If Madam Liao hadn’t come looking for her on her own initiative, under the circumstances where His Majesty had secretly arrived in the disaster area and brought troops to surround the old capital, Qin Yining would never have easily agreed to meet with Madam Liao. They were already on the cusp of the storm, with people ready to create trouble from nothing. How much more so when it came to agreeing to meet a stranger?
Qin Yining thought that principles she could understand, someone as shrewd as Madam Liao would certainly understand as well.
For her to still come at this time could only mean that something major had happened outside.
Either the Azure Sky Alliance had encountered problems they couldn’t resolve internally, or it concerned the treasure matter that was currently most urgent.
Qin Yining didn’t know if she was overthinking, or if she was affected by the tragic conditions in the disaster area, but ever since arriving in Yang County, her heart had been constantly uneasy, always feeling as if something was about to happen.
As Qin Yining was lost in wild thoughts, she heard footsteps approaching from outside. Ji Yun led in Madam Liao, who wore a lake-blue brocade jacket, her hair in a high chignon with silver hairpins inserted at an angle.
Upon seeing Qin Yining, Madam Liao hurriedly performed a grand bow: “This common woman pays respects to Your Highness.”
“Rise. Sister Liao is an old acquaintance after all. There’s no need for such formality.” Qin Yining sat upright in the main seat, pointing to an empty seat beside her. “Please sit. Serve tea.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.” Madam Liao humbly sat sideways to one side, saying respectfully: “This common woman is merely a merchant’s wife. That Your Highness was willing to condescend to befriend me in the past showed Your Highness’s magnanimity and broad-mindedness, but this common woman dares not overstep propriety.”
Hearing this, Qin Yining smiled slightly: “Sister Liao, you’re being too formal with such words. But I remember Sister Liao was supposed to be away doing business with her husband—how did you come to the disaster area?”
Madam Liao smiled bashfully: “Indeed, I went to do business with my husband. But hearing about the disaster situation here, I wanted to contribute what little I could and do something for the people, so I specially brought some grain and medicinal materials. It’s just that the mountain roads were truly difficult to travel, delaying us considerably along the way. Only upon arriving here did I learn that the disaster relief commissioner was His Highness, and that Your Highness had also come, so I came specially to pay my respects.”
Qin Yining’s face lit up with joy, appearing quite moved: “Sister Liao truly understands righteousness deeply—you’ve done a great deed for the people! I thank Sister Liao on behalf of all the people!”
As she spoke, Qin Yining stood up and curtsied.
Madam Liao was startled and hurriedly jumped up in alarm, supporting her with both hands: “What is Your Highness doing? This absolutely won’t do! You and His Highness understand righteousness deeply, contributing so much for the people in the disaster area. We people have no great talents, and the grain and medicinal materials we can contribute are limited—we don’t deserve such a grand gesture from you.”
During the assistance, a small paper ball was secretly slipped into Qin Yining’s hand through the cover of a sleeve.
Qin Yining calmly gripped the paper ball tightly and exchanged a few more pleasantries with Madam Liao, then ordered people to go receive the grain and medicinal materials, count them clearly, and record them in the books.
She personally saw Madam Liao out, sincerely thanking her once more on behalf of the disaster area people.
After Madam Liao took her leave, the servants helping to move the grain and medicinal materials were still sighing: “It seems there are still more good people in the world. To think there are such righteous merchants willing to spend large sums of silver for people unrelated to them.”
“His Highness donated fifty thousand taels of silver for the disaster victims, and they say he even sold Your Highness’s dowry properties and such.”
“Sigh. If the Ding and Pei families had shown even a bit of mercy, they wouldn’t have been stormed and had their entire families wiped out. When His Highness went to negotiate buying grain and rice with them initially, they insisted on twelve taels of silver per stone of coarse rice. Those heartless rich folk were even more vicious than bandits and highway robbers! Now their entire families are gone—they brought it upon themselves!”
…
Hearing these people discussing the Ding and Pei families, and knowing that the “rotten idea” had been hers, Qin Yining felt guilt in her heart for those elderly, weak, women, and children who had done no wrong but were implicated by their family members.
With a heavy heart, she returned to the back office, dismissed the others, and kept only Ji Yun and Bingtang to attend her.
Once the outsiders left, Qin Yining asked Ji Yun in a low voice: “Check if the surroundings are safe.”
Ji Yun’s expression became serious as she carefully examined the surroundings. After confirming no one was monitoring them, she nodded to Qin Yining.
Qin Yining immediately unfolded the note, scanning the dense tiny writing once through, then carefully reading it from beginning to end twice more.
What she least hoped for had finally happened.
The treasure had indeed been seized jointly by people from the Azure Sky Alliance and the silver-masked agents. As the Azure Sky Alliance’s coordination contact, Madam Liao would receive daily reports via carrier pigeon from those taking action ahead.
The last carrier pigeon Madam Liao received reported that the silver-masked agents had ulterior motives and the treasure was in danger.
After that, Madam Liao never received another pigeon. Through various investigations, she only recently learned that the treasure had somehow ended up in Yang County.
She had brought people to investigate but hadn’t been able to find any trace of the treasure, nor did she know what had become of the silver-masked agents and Azure Sky Alliance members.
The silver-masked agents were all elite fighters. Though the Azure Sky Alliance had numbers and influence, most were just a rabble. If it came down to actual martial skills, they probably truly weren’t a match for the silver-masked agents. With calculated strikes against the unprepared, it was entirely possible for those six silver-masked agents to completely annihilate them.
This was the drawback of not having her own direct subordinates. Though it appeared both forces were at her disposal, when it came to real profit motivation, those two groups had ultimately turned against each other.
Qin Yining’s expression was extremely ugly. Only after a long while did she catch her breath, stand up, remove the lampshade from the silk lantern, light the note on fire, and watch it burn to ash and scatter on the ground.
“Your Highness, are you alright?” Bingtang worriedly supported Qin Yining’s arm to help her sit down. Feeling her ice-cold fingertips, she became even more concerned.
“It’s only early summer, yet your hands are this cold. Your Highness, please listen to this servant’s advice—you suffered injuries before that damaged your vital energy and blood, and you still haven’t completely recovered. Please don’t continue worrying and fretting over these matters. You at least have His Highness to support you, so you should take good care of yourself.” Bingtang warmed her hands while advising.
Ji Yun also sighed: “We know things are difficult to handle, but please don’t bear it all alone, lest you become ill from keeping everything bottled up—that would be counterproductive.”
Qin Yining smiled bitterly and nodded: “How could I not understand what you’re saying? It’s just that when troubles arrive, how many people can completely put them out of mind?”
Since Bingtang and Ji Yun couldn’t inquire about the specific details, they could only speak of other matters to console her.
When Pang Xiao returned, Qin Yining whispered the situation in his ear.
Pang Xiao held her slender shoulders and comfortingly kissed her forehead: “I understand. Don’t worry about this matter—I’ll have people investigate. Right now His Majesty has come with troops and is quietly stationed outside. I’m the one he most distrusts and guards against, so we can’t act rashly lest we arouse suspicion.”
“I understand. When Madam Liao came, she said she was here to donate grain and medicinal materials, so it shouldn’t arouse much suspicion.”
“Mm, nearby prefectures have also begun voluntarily donating rice and grain. The disaster victims’ situation is gradually improving bit by bit.”
Hearing this, Qin Yining’s heart could finally relax a little, and she sighed: “This is the only thing recently that can put people’s minds at ease.”
Pang Xiao sighed deeply and held her tightly in his embrace.
He had married her, but in doing so had drawn her into danger alongside him. Sometimes Pang Xiao even secretly resented his own selfishness—if not for his burden, how would Qin Yining be trapped in this quagmire?
Pang Xiao’s expression became particularly grim.
Certain thoughts that had long existed in his heart gradually solidified after seeing his beloved suffer such torment.
After several days of investigation, Yang County was the most severely affected area, so Pang Xiao stationed himself here with Qin Yining, leaving Governor Gong to handle the old capital with full authority.
Having resolved the food problem and ensuring survival, the people were no longer so agitated and much easier to manage. Local wealthy households, learning from the lesson of Yang County’s Ding and Pei families, not only lowered rice prices but even began voluntarily donating money and grain.
For a time, the entire disaster area was showing signs of recovery from devastation.
Pang Xiao consulted with Gong You about first clearing the roads from the old capital to various locations, as restoring transportation would facilitate grain transport.
Qin Yining mostly stayed in the government office, quietly recuperating as Pang Xiao had advised.
But on this day, while Qin Yining was reading in her room, the back window lattice was suddenly tapped lightly twice.
Ji Yun started and called out quietly: “Who’s there?”
The person outside remained silent for a moment, then suddenly pulled open the window and leaped inside with a flip.
Qin Yining looked at the person before her in astonishment and said in a low voice: “Guard Cao? How did you get here?”
The visitor was indeed Cao Yuqing, dressed in dark blue short robes in male attire.
Qin Yining immediately grasped Cao Yuqing’s hand and asked anxiously in rapid succession: “Has something happened in the capital? Is my father well? Is the family well?”
Seeing Qin Yining so nervous, Cao Yuqing couldn’t help but smile: “Don’t worry, everything in the capital is under control, and the master is also well. It’s just that after hearing some news, the master concluded that there would certainly be major changes here. Since His Highness’s people have all been exposed and it’s inconvenient to mobilize them, and it’s also inconvenient for other silver-masked agents to leave the capital, only I, as a woman, could easily find an excuse. So he claimed I was unwell and needed a month of quiet recuperation, allowing me to secretly come protect you.”
Qin Yining blinked, somewhat understanding: “Did my father publicly claim he had taken you as a concubine?”
Upon hearing this, Cao Yuqing’s pretty face reddened: “Yes, he planned a month ago to have me come protect you but couldn’t find a proper excuse, so he said I was recovering from a miscarriage and couldn’t be exposed to wind, requiring bed rest. That’s how I could get away. But your mother was terribly jealous—she was still giving your father the cold shoulder when I left.”
Qin Yining naturally knew Sun Shi’s temperament. Thinking of how her father had to sacrifice his reputation and domestic peace just to send someone to her, she couldn’t help feeling deeply moved.
But the person who deserved the most gratitude was Cao Yuqing.
If it had been someone else, they probably wouldn’t have been willing to take such blame, would they?
Qin Yining knew that Cao Yuqing had always carried feelings for Qin Huaiyuan in her heart. It was precisely because of this caring that Cao Yuqing would rather remain unmarried and follow by Qin Huaiyuan’s side as a guard, obeying his every word. Her unrequited love was truly lamentable.