Bi Ying noticed her master’s complexion was off and hurriedly went to support her. “Madam! Madam, please sit down first. No matter what happens, you must prioritize your own wellbeing!”

Qiu Feishan shook her head. After calming down for a long while, she said with trembling lips, “Something has happened.”

By this time, Bi Ying had picked up the letter that had fallen to the ground. With one glance, she had clearly seen the contents, and her expression inevitably changed dramatically.

“Young Master and Young Master’s teacher have been kidnapped by Second Master!”

Qiu Feishan nodded, staring ahead with vacant eyes as if encountering something unbearable, her spine bending under the pressure.

“Qiu Yuanqing is no kind soul. I fear they’re in grave danger.”

Bi Ying nervously handed the letter back to Qiu Feishan, pointing to a passage below. “Look here.”

Qiu Feishan looked at that line of text and said in a dry voice, “I see it.”

The conditions Qiu Yuanqing set were simple: as long as she agreed to lure Pang Xiao to Bo’an Road, eighty li before Jianchuan City, he would spare Mu Jinghu and Tianji Zi’s lives. If Pang Xiao wasn’t seen at Bo’an Road before the specified time, he would dismember Mu Jinghu and Tianji Zi into pieces.

Bo’an Road was a small village nestled beneath cliff walls. Anyone going to Jianchuan had to pass through there, making it the perfect place to set up an ambush. Because of its proximity to Jianchuan and the frequent passage of merchant caravans and travelers heading to Jianchuan, tea houses and wine stalls had gradually opened along both sides of Bo’an Road’s main thoroughfare, making it a temporary resting place.

It seemed Qiu Yuanqing had planned this long ago, intending for her to lure Pang Xiao there.

Her greatest leverage now was the cooperation between Sitong Company and Pang Xiao. If problems arose with their cooperation, Qiu Feishan knew what fate awaited her.

But could she gamble with Mu Jinghu’s life?

“Madam, don’t worry…” Bi Ying’s throat was dry. For the first time, she felt so tongue-tied that she couldn’t even comfort someone properly.

She had served Qiu Feishan since childhood, both liking and admiring this decisive young lady. The Qiu Feishan she knew could dominate the business world, where even men were no match for her. But the current Qiu Feishan was as soft as if she had become a different person.

Or rather, ever since marrying Mu Jinghu, Qiu Feishan’s entire temperament had changed, often making Bi Ying feel like she was with a stranger.

Just like now – someone who used to remain calm and composed when encountering problems, who wouldn’t even take human lives too seriously, was now completely flustered by this letter. Her heart had become so tender that Bi Ying didn’t know how to console her.

Qiu Feishan stroked her prominently protruding belly. In three more months, her child would come into this world. Regardless of her initial reasons for agreeing to marry Mu Jinghu, after living together, Mu Jinghu’s clumsiness and sincerity still made it impossible for her to dislike him.

Qiu Feishan had once thought she didn’t care about this husband, that even her feelings for the child in her belly were indifferent. But now, she realized her true feelings might not be at all what she had believed them to be.

Qiu Feishan spent the time it takes to burn an incense stick to compose herself, then instructed Bi Ying, “Prepare the carriage. We’re going to the Prince’s mansion.”

Seeing Qiu Feishan’s expression return to normal, no longer looking so lost and helpless, Bi Ying felt somewhat relieved and hurried to follow her orders.

Since Qin Yining and Pang Xiao were currently at the Qin mansion, Qiu Feishan naturally came up empty. However, though Qiu Feishan knew Pang Xiao and Qin Yining had gone to the Qin mansion, which was only one street away, she remained very composed and didn’t seek them out there, instead waiting in the carriage.

Before the city’s curfew at the xu hour, Pang Xiao and Qin Yining returned hand in hand from the Qin mansion, accompanied by a group of servants and maids.

Qiu Feishan watched the two through the window gauze with an expressionless face, involuntarily feeling envious.

Bi Ying also saw them and quickly said, “Madam, this servant will go intercept them first.”

“It’s fine. Help me down from the carriage,” Qiu Feishan came back to her senses and had Bi Ying help her down.

After visiting her family once and informing them that Qin Huaiyuan hadn’t died, Qin Yining was in good spirits. Even the anger that Sun Shi had stirred up had dissipated by now.

She and Pang Xiao walked hand in hand, chatting casually. She lowered her head to watch the road by the lantern’s light, but noticed the person beside her slowing his pace, his large hand pulling her behind him as his tall figure blocked her path.

Qin Yining’s steps halted, and she looked ahead in confusion.

Qiu Feishan, one hand supporting her waist and the other holding Bi Ying’s hand, was smiling at the two of them.

“Your Highness, Your Highness the Princess,” Qiu Feishan curtsied.

But being pregnant made her quite cumbersome, and her movements were stiff when curtsying. Watching her made even Qin Yining feel nervous on her behalf. Having been through pregnancy and childbirth herself, she understood a pregnant woman’s suffering best. Judging others by herself, she naturally didn’t want Qiu Feishan to strain herself.

Qin Yining pinched Pang Xiao’s hand once.

She couldn’t overstep her bounds and make decisions for Pang Xiao. After all, the cooperation between Qiu Feishan and Pang Xiao was a major matter that a inner courtyard woman like Qin Yining couldn’t participate in.

Pang Xiao immediately understood Qin Yining’s meaning and said, “So it’s Boss Qiu.”

Ever since Qiu Feishan had completely separated from the Qiu family after returning last time, Pang Xiao had been addressing her by her identity as the boss of Sitong Company.

Qiu Feishan said, “Coming to disturb your mansion so abruptly is truly presumptuous, but the matter is urgent, so I came directly without sending a visiting card.”

Pang Xiao nodded. “Since there’s business, let’s go inside to discuss it.”

The group went to the flower hall in the outer courtyard.

Qin Yining originally didn’t want to go, but Pang Xiao kept holding her hand without letting go, so she had no choice but to follow.

After the servants served tea, they respectfully withdrew.

Pang Xiao got straight to the point. “Boss Qiu, please speak freely about whatever matter you have.”

Qiu Feishan nodded, took the threatening letter from her bosom, and handed it to Pang Xiao.

Qin Yining tilted her head in confusion.

Bi Ying, who knew the situation, was extremely surprised.

The letter asked them to lure Pang Xiao to Bo’an Road, where Qiu Yuanqing had surely prepared everything. They had come, supposedly to lure Pang Xiao into the trap, hadn’t they? How could their first words be to expose their hand?

Bi Ying suddenly looked at Qiu Feishan, feeling moved in her heart: How wonderful! Her master was still the master she knew. She had thought she had become indecisive and weak with womanly kindness, thought she would destroy the cooperation with Pang Xiao for Mu Jinghu’s life or death. It turned out her master wasn’t like that at all!

Bi Ying felt very relieved in her heart. Though she felt it was somewhat regrettable that Mu Jinghu and his teacher uncle would die, for the sake of reclaiming everything from the Qiu family, she could understand her master’s choice.

Pang Xiao carefully read through the letter, then handed it to Qin Yining beside him.

Qin Yining was puzzled, but when she clearly saw the letter’s contents, her expression changed immediately.

No wonder Mu Jinghu hadn’t appeared in time! So Mu Jinghu and Tianji Zi had been kidnapped together by people from the Qiu family!

This time Qin Yining had narrowly escaped death, ultimately because Mu Jinghu hadn’t kept his promise. After nearly being violated, it was impossible for her to have no resentment in her heart. But now, knowing Mu Jinghu was in danger, she cast all those emotions aside.