Although Qin Yining lived in the Huben Army’s military camp, she didn’t spend much time with Pang Xiao. Pang Xiao had to oversee the city’s reconstruction work, settle disaster victims, distribute porridge, maintain order, clear and burn corpses, arrange for military physicians to work with the city’s doctors on epidemic prevention, and memorialize the Zhou Emperor to appoint civil officials…

The variety of work was no less complex than commanding the Huben Army, keeping Pang Xiao so busy his feet barely touched the ground. Even the time to eat a meal with Qin Yining had to be squeezed out forcibly.

However, precisely because of his busyness, the city quickly became orderly.

The Huben Army was ordered to camp outside the city. Pang Xiao only brought some people into the city during the day to conduct proper business. After consulting with Yuchi Yan, Yuchi Yan appointed Great Yan officials to manage affairs in the capital according to Pang Xiao’s instructions. Before evening, Pang Xiao would still return to the military camp with his personal guards.

Pang Xiao acted decisively and had a formidable reputation, combining grace with authority. Soon even some Great Yan officials who were unwilling to obey had to acknowledge Pang Xiao’s capabilities and, for the sake of the people’s peaceful livelihood, had no choice but to follow his orders.

Of course, among these officials were those who breathed sighs of relief because the Emperor had agreed to surrender, and others who died to demonstrate their integrity.

Basically every day, corpses of officials who died for their country were carried out from various households—hanged, poisoned, throats cut—every kind of tragic death was there.

But these people’s actions still couldn’t stop Yuchi Yan’s determination to submit to the Zhou Dynasty.

Though the capital suffered great damage from this disaster, the reconstruction work proceeded solidly. After a month, there were no more refugees in the city, some shops reopened, and the people had the strength to live normally again.

At this time, the city was orderly—even more prosperous than before Great Zhou had invaded.

And now, it was already the beginning of winter.

“Yi Jie’er, from today let me take you into the city to live. Your constitution is weak—constantly living in a tent might make you catch cold.”

Pang Xiao draped one of his sable-fur collared cotton cloaks over Qin Yining’s shoulders.

Qin Yining had been feeling somewhat unwell recently.

Her depleted body hadn’t recovered, and after nearly two months of hunger and exhaustion, once she came to Pang Xiao’s side and completely relaxed her tense emotions, all those weak symptoms came calling.

The day before yesterday it rained and the weather turned cold. Qin Yining caught a chill just from the wind, and had been running a fever these past few days. Every day when Pang Xiao returned from his busy work, he could hear her coughing.

Pang Xiao knew he could no longer selfishly keep her in the military camp just to spend more time with her.

Qin Yining smiled: “It’s fine. I feel that going back to live there might not be as comfortable as staying here with you.”

Staying here with Pang Xiao, though he was very busy during the day, she could at least see him every day.

Since Pang Xiao had long made his attitude clear and Qin Yining was already his person with no escape possible, she might as well freely set aside concerns about her reputation and simply focus on enjoying their rare opportunity to be together.

If she went into the city and returned home, it wouldn’t be so easy for them to meet again.

How could Pang Xiao not understand Qin Yining’s thoughts?

He lovingly stroked her head and smiled: “Good. Since you want to stay and accompany me, I’ll have them prepare plenty of silver frost charcoal for you. Actually, I wouldn’t feel at ease letting you go back either—it’s better to keep you under my nose.”

Qin Yining covered her mouth and coughed twice more, then slowly leaned against Pang Xiao’s shoulder.

Just then, Huzi’s urgent voice suddenly came from outside: “Your Highness! His Sacred Majesty has sent someone!”

Hearing this, Qin Yining looked up at Pang Xiao.

At this time, the Zhou Emperor was sending someone to see Pang Xiao—could there be new imperial orders?

Pang Xiao narrowed his eyes, gradually guessing several possibilities, his phoenix eyes seeming to brew a dark whirlpool.

However, facing Qin Yining, he remained as gentle as always: “It’s nothing. I’ll go see. You rest here—I’ll have Ji Yun and Bingtang come keep you company.”

“All right.” Qin Yining nodded obediently, her long hair sliding to her chest with her nodding motion.

Pang Xiao stood up, embraced her neck, bent down to place a cherishing kiss on her forehead, then went out.

In the central command tent, Pang Xiao strode through the entrance and immediately saw a familiar person.

“This prince wondered who it was—it turns out to be Minister Lian! Long time no see. Minister Lian looks much better.”

Pang Xiao smiled ambiguously as he leisurely took his seat in the main position, casually pointing to a nearby seat: “Minister Lian, please sit.”

Lian Shengjie had long been beaten into fear by Pang Xiao. Just seeing him raise his arm made his heart tighten with nervousness, afraid he’d get beaten again.

But thinking of his purpose in coming and having the Emperor backing him up, he finally summoned his courage and stood with hands behind his back in an arrogant manner: “Prince Zhongshun is truly polite, but this official serves as an imperial envoy, specially bringing His Sacred Majesty’s oral decree. Please listen to the imperial edict, Prince Zhongshun!”

Hearing this, Pang Xiao composed his expression seriously and stood to receive the decree.

Lian Shengjie said arrogantly: “His Sacred Majesty’s oral decree: ‘Prince Zhongshun has achieved merit in pacifying the south, and I am greatly comforted. I haven’t seen Pang Zhixi for some time and miss him dearly. The surrender and handover ceremonies in Great Yan’s capital are lengthy and complicated—if I assigned them to Pang Zhixi, it would delay a great deal of time. How long would I have to wait to see him? I’ll entrust this matter to you instead and command Pang Zhixi to return to the capital quickly!'”

Lian Shengjie repeated the Emperor’s words verbatim, gaining more confidence, and said with a false smile: “His Sacred Majesty truly has nothing but praise for Prince Zhongshun. Afraid that Your Highness has been too exhausted these days rebuilding the Yan Dynasty capital, he’s ordered that you needn’t trouble yourself with surrender matters and requests you depart for the capital immediately.”

Pang Xiao’s expression remained normal, his lips curling up in a slight arc.

His Sacred Majesty truly knew how to pick his timing!

Or perhaps Lian Shengjie had been hiding nearby all along, watching until he had finished everything before coming out to announce the edict—Pang Xiao hadn’t forgotten there was still that “secret envoy” who had contacted Great Yan people to harm him!

He had worked so hard leading the army to pacify Great Yan, then spent over a month getting the post-disaster capital back to orderly condition, calming civilian resentment, suppressing epidemics, and arranging clear divisions of labor for the Yan Dynasty emperor and ministers from top to bottom, making them all submit to him.

He had put in so much effort and hardship, but when it came to the surrender ceremony, they wouldn’t let him preside over it!

You must know that accepting Yuchi Yan’s surrender was a momentous event that would be recorded in the history books—an extremely glorious thing for a Great Zhou military man, an honor he had earned through such long efforts.

But His Sacred Majesty was urgently summoning him back to the capital, denying him this honor!

Though Pang Xiao had long known His Sacred Majesty was wary of him, he hadn’t expected he would make it so obvious.

“Well then, Prince Zhongshun, you’d better hurry up and pack, prepare to return.”

Pang Xiao gave a cold laugh: “Even if this prince must return, it’s because I follow the imperial edict and am loyal to His Sacred Majesty—not because I fear you, this soft worm. You’re being so arrogant toward this prince now—have you forgotten all the previous incidents? Is your skin itching again?”