Huzi frowned tightly and spoke directly: “Under normal circumstances it would be manageable, but this time the Emperor is determined to obtain the treasure and has truly put in great effort. The forces chosen to surround Chong Mountain are all elites from the Capital Garrison—guards every five steps, sentries every ten steps. They’re absolutely determined not to allow a single person in or out. Arranging for someone to infiltrate silently would be extremely difficult.”
Qin Yining felt somewhat at a loss.
Message delivery was blocked, seeking an audience with the Emperor was blocked, and stealthy infiltration was also impossible. What could be done?
After pondering for a moment, Qin Huaiyuan made a decisive decision: “We must now prepare three contingencies. Send people to ride swiftly once more, bearing the prince’s mansion token and appealing to their emotions. Be careful that this group doesn’t force their way through, lest they anger the Capital Garrison troops surrounding the area and provoke greater conflict. Then not only would the message fail to get through, but it would also saddle the prince with a reputation for rebellion.”
“Father is right.” Qin Yining nodded in agreement.
Qin Huaiyuan continued, “At the same time, Yining, you must accompany Father on this trip. Father is now just a commoner, so I fear my influence isn’t sufficient to persuade the guarding troops to let us pass.”
“Very well.” Qin Yining said, “I was thinking the same. My going to persuade them is one aspect; on the other hand, if persuasion fails, I plan to have people force their way through. With me present, they’ll fear the prince and will surely have reservations.”
Bingtang furrowed her brow, mentally assessing Qin Yining’s physical condition.
Ji Yun, however, objected: “Though Master speaks reasonably, what if the Princess’s body cannot bear it? It would be better to enter the palace and report to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager worries about the Emperor and will surely take action.”
Qin Huaiyuan smiled and nodded, “You make sense. However, the Empress Dowager cannot be seen immediately. Going through layers of communication, then dispatching someone to Chong Mountain with an imperial edict, I’m afraid there won’t be enough time.”
Ji Yun’s face reddened as she said shamefacedly, “This servant was thoughtless.”
“No matter, you’re also concerned about Yining’s health.” Qin Huaiyuan continued, “After we leave the mansion, the safety of the residence must be entrusted to Advisors Xie and Xu. As for the Qin family side, we’ll have to trouble Guard Cao.”
Qin Yining nodded, “Let’s do it this way then. I’ll first have people prepare carriages and sedan chairs.”
“Leave the rest to Father. Huzi, just go summon the Tiger Guards.”
Huzi nodded: “Yes!”
Forcing their way into Chong Mountain Imperial Mausoleum was essentially defying imperial orders, very likely to result in charges of treason, but none of them were afraid. Huzi and his group of elite Tiger Guards had long been ready to roll up their sleeves for a big fight!
While everyone was preparing, Ma Shi walked worriedly to Qin Yining’s door.
“Yining, has something happened to Da Fu?”
“Grandmother.” Qin Yining went up to take Ma Shi’s hand, “Don’t worry, nothing has happened outside. Everything is just me being overly suspicious.”
“You child, still trying to hide things from me? Just now your complexion changed completely—I saw it clearly.” Ma Shi sighed, “Da Fu has been campaigning outside for so many years, and I’ve been on edge for just as long. Actually, I’ve long grown accustomed to worrying about him. This time when Da Fu was summoned, has something happened again?”
Facing Ma Shi’s eyes full of wisdom, Qin Yining truly couldn’t speak evasive words. Ma Shi was a strong woman who understood situations clearly. Moreover, with her and Father leaving, there wouldn’t be a single reliable master left in the prince’s mansion.
No one knew how much gunpowder was in Chong Mountain’s underground palace, nor when that gunpowder would be ignited according to Tianji Zi’s calculations.
This time when Qin Yining went with her father, she was actually taking a life-threatening risk and had prepared herself mentally.
It was just that she had to go for Pang Xiao’s sake.
Qin Huaiyuan was going not only for Pang Xiao, but for the court.
Even though Qin Huaiyuan hadn’t said it aloud, Qin Yining understood that he was going for the pillars of the court. He absolutely didn’t want to see all of Da Zhou’s capable ministers and pillars wiped out in one fell swoop, which would leave Da Zhou’s people exposed under the Tatar iron hooves.
If they encountered misfortune outside, the prince’s mansion would lose its backbone. The Qin family side still had Second Master and Third Master, as well as male descendants like Qin Han, Qin Yu, and Qin Xian. But on the prince’s mansion side, only Yao Chenggu, Yao Shi, and Ma Shi would remain.
At critical moments, Ma Shi was still needed to maintain order, preventing chaos throughout the mansion and ensuring that Xie Yue and Xu Weizhi’s actions wouldn’t be influenced by Yao Chenggu and Yao Shi.
Thinking of this, Qin Yining took Ma Shi’s hand and sat on the arhat bed, quietly explaining the situation to Ma Shi.
Qin Yining feared Ma Shi couldn’t handle it, “Father and I are going to try breaking into Chong Mountain. I’m six months pregnant and am Princess Consort of Prince Zhongshun, so presumably out of consideration for the prince, the Capital Guards won’t do anything to me. Since we’re being so earnest, they’ll likely listen to us. The situation inside is unclear now, and I’m only speculating that there’s gunpowder in the underground palace—I can’t confirm it. We’re going just as a precaution, so Grandmother truly needn’t worry about this matter.”
Ma Shi was stunned for a long while before patting the back of Qin Yining’s hand and sighing, “My child, I know you’re someone who acts prudently. If you weren’t somewhat certain, you wouldn’t make such a big fuss and lose your composure. Grandmother won’t ask how you guessed there’s gunpowder in the underground palace—you young people’s affairs are beyond grandmother’s understanding. I have only one requirement, and you must listen to me.”
“Whatever you say, Grandmother, I’ll listen to everything.”
“Good.” Ma Shi grasped Qin Yining’s hand and said seriously, “I know you and Da Fu have deep feelings for each other. When you went missing before, Da Fu’s state—grandmother still remembers it and my heart still aches thinking about it. I can see that you young couple would follow each other in life and death.
“If this time, something unfortunate happens to Da Fu… you must be strong! Because you are Da Fu’s wife, the only daughter-in-law of the Pang family, and you’re carrying Da Fu’s flesh and blood in your womb—the continuation of Da Fu’s life, the continuation of the Pang family’s only bloodline. Do you understand?”
Ma Shi’s hands were cold and gripped tightly, leaving red marks on Qin Yining’s fair, delicate hands.
But Qin Yining felt no pain at all. All her mental energy was focused on holding back tears.
“I understand.”
“Promise grandmother that you cannot harm yourself, that you must prioritize your own safety above all else. If anything happens to Da Fu, you cannot follow him in death.”
Qin Yining’s eyes grew moist as she pressed her lips together and nodded.
“I swear I won’t harm myself, that I’ll prioritize my own safety, and that I won’t follow him in death. Grandmother, please rest assured—the prince will surely be fine.”
Ma Shi’s eyes reddened, but she didn’t shed a single tear. Instead, she smiled and nodded to comfort Qin Yining, “That boy has a tough life. You don’t need to worry either. His martial arts skills weren’t learned for nothing. Even if there really is some gunpowder explosion, he has the ability to protect himself and escape unharmed. He’s thinking of you in his heart, so he definitely won’t let anything happen to himself. You must believe in his abilities, understand?”
Qin Yining nodded and rested her head on Ma Shi’s shoulder, her voice muffled: “Grandmother, please don’t worry. We’ll all be fine.”
Ma Shi’s wrinkled hand gently patted Qin Yining’s back, “Don’t worry then. I’ll watch the house at home—it won’t fall into chaos. Come back quickly, and send news as soon as possible.”
“I’ll listen to everything Grandmother says.”
The two women leaned on each other for mutual comfort.
Sun Shi was unreliable, so Qin Yining didn’t dare tell her birth mother about these matters. But Ma Shi had taken Sun Shi’s place in bearing the pressure and giving Qin Yining the care of a female elder.
Bingtang, Ji Yun, Qian Yun, and Lian Xiaozhou all quietly wiped away tears.
For this trip, Qin Yining brought Bingtang and Ji Yun. Qian Yun and Lian Xiaozhou stayed behind with Ma Shi.
Qin Huaiyuan entrusted the entire prince’s mansion’s safety to Cao Yuqing and several masked secret agents like Jingzhe, and placed the mansion’s guards under Xie Yue and Xu Weizhi’s command. After explaining the serious situation to them and ordering them not to spread word and cause panic, Qin Yining took a carriage and left with Qin Huaiyuan.
From beginning to end, Sun Shi and the others didn’t know what Qin Yining was going out to do, thinking Qin Huaiyuan just wanted to take his daughter out for a stroll.
The carriage wheels were wrapped in cotton felt, and the interior was laid with thick cushions. September was no longer so sweltering, and though Qin Yining felt some discomfort sitting in the carriage, it wasn’t unbearably difficult.
Qin Huaiyuan rode alongside the carriage, asking every few moments how Qin Yining was feeling.
With thorough preparations and Bingtang constantly monitoring the situation, Qin Yining’s nerves were taut, naturally considering nothing as important as getting word to Pang Xiao.
Though it normally took only three incense sticks’ time, they spent half an hour to arrive.
The prince’s mansion carriage bore the emblem of Prince Zhongshun’s mansion, followed by sturdy Tiger Guards as fierce as wolves and tigers. Their orderly formation and the formidable aura emanating from their entire beings showed at a glance that they were true warriors who had crossed blades and tasted blood.
The Capital Guards watching over Chong Mountain Imperial Mausoleum were already in heated dispute with Huzi and others who had arrived earlier, the atmosphere tense and ready to explode. Seeing this group approaching from afar, they felt the situation was even more wrong—could these prince’s mansion people be planning rebellion?
A captain led over ten men around Huzi to confront them, sternly demanding: “Who goes there!”
Qin Yining had just taken a pregnancy-stabilizing pill in the carriage to ensure absolute safety. Hearing this, she lifted the carriage curtain and was helped down by Bingtang and Ji Yun.
Qin Huaiyuan dismounted and cupped his hands toward the captain: “Former Minister of Rites, Qin Meng.”
Former Minister of Rites Qin Meng—wasn’t that Prince Zhongshun’s father-in-law?
The Capital Guard soldiers looked at each other, then turned to look at the beautiful woman in honey-colored brocade jacket and ivory long skirt with a large belly—undoubtedly Princess Consort of Prince Zhongshun.
Qin Yining supported herself on Bingtang’s hand and walked forward slowly, holding the prince’s mansion token. Her gaze was sharp as she said, “Greetings, officers. I am Princess Consort of Prince Zhongshun. There is gunpowder buried in the imperial mausoleum’s underground palace. The Emperor’s safety is paramount. Please be flexible and allow us to enter and report to the Emperor. If you’re not comfortable with that, you could go in and relay the message yourselves. Otherwise, if this delays important matters, neither you nor we can bear the responsibility.”
“Ridiculous! The Emperor’s decree ordered us to guard Chong Mountain, allowing no one to enter or exit. Yet Prince Zhongshun’s mansion has repeatedly sent people to provoke us. Do you not regard the Emperor’s decree seriously, or are you planning rebellion!”
Qin Huaiyuan said, “If there truly is gunpowder in the underground palace, those who have entered are all important court officials. Consider this carefully—if you could truly save the Emperor and these important ministers, it would be your merit as well.”