For a moment, Qin Yining couldn’t think of what purpose the Qiu family would have in imprisoning her. Even if they wanted to threaten Pang Xiao, they would at least need to relay the message, otherwise Pang Xiao would have no way of knowing.

That’s right – while she couldn’t relay messages, communication among the Qiu family members was unobstructed. Qiu Feishan had lured her here, and Qiu Yuanqing and Qiu Yuanming had created a series of incidents to get her into the Qiu family’s hands. Now Qiu Feishan in the old capital could negotiate terms with Pang Xiao.

It seemed she had to resolve the current trouble before the Qiu family could use her as a bargaining chip.

Qin Yining glanced coldly at Qiu Yuanqing and boarded the carriage with her people.

Seeing that Qin Yining could remain so composed even after being arrested, Qiu Yuanqing couldn’t help but feel somewhat surprised.

He had seen many beautiful women, but beautiful women who could also handle great affairs were rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. His grand-niece who refused to stay home once she left counted as one, and the one before him also counted as one.

But what could her composure achieve?

Pang Zhixi was still in the old capital contending with the Prince of Zhennan – how could he have the energy to reach into Jianchuan? Even if he could come, the mountains were high and roads far, requiring time. By then, what he wanted to accomplish would already be done.

Qin Yining sat upright in the carriage, with Bingtang and Ji Yun seated on her left and right. Mu Jinghu sat sideways by the carriage door, his face grave as water, saying nothing. Dahan and the Elite Tiger Guards walked together, protecting around the carriage while silently observing the terrain and surrounding movements.

Qiu Yuanqing and Qiu Yuanming boarded the Qiu family’s carriage.

The driver raised his whip, wanting to drive the carriage ahead. Qiu Yuanqing gave a light instruction: “The princess consort’s carriage should rightfully go first. The Qiu family isn’t some secret location that needs us to lead the way. Just follow behind.”

“Yes, Second Master.”

Although Qiu Yuanqing and Qiu Yuanming were of the same generation, the elders of the collateral sixth branch had died early. Qiu Yuanming, being older, had now become the old master of the sixth branch, while Qiu Yuanqing in the main first branch was still only a master by ranking. The Qiu family servants naturally preferred to use the main line’s form of address.

Qiu Yuanming wore a gloomy expression, but wasn’t as frenzied as he had been at the inn earlier.

“Once we return to the mansion, hand that bitch over to me for disposal,” Qiu Yuanming said.

Qiu Yuanqing shook his head. “Impossible. Cousin Ming should rest and recuperate properly, and not get involved in outside affairs anymore. You don’t understand the outside situation – don’t ruin the family’s great affairs.”

“Fuck off!” Qiu Yuanming cursed lowly. “Don’t give me that routine. Don’t think I don’t know why you want to confine that woman in our mansion.”

Qiu Yuanqing’s brow furrowed tightly, already quite impatient, lowering his forehead and not wanting to deal with this person.

Seeing his silence, Qiu Yuanming thought he had guessed his thoughts correctly and was embarrassed, so he mocked: “That woman looks good – you can play with her however you want. But before you play, I must give her a good beating in front of my son to vent his anger!”

“Cousin Ming, watch your words! Don’t categorize me with the likes of Qiu Feizhen!”

“Bah, you’re just pretending to be noble. We’re all men – what are you putting on airs for?”

“Cousin Ming seems to want to go to the ancestral hall to properly worship our ancestors.”

“You! You dare!”

“You can try and see whether I dare or not.”

Qiu Yuanqing had long held high positions, unlike Qiu Yuanming who only indulged in wine and women daily. His presence was naturally different.

Only now did Qiu Yuanming finally feel some fear and stopped talking.

Rubbing his aching temples, Qiu Yuanqing shook his head and thought darkly: Truly rotten wood that couldn’t be carved. The sixth branch had actually developed to this state – all of them libertines from top to bottom. Wouldn’t going out be an embarrassment to the Qiu family?

Qin Yining didn’t care what happened in the carriage behind. On the way to the Qiu family, she had already discussed everything that would follow with Mu Jinghu.

Actually, she was very curious about what exactly the Qiu family wanted to do.

Just then, the carriage slowly stopped outside the Qiu family gates.

Qiu Yuanqing and Qiu Yuanming both got off their carriage.

Qiu Yuanming wore a dark expression, but having developed some fear of Qiu Yuanqing, didn’t dare openly provoke him again. He led his attendants into the mansion first.

Qiu Yuanqing went to Qin Yining’s carriage and bowed: “Respectfully inviting the princess consort to move to the guest courtyard.”

Ji Yun and Bingtang got off first. Qin Yining, supported by their hands, gracefully stepped down from the carriage using the black lacquered wooden stool, looking up to see a black plaque with gold characters hanging high above the gate, inscribed with the two characters “Qiu Mansion.”

Looking left and right, the continuous courtyard walls were so vast they seemed endless. The Qiu family’s land area was truly amazingly extensive.

Qin Yining recalled what Mu Jinghu had said: the Qiu family didn’t seem like a single mansion, but rather like a village – a very wealthy village where all the residents were surnamed Qiu and related to each other.

However, even among relatives, some lived particularly well while others were quite destitute.

Qiu Yuanqing had already gone to give a few instructions.

Soon, the black lacquered gates were pushed open. Gatekeepers, servants, and maids from the front courtyard formed two lines, parting like the Red Sea to welcome them out.

“Respectfully welcoming Prince Zhongshun’s consort!”

Qin Yining was somewhat surprised that the Qiu family would actually open the main gate and arrange such a grand reception for her.

If Qiu Yuanqing’s purpose was truly to place her under house arrest to threaten Pang Xiao and achieve some goal, this house arrest was conducted with rather too much pomp.

Qin Yining had doubts but didn’t show them on her face. Since the other party was respectfully welcoming her, she calmly accepted it, leading her guards to follow the Qiu family servants through the main gate. Walking through corridors and crossing halls, it took a full two incense sticks’ worth of time before they finally reached the guest courtyard.

“Princess Consort, you and the guard gentlemen shall temporarily settle here. I’ll immediately instruct my wife to arrange the most capable servants to attend you. If you have any requests, please don’t be polite with us – just give orders, and we’ll certainly do our utmost to fulfill them.”

“Mm.” Qin Yining nodded lightly.

Qiu Yuanqing didn’t mind Qin Yining’s coldness. After taking his leave, he immediately went to open the ancestral hall, planning to confine the troublemaking Qiu Yuanming for a few days to dampen his arrogance.

Qin Yining temporarily settled in the Qiu family. While she had everything planned out, Jingzhe and Xiaoxue outside were burning with anxiety.

They didn’t dare rashly break into the Qiu family, fearing any disturbance might affect Qin Yining’s plans. But the two of them outside couldn’t think of any other way to rescue Qin Yining.

If it were anywhere else it would be fine, but Jianchuan City was defended as tightly as an iron barrel. The terrain was so treacherous that even Xiaoxue, who prided herself on her lightness skills, couldn’t safely scale the mountain walls. For the moment, they couldn’t think of any way to relay messages to Xiaoman and the others outside the city.

Jingzhe and Xiaoxue were the most capable subordinates Cao Yuqing had trained, and also the two with the most tenacious characters among the masked secret agents. The exit from Jianchuan City was blocked by checkpoints, with cliffs on both sides, but they refused to believe that such a large city truly had no way out!

Like Jingzhe and Xiaoxue, Xiaoman and two Elite Tiger Guards stationed outside the city hadn’t dared venture far since Qin Yining entered Jianchuan City. They constantly observed the city gate direction in secret, fearing they might miss any message from Qin Yining.

However, one day passed, then two days…

As time went by, their mood became increasingly agitated. Completely losing contact with Qin Yining made Xiaoman worry beyond measure. Finally unable to bear it, he anxiously arranged for one Elite Tiger Guard to ride urgently to the old capital to deliver a message to Pang Xiao. Xiaoman and the remaining brother maintained their vigil at the city gate.

Qin Yining also knew that those with her would be anxious, but she wanted to investigate the Qiu family’s situation, and this was exactly the right opportunity.

Half a month passed. Since Qiu Yuanqing had brought her here, he never appeared again. Even the women of the family were strictly forbidden by Qiu Yuanqing from coming to the guest courtyard to chat with her.

The channels through which Qin Yining could obtain information were extremely limited. It took half a month to roughly understand some of the Qiu family’s situation.

The Qiu family’s main line had five branches total, with countless collateral branches. People like Qiu Yuanming had no voice in the Qiu family at all.

The old master of the main first branch, Qiu Guang, was Qiu Feishan’s grandfather and the current clan leader. Qiu Guang had two sons and four daughters. The eldest son, Qiu Feishan’s father, had died over ten years ago. Qiu Feishan’s four paternal aunts weren’t suited for business and had long since married out, no longer managing family affairs.

Therefore, the clan leader position that should have been passed to the eldest son of the main first branch would very likely fall to Qiu Yuanqing.

But Qiu Yuanqing wouldn’t easily get his wish immediately.

Because when Qiu Feishan was seven or eight years old, she had already shown astonishing intelligence and talent.

Perhaps because Qiu Guang pitied his eldest granddaughter for having no parents to care for her from childhood, he had always kept Qiu Feishan by his side for careful cultivation. Even in many important business occasions, he was willing to bring this exquisitely beautiful little granddaughter along.

Through constant exposure, Qiu Feishan learned much, and at the negotiating table she could always make surprising statements. Sometimes she could even say things on Qiu Guang’s behalf that were inconvenient for him to say. This kind of intelligent granddaughter made Qiu Guang extremely fond of her, and he indulged her even more.

Qiu Feishan began dressing as a man at eleven. Her astonishing talent in business made the entire Qiu family amazed. At sixteen, she went out for training. Half a year after she left, clan leader Qiu Guang announced he was entering seclusion and hadn’t appeared since.

Qin Yining carefully recalled information about Four Connections Trading. It seemed that Four Connections Trading, which had operated for a hundred years, had only begun to flourish greatly after Qiu Feishan went out for training, even beginning to make contact with government officials and the military.

According to the Qiu family, Qiu Feishan hadn’t returned home for two and a half years.

Qin Yining connected all these events, and a grand drama of internal struggle within a large family had already formed in her mind.

She just didn’t know what role Qiu Feishan wanted her to play after luring her here.

Half a month later, regarding the arson at the inn and Qiu family, she also heard maids say the government office had caught the culprits.

Undoubtedly, this was the Qiu family taking action to suppress the matter, finding scapegoats.

Qin Yining was finally growing impatient. Although her days at the Qiu family were leisurely, she hadn’t obtained a single piece of useful information. Continuing to waste time like this was meaningless.

Qin Yining invited Mu Jinghu over, and the two discussed quietly in the corridor for an hour, making some decisions.