Li Helan stood dazed in place, as if all strength had been drained from her body in an instant. Her body swayed, and she finally couldn’t help but collapse to the ground. Looking up at Li Qitian with tears in her eyes, she finally spoke four words in a hoarse voice: “This subject’s sister obeys the imperial decree.”

Li Qitian snorted coldly: “If you had understood earlier what ‘subject’s sister’ means and what ‘obeying the imperial decree’ means, things wouldn’t have developed to this point today! Think it over carefully! Someone come!”

Li Guanwen approached with bowed head and bowed: “This slave is here.”

“Escort Princess Imperial An’yang back to the Princess Mansion. Arrange for two nannies from my side to serve the Princess, and also arrange twenty guards—ten people per shift to protect the Princess.”

This was treating Li Helan like a prisoner under guard!

Li Guanwen bowed in acknowledgment and gave the palace servants a meaningful look.

Palace servants immediately came to help Li Helan up and escort her out.

The Empress Dowager watched with heartache, her brow furrowing: “Your Majesty! Isn’t this going too far?”

Hearing this, Li Qitian dangerously narrowed his eyes: “Mother Empress, although this son is your son, I am first and foremost the Emperor of Great Zhou. Every day I’m overwhelmed with affairs of state and territory. Pang Zhixi is my trusted minister, and he’s just newly married. For such an incident to occur right under my nose—shouldn’t I give him an explanation?”

“An explanation should be given, but you shouldn’t treat your sister this way!”

“So Mother Empress means I should blame the person who corrupted An’yang, is that it?”

Li Qitian was usually gentle and filial toward the Empress Dowager, so she had almost forgotten what her son’s true nature was like.

When Li Qitian’s dark gaze fell upon her, it startled the Empress Dowager’s heart. That drawn-out “is that it” was like a knife stabbing into flesh—the chill and terror made her entire body shiver.

Seeing the Empress Dowager’s reaction, Li Qitian’s fury subsided slightly as he said: “The Empress Dowager is advanced in years, and many matters shouldn’t trouble you too much. I’ll have someone properly renovate the Buddhist hall in Ci’an Palace. From now on, the Empress Dowager should worship Buddha more, recite sutras, cultivate body and mind, and pray for longevity. Now that your son has become master of the realm, I will certainly provide for the Empress Dowager with all under heaven—provided that you live long and well. What do you say?”

The Empress Dowager stared in disbelief, her eyes wide.

Li Qitian’s meaning was for her to obediently stay in the Buddhist hall chanting sutras from now on and stop meddling in outside affairs!

After openly confining Li Helan, he was now placing her under house arrest too?

The Empress Dowager’s heart was roaring.

He was her own son!

If she had known her son would become such an unfilial child one day, she would rather Li Qitian had never become emperor!

But the Empress Dowager still retained some rationality at this moment. Moreover, today’s incident was indeed Li Helan’s fault.

Li Helan’s behavior of wanting what was in the pot while eyeing what was in the bowl could indeed be called promiscuous. Most embarrassingly, the Prince Consort had caught her in the act.

If the child isn’t taught, it’s the father’s fault. If the Princess had character problems, it was naturally because the Empress Dowager hadn’t taught her well.

The Empress Dowager worried about her own future while being concerned about the relationship between Li Helan and Ji Zeyu. With the Emperor in such fury, the Empress Dowager dared not immediately plead with Ji Zeyu. She could only say with a stern face: “Your Majesty speaks correctly.”

“That’s good. Mother Empress should enjoy your blessings in Ci’an Palace.”

After saying this, Li Qitian took a deep look at the palace servants kneeling in the hall: “Take these people away one by one and question them about today’s events.”

After giving this order, he turned and left without giving the Empress Dowager any chance to plead.

The Empress Dowager watched Li Qitian’s retreating figure as tears fell like broken pearls.

What sins had she committed!

Here, Pang Xiao carried Qin Yining all the way from Ci’an Palace. Little eunuchs had already prepared a carriage. He carried her onto the carriage and climbed in himself, then instructed the little eunuch: “Prepare a sedan chair for this Imperial Physician as well.”

The eunuch acknowledged and immediately made preparations. The group quickly headed toward the palace exit.

Qin Yining lay in the swaying carriage, feeling Pang Xiao constantly gripping her left hand with force—he must be extremely worried.

Thinking that although this was inside the palace and speaking in the carriage wasn’t convenient, she could still give him some hints.

Qin Yining squeezed Pang Xiao’s hand back, pressed firmly, then scratched his palm with her finger.

Pang Xiao’s eyes widened immediately. His brain, which had stopped working when she fainted, finally began functioning again.

Qin Yining’s feigned unconsciousness must have a reason.

At least she wasn’t truly ill or injured. Although he’d been so frightened his heart nearly jumped out—that feeling was truly awful—as long as she was fine, that was good.

Pang Xiao lightly brushed her eyes with his finger, indicating she could open them.

Qin Yining hadn’t been sure whether anyone would notice she was still lively and energetic. Only after getting Pang Xiao’s hint did she dare open her eyes.

Her large eyes rolled around before finally focusing on Pang Xiao’s handsome face, involuntarily breaking into a big smile.

Ice and snow melted, spring waters warmed. Pang Xiao felt his previously storm-clouded mood immediately clear to sunny skies. Just seeing her smile made him unable to resist smiling too. His large hand gently pinched her nose tip as he silently mouthed: “Little troublemaker!”

Qin Yining blinked her long lashes and smiled as she rubbed his leg with her cheek.

Just then, the carriage slowly stopped. Qin Yining immediately closed her eyes and continued feigning unconsciousness.

“Your Highness, we’ve reached the palace gate.”

“Mm.”

Pang Xiao carried Qin Yining out of the carriage and changed to the Prince’s residence carriage.

Huzi, Bingtang, and the others saw that Qin Yining was being carried and accompanied by an Imperial Physician. They knew something must have happened in the palace and were frightened out of their wits.

The carriage raced all the way back to the Prince’s residence. Pang Xiao directly ordered the carriage driven to the second gate, then carried Qin Yining all the way back to Jinhua Courtyard.

He placed her on the bed and had the Imperial Physician examine her.

After examination, the Imperial Physician found that aside from anemia and weakness, Qin Yining’s body had no serious problems. He repeated his earlier conclusion and went to prescribe medicine.

Taking advantage of no outsiders in the room, Pang Xiao quietly instructed Huzi: “Go tell the Old Master, Grand Madam, and Madam that everything is fine here. We’ll discuss the rest when we see them later.”

Huzi caught the words “we” and immediately understood, hurrying off to deliver the message.

He knew how much the Grand Madam liked the Princess. If she learned the Princess had fallen ill in Ci’an Palace, the Grand Madam might charge straight into the palace demanding an explanation!

The Imperial Physician’s surname was Liu. After diagnosing and prescribing medicine, Pang Xiao escorted him out.

“Imperial Physician Liu can rest assured. You’ll regularly come to the residence to check the Princess’s pulse—your safety is guaranteed.”

Imperial Physician Liu said gratefully: “Your Highness’s kindness—this old one is deeply grateful.”

“Not at all.” Pang Xiao also called Xie Yue to escort Imperial Physician Liu out.

Xie Yue understood and naturally gave a generous monetary gift.

When Pang Xiao returned to the room, Qin Yining was already sitting up holding the quilt, craning her neck to look outside and asking in a lowered voice: “Have all the outsiders left?”

This question inexplicably touched the soft spot in Pang Xiao’s heart. He sat on the bed edge and embraced Qin Yining: “They’ve all left. What happened just now? Do you know that seeing you lying on the ground unconscious frightened my three souls and seven spirits nearly out of my body? If through my negligence you had suffered any mishap under my nose, I wouldn’t need to live anymore—I’d follow you directly.”

Qin Yining hugged Pang Xiao’s neck, nuzzling her cheek against his shoulder and neck: “Don’t be afraid. Really, nothing happened. I just couldn’t stand Princess Imperial An’yang’s attitude, and she kept making snide remarks.”

At this point, Qin Yining withdrew from Pang Xiao’s embrace and looked at him seriously: “This whole thing was caused by you. Princess Imperial An’yang is deeply infatuated with you. Seeing us married, she can no longer sit still. Meeting me today, she naturally wanted to know about our affairs and became jealous, which is why she wanted to trouble me.”

Qin Yining poked Pang Xiao’s cheek and said petulantly: “Tell me, isn’t this trouble you brought?”

Pang Xiao coughed and said: “I never encouraged her. When she was young, I simply treated her like a sister. Even now, she’s just a grown-up sister to me. Moreover, even her brother has become distant from me now. How could I have anything with her?”

“I know you don’t have anything with her, but she cursed me terribly.”

Qin Yining carefully recounted everything that had happened in Ci’an Palace.

“So your feigned unconsciousness was actually to use this incident to make An’yang completely disappear?”

“Your Highness knows me well.” Qin Yining smiled: “Even if there’s nothing between you two, she’s Prince Consort Ji’s wife on one hand while coveting my husband on the other. Do you think I’d easily forgive her? Such character truly disgraces imperial dignity!”

“You’re right.” Knowing he was in the wrong, Pang Xiao didn’t dare make any moves and just chatted casually with Qin Yining.

Encouraged, Qin Yining sat up and said: “Now my only hope is that with Li Helan acting this way, Prince Consort Ji won’t be too hurt.”

Hearing this, Pang Xiao’s heart also ached.

He naturally understood his good brother’s character.

With such abilities, such appearance, such martial skills, and commanding the Dragon Guards—what about such status was unworthy of Li Helan?

Such a woman…

Pang Xiao felt that letting Li Helan approach Ji Zeyu even once was an insult to Ji Zeyu.

But what made Pang Xiao most distressed now was that His Majesty’s favoritism toward Ji Zeyu was becoming increasingly obvious, making Ji Zeyu increasingly unable to control his own fate at His Majesty’s side. The wife he married had such noble status, yet even when she did wrong, he couldn’t speak up.

Thinking carefully, Pang Xiao felt sad for his good brother.

Qin Yining got off the bed: “I need to pay respects to Mother and Grandmother. I’m afraid the commotion just now was too big and frightened them.”

“I’ve already made arrangements and had someone deliver the message. You don’t need to worry about these things.”

Qin Yining smiled: “Having others speak is one thing, but going ourselves shows filial piety.”

Seeing her insistence, Pang Xiao could only listen to her.

Just then, Huzi’s voice suddenly came from outside: “Your Highness, urgent report from the south. The messenger says that in the former Great Yan capital, the dragon has turned over in the earth.”