“Master…” Huzi looked at Pang Xiao with worry. In all these years, this was the first time he had seen him in such a state.

He couldn’t say exactly what was wrong, but he could feel that Pang Xiao’s mood was very off.

“Master, it would be easy for me to contact Manager Zhong to ask Fourth Miss’s intentions, but what about Fourth Miss’s safety in the palace? The new emperor won’t allow Fourth Miss to bring trusted people, so Ji Yun definitely can’t follow. What if the new emperor is like his foolish father and wants to harm Fourth Miss?”

Pang Xiao’s sword-like brows furrowed tightly as he said in a low voice: “Mutou’s meaning is that she’s seriously injured.”

Mu Jinghu nodded.

Pang Xiao sighed and said: “She’s a clever person. At this time she’ll definitely use a self-injury stratagem to avoid the new emperor’s advances. The new emperor is a scholar who truly cares for her and wants to spend his life with her—he surely won’t do anything to a sick person. The time she gains by falling ill will be enough for me to operate.”

At this point, Pang Xiao sat down somewhat dejectedly in the only remaining intact round-backed chair and sighed again: “Actually, Mutou is right. I am selfish.”

Mu Jinghu crouched on the ground holding the broken teapot, looking at Pang Xiao.

Huzi also gazed at him, wanting to speak but hesitating.

“Even if she wants to be empress, I still want to possess her for myself, so I absolutely won’t let her become this empress. The Qin family can’t disobey the imperial decree themselves, so I can only make the new emperor give up on his own.”

Huzi nodded. He had always known that Pang Xiao was far-sighted and thoughtful, so it wasn’t surprising that even in his rage he could quickly analyze the situation and come up with countermeasures.

Mu Jinghu, however, snorted: “Truly a fox. Actually, your wife matches you quite well. You didn’t see how she looked when calculating against those assassins—it scared even me, thinking she had been possessed by a fox spirit. You two foxes are a perfect match. I’m waiting to see how you scheme against each other after marriage, hmph!”

Pang Xiao knew Qin Yining was resourceful and intelligent. Hearing Mu Jinghu say this, he could imagine her wise eyes and cunning gaze when plotting. Just thinking of her made his mood lighten.

Seeing Pang Xiao finally return to normal, Huzi breathed a sigh of relief and said: “Master, are you planning to severely punish Prince Ning?”

“I need to punish him severely, but also make it appear that we’re very exhausted too. Once they’ve tasted the power of our Huben Army and their soldiers and civilians are all terrified, my plan will be half successful.”

“What about the other half?”

Pang Xiao called Huzi to his side and whispered: “After you’ve asked Yi Jie’er’s intentions, stay in the city. When news spreads of the fierce battle between the Huben Army and Yan forces, with people unable to make a living, I’ll have someone announce a temporary ceasefire before both armies. Then you’ll do this…”

Pang Xiao whispered a few words in Huzi’s ear.

Huzi’s eyes grew brighter and brighter as he listened, nodding repeatedly: “Truly a brilliant plan! I’ll go into the city right away!”

Seeing they had made their decision, Mu Jinghu also stood up.

Pang Xiao personally escorted the two out of the camp, then called several generals to discuss important matters.

The next day, Huzi disguised himself and hid in a water pipe house in the city, requesting a private room where he lay on a couch to catch up on sleep.

Since Mu Jinghu was an unfamiliar face whom no one would suspect, he took on the task of delivering messages, going to inform Manager Zhong and arranging to meet at the water pipe house.

Hearing that it was Pang Xiao’s man who had come, Manager Zhong dared not delay and set aside his work to come as invited.

Worried that their conversation might be overheard, Mu Jinghu stayed outside to keep watch, leaving the interior space to the two men.

When Manager Zhong saw Huzi, he wasn’t as anxious as when he’d arrived. Clasping his hands behind his back, he snorted: “Now you remember to send someone. What were you doing earlier?”

Huzi had just woken up and was still drowsy. Unexpectedly meeting Manager Zhong only to be immediately scolded, he was somewhat confused.

However, Huzi’s response was still loyally protective of his master:

“Please calm your anger, sir. You know we’re outside the city where transmitting messages is very difficult. Didn’t we come as soon as we got the news? Master immediately ordered me to enter the city.”

Manager Zhong snorted again and sat down boldly: “What are you here to do now? Seeing that our young miss is about to become empress, are you anxious? When their family suffered so many hardships, I didn’t see your master getting anxious. Now you come rushing here urgently.”

Manager Zhong glared at Huzi, counting on his fingers: “My young miss has both talent and beauty, noble background, is resourceful and wise, virtuous and filial. In this old man’s opinion, you couldn’t find such a good girl anywhere else in the world. With our miss’s status, being empress is more than sufficient! Plus our new emperor is young and capable, wholeheartedly devoted to our miss. I think it’s excellent for our miss to be empress! Could it be that your master is jealous and envious seeing our miss about to become empress, and wants to interfere? Let me tell you, though our miss has a good temperament, this old man won’t stand for it!”

Listening to Manager Zhong’s words, Huzi could clearly hear that this man was harboring resentment.

The Qin family had suffered such devastating disaster, yet the prince was far away and had to stay in the military camp, unable to help at all. Even sending someone to rescue had come too late, causing the Qin family to lose so many lives.

Looking at it now, even Manager Zhong, an outsider, was full of grievances. As the person directly involved, who knew what Qin Yining was thinking in her heart.

Huzi silently worried for his master.

Though his master appeared as the epitome of arrogant dominance before others, in front of Qin Yining he immediately transformed from tiger to cat, completely unable to be fierce. With master’s personality, being unable to protect the Qin family had already made him feel guilty. Add to that his identity as an enemy general and all the messy affairs on Great Zhou’s side—Huzi really felt that even if the prince had an inferiority complex, it was understandable.

Huzi dared not add fuel to the fire and quickly smiled ingratiatingly: “Manager, saying angry words is one thing, but please don’t act impulsively and delay a pair of lovers! You know how wholeheartedly devoted my master is to your miss—no one could be more sincere. If he didn’t truly care for her, why would someone of my master’s stature turn himself into a pancake, getting fried in Zhou Dynasty then coming to Great Yan to get fried again? Making himself crispy outside and tender inside like a fried fish!”

Manager Zhong was amused by Huzi’s words.

“Pancakes and fried fish—you boy haven’t eaten yet, have you?”

Huzi grinned shamelessly, secretly breathing a sigh of relief.

“Master ordered me to risk my life coming here to ask Manager Zhong for a favor. It concerns the happiness of both our masters—please do your utmost to help.”

Hearing Huzi speak so properly, Manager Zhong felt that even though he was indignant on Qin Yining’s behalf, he couldn’t delay the bigger picture. He said: “Speak.”

Huzi and Manager Zhong then lowered their voices and discussed for a long time.

After the two had agreed on their plan, Manager Zhong hurried off to handle the matter.

That afternoon, a group of palace maids came by imperial decree to replace the furnishings and potted plants in the main hall of Yucui Palace.

Qin Yining had just taken her medicine and was holding Er’Bai while reclining against the beauty couch in a daze. Looking up, she saw Ji Yun dressed as a palace maid, carrying a bundle of lilies with a smile as she walked in and bowed to Xing Yu and Fu Xue.

“Sisters, where should these flowers be placed?”