Mu Jinghu’s face immediately darkened. “I won’t see her. If you want to see her, you see her.”

The word “disgust” was practically carved into his delicate features.

Pang Xiao smiled helplessly. “She is Yan Ge’er’s mother after all. If for no other reason than for Yan Ge’er’s sake, I should meet with her to see what this is about.”

At the mention of his son, Mu Jinghu’s expression wavered slightly. But Qiu Feishan had schemed against him, used him, deceived him. He had given Qiu Feishan his sincere heart, yet what she returned to him were false feelings.

Pang Xiao understood Mu Jinghu’s thoughts perfectly. He gently patted his shoulder. “Let’s see what she has to say. No matter what, she is your son’s mother.”

Mu Jinghu pressed his lips together, his mood extremely depressed as he followed beside Pang Xiao and left the tent together.

Pang Xiao’s forces were growing daily, and with the transport of provisions, the guards around the camp had become even more strict. Looking out, the encampment appeared extremely impressive.

The two dismissed the others and walked directly outside the camp. From afar, they could see a line of carriages parked to one side. The curtain of the blue-canopied carriage at the front was lifted, and Bi Ying was peering out. The moment her gaze met Mu Jinghu’s, she immediately pushed Qiu Feishan beside her.

Qiu Feishan still wore men’s clothing—a moon-white crossed-collar arrow-sleeved robe with a gray cloak trimmed with raccoon fur collar. Her fair, heroic features carried a hint of weariness, and she immediately looked up.

Upon seeing Mu Jinghu, her eyes brightened instantly, and she hurriedly supported herself on Bi Ying’s hand to descend from the carriage.

Mu Jinghu clasped his hands behind his back, clenching them into fists, and stiffly turned his gaze away.

Qiu Feishan’s eyes dimmed, then she immediately rallied her spirits and said: “Has Your Lordship been well?”

“Thank you for Boss Qiu’s concern. This prince is very well.” Pang Xiao’s tone was gentle.

Qiu Feishan looked at Mu Jinghu with tender eyes and asked with a smile: “And you? How have you been recently?”

“No need for concern.” Mu Jinghu said stiffly, then grew impatient. “If you have something to say, say it. There’s no need to be falsely sentimental here. I’m a foolish person—when it comes to scheming, I’ll never match you. If you have some new conspiracy or calculation, you needn’t bother. I have nothing to do with you anymore.”

Upon hearing this, Qiu Feishan’s eyes immediately reddened.

She took a deep breath before smiling: “Don’t say such things. Yan Ge’er can call ‘daddy’ now, but you weren’t there.”

Mu Jinghu pressed his lips together. “Even if I wasn’t there, he’s still my son. He is him, you are you. I can distinguish clearly.”

“So you must treat me this way?”

“You schemed and calculated everything—isn’t this exactly what you hoped for?”

Qiu Feishan tilted her head back and took a deep breath, rationally changing the subject. “Your Lordship’s provisions are temporarily resolved for this march, but to fight the Tatars, you still lack the court’s military supplies. Your Lordship knows Sitong Trading Company’s financial power—I also intend to contribute what little I can.”

She pointed back at the convoy behind her. “That’s all grain I brought. Even though Your Lordship initially refused to cooperate with me, I still brought this grain to you.”

Pang Xiao had no patience for lengthy discussions with any woman other than Qin Yining, especially someone as deeply scheming and calculating as Qiu Feishan.

Moreover, her tone seemed to remind Pang Xiao that last time he had refused Sitong Trading Company’s assistance and wouldn’t send troops against the Tatar-Lu Heng alliance, yet now wasn’t he still dejectedly going to serve the king, even having to provide his own supplies?

This patronizing tone of bestowing favor was truly unpleasant.

Besides, when had Pang Xiao ever suffered such a loss?

“Boss Qiu is thoughtful.” Out of consideration for Mu Jinghu, Pang Xiao naturally wouldn’t embarrass Qiu Feishan directly, only saying tactfully: “Though this prince is without talent, providing my own supplies is still sufficient. If Boss Qiu wishes to do something for Great Zhou, why not use this grain to open soup kitchens to help the common people temporarily overcome their difficulties? That would also be doing good deeds and accumulating merit.”

Qiu Feishan was left speechless and stunned.

She couldn’t believe that even at this point, Pang Xiao still refused to accept Sitong Trading Company’s assistance!

“Your Lordship, do you know what you’ll face when you return to the capital? How many former Bei Ji officials secretly serve Lu Heng—I needn’t explain this. His Majesty’s wariness toward you also needs no explanation. Speaking only of these many troops, they can manage while traveling for now, but once you reach the battlefield, provisions won’t be up to Your Lordship to arrange. If there’s any problem with food supplies then, does Your Lordship expect His Majesty to feed so many people?”

What Qiu Feishan said was exactly what Pang Xiao had been pondering these past days. Though he hadn’t yet found a solution, Pang Xiao remained stubbornly unyielding.

“Boss Qiu need not worry about this. Since this prince can lead so many people to serve the king, I naturally have ways to feed them. This prince appreciates Boss Qiu’s good intentions.”

Being refused in this manner, and in front of Mu Jinghu no less, Qiu Feishan felt truly displeased. Especially when meeting Mu Jinghu’s disdainful gaze, she felt as shameful as if she’d been stripped naked.

What exactly had she done wrong for Mu Jinghu to treat her this way?

Her eyes heated up, and Qiu Feishan immediately lowered her gaze and blinked, calming her emotions before smiling normally: “Your Lordship’s words make sense. But the grain is right here, and once Your Lordship agrees, Sitong Trading Company will continue to properly support the Pingnan Army in the future. Your Lordship would never need to worry about provisions again. Would Your Lordship truly refuse such a good opportunity?”

Pang Xiao smiled without speaking.

Qiu Feishan nearly couldn’t maintain her smile.

Pang Xiao cupped his hands: “This prince still has matters to attend to, so I’ll return first. Boss Qiu, please do as you wish.”

Seeing Pang Xiao leave, Mu Jinghu also turned and walked away.

The cold early spring wind made Qiu Feishan shiver. Watching Mu Jinghu’s resolute departing figure, her heart felt as if it had been thrown into ice and snow to be trampled.

Bi Ying bit her teeth as she supported Qiu Feishan’s arm: “Miss, the young master is too excessive! You traveled thousands of miles bringing grain, and wasn’t it all for his sake? Yet he treats you like this!”

Qiu Feishan shook her head and pressed her lips together: “I deceived and calculated first. I never expected he would react so strongly after learning the truth.”

“You worked so hard pretending to be ill, taking so much medicine for nothing, and wasn’t it all for the young master’s safety? If not to transfer him away from the center of conflict and far from trouble, would you have gone to such lengths?” Bi Ying’s face flushed red with anger as she stamped her foot. “This servant has never seen such a stubborn person!”

Qiu Feishan turned back toward the carriage and looked at the long convoy she’d brought for a long while before saying with regret and frustration:

“His current resentment toward me shows how much hope he once placed in me. People only feel such great hatred when they’ve given their sincere heart but received no response. He’s someone who loves and hates clearly and values loyalty deeply. I misjudged him from the beginning.”

What Qiu Feishan didn’t say was that when she had calculated everything, including Mu Jinghu, her feelings for him then weren’t as strong as they were now. She had been captured by Mu Jinghu and coerced by Tianji Zi into marrying him.

She had reluctantly agreed to achieve her goals, but even after becoming husband and wife, she still harbored reservations.

Her feelings for Mu Jinghu only intensified after the truth came out and he resolutely wanted to sever relations with her. Only then did she realize that perhaps she’d had feelings for Mu Jinghu long ago—she simply hadn’t been aware of it herself.

However, she wasn’t born to be an ordinary boudoir maiden. She bore the mission of a reclusive aristocratic family on her shoulders. Now that the Qiu family had emerged from shadow to light, she had even more to do—all traditions passed down through generations that she couldn’t disobey, much less place romantic feelings above her mission.

“How can I have both…” Qiu Feishan’s fair hand rested on the carriage as she furrowed her brow tightly.

Meanwhile, Mu Jinghu had returned to camp with Pang Xiao.

Seeing Mu Jinghu’s silent demeanor, Pang Xiao couldn’t help but worry.

“Mutou, you needn’t be like this. She is your wife after all. Think more of Yan Ge’er. He’s still young now, so you have time to consider, but when he’s older and understands things, will you still refuse to go home?”

“Don’t worry, I have my own plans.” Mu Jinghu said with certainty.

Pang Xiao immediately understood and shook his head: “You’re thinking too simply. For a child to grow up happy, they need to grow up in a warm environment with both parents present. You followed your master from childhood and never lived a single day like a normal child. Do you want Yan Ge’er to be the same? What will you do when he asks you for his mother?”

Mu Jinghu was momentarily speechless, not knowing what to say.

Pang Xiao patted his shoulder: “This world isn’t simply black and white, Mutou. Boss Qiu has her own purposes, and though she deceived you, she is ultimately your wife. If you won’t forgive her, your family will be ruined. As your brother, I truly don’t want to see your life become like that, especially since I’m partly responsible.”

Mu Jinghu shook his head: “Don’t say that. What does my hatred of her using and deceiving me have to do with you?”

Looking at Pang Xiao’s concerned gaze, Mu Jinghu lowered his eyes and remained silent for a moment before saying: “Don’t worry, I’ll think it through carefully.”

Pang Xiao couldn’t pressure Mu Jinghu too much, so he punched his shoulder once more before walking away.

When Qin Yining heard about the day’s events, she actually laughed: “Don’t worry. Qiu Feishan is resourceful and clever. If she’s determined to make Young Master Mu change his mind, she has plenty of methods. Young Master Mu is an honest person—they’ll reconcile sooner or later.”

“Are you saying Boss Qiu might use schemes?”

“Hard to say, but she has sufficient means, and she wouldn’t harm Young Master Mu. Even if there are schemes involved, it would be for their family of three. We shouldn’t interfere too much.” Qin Yining picked up a dried plum and put it in her mouth, her cheek bulging with a small round bump. “Better to tear down ten temples than ruin one marriage. Young Master Mu truly likes Qiu Feishan. If they can reconcile, it would be good for Yan Ge’er too. Don’t overthink it.”

Pang Xiao chuckled at this and poked her bulging cheek with his finger: “Do you take me for such a petty person? But Boss Qiu bringing grain at this time is indeed a huge temptation.”

Qin Yining smiled: “Actually, there’s no need to dwell too much on past matters. She deceived Young Master Mu, and her choice not to punish the murderer of her grandfather is her own business—it doesn’t concern us. If we have common goals, we cooperate; if we can’t travel the same path, we go our separate ways. That’s perfectly normal. Just knowing she’s a scheming person means we shouldn’t trust her in the future.”