qin Yining counted them one by one, her gaze finally settling on Jingzhe, Xiaoxue, Xiaoman, and Dahan who entered last.

Qin Yining finally smiled with relief.

It worked!

“Miss!”

Jingzhe, Xiaoxue, Xiaoman, and Dahan strode forward and immediately knelt to bow to Qin Yining.

Jingzhe even kowtowed: “Thank you, Miss, for saving our lives!”

“Rise quickly, rise quickly. Were you mistreated? I’ll have a physician examine you shortly.”

Jingzhe hurriedly shook his head, kneeling on the ground refusing to rise, looking up at Qin Yining: “Miss’s wisdom is unparalleled. His Majesty did not make things difficult for us.”

At this time, the other secret agents also respectfully bowed to Qin Yining, saying in unison: “Thank you, Miss!”

With one stratagem, Qin Yining might not have been able to spare them from suspicion and investigation, but she could preserve their lives!

That day, Qin Yining had sent a message by carrier pigeon, having someone spread word in the southern former capital of Great Yan that the treasure trove of Great Yan’s late emperor was known only to the Silver-faced Secret Agents.

After discussing with Cao Yuqing, Qin Yining had also taught them a fabricated story.

They were to say that they had originally been brought by the Great Emperor into a secret chamber, where each person was hypnotized by a master and had a segment of information stored in their minds. Only a specific code could release it and allow them to recall the content, and each person’s memory was different.

The Silver-faced Secret Agents numbered twenty-four in total. Currently, only sixteen were in the capital. Even if Li Qitian wanted to torture them severely, he couldn’t do so.

Because as soon as there was any action in the capital, the eight people who hadn’t returned might never come back.

Then, even if information was extracted through torture, it would be incomplete.

How could they find the location of the treasure then?

In this way, His Majesty would not only refrain from killing Jingzhe, but also wouldn’t kill the other Silver-faced Secret Agents.

His Majesty would certainly need to ensure their safety to have any possibility of finding that treasure.

“Miss, you’re truly a female Zhuge Liang. We’re completely convinced!” the secret agents praised with laughter.