Li Qitian had actually entered the hall without waiting for the eunuchs to announce him—who knew how long he had been there or how much he had heard!

The Empress felt somewhat panicked, taking a breath to steady herself before respectfully bowing to Li Qitian. “This subject’s wife greets His Majesty.”

She then said reproachfully, “These people really are something—His Majesty has arrived, yet they don’t know to bow and announce. It’s this subject’s wife’s fault for poor supervision of the palace servants, making His Majesty laugh at us. This subject’s wife was only focused on talking with Sister Qin and failed to receive Your Majesty—truly too impolite.”

Li Qitian waved his hand and sat down in the Empress’s former seat, adjusting his robes with a smile. “We wanted to hear what you were chatting about, so We didn’t let them speak up.”

He actually said it so directly?

Qin Yining stood to the side with lowered head, still holding embroidery samples. Seeing this, she placed the samples on a nearby black lacquered paulownia wood table and bowed to Li Qitian. “May His Majesty have ten thousand years of peace.”

“Mm, rise.” Li Qitian casually accepted the tea bowl the Empress presented with both hands.

“Thank Your Majesty.” Qin Yining rose and stood respectfully to the side.

Li Qitian set down the tea bowl, picked up the embroidery samples from the table to look at them, then casually tossed them aside with a smile. “Tell Us, what were you just chatting about?”

The Empress felt her entire body immersed in ice water, with fearful emotions spreading like a cold poisonous snake slithering up from her feet, coiling around her tightly.

At this moment, she felt even more clearly that her husband was no longer the simple man from before. He was the ruler of a nation—his heart could no longer hold only their small family, and they were no longer an ordinary married couple.

Suppressing the bitterness and fear in her heart, the Empress said steadily, “Replying to Your Majesty, this subject’s wife was thinking of making two pairs of shoes for the Empress Dowager, but couldn’t decide on the style and patterns. Sister Qin’s family has an old marchioness, and she’s clever and well-loved by the Empress Dowager, often serving at her side. I thought she would understand the preferences of someone the Empress Dowager’s age, so I wanted to ask Sister Qin to help deliberate together.”

“Oh? Is that so?” Li Qitian raised an eyebrow at Qin Yining.

Qin Yining smiled and nodded in agreement. “Yes. Thanks to Her Majesty the Empress’s favor, this subject’s wife was just expressing gratitude for this matter.”

Li Qitian looked suspiciously at the Empress and Qin Yining, his gaze deep, lips slightly pursed, and eyebrows furrowing slightly. Clearly he didn’t believe their explanation.

But even though he didn’t believe it, he hadn’t caught any solid evidence. Nor was it appropriate to do anything to the Empress in front of an external court lady.

“Forget it. We still have memorials to review.” Li Qitian stood up and casually glanced at Qin Yining. “You should properly teach Consort Shun. After a while, when Consort Shun has learned adequately, We will permit you to return to the prince’s mansion.”

Qin Yining smiled and accepted. “Yes, this subject’s wife obeys the imperial decree.”

Li Qitian looked at the Empress once more, then quickly left with his attending palace servants.

The Empress and Qin Yining hurried to the palace gate to respectfully see him off.

Watching Li Qitian’s party walk away, the Empress breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed Li Qitian had discovered nothing—just now was merely coincidence.

But Qin Yining’s heart grew even heavier.

Li Qitian had come, yet during their casual conversation, he hadn’t revealed anything about Qin Huaiyuan going to the border to reward troops.

What was there to hide about rewarding troops? Even if Qin Huaiyuan going to reward troops was somewhat inappropriate, it was the Emperor’s command—he was going legitimately under imperial orders, and it was even His Majesty’s gracious decree, an honor and favor.

Having bestowed such favor, Li Qitian had no reason not to mention it to her at all, as if the matter didn’t exist.

She was staying in the imperial palace, already cut off from contact with the prince’s mansion. She was still being kept in the dark about this matter—what exactly was Li Qitian wary of? Why didn’t he want her to know?

Could he be wary of the Azure Sky Alliance in her hands? After all, she was different from ordinary noble ladies who had no power to resist.

Qin Yining couldn’t figure it out despite much thought, but like when she first entered the palace, she felt a chill in her heart.

In front of the Empress, she couldn’t show her unease.

She smiled and said, “I wonder when Consort Shun will finish learning etiquette. This subject’s wife has two younger sisters who are about to marry, and with the prince currently in the south and this subject’s wife in the palace, and my father also away on a distant journey, if I can’t help send off and outfit my two sisters for their weddings, I’ll always feel regretful.”

The Empress saw that Qin Yining showed no unusual reaction upon learning about Qin Huaiyuan going out to reward troops, which greatly relieved her. Hearing her mention such domestic matters, she felt more affection and sympathy.

“This way, you should stay calm for now. Later I’ll find an opportunity to speak with His Majesty about this. I imagine His Majesty will be accommodating about such matters.”

“Then I thank Your Majesty greatly.” Qin Yining smiled and expressed gratitude.

The two quickly decided on the patterns for the shoe designs they would make for the Empress Dowager, and Qin Yining rose to take her leave.

The Empress also needed to proactively go pay respects to the Empress Dowager. Even though the Empress Dowager had excused the Empress from evening attendance, the Empress couldn’t fail to proactively pay respects. Even if she was stopped at the gates of Ci’an Palace, it was better than giving people something to gossip about.

Qin Yining returned to the side hall where she was temporarily staying in Chuxiu Palace and had Ji Yun and Bingtang attend to their own tasks, sitting alone on the edge of the bed in the inner hall, unconsciously playing with the tassels hanging from the bed curtains.

Why would Li Qitian arrange for father to go reward troops out of nowhere?

If troops needed rewarding, wouldn’t it be more appropriate to send Duke Dingguo?

Moreover, the timing of all these events was too coincidental.

Pang Xiao was kept in the south, where there were certainly many troublesome matters from the old capital—he must already be tied up by now. Pang Xiao had also received orders to eliminate Yuchi Yan. She didn’t know how Pang Xiao had decided, or how Li Qitian and the Qiu family had arranged things.

This wasn’t all—now she was being kept under the pretext of teaching Princess Tana etiquette and the Zhou language, detained in the palace and knowing nothing about outside affairs, having to constantly watch for any disturbances in the palace, completely unable to be in multiple places at once.

The only person left who could hold down both households at the prince’s mansion was Qin Huaiyuan.

But Qin Huaiyuan had also been sent on imperial orders to reward troops.

In such a large prince’s mansion, the remaining people were all those who couldn’t make decisions. Yet the three people in their family who could make decisions had been separated, scattered across the realm, each fighting alone.

Qin Yining found it hard not to believe this was Li Qitian’s deliberate doing.

Separating them, detaining her in the palace, sending Qin Huaiyuan and Pang Xiao away to north and south respectively—what was the ultimate goal?

Qin Yining wound the tassel around her finger, her mind churning but unable to sort out the threads.

She never presumed herself clever enough to make decisions about certain matters on her own.

In the past when encountering those situations, it was always circumstances forcing her hand—she could only choose what she felt was the most appropriate course of action. Fortunately, she had been lucky, stepping through mountains of knives and seas of fire time and again.

What about this time?

Qin Yining’s thoughts were in turmoil, and she couldn’t help thinking of the two children who had been taken to Southern Yan by Lady Sun and Lady Ma.

Suddenly, a flash of insight struck Qin Yining’s mind.

In Li Qitian’s eyes, who was the enemy?

Not her, Qin Yining, a mere woman, nor would it be Qin Huaiyuan, that gentle civil official, but rather Pang Xiao, who held high prestige in the military and had been calculated by Tianji Zi to be the Purple Star Emperor.

So everything Li Qitian was doing was aimed at achieving some purpose concerning Pang Xiao.

Now Pang Xiao was in the south, tied up by Yuchi Yan’s affairs, but he was gradually gaining firm control of his hundred thousand Pingnan Army.

Though the Longxiang Army and Huben Army had both fought the Tatars under Ji Zeyu’s command this time, and though they respected Ji Zeyu’s abilities and talents, the hundred thousand Huben Army were ultimately the iron core who had followed Pang Xiao through countless campaigns. Pang Xiao, who already held high military prestige, had now also established firm footing in the Pingnan Army.

For Li Qitian, who had always suspected Pang Xiao of harboring treasonous thoughts, this should be like adding frost to snow, shouldn’t it?

Li Qitian probably wanted to eliminate Pang Xiao.

But as a monarch, with Great Zhou having just established its dynasty for barely six years and entering its seventh year, this dynasty was still young, and Li Qitian’s position wasn’t secure yet. Even if he wanted to eliminate Pang Xiao, he absolutely couldn’t let the world think he was doing so out of fear of his meritorious subjects.

If he gained a reputation for fearing meritorious subjects, how could Li Qitian rule the world with virtue and convince people in the future?

Therefore, to eliminate Pang Xiao, Li Qitian would definitely give himself a legitimate reason, just like when he previously had people compile Pang Xiao’s crimes and impeach him for “ten great crimes” in court.

Pang Xiao’s conduct had originally been flawless.

But now, Pang Xiao’s greatest weakness had long been exposed before everyone. Just based on how Pang Xiao had previously defied thirty-three imperial edicts for her sake, just based on how when she was trapped in Jianchuan, Pang Xiao could lead troops and nearly level Jianchuan City…

So Li Qitian was certain: eliminate her, and Pang Xiao would definitely rebel!

Qin Yining suddenly stood up, nearly pulling down all the tassels from the bed curtain.

She understood why father had been sent to reward troops!

She also understood why she had been living peacefully in the palace all this time!

If Li Qitian wanted to act against her, without considering anything else, with Qin Huaiyuan present, he would certainly have the ability to protect her.

So Li Qitian had transferred Qin Huaiyuan away.

As for the remaining Qin family members, they were all people who couldn’t handle major affairs—not worth fearing.

From her return to the capital, entering the palace, to transferring Qin Huaiyuan away, the next step would probably be acting against her, forcing Pang Xiao to rebel!

Once Pang Xiao showed the slightest rebellious intent and was caught, the Huben Army stationed near the capital and the Longxiang Army in the south would probably immediately follow Ji Zeyu’s commands.

Ji Zeyu now held two trump cards, while Pang Xiao only had a mere hundred thousand Pingnan Army whose provisions weren’t even secured. Moreover, Ji Zeyu would also hold the moral high ground then. Wouldn’t Pang Xiao’s lifetime of heroic reputation be completely ruined, and wouldn’t he end up with his family destroyed!

Qin Yining stood dazed before the bed, her face gradually paling, her eyes beginning to show terror.

Bingtang and Ji Yun had long noticed something was wrong with Qin Yining, but seeing her staring fixedly at something as if lost in deep thought, they didn’t dare disturb her and could only anxiously wait quietly to the side.

After waiting a long time, when Qin Yining finally came back to her senses, Bingtang immediately helped her sit down and massaged her shoulders and arms. “Princess Consort, what’s wrong with you? Did you think of something?”

Ji Yun also said, “Princess Consort, please don’t scare us. If there’s anything, tell us so we can discuss it together.”

Cold sweat had broken out on Qin Yining’s forehead and nose bridge, and her palms were soaked with cold sweat.

She took several deep breaths, wiped her face with her sleeve with trembling hands, and said in a low voice, “His Majesty probably wants to kill my father and me.”