Hearing this, Qin Yining frowned tightly.

“What are you saying? My discussing these matters with you doesn’t mean I want to return to the capital. Though living conditions here aren’t as good as in the capital, I’m by your side where you can see me—wouldn’t that make you feel more at ease? If I went back to the capital, wouldn’t that simply hand them another hostage option?”

Pang Xiao was rendered speechless by Qin Yining’s words. Having such an overly intelligent wife was exactly like this—she could always pick holes in his arrangements, and he couldn’t refute her words at all.

Pang Xiao said: “I’m just worried about you suffering with me. You may not have noticed, but you’ve lost a lot of weight these past days. You already had depleted vital energy and blood, and then disasters and troubles never stopped. Bingtang has been constantly emphasizing that you must recuperate properly, but ever since you’ve been with me, your current life doesn’t allow you to rest peacefully. Not only can I not give you a happy life, but I make you live in constant anxiety. I married you to bring you happiness, yet I keep making you suffer.”

Qin Yining’s heart had already softened completely.

For Pang Xiao, such a decisively ruthless and domineering man, to be willing to show such vulnerability before her was his greatest trust and respect for her.

Qin Yining stretched out her arms, embracing Pang Xiao’s body: “Don’t worry, I’ve had a good constitution since childhood—there’s really nothing wrong with me. Besides, with Bingtang constantly by my side, what could happen? This is a matter of life and death. If you made me abandon you to enjoy comfort alone, I absolutely couldn’t rest easy.

“No matter what, the idea to use the Azure Sky Alliance and silver-masked agents was originally mine. Now that something has gone wrong, I must bear this responsibility.”

“Yining, don’t say that idea of yours was something we both thought of—you were trying to help me, and I weighed it and nodded my agreement. Even if you poked a hole in the sky, this responsibility should be mine to bear! I’m a grown man—if when trouble comes I hide behind my wife’s skirts, what would that make me?”

Pang Xiao unconsciously gripped Qin Yining’s hand and frowned: “Do you understand? No matter what you do, I’ll take responsibility for it. When I don’t want you to step forward, you’re not allowed to force your way ahead!”

Qin Yining’s hand hurt somewhat from being gripped by his well-defined, dry yet warm large hand. But she couldn’t bear to pull away, frowning slightly:

“You and I as husband and wife are one body. What you should bear for me, I should also bear for you. I always thought we no longer distinguished between each other—where is there any question of who hides behind whom? Speaking of the one above, if he were to seek your death someday, would he spare me?”

“Bah bah bah, spit it out quickly!” Pang Xiao pinched Qin Yining’s cheeks. “You little troublemaker, why bring up precisely what shouldn’t be mentioned?”

What Qin Yining had brought up was Pang Xiao’s deepest fear.

What he feared most wasn’t losing his own life, but that his selfish desire to marry her would drag her into the abyss.

Seeing him so anxious that his face had turned red, Qin Yining knew it was because he felt sorry for her. She sighed and nestled into Pang Xiao’s embrace, consoling: “Alright, let’s not argue about this issue. In any case, I won’t return to the capital. As for the method I mentioned earlier, what do you think?”

Pang Xiao pursed his lips and pondered for a long while before saying: “This method is feasible, but also very dangerous. When you go, you must take sufficient people with you.”

Qin Yining smiled: “Don’t worry, with Aunt Cao, I’ll have five silver-masked agents around me. This setup almost rivals that of Great Yan’s Grand Emperor—how dangerous could it be?”

Pang Xiao felt extremely reluctant in his heart. How could he bear to have Qin Yining risk danger for his affairs? But Li Qitian had brought troops stationed at the perimeter, neither issuing edicts nor taking action, making it impossible to discern what he was actually doing. Moreover, with possible surveillance everywhere around them, both obvious and hidden, Pang Xiao dared not participate in Qin Yining’s plan at all.

Qin Yining’s idea was actually very simple.

Princess Zhongshun had been exhausted from the long journey, and with her poor health, having endured jolting travel and frights along the way, she had now fallen ill. Therefore, Prince Zhongshun planned to first send people to escort the princess back to the capital for medical treatment.

Thus, from the next day, Qin Yining fell ill, and even the servants and maids in the office became busy attending to her. When Qin Yining appeared before people three days later, her face was pale and sallow, her eyes lifeless, her form gaunt—looking as if she might collapse at any moment.

Seeing Qin Yining in this state, Magistrate Li was moved and tugged at Pang Xiao’s sleeve: “This is all due to natural disasters. The princess has a delicate constitution, yet in such a place she’s been eating and living the same as us, remaining so long in this oppressive environment. Someone so frail would inevitably fall ill!”

Pang Xiao said regretfully: “Magistrate Li speaks truly. It’s all this prince’s fault—focusing only on external affairs while neglecting her health. She’s always been weak, and coming to the disaster area she’s been traveling with me through wind and rain. Now it’s triggered her old ailments.”

“What does Your Highness plan to do? The environment here is so poor, and there aren’t any good physicians.”

“This prince plans to arrange for subordinate guards to escort her back to the capital for treatment first. As for His Majesty’s side, this prince still needs to submit a memorial explaining the situation.” As Pang Xiao spoke, he couldn’t help but sigh.

Magistrate Li had spent these days in constant company with Pang Xiao and greatly admired this war god. He immediately said: “Your Highness need not worry. Though this official’s words carry little weight, I will also submit a memorial to His Majesty explaining this matter, ensuring His Majesty doesn’t misunderstand Your Highness’s difficulties.”

Pang Xiao looked at Magistrate Li with emotion, his phoenix eyes full of gratitude, and smiled while patting his shoulder: “Thank you!”

Magistrate Li waved his hands with a smile, saying bashfully: “Compared to Your Highness and the princess’s righteous deeds, this official is merely fulfilling his duties by reporting the truth to His Majesty. How could I deserve Your Highness’s thanks?”

“Regardless, this prince must thank you.” Pang Xiao said seriously: “In today’s court, upright and responsible officials like Magistrate Li have become increasingly rare.”

This single sentence made Magistrate Li’s face flush red with praise. He waved his hands repeatedly, exchanged a few polite words with Pang Xiao, then fled in embarrassment, clearly having been embarrassed to a certain degree.

Thus, both Pang Xiao and Magistrate Li submitted memorials. The next day, arrangements were made for Qin Yining to leave the office under the care of attendants and maids, heading toward the natural cave formed by the earthquake that Cao Yuqing had mentioned.

Though traveling by carriage, since this road had been hastily repaired, it didn’t waste much time. By afternoon, they had reached the vicinity of that ground fissure.

Cao Yuqing, dressed as a man, sat on the cart shaft driving the carriage. She looked up at Jingzhe and the others, and the four silver-masked agents understood her meaning, dispersing in four directions to scout the situation.

Soon the four returned, confirming there were no ambushes. Only then did Qin Yining get out of the carriage, and the group followed Cao Yuqing toward that ground cave.