Qin Yining closed her eyes and leaned against the edge of the bathtub, her mind filled with chaotic thoughts about the situations she would soon face upon returning to the capital. For a moment, she couldn’t think of a perfect solution.

She feared that Pang Xiao would be aggressively held accountable by Li Qitian. She also worried that Li Qitian would send her away for peace negotiations, which would further intensify the conflict between Pang Xiao and Li Qitian.

When facing imperial power, it seemed that no matter what they did, the situation would not be optimistic.

However, upon further reflection, returning to the capital meant she could go home whenever she wanted. Father was so clever, and Pang Xiao was no less capable – together, the two of them could surely think of a good solution.

With this thought, Qin Yining felt a sense of relief, as if she had handed over all her burdens to others.

Compared to the pressure she faced outside where she had to control the overall situation and her decisions could very likely affect the life and death of the Minuo tribe’s people, this feeling of having someone to rely on was truly wonderful.

Qin Yining’s spirit gradually relaxed, her eyelids grew heavy, and she unconsciously fell asleep. Because she didn’t allow anyone to serve her closely, the maidservant arranged by Chen Shi also didn’t dare to come in and disturb her.

So when Pang Xiao returned after the banquet, he didn’t see anyone in the front hall or bedroom, causing him to panic slightly. But when he entered the bathing room, he saw a “beauty painting” amidst the misty steam.

She slept with her head tilted to one side, her hair loosely pinned up, her features blurred in the hazy mist. Her fragrant shoulders and jade-like neck were exposed above the water, a few strands of hair dampened and clinging to her skin, making her snow-white skin appear lustrous as jade. The full and curved areas could only be glimpsed in general outline from top to bottom.

It was precisely this state that was more heart-stirring than being completely uncovered.

Pang Xiao felt that the wine he had drunk today turned into heat, all gathering in one place. He simply reached out with his long arms and lifted her out.

Qin Yining had been sleeping soundly, but suddenly finding herself airborne with her body feeling cold, she was startled into a soft cry. When she saw clearly that it was Pang Xiao holding her, and remembering that she had been bathing just now, she couldn’t help but blush with embarrassment, covering herself with both hands: “You, when did you return?”

“Just now.” Pang Xiao quickly wrapped her in a large bath towel and placed her on the bed.

Qin Yining hurriedly clutched the towel tightly, “You, you…”

Pang Xiao stood beside the bed, undressing while smiling: “General Kang prepared excellent wine, I had some, but unfortunately you didn’t attend the banquet, so you didn’t get to taste it.”

Qin Yining blinked her somewhat moist eyelashes, her gaze already drawn to his firm abdominal muscles. Realizing what she was looking at, she quickly turned her face away and responded with an “Oh.”

Pang Xiao loved this look of hers immensely. He nimbly leaped onto the bed, “Want to taste their wine?”

Qin Yining felt she needed to find a topic to divert her attention. Since Pang Xiao had brought up wine on his own, it suited her perfectly, so she nodded: “That would be nice, why don’t you ask them for some more.”

“No need to find them, I have some right here…”

As Pang Xiao spoke, he had already cupped the back of her head with one hand and pressed her toward himself. Their lips and teeth intertwined, and there was indeed a faint wine fragrance and tea fragrance that made Qin Yining lose herself. She didn’t know if the wine was too rich, or if Pang Xiao’s embrace and tender words were too moving, but Qin Yining felt she was already intoxicated. In her dazed state, she thought that if this continued, they might soon have a child.

Kang Qiong’s hospitality was extremely thoughtful, and Qin Yining and Pang Xiao lived very comfortably. Qin Yining had suffered quite a bit outside and her body was considerably weakened, so the next day Pang Xiao asked Chen Shi for help in finding a physician to help with recuperation.

The physician was an elderly man with graying beard and hair. After treating Qin Yining, he also examined Pang Xiao and prescribed body-strengthening remedies for both of them.

Pang Xiao took the prescriptions to members of the Elite Tiger Guards who were knowledgeable in medical principles to review. After confirming there were no problems, the two began recuperating together.

At the same time, under Kang Qiong’s hospitality, Pang Xiao also visited the Longxiang Army’s military camp.

Because of Pang Xiao’s title as God of War, and his sworn brotherhood with Ji Zeyu, the original commander of the Longxiang Army, although there were some rumors outside about his discord with Prince Consort Ji and even their complete falling out, his personal charisma alone was irresistible to the military men.

Those who already respected him became even more worshipful after seeing Pang Xiao in person.

Those who were unconvinced became convinced after sparring with him.

Moreover, Pang Xiao was straightforward and frank by nature. Once in the military, he felt even more at ease, treating his subordinate soldiers and officers with genuine sincerity – training when training was needed, punishing when punishment was due, praising when praise was deserved, rewarding when rewards were earned. In this way, within just a few days, he had fought several matches in the Longxiang Army camp and shared several meals from the communal pot, becoming familiar with everyone.

While Pang Xiao and Qin Yining were living so comfortably, Yi Binghu was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

His mission was to bring Pang Xiao back to the capital in chains, but now Pang Xiao was living so comfortably, with more and more people supporting him. Yi Binghu felt that completing this task at Tianyu Pass was simply impossible.

However, even if he couldn’t complete the task, he couldn’t be the one to bear the final responsibility.

Yi Binghu immediately wrote a secret letter to His Majesty, exaggerating and embellishing all of Pang Xiao’s arrogant behavior since he had seen him, as well as how he was winning people’s hearts. He had it sent by express courier through the night.

“Master.” Huzi came back with a smile to report, “That Yi Binghu sent a secret letter to His Majesty. Should we intercept it?”

Pang Xiao was standing alone in the distance with his hands behind his back, watching his Elite Tiger Guard brothers spar with the men of the Longxiang Army. From time to time, cheers and applause could be heard.

“I don’t need to see it to know what he wrote. We don’t need to worry about him, let him be.”

“Yes. But Your Lordship, are you just going to let that fellow spread rumors and stir up trouble?”

Pang Xiao slapped his palm with the horsewhip in his hand – that black whip was given to him by Ji Zeyu before he departed.

“Given our current situation, we no longer care about anyone spreading rumors. Because the rumors have long been stuffed full in that person’s heart above. Whether someone adds fuel to the fire or not doesn’t make much difference.”

Huzi had followed Pang Xiao for so many years and could be said to have witnessed firsthand how much Pang Xiao had sacrificed for the Great Zhou empire. Now his belly was full of indignation and anger.

“When the dynasty was first established and the court had no money to pay military salaries, that person pushed all the blame onto you, saying you wouldn’t pay them, causing the soldiers to have misunderstandings about you for quite a long time. Later, when entering the Beiji Kingdom court, he made you do all the prominent tasks while he played the good guy behind the scenes. You fought bloody battles for this country, sacrificing so much. When recovering Great Yan, you walked ninety-nine steps, but then he issued an edict not letting you accept the surrender documents and submission letters, giving you no credit. Now he’s treating you like this again. I feel you’ve suffered enough injustice. Really, you’ve suffered enough injustice. Even we brothers feel distressed watching it.”

“Enough, don’t mention these things again in the future.” Pang Xiao’s face still wore the same smile as when he first started, saying: “I know the brothers care about me and genuinely feel indignant on my behalf, and that’s enough. If these words reach that person’s ears, you’re not afraid of death but I’m afraid of implicating you all.”

Huzi pouted and sighed deeply after a long while.

But Pang Xiao laughed: “Alright, don’t think about these things yet, boy. I see you and Miss Tang are quite compatible – do you want me to help you out?”

Huzi’s face immediately turned red, stammering: “A real man should establish his career first, then start a family. I, I haven’t established my career yet.”

Pang Xiao was amused by his awkward manner: “Don’t think I haven’t seen what you’ve been secretly carving every day. In this regard, don’t learn from your master. If you like her, go pursue her. If men don’t take the initiative, should we expect the girl to take the initiative?”

“I, I just, just don’t have the opportunity.”

“If there’s no opportunity, create one. Marrying a wife is like fighting a battle – you must seize even the slightest opportunity. If there’s no opportunity, you must create one and still charge forward!”

Pang Xiao patted Huzi’s head: “Being so hesitant is unseemly. I’m getting anxious just watching. How about I have the Princess help you negotiate?”

“No, no, no! Bingtang considers the Princess her savior, her sister, her master – anyway, the Princess’s word is something Bingtang would definitely listen to. That would make it seem like she’s not genuinely willing to marry me. I’d better ask myself.”

“Tsk tsk, you’re already using her pet name, so I can see I’m worrying unnecessarily.”

Huzi was startled and quickly said “I’m going to relieve myself,” then turned and ran.

Pang Xiao couldn’t help but burst into laughter watching him.

Pang Xiao’s thoughts were different from Qin Yining’s. Qin Yining felt worried about the future, but Pang Xiao wasn’t worried about the future at all. He remained high-spirited, as if he controlled the overall situation.

No matter how chaotic things were outside, he didn’t want to bring those negative emotions home and make his wife and family live in constant fear.

Living was living – he was a man and should hold up the sky. If things hadn’t even happened yet and he started worrying excessively, becoming more and more frightened until he lost his nerve, wouldn’t his wife and family have to live in fear every day?

Just as he wouldn’t prevent Huzi from pursuing Bingtang because of the tense situation, fearing it might delay the girl’s feelings, he also wouldn’t avoid having a child because the current situation was unclear.

On the contrary, he very much anticipated having a child with Qin Yining.

If they had a son, his mother and maternal grandparents would probably be especially happy.

But he still preferred a daughter.

If they could have a daughter who looked as beautiful as Yining and was as clever as Yining, he would definitely cherish her like a treasure and spoil her rotten, absolutely not letting his daughter suffer like Yining did as a child.

A certain mighty and domineering God of War prince stood at the edge of the training ground watching a group of rough men practice boxing and fighting, while displaying the gentle smile of a loving father.

Seeing this from a distance, a group of Longxiang Army soldiers couldn’t help but secretly sigh that the Prince truly loved his soldiers like sons – the rumors were indeed true.

Pang Xiao stayed at Tianyu Pass with Qin Yining for ten days. Yi Binghu finally couldn’t contain himself any longer and urged them to depart.

Seeing that Qin Yining had finished her last dose of medicine and had gained some weight during this period, with her complexion becoming much more rosy, Pang Xiao “magnanimously” gave the order: “This Prince must return to the capital to have an audience with His Majesty. Please have General Yi lead the escort.”

Yi Binghu was nearly infuriated to the point of falling backward.

Who was the master and who was the subordinate on this journey? He had come to arrest a traitor who had committed treason, but somehow it had turned into escorting a prince back to the capital!

However, facing the watchful Elite Tiger Guards and the Longxiang Army soldiers who got along very well with Pang Xiao, plus the hundred-plus men he had brought who all regarded Pang Xiao as a deity, Yi Binghu ultimately took no action.

The next stop was Tianlang Pass! He didn’t believe that Tianlang Pass also had Pang Xiao’s people! Then he would see how he would get him onto the prisoner’s cart!