Yao Chenggu thought for a moment. “That’s good. Miss Yi’s second uncle was once a high official, and her third uncle is also skilled at commerce. Master Xie and Master Xu need no mention – using Dafu’s words, they are both extremely good at strategy and decision-making. Three cobblers together are better than one Zhuge Liang. We’ll go to the courtyard later.”

“Good.” Ma Shi nodded.

Yao Shi saw that her parents had made their decision and was somewhat dissatisfied.

“Father, this is the Prince’s mansion, Dafu’s home. We are all Dafu’s blood relatives. What are they? We make the decisions – if they want to listen, they can listen; if not, so be it. We’ve already shown them all possible kindness. Why do we still need to consult with them?”

Ma Shi snorted. “That’s why I say you’re shallow-sighted. You can only see three steps ahead of yourself – you can’t even see the fourth step.”

What Yao Shi disliked most was Ma Shi’s sharp tongue. Every time she used such belittling words to speak of her, it made her heart so irritated she wanted to turn around and leave.

At this moment, Yao Chenggu took a puff of his pipe and slowly exhaled a smoke ring before saying: “At a time like this, we must work together with one heart. This is also mutual exploitation. Moreover, if we don’t consult with them and their family does something wrong, what then? Don’t forget that although the Emperor has had an accident, there’s still the Empress in the palace, and the Empress Dowager – they can also punish people. If the slightest mistake makes the imperial family dissatisfied, people will only say how the Prince Zhongshun’s mansion behaved – they won’t separately say how the Qin family or Yao family acted.”

Although Yao Chenggu’s words were realistic and made Ma Shi unhappy, they successfully convinced Yao Shi.

“You’re right.” Yao Shi nodded. “I think that old lady of the Qin family isn’t any good either. They might abandon us and run away themselves when they see things going badly, leaving us alone to take the blame.”

“Enough.” Ma Shi couldn’t listen to any more of Yao Shi’s words, suspecting that if she heard a few more sentences, she wouldn’t be able to resist hitting someone. She stood up and said, “I’ll immediately have someone go tell Master Xu and Master Xie to make arrangements.”

“Mother, shall I go with you?”

“No need.”

Ma Shi got off the kang, put on her shoes, and went out with a stern face.

Both father and daughter watched Yao Shi’s retreating figure. When the door was closed, Yao Chenggu pointed at Yao Shi. “Be more careful with your words from now on. Don’t specifically pick things your mother doesn’t like to hear. If you anger her, won’t our whole family fall apart?”

Yao Shi knew she wasn’t favored by her mother and now tried her best to restrain herself in front of her parents. Her father was saying this for her sake, so she obediently nodded. But she was still resentful in her heart.

How good their family had been before!

Her mother and son began to grow distant from her – wasn’t it all because of the Qin woman?

Why was it Dafu who might have had an accident in the Chongshan collapse? Why couldn’t the Qin woman have been buried instead!

The excavation on the mountain had begun to show results. The entrance to the underground palace had been completely opened, and the first burial chamber could now be seen. Several more ministers had been rescued from inside – some had sustained crushing and burn injuries, while others were already dead.

Those who came out alive were arranged to be sent for medical treatment.

The corpses that were crushed or burned beyond recognition were carried to one side. Their identities could be determined from their official robes and the identification plaques hanging from their waists, making it convenient to notify their families to come identify and claim the bodies.

Qin Yining had eaten a bowl of thin porridge in the morning and taken a pregnancy-stabilizing pill, then sat expressionlessly under a tree in the distance, watching the excavation site.

The clothes those people wore were not the deep purple python robes Pang Xiao had worn when he left. Their builds were also different from Pang Xiao’s.

It wasn’t Pang Xiao.

But Qin Yining couldn’t relax at all.

This was just the first burial chamber.

According to Ji Zeyu and Lu Heng, Pang Xiao and Li Qitian had gone deeper inside after the explosion. What was the situation inside like?

Seeing her sit rigidly to one side with a grave expression, Qin Huaiyuan worried she might harm her health from depression and advised: “Sister Yi, listen to a word from your father. This place is chaotic and foul, with many people dying unjustly. It’s truly very inauspicious and might affect the children in your belly. It would be better to avoid it. How about Father has someone escort you home?”

Qin Yining was in a daze for a long while before realizing her father was speaking to her. She looked up hazily to meet Qin Huaiyuan’s caring, bloodshot eyes and shook her head: “Father needn’t worry. Your daughter has at least seen big scenes before. These things won’t frighten me. I rested very well last night, and Bingtang has been watching over me the whole time. Your daughter is fine. Rather, Father has been busy all night without rest. You should also listen to your daughter – it would be good to sleep for a while in the carriage.”

Qin Huaiyuan wasn’t like Ji Zeyu, who was in his twenties after all. Even though he was in the prime of his life, he was ultimately a civil official and couldn’t compare physically to young military generals. Having commanded and excavated here all night, no one could withstand it.

Qin Huaiyuan sighed. His outer robe had long been dirty and disheveled, so he didn’t mind sitting down on a small stool next to Qin Yining.

“Father knows you’re anxious, but you must also prioritize yourself. You’re not alone now – never mind your own life, there are two more in your belly.”

“Yes, Father, I know. If the Prince meets with misfortune, the children in my belly are the continuation of the Pang family bloodline. I understand this in my heart and won’t act impulsively or lose sight of the bigger picture. I’ll act within my capabilities and return if I feel unwell. Besides, we might find them today.”

Qin Huaiyuan carefully observed Qin Yining’s expression. Seeing her eyes clear and bright without the slightest panic or cowardice, but rather surprisingly calm, he knew she had her own considerations.

Qin Huaiyuan looked inquiringly at Bingtang.

Bingtang, receiving Qin Huaiyuan’s gaze, understood and said: “Old Master, please don’t worry. The Princess has been properly nourished recently and her foundation has been strengthened considerably. The pregnancy is also stable now, so there’s no problem. If the situation turns bad, the Princess won’t even need to say anything – this servant will have the Elite Tiger Guards brothers kidnap the Princess back to the mansion to stay in bed.”

Bingtang deliberately spoke in a light tone, successfully making both Qin Huaiyuan and Qin Yining smile. This swept away the previous gloom and anxiety, making the atmosphere lighter.

So Qin Yining remained in place, quietly waiting for good news.

At this time, the Empress Dowager finally took action, again deploying a full thousand men from the Capital Guards to reorganize the area around the imperial tomb and seal it off tightly. She ordered Li Weiliang, the chief eunuch of Ci’an Palace, to come again, bearing the Empress Dowager’s edict to cooperate with Wang Su, the Capital Guards commander of the Five Military Camps, in overseeing the mountain rescue operations.

Li Weiliang had previously been directly sent back to the palace by Ji Zeyu’s orders, which had greatly damaged his dignity. Now being sent again with an edict, he was naturally arrogant and determined to regain face before everyone.

So Li Weiliang, leading a group of eunuchs with the Capital Guards personally arranged by the Empress Dowager following behind, went up the mountain and encountered officials and noble family members who were waiting anxiously for their relatives. Using the Empress Dowager’s edict as justification, he sent them all down the mountain. Those who had found corpses were also told to go down the mountain to wait for identification, clearing the scene very thoroughly.

Though this was a good thing, Qin Yining sitting there caught Li Weiliang’s attention.

Last time he had been humiliated by Ji Zeyu in front of everyone, and it was because of Qin Yining. How could Li Weiliang pass up this chance for revenge?

So Li Weiliang led everyone up the mountain and headed straight for Qin Yining’s direction, saying coldly: “This servant comes bearing the Empress Dowager’s edict to clear the mountain of idle people. Though the Princess has noble status, sitting here is somewhat obstructive. This servant can understand the Princess’s concern for the Prince, but you cannot stay here near the rescue operation. If this delays the time for rescuing the Emperor, the Princess surely cannot afford such responsibility.”

Qin Yining sat steadily in her original position and raised an eyebrow: “Eunuch Li’s words are too harsh. You’re putting such a big hat on my head. If my sitting here could delay the Capital Guards soldiers from rescuing the Emperor, then the two or three thousand men the Capital Guards deployed – are they all inferior to me, a pregnant woman? Speaking this way, you’re not only falsely accusing me, but also where does this place the Capital Guards’ capabilities?”

Li Weiliang was blocked until his face turned red, and he angrily scolded: “Princess Zhongshun is too presumptuous! Oh, this servant understands now. No wonder the Princess doesn’t take the Empress Dowager’s edict seriously. I’ve always heard that Prince Zhongshun’s reputation is widespread, that he’s a pillar of talent, yet for the sake of a mere woman like the Princess, he once defied thirty-three imperial edicts. Does the Princess think that because the Prince dares to defy imperial edicts for you, you also don’t take the Empress Dowager’s oral decree seriously?”

This argument had already attracted the attention of people around, and someone immediately rushed to inform Qin Huaiyuan.

Qin Yining stood up fearlessly, with Bingtang and Ji Yun immediately supporting her left and right arms.

The Capital Guards who were excavating and moving debris couldn’t help but stop their work to look at Qin Yining and Li Weiliang.

Qin Yining took two steps forward and stood before Li Weiliang.

“I have always read books and observed historical records of many who, though eunuchs, remained loyally devoted to country and people. I felt that even among palace servants, there were still men of integrity.

“However, the good reputation of these loyal eunuch ministers has ultimately been affected by a very few people! Why do people have mixed opinions when eunuchs are mentioned? In my view, it’s all ruined by those treacherous eunuchs who sow discord, spread rumors, and act purely for personal gain!

“The Emperor and Prince Zhongshun are sworn brothers – originally a harmonious relationship between ruler and minister. When petty people accused Prince Zhongshun in court that day, the Emperor had already investigated and publicly declared Prince Zhongshun innocent. The Empress Dowager even regards Prince Zhongshun as half a son. How is it that in Eunuch Li’s mouth, everything is completely reversed?

“I must ask – are Eunuch Li’s words your own meaning, or did you hear them somewhere? If you heard them, from whom? Does the Empress Dowager’s trust in noble and loyal ministers only exist on the surface, while secretly she discusses loyal ministers behind their backs?”

“You! You!” Li Weiliang’s finger began to tremble.

The hat he had put on the Qin woman was already big enough. He hadn’t expected the Qin woman to be even more ruthless, actually involving the Empress Dowager from just his few words. He had only wanted to save face for himself – how did it become the Empress Dowager discussing important ministers behind their backs?

You must know that the Emperor was very firm about the harem not interfering in politics. If word spread that the Empress Dowager discussed ministers, wouldn’t that prove the Empress Dowager was suspected of interfering in government affairs?

If these words came from him, wouldn’t that be the end of his life!