Yao Chenggu couldn’t help but silently curse Yao Shi for being so thoughtless. She acted without considering the occasion at all—wasn’t this bringing disaster and trouble to their own family?

Setting aside everything else, having thoroughly offended the Qin family now, that Qin fellow might not erupt publicly, but after mixing in official circles for so many years, was he really the type to suffer losses?

What if, once they entered the desert, the Qin family found some excuse to abandon their family of three to fend for themselves?

In that desert with no food or water, where would the three of them have any chance of survival? The Qin family would only need to tell Pang Xiao that “it was all an accident” to cover it up, and their deaths would be meaningless!

Thinking of this, Yao Chenggu could swallow any loss right now, not to mention that he knew his daughter’s sharp-tongued, competitive nature best. The Qin family’s daughter was scheming and calculating—she wouldn’t give people grounds to criticize her by starting trouble first. Most likely it was his own daughter who sought the excuse first and cursed people for quite a while, probably without suffering any real loss.

Yao Chenggu smiled and cupped his hands: “That in-law lord doesn’t take offense shows your magnanimity. I know my own daughter—she has a somewhat impatient temperament and speaks carelessly when her temper flares. But her heart truly isn’t bad. As Yining just said, there must be some misunderstanding here. We’re all one family—tongues inevitably touch teeth. Please forgive her as a woman who doesn’t understand things.”

Sun Shi pressed her lips together. Seeing that Qin Huaiyuan and Yao Chenggu were about to play peacemakers, the fire in her heart couldn’t be suppressed. Even though Cao Yuqing kept pinching her hand from the side, signaling her not to speak, she still snorted and said:

“Even if there were misunderstandings, they could be cleared up with discussion. But in-law mother threw a hand warmer with burning charcoal at someone and even set our Yining’s clothes on fire. It was lucky that the household reacted quickly and extinguished the flames in time. If they had been a moment too late and burned our Yining, this matter couldn’t be resolved with just moving upper and lower lips.”

Qin Huaiyuan glanced back at Sun Shi.

Considering the bigger picture, their two families needed to stick together without conflicts to survive. Once they tore their relationship with Pang Xiao’s family, Xi Yue would no longer be a safe place for the Qin family to hide. That’s why Qin Huaiyuan had been yielding on the surface.

How could he not know his daughter’s grievances? But for the greater good, he could only suppress them temporarily. Moreover, according to his way of handling things, the most clumsy way to resolve such matters was to quarrel publicly.

But what Sun Shi said was actually what he was holding back from expressing. He understood Sun Shi’s temperament—her not stepping forward to physically fight Yao Shi was already the limit of her endurance. After all, she was his longtime wife, and her whole heart was for Yining. He couldn’t be too harsh with her.

Besides, he also wanted to see, without tearing their relationship apart, just how far the Yao family could go.

Yao Chenggu was shrewd and, seeing Sun Shi say this while Qin Huaiyuan remained silent, understood the dynamics.

He was thinking about how to respond when Ma Shi spoke first: “I was wondering why Yining’s clothes and skirt were like this! So it was you who did it!”

Ma Shi was so angry she wanted to kick Yao Shi several times: “Your own family member, yet you strike with such viciousness—what are your intentions!”

Yao Shi was currently in a situation where “father doesn’t love her and mother doesn’t care for her.” Neither Yao Chenggu nor Ma Shi would speak for her, and she was already extremely aggrieved, blaming it all on Qin Yining. She wasn’t four or five years old—she was in her forties or fifties, yet still had to be treated this way by her parents in front of so many outsiders, beaten and scolded at will. Her own son wasn’t close to her either and had sent her to the countryside to suffer.

Yao Shi roared: “That little whore mistreats me and won’t let my son take concubines. Even if I burned her to death, go ahead and take me to the authorities! My son is a prince of the current dynasty—I’d like to see what any of you can do to me!”

“You! Unfilial daughter! Is what you’re saying even human speech! I should have beaten you to death today and been done with it!”

“Grandmother, please calm your anger!”

The scene that had settled down erupted into chaos again.

Qin Huaiyuan frowned, truly having nothing to say about Qin Yining’s mother-in-law.

“What’s happening here!” Just then, Pang Xiao rushed in through the side gate. Seeing the courtyard in complete disorder, his brows knitted together.

He first looked questioningly at Qin Yining, but she was busy trying to restrain Ma Shi.

Not immediately seeing anything unusual about Qin Yining, Pang Xiao relaxed slightly. He quickly went to support Ma Shi, comforting her: “Grandmother, please calm down. Whatever it is, let’s talk it through properly.”

“Talk it through? Ask your thoughtless mother what she’s trying to do!” Ma Shi was so angry her face turned pale as she pointed at Yao Shi.

Yao Shi was hiding behind Yao Chenggu, but seeing Pang Xiao return, she shrieked: “If you’re my son, divorce this family-disrupting woman!”

“What are you saying! Why would I divorce my wife? When have I ever had thoughts of divorcing my wife?”

Pang Xiao was completely overwhelmed. He quickly took Qin Yining’s hand and squeezed it, then turned to bow deeply to his tearful mother-in-law and dark-faced father-in-law.

“Father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law has no such intentions. There must be some misunderstanding here. Please give me some time to resolve this.”

Qin Huaiyuan had originally wanted to settle the matter peacefully—suffering some surface grievances didn’t matter. If he wanted to vindicate his daughter, he had countless methods, any of which would be more satisfying than quarreling publicly.

So at this moment, Qin Huaiyuan nodded very considerately and said reasonably: “Go ahead.”

He turned and gestured to Sun Shi, Cao Yuqing, and the others: “Let’s go.”

Sun Shi was still unwilling, but Qin Huaiyuan’s gentle eyes looking at her held such firm resolve that she couldn’t voice her objections. Moreover, Cao Yuqing and Qin Yining had been signaling her not to be contrary.

Sun Shi could only press her lips together, forcibly suppressing her anger while grasping Qin Yining’s hand: “Fine, since the prince says he’ll resolve this, we hope you resolve it properly. Yining, come with mother!”

Sun Shi wouldn’t leave her daughter here to submit to humiliation.

Qin Yining turned back to look at Pang Xiao. When their eyes met, Pang Xiao’s were full of concern and tenderness. From Qin Yining’s current position with her cloak open, Pang Xiao could see several burn marks on her hem. Looking at the hand warmer, charcoal, and the mess of the cloak piled together in the distance, his brows knitted into a tight knot.

Watching Qin Yining’s figure disappear, Pang Xiao turned to look around.

The servants in the front courtyard all held Pang Xiao in reverent fear. Seeing his gaze sweep over them sharp as a blade, the servants all bowed and quickly withdrew.

Pang Xiao commanded Huzi, who had accompanied him, with a face dark as water: “Have two people temporarily take the luggage to the guest courtyard.”

“Understood.” Huzi went to carry out the orders.

Pang Xiao turned back to Yao Shi, whose makeup was ruined from crying: “Old madam, shall we go?” He supported Ma Shi’s hand and said gently: “Grandmother, don’t be angry. Getting angry and harming your health isn’t worth it. Your grandson will first escort you to the guest courtyard.”

Yao Chenggu, who had been ignored, felt extremely uncomfortable inside, but ultimately couldn’t show it publicly—it would make it seem like he and his wife were “competing for favor,” inviting ridicule.

So Yao Chenggu clasped his hands behind his back and followed behind Pang Xiao and Ma Shi.

Yao Shi was left standing there, helpless watching her son’s cold back. For a son to not be closest to his mother—if this got out, she’d have no face to see people! The way the Qin mansion’s servants looked at her was all wrong, as if they were looking at some filthy vermin.

Yao Shi snorted coldly, stamped her foot, and could only follow along herself.

Pang Xiao personally escorted them to the guest courtyard.

Huzi was thorough in his work—not only had he arranged the luggage properly, but he had also assigned maids to serve them. Upon entering, the room already had braziers lit. A wave of warm air mixed with elegant fruit fragrance greeted them, and the teapot on the square table was prepared with freshly brewed tea.

Yao Chenggu breathed a sigh of relief, sat at the square table, and first poured himself a cup of hot tea.

Pang Xiao helped Ma Shi sit on the soft couch by the window, then turned to bring hot tea and offer it: “Grandmother, have some hot tea to calm yourself.”

Ma Shi shook her head and pushed away the tea bowl he offered, as if in despair, her voice full of bitterness and sorrow.

“That thoughtless one bullying Yining like that—previously in the prince’s mansion, she bullied her behind closed doors, and I spoke against her time and again, always standing up for Yining. But ultimately, we’re the ones wronging that child. To put it plainly, I’m also selfish. I stood up for Yining partly because I couldn’t stand your mother’s behavior, and partly because I hoped that girl would show me some consideration…

“Now look what’s happened! Your mother, that family-ruining creature, just returned and immediately blocked someone’s door to bully them. Right in front of their in-law father and mother, she cursed our Yining for committing adultery and jealousy, calling her whore and other such words!

“Such ugly words—if it were someone more delicate, they probably would have dashed their head against something to prove their innocence long ago. Fortunately, Yining’s parents are from distinguished families with good upbringing, so they didn’t tear their relationship with us apart. But whose child isn’t a precious treasure? Being insulted like this to their face—Yining’s parents are truly remarkable. If it were me, I could have taken a knife to kill someone!”

Ma Shi spoke while sobbing, her words jumbled, but the content allowed Pang Xiao to piece together the whole story.

He turned back to look at Yao Shi.

Yao Shi immediately stepped forward to grab Pang Xiao’s hand: “Son, your grandmother is old and confused, with soft ears. She can’t handle a few kind words before her heart softens. Didn’t you see what a face your ruinous wife showed today! I’m the mother-in-law—can’t I even scold her a few words?”

Pang Xiao pulled his hand away and, under Yao Shi’s bewildered gaze, stepped back two paces.

“Old madam has had a tiring journey. Please rest early.” He then said to Ma Shi: “Grandmother, don’t be angry. Your grandson will handle this matter properly. As for who’s right and who’s wrong, the people I left behind naturally saw everything—I’ll know with one inquiry. If we’re in the wrong, I’ll definitely sincerely ask father-in-law and mother-in-law’s forgiveness and try not to let the two families become estranged.”

Ma Shi nodded and patted Pang Xiao’s shoulder with distress.

Yao Chenggu’s attention focused on the last sentence Pang Xiao said. Hearing this, he also agreed: “Your thinking, child, is very correct. We’re all in-laws—why fight to the point of irreconcilability? If outsiders knew, it would invite ridicule. Moreover, we’ll have to live alongside the Qin family in the future, relying on the Qin family’s support and protection for our livelihood. Tearing our relationship apart now would be truly unwise.”