As soon as Qin Yining’s sedan chair came to a stop, the little maid at the entrance rushed inside to announce their arrival. Another pretty little maid of about twelve or thirteen years came forward to bow and greet them: “Your Highness, Your Royal Highness, you’ve returned! The Grand Madam was just asking someone to check on you.”

“Mm.” Pang Xiao smiled and helped Qin Yining through the courtyard gate.

Qin Yining smiled and asked, “Have the Grand Madam, Old Master, and Old Madam finished their evening meal? How are the preparations in the new residence’s kitchen?”

The little maid replied with a bright smile, “Your Royal Highness can rest assured. The cooks brought the food boxes on time, and the Old Master, Grand Madam, and Old Madam have all finished their dinner.”

Qin Yining nodded with a smile. Seeing that this little girl spoke as clearly as falling pearls, with good organization and no timidity despite her young age, and that she understood proper etiquette, she praised her with a few kind words.

“What’s your name?”

“Replying to Your Royal Highness, this servant is called Xiao Tong. I just came to work in the mansion.”

As they spoke, there was a commotion at the main hall entrance, and Meng Shi hurried out like a gust of wind.

Yao Chenggu and Yao Shi followed behind, their eyes burning with eagerness when they looked at Pang Xiao.

Since Pang Xiao’s safe return, the family hadn’t had a chance to properly reunite. Especially after today’s great disturbance in the capital – even the Huben Army stationed outside the city had been alarmed, and the earth-shaking battle cries from the direction of the imperial palace could be heard throughout half the capital. Though they had escaped through the underground passage and their new residence was surrounded by many guards with Qin Huaiyuan stationed at home, their hearts remained unsettled. Moreover, many common people who had witnessed the mountains of corpses and seas of blood at the palace gates were whispering among themselves, with some even saying the prince’s mansion had been burned to ruins.

No one in the family could feel at peace.

It wasn’t until Li Qitian issued an edict summoning Qin Huaiyuan to court for deliberation that they heard some news from the eunuch delivering the decree, and their hearts finally settled completely.

Meng Shi looked at the young couple with relief, stepping forward to support Qin Yining. “Yining, are you tired? How do you feel?”

“Grandmother, please don’t worry. I’m fine.”

“Good, that’s good.” Meng Shi helped Qin Yining into the house.

Yao Shi pursed her lips. She was greatly relieved that her son could return safely. But seeing Qin Yining, her dislike remained as before.

Yao Chenggu patted Pang Xiao’s shoulder with relief. The family entered the house, and after Pang Xiao and Qin Yining paid respects to their elders again, they sat according to their positions.

Meng Shi was still concerned about Qin Yining’s health, holding her hand and asking quietly and carefully. Only after confirming there were no problems did she feel at ease.

Though Yao Shi felt displeased, after this incident, anyone with eyes could see that the Emperor treated Qin Yining very differently, clearly regarding her as a useful talent on par with Pang Xiao. Moreover, Pang Xiao was so devoted to Qin Yining.

Yao Shi suppressed her displeasure, not daring to show any emotion openly. She spoke with apparent concern: “This incident has troubled our whole family terribly. Yining should really find a good physician to examine her properly. Now that Dafu is safe, we should start preparing properly for the family’s great celebration.”

Hearing Yao Shi speak this way, Meng Shi nodded with relief. “That’s exactly right. Grandmother will start making arrangements for you again.”

Qin Yining shook her head with a bitter smile. “Grandmother, these matters aren’t urgent. This time I’ll be leaving with His Highness, so I’m afraid the birthing chamber at home won’t be needed.”

“What?”

“Dafu is going away again?” Yao Shi’s voice was somewhat sharp.

Pang Xiao nodded. “His Majesty has appointed me as Grand Marshal Pingnan. I must depart for the south to take up the post in a few days. His Majesty, considerate of how Yining and I have had little time together since our marriage, and pitying that our child will be born soon, has specifically ordered Yining to accompany me.”

Meng Shi’s eyes widened in alarm as she asked anxiously, “What about us? Did His Majesty give any instructions?”

Pang Xiao said, “His Majesty’s meaning is that only Yining may bring servants to accompany me to my post.”

“Then aren’t we all staying in the capital as hostages?”

“Watch your words!”

Yao Shi cried out in shock but was promptly rebuked by Yao Chenggu.

Meng Shi shook her head. “How can this work? Yining is having her first child and is young with no experience. If you go to the south for your appointment, won’t Yining have to give birth halfway through the journey? And if we elders aren’t allowed to accompany her, won’t Yining have no one to help her?”

Whether it was Yao Shi, Yao Chenggu, or Meng Shi, everyone’s mood plummeted at this moment.

Especially Yao Shi.

She had endured the days of Pang Xiao campaigning abroad while she anxiously waited for news at home for far too long. She lived in constant fear every moment, until she had almost become numb to it. Later, it wasn’t uncommon for them as a family of three to be placed under house arrest by Li Qitian under various pretenses whenever Pang Xiao left home.

That feeling of waiting for the giant boulder hanging over their heads to fall was even more torturous than waiting for letters confirming Pang Xiao’s safety.

This time, Pang Xiao was going to his post in the south but was only allowed to bring Qin Yining. Wouldn’t those left at home all be hostages? At critical moments, Li Qitian could grab any one of them to potentially change Pang Xiao’s decisions.

Yao Shi trembled uncontrollably just thinking about such a future.

Seeing everyone looking gloomy, Qin Yining smiled and comforted them: “Actually, the situation isn’t that bad. Given the current court situation, our family is going to be put to important use. So as long as His Highness handles the southern affairs properly, His Majesty won’t do anything to our family. As for childbirth, I’ll bring trusted midwives and physicians with me.”

Qin Yining grasped Meng Shi’s hand reassuringly. “Grandmother, don’t worry. Though I lack experience, His Majesty didn’t say I couldn’t bring servants along. As long as we prepare well, everything will be perfectly safe.”

“Sigh!” Meng Shi sighed deeply. “What kind of situation is this!”

For a woman, giving birth was like walking through the gates of hell. No one could predict what complications might arise. Even those who stayed home peacefully with full preparations could encounter all sorts of accidents, let alone Qin Yining, who had to travel by carriage to Pang Xiao’s post with an eight-month pregnancy.

But His Majesty’s orders left them no right to refuse. Whatever the situation, they could only grit their teeth and accept it.

Seeing that Meng Shi was truly worried, Qin Yining couldn’t help but hold her hand and offer more consolation.

However, Yao Shi’s expression grew increasingly tense and terrified.

“Dafu, what’s really happening at court? Why does your mother feel that things aren’t going well?”

“What are you saying!” Meng Shi scolded. “What do you mean ‘not going well’? Dafu is about to take up his post, can’t you say something good?”

This reprimand from Meng Shi had no effect on Yao Shi at all.

“Mother, what time is this! Aren’t you worried at all? Why does His Majesty only allow Dafu and the Qin woman to leave?” In her nervousness, glancing at Qin Yining’s consistently calm face, Yao Shi’s eyes widened as realization dawned. “No wonder you’re not worried at all! So that’s what this is about! Are you perhaps delighted to have this opportunity to give birth away from our watchful eyes?”

Qin Yining had been in a good mood trying to comfort Meng Shi, but hearing Yao Shi’s words, she was momentarily too angry to speak.

If she wanted to argue directly, she had plenty of ways to silence Yao Shi. But she was, after all, the daughter-in-law, and Pang Xiao was sitting right beside her.

Pang Xiao’s face had already darkened. He stood up to help Qin Yining rise, addressing only Meng Shi and Yao Chenggu: “Grandmother, we’ll return to rest now.”

Meng Shi nodded, glaring sternly at the still furious Yao Shi, then smiled at Qin Yining with both comfort and apology. “Yining, your mother-in-law is a foolishly clever muddle-head. Don’t take it to heart. Tomorrow grandmother will come visit you.” The implication was that Qin Yining was excused from coming here to pay respects.

Qin Yining nodded, bid farewell to the elders, and left the courtyard hand in hand with Pang Xiao.

Meng Shi whirled around to glare at Yao Shi, pointing at her. After a long moment, she said through gritted teeth: “A dog can’t stop eating excrement! From today, you get back to your room to do needlework and reflect! If you dare speak such nonsense again, I won’t acknowledge you as my daughter!”

“Mother!” Yao Shi felt that Meng Shi had been completely won over by Qin Yining and lost her ability to think.

“What time is this? You’re still quarreling with your daughter over these things! We’re the ones being left as hostages, but why does that Qin woman get to escape with him?

“Look at her attitude – how carefree she is! The fine prince’s mansion burned to nothing, Dafu is going south for his post, yet she’s not worried at all! Not to mention anything else, I haven’t seen her worry about childbirth either. Her child must be nearly full term! Dafu is just a fool, still helping that Qin woman cover things up even at this point.”

Meng Shi’s fists clenched with audible creaking as she suppressed her anger, listening completely to what Yao Shi was thinking. Then she looked at Yao Chenggu with a cold smile.

Yao Chenggu once again took out his brass pipe, wanting to pack himself a bowl of tobacco.

Listen to what Yao Shi was saying – and Yao Chenggu, as her father, didn’t intervene at all!

What did this indicate? It could only mean that Yao Chenggu thought the same way!

Meng Shi shook her head, pointing to the side rooms in the courtyard. “Stop wasting words. Get out.”

Yao Shi looked to Yao Chenggu: “Father, is there anything wrong with what your daughter said?”

Yao Chenggu took a puff of tobacco before saying, “You go out. Father needs to discuss things further with your mother.”

Yao Chenggu’s attitude made Yao Shi, though aggrieved, nod and withdraw. But Meng Shi was completely disappointed.

To think that at her age, she was only now seeing through what kind of people her husband and daughter truly were. She had failed to see clearly her entire life!

Qin Yining and Pang Xiao didn’t go to pay respects to Old Madam Qin either, returning directly to their own courtyard.

Seeing that Qin Yining remained silent, Pang Xiao felt both heartbroken and guilty. “Yining, don’t be angry. I’ll speak with the Old Madam about this later.”

“It’s fine. With our departure imminent, we should focus our thoughts on preparing for the journey. Everything else doesn’t matter. Just go see grandmother later – I’m afraid she’ll make herself ill with anger for no reason. Besides, after we leave, grandmother still has to live with grandfather and the Old Madam. They shouldn’t make things too tense.”

Hearing this, Pang Xiao felt both sour and numb inside, his heart aching as he knelt before Qin Yining, grasping her hands and bringing them to his lips for a kiss. “Yining, you’re always so understanding, yet because of your understanding, you’ve suffered so much.”

“These are small matters. We don’t need to let them distract our energy.” Qin Yining got over her anger and thought things through. Why should she insist on winning the favor of someone who didn’t like her in the first place?

“Good, I’ll listen to you in everything. Yining, I know all about your grievances. Rest assured.” Pang Xiao kissed her hands again, stood up, and instructed Bingtang and Ji Yun to help Qin Yining rest first, while he himself returned.

Qin Yining didn’t know exactly what Pang Xiao had said. She hadn’t sent anyone to spy either.

But after a good night’s sleep, when she saw Yao Shi again the next day, she had swollen rabbit eyes and seemed to be deliberately trying to please her, which truly amazed Qin Yining.

“What exactly did you say to the Old Madam? Why is she treating me like she’s become a different person?”