Qin Yining sat in the rose chair while Pang Xiao bent down to look at her closely. Their faces were so near that she could almost smell the refreshing scent unique to him.

Her heartbeat suddenly skipped a beat, followed immediately by a series of frantic pounding. A rosy flush spread across her cheeks, and her bright eyes were veiled with a layer of misty moisture from shame and annoyance.

This man really was…

Qin Yining could hardly distinguish her feelings toward Pang Xiao anymore. She was annoyed by his arrogant and direct approach, yet her heart couldn’t help but flutter with excitement.

However, if she truly accepted this garden publicly, not to mention whether she would offend the enchantress Empress, even with her father’s position, the Emperor would suspect him of collaborating with the enemy and betraying the country.

She had no right to decide whether she wanted to be bound together with Pang Xiao, because behind her stood the fate of the entire Qin family.

At this moment, Qin Yining suddenly felt that if only Pang Xiao weren’t from Great Zhou, if only their two countries didn’t have such a relationship, or if only she weren’t a daughter of the Qin family and Pang Xiao weren’t the son of Pang Zhongzheng, then everything would be fine.

Between them, there were simply too many obstacles.

Pang Xiao was unwilling to miss any of her subtle emotions and had been carefully observing her. Her completely flushed cheeks and shimmering eyes clearly revealed her stirred emotions, but her gradually dimming gaze and unconsciously pursed pink lips also expressed her helplessness and compromise.

Pang Xiao immediately understood Qin Yining’s concerns.

Sure enough, Qin Yining stood up, looked up at Pang Xiao with righteous indignation and said, “One should not accept rewards without merit. Moreover, I have no connection with Prince Pang, so I cannot accept such a precious gift without reason. Please withdraw your command, Prince Pang.”

Such a firm rejection brought the women back from the dreamlike declaration just moments before. Those who understood state affairs and had clear minds already grasped the meaning behind Qin Yining’s words.

Of course, there were also those who secretly cursed Qin Yining for not knowing what was good for her.

What kind of person was Prince Pang? To show such favor and courtesy to a woman was a blessing cultivated over eight lifetimes. Yet Qin Yining dared to refuse him so firmly in public, even saying such hurtful words as “I have no connection with you.” Wasn’t she afraid that Prince Pang would kill her in a fit of rage?

The scene fell into silence. Just as Sun Shi stood up worriedly, fearing that Pang Xiao might snap Qin Yining’s neck in anger, Pang Xiao actually chuckled.

“You still look down on me. My self-esteem is almost completely wounded by you.” He no longer referred to himself as “this prince.”

“Your Highness, please speak carefully,” Qin Yining frowned. “You must have understood what I said just now. Your Highness and I are not the same kind of people. Please conduct yourself with propriety, Your Highness.”

“It doesn’t matter if we’re not the same kind of people—I’ll just follow your path. I find you pleasing to the eye and want to please you. These are all my own affairs and have nothing to do with you.”

Qin Yining’s almond eyes widened in shock. She couldn’t believe this man was so shameless as to say such things in front of everyone!

“Yining, I will never force you to do anything you don’t like. Think about it—when have I ever forced you before?”

Thinking of that forced kiss, Qin Yining’s face flushed red, and she wanted nothing more than to spit at this shameless fellow.

But Pang Xiao seemed completely oblivious and continued with a smile, “This garden is just to make you smile. In the future, if you don’t want something, I definitely won’t force you. But this time, please bear with it. Early this morning, I already signed the land deed and property deed in your name. I imagine when you return home, your chief steward will deliver everything to you.”

“You…” Qin Yining was dumbfounded.

“Alright, alright, it’s my fault,” Pang Xiao bent down again to match her height so he could see her expression clearly. While reading her face, he softened his tone to coax her, “Don’t be angry, okay? I won’t do this again in the future. Just this once.”

Looking at Pang Xiao speaking to her so gently and kindly, Qin Yining found it very difficult to connect him with the legendary bloodthirsty fiend from the rumors.

It was precisely because he was such an iron-blooded and domineering figure that his gentleness before her was even more moving.

Pang Xiao’s method of preparing the deeds in advance and forcing them on her had cleared most suspicions from her and her father, while he bore the blame himself.

Clearly she was the one receiving benefits, yet outsiders would all curse him for forcing her.

Qin Yining looked at Pang Xiao with complex emotions, unable to utter another word of refusal.

Pang Xiao smiled, thinking she looked just like Er’Bai, even with both rabbit ears drooping, making him want to pat her head.

But he knew that his high-profile verbal declaration had already achieved its purpose of intimidating certain people for her sake. If he went too far, people would gossip about her behind her back.

Besides, there would be many more opportunities—there was no need to rush this moment.

Pang Xiao then returned to the main seat and sat down.

Qin Yining also sat back in her original position, lost in thought.

At this moment, the Empress’s complexion had turned extremely ugly.

The Emperor did dote on her, but he had never shown her such gentle and meticulous indulgence.

Moreover, the Emperor was an old man about the same age as her father, while Prince Zhongshun was such a handsome and extraordinary heroic man.

The Emperor had just rewarded her with Eternal Spring Garden, and now Qin Yining had obtained Ning Garden, which was even better than Eternal Spring Garden.

If Qin Yining had seduced Prince Zhongshun with her feminine wiles, that would be one thing, but now even a fool could see that in the relationship between Qin Yining and Prince Zhongshun, Prince Zhongshun was the weaker party!

In comparing men, comparing dignity, the Empress had already lost completely. Even her beauty, which she was so proud of and confident about, seemed somewhat inferior to Qin Yining, who was like a spring flower just beginning to bloom.

The Empress secretly gritted her teeth, holding back a belly full of anger that she couldn’t release.

Pang Xiao then stood up. “Please feel free, everyone. This prince still has matters to attend to, so I must take my leave.” After saying this, he completely ignored the Empress, only smiled at Qin Yining, then left with Huzi.

The steward who managed the garden came in and bowed to Qin Yining.

“Master, the Prince has instructed that from now on this humble servant will follow your orders. This humble servant kowtows to Master.”

Well! The garden that the Empress had just been jumping up and down trying to borrow for a banquet now belonged to Qin Yining!

When the women looked at Qin Yining and the Empress again, their expressions were very subtle.

Qin Yining felt that Pang Xiao had given her a hot potato. But since things had come to this point, and she couldn’t decline, she wasn’t someone who couldn’t handle responsibility. Besides, the Empress’s livid expression truly pleased her.

Qin Yining smiled and said, “Rise.” Then she looked toward the Empress and respectfully bowed. “Everything follows Your Majesty’s commands.”

The Empress stared fixedly at Qin Yining’s beautiful young face that made her so resentful, and after a long while squeezed out through gritted teeth: “Return to the palace!”

She rose angrily and turned to leave.

Cao Yuqing and Cao Imperial Uncle’s wife hurriedly followed after her.

The women from other families hadn’t gotten to eat at the banquet and had walked all this mountain path for nothing, but they didn’t dare linger and could only follow closely behind the Empress’s quick departure.

Only Qin Yining calmly saw the Empress off, then generously sat back in her original seat, poured herself a cup of wine, and took a light sip.

The Old Madam, Sun Shi, Second Madam, and Seventh Miss didn’t leave, because in the Empress’s eyes they were all on Qin Yining’s side. Besides, the Old Madam now didn’t know how to treat Qin Yining.

After pondering for a long while, the Old Madam suddenly asked with gleaming eyes, “Yining, what exactly is your relationship with Prince Pang? When you went to Xihua City this time, were you accompanying Prince Pang?”