Ji Zeyu turned back, looking at Qin Yining with concern, his tone carrying several notes of compromise: “Though that may be so, the Princess Consort has a body worth a thousand gold. I must maintain brotherly loyalty, and with the Prince absent, it’s natural that I should look after the Prince’s family thoroughly. These nameless soldiers dare to humiliate the Princess Consort in such a manner—it’s truly detestable.”

“I understand the Marquis’s meaning,” Qin Yining said weakly. “But now is not the time to argue with them.”

As she spoke, she lifted the window curtain a bit more. “Come over and take a look. My carriage is small—right now, besides me, there are only two experienced servant women on board, specially found by my mother-in-law to serve me. Once you’ve looked, please let us pass quickly. My stomach really is uncomfortable. If something happens, think about whether your heads can bear the responsibility.”

The man who had been whipped by Ji Zeyu had already tasted Ji Zeyu’s toughness and severity. Seeing Qin Yining’s gentle, weak appearance with her brow tightly knitted, it was obvious she had indeed been disturbed in her pregnancy and wasn’t faking it. Psychologically, he already believed it somewhat.

Several of the leaders exchanged glances, then walked together toward the carriage, lifting the curtains and window coverings to look inside.

Inside they saw two stout women servants, each one powdered and rouged. The slightly fatter servant woman had at least applied two pounds of fragrant powder to her face, and had also applied red lipstick…

The brothers expressed deep doubt about the Prince’s mansion’s standards for servant women.

After confirming there was no place to hide anyone in the carriage compartment, they bent down to check under the carriage, making sure there really was no one hidden there. Only then did they step back and bow to Ji Zeyu and Qin Yining: “Prince Consort Ji, Princess Consort, we too are acting under Prince Li’s orders. We have greatly offended you.”

Qin Yining wearily lowered the window curtain.

Ji Zeyu coldly snorted, pointing his whip in the direction of the several men, then without further delay, hurriedly drove the carriage down the mountain.

Those men from the Five Cities Military Commission watched Ji Zeyu drive the carriage away, and couldn’t help but discuss among themselves.

“It seems what people say about Prince Consort Ji being at odds with Prince Zhongshun is pure nonsense! Otherwise, how could he be willing to take such care of Prince Zhongshun’s family at a time like this?”

“Exactly. The other day, Prince Consort Ji was said to have directly confronted Marquis Qingyang to protect people from the Prince’s mansion!”

“That’s not necessarily the case. Didn’t you see what that Princess Consort looked like? With such a beauty, I’d probably go weak all over just from one glance from her. If she begged me sweetly a few times, I’d do it even if it cost me my life! Perhaps there’s some unspeakable relationship between them.”

“There are plenty of improper affairs among these nobles.”

…

The group continued discussing as they went up the mountain.

Inside the carriage, Pang Xiao and Li Qitian watched by the car window as those people carrying torches grew more and more distant, before both settling back inside the carriage.

Li Qitian smiled at Qin Yining: “Sister-in-law’s idea was good. Being able to get down the mountain this time was thanks to sister-in-law’s quick thinking.”

He had actually reverted to addressing Pang Xiao as a brother, and this was the first time he had been so intimate and polite with Qin Yining.

Qin Yining immediately understood Li Qitian’s meaning.

In the current situation, if Li Qitian still wanted the throne, he would have to rely on Pang Xiao and Ji Zeyu. If either of these two was unwilling to help and instead caused trouble, Li Qitian’s chances of success would be almost zero.

So he was playing the friendship card.

Qin Yining was naturally happy to cooperate, saying both bashfully and fearfully: “Your Majesty truly overpraises me. This subject’s wife is merely a woman, with only a bit of small cleverness. How can I bear Your Majesty’s praise?”

Li Qitian waved his hand and laughed: “What are you saying? Sister-in-law deserves to be called a heroine among women, a female Zhuge Liang. No one could deny this even if spoken openly.”

So now she was no longer the criminal who had brought military disaster to Great Zhou by killing Khan A’na Ri?

Qin Yining couldn’t help but admire Li Qitian’s ability to bend and stretch. No wonder he could accomplish great things and become a founding emperor—this person’s moral baseline was fundamentally different from ordinary people.

Pang Xiao put his arm around Qin Yining’s shoulders and laughed heartily: “Sworn brother, don’t just praise my wife. Sister Yining has thin skin and will be embarrassed.”

The corner of Qin Yining’s mouth twitched. Pang Xiao had no psychological barriers whatsoever when calling Li Qitian sworn brother.

It could be seen that compared to Li Qitian, Pang Xiao’s moral baseline was also quite different.

Regardless of what Li Qitian truly thought in his heart, on the surface he was pleased with Pang Xiao calling him sworn brother.

That Pang Xiao wouldn’t kill him and was willing to show closeness to him could indicate that the cooperation between him and Pang Xiao could still continue.

Li Qitian felt somewhat settled in his heart, and took a handkerchief to wipe the rouge from his lips, then turned to wipe his face.

Qin Yining had wanted to remind him earlier that he could wipe it off. After all, for an emperor to disguise himself as a woman to escape for his life, with rouge and powder on his face—this kind of dark history could be used against him by anyone who saw it. Qin Yining didn’t want the people in the mansion to see Li Qitian in such a state. Now that he could wipe it off himself, it saved her the trouble of speaking.

The carriage quickly returned to the Prince’s mansion.

Ji Zeyu driving the carriage back startled the gatekeeper, who thought something serious had happened to Qin Yining. He hastily sent someone inside to report while having the threshold removed to let the carriage enter the mansion.

Ji Zeyu offered no explanation and directly drove the carriage to Siqing Garden.

Ma Shi heard the commotion and came out. Seeing it was Qin Yining being sent back by Ji Zeyu, she immediately went forward to meet them.

“Yining girl, what’s wrong? Ah? What’s the matter?”

“Grandmother, I’m fine, just a bit tired. The Marquis wanted to go down the mountain to wash up, so he escorted me back on the way.”

Ma Shi, hearing this, let out a long sigh of relief and smiled at Ji Zeyu: “Thank you very much.”

Ji Zeyu smiled and waved his hand.

At this moment, Qin Yining turned back and dismissed the servant women watching at the gate: “Don’t make such a fuss. I’m fine. Go tell my father and mother that I’m well, and I’ll change clothes first before paying my respects.”

“Yes.” The servants outside responded and withdrew.

Only then did Qin Yining pat the carriage wall.

The door curtain lifted, and two stout servant women jumped down.

The courtyard was pitch black, with only two lanterns hanging under the main room’s eaves. The light was quite dim, and Ma Shi couldn’t see clearly who they were at first. But Qin Yining’s usual companions were Ji Yun and Bingtang—these two servant women looked completely unfamiliar.

Ma Shi couldn’t help but pull Qin Yining behind her and look more carefully.

With this look, her eyes immediately widened.

“Big, big…”

Pang Xiao smiled at Ma Shi, made a shushing gesture, and reached out to embrace her.

Qin Yining also smiled, taking Ma Shi’s hand and shaking it.

Ma Shi’s tears immediately welled up. Seeing that Pang Xiao had actually returned in women’s clothing with Qin Yining, she knew this matter couldn’t be publicized. She quickly covered her mouth and nodded repeatedly, then punched Pang Xiao’s shoulder twice before turning to walk into the house first.

The group entered the room. Qin Yining dismissed both Jian Yun and Lian Xiaozhou, telling them to guard the courtyard. Except for Qin Huaiyuan, who could be let in if he came, everyone else needed to be announced first.

The two withdrew, and Pang Xiao helped Ma Shi sit down, then knelt down properly and kowtowed to Ma Shi.

“Making Grandmother worry was grandson’s fault.”