“Haven’t seen His Majesty do anything about us having no rice to eat, yet he beat with rods the person who found ways to get rice and grain for us. This is really too…”

“Are you tired of living!”

The man’s words were interrupted by a kind-hearted person behind him.

That person patted the man’s arm: “Don’t discuss these matters, be careful lest someone overhears. Do you and your whole family not want to live anymore!”

The man knew he had misspoken and could only close his mouth in dejection.

But while this discussion was stopped by someone, discussions elsewhere gradually spread to every corner of the city.

Li Qitian didn’t yet know to what extent the situation had developed, but Lu Heng had already received the news.

Though Lu Heng was ordered not to leave Huichuan County, he had freedom of movement, except that “guards” arranged by His Majesty had to accompany him wherever he went.

He normally didn’t particularly like walking around outside, but recently, unable to receive messages from his subordinates, he very much enjoyed strolling about, observing the various conditions in the city while keeping an eye on the situation.

So when Lu Heng heard that Pang Zhixi had been taken to the government office and beaten with rods by His Majesty as soon as he arrived in Huichuan, he was first shocked, then couldn’t quite suppress the corners of his mouth that wanted to curve upward.

Had His Majesty gone mad with anxiety over the treasure? He didn’t even care about his reputation anymore!

Back in the capital, Pang Zhixi had already built an excellent reputation. Storytellers in the streets and alleys all discussed his heroic deeds, once promoting him as a hero of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Now this hero was being treated like this by His Majesty – what would the common people think when they learned of it?

Lu Heng shook his head, controlling his facial expression, but in his heart kept imagining scenes of Pang Zhixi being beaten, feeling refreshed throughout his entire body.

With Pang Zhixi being beaten, what would Qin Yining think?

Thinking of Qin Yining, Lu Heng’s eyes that had been full of smiles grew dim again.

As a man, he naturally couldn’t inquire about Pang Xiao’s family members. After returning to his residence and seeing Bian Ruohan, he casually mentioned Pang Xiao being beaten during their idle conversation.

These days they had been under house arrest, and Bian Ruohan had been frightened badly, putting away her usual willfulness and arrogance. Lu Heng also had no leisure to clash with Bian Ruohan, so their interactions were actually more harmonious than ever before.

“What my lord speaks of, this concubine also just heard about.” Bian Ruohan skillfully worked on her braided cord, her eyes curved as she said, “I thought the Qin family and Prince Zhongshun had such deep conjugal affection. This time Prince Zhongshun was obviously summoned by His Majesty to face charges, yet the Qin family is out there leading people on sightseeing trips and refuses to come.”

Lu Heng was stunned upon hearing this, obviously not immediately understanding.

Bian Ruohan raised her eyes, carefully observing Lu Heng’s expression. Seeing him like this, she secretly thought this was an excellent opportunity and immediately embellished the story: “I heard this when I went out to browse jewelry stalls today. This time when Prince Zhongshun returned, he didn’t bring the princess consort at all. People responsible for the prince’s ceremonial procession said that when Prince Zhongshun was still seriously injured, the princess consort had already taken people out on a trip. It shows that all her surface displays of deep affection for the prince are fake.”

Raising her eyes to look at Lu Heng, her soft voice carried obvious urgency and longing: “My lord, the Qin family is just such a cold-hearted woman. Prince Zhongshun dotes on her so much, yet in times of crisis she can abandon him and not care. How much more so with other unrelated people?”

So stop thinking about that wench – the Qin family has no feelings for you at all! I am the woman by your side who cares most for you.

Lu Heng quietly listened to Bian Ruohan’s persuasion, but what he was thinking was completely different from what Bian Ruohan was saying.

He naturally knew what kind of person Qin Yining was. She was so devoted, so stubborn, having weathered so many dangerous moments together with Pang Xiao. Her loyalty and stubbornness made him cherish her, but also made his jealousy of Pang Xiao grow day by day.

With Qin Yining’s character, if Pang Xiao fell into crisis, she absolutely could not ignore it. The reason she left must be that she had privately gone to do some other important matter.

Qin Yining’s abilities were exceptional, no less than those of men. If one were to guess what she might do, it was really too broad a scope, and Lu Heng couldn’t figure it out for the moment.

However, the two words “treasure” flashed quickly through his mind.

What he had told Li Qitian was merely to clear himself of blame – he had seized upon Li Qitian’s wariness of Pang Xiao to deliberately implicate Pang Xiao.

But now Qin Yining was acting contrary to her usual behavior by separating from Pang Xiao, not sharing hardships with him. What recent matter would be worth Qin Yining’s attention? Lu Heng easily thought of the treasure matter.

By Lu Heng’s judgment, this treasure would ultimately fall into His Majesty’s hands.

Because His Majesty had sufficient manpower, dividing forces nine ways to investigate each route. Though Pang Xiao had prestige in the military, he actually didn’t have many people at his disposal.

Starting from humble origins, he ultimately wasn’t like the Lu family with deep foundations and connections.

If it were Pang Zhixi who was discovered by His Majesty to have hidden treasure, he would probably immediately face charges with great fanfare.

But when Lu Heng was discovered by His Majesty to have hidden treasure, it was merely raising high and setting down gently, temporarily just house arrest, giving him sufficient time to react.

This was the advantage of having the Lu family as a powerful backing.

Lu Heng’s thoughts raced, and in the time it took to sip tea, he had already analyzed the crux of the matter.

Seeing that Lu Heng’s expression didn’t change and he showed no disdain or disgust toward Qin Yining, Bian Ruohan was flooded with disappointment and resentment like a tide.

Why? For what reason?

What was better about the Qin family that made Lu Heng so infatuated!

Even when she did such heartless and unrighteous things, Lu Heng paid no attention at all.

She was Lu Heng’s lawful wife, the one who shared hardships with him, yet Lu Heng kept thinking about a married woman!

Bian Ruohan still retained some rationality, knowing that now their husband and wife were under strict surveillance. If they really made a scene, it might reach His Majesty’s ears. Otherwise, she really wanted to grab Lu Heng’s collar and shake him, asking him properly what was wrong with her and why he just wouldn’t look at her more.

The matter of Qin Yining not accompanying Pang Xiao was something Li Qitian only realized half a day after beating Pang Xiao with rods.

Hearing Xiong Jinshui’s report, Li Qitian laughed mockingly.

“Does he really think I’m a fool? What going out to travel – who in this court doesn’t know about their marital affection? Pang Zhixi is someone who would defy imperial edicts for the Qin family!”

Xiong Jinshui bowed as he served at his side. Hearing this, his heart jumped to his throat, afraid that if His Majesty became unhappy, he would take it out on him.

Li Qitian turned to look at the chief eunuch beside him. “Do you think the Qin family really went out traveling?”

At this point, Xiong Jinshui couldn’t consider too much, only thinking about how to please His Majesty. He casually said: “Your Majesty has profound foresight and must already have ideas. This slave only offers a small insight – someone like Prince Zhongshun should be the type who dotes on his wife most. He probably hid the princess consort away early on.”

“Oh? For what reason would he hide someone when all was well?”

Xiong Jinshui choked for a moment, then put on a smile: “This slave doesn’t know. Perhaps since Prince Zhongshun’s family line has been severed, with old and young all gone, leaving only this wife, he wanted to preserve a relative.”

A relative?

Li Qitian was immediately led astray in his thinking.

Could it be that the Qin family was with child?