Actually, Sun Shi’s ability to remain composed today and accompany them through two hours of idle chatter between Qin Yining, Immortal Liu, and the Duchess already surprised Qin Yining greatly.

In her initial planning, the first thing she had considered was Sun Shi’s urgency to return home. After all, today was the day Concubine Cao would be formally welcomed into the household. Even if she wanted to show her disdain as the main wife by snubbing her for a while, that should have been enough.

Seeing Sun Shi growing angry, Qin Yining considered the situation outside and felt it was now safe to inform everyone.

“Mother, please don’t be angry or anxious. The reason I’ve been delaying time is because I feared telling the truth would cause panic.”

Pang Xiao raised his eyebrows, watching Qin Yining with interest.

The Duchess and Sun Shi’s faces changed with tension: “Yi Jie’er, what on earth is happening?!”

Qin Yining’s expression grew grave. “When we were coming up the mountain just now, I discovered suspicious individuals.”

“What?!” Sun Shi exclaimed. “Who were they?!”

The Duchess held Sun Shi’s hand and patted it: “Stay calm and listen to what Yi Jie’er has to say first.”

Qin Yining said, “Since I was eight years old, I’ve survived in the mountains. Living alone, I constantly had to stay alert for wild beasts, which trained me to develop very keen senses. When someone looks at me with hostility, I can feel all my hair standing on end. Just now as we came up the mountain, I had that feeling. Looking around discreetly, I discovered two men in Great Zhou military uniforms hidden behind withered trees in the low areas beside the steps. Fearing there might be more than just those two, and worried that crying out immediately might harm us women, I remained calm and continued up the mountain.”

At this point, Qin Yining reassured the worried-looking Duchess: “I’ve already sent half of our guards to watch over the side courtyard where the aunts are staying, and left the other half to guard the courtyard where we are now. However, I believe the aunts are temporarily safe, because if these people truly have ill intentions, everyone in this Immortal Maiden Temple with any kidnapping or assassination value is now gathered in this very room.”

Indeed! In this room sat the Temple Master, the Duchess of Dingguo, and the wife and daughter of Grand Tutor Qin. Compared to the other Taoist nuns and women of lesser status, weren’t the most valuable targets for kidnapping and assassination right here in this room?

Both the Duchess and Sun Shi felt their hair standing on end.

Qin Yining had only spotted two, but how many had actually come? Moreover, these people wearing Great Zhou military uniforms was far too strange!

“Yi Jie’er, are you certain you didn’t see wrong? This is the capital of Great Yan! At the very least, surely people wouldn’t be allowed to wander the streets freely wearing Great Zhou military uniforms?” Sun Shi’s voice was sharp with tension.

Qin Yining quickly signaled Sun Shi to lower her voice: “Regardless of whether they’re truly Great Zhou people or when they changed into Great Zhou military uniforms, what matters is that they come with ill intent.”

Countless thoughts raced through the Duchess’s mind. Her first guess was that these people were sent by the fatuous emperor.

Perhaps the fatuous emperor had arranged for people to dress in Great Zhou clothing, kill the remaining women of Duke Dingguo’s household to vent his anger, then wash his hands clean of it. Though it seemed absurd, such absurd acts were exactly what the fatuous emperor was capable of.

The room fell silent.

Sun Shi trembled all over with fear: “What do we do? What do we do? Mother, what should we do?”

The Duchess frowned with displeasure. Sun Shi’s panic and loss of composure formed a sharp contrast with Qin Yining’s calm composure after having known the situation all along.

“Can’t you be quiet? Isn’t everyone here together?”

Immortal Liu also offered reassurance: “It’s fine, it’s fine. This room of mine is quite sturdy—nothing will happen for a while.”

Pang Xiao withdrew his cold, disdainful gaze from Sun Shi and looked calmly at Qin Yining. While admiring her quick wit and pitying her situation, he was already making guesses internally.

Since Qin Yining had discovered this when coming up the mountain, given the distance between the Immortal Maiden Temple and the capital, two hours was enough time for reinforcements to arrive at full gallop.

Though his appearance might not be recognized by everyone, what if among the people Qin Yining summoned, someone did recognize him? That would create even more trouble.

The reinforcements would certainly be able to protect these women’s safety, because Qin Yining was a clever person who wouldn’t put both her grandmother and mother in danger. Moreover, there was her newly born little grandnephew in the side courtyard.

Thinking of this, Pang Xiao suddenly stood up, his face deathly pale, his panicked voice trembling: “You, why didn’t you say so earlier? What are your intentions! Aren’t you trying to harm me!”

He performed “cowardice and fear of death” perfectly, pacing frantically like an ant on a hot pan: “No, we’re leaving right now. Take care of yourselves!” With that, he pulled Huzi and headed for the door!

Huzi was stunned by Pang Xiao’s behavior!

Didn’t his master have feelings for Miss Qin? Shouldn’t he step forward at a time like this and make a manly promise of “I will definitely protect you” to move Miss Qin?

Your Highness, if you run away like this, aren’t you afraid of leaving a bad impression?!

Huzi followed Pang Xiao’s pace with a bewildered expression.

Qin Yining narrowed her eyes and chuckled softly, the sound particularly clear in the room: “Young Master Yao, don’t you think you’re acting very suspiciously?”

Pang Xiao paused, his eyes showing appreciation. When he turned back, he still wore the expression of someone about to wet himself from fear: “What? You noble people have attracted bad people, and now you won’t let others escape?! I don’t have time to waste with you—my family has been single-generation for three generations! You don’t expect me to stay and protect you, do you? Let me tell you, impossible! I advise you to flee for your lives too!”

“Young Master Yao, please don’t jest.” Qin Yining’s beautiful eyes fixed on Pang Xiao, the sharp cold gleam in her bright, water-like eyes impossible to ignore. Though her figure remained delicate and soft, her presence was in no way inferior to any grown man’s.

Pang Xiao was almost dazzled by her gaze.

“Any person with a normal brain would realize that outside is much more dangerous than inside, wouldn’t they, Young Master Yao?”

“I only saw two suspicious people—any normal person would wonder if many more might have already surrounded the Immortal Maiden Temple.”

“Even if you could fly, you probably couldn’t escape!”

“Unless those people were brought by you, and you’re rushing out to meet them?”

“Or are you worried about revealing your true identity before the rescue I’ve called for?”

With each sentence Qin Yining spoke, she moved one step forward, until she had positioned the Duchess and Sun Shi completely behind her. Her eyes flashed with a certain light, like a defiant little wild beast that, despite its weakness, would bristle all its fur to face the enemy head-on.

This appearance made Pang Xiao’s heart race wildly, nearly unable to suppress his desire to directly kidnap her and keep her by his side to tame her!

Seeing that Pang Xiao remained silent, Qin Yining grew more tense. She pulled the Duchess and Sun Shi toward the door, because since Immortal Liu called Pang Xiao “Master,” she could no longer completely trust even Immortal Liu.

As they walked, Qin Yining called loudly: “Someone come!”

As soon as the words fell, a “clang” sounded at the door. Four tall guards rushed in wielding clubs, protecting Qin Yining, Sun Shi, and the Duchess behind them. Bingtang, Song Lan, and Qiu Lu also rushed in, positioning themselves before their mistresses. Qin Yining’s position was very close to the door—the most convenient spot for escape.

Immortal Liu put on an act, slapping her thigh and crying: “Infinite Celestial Worthy! My rosewood table! And the finest jade beads on my door curtain! What are you trying to do? Get out!”

At this point, Pang Xiao had no more desire to pretend. Before Qin Yining, he removed all his performances for the first time—he was neither an elegant young gentleman, nor a well-educated merchant, and certainly not a coward afraid of death.

His previously slightly hunched back straightened perfectly, his domineering presence extremely strong, oppressive enough to make breathing difficult. His long sword-like eyebrows extending to his temples gave a sharp impression, his upturned phoenix eyes seemed capable of shooting ice arrows, and his lips curved in a playful yet domineering smile as he openly appraised Qin Yining.

Qin Yining’s mind flashed with various danger signals that only appeared when peril approached, as if she were facing a tiger or leopard. Her voice slightly trembling, she said: “It really is you? Who exactly are you?!”

“Who I am—why should I tell you?”

“You!”

“If I wanted to deal with you, I have countless methods. Would I really need such underhanded tactics? Little girl, being clever is good, but don’t take things too much for granted.”

Qin Yining’s mind raced as she secretly assessed whether the four guards could fight against him and his attendant.

This person appeared imposing—was he actually a martial artist?

Just as she hesitated, crying and screaming suddenly came from outside the courtyard gate, followed by bone-chilling shouts of battle.

Qin Yining had thought it was the people she had summoned from the Five Cities’ Military Commissioner’s office, but looking outside, she saw a group of men in Great Zhou military uniforms charging in with large swords, striking down anyone they saw without mercy!

“Heaven!” Sun Shi screamed in terror!

“No, we can’t be trapped in this room!” The people inside couldn’t be trusted, and with so many enemies—were they to be caught like turtles in a jar?

Qin Yining pulled Sun Shi and the Duchess, calling the four guards to run outside, intending to escape through the side gate.

But just as they stepped outside, a sharp whistling sound pierced the air by her ear!

Qin Yining felt an unprecedented sense of crisis, every hair on her back standing up. She instinctively wanted to dodge, but then realized her mother was behind her—if she dodged, what would happen to the person behind her!

In that moment of hesitation, men in Great Zhou military uniforms were already charging with blood-dripping swords, and she saw two archers on the courtyard wall.

Too late!

Qin Yining squeezed her eyes shut in terror—she feared she would die here today!

But then a strong wind rushed past her ears. She felt a figure flash before her, blocking the sunlight, and her hand was grasped by a rough, warm large hand.

Qin Yining opened her eyes to see Pang Xiao positioned sideways in front of her, one hand holding hers, the other gripping an arrow. The arrowhead gleamed with a cold blue light, stopped less than an inch from her neck!