“Absolutely absurd!”

Qin Yining gritted her teeth and said angrily, “Marquis Qingyang may have a talent for wine and women, but he stopped going to battle years ago. How can he command a hundred thousand Huben Army troops?”

Marquis Qingyang Zhou Dayong was the Empress Dowager’s youngest brother and Li Qitian’s youngest maternal uncle.

The Empress Dowager was taking advantage of the Emperor being trapped in the underground palace to seize control of the court and elevate her maternal relatives!

The Huben Army was trained by Pang Xiao, and who knew how much blood and sweat he had poured into it. Entrusting it to Ji Zeyu, a war god on par with Pang Xiao, still gave Qin Yining some peace of mind. But handing it over to someone like Marquis Qingyang—how could Qin Yining accept this?

“This is truly too absurd. With external threats and internal troubles still unresolved, the Empress Dowager first thinks of seizing power and supporting her natal family. Such behavior of a hen crowing at dawn is too detestable—where does she place the people of the nation?”

“Princess Consort, please don’t get angry,” Bingtang advised. “These matters are beyond our control. Don’t harm your health over such things.”

“That’s right,” Jingzhe also said. “Master said to let you know this news so you’d have a grasp of the court’s situation and wouldn’t be caught off guard when things suddenly happen. But Master also said you should prioritize your health and the young heir in your womb. Master also said everything at home is well, he’ll manage the overall situation, so you needn’t worry.”

Qin Yining took several deep breaths before calming her emotions and nodded, “I’m fine. I know these words can only be complaints I keep to myself. Go back and tell my father that I’m well, the mountain situation is relatively stable, and he shouldn’t worry.”

“Yes.” Jingzhe bowed and took his leave to descend the mountain.

Qin Yining stood in place watching the scenery for a while longer, taking several deep breaths to suppress the restlessness in her heart before returning with the two maidservants to the excavation site.

At this moment, Grand Eunuch Li Weiliang, who had been thwarted by Ji Zeyu twice before, had just finished reading the Empress Dowager’s decree and looked at Ji Zeyu with a half-smile, “Prince Consort Ji, you didn’t expect this, did you?”

Ji Zeyu had just rested briefly and his eyes were even redder. His incomparably handsome face remained expressionless, showing no anger, unwillingness, or panic at being dismissed. He simply looked at Li Weiliang calmly.

“Eunuch Li jests. I’m merely a subject who only follows orders. Since the Empress Dowager and ministers all feel Marquis Qingyang is capable of great responsibility, naturally the position of Huben Army Commander should go to him. The tiger tally and command tokens are here—I trouble Eunuch Li to take them back.”

With that, he readily took out two brocade pouches from his chest and handed them directly to Li Weiliang.

Li Weiliang received the pouches with both hands, placed them in his chest, and smugly patted his chest. He moved close to Ji Zeyu and lowered his voice, “Prince Consort Ji has humiliated this servant several times. This servant will also let you know that being Huben Army Commander doesn’t mean you can do whatever you please. This servant is most trusted by the Empress Dowager. When you disrespect this servant, you disrespect the Empress Dowager. Princess Imperial doesn’t regard you highly—you’re just an unvalued prince consort, no different from an unfavored concubine in a wealthy household.”

Ji Zeyu quietly listened to Li Weiliang finish speaking, then gave a cold laugh, “Are you done?”

“I’m done.” Li Weiliang returned the same cold smile.

Ji Zeyu raised his chin to his attendants, “Bind Eunuch Li. You go to the palace with the other eunuchs who came to deliver the decree and tell the Empress Dowager what Eunuch Li said. I handed over the tiger tally and tokens because the Empress Dowager’s sacred decision was for the court and the people. But Eunuch Li made the Empress Dowager into a tool for his personal revenge against me. This shows contempt for the Empress Dowager—where does this place her? I suggest the Empress Dowager reconsider before using such servants.”

As he spoke, the attendants had already gagged Li Weiliang’s mouth with torn cloth and handed the two pouches hidden in his chest to another eunuch who had come with Li Weiliang.

Li Weiliang couldn’t break free from the thick hemp rope and wanted to curse but couldn’t speak. He was escorted away by both the eunuchs and Ji Zeyu’s attendants.

Ji Zeyu watched the group descend the mountain with a stern face, his gaze gradually becoming vacant. Finally, he looked up at the gloomy sky and said, “It’s going to rain.”

Qin Yining looked at Ji Zeyu’s desolate figure and felt uncomfortable—it was the bleak feeling of a hero at his end. Such a feeling was too inauspicious and made Qin Yining very uneasy.

She wanted to offer some words of comfort, but she wasn’t familiar with Ji Zeyu and had no standing to speak. If Pang Xiao were here at this moment, he would certainly be able to console him.

Qin Yining turned back to look at the chaotic scene of stones and mud at the excavation site, her brow furrowing tightly once again.

Tianji Zi calculated everything perfectly, playing an excellent game of chess that included all the people standing at the peak of the Great Zhou dynasty, nearly wiping out all the important court ministers in one sweep. For the Tatars’ success, she truly used every possible means.

But in Tianji Zi’s calculations, wasn’t Pang Xiao supposed to be the Purple Star Emperor?

Tianji Zi had such faith in her own calculations—why would she help a “Greedy Wolf Star” plot against the Purple Star Emperor? Wasn’t this slapping her own face?

Qin Yining could no longer fathom what Tianji Zi was thinking, but one thing was certain—Tianji Zi was no longer friend and foe, but had clearly become her enemy.

A raindrop fell on Qin Yining’s nose tip. The cool sensation brought her back from her contemplation. Light rain began falling softly, the sky pressed down dark and heavy, and what started as a light shower quickly turned into a heavy downpour.

Qin Yining was escorted to the carriage to shelter from the rain.

Ji Zeyu, however, arranged for the soldiers to continue their shifts of rest and cooking as usual, while he himself threw himself back into the excavation work in the rain.

Both Bingtang and Ji Yun were soaked through, and Qin Yining’s clothes were also damp with moisture, making them very uncomfortable to wear.

Bingtang said, “Princess Consort shouldn’t force yourself to endure this. With such heavy rain, wearing wet clothes and catching a cold is no laughing matter. Please listen to advice—let’s return to the mansion. Even if you want to come up the mountain, pick a clear, sunny day.”

Qin Yining knew her body absolutely couldn’t endure a heavy rainstorm. After three days of settling, her emotions were no longer as agitated as initially. She missed Pang Xiao and felt heartbroken thinking about what he might be experiencing in the underground palace—just thinking about it made her whole body cold and her hands and feet icy.

But she also knew that if something truly happened to Pang Xiao, what he would most hope for was that she could hold up the household, take good care of their parents, and raise their child well.

While dying would be easy—just find a sturdy rope and stick your neck through it—living and shouldering responsibility was much harder. But after her initial impulse, Qin Yining realized she couldn’t be so selfish.

She didn’t want to disappoint Pang Xiao.

Qin Yining closed her eyes. Her eyeballs ached, and hot tears were hidden in her eyes, but one drop fell as rainwater from her hair slid down her face, looking just like a tear.

Bingtang and Ji Yun felt heartbroken watching this, and both nearly broke down crying.

They understood Qin Yining’s pain, but they couldn’t watch her abuse herself.

After a moment, when the rain lessened slightly, Ji Yun got out of the carriage to tell Ji Zeyu about Qin Yining’s plan to return to the mansion.

Upon hearing this, Ji Zeyu followed Ji Yun toward the carriage, his expression showing some relief.

In the carriage, Qin Yining heard footsteps and conversation outside and lifted the curtain. Seeing Ji Zeyu’s brocade robe covered in mud and rainwater clinging to his body, his hair disheveled and casually pushed back, she couldn’t help but worry, “When I return, I’ll have people bring medicinal herbs and ginger up the mountain. It wouldn’t be good if everyone caught cold.”

“The Princess Consort needn’t worry about these things.” Ji Zeyu wiped the rainwater from his face, not caring that his incomparably handsome face now bore a streak of mud. Instead, he looked seriously at Qin Yining, “Princess Consort, please take good care of yourself. Only if you’re well can the Prince be well.”

Qin Yining met his eyes—those eyes hiding complex emotions behind their cold exterior—and felt something stir in her heart. The key point of his words of concern was undoubtedly “only then can the Prince be well.”

She and Ji Zeyu had no real friendship to begin with; Ji Zeyu was doing this for Pang Xiao.

Looking at Ji Zeyu standing in the rain, bedraggled but still radiant as moonlight, Qin Yining even sensed that his reason for staying here to excavate so diligently wasn’t for Li Qitian, but for Pang Xiao.

“I understand.” Qin Yining sighed with complex emotions, then rallied her spirits and smiled, “Prince Consort Ji, please take care of your health. I’ll go back to change clothes and wash up, then return when the weather improves.”

Ji Zeyu lowered his gaze, raindrops falling from his long butterfly-wing lashes.

“Whenever the Princess Consort wishes to come, you may come anytime. Though I no longer hold office, I’m still Marquis Dingbei. You can rest assured about matters on the mountain.”

Qin Yining understood—he must dislike the title “Prince Consort.”

What young man with a bright future and great ambitions would willingly marry a princess?

Qin Yining changed her form of address, “I naturally trust Your Lordship’s abilities. I’ll take my leave now.”

A faint smile played at the corners of Ji Zeyu’s lips as he nodded, “I’ll have people escort you.”

“That’s not necessary. I’ll just have two guards from the mansion escort me.”

“That won’t do,” Ji Zeyu said. “Times are chaotic now, different from before.”

With that, he turned to call over a trusted aide and instructed him to assign six men to escort Qin Yining back to the city.

Since Ji Zeyu had made such arrangements, Qin Yining knew she couldn’t argue and could only thank him for his kindness. She then called Huzi over and whispered instructions, “Prince Consort Ji is having people escort me back. You stay here with your men to watch for news. If there’s even the slightest development regarding the Prince, good or bad, you must come tell me.”

Seeing that Qin Yining was willing to go down the mountain and return home, Huzi was delighted and naturally agreed to whatever she said, “Princess Consort, rest assured. I wouldn’t dare hide any developments.”

After Ji Zeyu had everything prepared, Qin Yining rode in the carriage with Bingtang and Ji Yun, with Ji Zeyu’s trusted men driving and escorting them all the way from Chong Mountain.

Rainwater pounded on the carriage canopy, creating a continuous sound.

Through gaps in the curtain, Qin Yining observed that these northern men were all tall and straight, with broad backs and narrow waists. Whether mounted on horses or driving the carriage, none spoke much, all displaying a solemn military bearing. At first glance, they clearly weren’t ordinary martial artists or guards, but men who had worn military uniform.

Thinking of the Elite Tiger Guards around Pang Xiao, how could Ji Zeyu, whose abilities matched Pang Xiao’s, not have similar trusted men around him?

Qin Yining felt much more at ease and lowered the curtain to focus on resting with her eyes closed, though worry about the mountain situation kept her brow furrowed with unresolvable concern.

Having labored on the mountain for so long with Qin Yining, Bingtang and Ji Yun relaxed seeing that she was willing to go home, and couldn’t help becoming drowsy as well.

After traveling peacefully for about fifteen minutes, sudden commotion erupted ahead of the carriage, followed by the sound of heavy objects hitting the ground.

Qin Yining opened her eyes in shock, meeting the equally startled gazes of Bingtang and Ji Yun.