The Empress was habitually gentle-natured and rarely spoke with such harsh severity. Qin Yining, watching the Empress’s behavior from the side, found it quite strange.
From the Empress’s meaning, it seemed she wanted Pang Xiao to help her up the mountain?
Qin Yining smiled and said: “Your Majesty, you have a precious body. This mountain path is treacherous, and since guards cannot touch you, palace servants would be even less capable. You’ve already prayed in the Buddhist hall and achieved the cessation of heavy rains and clear weather in Huichuan County. Surely, as long as one’s heart is sincere, the gods and Buddhas don’t care where you are. This mountain path is treacherous and very dangerous. This subject’s wife believes you shouldn’t take such risks.”
The Empress suddenly looked at Qin Yining, seeing only her sweat-dampened face that was rosy and radiant, her complexion excellent, her entire being as fresh and vivid as a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl. The Empress was nearing forty, her beauty faded with age. Originally, seeing Pang Xiao taking Qin Yining today while she could only watch helplessly had already stirred some jealousy in her heart. Seeing her like this now made her feel even more stifled.
“What the Princess Consort says is certainly reasonable, but I have already walked this far. People say Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple is very efficacious—if I give up halfway, who knows if punishment might befall me? Who can say for certain about such things? If due to my momentary retreat, heavy rains return, who could bear responsibility for that?”
Hearing the Empress speak thus, Qin Yining knew she had made up her mind. Further forceful persuasion might turn resistance into enmity.
Thinking of this, Qin Yining said no more and left the decision to Pang Xiao.
Pang Xiao’s sword-like brows had already furrowed in disapproval: “Her Majesty the Empress’s sincere devotion to Buddha is truly admirable, but being overly reckless may not be wise.”
Having been repeatedly advised against it, the Empress had built up anger, though facing Pang Xiao, this younger brother-in-law, she could still suppress it: “My mind is made up.”
“Very well.” Pang Xiao sighed. “If so, Your Majesty may accompany this subject.”
Seeing Pang Xiao nod, the Empress finally relaxed her expression somewhat, her mood improving.
Pang Xiao then took Qin Yining’s hand and walked toward what could hardly be called steps. He stretched his long legs to step onto a rock, then turned to pull Qin Yining’s hand, smiling gently: “Yining, can you make it up?”
“I can make it.” Qin Yining was tall in stature, and from her early years had experienced many years of mountain survival. Whether in stamina or experience, she far exceeded ordinary women. Though tired now, she wasn’t incapable of taking steps.
She pulled on Pang Xiao’s hand for leverage and nimbly leaped onto the stone step. Since the step’s space was limited, she released his hand and climbed up the next level built with logs, bending down to support herself with her hands as she climbed onto another large rock.
Jingzhe and the other three closely followed Qin Yining, staying around her front, back, left, and right.
Watching her climb so nimbly, the Empress looking up from below gained some confidence. She too lifted her leg to step up, but just as she stepped on with one foot off the ground, she felt her feet hurt and legs ache, already lacking strength, nearly falling backward.
“Your Majesty!” The guard following closely behind was about to step forward to help, but mindful of the Empress’s earlier words, didn’t dare touch her jade body.
Pang Xiao quickly grabbed the Empress’s sleeve and pulled her up in one motion.
The Empress, still shaken, patted her chest with a pale face, then looked up to thank the tall, imposing man beside her: “Thank you.”
Having already agreed to help, Pang Xiao naturally wouldn’t show an unpleasant expression to the Empress. He smiled: “Your Majesty is too kind.”
His appearance was handsome, with sword-like brows and phoenix eyes. When he smiled, the curves at the corners of his eyes and brows showed a touch of softness. This softness appearing on a famous general known for battlefield conquests and iron-blooded methods seemed particularly precious. Standing on the same stone step so close together, the Empress could even smell the faint soap and light, elegant jasmine fragrance from Pang Xiao’s robes.
She knew that was the scent of rouge and hair oil that Qin Yining commonly used—definitely absorbed when Pang Xiao embraced Qin Yining.
The Empress’s cheeks grew hot, her heartbeat inexplicably accelerated. She turned her face away and proceeded to climb the next step.
Pang Xiao had no choice but to walk behind, protecting both the Empress and Qin Yining.
Nanny Sun paced anxiously on the gentle slope. Being old and frail, she simply couldn’t climb to the mountain top. The guard was closely protecting the Empress and couldn’t help her, so she could only bow to Pang Xiao: “Your Highness, please protect Her Majesty well. This servant thanks you.”
Pang Xiao looked down from his high position: “Nanny Sun needn’t worry. The guards I brought are following behind—they’ll bring you up the mountain shortly.”
“Thank you, Your Highness! Thank you!” Nanny Sun was overjoyed and knelt to bow to Pang Xiao.
Pang Xiao nodded slightly and followed the Empress’s steps.
He was concerned about Qin Yining taking the lead and wanted to stay close to her, but couldn’t abandon the Empress, so he walked very close to her.
The Empress could even feel the warmth emanating from the strong, tall man beside her.
“Yining, be careful. The soil up there is a bit loose—don’t step there. Right, step on that piece beside it.”
Concerned that Qin Yining might not step steadily, Pang Xiao leaped forward easily and jumped ahead of Qin Yining. On a stable large rock, he bent down and embraced Qin Yining, lifting her directly up.
Qin Yining embraced Pang Xiao’s neck and was gently set down by him. The Empress behind was watching them, her gaze somewhat strange, making Qin Yining’s cheeks flush hot.
“I’m fine.” She was somewhat breathless, wiped away sweat, and continued climbing upward.
The Empress had now climbed to where Qin Yining had just stood. Looking up at Pang Xiao, she extended her hand.
Pang Xiao then reached out and pulled her up by arm strength. But respecting propriety, he didn’t touch the Empress elsewhere and couldn’t embrace her directly like he did when worried about Qin Yining getting bruised. The Empress’s leg scraped against the rock, causing burning pain.
The Empress felt somewhat disappointed in her heart and sighed softly.
The group continued forward with such difficulty.
At this time, Bingtang and Ji Yun, along with Huzi and Tang Xiu, also began walking the final treacherous section. Seeing Huzi and Tang Xiu, Nanny Sun begged them for help.
Huzi smiled: “Don’t worry, Nanny. His Highness arranged for guards to escort the elders from behind—they’ll arrive shortly. We two must protect the two young ladies beside the Princess Consort and can’t conveniently bring you along. You can rest here for a while. When the other guards arrive, they’ll naturally bring you up the mountain.”
Nanny Sun had no choice but to nod and continue waiting.
By this time, Jingzhe had already reached the mountain top and climbed back down to meet Qin Yining: “Princess Consort, we’re very close to Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple now. After passing this section and crossing the wooden bridge ahead, we’ll be there.”
Qin Yining nodded, standing with hands on her hips, panting with aching thigh muscles.
“My body isn’t what it used to be. I never thought I’d be exhausted like this before finishing one mountain climb. Before, I ran around mountain tops all day, gathering herbs and hunting, often encountering wild beasts. If my stamina had been this poor then, I’d probably have been eaten by wolves long ago.” Wiping away sweat, Qin Yining asked Jingzhe with a smile: “Why don’t I practice martial arts with you all in the mornings? You could teach me a thing or two.”
Jingzhe smiled: “If the Princess Consort wants to learn martial arts, don’t you have the best teacher right there?”
Following Jingzhe’s gaze, she saw Pang Xiao expressionlessly pulling the red-faced Empress up a step built with round logs.
Pang Xiao had already heard Qin Yining’s words. He released the Empress’s hand and said gently to Qin Yining: “If you want to learn, I can teach you anytime.”
Qin Yining nodded: “That would naturally be wonderful.”
The Empress, breathing heavily, clenched her palms as if grasping the lingering warmth from when Pang Xiao had pulled her. Looking up at Pang Xiao speaking gently with Qin Yining, the Empress couldn’t help thinking about how Li Qitian usually treated her.
How long had it been since she’d seen Li Qitian chat with her warmly?
Even the ritual bedding on the first and fifteenth of each month was mere routine. They didn’t even chat casually, and she couldn’t find common topics to discuss with Li Qitian anymore.
This was their life now—Li Qitian’s heart was entirely on court affairs. What little other attention he had went to those young, beautiful concubines, while she, though noble as Empress, was merely like discarded chaff.
Unlike Pang Xiao and Qin Yining.
Their affection wasn’t a performed facade but genuine love from the heart. Watching them made the Empress envious while a sour taste spread through her, gradually transforming into more obvious jealousy.
“Your Majesty?”
The sudden voice pulled the Empress’s consciousness back. She looked up bewildered, only to discover that Pang Xiao had already jumped to the next level and was looking down at her, while the person she envied had already climbed lightly to higher ground.
The Empress bit her lower lip and extended her hand toward Pang Xiao.
The group exerted tremendous effort and finally reached the mountain top. Beneath their feet was a bridge built of round logs. Not far to the right was a large expanse of continuous dense forest and mountains, while to the left, after walking another half hour, was a large lake. From afar, they could hear the sound of a waterfall splashing.
“So there’s actually a waterfall here?” Qin Yining exclaimed in delight.
“Yes, the mountain’s water source probably comes from there,” Jingzhe smiled.
Qin Yining spread her arms and took a deep breath, joyfully gazing at the mountains dyed green under the azure sky and the clear lake like a piece of jade.
The air’s floral and woody fragrance already carried a faint sandalwood scent. Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple stood amidst this beautiful scenery—a tall Buddha statue, two stories high, stood compassionately in the temple courtyard beside a high pagoda, mercifully watching over the vast mountains and rivers.
“This trip was truly worthwhile.”
“Indeed.” Pang Xiao had now walked to Qin Yining’s side, using his sleeve to wipe her sweat. “Are you tired? How about I carry you across? That round log bridge ahead isn’t easy to walk.”
The round log bridge was made of three thick logs bound with coarse hemp rope, casually spanning across a crevice. Though only a few steps’ distance, there were no handrails on either side. If one carelessly fell into the crevice, they would drop directly into the flowing water below the mountain.
Qin Yining didn’t insist on being strong and smiled: “Alright, my legs have long been aching from walking.”
Pang Xiao chuckled softly. Instead of carrying her on his back, he scooped her up horizontally in his arms and even bounced her: “Look how thin you’ve gotten.”
He walked step by step unhurriedly toward the round log bridge, leaning close to Qin Yining’s ear in a low voice: “Huzi and Tang Xiu are going to be delighted shortly.”
Remembering Huzi’s words when teasing Bingtang at the mountain’s base, Qin Yining couldn’t help laughing and lightly punched Pang Xiao’s shoulder: “How can you be so mischievous?”
Pang Xiao laughed heartily.
His cheerful, joyful laughter echoed through the mountains, drawing the melancholy gaze of the Empress sitting on the ground catching her breath.