Qin Yining said coldly: “Eunuch Li is a close attendant by the Empress Dowager’s side, so I shouldn’t say too much. However, I will remember this matter. When I enter the palace to pay respects later, I will certainly mention it to the Empress Dowager. If someone with ill intentions bribes palace servants around the Empress Dowager to sow discord between ruler and minister, wouldn’t that be hoping for chaos in our dynasty?
“Now the Emperor’s whereabouts are unknown, the northern Tatars are restless, and many important court ministers have been injured or killed in this accident. This is the most difficult time for our Great Zhou. You came bearing the Empress Dowager’s edict to oversee the rescue of the Emperor, yet instead of facilitating the Emperor’s rescue, you’re actually sowing discord between the imperial family and ministers. What are your intentions!”
Qin Yining’s words were logically sound, her speech like scattered pearls. Though her voice wasn’t loud, it was clearly heard by all the soldiers who were already exhausted, sweating profusely, and aching all over.
The Emperor was a founding hero, and Prince Zhongshun was a founding minister. The soldiers held great admiration for both the Son of Heaven and the War God Prince. The Princess was merely sitting under a tree shade watching from afar – neither pointing fingers nor getting in the way. Yet this eunuch came up to cause trouble for her, even putting blame and accusations on the Princess’s head. Wasn’t this asking for a beating!
Some soldiers couldn’t stand it and angrily threw down the large stones they were carrying, cracking their knuckles menacingly.
Li Weiliang was intimidated by Qin Yining’s presence and stared at by so many hostile eyes. His face was now flushed red. He wanted to argue back but couldn’t out-talk his opponent, breaking out in a sweat from anxiety.
When Ji Zeyu and Qin Huaiyuan hurried over, this was the scene they witnessed.
Qin Huaiyuan quietly breathed a sigh of relief. His foot had just been sprained, and in his earlier urgency, he had been gritting his teeth to endure the pain, fearing his daughter would be bullied. Now the pain made it difficult for him to stand steady.
Ji Zeyu was quick to support Qin Huaiyuan. “Uncle Qin, are you alright?”
“It’s nothing serious.” Qin Huaiyuan smiled.
Ji Zeyu then instructed his attendants: “You support Master Qin.”
“Yes.”
The attendants immediately stepped forward to support Qin Huaiyuan.
Ji Zeyu strode forward, his face marked with streaks of dust yet still maintaining his moonlight-like cold handsomeness.
“What’s the matter?” His stern gaze swept over Li Weiliang.
Li Weiliang, stared at by those murderous eyes, retreated two steps before remembering why he had come.
“This servant comes bearing the Empress Dowager’s edict to assist Commander Wang in coordinating rescue operations. All other ministers’ family members on the mountain have gone down, but Prince Zhongshun’s family refuses to heed the Empress Dowager’s edict and even slanders this servant! When this servant returns to the palace, I will certainly…”
“I understand.”
Before Li Weiliang could finish his threatening words, Ji Zeyu said: “Princess Zhongshun is resourceful and intelligent. Her presence here can help with advice and has contributed greatly to rescuing the Emperor. She’s naturally different from other ministers’ family members who came merely to wait anxiously. Eunuch Li can tell the Empress Dowager that I requested Princess Zhongshun to help rescue the Emperor. The Empress Dowager naturally won’t blame Eunuch Li for poor performance.”
Ji Zeyu’s voice was low and cold, his speech neither fast nor slow, carrying a hint of casual indifference yet brooking no disobedience. Moreover, he rarely spoke at such length in one breath. That he would say so much to defend Qin Yining inevitably drew sideways glances from his attendants.
Li Weiliang was furious and said unwillingly: “But…”
“Does Eunuch Li not believe my words?”
“No, this servant wouldn’t dare, this servant…”
“Just go report to the Empress Dowager. If she doesn’t believe it, she can send someone to ask me.”
Ji Zeyu turned to Qin Yining: “Princess, please feel free to stay. When tired, you may go down the mountain to rest and return anytime. If anyone dares to spread rumors again and interfere with the Princess helping to rescue the Emperor, I’ll remove their head!”
Qin Yining hadn’t expected Ji Zeyu to speak up for her so strongly. Most of her previous prejudice against Ji Zeyu dissolved.
She noted this favor and nodded in thanks: “Thank you, Prince Consort Ji.”
Ji Zeyu lowered his eyes to glance at Qin Yining, his gaze containing scrutiny, then smiled with relief and waved his hand: “These are small matters on my part. What’s important is that Uncle Qin has sprained his foot.”
Qin Yining was alarmed and looked toward Qin Huaiyuan being supported to one side, asking anxiously: “Father, are you alright?”
“It’s nothing serious. Not a big deal. No injury to tendons or bones.” Qin Huaiyuan cupped his hands toward Ji Zeyu and limped toward Qin Yining.
Qin Yining hurried to support him, with Bingtang and Ji Yun also rushing forward to protect them both.
“Father, please sit down and let Bingtang examine it.” She continued somewhat reproachfully: “Father, why didn’t you mention your injury earlier? You insisted on enduring it silently. If Prince Consort Ji hadn’t said anything, were you planning to hide it from your daughter?”
Qin Huaiyuan, being scolded by his daughter, only smiled and shook his head without arguing.
Li Weiliang had been left to one side the whole time, with no one paying attention to him anymore.
His teeth ground together audibly. Ji Zeyu was at least a prince consort, with the Empress Dowager as his mother-in-law, yet instead of supporting his mother-in-law’s palace servants, he helped outsiders humiliate him.
Having suffered losses at Ji Zeyu’s hands twice in two consecutive days, Li Weiliang came to hate Ji Zeyu and immediately left in anger.
Seeing Li Weiliang walk away, Qin Yining asked Ji Zeyu worriedly: “Prince Consort Ji, shouldn’t you first send someone to explain the situation to the Empress Dowager? If Li Weiliang spreads malicious gossip before the Empress Dowager, it might affect the relationship between you and Princess Anyang.”
“It doesn’t matter.” Ji Zeyu didn’t explain much. “The Emperor is still buried in the underground palace, yet those people still have the mood to sow discord. I think they’re tired of living. Right now I’m busy rescuing the Emperor and can’t spare time to deal with them. After the Emperor is saved, I’ll take a good look at whether they have hearts or not.”
After speaking, Ji Zeyu took the map and led his subordinates to continue directing the excavation.
Qin Yining watched Ji Zeyu’s retreating figure for a while, then couldn’t help but voice her concern to Qin Huaiyuan in a low voice: “Father, Prince Consort Ji’s offense against the eunuchs probably isn’t good. That Li Weiliang has poor character and likes to bully others with his position and spread rumors. Now with the Emperor not in the palace to maintain order, the Empress pregnant, and the Empress Dowager presiding over affairs, if she believes slanderous words, it could be troublesome.”
Qin Huaiyuan also nodded and said quietly: “Prince Consort Ji isn’t unintelligent, but his personality is such. Now with the Emperor in danger, Prince Consort Ji is probably too anxious about the Emperor and spoke harshly. Offending eunuchs is indeed dangerous. Father will need to advise him properly later.”
Qin Yining nodded: “Father is right. Prince Consort Ji has shown true friendship and loyalty to the Prince. We can’t sit by and watch when we see trouble brewing.”
While they were talking, Bingtang had already examined Qin Huaiyuan’s injury. Seeing his right ankle swollen like a steamed bun, she forgot about master-servant distinctions and immediately scolded sternly:
“Old Master, really! Although no bones are broken now, the tendons and muscles around the ankle are severely sprained. You won’t be able to walk for ten days to half a month. Don’t you feel pain? How could you endure it for so long?”
Being scolded by the young girl, Qin Huaiyuan could only smile bitterly: “It doesn’t hurt that much.”
“You still can’t keep walking around. If this leaves lasting damage and you become lame, what then?”
Hearing there was a risk of permanent lameness, before Qin Huaiyuan could respond, Qin Yining was already alarmed and quickly instructed the Elite Tiger Guards protecting them: “Quickly prepare the carriage and send the Old Master back to the Prince’s mansion to recuperate.”
“No, if you’re going back, you come with me.” Qin Huaiyuan said sternly: “Otherwise don’t expect Father to leave by himself.”
Qin Yining shook her head: “Father, listen to me. I’m not planning to stay here forever either. My health is fine now. If problems arise, I’ll return without you saying so. Do you think I don’t care about harming the children in my belly? Father’s injury is different. You should focus on proper rest and recovery. If it’s delayed too long and develops into a serious condition, what then?”
Qin Huaiyuan was left speechless by her argument.
At this moment, two Elite Tiger Guards had already approached and directly lifted Qin Huaiyuan, gently placing him in the carriage.
Qin Huaiyuan said helplessly: “Look at these little monkeys. Usually they say they listen to me, but now they only listen to you.”
The Elite Tiger Guards were loyal to Pang Xiao, and with Pang Xiao absent, naturally the Princess was second in command.
Qin Yining could see her father wasn’t angry and urged: “Please hurry home. With you presiding over the mansion, I’m also at ease. I’ll be fine here. Prince Consort Ji is here too.”
Qin Huaiyuan, a scholar who wasn’t young anymore, wouldn’t be of much help staying anyway. He had only insisted on remaining because he feared Qin Yining might be in danger. Now that he was injured and had become a burden, and seeing Ji Zeyu’s actions – detecting no calculation or hostility in the young man’s eyes, only loyal protection – he felt reassured. Unable to argue further, he had to leave with his attendants.
Only after watching Qin Huaiyuan disappear did Qin Yining breathe a sigh of relief. Just as she sat down, she noticed Lu Heng standing not far away, unsure how long he had been watching. She smiled: “Lord Lu.”
Her attitude was casual and natural. Because their relationship was so familiar, Qin Yining didn’t specifically stand to bow.
Seeing her treat him as before, Lu Heng relaxed somewhat, knowing that Qin Huaiyuan hadn’t said anything to Qin Yining about him after their conversation. He slowly approached with concern: “Is Master Qin’s injury serious?”
“It should be alright. How is the excavation going?”
Lu Heng frowned worriedly and shook his head: “The first burial chamber has been completely cleared. After taking inventory, we found that the main people still remaining in the underground palace should only be the Emperor, Prince Zhongshun, Chief Steward Li who was by the Emperor’s side, and some guards.
“At the moment the gunpowder ignited and caused the explosion and collapse, huge stones fell and blocked the passage between inside and outside the tomb. We don’t know how the Emperor and Prince are doing now.”
After such a long period of adjustment, Qin Yining’s heart was no longer so panicked. She could even calmly comfort herself: “They should be fine. Both the Emperor and the Prince are skilled in archery and horsemanship. Having been on battlefields in earlier years, their agility and reflexes should be good. They should have been able to avoid the falling stones from the collapse.”