“Excellent. This way I’ll have someone to keep me company.” The Empress smiled, but inwardly breathed a secret sigh of relief.

Though she was honored as Empress, she knew that before Pang Xiao, even as the Emperor’s legitimate wife, she was somewhat at a disadvantage. Not just her – even the Emperor only dared to scheme behind the scenes, and in front of Pang Xiao could only display brotherly affection for his ministers to see, resisting having the label of mistreating meritorious officials pinned on him.

Therefore, if Qin Yining had shaken her head in refusal at this moment, the Empress truly couldn’t have forced her to stay. Her agreeing was a kind of gentle respect toward the Empress.

The Empress had always had a good impression of Qin Yining, and now seeing her being so considerate and compliant, she felt quite pleased.

She couldn’t help but wonder suspiciously: would such an intelligent and sensible woman really be someone who had compromised her wifely virtue? Qin Yining came from a prestigious family with scholarly traditions, and from their past interactions, her noble character was evident. To say she was having an affair with Earl Zhongyi – the Empress truly couldn’t believe it.

The Empress’s mind was in turmoil, but regardless, keeping the person by her side meant that if there truly was any affair, contact could be severed under her watchful eye, and she could also deliver some admonishment. This could be considered her doing her duty as Empress.

The Empress instructed Nanny Sun to prepare accommodations for Qin Yining.

Nanny Sun walked ahead, leading Qin Yining, Ji Yun, and Bingtang along the covered walkway toward the west side courtyard, smiling as she said: “Imperial Consort Zhuang is staying in the east side courtyard, so I’m afraid we must trouble the Princess Consort to temporarily reside in the west side courtyard.”

“Nanny Sun is too polite. Your subject’s wife is of humble status – having the fortune to temporarily reside in the same compound as Her Majesty the Empress is already great luck.”

Hearing these words, Nanny Sun felt gratified on the Empress’s behalf. Prince Zhongshun’s consort’s speech was absolutely faultless.

Nanny Sun properly settled them in, then specifically went outside to inform Jingzhe and the others, who were disguised as coachmen and servants driving Qin Yining’s carriage: “Please return to the manor and inform His Highness that Her Majesty the Empress gets along very well with the Princess Consort and has asked her to stay and keep her company for several days.”

Hearing this, Jingzhe’s heart skipped a beat. No wonder they’d been waiting so long without anyone coming out – she’d been detained by the Empress!

The four exchanged glances and all obediently agreed.

After returning to the manor, Jingzhe and the others didn’t even have time to change out of their wet clothes before hurrying to find Pang Xiao.

Hearing that someone from Qin Yining’s side urgently requested an audience, Pang Xiao, who had been reclining on the heated kang in his study reading, immediately sat up, tossed aside his book, and strode out quickly.

“What’s happened? Has the Princess Consort returned?”

“Reporting to Your Highness. We escorted the Princess Consort to the separate courtyard and waited outside for over an hour when an elderly nanny came out to inform us that Her Majesty the Empress and the Princess Consort get along very well, so she’s keeping her by her side for company for several days. We dared not delay and rushed back to report to Your Highness.”

Upon hearing this, Pang Xiao’s expression gradually grew grave.

The current Empress had formerly been just an ordinary woman from no great household, without a powerful maternal family for support. Her temperament was also gentle and mild – she couldn’t be considered a woman of particularly strong opinions or courage. Who would have thought that thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river – now the Empress had become capable of handling affairs for the Emperor and managing things independently.

He could no longer underestimate the Empress’s capabilities and disposition.

“Investigate. Why would the Empress suddenly detain the Princess Consort? She’s not someone who acts unreasonably – there must be a reason behind this.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

His subordinates received their orders and hurried off.

Pang Xiao returned to his study, his expression somewhat displeased.

He had just rushed here from the capital and hadn’t even had a few days to be intimate with his wife before the Empress came to interfere. He probably truly was fated to clash with the imperial family – why was it that no matter what he did, whenever he encountered the imperial family there would be complications? Even his family couldn’t reunite because of them, and now he and Qin Yining were being forcibly separated again.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.

But Pang Xiao wasn’t someone who would be swayed by emotions. He was already planning in his mind how to protect Qin Yining.

Unlike Pang Xiao’s tension, Qin Yining’s days after moving in were relatively peaceful.

However, since the Empress had issued the decree that Qin Yining was here to accompany the Empress in fasting, chanting, and praying for the peace of the realm, she ate very simple food all day, and when free had to accompany Imperial Consort Zhuang in kneeling with the Empress in the Buddhist hall chanting sutras.

Qin Yining wasn’t actually an impatient person. Though straightforward by nature, she could remain steady when faced with situations. It was just that there had been too many vexing matters recently, making her temper flare and her actions no longer as mild as before.

Now following the Empress in fasting and chanting actually calmed her restless heart considerably.

Some things couldn’t be thought through clearly when one’s mind was disturbed.

But after chanting Buddhist sutras for two days, Qin Yining felt she could understand things that had previously been unclear.

Qin Yining knelt on the thick cushion in the lower position, fingering her prayer beads.

Imperial Consort Zhuang, kneeling on the other side, often secretly opened her eyes to observe Qin Yining.

Even though she had been proud of her beauty since childhood and had become one of the Emperor’s women, she had to admit that this Qin Shi, even dressed in plain clothes and kneeling there silently, looked like a carefully carved jade sculpture – truly too pleasing to the eye.

Thinking of her weeping and pampered cousin, Imperial Consort Zhuang suddenly felt that even if Lu Heng truly had feelings for Prince Zhongshun’s consort, that was only human nature.

Everyone has a love of beauty, after all.

…

At the same moment, in the main hall of the inner courtyard of the Lu mansion, Lu Heng slowly entered with a gloomy expression, his lips pressed together in displeasure. Seeing the maids and servants playing cards with Bian Ruohan, Lu Heng stood with hands behind his back beside the curio cabinet and commanded in a deep voice: “Get out.”

Hearing this, Bian Ruohan threw down the cards in her hand with some displeasure.

“Oh my, His Lordship is so busy with official duties – how did he think to come home today? What an honor for our humble abode.”

Bian Ruohan had already adopted a reckless attitude. Since this man found her so detestable, why should she continue fawning over him and trying to please him? She wasn’t born to be inferior to anyone!

Lu Heng didn’t retort, but slowly walked toward Bian Ruohan.

Bian Ruohan felt an invisible pressure enveloping her, making her involuntarily stand and back away until she bumped into the table behind her, causing the white porcelain flower vase on top to fall and shatter on the floor.

The sound of breaking porcelain rang out sharply. Before she could react, Lu Heng had already grabbed her hair, forcing her to tilt her head back.

Bian Ruohan stared in disbelief with wide eyes, the pain in her scalp making her raise her hands to grasp Lu Heng’s fingers as she screamed hoarsely: “What are you doing! How dare you treat me like this!”

Lu Heng said in a deep voice: “I have questions for you. I ask, you answer. Don’t make me exert myself.”

“You… who do you think you are to speak to me this way! You coward, bullying women – you’re not a man!”

Lu Heng laughed coldly: “I’ll say it once more. I have questions for you. I ask, you answer. Don’t make me exert myself. Do you hear me clearly?”

In the dimly lit room, Lu Heng’s cold smile made one feel terrified just looking at it.

Suddenly lightning flashed outside the window, the white light illuminating half of Lu Heng’s face while the other half remained hidden in shadow, making him even more frightening.

Then came a clap of thunder.

Bian Ruohan was so frightened her whole body shook violently, her voice trembling: “You… ask…”

“What did you say when you went to see Imperial Consort Zhuang?”

“I… I didn’t say anything. She’s my cousin – when sisters meet, naturally we have intimate conversations.”

“What intimate conversations?”

“Just… just about what we eat, what we use. You… you’re a man – why do you care about such women’s matters!”

Lu Heng chuckled: “Bian Ruohan, do you think everyone else is a fool and only you are clever in this world?”

Bian Ruohan glared, too angry to speak.

“I’ll say it once more – what did you discuss? Don’t make me investigate.”

Being pressed by Lu Heng like this, Bian Ruohan was both terrified and furious, her words coming out without thinking.

“Are you coming back to threaten me? Do you want to kill me? Ah? Let me tell you, surnamed Lu! I told Her Majesty everything about you and that slut Qin Shi having an affair! Her Majesty the Empress is a model for all women in the realm and most despises unchaste whores like Qin Shi. Just wait and watch her die! Haha!”

Lu Heng’s face showed no expression, his thin lips tightly pressed together, his grip gradually tightening until his knuckles turned white, making Bian Ruohan cry out in pain and wail: “You bastard, let me go! How dare you! I’m going to tell my cousin! Let go!”

Lu Heng suddenly released his grip. Bian Ruohan staggered and fell to the ground, her hand landing right on the porcelain shards, making her scream in pain.

Lu Heng said: “I’ve never seen such a foolish woman. When nothing happened, you insist on saying something did. You can’t wait to push your husband away, can’t wait for everyone in the world to mock your husband. I ask you – if I’m punished, what benefit is there for you?”

“Even if there’s no benefit, I won’t let you have her!”

“This is unreasonable! There’s absolutely nothing between her and me!”

“You say there’s nothing – who would believe that!”

“Baseless accusations, yet you can cause such an uproar throughout the city – truly a family-destroying wife. From now on, behave yourself and don’t go bothering Imperial Consort Zhuang and the Empress again. If you dare take even half a step out, I’ll dare to take a new wife next year.”

Bian Ruohan was frightened into trembling all over. Lu Heng’s meaning – was he going to kill her?

“You wouldn’t dare!”

Lu Heng smiled slightly: “You can try.” With that, he turned and left.

Bian Ruohan sat dazed on the ground. Lu Heng’s smile, like a venomous snake flicking its tongue, made her shudder. He would kill her, he would kill her… Even if she were poisoned to death right here, Lu Heng could find reasons for sudden death. She… would she die?

The more Bian Ruohan thought about it, the more frightened she became. She hugged her knees and buried her face, crying loudly.

Lu Heng stormed back to his study and in his fury swept all the items on the desk – inkstone, brush washer, and other objects – to the floor.

Lu Wenru rushed in frantically, afraid something had happened to Lu Heng. Seeing Lu Heng in such rage, he didn’t dare approach and could only stand quietly by the door.

Lu Heng’s face was pale with anger, his hands braced on either side of the desk, head lowered as he said in a muffled voice: “She must have misunderstood me.”

Lu Wenru immediately understood what Lu Heng was referring to.

When Lu Heng raised his head, his eyes were red as he said through gritted teeth: “She was summoned by the Empress for no reason and detained by the Empress’s side to fast and chant. She must be deeply humiliated.”

Lu Wenru said carefully: “But my lord, you don’t actually know whether the Princess Consort has engaged in any improper behavior. Perhaps the Empress has already found evidence of her wrongdoing?”