Qin Yining and Pang Xiao also received the same news at this time.

“This news…” Qin Yining pinched an embroidery needle between her slender, pale fingers and smoothed it against her temple, then lowered her eyes to mend a sleeve that Pang Xiao had torn. “I don’t think it’s true.”

Pang Xiao took the needle and thread from her hands. “Let the servants do this later. Don’t strain your eyes.” He leaned over to pick up a plantain leaf fan and fanned her with appropriate force before saying, “The area around Yan dynasty’s old capital is tightly surrounded. His Majesty has already searched every inch of ground there. Though no treasure was found, it’s impossible that anyone could transport things away under his nose. I think this matter is someone deliberately spreading rumors.”

Qin Yining had just found a comfortable position when she was stopped. Helplessly, she also picked up a round fan to cool herself, saying lazily, “Perhaps His Majesty wants to observe your reaction, or there’s some kind of trap.”

“It’s not only His Majesty.” Pang Xiao pondered and blurted out what he was thinking.

Qin Yining thought for a moment and said, “That’s right too. Perhaps someone else did it – that’s also possible.”

After all, Pang Xiao didn’t have just His Majesty as an enemy; there were many others who couldn’t stand him.

Seeing her natural expression, and then seeing how she couldn’t even sit comfortably due to her protruding abdomen and could only lean against cushions to find a comfortable position, and how the hot weather made things even harder for her with swollen hands and feet – seeing her suffering so, how could Pang Xiao bear to make her worry about these matters?

Therefore, he kept his suspicions about Lu Heng to himself and didn’t voice them.

Ever since he noticed that Lu Heng’s feelings for Qin Yining seemed to have become more obsessive, he had become more vigilant. But Qin Yining had done nothing wrong in this matter from beginning to end, and he didn’t want to blame her for an outsider’s inappropriate thoughts and actions, especially since she didn’t want things to be this way either.

“What should we do now?” Qin Yining asked. “I think regardless of whether this news is true or false, it’s definitely a trap. Do you have a counterstrategy?”

Pang Xiao smiled. “I was just about to ask you – what do you think?”

Seeing his “let me test you” expression, Qin Yining couldn’t help but raise her chin proudly. “You have so many strategists under you – why trouble a simple woman who only knows embroidery?”

Pang Xiao was amused by her lovely little manner and couldn’t help laughing. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead, causing Qin Yining to blush and push him away.

“It’s broad daylight, and the gauze curtains are hanging. What are you doing?”

Seeing her adorable manner, Pang Xiao was in excellent spirits and hugged her for another loud kiss before saying contentedly, “You always know how to be modest. I’ve never seen another ‘simple woman who only knows embroidery’ who could survive in such harsh conditions. When it comes to wisdom and strategy, you’re no less capable than any of my advisors.”

“Then go ask your strategists. Right now I’m only responsible for these two in my belly – I won’t worry about anything else.”

“Alright, alright. You’re working so hard, I won’t ask you then. But I think since this matter is suspicious, we shouldn’t make any moves. We’ll just live our normal little life. Someone else will naturally worry about that treasure. No matter who set this trap, we just won’t step into it.”

Qin Yining smiled and nodded. “I think so too. Whatever tricks they pull, we just won’t take the bait.”

Pang Xiao reached out his index finger to stroke her nose bridge and was about to tease her some more when he saw Qianyun enter from outside to report.

“Your Highness, Your Highness. There’s a lame, pockmarked monk at the gate who says he’s particularly skilled at fortune-telling and reading faces. He knows the Princess Consort is pregnant and came specially to divine the fortune of the future heir.”

Qin Yining burst into laughter. “What divination skills – he hasn’t even seen me yet but already knows I’m carrying an heir?”

Qianyun couldn’t help laughing too. “Should we have him divine which one is the heir?”

This amusing remark made both Pang Xiao and Qin Yining laugh.

After laughing, Pang Xiao became serious. “Our situation is special right now, so it’s not appropriate to see outsiders. If the other party has even the slightest ill intent, we couldn’t guard against it. Qianyun, go tell the people outside not to slight this master, but to receive him well. Since the master is skilled at divination, he should be able to divine clearly even separated by several courtyards.”

Qianyun bowed with a smile. “Yes, this servant will go immediately.”

Qin Yining also instructed, “They’re all making a living in the world – survival isn’t easy. You should be accommodating – it’s also accumulating merit for the future heir.”

“Yes.” Qianyun responded again and went to the outer courtyard.

Qin Yining sat up, wanting to put on her shoes. Pang Xiao immediately brought soft-soled embroidered shoes to help her put them on.

“What are you doing? Won’t you rest a while longer?”

“I’m always resting – my bones are getting sore, and my hands and feet are swollen and uncomfortable. Perhaps walking around will help.”

“Then I’ll accompany you.”

Pang Xiao turned to get a paper umbrella and followed Qin Yining.

Seeing the Prince accompanying the Princess Consort on a walk, Bingtang and Ji Yun also called young maids from the corridor to follow far behind the pair.

Pang Xiao opened the paper umbrella to shade Qin Yining from the sun, smiling as he said, “In a while, I’ll set up a swing frame in the courtyard for you. Though you can’t play on it now, you can play with the children later. Over there by the corridor, I plan to move a grape arbor – by summer we can enjoy the cool beneath it and watch clusters of purple grapes, which will be quite interesting to see.”

Qin Yining smiled and nodded, supporting herself on Pang Xiao’s arm as she looked up at him. “You’ve been spending so much time with me lately – do you have some reason to stay at home?”

“Of course I have something to do. Isn’t it to accompany you?” Pang Xiao’s smile was very gentle.

Qin Yining was dazzled by his smile and couldn’t help thinking that male beauty could also mislead people. She said amusingly, “Don’t you have anything else to do besides accompanying me?”

“Silly girl, I don’t want to think about anything else right now. I just want a wife, children, and a warm bed – that would be complete. Now I only wish for peace and want to do nothing, just guard you and keep you and the children safe and sound. That would be our family’s blessing. Nothing else can move my heart right now.” Pang Xiao tilted the paper umbrella as the sun slanted down quite fiercely – he didn’t want Qin Yining to be uncomfortable.

Qin Yining laughed out loud. “Rest assured then. Our whole family takes this pregnancy so seriously – how could anything go wrong? But you’re all being so earnest that I feel a lot of pressure. What if the children I give birth to don’t meet your expectations?”

“What could be disappointing? Whether boys or girls, I love sons and daughters equally. Of course, if you could give birth to two daughters, I’d be most delighted.” Pang Xiao started laughing as he spoke.

Seeing his rare silly expression, Qin Yining couldn’t help laughing too.

“I don’t know why you like daughters so much.”

“Having daughters is wonderful. Like you – both smart and beautiful.” Pang Xiao put his arm around Qin Yining’s shoulder, but didn’t dare put all his arm’s weight on her shoulder, so he just raised his arm to encircle her. “In the future, I’ll teach her martial arts well so no son-in-law can bully her.”

Qin Yining nodded. “I imagine my father had the same thoughts back then.”

Pang Xiao looked at Qin Yining’s earnest pretty face and couldn’t help but feel his heart itch, his smile becoming even more gentle.

The two strolled leisurely like this for a while. Qin Yining returned to her room as usual, and Pang Xiao only went to the study during her afternoon nap. By the time Qin Yining woke up, he was already back by her side.

The whole day passed in the blink of an eye. When the sky was dyed with brilliant sunset clouds, voices could be heard outside the gate. Soon Qianyun and Ji Yun entered together, both bowing in unison.

“Your Highness, Your Highness.”

“What is it?” Qin Yining asked with a smile.

Qianyun handed over a piece of paper folded into a square. “Your Highness, this is the result divined by that master this morning.”

Qin Yining was startled – a whole day had passed and she had long forgotten about that master’s existence. Even Pang Xiao hadn’t kept that person in mind.

Just as Qin Yining was about to unfold the note, Pang Xiao took the paper first, stood up and walked a bit away to unfold it, casually asking, “Why was the note only delivered now? Didn’t he come early this morning?”

Qianyun said, “That master said he needed to concentrate on his calculations. He ate two meals and one snack at our manor, and just now he even wrapped up the leftover food to take with him. Also, that master might be a fake monk because he eats meat. When the manor served him Dongpo pork elbow for lunch, he ate a whole one by himself in just a few bites.”

Could this master be a fraud?

Pang Xiao looked at the content on the paper, confirmed it wasn’t poisoned, then returned to Qin Yining’s side.

“What does it say?”

Qin Yining took the paper to look. The handwriting was crooked and twisted, like a child just learning to write, barely recognizable as characters.

The content was quite concise though.

The opening line read: “Person of extreme nobility, protected by purple qi, dwelling peacefully in the manor brings safety.”

Below it read:

“Pitying the good, that Kexiu, southern plans roll clouds and water, northern archway caps heaven. Beautiful name illuminates court historians, grand strategies so magnificent. All wish to join in suppressing rebellion.”

Qin Yining studied it carefully for a long while before making out those crooked characters. “This master’s handwriting is really not much different from mine when I was in the mountains.”

Pang Xiao also smiled. “This passage below seems quite familiar.”

Qin Yining looked more carefully and couldn’t help murmuring the lines. Immediately her expression changed dramatically as she slapped the table. “Quickly, quickly go catch that monk – he’s Tianji Zi!”

Both Qianyun and Ji Yun were startled. Pang Xiao didn’t doubt her at all and immediately ordered Huzi to take men out in pursuit.

After the people left, Pang Xiao asked, “How did you figure it out?”

Qin Yining said, “This is a poem by Du Zimei, but it’s missing two lines. The line after ‘Pitying the good, that Kexiu’ should be ‘Heaven’s mechanism naturally discerns clearly,’ and the line before ‘All wish to join in suppressing rebellion’ should be ‘Galloping several young masters.’ For a proper divination with such handwriting, why would he randomly excerpt a passage from Du Zimei’s poetry, and precisely omit ‘Heaven’s mechanism naturally discerns clearly’ and ‘Galloping several young masters’?”

Though Pang Xiao was well-read in military strategy, skilled at planning and calculation, could fight one against a hundred on the battlefield, and his tactical formations struck terror in enemies’ hearts, when it came to pure scholarship, he really couldn’t match Qin Yining. After all, Qin Yining had studied with tutors and learned from Qin Huaiyuan.

Pang Xiao looked at the note again and nodded seriously. “What you say makes sense. But if this really was sent by Tianji Zi, I’m afraid our people might not be able to catch him even if they go out. Tianji Zi staying to eat for a whole day wasn’t necessarily because he really wanted to eat, but to lower the guard of our people below.”