Pang Xiao’s heart ached as if pierced by needles. His index finger lifted Qin Yining’s chin, his calloused thumb caressing her delicate skin as his anger-suppressed eyes gazed into hers, gradually softening like gentle spring water.

“Yi Jie’er, you’re a smart person. Did you already know about their gossip behind your back?”

Hearing this, Qin Yining just smiled, burying her grievances deep in her heart. She looked away and said, “People have mouths on their bodies—how can you forbid them from talking? Don’t overthink things. I believe Old Madam bears me no real malice. When I first returned to the Qin manor, even my own mother couldn’t accept me initially. Look at us now—we’re no different from any other mother and daughter, are we? I think as long as I treat her with proper respect, Old Madam will soon treat me like most mothers-in-law do.”

Qin Yining’s expectations really weren’t high. She wouldn’t demand that her mother-in-law treat her like her own daughter, because that was impossible. Hearts are separated by flesh, and moreover, they weren’t blood-related. How could she ask someone to abandon their selfish nature?

She only sought to coexist peacefully with Yao Shi, to fulfill her filial duties, and to avoid causing trouble for Pang Xiao.

But why was even this so difficult?

Qin Yining sighed inwardly but showed nothing on her face, smiling as she said, “Alright, don’t think about it anymore.”

If it were someone unfamiliar with Qin Yining, they probably wouldn’t have noticed her emotions at all and would have been easily appeased by those few words.

But Qin Yining was the precious treasure of Pang Xiao’s heart. He himself couldn’t bear to say a harsh word to her, wishing he could shrink her down so he could carry her in his arms all day. How could he tolerate others bullying someone he couldn’t bear to mistreat?

“Yi Jie’er.” Pang Xiao’s gentle, dense kisses fell on Qin Yining’s forehead, nose bridge, and finally her lips.

His voice was low and tender, full of affection. “I know of your grievances. Just rest assured. This kind of thing will never happen again.”

Qin Yining smiled and lifted her head to respond to him.

But she also knew that preventing such incidents would be extremely difficult. The other party wasn’t an enemy—they couldn’t be dealt with harshly or lightly. Though she and Pang Xiao had deep feelings for each other, how many young couples with good relationships had grown apart due to mishandling such family matters?

Qin Yining valued emotions above all else in life, and what she least wanted to see was a rift developing between herself and Pang Xiao. No matter what Yao Shi was like, she was still Pang Xiao’s birth mother. She always kept this in mind.

Pang Xiao held Qin Yining’s body, which hadn’t gained weight despite her pregnancy. Her shoulder blades felt heartbreakingly fragile to touch.

He knew he wasn’t a good husband. Even before they married, he had already realized that no matter which woman followed him, she would likely face difficulties in the future. While he lived in wealth and splendor, she might not be happy. If he encountered even small problems, she would suffer the consequences alongside him.

Moreover, with the current tense political situation, Qin Yining had hardly lived a peaceful day since marrying him. She suffered in the disaster areas and suffered when kidnapped. He couldn’t even imagine whether Qin Yining had secretly cried from grievances when he wasn’t around, nor did he know how to heal her psychological wounds.

He couldn’t take her obedient and strong nature for granted and assume she didn’t care about anything while ignoring her feelings.

Regarding this incident, his mind was crystal clear.

Qin Yining couldn’t speak out, nor was it convenient for her to do so. So he would handle it instead.

He couldn’t immediately quell the external turmoil, but if she suffered grievances even at home, what kind of man would he be?

Pang Xiao let the matter drop for now, chatted and laughed with Qin Yining briefly, then called for Bingtang, Ji Yun, Xian Yun, and Lian Xiaozhou to come keep her company.

“My former subordinates are coming to the manor today. They previously held important positions in the Huben Army, but this time, because A’Lan used underhanded tactics, His Majesty dismissed them all with a single decree. Now they’ve all returned to my side. I’m going to the front to meet with them.”

Qin Yining naturally knew that Ji Zeyu had used the “house arrest” incident not only to cleverly avoid Li Qitian’s punishment for himself but also earned praise and sent Pang Xiao’s trusted aides back to his side.

“Having former subordinates to follow you means you won’t be constrained in future endeavors. We must find a way to thank Prince Consort Ji later. Go quickly. Don’t worry about me here. Grandmother will be back soon.”

With Ma Shi around, Qin Yining’s surroundings were protected impenetrably—there was nothing to fear. If Ma Shi and Sun Shi hadn’t gone out to the market today to personally select black chickens to nourish Qin Yining’s health, Yao Shi wouldn’t have had the opportunity to cause trouble in Siqing Garden.

Pang Xiao leaned down to kiss her forehead, then gazed lovingly at her belly for a long moment before instructing Bingtang and the others to serve her well, then turned and left.

What Qin Yining didn’t know was that Pang Xiao didn’t leave Siqing Garden directly. Instead, he went to the small kitchen to find a food box, carried the clay pot of chicken soup, and called for Huzi and two tall, sturdy Jinghu Guards to accompany him to Pine Crane Hall.

Although the manor had a main kitchen where everyone’s meals were prepared and each courtyard sent people to collect food boxes, ever since the Qin family moved in, because Yao Shi had shown resistance at that time, Qin Huaiyuan made the decision for the Qin family to live behind closed doors and establish their own kitchen. Pine Crane Hall naturally cooked for themselves as well. Therefore, the main kitchen only had people watching the grounds and hadn’t been in operation for a long time.

The small kitchen in Pine Crane Hall was larger than those in other courtyards. Yao Chenggu had previously run a restaurant and was a chef who loved researching cooking. Pang Xiao’s excellent culinary skills came from being influenced by his grandfather. Yao Shi’s clay pot chicken soup must have come from Pine Crane Hall’s small kitchen.

Pang Xiao walked ahead with a dark expression, saying nothing.

Huzi carried the food box, following carefully behind him.

The other two Jinghu Guard brothers were also puzzled. Though they now held the status of manor guards, they didn’t usually enter the inner residence. With Pang Xiao so furious and calling them along, they vaguely sensed something was wrong.

The Jinghu Guards exchanged glances, unable to figure things out, and tugged at Huzi’s sleeve.

Huzi turned back to wink at them, equally clueless himself.

Arriving at Pine Crane Hall, Pang Xiao pushed open the courtyard gate and strode directly in.

The old woman guarding the entrance was dozing in the tree shade, her chin propped up and head nodding. The sound of the gate opening startled her. She sprang up alertly and curtsied, “Your Highness.”

“Mm.” Pang Xiao said coldly, “Have all the servants in Pine Crane Hall’s kitchen come out.”

Seeing Pang Xiao with furrowed brows, angry phoenix eyes, and a tense expression, neither paying respects to the old master nor greeting Old Madam, all the maids and old women in the courtyard were terrified.

An old woman went to the small kitchen to call out the cooks. A maid went inside to report to Yao Chenggu and Yao Shi.

Yao Chenggu and Yao Shi were in the room discussing today’s events when they heard the maid’s report. Both father and daughter felt their hearts racing, and they hesitantly stepped out onto the corridor.

“Dafu? What’s wrong?” Yao Chenggu held his pipe, asking in confusion.

Pang Xiao respectfully saluted Yao Chenggu and Yao Shi. “Grandfather, Mother, we’ll talk as a family later. Right now I’m here to capture spies.”

“Sp-spies?” Yao Shi stared in amazement, eyes wide.

Yao Chenggu immediately understood something, his expression darkening. “Dafu, this courtyard is now home to your mother and me along with a group of servants. Are you suspecting your grandfather?”

“Grandfather jests.” Pang Xiao narrowed his eyes, lifting one corner of his mouth in a smile. “I never said anything about Grandfather. Why must you take it to heart? You know your grandson’s current situation. If there are enemies or Tatar spies mixed into the manor to cause chaos and harm, this entire manor houses our family members. Which one can we afford to lose?”

Pang Xiao stepped forward, walking to the four kitchen women now kneeling in the courtyard center. He circled them with his hands behind his back, scrutinizing each one carefully.

In his anger, Pang Xiao’s thick killing intent was unconcealed, causing the four women to break out in cold sweats, their collars and necklines soaked through.

“This manor cannot tolerate spies, and Pine Crane Hall especially cannot tolerate spies.”

Pang Xiao’s face darkened, his voice clashing like metal and stone, resounding forcefully. “Pine Crane Hall houses this king’s closest elders—this king’s mother and grandfather. If spies are mixed into Pine Crane Hall, plotting harm against this king’s blood relatives, how could this king show leniency?”

Yao Chenggu felt both angry and regretful at this moment.

Angry that Yao Shi acted so thoughtlessly, directly bringing a bowl of safflower chicken soup to the Qin woman, not considering whose daughter she was or whether she would necessarily drink the soup in person just because a mother-in-law’s authority pressed upon her.

Regretful that he hadn’t been able to control the situation’s pace in time, allowing Pang Xiao to come directly to their door. If this went badly, he would appear as an unkind elder, or worse, have a falling out with Pang Xiao.

He had invested much emotion in this grandson. Yao Chenggu absolutely didn’t want Pang Xiao, who had always been respectful and loving toward him, to become estranged.

Yao Chenggu’s heart battled fiercely, momentarily unsure what to say.

But Yao Shi had already descended the steps, frowning as she walked to Pang Xiao’s side, opening her sandalwood fan to shade herself from the sun overhead, pulling him toward the corridor with furrowed brows.

“On such a hot day, don’t stand there under the blazing sun talking—you might get heatstroke. What do you mean by spies? Everyone in Pine Crane Hall has been with Mother for years. Where would any spies come from?”

Pang Xiao pulled his hand free from Yao Shi’s grasp, standing in place with an expression dark as water.

“Mother.”

Yao Shi’s heart jumped as she stopped and turned back to look at him.

“Mother, who made the chicken soup sent to Yi Jie’er today?”

Yao Shi’s face immediately flushed red, her lips trembling as she said with false bravado, “What? Did your wife send you to find fault? I knew that woman was no good! I kindly sent her chicken soup to nourish her body, but she turns around and sows discord! You—you have cotton ears! Whatever your wife says, you believe? If your wife said I was a murderer, would you believe that too?”