The Silver-Masked Agents had previously specialized in “dirty work” – what scenes hadn’t they witnessed? Bringing someone in without alerting others wasn’t particularly difficult for them.

Qin Yining had already changed into everyday honey-colored undergarments and went to the outer room to wake Qiu Lu, lest someone entering later startle her awake and cause her to cry out, which would be problematic.

Qiu Lu looked ashamed as she took a hair ribbon and carefully gathered Qin Yining’s half-dry long hair into a loose bundle, then draped a white fox fur cloak over her shoulders.

“It’s all this servant’s fault. I should have been keeping night watch, yet I slept so deeply that I didn’t even know what was happening. This is truly inexcusable.” Qiu Lu kept her voice low as she urgently apologized, also worried that Director Cheng’s people might overhear.

“What are you saying? Don’t overthink this,” Qin Yining patted the back of Qiu Lu’s hand. “Jingzhe told me quietly. Think about his abilities – if he deliberately didn’t want anyone to notice, yet you discovered him, wouldn’t he be heartbroken?”

Hearing this, Qiu Lu couldn’t help but smile, feeling somewhat better. Qin Yining had always been tolerant toward these servants, never nitpicking over small matters. But the more magnanimous the master was, the more they shouldn’t be negligent.

Qiu Lu secretly resolved to do better, handed over a hand warmer at the right temperature, then chose an inconspicuous corner to stand in.

At this moment, rustling sounds came from outside the window. Qiu Lu hurried to open it. Jingzhe brought Lu Heng inside, landing silently.

Jingzhe turned to close the window, carefully avoiding any sound. Then he too concealed himself in a corner, clearly not planning to leave, obviously worried about danger with only two weak women in the room.

Lu Heng shook the snow from his gray squirrel fur cloak and looked up, smiling at Qin Yining.

Under the warm orange lamplight, Qin Yining’s small face, half the size of a palm, was nestled in the white fox fur collar. Her skin had a jade-like luster, her long hair flowing smoothly down her back, loosely bound with a ribbon. Her slender, pale hands held an apple-sized exquisite small hand warmer. Just standing there without speaking, she looked like a painting, making one’s heart melt just from looking at her.

Lu Heng’s smile deepened as he lowered his voice: “Long time no see.”

Qin Yining also smiled softly in a low voice: “Indeed, it’s been a long time. Second Master Lu looks like he’s been doing well.”

Hearing her not address him as Earl Zhongyi but as Second Master Lu as she had in the desert, Lu Heng felt warmth spread from his heart to his fingertips, his flowing blood seeming to heat up. Though he had come tonight with some hesitation and regret, now he felt not a trace of remorse.

“I’m still the same. You also look quite well. I heard you have two sons now?”

“Yes.” When she left the capital, she was still pregnant, and now both precious ones were nearly a year old.

Qin Yining’s smile grew more tender as she gestured: “Let’s sit down and talk.”

“Good.”

Qin Yining and Lu Heng moved to the inner room to sit.

Jingzhe dimmed the lamp to its darkest setting and covered the window with curtains to prevent outsiders from seeing shadows inside.

Qin Yining and Lu Heng could then speak freely in lowered voices.

“I heard your days in the south with the Prince haven’t been entirely smooth.”

“It’s been manageable. I mostly just take care of the children – there’s not much for me to do. The Prince handles all the important matters.” Qin Yining avoided the serious topics.

Lu Heng knew she wouldn’t tell him about Pang Xiao’s affairs, so he tactfully changed the subject and stated his purpose directly: “After learning that you were returning to the capital to serve as Marriage Reception Envoy, I arranged for people to constantly monitor news of your return.”

Qin Yining nodded.

“I’ve inquired – this Princess Tana coming for the marriage alliance is A’na Ri Khan’s biological sister. Though born of a concubine, she had a good relationship with A’na Ri Khan and was always very dependent on her sister. When A’na Ri Khan died, Princess Tana cried until her eyes nearly went blind. I’m worried that your serving as this Marriage Reception Envoy might bring mortal danger.”

Qin Yining smiled bitterly: “How could I not know the danger in this? But the Emperor’s decree is thus – besides accepting it, I have no other choice. Fortunately, this is the Great Zhou capital, not Tatar territory. Princess Tana is also coming for a marriage alliance, so she should prioritize peace, right? I think she probably won’t do anything to me.”

Lu Heng shook his head: “If someone truly wants to harm another, aren’t there plenty of methods? You’re too naive. The scheming methods those palace women use against each other can be even more vicious than men’s. Tana won’t be easy to deal with.”

“Thank you.” Qin Yining smiled with crescent-shaped eyes. “I understand. I’ll be very careful.”

She never wanted to disappoint others’ sincere concern. Though Pang Xiao and Lu Heng’s positions were increasingly different, they had after all shared hardships together.

Lu Heng felt as if a cat’s soft paw pad had patted him, making him want to scoop up the little cat and pamper her. In his eyes, Qin Yining was a beautiful, delicate little cat.

Lu Heng’s gaze became especially gentle, his low voice growing even more tender: “I’ll think of ways to help you.”

Qin Yining sensed the thick, ambiguous atmosphere and grew alert, nodding somewhat uncomfortably as her smile faded slightly: “Thank you for your kind intention, but it’s not necessary. There’s no need to wade into these murky waters because of me – your own situation isn’t easy either.”

She was naturally referring to the Qiu family matter.

Seeing Qin Yining seem to grow wary, Lu Heng’s affection for her only increased.

Though she was in danger, she could still remain loyal to her husband, not using the charming, coquettish methods many women employed to achieve their goals. He had always known her character was excellent.

After all, many women flocked to him because he was the head of the Lu family, a favorite beside the Emperor, and held the title of Earl Zhongyi with unlimited prospects.

But Qin Yining never acted this way. No matter how many empty titles he possessed, in her eyes he was simply himself.

The more loyal Qin Yining was to Pang Xiao, unmoved by his advances, the harder it became for him to let go, the more he loved her – especially since she also cared about him and knew his current situation was tense.

“You and I are friends who shared hardships. On Great Zhou territory, there’s still much I can do. You needn’t be polite with me. As for my troubles… when has the suppression and jealousy from other families toward the Lu family ever lessened? I’m already accustomed to it.” Lu Heng smiled bitterly.

Qin Yining was momentarily speechless.

When she first came to the capital with her father, even a collateral Lu family woman could be so arrogant. Combined with how the Lu family had provided large sums to Li Qitian during his conquest and maintained close relations with the imperial family, to her at that time, even such a young woman was like an immovable mountain.

Step by step along the way, the Lu family remained so powerful. If she didn’t know about the Qiu family and hidden families trying to infiltrate court and countryside, she might think the Lu family truly was the foremost among all great families.

Did Lu Heng know about the relationship between hidden and prominent families?

Did only the Qiu family have such hereditary teachings, or did the Lu family as well?

Questions swirled in her mind, but without certainty she couldn’t ask directly.

Qin Yining could only probe: “Has the court situation become different from before?”

Lu Heng loved Qin Yining, and usually had no one with whom he could discuss such matters heart-to-heart, so he naturally nodded: “Indeed it has changed. You might not like hearing this, but previously the most powerful in court was Prince Zhongshun, and among civil officials, your father was most trusted by the Emperor. But now the situation is completely different.”

“This is understandable. The most favored now should be Prince Consort Ji.” Qin Yining deliberately avoided commenting on civil officials.

“Yes.” Lu Heng nodded, saying with some emotion, “Back at Chongshan, Prince Consort Ji’s insistence on protecting the Emperor was meritorious. Add to that his decisive defeat of the Tatars this time, making them submit, solving such a major concern for the Emperor. He’s also imperial family, so naturally he has the Emperor’s greatest trust. As for the Lu family’s position, it’s also different from before.”

Lu Heng voluntarily spoke of his own affairs: “Perhaps the Lu family has been prominent too long – a tall tree catches the wind. Many former Northern Ji officials now dislike the Lu family, and those friendly with us are also ostracized.

“You know the way of employing people – if you can’t always protect those around you, people will have opinions.”

Qin Yining nodded and sighed along with Lu Heng, but was inwardly shocked by the information revealed in his words.

Two factions that had previously minded their own business were now suddenly targeting the Lu family – clearly someone was pushing this from behind. Combined with what she knew, the Qiu family very likely had connections with the Northern Ji old officials.

And Lu Heng seemed unaware of the Qiu family’s existence, apparently attributing all problems to conflicts between great families and old officials.

This was extremely frightening.

The Lu family was a century-old great house with enormous power and deep-rooted connections – they couldn’t be weak. Yet such a family with deep foundations, after showing signs of discord with Northern Ji old officials, didn’t know there were other forces at work!

Qin Yining very much wanted to ask Lu Heng if he knew about the relationship between hidden and prominent families, but she couldn’t ask such things.

She couldn’t help speculating – could it be that the rules about hidden and prominent families alternating were only known by the “hidden” ones, while the “prominent” ones remained ignorant?

Qin Yining’s expression grew thoughtful.

In Lu Heng’s eyes, her appearance showed concern for him.

It seemed that even without romantic feelings between them, she truly cared about him and considered him a friend.

Lu Heng felt as if his entire being was soaking in a hot spring, feeling warm and comfortable throughout his body in the winter. If not for his remaining rationality, he would almost have stepped forward to embrace Qin Yining.

Just then, knocking suddenly sounded at the door. In the silent deep night, it startled everyone with their various thoughts.

Qin Yining immediately stood up, looking warily toward the door, then quickly removed her cloak, turned to lie down and covered herself with the quilt.

Jingzhe also darted into hiding in the cabinet’s shadow.

Lu Heng’s expression darkened slightly, fists clenched tight, his entire body tense as he crept behind the curtains in a corner.

Qiu Lu looked toward Qin Yining. Seeing she was ready, Qiu Lu disheveled her own hair, undid some buttons, and deliberately shuffled in her shoes to the door, lowering her voice: “Who is it?”