Yuchi Yan’s residence in the imperial palace was because he had once been the last emperor of the Yan Dynasty. The old capital had now changed from the Yan Dynasty’s capital city to a major city in Great Zhou’s south, so naturally the imperial palace had also become vacant.
But even if the imperial palace was vacant, anyone with even the slightest sense of propriety—who would be so bold as to live in an enemy nation’s former imperial palace?
Yuchi Yan could act without fear or scruple. After all, returning to Great Yan’s old capital gave him a sense of belonging. Though he hadn’t been much of an emperor, his imperial pride in his heart was no less than anyone else’s. The loyal ministers who followed him all held him in high regard, so naturally he felt it was perfectly reasonable to move into the old capital’s imperial palace.
But Pang Xiao couldn’t do the same.
If he dared to follow Yuchi Yan into the imperial palace today, Li Qitian could later accuse him of harboring disloyal intentions and punish him for overstepping his bounds.
Moreover, Yuchi Yan had been traveling with Gu Shixiong for quite some time. Just because they had arrived at the old capital one after the other didn’t mean Yuchi Yan couldn’t have sent people to the old capital earlier to make arrangements. The imperial palace was the most heavily fortified place in the world—this could be seen from how he and Ji Zeyu’s personal troops had been able to use geographical advantages to resist the rebel army.
If he went to stay in the imperial palace, he would be giving the opposing side an opportunity to ambush and surround him! What would he do if trapped in the imperial palace?
Pang Xiao was skilled and bold, so naturally he wouldn’t worry about such things, but he couldn’t ignore the safety of Qin Yining and their two children.
“This king shouldn’t refuse Prince Zhengnan’s kind intentions.” Pang Xiao was all smiles, appearing completely unconcerned about past grievances, with some regret in his eyes. “However, this king has been granted the title of Pingnan Grand Marshal. Now that I’ve arrived here to take up my post, naturally I should reside in the military camp. There are many matters in the military camp that require my attention. If I were to stay in the palace, it would ultimately be inappropriate. Please forgive me, Prince Zhengnan.”
Was it indeed so?
Yuchi Yan smiled, his heart filled with even more admiration for Gu Shixiong’s abilities. Everything was truly proceeding exactly as the old man had predicted.
Yuchi Yan followed what Gu Shixiong had told him earlier: “Prince Zhongshun speaks reasonably. However, military camps are restricted areas. While Your Highness naturally has freedom to come and go, women are not permitted to enter and exit at will. Moreover, this king has heard that Princess Zhongshun has recently given birth to twins. For women, children, and infants to be in a military camp would surely be inappropriate. For the sake of your wife and children, Your Highness should please consider this king’s suggestion. Besides, everything in the palace has been prepared completely and will certainly not wrong the princess and young princes.”
Pang Xiao smiled.
Yuchi Yan had indeed made progress. Just moments ago he had been so nervous, yet now he could recite what Gu Shixiong had told him. It seemed that after several setbacks, Yuchi Yan had still improved.
It would be even better if he could hide his smugness over his successful scheming a bit deeper.
Pang Xiao pretended not to notice and smiled: “Prince Zhengnan’s thoughtful arrangements naturally put this king at ease, but this time I can only disappoint your kind intentions.”
Qin Yining, watching the two men spar, had long since analyzed the pros and cons clearly in her heart and spoke at the right moment: “Your Highness speaks truly. My natal family is also here, so when Your Highness goes to the military camp, I would also like to return home to stay for a while.”
Although the Qin Manor had been breached by bandits and many buildings had been burned down, after Qin Yining went to Great Zhou, Steward Zhong had taken the initiative to buy back the main residence and have it repaired. At this time, the main residence was naturally registered under Qin Yining’s name, though Qin Huaiyuan, Sun Shi, and the old matriarch didn’t know this.
From the moment Yuchi Yan heard Qin Yining speak, his gaze fixed on her face and couldn’t move away.
Recalling their past, Yuchi Yan’s heart was filled with mixed emotions. Back then he had still been the lofty emperor, able to choose freely among the beautiful women in his harem.
And now? His country was destroyed and his family ruined. He had become a fallen ruler whose infamy would be forever recorded in the history books. He had even lost his empress and concubines over a treasure he never obtained.
Qin Yining was the eternal pain and wound in his heart.
Especially seeing that she still smiled like a blooming flower, yet was speaking for someone else.
Her heart could never think of him again, nor could it ever favor his country again.
Her whole heart was for others. She had even borne children for the very culprit who had destroyed the Great Yan Dynasty—and twins at that!
In that flash of lightning and flint, Yuchi Yan had already thought of many things. His fondness for Qin Yining hadn’t decreased, but his resentment toward her hadn’t diminished either.
Naturally, Qin Yining neither understood nor wanted to understand Yuchi Yan’s complex emotions. Seeing Yuchi Yan standing there dumbfounded without speaking, Qin Yining couldn’t help but sigh softly.
Yuchi Yan still hadn’t changed, still had that same old appearance, as if he could never learn how to behave appropriately in any given situation.
Pang Xiao, already displeased, stepped forward half a pace to block Qin Yining from view.
This man was truly lacking in propriety, actually daring to stare at Qin Yining so brazenly! Others might forget, but he couldn’t—back then, Qin Yining had nearly become Yuchi Yan’s empress!
Now it seemed Yuchi Yan still harbored evil intentions!
If not for the fact that Pang Xiao still retained some rationality and knew this wasn’t the time to fall out with Yuchi Yan, his palm would have already struck out.
Only when Yuchi Yan’s line of sight was blocked by Pang Xiao’s body did he come back to his senses. He coughed lightly to cover his embarrassment, no longer daring to look directly at Qin Yining. His mind was already in chaos, and he mustered all his strength to say: “What you say also makes sense.”
Behind Yuchi Yan, Gu Shixiong nearly wanted to scold Yuchi Yan’s stupidity on the spot.
Such a good opportunity—how could he let it slip away so easily? If today’s chance was missed, trying to lure Pang Xiao and his party into the trap again would be extremely difficult.
Had seeing a woman already made him so bewitched that he forgot his own name?
“Your Highness,” Gu Shixiong stepped forward with a large stride, his tone somewhat displeased. “Prince Zhongshun and the princess have come from afar. If we just let them return to the military camp like this, wouldn’t people say Your Highness has neglected distant guests?”
Yuchi Yan quickly nodded: “Exactly what I meant.”
So they were treating the old capital as their own territory.
That made sense too—hadn’t His Majesty granted the several prefectures with civil unrest to Yuchi Yan as his fiefdom? His sense of belonging wasn’t without reason.
Pang Xiao sneered inwardly while still politely declining on the surface.
But Gu Shixiong put on a stern face: “Could it be that Prince Zhongshun looks down on our Prince Zhengnan and thus makes such repeated refusals? We’re all people serving the court and guarding the south together. Does Prince Zhongshun really want to be enemies with Prince Zhengnan? If His Majesty knew of this, I’m afraid he would be displeased.”
Qin Yining narrowed her eyes. Elder Gu hadn’t earned his success under the Great Yan’s foolish ruler for nothing—his ability to act shamelessly was truly first-rate.
Unfortunately, this was a conversation between men, so Qin Yining had no position to interject. Otherwise, she would definitely trick him again to deal with him, lest he have so much energy to waste interfering with Pang Xiao’s work.
With both sides at an impasse, the scene became ugly.
Seeing that Yuchi Yan, under Gu Shixiong’s reminder, was clinging to them like a medicinal plaster that couldn’t be shaken off, Pang Xiao could only settle for the next best thing: “Very well, the welcoming banquet Prince Zhengnan mentioned—we will definitely attend. However, this king absolutely cannot stay in the imperial palace.”