“Greetings to Fourth Miss.” The person walking from the darkness carrying a lantern was indeed Qi Tai.

Qin Yining smiled: “Is my father in the carriage? Please take me to him quickly.”

Qi Tai smiled: “In response to Miss, when this humble one was ordered to come out just now, the Marquis hadn’t yet left the palace. The Marquis has instructed this humble one to first take Miss to the residence at the outer city gate that His Majesty temporarily granted to the Marquis, to wait there. By the time we travel there, the Marquis should arrive about the same time. The Marquis has also prepared some dry rations for you – military mixed flour cakes. He said when you return, you should bring them to the Old Madam and the others.”

Qin Yining nodded, hesitated briefly, but still nodded.

“Very well, then let’s depart quickly.”

First, Qi Tai had been a constant companion by father’s side for over twenty years and was trustworthy.

Second, she had Ji Yun and Bingtang accompanying her, and Mu Jinghu secretly following – she wasn’t afraid of any trouble.

Qin Yining boarded the carriage with Ji Yun and Bingtang.

Qi Tai naturally sat outside the carriage with the driver.

The wind lantern swayed in the night, and the carriage traveled from the bumpy small roads onto the flat, spacious main road, heading toward the outer city.

The city was already in chaos now. The night curfew was completely meaningless, and there were no patrols in the city – only guards at the inner city gates. However, upon showing Qin Huaiyuan’s credentials, these people respectfully allowed passage.

The roads in the outer city were much more difficult than those in the inner city.

This was because the outer city housed many refugees who had fled there for temporary shelter. The starving people, bitten by mosquitoes and insects, huddled numbly in makeshift shelters with lifeless expressions, watching silently as the carriage passed before them.

Seeing the scenes outside the window, Qin Yining felt distressed and even began praying that His Majesty would act quickly on surrender – the faster he acted, the sooner the people’s suffering would end.

After traveling a while longer, the carriage finally arrived at a courtyard.

Qin Yining took Ji Yun and Bingtang’s hands as she descended from the carriage and entered through a black lacquered gate.

This was a single-courtyard compound. The east and west wing rooms were dark, with only the main hall lit. Hearing footsteps, a thin woman came out to greet them.

Qi Tai smiled: “This is Sister Zhang. During this period, she’s been specially responsible for cooking for the Marquis, Duke Anguo, and others defending the city.”

Qin Yining smiled and nodded, bowing her head in acknowledgment to Sister Zhang.

Sister Zhang hurriedly performed a deep bow, then said to Qi Tai respectfully after rising: “The noodles you ordered prepared are ready.”

“Then bring them out first for Fourth Miss to eat some. When the Marquis returns, we’ll cook fresh ones for him.” In these times, being able to eat thin porridge was already good – having a bowl of noodles was truly a luxury.

Qin Yining smiled slightly, thinking that father had called her out to talk, probably wanting her to benefit from a full meal.

The group entered the main hall, and Sister Zhang withdrew.

Qin Yining surveyed this clean but simple small room, then sat on a bench by the square table and smiled: “Has my father been staying here recently? Why not in the military camp?”

Qi Tai smiled: “Sometimes he is in the military camp, but ever since Duke Anguo was lured out by Great Zhou’s enemy-baiting tactics and lost twenty thousand men in one breath, with Duke Anguo himself nearly losing his life, the Duke began avoiding battle. Originally we had military camps stationed outside our city gates to prevent Great Zhou from directly attacking the city, but Duke Anguo wouldn’t allow it, so the camps were withdrawn. Since the city gates are tightly shut, there’s no need for the Marquis to live in tents anymore.”

“I see. It’s been hard on father.” In the heat of summer with so many mosquitoes and insects, and so stuffy, living in tents would certainly be uncomfortable – living in a house was more reassuring.

At this moment, Sister Zhang entered carrying a large tray with three bowls of steaming scallion and egg noodle soup. On this autumn night, slightly cool after the rain, those three bowls with floating egg flowers and emerald green scallions emitted waves of steam and enticing aroma, making Qin Yining’s stomach ache involuntarily.

Having often gone hungry recently and constantly eating various wild vegetables, her stomach was likely damaged. Now seeing this bowl of noodles, though very appetizing, her stomach rebelled first.

Qi Tai smiled as he placed the noodles before Qin Yining: “Please eat first, Miss. The Marquis specially ordered this. These ingredients weren’t easy to obtain – the Marquis said you should nourish your body well.”

Then Qi Tai smiled at Bingtang and Ji Yun: “The Marquis said you two have served Fourth Miss with merit, so you should each eat a bowl of noodles too.”

Bingtang and Ji Yun smiled their thanks and took their noodles to a side table – they naturally couldn’t eat at the same table as Qin Yining.

Qin Yining picked up bamboo chopsticks and had just lifted a chopstick-full of noodles when Bingtang suddenly pinched her arm.

Qin Yining looked at Bingtang questioningly.

Bingtang looked at the noodles and shook her head. Her clear, bright gaze turned to Qi Tai standing respectfully to the side, and she smiled mockingly: “Are these noodles truly specially prepared by the Marquis for our Miss?”

Qi Tai was startled, his expression becoming somewhat unnatural: “Yes, if not for the Marquis, this humble one couldn’t have obtained these noodles for Miss to eat.”

“Then the person cooking wasn’t careful and accidentally put sleeping drugs into the noodle soup. If our Miss eats just one mouthful of these noodles, it would be enough to make her unconscious for three days!”

Ji Yun angrily scolded upon hearing this: “What are you trying to do!”

Mu Jinghu, waiting in the side room, was so angry he wanted to rush in immediately.

What a waste! In a year of famine, being able to eat a piece of flatbread was already good – finally seeing steaming hot noodles, and someone actually squandered food by putting sleeping drugs in it! This was simply wasting grain! Wasting grain!

Qin Yining remained seated upright on the bench, one hand behind her back, waving toward Mu Jinghu’s direction, signaling him not to move.

Mu Jinghu could only grit his teeth and refrain from coming out.

Qin Yining’s expression hardened as she asked coldly: “Qi Tai, did my father really send you to fetch me today, or did you act on your own initiative?”

Qi Tai pressed his lips together, then suddenly showed a mocking smile: “Fourth Miss, I, Qi Tai, am sorry to the Marquis and to you in this matter. But for the stability of this country, it doesn’t matter if you sacrifice yourself a little.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the furious Ji Yun flew up with a kick, striking him in the stomach. Qi Tai cried out “Aiya!” in pain, staggered several steps backward and fell to the ground, clutching his stomach and gasping in pain.

Ji Yun grabbed Qin Yining with one hand and Bingtang with the other: “Let’s go!”

Qin Yining knew time was of the essence and immediately followed Ji Yun outside without hesitation.

But just as they reached the courtyard, they heard the front gate being kicked open with a “bang,” and a group of masked men rushed in.

Qin Yining stopped abruptly, her expression grave: “Who are you!”

At this time, Mu Jinghu had already hidden in the shadows between the wing room and ear room behind Qin Yining.

Not knowing where Mu Jinghu was, Qin Yining still kept her hand behind her back, waving to signal Mu Jinghu not to come out.

The leader sneered coldly: “Enough nonsense. Brothers, take this woman down!” With that, four or five men charged forward.