Pang Xiao shook his head: “Naturally I wouldn’t agree. Mr. Xie and Mr. Xu both feel that since someone wants to test me, staying put is the wisest choice. Otherwise it would be easy for someone to impeach me, giving those above an excuse to move against me.

“But you don’t need to worry about this matter. When I came, everything was already properly arranged. Besides, my people also say that Yuchi Yan should have arrived in the capital by now as well. That person will be busy with Yuchi Yan’s affairs for the time being and may not necessarily have the attention to spare for my situation.”

Qin Yining said: “You’re thinking too simply.”

“What difference does simple or complex make? I only know that our whole family must be well. If I cannot protect you thoroughly, what use are power and wealth to me?”

Pang Xiao stopped walking and lowered his head to look seriously at Qin Yining.

Although he wasn’t by her side at the crucial moment, for things within his power, he absolutely would not allow himself the slightest negligence.

He treated Qin Yining as a treasure, as the beloved he should cherish for this lifetime. But ever since marrying him, Qin Yining had been facing constant hardships, living even worse than ordinary peasant women.

How could his most beloved treasure suffer grievances every time?

“Yi Jie’er, trust me. The current situation is all temporary. I will definitely find a way. I will protect you, protect the children, protect our whole family.”

Pang Xiao carefully took Qin Yining’s hand: “I know that previously I didn’t do well enough and made you sad. But it won’t happen again in the future. Yi Jie’er, are you still willing to continue trusting me?”

Qin Yining felt warmth flooding her heart.

Pang Xiao was a man of iron resolve, so formidable outside that people trembled at the mention of his name. Yet when facing her, he was always so gentle, so careful.

She knew that it was precisely because he placed her in the most important position in his heart that Pang Xiao cared so much about her feelings.

Qin Yining nodded and actively embraced his waist, burying her face in his chest.

This was the first time since their reunion that Qin Yining had actively embraced him.

Pang Xiao treasurely held her tightly, fearing that Qin Yining had suffered too much and would resent and blame him in her heart. Now that Qin Yining still treated him the same as before, it touched that warm and tender chord in Pang Xiao’s heart even more.

Such a gentle person should be well protected and allowed to enjoy the best happiness in this world.

Qin Yining’s voice came out muffled from Pang Xiao’s embrace: “How have you been these days? What about the two children?”

She missed Pang Xiao and the two children terribly. It was just that she had been constantly busy during this period, especially after the incident with Qin Huaiyuan. Her thoughts had been entirely focused on that matter. After going through a bout of shock, she had gradually recovered. Now with the person right before her eyes, her longing surged like a burst dam.

“I’ve been missing you all so much.”

Pang Xiao closed his eyes and buried his face in Qin Yining’s hair: “How can our Yi Jie’er be so wonderful? How can you be so good?”

Qin Yining also closed her eyes, quietly leaning against Pang Xiao.

Although there were over a hundred bandits waiting for them to deal with at the camp outside the woods, although people from the Qiu family or Li Qitian might pursue them at any time, both of them greatly enjoyed this rare time of quiet embrace.

Qin Yining even thought that if time could stop right here, she would have nothing to be dissatisfied with.

After a long while, Qin Yining’s stomach let out a gurgling sound, finally breaking the tranquility.

“Hungry?”

“Mm, I haven’t eaten anything all day, and didn’t dare drink the water they gave me.” Qin Yining’s face flushed red.

Pang Xiao’s heart ached terribly. Look how thin she had become, and she was even forced to not dare eat food or drink water.

Toward that group of people outside the woods, Pang Xiao was even less inclined to let them off.

“Come, let’s go out first. Let’s eat first before anything else.”

“Mm.” Qin Yining smiled and nodded. Warmth filled her palm – looking down, she saw Pang Xiao’s large hand holding hers, transferring warmth to her without reservation.

Qin Yining smiled and walked shoulder to shoulder with Pang Xiao toward the camp. However, after just a few steps, Qin Yining suddenly remembered an important matter: “Oh right. Father didn’t die.”

Pang Xiao was surprised: “What?”

“When I was in the palace, I guessed that that person would use us as a knife to test you, so I found a way to use Jiang Yuan to send messages outside, requesting people from Xihua to help rescue Father. When I learned of Father’s death earlier, I also couldn’t be certain whether the people from Xihua had succeeded. But since the Emperor didn’t find Father’s body, I had always held onto a thread of hope. The day before yesterday I received a message – written in Father’s own hand. He’s still alive and is currently in Xihua.”

Hearing this, Pang Xiao was both surprised and delighted, grasping Qin Yining’s hand: “That’s truly wonderful. Yi Jie’er, you really are a female Zhuge Liang!”

Qin Yining laughed: “What kind of female Zhuge Liang am I? I was already panicked silly at the time. You were far away in the south, too distant. I could only think of Xihua. But fortunately it worked out.”

“If not for your timely arrangements, father-in-law would have been in danger. At that time you were trapped in the palace yet could still accomplish such a big thing, supporting the entire family when I wasn’t by your side. Yi Jie’er, you truly are my pride!”

Pang Xiao lowered his head and planted a loud kiss on Qin Yining’s forehead.

Being praised like a child, Qin Yining’s whole face turned red: “Alright, don’t keep praising me. What I did doesn’t amount to much. You in the south truly turned everything upside down – even the court’s power structure was changed by you. Actually, when they falsely accused me of trying to poison the prince, if not for your timely pressure from the south, I probably wouldn’t have even had a chance to explain myself.”

The smile on Pang Xiao’s face, which had held some mirth, froze and gradually turned to anger.

“Qiu Feishan’s people have already told me about this matter. Don’t worry, I won’t let those who wanted to harm you get away with it.”

When the two returned to the camp, the sky had completely darkened. The group of bandits had been dealt with submissively by the Elite Tiger Guards, each one tied up like rice dumplings, with three to five people strung together.

Especially conspicuous were several people in the center of the camp who weren’t tied up but were sleeping soundly on the ground.

Pang Xiao’s face was grim as he made a gesture to Huzi. Then he pulled Qin Yining to the horse carriage, first grasping her small waist to lift her onto the carriage, then took out his own water pouch and dry provisions to hand to Qin Yining.

“Let’s go elsewhere for a stroll first. Later we’ll have them clean things up and we’ll return south. I’ll be your coachman.”

Qin Yining was terribly thirsty. Taking Pang Xiao’s water pouch, she gulped down several large mouthfuls, then looked back toward the camp and asked: “Are you planning to deal with these bandits?”

Pang Xiao didn’t intend to hide anything from Qin Yining and nodded: “Yes. These people are thoroughly evil, and they even wanted to do things to you… I won’t leave them alive. Yi Jie’er, you…”

“I won’t stop you.” Qin Yining smiled and interrupted Pang Xiao’s explanation: “From the beginning when I sent away my family and found these people, I knew they were thoroughly evil and wanted them to encounter ambushes from the Qiu family or that person. The current situation actually isn’t bad at all.”

Pang Xiao let out a big sigh of relief and smiled: “That’s good then. Let’s move away first.”

Pang Xiao sat sideways on the carriage and skillfully urged the horse forward, driving the carriage away.

Qin Yining sat inside the carriage, holding the water pouch and steamed buns, lowering her eyes to think heavily for a long while before finally sighing.

Soon they had moved far away.

Naturally leaving behind all the pleas for mercy, screams, and bloodshed far behind.

Half an hour later, Huzi led the Elite Tiger Guards driving carriages to catch up with Pang Xiao and Qin Yining.

In a prosperous area of the capital, inside an inn, the sound of cracking sunflower seeds continued incessantly.

Mu Jinghu sat with a dark expression, worrying over a bean-sized lamp flame.

Tianji Zi was still going crack-crack, eating while watching Mu Jinghu with great interest.

After a while, Tianji Zi chuckled: “So Pang Zhixi calls you Mutou, and you really are wood.”

Mu Jinghu looked toward Tianji Zi.

Tianji Zi said: “You really are foolish. I said I calculated there would be a calamity and needed you to protect me, so I had to stay by my side. But I never said I couldn’t go with you. Why didn’t you bring me along to follow Qin Shi?”

Mu Jinghu’s expression became dazed, his mouth falling open as he stared at Tianji Zi.

Right! How had he not thought of that? He’d been sitting here worrying, worrying for a whole day! If he’d known this earlier, he should have brought Tianji Zi and raced to catch up!

How could he be so foolish!

But now Qin Yining’s group didn’t know where they had gone. If he chased after them now, would he be able to catch up in time? What if something happened to Qin Yining before he arrived?

Mu Jinghu shook his head violently. No, no, no – if anything happened to Qin Yining, he really wouldn’t have the face to see Pang Xiao again!

“Master Uncle, did you think of this long ago!” The more Mu Jinghu thought about it, the sadder he felt, and his voice became somewhat stiff.

Tianji Zi brushed off the sunflower seed shells from his hands, laughing even more cheerfully: “Yes, I thought of it long ago. Watching you, this fool, scratch your head raw here is just too interesting!”

Mu Jinghu stared expressionlessly at Tianji Zi. If this weren’t his master uncle, he really wanted to punch him!

Tianji Zi said: “You can’t really blame me for this. Who made Qin Shi’s existence always such a big variable? Everything I do would go much more smoothly without her. You also know I’ve always wanted to kill her.”

Mu Jinghu’s eyes widened: “Master Uncle, you couldn’t have calculated that Qin Shi would face a calamity and deliberately kept me behind, could you?”

“Ha, do you think I’m a deity? I told you to protect me – do you really think you’re some kind of treasure?”

Tianji Zi curled his lips and flopped down on the kang: “Since you think that way, let’s not go. I’d rather stay here anyway – how comfortable it is.”

Mu Jinghu quickly shook his head: “No way, Master Uncle, let’s leave right now. The sooner we go, the less danger she’ll face. I promised Pang Zhixi I’d protect her, so I can’t break my word.”

Mu Jinghu busily and clumsily packed their belongings.

Tianji Zi lay on the kang appreciating Mu Jinghu’s movements. Watching him be so foolish really lifted his spirits!

After Mu Jinghu had packed everything properly, he pulled Tianji Zi to check out of the inn and even bought two horses.

Tianji Zi could ride, but he was terribly lazy and absolutely refused to mount the horse: “No way, I won’t ride a horse – it’s too tiring!”

Mu Jinghu was at his wit’s end: “Master Uncle, we’re rushing to save lives. If we take a carriage, what if we delay and miss the timing? Master Uncle, please make do for now. Their convoy is slow and plodding – they might not have gone very far. We’re fast on horseback and will catch up quickly. After that you can ride in a carriage, alright?”

His tone was like coaxing a child.

Tianji Zi had played enough and finally nodded reluctantly: “Fine, let’s go.” He stepped into the stirrup and with difficulty mounted the horse.

The two of them took advantage of the last bit of time before the city gates closed and hurriedly rushed out of the gates.