Ma Shi’s hands trembled as she bent down to cup Pang Xiao’s face, her thumb brushing across his cheek, confirming that the skin in her hands had warmth—this was indeed her beloved eldest grandson. Tears blurred her vision once again, and in her excitement she still remembered to keep her voice low:
“Dafu, Dafu, you’ve finally come back! You, you naughty child! Do you know how much you nearly scared your grandmother to death!”
Ma Shi had a strong character. Pang Xiao had never seen her in such a nearly collapsed state before, and couldn’t help but feel his nose sting, almost ready to shed tears as well.
Pang Xiao nuzzled his face against Ma Shi’s hand. “Grandmother, don’t be sad. Your child is fine, isn’t he? Not only am I fine, His Majesty is also fine.”
Under Pang Xiao’s deliberate reminder, Ma Shi’s heart jolted, and she gradually collected her emotions. Taking a closer look, wasn’t the person beside him dressed like a female demon none other than the current Emperor?
Ma Shi bit her cheek, using all her strength to show no unusual reaction as she performed a grand bow to Li Qitian.
“This old woman pays respects to Your Majesty. This old woman’s eyes are dim with age, and seeing Dafu made me too excited, causing me to lose propriety for a moment. Please forgive this transgression, Your Majesty.”
Li Qitian supported her with both hands, smiling: “Old Madam, why must you be so formal? We’re all family. Zhixi and I have never made distinctions between us. It’s just that now I must trouble your mansion…”
Ma Shi smiled honestly: “What trouble? This is our honor. You haven’t eaten yet, have you? This way, this old woman will have someone prepare food and clean clothes for washing.” Looking at Ji Zeyu covered in mud, and Pang Xiao and Li Qitian both in complete disarray, Ma Shi said with heartache: “Ah, you’ve all suffered.”
Qin Yining supported her waist and said quietly to Ma Shi: “Grandmother, the news that His Majesty and Dafu have been rescued shouldn’t be spread around right now. When you go out, don’t let it slip. If anyone asks, just say Marquis Dingbei sent me back, and to show gratitude, we’re keeping him for a meal.”
Ma Shi nodded seriously: “Ah, Grandmother understands. You can all rest assured. After I’ve made proper arrangements, I’ll set up the meal in the front hall and have your father-in-law entertain Marquis Dingbei outside. Your Majesty will have to endure some inconvenience and dine in Siqing Garden.”
Li Qitian was happy with this arrangement and smiled: “Thanks to your thoughtful consideration.”
“Your Majesty need not be so polite—it would be too much for this old woman.” After Ma Shi had properly observed all the courtesies, she turned and withdrew, walking briskly to make arrangements.
Before long, Jian Yun and Lian Xiaozhou brought clean clothes for changing. Seeing that Pang Xiao had returned, both Jian Yun and Lian Xiaozhou jumped for joy. Qin Yining naturally had to instruct them again. Both were utterly loyal to Qin Yining and knew proper boundaries in their work, immediately understanding what to do.
Pang Xiao then led Li Qitian and Ji Zeyu by a roundabout way to the prepared bathing room in the rear quarters to bathe and change clothes.
The three big men were originally all of military background, having campaigned together on battlefields in their early years, coming through wind and rain, mountains of corpses and seas of blood. It was only after enjoying wealth and honor that each person’s thoughts had changed.
Now all three had become mud monkeys. When a ladle of warm water was poured down, what washed off was directly black water. The three big men looked at each other and couldn’t help but laugh quietly.
Those barriers that had existed between Li Qitian and Pang Xiao were now almost close to nothing.
Li Qitian rubbed soap beans on his head and body, sighing quietly: “Originally it was the three of us who conquered the realm, and now it’s the three of us again.”
Pang Xiao wrapped a towel around his palm twice and scrubbed his body, hearing this and couldn’t help but smile: “Isn’t that so? Conquering a kingdom is difficult, but sitting on the throne is even more difficult. However, Your Majesty needn’t worry—this subject’s loyalty remains unchanged as always.”
Ji Zeyu also nodded. His clean long hair was coiled up behind his head. Falling water droplets slid down his back, which was white as jade but covered with scars.
All three men were covered with scars. Li Qitian was slightly better off, but also had some scars. Both Pang Xiao and Ji Zeyu had scars from fatal wounds on their front and back that had nearly cost them their lives.
Li Qitian looked at the two men, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
For a moment, he even felt that his suspicion of the two and his murderous intent toward Pang Xiao had been wrong.
Previously they had fought so fiercely, yet now he was forced by circumstances to hide in Prince Zhongshun’s mansion.
The future path was still unknown.
Li Qitian sighed melancholically, and the three continued washing.
On Qin Yining’s side, she had also bathed and changed clothes. Taking advantage of the time when the three men went to bathe, she had already gone to the front hall to see Qin Huaiyuan.
Qin Yining smiled: “Today I had some abdominal pain on the mountain, thanks to Marquis Dingbei sending me down the mountain. Father should help me properly entertain our guest later and thank Marquis Dingbei.”
Qin Huaiyuan examined Qin Yining’s complexion and saw that she was radiant, with joy she couldn’t hide at the corners of her eyes and brows, as if the torment of these past days had been swept away completely. His heart immediately understood.
What could make his daughter so happy must be good news about Pang Xiao.
Qin Huaiyuan nodded: “Don’t worry. Father will help you entertain the guest later.”
“Thank you, Father. After the meal later, please come to my place—I have matters to discuss with Father.”
Qin Huaiyuan’s heart stirred, and he nodded with understanding: “I know.”
Qin Yining and Ma Shi personally watched people prepare the wine and food, then returned to Siqing Garden together.
After bathing, with his black hair neatly gathered into a high bundle behind his head, wearing a sapphire blue brocade robe with precious flower patterns and arrow sleeves that Pang Xiao had not yet worn, with a jade belt around his waist, Ji Zeyu was led by a maid to the front hall.
Ji Zeyu had fair skin and features that tended toward the delicate, but his physique was similar to Pang Xiao’s. This outer robe with brilliant patterns, when worn on him, added several points of cold, frosty beauty.
Seeing Qin Huaiyuan, Ji Zeyu first cupped his hands in salute: “Uncle Qin.”
“Marquis Dingbei, please don’t be so formal. Please sit.”
After Ji Zeyu took his seat, he ate with Qin Huaiyuan. When they talked about matters on the mountain, Ji Zeyu only mentioned that they would continue excavating tomorrow. Qin Huaiyuan also cooperatively showed melancholy and anxiety.
Ji Zeyu took his leave after finishing the meal.
Qin Huaiyuan specially ordered someone to prepare a fine horse for Ji Zeyu.
After Ji Zeyu rode away, Qin Huaiyuan was carried by servants to Siqing Garden.
Meanwhile, a certain group secretly monitoring outside the Prince’s mansion reported the news to Princess Imperial’s mansion.
“Reporting to Princess Imperial, Prince Consort Ji personally escorted Prince Zhongshun’s consort back to the Prince’s mansion today. When he went in, he was covered in mud, but when he came out, not only had he bathed, he had also changed into new clothes. It seems Prince Consort Ji was in quite good spirits.”
Li Helan had been in an irritable mood these past two days. With her imperial brother’s life and death unknown, she always had a bad premonition. But now the Empress Dowager was different from before and wouldn’t listen to her pour out her troubles.
Ji Zeyu was becoming increasingly cold toward her, and wasn’t respectful enough toward her mother either. That day he had publicly embarrassed the palace servants from Ci’an Palace, and not just once—that was equivalent to slapping the Empress Dowager’s face in front of outsiders.
Later, Ji Zeyu had even directly confronted her own uncle for the sake of that wretch Qin Yining’s father.
Her uncle had seized Ji Zeyu’s military authority over the Huben Army. She was indeed somewhat dissatisfied with this, but it was the Empress Dowager’s arrangement, and she had no choice.
But Ji Zeyu’s unwillingness to give face to her maternal uncle was not putting her in his eyes.
Thinking back over this period, when Ji Zeyu saw her, his eyes were so cold it was as if she were a stranger.
Now hearing the servant’s words, Li Helan recalled Ji Zeyu’s arrangement of personal guards to clash with Marquis Qingyang to protect the Prince’s mansion. She couldn’t help but feel sour in her heart and asked coldly: “Are you telling the truth? The Prince Consort really went to the Prince’s mansion and changed clothes before coming out? In the middle of the night—are you sure you didn’t see wrong?”
The spy quickly shook his head: “This subordinate didn’t see wrong. Prince Consort Ji really did escort the Princess Consort back to the mansion and stayed inside for about an hour.”
Li Helan gritted her teeth.
She had never seen Ji Zeyu willing to give her a good face, yet he had the patience to accompany a friend’s wife to the Prince’s mansion and even changed clothes there.
In the dark of night, what had he done?
Could it be that Ji Zeyu had taken a fancy to that vixen Qin Yining?
Li Helan looked at her own appearance in the mirror, then thought of Qin Yining’s appearance, and immediately slammed the table hard in hatred.
“What a seductive fox! Even pregnant, she doesn’t forget to seduce men!”
“Princess Imperial… this, this subordinate…” He hadn’t said that Prince Consort Ji and Prince Zhongshun’s consort had that kind of relationship—how had Princess Imperial twisted it like this!
If the Prince Consort knew about this, wouldn’t he become someone who spread malicious gossip?
Only then did the spy realize what misunderstandings his words could cause. He hurriedly tried to remedy the situation, but Princess Imperial didn’t give him the time, directly waving her hand to dismiss him.
While Li Helan was fuming with murderous thoughts, dinner had already finished in Siqing Garden.
Qin Huaiyuan had dined with Li Qitian, during which he used a calm tone to roughly describe everything that had happened in the capital during the twenty days they had been trapped in the underground palace.
Since he was no longer a court official, Qin Huaiyuan didn’t go into detail about much of the information Qin Yining had gathered, only mentioning what ordinary people in the capital could see.
Even so, Li Qitian was so angered that he completely lost his appetite.
The actions of the Empress Dowager and Empress truly disappointed Li Qitian greatly.
Qin Yining had the servants clear the table and ordered them to bring tea.
Seeing that the atmosphere was still very heavy, Qin Yining offered consolation: “Please calm your anger, Your Majesty. I imagine the Empress Dowager had no other choice either. With Your Majesty trapped in the underground palace, the Empress Dowager could only grasp power in her own hands to ensure the kingdom wouldn’t change hands. This too was to preserve the kingdom for Your Majesty. Fortunately, Your Majesty is safe—everything can still be remedied.”
Hearing Qin Yining say this, Li Qitian calmed down to analyze the situation and indeed saw this aspect.
Moreover, now was not the time to pursue the Empress Dowager’s actions.
Li Qitian then said: “To restore my identity now, the first priority is to find a way to let the Empress Dowager know that I’m still alive. I believe with her own son present, Mother will also be reluctant to hand over full power to others.”
“Your Majesty speaks truly.” Pang Xiao nodded, then continued: “Prince Li has obviously developed ambitions. If Your Majesty appears openly, he will certainly try every means to obstruct you. At this time, it would be best to find some method to bypass Prince Li’s ears and eyes and let the Empress Dowager know that Your Majesty is safe and sound.”
Qin Yining raised her eyebrows and smiled: “This is very simple. Leave it to me and it can be accomplished.”