Pang Xiao’s expression was still somewhat tense, but when facing Qin Yining, his demeanor involuntarily softened. He first sighed and admitted, “I was indeed angered and acted so impulsively.”

Qin Yining sighed with understanding. No matter who it was, after skillfully solving a problem in their area of expertise with complete confidence, only to later discover they had been schemed against by someone with deliberate intent—this would be humiliating for anyone.

Qin Yining stood behind him, reaching around the chair back to embrace his neck with both arms, pressing her face against his cheek.

“I understand. This time you were clearly calculated against when unprepared. These people very likely set their trap even before learning we were about to arrive in the old capital. When we first arrived in the old capital, busy thinking only about how to establish our footing, we had already unavoidably fallen into their snare.”

Qin Yining’s voice was gentle as water, resonating right by his ear. Pang Xiao’s body and mind relaxed because of it, and he couldn’t help but turn his head to lightly kiss the corner of her mouth.

Qin Yining smiled and let him do as he pleased, then continued, “This Sitong Company must have someone backing them from behind, otherwise why would they lay out plans so early to target us? In the old capital, who hates us most—the answer is already self-evident.”

“Yuchi Yan doesn’t have such great ability. I suspect all this is Gu Shixiong’s handiwork. Worthy of being an old imperial tutor who served three dynasties—his methods are still as sharp as in his prime.”

Pang Xiao sighed, “If Yuchi Yan didn’t have Gu Shixiong by his side, he probably would have given up long ago and quietly been a wealthy idle man, letting His Majesty support him while he obediently stayed in his cage studying calligraphy and painting.”

“That actually might not be a bad thing for him.” Qin Yining also felt somewhat emotional.

Although her relationship with Yuchi Yan had never been close, and she had even offended Yuchi Yan by refusing the marriage proposal, Yuchi Yan was at least a person of upright character—thousands of times better than his foolish emperor father. He had the people and the country in his heart; he simply lacked ability and didn’t have the capacity to be a nation’s ruler, but overall he wasn’t a bad person.

But now he had embarked on the path of power struggle. Ever since he was persuaded by Gu Shixiong to abandon his wives and concubines to search for treasure, he was no longer that former ruler who cared for his people and deserved sympathy for failing only due to helplessness—that fallen monarch worthy of pity.

Qin Yining said, “Yuchi Yan targeting us is certain. Since Sitong Company can follow Yuchi Yan’s instructions to set this trap, we should also make them pay tuition fees.”

“Pay tuition fees?” Pang Xiao turned to look at Qin Yining.

Qin Yining leaned close to Pang Xiao’s ear and whispered her plan.

Pang Xiao listened with a gradually spreading smile on his face, finally lightly flicking her upturned nose.

“You little troublemaker. So that’s why you stopped me just now?”

“Yes.”

“That Manager Liu was thanking you profusely. If he knew he’d be tricked, he’d probably cry again.”

Qin Yining smiled somewhat embarrassedly.

“If it weren’t necessary, I wouldn’t want to do this either. This method is really somewhat dishonorable. But there’s no reason why when others harm us, we can’t fight back. Are their methods of harming people moral? This isn’t the time to talk about morality. I’m not some kindhearted person who would smile and offer my right cheek after someone slapped my left.”

Seeing her quite indignant appearance, Pang Xiao couldn’t help but smile and pat her shoulder comfortingly. With a long reach of his arm, he pulled her around the chair back to sit on his lap, circling his arms around her and pecking her forehead once.

“You don’t need to feel bad about it, because what you did wasn’t wrong. If you hadn’t stayed calm, I might have missed the best opportunity to counterattack.”

Saying this, Pang Xiao increasingly felt that having such an intelligent virtuous helper was truly his good fortune.

“Yi’er, how can you be so wonderful?” Pang Xiao’s low voice confided by Qin Yining’s ear, “I’m fond of you—truly increasingly fond of you.”

His voice like musical notes and warm breath right by her ear, Qin Yining embraced by him with his familiar fresh scent all around her, her whole heart softened nearly to melting.

With flushed face leaning in Pang Xiao’s embrace, she simply buried her face in the hollow of his neck. Qin Yining’s heart held unprecedented peace and tranquility, as if now no matter what happened, as long as Pang Xiao was with her, she wouldn’t be afraid.

Following Qin Yining’s method, Pang Xiao immediately ordered people to spread word throughout the city. Tomorrow afternoon, in the large square outside the soup kitchen, Prince Zhongshun had important words to say to everyone.

Although the old capital’s common people weren’t all impoverished to the degree of needing to eat at soup kitchens, the refugees’ influence was still very significant. Starting from New Year’s Day, Qin Yining had Lu Dehan continue operating the soup kitchen to distribute porridge, helping these unfortunate people survive the harsh winter. Although these people would come to receive porridge at set times each day, they would return home afterward.

They lived scattered throughout various parts of the city. Neighbors had heard much praise for Prince Zhongshun from the refugees’ mouths.

Some people even turned the story of how Prince Zhongshun had turned the tide, punished evil and eliminated wickedness, and killed the villain Gao Wenliang into an exciting tale during casual street corner gossip.

So when news spread that Prince Zhongshun would speak at the square in front of the soup kitchen, many common people curiously decided to see what it was about.

Naturally, Yuchi Yan and Gu Shixiong also received this news.

“Your Highness, that surname Pang doesn’t know what trouble he’s planning to stir up this time. By rights, he should be in a terrible predicament right now.”

Yuchi Yan supported himself with both hands on the painting table, looking down at a beauty portrait on paper whose features weren’t yet finely detailed. Hearing this, he raised his head and smiled, “It would be strange if he weren’t anxious. With such a huge debt falling from the sky, where could he possibly repay it? And this time the consequences of not producing the silver are quite severe. Those crude soldiers in the army aren’t easy to deal with—when it’s time to distribute pay and they don’t get it, who will still follow him? It could even lead to mutiny.”

Hearing this, Gu Shixiong also smiled, “This time we’ve finally evened the score. We can’t let that surname Pang scoundrel keep being so pleased with himself.”

Yuchi Yan carefully smoothed the painting paper with a rosewood paperweight, smiling, “Tomorrow I must go see what kind of trouble that surname Pang is planning to stir up.”

With such a great crisis, Yuchi Yan didn’t believe Pang Xiao had the ability to resolve it. If speaking a few words to the people could bring in silver, would he have been in such dire straits back then?

At the same time, in the outer courtyard study of Yang Mansion.

Governor Yang sat sideways in an official hat chair by the window, his face showing somewhat mocking amusement as he said with interest, “I wonder what Pang Zhixi plans to do this time.”

Qiu Feishan sat elegantly in the main seat, accepting hot tea brought by a maid. She smiled while using the blue and white covered bowl to warm her hands, saying nothing.

Seeing this, Governor Yang closed his mouth, put away his earlier contempt and disdain, and said seriously, “Let’s go see tomorrow as well.”

Qiu Feishan nodded, smiling lightly, “After what happened last time, I’m truly curious how he’ll handle this. And when I met Princess Zhongshun at the last banquet… she’s truly a beautiful and intelligent woman.”

Thinking of the princess he saw yesterday, graceful as delicate flowers reflected in water, Governor Yang couldn’t help but nod in agreement, then smiled, “Miss Qiu is even more outstanding than her. Beautiful flowers may catch the eye, but they always lack the character of winter plum.”

Qiu Feishan merely smiled at such flattering words.

Regarding that woman of stunning beauty who possessed such clear, bright eyes, Qiu Feishan had heard much of her legends and had long wished to befriend her. However… now it seemed their positions would make it difficult for them to become friends.

The next day at noon, common people who had learned the news gathered toward the square in front of the soup kitchen. People like Governor Yang, Yuchi Yan, and local wealthy gentry had long since reserved private rooms on the second floors of nearby tea houses and restaurants facing the street, waiting to personally witness what Prince Zhongshun intended to do with such a grand spectacle.

Qin Yining didn’t go to a private room but waited in her carriage at a street corner, surrounded by Elite Tiger Guards and masked agents.

Pang Xiao, wearing python robes and a black sable cloak, walked to the center of the open space and got straight to the point: “Fellow townspeople, today this prince has gathered everyone here because there’s something I need to tell you all.”

Such approachable tone made the common people feel quite comfortable.

His everyday language also allowed those illiterate common people to understand without difficulty.

Pang Xiao said, “Everyone knows that this prince came here by imperial decree to take the position of Grand Marshal of Pingnan. I’m new to this place and am just beginning to understand everything here. Just yesterday, this prince learned shocking news.”

He deliberately paused here, arousing everyone’s curiosity. Even those sitting in private boxes like Yuchi Yan and Governor Yang held their breath in curiosity.

Pang Xiao said, “Yesterday this prince learned that the Pingnan Army actually owes three million taels of silver in external debt!”

At these words, everyone was shocked.

Some were surprised that Pang Xiao would actually speak of such matters publicly, like Yuchi Yan. Others, after their initial surprise, observed Pang Xiao’s expression with great interest, like Governor Yang.

The common people were even more astounded.

What concept was three million taels of silver? These ordinary folk might never see thirty taels of silver together in their entire lives! Three million taels—that was simply beyond their imagination.

This was an astoundingly huge sum!

Everyone began discussing why the Pingnan Army would owe so much debt!

Pang Xiao called out loudly again, “I’m sure everyone wants to know how this came about, right? Originally, when our Yan region had just been incorporated into Great Zhou, His Majesty considered that the people had suffered too much and exempted local taxes for ten years. Everyone knows about this.

“And the Pingnan Army? These one hundred thousand soldiers must be stationed here to defend our homeland. Everyone knows that the Tatars in the north are restless—even as we speak here, there’s fighting in the north. His Majesty is now focused on ensuring the northern people aren’t bullied by Tatars, so he could only order the Pingnan Army to raise military funds locally. But without tax revenue, where would provisions come from?”

Pang Xiao spread his hands, “At this time, Sitong Company stepped forward and lent three hundred thousand taels of silver, solving the Pingnan Army’s military pay problem!”