Tao Hanshan’s smile completely disappeared. He could never have imagined that his most comprehensive decision made during an emergency would not only fail to receive recognition and praise from the princess consort, but would even be questioned with a woman’s narrow-minded views.

“What Your Highness says truly puzzles this subordinate.” Tao Hanshan tried to slow his tone. “According to Your Highness’s meaning, we should let this matter ferment freely according to the mastermind’s wishes until it reaches the Emperor’s ears, prompting His Majesty to order a thorough investigation, forcing the imperial mausoleum construction to halt, leaving those items in the stone quarry to ultimately belong to others. Is this the outcome Your Highness expects to see?”

Though Tao Hanshan tried to keep his tone gentle, his words were truly sharp.

Qin Yining was Pang Xiao’s wife—how could she hope for the treasure to fall into others’ hands?

“Advisor Tao, please calm yourself.” From Tao Hanshan’s words, Qin Yining could determine this person was ambitious and quite arrogant. She placated him, saying, “I am His Highness’s legitimate wife—how could I think such things?”

“Then please enlighten this subordinate.” Tao Hanshan rose and cupped his hands. “If Your Highness doesn’t think this way, why don’t you approve of my methods? Could it be that some strangers are more important than His Highness’s safety and great enterprise?”

Qin Yining smiled and shook her head. “His Highness’s safety is naturally important, but I want to ask Advisor Tao—this year there have been months of heavy rain. Are you aware of this?”

Tao Hanshan frowned, feeling that Qin Yining was asking pointless questions, already showing impatience.

“This subordinate naturally knows of this matter.”

Qin Yining said seriously, “Months of heavy rain—the northern rains have just ceased, but the south still shows no improvement. If this continues, famine will certainly come within the year. The dynasty has fought wars for years, and the national treasury is already strained. If we use limited silver all on building the imperial mausoleum, what will happen to the people when famine comes?”

Tao Hanshan found Qin Yining quite ridiculous.

“This subordinate dares to ask Your Highness—even if the court has no money for disaster relief, what does that have to do with His Highness? If the court doesn’t provide disaster relief and the people rebel against the court and hate the current emperor, this subordinate thinks that would be even better!”

Qin Yining shook her head patiently. “This goes against His Highness’s original intentions when he first raised his banner in rebellion against Northern Ji. His Highness stood up for the sake of peace under heaven, so that people could live and work in peace, not suffer unbearably under a tyrant’s oppression. If we now sacrifice the people for that position, how would this approach differ from the previous dynasty’s tyrants?”

Qin Yining’s words left Tao Hanshan momentarily unable to find words to refute.

But he didn’t think Qin Yining’s ideas were correct.

“His Highness’s position in court is currently awkward, with various difficulties that Your Highness is not unaware of. When one can barely protect oneself, naturally self-preservation comes first. Obtaining those items from the stone quarry is too important for His Highness. If these things fall into enemy hands, wouldn’t that be seeking our own destruction?”

“Advisor Tao’s thinking is reasonable. But though those items are important, there are things in this world more crucial than treasure. Once one loses their original heart for power and position, future paths will become increasingly crooked. Though our current situation is tense, it hasn’t reached the point where we must sacrifice an entire county’s people. As long as we’re willing to think of solutions, matters can certainly be resolved.”

“Your Highness speaks easily—in such difficulties, are solutions so easily conceived?” Tao Hanshan’s voice couldn’t help but rise as he paced back and forth with his hands behind his back. “This is exactly our current situation. If we don’t push the blame onto others and His Majesty blames us, His Highness will not only lose the treasure but also give others leverage against him. What does Your Highness plan for His Highness to do then?”

“Solutions are conceived by people, but some things simply cannot be done by humans.” Qin Yining also lost her smile, saying gravely, “How to properly resolve this matter—this subordinate will naturally think of methods and inform His Highness to act accordingly. Please have Advisor Tao quickly notify the Five Army Camps to cancel the previous plan. Don’t involve innocent people.”

“Orders have already been issued—it’s too late to turn back now.” Tao Hanshan looked at Qin Yining with barely suppressed irritation. “Your Highness is a woman from the inner chambers who doesn’t understand court affairs, which is understandable. Since His Highness has entrusted these matters to this subordinate’s full authority, please trust this subordinate and refrain from interfering.”

Qin Yining narrowed her eyes slightly. Tao Hanshan speaking this way was extremely impolite to her. Having been by Pang Xiao’s side for so long, those subordinates who frequently followed Pang Xiao treated her the same as they treated Pang Xiao—people like Xie Yue, Xu Weizhi, Huzi, Tang Xiu and others even treated her instructions as Pang Xiao’s instructions to be carried out. She had never encountered someone so unwilling to listen to her persuasion, directly and sternly rebuffing her.

With Tao Hanshan being so inflexible with her, Qin Yining couldn’t help but feel some anger.

“Advisor Tao, I have no intention of interfering with external affairs. Since His Highness was willing to entrust these matters to you, he trusts your abilities.”

Tao Hanshan smiled at Qin Yining. “Since Your Highness knows this, this subordinate needn’t waste more words.”

Qin Yining’s brow furrowed as she said coldly, “I imagine Advisor Tao’s attitude when speaking to His Highness would certainly not be like this.”

“To be honest, His Highness would not be like Your Highness either.”

“Like me?” Qin Yining laughed, slowly saying, “Does the advisor mean to say I have a woman’s misplaced compassion?”

Tao Hanshan looked at Qin Yining with a smile at the corners of his lips, not speaking but already expressing his meaning clearly.

Qin Yining shook her head. “Advisor Tao, I understand that you wholeheartedly want to assist His Highness, are utterly loyal to him, and think of everything for his sake. But as humans, there are things we should do and things we shouldn’t do. So many people in Danfu County—once they’re labeled with treason, I’m afraid tens of thousands will die for this matter! How many have already died in killings from years of warfare? How much effort has His Highness made to quell the chaos of war? In warfare, casualties are inevitable, but this is not war!”

“Your Highness thinks too simply! At this critical juncture, what’s most important for His Highness is obtaining the treasure—those items absolutely cannot fall into others’ hands. Moreover, Danfu County people committing treason and His Highness sending troops to quell it—what excellent merit this would be! I even have a candidate for who the rebellion’s ringleader should be.”

Tao Hanshan pointed at the young man behind Qin Yining, his gaze examining him like a dead object—moreover, a useless dead object to be discarded.

“This person rallied Danfu County people to besiege the government office, then took advantage of the chaos to attempt assassination. When the assassination failed, he abducted Your Highness. Under such dangerous circumstances, His Highness quelled the rebellion and brought the chief culprit to justice—His Majesty would certainly be pleased.”

The young man felt extremely uncomfortable under Tao Hanshan’s gaze. That sense of crisis, like having his throat gripped by wolves, made his entire body tense as his hand gripped one end of his bamboo staff.

He sensed that the person who had given Qin Yining flatbreads today harbored hostility toward him, and this person before him showed even more obvious hostility and scheming. He seemed to be advising Qin Yining, wanting to have him killed or harmed.

The young man couldn’t help but look toward Qin Yining. That small flame in his heart was burning—he very much wanted to know how Qin Yining would treat him, yet feared knowing the answer, afraid Qin Yining would treat him like Wang the Benefactor had.

Just as the young man’s thoughts raced, Qin Yining suddenly stood and blocked the space between the young man and Tao Hanshan, raising her arm to brush away Tao Hanshan’s hand pointing at the young man.

“Advisor Tao.” Qin Yining said sternly, “I never knew that besides not caring about people’s lives and deaths, casually dismissing tens of thousands of lives in conversation, you’ve also learned to frame others!”

“Your Highness! Those who accomplish great things don’t worry about trifles. If we don’t use such a good opportunity, His Highness will surely regret it in the future!”

“Are human lives trifles?”

“This lowly person—where is he worth such concern!”

“It seems Advisor Tao’s thinking differs from both mine and His Highness’s.”

Seeing Qin Yining speak with such firm resolve, Tao Hanshan grew increasingly displeased, also feeling anxious about offending Qin Yining and fearing she might whisper in Pang Xiao’s ear.

“Just now this subordinate was too hasty and spoke some impulsive words.” Tao Hanshan apologized. “Your Highness is kindhearted—the principles you speak are not difficult to understand. If this were a time of peace and prosperity, this subordinate would very much agree with Your Highness’s thinking. But the current situation differs from peaceful times. Matters have priorities—concerning His Highness’s great enterprise, please forgive this subordinate, but I truly cannot act according to Your Highness’s words.”

Hearing Tao Hanshan mention the great enterprise again, Qin Yining said mockingly, “It seems Advisor Tao cares greatly about matters of great enterprise.”

Hearing this, Tao Hanshan’s pupils contracted. Only then did he realize that tonight he had displayed his ambitions too clearly before this woman. His Highness treated them differently than the princess consort did—if the princess consort took a dislike to him and gossiped about him to His Highness, what would he do?

Thinking of this, a faint glimmer flashed in Tao Hanshan’s eyes, and he decided not to argue further with Qin Yining.

“Alright, alright. Your Highness has had a very difficult time outside. Dinner has been prepared below—please go rest. His Highness arranged all these matters for this subordinate, so naturally this subordinate will handle them well.” Tao Hanshan bowed respectfully in farewell. “Your Highness, please go slowly.”

Seeing that she truly couldn’t persuade Tao Hanshan and knowing further words would be useless, Qin Yining could only save the time that would be wasted arguing. She turned to call the young man, signaling for him to follow her, and quickly walked out of the front hall.

Tao Hanshan appeared much more respectful on the outside.

Once outside, several scholars and guards approached, respectfully bowing to Qin Yining.

Tao Hanshan then arranged for someone to escort Qin Yining to rest.

The young man was also given a separate room, but he absolutely refused to leave Qin Yining’s side.

The guards who escorted Qin Yining and the young man to their room entrance were also in a difficult position.

Qin Yining thought for a moment and said, “You may withdraw. If he wants to stay, let him stay—it’s no great matter.” Having experienced their escape together, Qin Yining already trusted the young man completely. At least currently he had no intention of harming her and had been risking himself to protect her.

Hearing Qin Yining say this, the guards exchanged glances and withdrew.

Before long, someone brought hot water, clothing, and food boxes.

Qin Yining used a handkerchief dipped in hot water to wipe her face and hands, paying no attention to her blood-stained clothes.

The young man sat in a round chair near the door, holding his bamboo staff as if asleep.

The room was so quiet that only the chirping of insects outside could be heard.

By the light of a single candle, Qin Yining carefully considered the upcoming situation.

With Tao Hanshan being so inflexible, she truly couldn’t think of a solution for the moment. If things were allowed to develop this way, Pang Xiao would likely incur popular resentment in the future.