“You’re planning to spend your own money to buy a residence for your family?” Pang Xiao kicked off his boots and sat on the warm kang, once again pulling Qin Yining in front of him, holding her like a soft large doll. “But your family may not appreciate your kindness, and besides, your family hasn’t divided the household yet, have they?”

Qin Yining leaned comfortably against Pang Xiao’s chest, gazing at the intricate carved magpie-on-branch design on the redwood cabinet, her voice lazy: “Indeed we haven’t divided the household, but one brush cannot write two Qin characters. My buying a residence is also for my father. Although my father’s whereabouts are currently unknown, I believe that with his wisdom, he will surely turn misfortune into fortune. His not returning at this time must be because he’s been held up by some matter.”

“You’re right. Although my people haven’t found any trace of father-in-law and mother-in-law, they also haven’t discovered any bad news. At a time like this, no bad news is good news. With father-in-law’s intelligence, they must be safe and sound right now.” Pang Xiao said with certainty.

Qin Yining’s face burned red as she twisted her body and moved out of his embrace, chiding: “What father-in-law and mother-in-law? Who ever said they’d marry you?”

Pang Xiao smiled playfully as he pulled her back into his arms: “Everyone outside is now saying that I’m a hero who’s fallen short, having fallen to this little woman. If you don’t marry me, who else would you want to marry? Besides, my Sister Yi is both clever and filial. Today she protected the elderly at the mansion, and now she’s thinking of buying a residence for her parents. Such a wonderful wife would be hard to find even if I carried a lantern to search. If I miss this village, I’ll never encounter this inn again.”

“Smooth talker.” Qin Yining snorted, but her heart was extremely sweet. After thinking for a moment, she continued: “However, I can’t handle this matter so directly. I can’t let the Old Madam and the others know that I’m buying the residence, otherwise there will be even more troubles later. I can find a reliable person and put the name under this person’s ownership, then have this person make a transaction with my father openly. I’ll just hide in the shadows. One shouldn’t flaunt their wealth, after all.”

“How clever.” Pang Xiao kissed her cheek. “I hadn’t even spoken yet, and you’ve already thought it through. Don’t worry about buying the residence – I’ll secretly have people keep an eye out. However, land in the capital is worth its weight in gold, and your family has no foundation here, so getting one as large as your original home won’t be possible.”

“It doesn’t need to be as large as the original residence. A normal two-courtyard compound would be fine. What’s important is that the location should be good. Currently my family doesn’t have that many people, and we don’t know what the future situation will be, so there’s no need to tie up silver in real estate. When we need to use the money urgently, we might not be able to extract it. Perhaps in the future, my father will have other arrangements.”

“Mm. I’ll have people look into it later.” Pang Xiao stroked her smooth cheek and smiled: “Although your people haven’t arrived in the capital yet, I’m here. Whatever you want to do, if it’s inconvenient for you, just tell me, and I can help you accomplish it all.”

“I won’t be polite with you.”

Pang Xiao lovingly kissed her again before saying: “I still have an appointment with Master Xu and Master Xie to discuss matters, so I must go.”

“Mm.” They weren’t even married yet, and Pang Xiao coming to sit for a while to see her would already cause who knows how many rumors to spread outside. Even though she already bore the reputation of being “forcibly abducted” and her reputation was already ruined, the servants attending her knew exactly how long Pang Xiao stayed each time. Qin Yining still had her dignity after all, so she didn’t detain him long.

Qin Yining had Qian Yun bring the hangover soup for Pang Xiao to drink, then escorted him to the corridor before returning to her room.

Pang Xiao left reluctantly, looking back three times with each step as he departed Suxue Garden. Only after the main gate of Suxue Garden closed behind him did he compose himself and quickly head to the study.

After Xu Weizhi and Xie Yue paid their respects to Pang Xiao, Xie Yue presented a flower-adorned invitation with both hands.

Smelling the rich rouge fragrance, Pang Xiao frowned: “Who sent this?”

“Your Highness, it was sent from the palace.” The smile on Xie Yue’s face remained normal, but the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes seemed to hide teasing intent.

Pang Xiao felt very displeased. He took the invitation, glanced at it twice, then angrily tossed it aside. It landed on the floor.

“Such behavior, and yet she has the nerve to call herself a daughter of the imperial family. Having famous teachers and nannies to instruct her – who knows what dog’s belly all that learning went into.”

Xu Weizhi picked up the invitation, looked at it, then handed it to Xie Yue.

After Xie Yue read it, he placed it back on the side table and couldn’t help but tease: “It’s only because Your Highness is too charming – who else can be blamed?”

Xie Yue’s words made Pang Xiao both angry and amused: “It’s just bad habits from being pampered and spoiled – thinking she must get whatever she wants? She’s had too smooth sailing all along! My Sister Yi is also a young lady from a prominent family, but she’s never been as frivolous as her.”

Xu Weizhi and Xie Yue exchanged glances and couldn’t help but smile.

Xie Yue said: “Your Highness now finds all other clouds pale after having seen Mount Wu. But Miss Qin truly is a good girl, worthy of Your Highness’s such praise.”

However, Xu Weizhi said: “But what His Majesty values is likely precisely Princess Imperial An’yang’s character. She has both the determination to obtain you at all costs and the audacity to act beyond bounds. If this continues, I’m afraid the relationship between you and the Marquis of Dingbei will be irreparable.”

“Sister Yi just said the same thing. All I can do is make my attitude clear and let the Marquis of Dingbei see that I have no feelings for An’yang.”

“Then Your Highness won’t attend tomorrow’s banquet?” Li Helan had invited Pang Xiao to dine at a wine house in her invitation.

Pang Xiao said: “Not only will I not go, but I’ll refuse firmly. Master Xu, please write a reply for me. Say that I’m unwell and need to recuperate at the mansion. Also ask the Princess Imperial to be more careful – in this cold weather, it’s truly better to go out less.”

“Yes.” Xu Weizhi stood up and went to the desk to grind ink and write the reply.

Pang Xiao also arranged for Xie Yue to secretly look for a suitable residence, and to inform him once one was found.

The night passed without incident. The next morning, while Li Helan was having breakfast with the Empress Dowager, she received the reply delivered by palace servants.

Li Helan joyfully set down her ivory chopsticks and opened the reply with a beaming smile. But when she saw the characters clearly, her smile froze. After reading it carefully, Li Helan angrily kicked over the embroidered stool beside her.

“Lan’er, what’s wrong? Who bullied you? Tell this dowager, and I’ll certainly make things right for you.”

Seeing her beloved youngest daughter so angry, the Empress Dowager pulled her into her arms and coaxed her tenderly.

Li Helan wiped away tears in grievance: “Pang Zhixi refused to attend the banquet, and the content was extremely perfunctory. Most importantly, he actually had someone else write the reply – I recognize his handwriting, and this is definitely not his! He’s too stingy to even give me a single word from his own hand. This is completely looking down on me!”

Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager asked for detailed account. After listening to Li Helan’s narration, she finally darkened her expression.

“Lan’er, why are you still taking the initiative to send invitations to Pang Zhixi? You must know that you’re now betrothed. Your future prince consort is the Marquis of Dingbei. Even though you’re noble as a princess, your future life will be tied together with the Marquis of Dingbei. What are you doing sending invitations to that Pang fellow now? Aren’t you afraid of causing misunderstandings?”

“Misunderstandings? It’s not a misunderstanding at all! I do like Pang Zhixi, and the whole world knows it – so what? Imperial Brother insists on marrying me to Ji Lan, but I don’t like Ji Lan’s temperament at all and could never get along with him! Now that Imperial Brother has become emperor, he doesn’t care about me anymore!”

Li Helan sobbed grievously, hugging the Empress Dowager’s arm as tears fell like pearls, landing on the Empress Dowager’s hand.

The Empress Dowager ultimately felt sorry for her youngest daughter. But she also knew clearly that since the Emperor had issued the imperial edict and announced it to the world, this marriage arrangement could not be changed.

Moreover, the Emperor had also discussed An’yang’s marriage to the Marquis of Dingbei with her, and she thought that young man was quite good.

Therefore, the Empress Dowager darkened her face and scolded: “Hold your tongue! This dowager has spoiled you too much. You’ve studied etiquette for so many years – how can you not understand that marriages are determined by parents’ commands and matchmakers’ words?”

“Mother! How can you not think of your daughter at all? If you hadn’t constantly said that Pang Zhixi and I were a match made in heaven, and that when I grew up I would marry Pang Zhixi as his wife, would I have developed special feelings for him? You instilled this concept in me, and I took it seriously, always thinking about him and about marrying him when I grew up. But what now? With one sentence, you’ve negated everything from the past and want to blame everything on me. What wrong have I done!”

These resentful words from Li Helan came from the bottom of her heart – she had been holding them in for a long time. Only in front of her mother did she dare to cry aloud. She wasn’t stupid after all. Although she wasn’t entirely clear about what Imperial Brother intended to do, Li Helan understood that her marriage concerned affairs of state and definitely could not be changed.

The clearer she was that the current situation couldn’t be changed according to her wishes, the more anxious and indignant she became.

Pang Xiao’s refusal to attend the appointment, and having someone else write a reply that superficially showed concern for her health but actually reminded her to go out less, truly hurt her heart and wounded her self-respect.

Thinking that she might never have another chance with Pang Xiao in this lifetime, Li Helan simply buried her face in the Empress Dowager’s embrace and wailed loudly.

“Eh? What’s wrong?” Just then, Li Qitian’s voice suddenly came from the outer hall.

Li Helan’s crying stopped abruptly, and she even started hiccupping from being too nervous.

“The Emperor has arrived.” The Empress Dowager glared at Li Helan, who was still sobbing intermittently, then turned to Li Qitian with a smile: “Have you had breakfast yet?”

Li Qitian stepped forward to pay respects to the Empress Dowager and smiled: “I’ve already eaten. The ministers are resting today, so I thought I’d take advantage of having time to come see Mother.”

He then turned to Li Helan: “Why is Lan’er crying so sadly? Who bullied you?”

Li Helan thought in her heart, “It’s you who’s bullying me,” but she absolutely didn’t dare to be presumptuous in front of Li Qitian, so she just shook her head.

From the corner of his eye, Li Qitian could see the reply, and he frowned: “Who sent you this letter?”

Li Helan was so startled she nearly jumped up, hurriedly tucking the letter into her bosom: “No one. It’s just girls’ writing for fun. Does Imperial Brother need to inquire about the contents too?”

Li Qitian’s probing gaze swept over the letter, then looked at Li Helan’s tense expression, before smiling: “As long as nothing’s wrong. But if someone has bullied you, you must tell me. Remember, you are my blood sister, and no matter what happens, I will protect you. Do you understand?”