When the Empress heard this news, she was sitting in a soft chair supporting her waist with a frowning, distracted expression.
“Is that so? She really could do something so foolish?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. This matter was witnessed by many people. Right on the main palace path leading out, Princess Imperial went directly to block Princess Consort Zhongshun after leaving Your Majesty’s palace.” The palace attendant who had served the Empress for years understood her thoughts best. Observing the Empress’s expression, she said tactfully:
“Speaking of this Princess Imperial, how could she quarrel with an external court lady on the main path? They say Princess Imperial even tried to manhandle Princess Consort Zhongshun. The Princess Consort is already eight months pregnant and said she felt unwell after seeing the Empress Dowager, which is why she didn’t come to see Your Majesty. Yet Princess Imperial still dared to lay hands on the Princess Consort—it’s truly…”
The palace attendant shook her head. As a servant, it wasn’t proper to criticize too much, but the Empress had endured so much frustration from Princess Imperial over the years. Seeing Princess Imperial lose face now, these loyal subordinates also felt vindicated.
Listening to this, the Empress’s originally somewhat dull expression turned mocking, and she became more animated.
“It’s about time someone could discipline her. The court is in such chaos now—it’s hardly the time for women of the inner palace to cause trouble. That Qin family woman is pregnant. Never mind her—even the Empress Dowager and I wouldn’t dare let anything happen to her. Yet she dared to provoke Qin family—truly doesn’t know her place.”
The Empress felt dissatisfied and resentful inside.
This sister-in-law of hers had never been easy to deal with. Her willfulness and capriciousness could be understood as a young woman’s naive charm. But even after marriage, she kept male favorites—doing such things that damaged women’s virtue and disgraced the imperial family. The Empress Dowager never even managed her once, always backing Li Helan unconditionally.
This time when His Majesty had such a serious incident, the Empress Dowager immediately competed for power, first creating a Regent, then forcibly wresting the position of Huben Army commander from her own son-in-law to give to her own brother.
The Empress was weak and isolated, her maternal family not powerful either. She could only watch helplessly as the Empress Dowager scrambled about, unable to do anything.
She was now five months pregnant herself, worrying anxiously about His Majesty. But as a woman of the inner palace without power in hand, she really had no other options except sitting within the palace walls counting the days.
Now there was actually someone like Li Helan who could cause the Empress Dowager some trouble—the Empress felt much more comfortable in body and mind.
Letting out a long breath, the Empress rose from the soft couch, supporting her waist as she slowly walked to the diamond-paned window, reaching out to push open a crack in the window frame.
The cold autumn wind hit her face, wisps of chill drilling into her collar, causing goosebumps on her neck. However, taking a deep breath, she felt refreshed throughout her body and mind.
“Your Majesty, be careful not to catch cold and get a headache.”
A palace attendant brought a cloud shoulder wrap to drape over the Empress’s shoulders.
But the Empress shook her head, gazing at the setting sun gradually disappearing behind the mountain ranges, her eyes actually becoming somewhat moist.
Your Majesty, are you still safe and well?
If you were still in the palace, how could these petty villains be allowed to jump about and disturb the palace quarters?
These people each only cared about their immediate petty gains, completely disregarding the nation’s safety. With Tatars in the north and Southern Yan in the south, they paid no attention at all. Including the Empress Dowager, they all acted like poor relatives from the countryside, desperately fixated on immediate benefits.
If His Majesty didn’t return soon, she truly didn’t know how long she could hold on.
If someone really usurped power, the first to suffer would probably be her and the child in her womb. Then the Empress Dowager would probably completely ignore her, still only caring about her immediate interests.
Thinking of this, the Empress couldn’t help but shed tears.
With such thoughts, she would rather not be any Empress—better to be an ordinary household woman for a more stable life.
When Qin Yining returned to the prince’s mansion, she found that Huzi, who had been on the mountain all along, had already returned. He personally received Qin Yining’s carriage and drove directly into the inner residence, removing the threshold of Thinking of You Garden to drive the carriage through the gate.
After getting out of the carriage, Qin Yining asked: “How is the situation on the mountain?”
Huzi replied: “Princess Consort, rest assured. They’re still continuing excavation on the mountain. The Prince has made arrangements—those who should be withdrawn have all been withdrawn.”
Qin Yining smiled and nodded: “That’s good. Where is the Prince now?”
“The Prince went to escort His Majesty and Marquis Dingbei.”
As soon as Huzi finished speaking, slight sounds came from the wall head on the right, followed by footsteps as light as a cat landing. Pang Xiao, dressed in ink-blue casual home clothes, quickly walked over.
“You’re back? How do you feel? Any discomfort?”
“I’m fine, but Ji Yun suffered grievances because of me—she was slapped by Princess Imperial Anyang.”
Qin Yining held Ji Yun’s hand: “We encountered Princess Imperial Anyang when leaving the palace. I don’t know what madness possessed her to point at me and curse viciously. Later she even tried to push and shove me. Ji Yun blocked her but didn’t dare directly strike the Princess Imperial, so she ended up being slapped instead.”
Pang Xiao looked at Ji Yun’s left cheek, which was already red and swollen, and sighed softly: “Good girl, thank you for that. You were wronged this time.”
Ji Yun had been trained by Pang Xiao personally and had always respected and feared him. Though she had suffered much following Qin Yining, Qin Yining treated her extremely well, and she truly regarded Qin Yining as a master worthy of entrusting her life to. Being slapped once for Qin Yining didn’t bother her at all.
But seeing Qin Yining take this matter to heart and Pang Xiao’s gentle comfort truly warmed her heart.
Ji Yun shook her head repeatedly: “This is this servant’s duty.”
Qin Yining said: “Let Bingtang help you apply medicine first.”
The two maids knew Qin Yining and Pang Xiao had things to discuss, so they acknowledged and withdrew.
After Qin Yining and Pang Xiao returned to their room and sat on the warm window-side kang, Qin Yining leaned against the cushions behind her: “I discovered some things when I went to Ci’an Palace. I think the Empress Dowager seems to be under house arrest.”
Pang Xiao raised an eyebrow and nodded: “This is also expected. Since Prince Li has designs on the throne, as long as he’s not too stupid, he should go monitor the Empress Dowager and Empress.”
Qin Yining asked: “Where is His Majesty now?”
“Thanks to those extraordinary people from the Qingtian Alliance, they led our people to dig through the tunnel at the fastest speed. His Majesty and our household people are being transferred out in succession.”
“That’s good.” Qin Yining breathed a sigh of relief and sighed: “You don’t know—I once experienced a household catastrophe and lost family and friends because of it. That kind of scene, just once, can become a lifelong inescapable nightmare. I really don’t want to experience it again.”
Pang Xiao moved closer, embracing Qin Yining and pecking her cheek. The tender, slightly cool sensation made him unable to resist rubbing his face against hers.
“Don’t worry. With me here, I absolutely won’t let such things happen to our family.”
Pang Xiao had been trapped for twenty days and lost more than just a little weight. If not for his good physical foundation, martial arts training, and Bingtang’s targeted medication, he would probably have collapsed by now. But when they pressed their faces together, Qin Yining could still feel his gaunt, hollowed cheeks.
Qin Yining said tenderly: “I’ll stay with you through everything.”
The room was peaceful and quiet.
The warm golden light of the setting sun slanted through the gauze windows, covering all the furniture and furnishings in the room with a golden veil.
So peaceful and gentle, with the woman he most wanted to protect and cherish in this life in his arms—he truly wished time could stop at this moment.
However, knowing a storm was about to come, how could one feel at ease enjoying this tranquility?
“Since it’s truly as we guessed—Prince Li’s people have already controlled the Empress Dowager—then the best time for them to act would be tonight.”
Looking at this room they hadn’t lived in long, Qin Yining sighed.
Pang Xiao kissed her forehead: “What’s wrong? Can’t bear to leave?”
“A little.” Qin Yining closed her eyes, somewhat wearily: “We finally had a home, and it’s going to turn to ashes again. I might have bad luck. Always wandering and displaced—it was like this when I was in Great Yan before, and it’s still like this now.”
“Silly.” Pang Xiao’s heart ached terribly as he held her and gently rocked: “As long as we’re all well, we’ll have a stable home in the future where no one will disturb us. This prince’s mansion wasn’t really my home anyway—His Majesty granted it to me for appearances. We’ve already packed and taken away our valuables. What remains in the house are furnishings His Majesty bestowed—nothing to feel sorry about.”
Qin Yining smiled: “Prince Li wants to destroy all evidence. The most convenient way is to kill everyone and burn everything. Such a fine mansion being destroyed like this—I do feel sorry.”
“We’ll have a more stable home in the future. Trust me, hmm?”
Pang Xiao’s voice was gentle and low, making Qin Yining feel infinitely secure.
She might really be so emotional because of her pregnancy. Out with the old, in with the new—as long as people were safe, money and possessions were external things. Moreover, they had prepared in advance and quickly transferred their gold, silver, and valuables.
“Have you already contacted Shopkeeper Zhong?” Qin Yining asked instead.
Pang Xiao nodded: “Shopkeeper Zhong is reliable. When I gave instructions, he didn’t even ask questions—just made a list of three properties he’d recently helped you purchase. One estate is outside the city, but it’s inconvenient for us to leave the city, so we won’t choose that temporarily. Another house is in Qiuping Ward—everything about that house is good except it’s rather small and cramped for two families. So I chose the house by Shichahai Lake, which is more spacious. Ahlan has already had his people quietly help us transfer there.”
“That’s good. But with the city under martial law now and Prince Li’s people checking very strictly, won’t they discover us?”
“Don’t worry. Prince Li should be panicking now. If he wants to act, he must capture His Majesty before tonight. The rest is probably hidden in plain sight—we can slip through by taking advantage of gaps.”
Qin Yining felt reassured and smiled with a long sigh: “It’s good having you home. I have a backbone for everything and don’t need to fear anything.”
“Of course.” Pang Xiao hugged her shoulders with slight pride and rocked her: “You just need to rely on me with confidence. I’ll take care of everything else for you.”