Pang Xiao nodded heavily: “Whenever you’re not by my side, trouble always happens. I’m truly frightened now. As soon as I can’t see you, I feel my eyelids twitching, my heart unsettled, and I can’t calm down to do anything properly.”
Qin Yining smiled gently: “You really have been frightened.”
“Yes. People say I’m a ruthless killer who doesn’t even blink when taking lives. Someone like me shouldn’t fear anything, yet I know in my heart that when it comes to matters concerning you, I truly do feel afraid. I suppose I’m just that kind of irrational person.”
Pang Xiao was strong and domineering, someone who would rather break than bend, yet before her he honestly revealed his deepest fears. She felt heartache, but even more, she felt satisfaction and cherishment.
To have such a devoted husband, and when their marriage wasn’t arranged blindly but based on mutual affection that had been blessed—this was already tremendous fortune.
In this regard, she was much happier than Qiu Feishan.
Thinking of Qiu Feishan inevitably led to thoughts of the Qiu family affairs.
“We’ve torn our face with the Qiu family. They’re a great clan and must have cultivated many connections in the court. I worry that when we return, the Qiu family will retaliate against us.”
Pang Xiao nodded: “I think so too. Since the Qiu family doesn’t plan to support me and has chosen to support someone else, whoever that may be will become my enemy. So I’m thinking we need to rush back to the old capital as soon as possible and prepare in advance, lest we be caught off guard by the Qiu family’s attacks.”
Qin Yining sighed helplessly: “This time we were truly played by Qiu Feishan. Before coming to Jianchuan, who could have imagined that behind the Sitong Trading Company lurked such a great family, and that this great family harbored secrets about prominent worldly clans and hidden reclusive families.”
“So the relationship between the Lu family and them is unusual. Since the Qiu family decided to emerge from hiding and become prominent due to the Lu family’s stance, Lu Heng’s choice to support the Emperor is certain.”
Both fell into some silence, especially Qin Yining.
Although she’d had some conflicts with the Lu family and they had schemed against each other, after being kidnapped by the Tatars, she had indeed shared hardships with Lu Heng. That friendship forged through mutual support in life-and-death situations wasn’t fake.
Qin Yining also knew Lu Heng harbored some feelings for her, which was why she had been deliberately keeping her distance. But she hadn’t expected Lu Heng to make such a decision in the end.
Outsiders like them didn’t know the secrets of prominent worldly families and hidden reclusive families, but Lu Heng should have known. Knowing such rules existed, yet still obviously taking sides in court—that was truly unwise. Because once you take sides, it’s equivalent to placing a bet. From then on there would be winners and losers, never again the ability to read the wind and change sails to preserve strength as when remaining neutral.
Lu Heng was a decent person, but not a qualified family head. Thinking about it now, this was probably why Grand Secretary Lu felt such regret before his death.
Many thoughts swirled through Qin Yining’s mind, but nestled in Pang Xiao’s warm embrace, breathing in his familiar and reassuring scent, her body—exhausted to the extreme after experiencing such a crisis—finally relaxed and gradually fell into deep sleep.
Hearing her breathing gradually steady, Pang Xiao couldn’t help but lower his head to look at the person in his arms.
She must have been terrified. Even while sleeping, her delicate brows were furrowed, her long eyelashes like little fans fluttering uneasily—she slept very restlessly.
Pang Xiao heartachingly kissed her forehead and tightened his embrace, encircling her completely within his arms. As if sensing safety, her tightly knitted brows gradually relaxed and her whole body eased.
How wonderful.
She was in his arms again.
Ever since receiving news of Qin Yining’s imprisonment, he hadn’t slept well. Pang Xiao’s exhaustion had also reached its limit. Before he knew it, he too fell into deep sleep.
The journey to the old capital went extremely smoothly. Under the protection of tens of thousands of elite soldiers, what danger could there be? Perhaps having heard tales of the Pingnan Army’s bandit-suppressing exploits, many mountain strongholds filled with outlaws along the way became nervous.
Wherever Pang Xiao passed, he would naturally have people investigate. If there were outlaws on any mountain peak, he would lead troops to suppress them. The spoils from bandit suppression, after supplying the army’s consumption, still left plenty of surplus. This way the lie about going out for military exercises was substantiated, and there were no worries about military provisions either.
Qin Yining had a smooth journey throughout and was well protected. Her only concern was for Qiu Feishan and Mu Jinghu.
Who knew what Mu Jinghu intended by taking Qiu Feishan away? The man left without even sending word, leaving only that single note—what was that supposed to mean?
Due to delays along the road, they returned to the old capital when it was already golden autumn.
Pang Xiao took the Pingnan Army to the military camp. Qin Yining couldn’t very well follow, so she naturally took her people back to the Qin Manor first to rest and reorganize properly.
Once Pang Xiao returned to the military camp, he decisively marginalized all those people he knew Qiu Feishan had planted there.
Since Qiu Feishan had been taken away and the Qiu family clearly intended to be his enemy, the Pingnan Army could no longer continue to heavily employ Qiu Feishan’s people. This included Lu Zhang, who had been the first to borrow money from the Sitong Trading Company—he was also sent to a battalion to be monitored.
Regarding such changes, the lower-ranking soldiers who weren’t fond of using their brains naturally didn’t care much.
But these changes couldn’t escape Governor Yang’s eyes.
Qiu Feishan had left with her people, and Governor Yang hadn’t received news from her for a long time. In his heart, he was already secretly worried for her. Later, hearing that Pang Xiao had taken twenty thousand men out for military exercises, Governor Yang naturally had many speculations and suspicions.
Now Pang Xiao’s troops had returned, and the princess consort who had gone out had also returned, but Qiu Feishan alone was missing. Governor Yang became somewhat panicked.
Could something have happened?
But Governor Yang had to remain stationed in place and couldn’t go out, so he could only repeatedly contact Master Liu from the Sitong Trading Company.
Master Liu had been left behind by Qiu Feishan to hold the fort, so he was naturally anxious about his boss’s situation. Hearing Governor Yang’s inquiries, he became even more anxious and began investigating.
While Governor Yang and Master Liu’s attention was focused on Qiu Feishan’s whereabouts, Pang Xiao had already efficiently and secretly purged all those tumors within the Pingnan Army.
On the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Governor Yang received an invitation from Pang Xiao. He was hosting a banquet at home to return Governor Yang’s hospitality, taking the opportunity of the Mid-Autumn Festival for a small gathering.
Governor Yang stared blankly at the invitation for a long time. Madam Governor Yuan Shi had already circled around Governor Yang several times without seeing him come to his senses, so she couldn’t help but sneer: “What, has Master lost his precious ‘niece’ and become like a lost soul? If you’re so worried, just send people out to search for her.”
Governor Yang snapped back to attention upon hearing this and frowned: “What nonsense are you spouting?”
“Whether I’m spouting nonsense or not, don’t you know in your heart? How is it I don’t know your family has a niece like Miss Qiu? Which of your relatives could raise such a beautiful daughter?
“Fine, let’s say she is your niece. But don’t you think you’re being too attentive to this niece, too accommodating? You act like a lapdog for a young girl, housing her in the outer courtyard study to have convenient access—what exactly do you take me for!”