Hearing the sounds, Bingtang, Jiyun, and others immediately responded, quietly entering with hot water, green salt, and other items.

Qin Yining turned over and sat up, lazily yawning. “It’s still most comfortable being home. I haven’t slept so soundly in a long time.”

Pang Xiao smiled, still lying prone on the canopy bed, tilting his head to watch her get down and slip on her soft-soled embroidered shoes, washing and changing clothes under the maids’ service.

Ziyuan wanted to come serve Pang Xiao in getting up, but he merely waved his hand, and the maid didn’t dare approach.

Qin Yining sat at her dressing table, dabbing rouge on her ring finger. Seeing Pang Xiao’s actions in the mirror, she smiled and said, “I’ll serve you in washing and combing your hair later.”

“That would be wonderful, though having you serve me really makes me feel bad.”

Pang Xiao tilted his head watching Qin Yining dress up. She wore a light azure jacket, her raven-black hair cascading behind her, while Jiyun and Bingtang carefully combed her hair. The bedroom had always kept her dressing table, but Pang Xiao hadn’t seen this scene of peaceful years for a long time. His heart felt soft and warm, truly hoping things could continue like this forever.

Qin Yining smiled and gave him a look, carefully applying lip rouge in the mirror, occasionally saying, “Haven’t I taken care of you before?”

Seeing her charming and delicate appearance, Pang Xiao couldn’t help but laugh.

After Qin Yining finished dressing her hair, knowing that Pang Xiao wouldn’t want the maids around to see his injuries, she dismissed everyone. She brought medicine to change Pang Xiao’s dressing first, then brought hot water to help him wash, and finally took a wooden comb to carefully comb his hair.

Pang Xiao sat sideways while Qin Yining stood facing him. This angle made it very convenient for him to circle his arms around her waist. His large hands gripped her slender waist, and Pang Xiao couldn’t help but frown. “How did you get so thin?”

Qin Yining smiled gently. “I’ve been traveling more outside, so naturally I’ve lost some weight. But I feel my body has recovered very well now, much better than when I just gave birth to Zhao Ge’er and Han Ge’er.”

“You’ve been working too hard.” Pang Xiao sighed.

Not wanting Pang Xiao to overthink, Qin Yining said, “Did Young Master Mu tell you everything about his situation?”

“He told me as soon as he returned.” Pang Xiao felt somewhat regretful. “Actually, Mutou developed real feelings for his wife. But from the very beginning, I was somewhat worried, because comparatively speaking, Mutou is much more simple-minded. Yet he has good martial skills and is my good friend, so the possibility of being used was quite high. Now it seems my concerns back then weren’t unfounded suspicions.”

Qin Yining used a jade hairpin to secure his topknot, picked off a fallen hair from his shoulder, and sat beside him. “We’ve only heard Young Master Mu’s side of the story. Perhaps things aren’t entirely as he saw and understood them. But Boss Qiu indeed did something that hurt his heart, making him not even care about his son. I think this matter ultimately started because of us, so we should at least help their marriage.”

Pang Xiao said, “Even if there’s our involvement, that woman Qiu Feishan cannot be underestimated. Her scheming is too deep, and years of ups and downs in the business world have made her methods increasingly ruthless. Perhaps her concepts are fundamentally different from ours. She might not be able to understand Mutou’s feelings.”

“This is why there’s the ancient saying about those with different paths not conspiring together. Trying to persuade another person to agree with your own concepts—unless something happens to that person that makes them see clearly themselves—otherwise just relying on words will very likely result in an unpleasant parting. Marriages are inherently more sensitive, with higher expectations of each other. Boss Qiu’s actions touched Young Master Mu’s bottom line and made him feel disappointed and estranged. I imagine changing his mindset in the short term is quite unlikely.”

Qin Yining felt somewhat helpless and sighed at this point. “Although I can’t agree with Boss Qiu’s methods, and I don’t much like her now, they are husband and wife after all, and they’ve had children together. Seeing them quarrel like this, my heart can’t bear it.”

Pang Xiao nodded. “I’ll do my best with this matter and try to persuade him. But right now the court is in a state of extreme tension. The refugee problem hasn’t been resolved, and we’re facing Tatars attacking directly to Huichuan County. Once the city falls, the capital will be in danger. The realm is already in great chaos. I want to see what countermeasures the Emperor has.”

Qin Yining lowered her eyes, her long lashes fluttering, clearly sulking. After a long while, she said, “Ever since returning from Danfu County, he hasn’t given you a pleasant look, beating you with boards twice. Not to mention ourselves—even outsiders would feel chilled seeing this. If he thinks of reinstating you to fight the enemy now, he’s got the wrong idea. I absolutely will not let this go!”

This appearance, in Pang Xiao’s eyes, was like a small beast baring its teeth and claws. She was protecting him, which truly moved his heart.

“Alright, I’m fine, aren’t I? Besides, if you won’t let this go, what do you plan to do?”

Qin Yining sneered coldly. “Punishment is too strong a word—he’s the Son of Heaven, what could I do to punish him? But someday I’ll make him taste what it’s like to be publicly humiliated.”

Qin Yining was still holding a grudge. Pang Xiao had been pressed down and beaten with boards in the Golden Throne Hall. With his pride and the image he’d built over many years, Li Qitian had trampled his dignity to this extent. Qin Yining would never let this go.

Pang Xiao suddenly felt like he was being protected. Though she was clearly a delicate woman, she could always give him this feeling of mutual support and dependence. Pang Xiao hadn’t experienced such feelings from others in a long time, because whether his family members or his subordinates, they all depended on him—no one allowed him to depend on them.

Pang Xiao held her hand, his thumb caressing her smooth back of hand, smiling. “Good, whether I can vent this anger depends entirely on our Yi Jie’er.”

This tone made Qin Yining’s face heat up, and she gave him a reproachful look. “Always with your smooth talk.”

After the two had a simple breakfast, they continued staying in the room reading and chatting, discussing current affairs and how Great Zhou should respond to the present crisis.

But just after lunch, when Qin Yining and Pang Xiao were about to take a brief rest, Bingtang came to the door with an anxious expression to relay a message: “Your Highness, Princess! A guest has arrived outside.”

“A guest?” Qin Yining asked puzzledly. “Who came? Why are you so anxious?”

Bingtang said, “It’s Boss Qiu. Young Master Mu has already gone to the front hall.”

Qin Yining’s heart skipped a beat, and she looked inquiringly at Pang Xiao beside her.

Pang Xiao seemed to know what Qin Yining was worried about and smiled while patting her hand. “Don’t worry, Mutou wouldn’t be angry enough to kill his son’s mother.” But with his straightforward nature, he certainly wouldn’t give Qiu Feishan a pleasant face either.

Qiu Feishan’s visit wasn’t a small matter. Though Pang Xiao was injured, he still needed to see her. With the propriety between men and women, it wasn’t convenient for her to come to the inner chambers.

Qin Yining ordered someone to prepare a wooden wheelchair, having Huzi and Tang Xiu help Pang Xiao sit in it. Under Pang Xiao’s reluctant and awkward gaze, they pushed the wheelchair all the way to the front hall.

Upon entering, Qin Yining saw Qiu Feishan in a sky-blue front-buttoned long robe, her hair in a topknot, dressed as a scholar.

Just like when they first met, Qiu Feishan had returned to her usual dress habits. Though she wasn’t deliberately disguised as a man, the male clothing on her body showed no deliberate stiffness or affected artificiality. Instead, it seemed natural that even as a woman, she would wear men’s clothing with such elegance.

Mu Jinghu wore a gray Daoist robe of fine cotton, standing with his hands behind his back at the doorway, seeming like he belonged to a different world from Qiu Feishan in her silk clothing.

Perhaps hearing the voices of Qin Yining and Pang Xiao’s group, Qiu Feishan had already stood up with her maid Biying’s support, smiling as she approached. “I heard His Highness suffered some injuries. It seems they’re quite serious. How is Your Highness feeling?”

Pang Xiao was pushed by Tang Xiu and Huzi to the main seat. Though the buttock injuries made sitting uncomfortable, it was better than walking and aggravating the wounds. Pang Xiao was extremely patient, and at this moment his complexion appeared normal, showing no signs of discomfort. Hearing her words, he only smiled. “This Prince is well. Has Boss Qiu’s health also improved greatly?”

Qiu Feishan had repeatedly claimed illness, and even Bingtang had gone to treat her condition for a period. Everyone knew she was feigning illness. Pang Xiao bringing this up now—no one knew exactly what he meant.

Qiu Feishan narrowed her eyes slightly, then smiled openly and honestly. “I’ve recovered. Thank you for Your Highness’s concern.” She then turned to look at Qin Yining and bowed. “Greetings to the Princess.”

Qin Yining sat beside Pang Xiao and merely lifted her hand slightly. “You may rise.”

That cold attitude made Qiu Feishan pause for a moment. Looking again at Mu Jinghu’s demeanor, she understood everything in her heart.

She couldn’t continue beating around the bush and could only speak directly.

After everyone was seated, Qiu Feishan said frankly, “I imagine my husband has told Your Highness and the Princess about what happened. Regardless of how many reasons there were, the result is indeed that I hid some private letters and caused trouble for Miss Bingtang beside the Princess. I truly feel terrible about it.”

Bingtang, standing behind Qin Yining, rolled her eyes dramatically without any courtesy.

Qin Yining only smiled and said nothing more.

If it were an ordinary woman encountering such a situation, she would probably be mortified by now. But Qiu Feishan remained composed, smiling. “It seems the Princess has forgiven me.”

Qin Yining didn’t want to deal with her thick skin and continued to ignore her.

Qiu Feishan then said, “Actually, official matters are official matters, and family affairs are family affairs. Just like how Your Highness and Zhipan An still had some feuds from the previous generation, but those were all state matters. In the end, Your Highness still married Princess Song—that was family matters.

“I don’t mean anything else by this. My husband and I have deep affection, and Yan Ge’er is already so grown up. I absolutely have no second thoughts toward my husband. Even if my ideas aren’t approved by my husband, that can’t erase my position.”

Mu Jinghu glared at Qiu Feishan, his eyes full of barely suppressed anger.

Qiu Feishan sighed. “The marital affection between you and me will never change in this lifetime. That I can cooperate with Your Highness now is because we have common goals—this doesn’t conflict.”

Hearing Qiu Feishan say this, Pang Xiao said mockingly, “This Prince thought Boss Qiu came specifically to explain because she couldn’t bear to part with Mutou. I didn’t expect you came specifically to discuss cooperation with this Prince? This Prince doesn’t recall ever cooperating with you, nor do I know what common goals we might have.”