“What do you mean not thinking much of it? Father was clearly preserving my dignity. My lifetime of good reputation has been ruined by you.” Qin Yining’s tears fell.
Seeing her cry, Pang Xiao became even more flustered. “Don’t cry. I know I was wrong, alright? I won’t do this again next time. I also care about you—I was afraid that if father-in-law momentarily considered old feelings of sovereign and minister and betrothed you to Prince Yan, what would I do? Having my perfectly good wife taken away by someone else—where would I go to argue my case?”
In his urgency, Pang Xiao stopped speaking in official language, even revealing his northern accent.
Qin Yining, born in the south, had rarely heard such authentic northern accents like those of Pang Xiao’s maternal grandparents. She found such an accent quite interesting and truly simple and endearing.
Hearing Pang Xiao speak this way, she stopped crying and burst into laughter with a “puchi” sound, chiding: “Simply shameless! What hinting to you? Father was clearly talking about shadows—your shadow on the ground.”
“Yes, yes, yes, shadows, not hinting to me. Everything you say is right.” Pang Xiao smiled shamelessly and used his sleeve to wipe Qin Yining’s face, but his rough and careless strength was too forceful, making the skin on Qin Yining’s cheeks burn painfully.
Qin Yining winced and stepped back, glaring at him and saying irritably: “Why don’t you leave? What are you still lingering here for?”
Seeing Qin Yining’s flushed face like a ruffled little rabbit, Pang Xiao’s heart overflowed with affection. He pulled her into his embrace and kissed her several times.
Qin Yining was so angry her face and ears turned red. If not for considering that her sisters lived nearby, she nearly cursed aloud.
Finally, after great difficulty tearing the “Pang family dog-skin plaster” off herself, she was exhausted and covered in sweat.
Pang Xiao reluctantly leaned in shamelessly to kiss her once more, saying: “I’m really leaving now. Really leaving.”
Qin Yining angrily kicked him. “Get lost quickly!”
Even a cornered rabbit will bite—how amusing!
Pang Xiao chuckled inwardly and nimbly leaped out the rear window.
Qin Yining watched him like a black panther hunting in the night, leaping onto the wall with light and agile movements, disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye. She hurriedly closed the window.
Returning to her room and crawling into bed, covering her head with the cotton quilt, Qin Yining recalled what had just happened. She felt both ashamed and embarrassed, secretly spitting at that scoundrel again.
The next morning, Qin Yining was sitting at her dressing table being attended by Qianyun and Bingtang as they combed her hair. In her hands, she held some jasmine flower pomade newly prepared by Bingtang, scooping out a bean-sized amount and spreading it evenly on the skin of her hands and wrists.
Lian Xiaozhou immediately leaned close to Qin Yining and took several deep breaths. “Sister, it smells so good.”
Qin Yining smiled. “Later, I’ll have your Sister Bingtang apply some for you too.”
Lian Xiaozhou nodded repeatedly, smiling as she looked at Bingtang.
Bingtang deftly twisted and coiled a strand of Qin Yining’s black hair at the back of her head, securing it with a delicate cordyceps-head gold hairpin. “Miss just knows how to dote on her—spoiling her until she has no boundaries.” Although her tone was sour, one could tell she was joking.
Lian Xiaozhou held the pouch hanging at her waist to smell it, then shook it at Bingtang.
Qin Yining laughed: “Don’t underestimate Xiaozhou. She understands everything. When you give her good things and treat her well, she knows it all. Isn’t that right, Xiaozhou?”
Lian Xiaozhou nodded repeatedly: “Sister Bingtang, good.”
Her language function deficit was already an unchangeable reality. Bingtang pitied her even more, usually sharing any good food or toys with her, and would actively teach her to recognize medicinal herbs and characters. In caring for Lian Xiaozhou, she was actually more attentive than to Qin Yining.
Lian Xiaozhou was extremely intelligent. Although she couldn’t speak, she understood everything clearly in her heart. How could she not know that Bingtang was good to her? So she also regarded Bingtang as another sister, being close to her, and whenever she caught birds to roast, she never forgot to share extra skewers with Bingtang.
It was just that the current residence was small, and roasting had to be done in unpopulated areas outside the back alley, which was quite troublesome.
“Good day, Madam Cao.” Qiu Lu’s voice came from outside the door. The door curtain lifted, and Cao Yuqing walked in wearing a black-blue fur-collared cloak.
Ever since Cao Yuqing informed the Qin family that she was no longer Qin Huaiyuan’s concubine but was now employed as his guard, everyone stopped calling her Mistress and instead addressed her as Madam Cao due to her age and experience of remarrying twice.
Cao Yuqing smiled as she looked at Qin Yining sitting at the dressing table. “I’ve come early.”
“Madam Cao, please sit down. Qiu Lu, quickly bring Madam Cao a bowl of almond tea.” She turned back with a smile: “I had them make almond tea this morning. It’s quite nice with small pastries. Would Madam Cao like to try some?”
“Alright.” Cao Yuqing smiled gently, truly beautiful as peach blossoms. When looking at Qin Yining, her eyes shimmered as if, through Qin Yining’s face, she could see someone distant in a faraway place.
Qin Yining didn’t think much of it. She quickly finished arranging her hair, applied no cosmetics, casually put on two pearl earrings to be done with it, and sat smiling at the eight-immortals table, personally moving the tea and pastries that Qiu Lu brought to Cao Yuqing.
“Please try them.”
Cao Yuqing smiled as she accepted them, elegantly sipping and savoring carefully before smiling: “They’re truly excellent.”
Setting down the tea bowl, Cao Yuqing smiled: “I came today following the master’s instructions to bring you four guards. These four are all steady people with strong martial arts, each with their specialties. They would be perfect for protecting you.”
Speaking thus, she rose and went to the door, calling four young men of medium height with very ordinary appearances to enter.
The four bowed in unison.
Cao Yuqing then introduced them in turn: “This is Jingzhe, Xiaoman, Xiaoxue, and Dahan.”
Qin Yining looked at each as they were introduced:
Jingzhe was taller with a kind face.
Xiaoman looked more delicate, like a girl.
Xiaoxue had quite dark skin with thick eyebrows and a big mouth, a stark contrast to his name.
Dahan appeared the oldest, expressionless and revealing neither joy nor displeasure.
Although these four each had their characteristics, overall their appearances were unremarkable—the type who would be difficult to pick out in a crowd.
Qin Yining smiled and asked: “They’re all named after solar terms?”
“Yes. They weren’t originally called these names, but it was a rule established by the former… that person, using the twenty-four solar terms as code names, with new ones replacing any who were lost. Jingzhe has superior martial arts, Xiaoman excels at disguise, Xiaoxue has the best lightness skills among them, and Dahan is steady and experienced, able to anticipate situations with quick wit. They’re all very loyal. The master also carefully selected these four to follow you.” Cao Yuqing sat beside Qin Yining, smiling as she looked at her carefully trained subordinates with great satisfaction.
Qin Yining said solemnly: “Thank you, Madam Cao, for taking such care. I understand your kind intentions. From now on, with these four following me, I will certainly not treat them poorly.”
Cao Yuqing smiled: “That would be best. They all come from poor backgrounds and had no choice but to sell their lives. I’ve always known you treat those around you well. Their being able to follow you is good fortune. The master has publicly stated that he selected several honest and loyal family members for your future dowry. They’ll usually act as family members and attendants, so no one will suspect.”