Qin Yining’s face was reddened by rubbing against his coarse cloth clothing, and only then did she notice Pang Xiao’s attire.

He wore an indigo blue coarse cloth jacket with patches on the sleeves, his hair tied in a bundle at the back of his head with some messy strands at his temples, and a broken straw hat on his back.

“You dare come to the capital at such a critical time!” Qin Yining stopped her tears and glared at him without good humor.

Pang Xiao held her with one hand while grasping her wrist with the other, his thumb gently rubbing the red bean bracelet on her wrist as he smiled, showing a full set of white teeth. “I missed you, so I came to see you. Besides, I’m also here to do some business and save up some money for a wife.”

Qin Yining snorted. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll turn you in right now? I wonder how much merit I’d earn by handing you over to our emperor.”

“Would you bear to?” Pang Xiao brought her hand to his lips and kissed it, his slightly dry lips with traces of blood brushing across her fingers, then his tongue tip swept across the bracelet on her wrist.

That tingling, tickling sensation made Qin Yining shiver all over as if scalded.

“What are you doing!”

“Haven’t seen you for so many days – am I not allowed to show some affection? Seriously, if I surrender and let you choose, would you hand me over?”

Qin Yining stared at him with slightly red eyes.

Why could he so calmly ask about this topic that she would deliberately avoid, didn’t want to think about, and didn’t want to mention?

Pang Xiao looked at those reddened eyes and sighed. “I’m just afraid you’re overthinking things. I know that because of your father’s situation, you’ve long forgotten how much you suffered outside all those years. The country in your heart never gave you protection, and the emperor in your heart is a foolish ruler…”

“I know all of what you’re saying.”

Qin Yining interrupted Pang Xiao’s words, looking up at his face so close to hers.

“The emperor is incompetent and the country is corrupt – does that mean we deserve to be invaded by foreign enemies?”

“Yi Jie’er…”

“Do you know what kind of life the common people are living now? I previously sold all the valuable items in Ningyuan and invested much more silver, just barely managing to keep eight hundred to a thousand people from starving to death. But there are still so many common people outside who are displaced and homeless. This year heaven isn’t cooperating either – encountering warfare when farming is impossible, how many more people will be forced to leave their homes? Now everyone is selling houses and land to flee for their lives. I believe it won’t be long before people start selling their children, daughters, and wives! All of this is caused by you Zhou people. Pang Zhixi, I really should hand you over to the emperor!”

Though Qin Yining spoke harsh words, tears couldn’t help falling again.

Pang Xiao kissed her forehead and pressed her into his embrace, his large hand stroking her hair repeatedly.

“If you could bear to, I would have been handed over long ago. You have Miss Tang by your side who knows how to use poison, and you’re resourceful. I don’t guard against you either – wouldn’t you have many opportunities to harm me if you wanted?”

Qin Yining buried her face in his chest in despair, unwilling to make a sound.

If she placed herself between the torment of national righteousness and personal feelings, she would collapse.

“But you should know that the reason I wage war is to end this chaotic world.”

Hearing this, Qin Yining’s heart shook as she looked up at him.

Pang Xiao used his sleeve to wipe her face. “The sooner this chaotic world ends, the sooner common people can have peaceful days. When I previously fought Northern Ji, this was my thinking. Now fighting Great Yan, I still have the same idea. Once the realm is unified, there should be at least a hundred years of peace, right?”

“You…”

“Although war itself will kill many people, for the sake of one day achieving national prosperity and popular peace, current sacrifices are worth it. Those who die sacrifice themselves so that everyone in the world can live good lives in the future. Even if one day it costs my life, I won’t hesitate.”

Qin Yining lowered her eyes and leaned back against his shoulder, quietly contemplating what he had just said.

Perhaps, for everyone in the world, early unification of the realm and universal peace was truly the real good?

She felt she was a person of the Yan Dynasty, which was why she deeply detested the Zhou people’s invasion.

But what she hadn’t thought of was that Pang Xiao wasn’t fighting for plunder. He was fighting for the entire world. His heart didn’t hold his country, but the common people of the world.

Qin Yining didn’t doubt the authenticity of Pang Xiao’s words at all.

Compared to him, her thoughts were too narrow.

Seeing her so obediently leaning against him, Pang Xiao knew she no longer harbored the resentment from earlier. With a beauty in his arms, if he didn’t take the opportunity to touch and kiss her a few times, that wouldn’t be his style at all. While she was thinking, Pang Xiao went to kiss her cheeks and snow-white neck, burying his face in her hair and breathing in the faint jasmine fragrance on her body, unwilling to lift his head.

His burning breath fell on her neck, making Qin Yining come back to her senses. She quickly pushed him and jumped down from his lap, saying with a red face, “In such hot weather, aren’t you hot too?”

Pang Xiao was indeed very hot, with all his body heat surging toward one particular place, making it quite difficult for him to endure. So when she moved to the side, he didn’t stop her.

Qin Yining took her fan and waved it vigorously several times before suddenly remembering the purpose of today’s visit.

“You came to buy shops?”

“Yes, I originally sent people to the capital to secretly gather intelligence and wanted to purchase some properties, but they ended up contacting Manager Zhong.”

Qin Yining narrowed her eyes and pondered for a moment, then suddenly realized. “You’re too cunning!”

“What’s wrong?”

“The real situation in Xihua City must not be like what’s being rumored in the capital now. You didn’t massacre the city at all, did you?”

“Mm, I only killed some landlords and wealthy people who specifically exploited the people’s fat and blood, and some corrupt officials who caused trouble.”

“But you had them beheaded for public display and spread news into the capital that you were about to massacre the city.”

Qin Yining leaned forward and tapped his head with her silk fan. “You’re so cunning – isn’t this for amassing wealth? No wonder Manager Zhong was so happy. You, the enemy army’s commander, want to buy houses and establish properties in the capital. That means when you really attack in the future, you won’t burn houses or kill people – you’ll ensure this great city operates normally.”

“Isn’t this obvious?” Pang Xiao smiled. “I’m not a killing maniac. Do I fight wars just to kill people? Conquering Great Yan and incorporating it into Great Zhou’s territory is also to develop the economy and let common people live good lives.”

Pang Xiao shook his head and clicked his tongue. “It seems you still don’t understand me enough. You could actually be influenced by those rumors and see me as a killing demon.”

But Qin Yining said, “You may think this way, but that doesn’t mean your emperor thinks the same.”

Hearing this, Pang Xiao fell silent for a moment.

Both thought of how Emperor Zhou had once ordered Pang Xiao to massacre a city, how Pang Xiao had disobeyed the imperial decree, and how Emperor Zhou had stripped him of his position as Grand Marshal of Pingnan.

Pang Xiao propped his chin with one hand, looking at her with a smile. “Are you concerned about me?”

Qin Yining was startled, her face growing even redder. “Not at all.”

“Still saying no?”

Qin Yining felt uncomfortable under his gaze and simply turned to look elsewhere.

Pang Xiao was amused by her appearance and didn’t want to tease her further, so he pulled her hand. “Come, let’s eat first. I’ve prepared food.”

Qin Yining asked in surprise, “You prepared it?”

“Yes.” Pang Xiao looked back at her and smiled. “Why so surprised? Don’t you know my grandfather used to run a restaurant?”