Lady Zheng smiled gently, her thin, dry fingers softly stroking Qin Yining’s hair.

She had never imagined she would be able to see Qin Yining again, nor had she thought that Qin Yining would treat her with such care, making such a tremendous commotion to rescue her.

She admitted to herself that she hadn’t been particularly kind to Qin Yining. This child had been lonely and suffering since childhood, never having the fortune to be raised by her birth parents. Even after returning home to face blood relatives, they were ultimately strangers meeting for the first time, and her daughter had such a temperament.

She knew that Lady Sun hadn’t treated Qin Yining well. And what about herself? Her relationship with Qin Yining also wasn’t particularly deep from the moment they met.

Even after the Dingguo Duke’s mansion fell into trouble, Lady Zheng’s heart was filled with hatred. She wanted revenge so desperately she nearly went mad, and she had even used Qin Yining at times, ultimately throwing the mess of the Azure Sky Alliance onto her shoulders.

Although Qin Yining had taken over the Azure Sky Alliance and gained useful subordinates, Lady Zheng also knew that group of martial world figures wasn’t easy to handle – the Azure Sky Alliance was essentially a double-edged sword.

She had given Qin Yining the position of alliance leader and useful subordinates, but in reality, she had also freed herself from involvement, no longer interfering in such matters, keeping her own family clean while dumping the troubles onto Qin Yining.

After Lady Zheng brought the Sun family women to settle in the south, receiving Qin Yining’s open and covert care, their lives gradually got back on track.

Whether it was Qin Yining’s fearless act of stepping forward to help the Sun family men collect their corpses during the Dingguo Duke mansion’s disaster, not afraid of getting burned, or her selfless care for the Sun family women expecting nothing in return, Lady Zheng remembered it all in her heart. She always thought about finding an opportunity to repay this child.

That’s how the fabric shop in the old capital came about. That’s why this time, knowing that Pang Xiao and Qin Yining had come on imperial orders, she immediately came first, wanting to help establish connections and clear obstacles.

Unfortunately, she was old and no longer infallible in her calculations.

“It’s grandmother who’s useless, meaning well but causing trouble. I intended to help you, but only made things more chaotic.” As Lady Zheng’s thoughts turned, she sighed helplessly.

Qin Yining quickly shook her head, grasping Lady Zheng’s hand: “Grandmother, please don’t say that. We’re family – why worry about such trivial matters? Oh yes, due to circumstances then, when the Prince and I married, he never had the chance to pay his respects to you.”

Qin Yining looked back at Pang Xiao, who had been standing at the doorway.

Pang Xiao immediately strode forward, performing grand ceremonial bows following Qin Yining’s example. After kowtowing, he respectfully called out: “Grandmother.”

Lady Zheng looked at Pang Xiao, her expression becoming extremely complex, remaining silent for a long while.

Pang Xiao knelt in place, knowing Lady Zheng would surely harbor resentment toward him. Therefore, he wasn’t anxious or impatient, simply kneeling respectfully.

During the war between the two countries, he had been the vanguard officer attacking Great Yan. In places like Xihua City, he had clashed with the Dingguo Duke’s lineage.

The old Dingguo Duke and the Sun family generals were all men of iron will and integrity – he greatly admired them.

It was only that both sides held different positions, standing in opposition to each other. Combined with the Emperor’s devious scheme at the time, insisting the Empress Dowager needed to eat some wise person’s brain to cure her headaches, not only forcing the great talent Sun Yu to his death, but also terrifying the foolish ruler into simply exterminating the entire Dingguo Duke’s mansion. Even children of just a few years old hadn’t escaped beheading.

Although all was fair in war, Pang Xiao still felt regret for the Sun family’s sons. He had even secretly gone to collect the Sun family men’s corpses, only to be beaten to it by Yining at the time.

His thoughts and these covert actions were naturally unknown to the Duchess. In Lady Zheng’s eyes, Pang Xiao was probably just one of the chief culprits who had colluded with Li Qitian to destroy the Sun family.

Thinking this way, Pang Xiao even felt that Lady Zheng not slapping him was already showing good restraint.

Qin Yining looked at Pang Xiao, then at Lady Zheng, calling somewhat nervously: “Grandmother…”

Lady Zheng sighed helplessly: “Stand up, all of you. Let’s sit and talk.”

Seeing Lady Zheng’s expression remained normal, Qin Yining breathed a slight sigh of relief. She and Pang Xiao rose, each taking a stool to sit by the bedside.

Lady Zheng looked at Pang Xiao: “I actually hated you before.”

Qin Yining frowned with worry.

Pang Xiao also smiled helplessly but didn’t respond.

Lady Zheng continued: “However, as time passed and grief subsided somewhat, when I could think calmly, my hatred toward you also lessened. Moreover, you became my granddaughter’s husband.

“To search for Yining, you even defied thirty-three imperial edicts, personally leading people to the Tatars to bring her back. Not only did you never doubt her, you’ve consistently treated her well. Just for this point alone, I believe you’re a good child.”

Hearing Lady Zheng say this, Qin Yining suddenly felt greatly relieved.

Pang Xiao continued smiling, waiting for Lady Zheng’s next words.

“When Northern Ji and Great Yan were in conflict, Yining’s father used schemes that indirectly harmed your father. Although General Pang’s death was mainly due to the Northern Ji ruler’s suspicion, Yining’s father did indeed use schemes. Between you and her lies the hatred of a father’s death, yet you could see past it, set aside the hatred, and treat her well.

“Every grievance has its source, every debt its owner. Having lived so many years, how could I not understand these principles?

“Although you were the vanguard officer attacking Great Yan, and you bear responsibility for the Duke’s and my grandsons’ deaths, the primary responsibility doesn’t lie with you – you were following orders. If we’re to blame anyone, we should first blame the foolish ruler and the demon empress, blame the demon empress’s father, Duke Cao.

“I’ve already taken my revenge and seen through it all. Now seeing how well you treat Yining, and that Yining truly lives her life with you wholeheartedly, let’s set aside those past grievances.”

Lady Zheng’s words moved both Pang Xiao and Qin Yining deeply.

It was rare for Lady Zheng to think so clearly. Qin Yining had thought she’d need to spend considerable effort persuading her, never expecting the matter to be resolved so easily.

“Grandmother, have you truly thought it through?” Qin Yining grasped Lady Zheng’s hand and shook it.

Lady Zheng sighed: “What else is there to not think through? The dead are gone, but the living must continue. Should I forever grasp those so-called grievances for the sake of the departed, then disrupt your peaceful life? Moreover, every grievance has its source, every debt its owner – I’m not unreasonable. How could I redirect anger toward him?”

Tears nearly fell from Qin Yining’s eyes. She blinked forcefully to hold back the sudden surge of emotion, grasping Lady Zheng’s hand: “Grandmother, it’s wonderful that you can think so clearly.”

Pang Xiao also stood and bowed deeply: “Grandmother, thank you.”

Lady Zheng smiled: “We’re family – why thank me? Did you think I was some stubborn, inflexible person in your minds?”

“Of course not.” Qin Yining quickly explained.

Lady Zheng smiled and tapped Qin Yining’s forehead, seeing her granddaughter’s face full of sincere joy without any shadow, and seeing Pang Xiao, though standing aside, constantly keeping his warm, gentle gaze on Qin Yining, his eyes full of undisguised indulgence and love.

These two children truly had feelings for each other. To find someone they genuinely loved while young, to form a family together, supporting each other through thick and thin – what higher demands could she, as a grandmother, have for her granddaughter’s husband?

Once words were spoken openly, the originally tense atmosphere in the room suddenly relaxed.

Qin Yining smiled while telling Lady Zheng about Lady Sun’s situation and family matters, then ordered people to prepare a proper New Year’s Eve dinner. Today she could finally spend a reunion New Year with her grandmother – she couldn’t contain her excitement.

Seeing Qin Yining as happy as a child, Lady Zheng couldn’t help but laugh. When the child was doing well, this elder could also feel at ease.

After laughing for a while, Lady Zheng suddenly remembered something and said seriously: “Has the Prince now gained control over the military?”

She had already heard that today it was Pang Xiao leading troops into the city that intimidated those disaster victims, while also forcing Governor Yang to resolve this civil unrest.

Pang Xiao nodded: “Temporarily, yes.”

He frankly told Lady Zheng about the military situation he had discussed with Qin Yining on the return journey.

Lady Zheng shook her head: “I have some advice – I wonder if the Prince would be willing to hear me out.”

“Please speak, Grandmother.” Pang Xiao said earnestly.

Lady Zheng’s expression became very serious as she spoke equally earnestly: “This Pingnan Army – if the Prince can avoid involvement, then don’t get involved. Try to relinquish that authority.”

Qin Yining blinked in surprise, while Pang Xiao was momentarily puzzled.

Pang Xiao respectfully bowed: “Please instruct me, Grandmother.”

Lady Zheng waved her hand: “Your sudden arrival in the old capital means you don’t understand many situations yet. When Great Zhou conquered Great Yan and occupied the capital, they appointed floating officials. To display benevolent governance, the current Emperor announced tax exemptions for the local area for ten years.”

Pang Xiao nodded: “This did happen.”

“However, you both know the imperial treasury is empty. The current Emperor cannot afford to maintain so many troops, but still needs the Pingnan Army to maintain stability in the south, so this force cannot be disbanded. Therefore, the Emperor issued an edict making the old capital locally responsible for solving the Pingnan Army’s provisions and pay, euphemistically calling it ‘self-funded military expenses.’

“But the old capital has exempted citizens from ten years of taxes – without tax revenue, what could the local area use to pay the Pingnan Army?

“At this point, someone named Lu Zhang came up with an idea.

“This person is a local power broker with considerable means, who actually established connections with the old establishment ‘Sitong Company,’ getting Sitong Company to agree to lend silver for the Pingnan Army’s pay.

“That silver resolved the Pingnan Army’s urgent needs, while this Lu Zhang profited enormously from the middle. For example, needing only one hundred taels, he would write one thousand taels on the IOU, with the difference all going into his own pocket, while ordinary soldiers could still only maintain basic sustenance.

“Therefore, though the current Pingnan Army appears stable, it’s crisis-ridden. First, we don’t know when Sitong Company will come collecting debts – once they do, it will certainly be a huge hole you cannot fill. Second, the borrowed military funds are probably nearly exhausted. Now it’s the new year, and pay issues will need to be faced at year’s beginning.

“That’s why I say you should avoid involvement with Pingnan Army affairs as much as possible.”