Mu Jinghu now understood why Pang Xiao was so devoted to Qin Yining. He had once secretly sighed about how romantic attachments could diminish heroic spirit, but now he too lived the life of “wife, children, and warm hearth.” If not for knowing what important work he had to do, it would truly be difficult to leave home.

“Confirmed departure tomorrow?”

“Yes, I don’t plan to bring too many people this time. I should only bring trusted close attendants, and I only plan to take fifty Elite Tiger Guards.”

Mu Jinghu frowned disapprovingly: “Why not bring more men? You know full well you may encounter trouble returning. That person is no merciful master – seeing you have few people, he might order secret assassination attempts.”

Pang Xiao sighed: “How could I not know this? But the prince’s household guards have limited numbers. Moreover, I’m already on the edge of a knife now – many in court resent me, and even more censors are watching me. Who knows when someone might emerge to impeach me for something? Having decided to return to the capital, naturally it’s better to avoid trouble when possible. As for real assassination attempts, I’m not afraid – I’ll just bring more elite troops. I don’t believe he’d really dare openly eliminate me and destroy his own reputation.”

Thinking of the stifling days Pang Xiao had endured, Mu Jinghu couldn’t help shaking his head and sighing.

“You’ve already yielded enough. Yield more, and your family’s lives will be at stake. If it were me, I wouldn’t have such a good temper. But you’ve always thought more thoroughly than I have.” Mu Jinghu earnestly suggested: “You should also plan properly – you can’t continue living like before. Not to mention anything else, just consider your wife – how many times has she narrowly escaped death? What if she’s not so lucky next time? I didn’t understand you before, but now I know – if anyone moved against my wife and child, it would be like stabbing a knife in my heart. Such days are unthinkable.”

“I know.” Pang Xiao nodded with emotion, patting Mu Jinghu’s arm: “Thank you.”

“Do we need formalities between us? Shanshan and I discussed this long ago. When you enter the capital this time, I must accompany you as escort. Don’t worry – if there’s any danger, with my abilities, protecting you and Qin Shi from death is achievable. Just that I might not be able to safeguard everyone.”

“The capital is full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers, with expert masters around His Majesty like clouds. Being able to do this much isn’t easy. Moreover, given my current circumstances, not only have you not distanced yourself from me, but you dare escort us back – this shows your loyalty. Blockhead, I don’t know how to thank you properly.”

“Between brothers, there’s no need for such words. When the Qiu family captured me and my senior uncle, didn’t you also spare no effort for me?” Not only that, but they had nearly been betrayed by Qiu Feishan’s schemes.

Mu Jinghu was thin-skinned and felt somewhat uncomfortable remembering these things.

Pang Xiao stopped being polite with him and said instead: “With you accompanying me, home will depend entirely on Boss Qiu’s support. She has to busy herself with business matters, guard against the Qiu family, and care for Yan Ge’er. I originally thought to release your senior uncle to help her – after all, with your senior uncle’s abilities, if she wanted to escape during this time, she could have found some way long ago. But I’m also worried whether Boss Qiu and Yan Ge’er might be in danger. After thinking it over, I still feel it’s better to let your senior uncle continue living alone for now.”

Previously not knowing about Lian Xiaozhou and the jade seal, Pang Xiao naturally had different plans. Now knowing this great secret and the wide implications involved, he couldn’t help being more careful.

Tianji Zi’s ability to stir up trouble was too strong, and her actions were often unexpected. Pang Xiao worried not only about his own family but also that Qiu Feishan might suffer losses with her child. To help him, Mu Jinghu couldn’t stay home to guard his wife and child. If something happened to Qiu Feishan and Yan Ge’er, how could Pang Xiao face Mu Jinghu for the rest of his life?

Obviously Mu Jinghu had also thought of this: “Anyway, my senior uncle idles about with nothing to do all day. You provide her with good food and drink there, so I don’t need to worry about her. When I’m away, I also don’t have to constantly worry about her going out to cause trouble or being captured by someone. Having her stay at your place is perfect.”

Pang Xiao nodded, ultimately saying no more.

After further discussion, they arranged to depart early the next morning. Pang Xiao rose to take his leave: “I’ll go back to prepare. You should also go spend time with the child – next time you see Yan Ge’er, he’ll have grown bigger.”

Mu Jinghu smiled: “That’s just right. He’s too small and soft now – I don’t dare touch him. When he’s bigger, I can teach him martial arts.”

“A child you teach will surely be excellent.”

Pang Xiao thought of his own two children, wondering if they would still recognize their father the next time they met.

Suppressing his inner sentiments, the two men bid farewell.

Returning home, Qin Yining had already arranged everything in the residence properly, and their luggage was all prepared.

While helping Pang Xiao wash his hair, Qin Yining told him what they were bringing on this trip and how various matters had been arranged.

“Sister Yi, you’re wonderful – you’ve arranged everything perfectly without me needing to worry about anything.”

Pang Xiao listened with contentment in his heart. After roughly drying his hair with a cloth towel, he pulled Qin Yining over while bare-chested. His upper body muscles were firm and well-proportioned, his honey-colored skin covered with scars large and small, gleaming with a soft, warm sheen under the orange lamplight.

Qin Yining blushed, letting him hold her waist as she took the towel and stood on tiptoes, stretching her arms to dry his hair.

“Stop fooling around. Tonight is overcast with strong winds – I think tomorrow may not be good weather. Let’s rest early so we’ll have energy on the road tomorrow.”

“You’re worried I don’t have enough energy?” Pang Xiao meaningfully pulled her closer.

Pressed together, Qin Yining’s face flushed red as she quickly pushed him: “Still fooling around – never serious.”

Pang Xiao was in excellent spirits, holding Qin Yining as they had a good night’s sleep.

However, as Qin Yining had said, the tenth day of the twelfth month in the seventh year of Shengchang was not good weather.

The group departed at the hour of mao. Before dawn, strong winds carrying snow made whooshing sounds. Qin Yining only lifted the warm curtain a crack before shrinking back from the cold.

Pang Xiao, Mu Jinghu, and Huzi were all outside riding with the Elite Tiger Guards.

Qin Yining pushed open one carriage window.

Hearing the movement, Pang Xiao immediately turned his horse around, approaching the carriage with a smile: “What’s wrong? Do you need something?”

Qin Yining looked at the pitch-black sky. The wind made the white fox fur trim on her collar press softly against her face: “In this weather, don’t ride outside anymore. We brought enough carriages – everyone should get in the carriages, with people taking turns driving.”

Huzi, Mu Jinghu, and several Elite Tiger Guards nearby all laughed.

“This bit of wind and snow is nothing. This is still the south – when we return north, knife-like snow can cut faces, yet the brothers can still lurk in the snow for a day and night.” Pang Xiao laughed heartily, adjusting Qin Yining’s collar as he urged: “Your constitution is weak and can’t handle cold. Go back quickly, and tell Ji Yun and Bingtang not to spare the charcoal.”

Qin Yining helplessly sat back in the carriage, closing the window and lowering the thick warm curtain. Holding her hand warmer, it took a while for her ice-cold hands to warm slightly.

“What I dread most is Beijing’s winter. We’re traveling in the twelfth month now – by the time we reach the capital, it should already be spring.”

Seeing Qin Yining hunched with half her face buried in her collar like a small animal afraid of cold, Ji Yun couldn’t help teasing: “The late spring cold is even worse – by the second month, it freezes people but not the ground.”

Qin Yining wrinkled her nose.

If they hadn’t returned to the capital, they wouldn’t face such weather. Just starting their journey, they encountered overcast skies with fierce winds and sudden snow – could heaven be warning them of the difficult road ahead?

With Pang Xiao and the Elite Tiger Guards present, the journey went very smoothly.

After reaching Liangcheng, Pang Xiao had Ji Yun, Bingtang, Xie Yue, and Xu Weizhi stay in the city with the Elite Tiger Guards to resupply. He took only Qin Yining and Lian Xiaozhou, bringing only Huzi and Mu Jinghu – five people entering the mountains.

The mountains covered in heavy snow stretched endlessly. Anyone unfamiliar with the mountains would likely get lost upon entering.

Fortunately, Qin Yining and Lian Xiaozhou had rich experience living in the mountains and excellent directional sense. With the two women guiding directions and the three men helping them walk, they spent most of the day reaching a clearing by evening.

Years had passed in a flash. This fire-burned area used as a landmark was already covered by ice and snow. In the small section of forest that had experienced fire, trees lay crisscrossed, their charred, withered branches still hanging with snow.

Qin Yining and Lian Xiaozhou walked hand in hand around the clearing, carefully observing the surrounding environment.

Lian Xiaozhou said: “This is the place.”

Qin Yining also nodded, turning back to step on what was roughly where the house had been.

“There used to be a wooden house here.”

Pang Xiao nodded, taking out the iron shovels they had brought up the mountain and distributing them to Huzi and Mu Jinghu: “Come, let’s get to work.”

Huzi took the shovel, puzzled as he stamped his feet: “Your Highness, this ground is frozen solid. I estimate one shovel down won’t even make a dent.”

“Just dig – there’s treasure inside.” Pang Xiao had already removed his cloak and handed it to Qin Yining, swinging his arms in full circles as he began digging.

Hearing there was treasure, Huzi and Mu Jinghu asked no more questions and set to work.

However, as Huzi had said, this patch of ground in the winter mountains was already frozen solid. If the three men weren’t extraordinary people, they would likely be exhausted after just a few strokes.

Qin Yining said: “You don’t need to dig too deep. Originally it was only buried about a foot down. You should roughly dig around this area.” Qin Yining stamped out a circle in the snow.

The three men worked according to Qin Yining’s indicated location.

When night fell deeply and wild animal calls rose and fell throughout the mountains, Mu Jinghu’s shovel struck something that seemed like a different kind of hard object.

“What is this?” He crouched down curiously to examine it.

Pang Xiao and Huzi also wiped their sweat and ran over.

Qin Yining and Lian Xiaozhou were nearly frozen stiff. Hearing the sound, they also moved closer, bringing the torch near to see.

The three grown men carefully brushed away the soil around the hard object bit by bit. Soon, they revealed a jade seal about the size of a man’s fist, carved with a lifelike coiled dragon.

“This… this is…” Huzi was amazed – five-clawed golden dragons couldn’t be carved on just any seal.