Qin Yining was somewhat surprised, not expecting Lu Heng to remarry at this time.

However, Lu Heng’s remarriage was bound to happen sooner or later. At his prime age, lacking a capable mistress of the house who could manage the inner residence and maintain relationships with noble ladies, that position naturally couldn’t remain vacant forever.

It had to be said that Lu Heng’s finally being willing to put away his feelings for her and remarry made Qin Yining breathe a sigh of relief. She wasn’t a block of wood – Lu Heng’s later behavior toward her had been so direct that she, as a married woman, sometimes felt awkward when seeing him. Now past events would turn a page with Lu Heng’s remarriage.

“So it’s a happy occasion at your mansion.” Qin Yining set down the wedding invitation and smiled: “Earl Zhongyi’s marriage – originally both the prince and I should attend. However, our family’s circumstances are something the earl surely understands. Now with the prince bedridden with illness and both of us in mourning, it’s truly inappropriate for us to attend a wedding banquet on such a joyous day. Please have the steward explain to Earl Zhongyi on our behalf and thank the earl for his kind invitation. The prince and I will carefully prepare generous gifts to send, wishing the earl and his new bride a harmonious marriage lasting a hundred years.”

Upon hearing this, the earl’s mansion steward nodded understandingly and bowed: “Yes, this humble one will certainly relay the message.”

Qin Yining rewarded the steward with a substantial red envelope and had someone escort him out.

After the steward left, Qin Yining returned to the room with the wedding invitation and pulled up Pang Xiao, who was lying on the warm kang reading a military treatise while cracking sunflower seeds.

“What is Lu Heng up to?” Pang Xiao dropped his book and pulled Qin Yining to sit in his lap, his whole body radiating hostility and wariness that had almost materialized.

Qin Yining found this amusing and handed him the wedding invitation: “Earl Zhongyi is remarrying.”

Pang Xiao was startled, then couldn’t help but smile: “Really?”

He unfolded the wedding invitation and read it carefully, finally pointing to the two characters “Bian Shi” at the end.

Qin Yining leaned against Pang Xiao’s shoulder, looking at the invitation: “Who is this Bian Shi? Do you know?”

Pang Xiao thought carefully: “There’s no official in court with this surname who could discuss marriage with Earl Lu’s family. However, as far as I know, His Majesty does have a Consort Zhuang who seems to be surnamed Bian. Her father was a county magistrate during the Northern Ji dynasty and is now enjoying his retirement, but I hear the Bian family’s wealth is not to be underestimated.”

Thinking of Lu Heng, Qin Yining couldn’t help but frown slightly: “So this is ninety-nine percent a marriage of convenience.”

Pang Xiao set down the wedding invitation: “Among those mixing in the court, how many can be as fortunate as I am to marry the woman I love?”

This was both truth and a straightforward expression of love.

Qin Yining smiled and lightly punched Pang Xiao’s shoulder, but he caught her pale fingers and brought them to his lips for a kiss. Not satisfied with that, he gently bit her fingertips, causing a tingling sensation.

Qin Yining’s cheeks flushed: “Stop fooling around.”

“Alright, no fooling around.” Though he agreed verbally, his actions didn’t stop: “How did you respond?”

Qin Yining struggled twice before withdrawing her hand, giving Pang Xiao a look: “We’re both in mourning – how could we attend a wedding banquet? I imagine Earl Zhongyi sent the invitation out of courtesy. I told the steward we’d send congratulatory gifts later but wouldn’t attend in person.”

“Mm.” Pang Xiao leaned against the large pillow, one arm around Qin Yining, the other behind his head, clicking his tongue: “He’s finally willing to remarry. Good.”

As if a great weight had been lifted.

Qin Yining naturally knew what he was thinking and shook her head with amusement, saying nothing more.

Pang Xiao said: “I’ll prepare the congratulatory gift later – you don’t need to get involved.”

Knowing he was still jealous, Qin Yining tactfully nodded: “If you’re willing to prepare it, that’s naturally good. Men’s affairs between men – I won’t interfere. When the time comes, just have someone send it in your name.”

Pang Xiao felt greatly pleased and planted a loud kiss on Qin Yining’s forehead.

At Earl Zhongyi’s mansion, Lu Heng received the congratulatory gift sent from Prince Zhongshun’s mansion. Looking at the generous contents on the gift list, he listlessly tossed it to his steward.

“My lord, it seems Prince Zhongshun toward you…” The steward’s flattering words were cut short when he met Lu Heng’s expressionless face, and all his unspoken words caught in his throat.

“You may withdraw.”

“Yes!” The steward, as if granted amnesty, hurriedly retreated.

Lu Heng stood with his hands behind his back at the study window. Through the tightly closed window paper, the warm light from lanterns hanging outside could be faintly seen. His hands behind his back clenched and released, released and clenched again, until finally he sighed helplessly.

In the gift list, he could see no trace of her involvement.

He was getting married, yet Qin Yining showed no reaction, only thanking the servant he’d arranged to deliver the invitation in her capacity as mistress of the prince’s mansion. The congratulatory gift was generous enough to give him face, but showed not a trace of her personal attention.

When he hadn’t remarried before, there was still a glimmer of hope. Now that he was about to remarry, hope was becoming dim.

Lu Heng’s unwillingness and struggle couldn’t be displayed before anyone, so he could only hide all his melancholy in his heart.

Bian Shi was Consort Zhuang’s cousin. Her birth wasn’t particularly high, and in the Lu family’s eyes she wasn’t particularly noble either. But with the identity of the currently favored Consort Zhuang, his marriage to Bian Shi would make him related to His Majesty.

He was the Lu family patriarch and no longer had the right to be willful. Besides considering himself, he had to consider the family’s situation.

After grandfather’s death, many things had spun out of control, but he also had more opportunities to flex his abilities. Now the Lu family was developing according to his plans, and tying themselves to the emperor was the only choice.

He had waited for Qin Yining for so long – he had waited until he could wait no longer.

Regarding remarriage, he no longer resisted.

But ever since that stunning glimpse in the restaurant that day, he had lost his soul – how could he find it now?

Having failed to obtain Qin Yining, his heart remained unwilling.

Lu Heng was full of melancholy yet had to appear cheerful before others. Only during the deep, quiet nights did the cold, lonely lamp know his unwillingness and resentment.

Wedding preparations proceeded in an orderly fashion. The Lu family patriarch’s remarriage and Consort Zhuang’s cousin’s marriage – from either perspective, this wedding couldn’t be handled carelessly.

Within a few days, the capital’s citizens’ after-dinner conversation finally shifted from the mistreated great hero to the earl who was taking a wife.

After this period of reflection, Li Qitian’s thinking was also changing. Duke Changguo and the censors’ impeachment of Pang Xiao, though it pleased him greatly, made him realize upon reflection that such impeachment was “adding frost to snow.”

Originally, the people were already discussing how he as emperor was deliberately plotting against meritorious officials, which had already left him bound hand and foot. Since he couldn’t punish Pang Xiao at this time, it would be better to put this matter to rest completely rather than remain constantly in the eye of the storm.

Now with Lu Heng’s grand wedding, everyone’s attention was finally diverted, and he needn’t worry about people constantly discussing his lack of benevolence and righteousness behind his back.

However, events didn’t develop according to Li Qitian’s expectations.

After just a few days, Duke Changguo again led the impeachment of Pang Xiao, this time with such fierce rhetoric as if Pang Xiao had dug up their family graves.

The just-suppressed public opinion flourished once again.

Li Qitian finally couldn’t help but lose his temper in court. Unable to speak his true thoughts, he just snorted coldly at Duke Changguo and stormed off, leaving all the civil and military officials behind.

His Majesty’s behavior sparked much discussion. Some analyzed that His Majesty was angry at Duke Changguo for repeatedly wrongly accusing Prince Zhongshun.

But most people felt His Majesty was enraged by Prince Zhongshun’s “countless” evil deeds.

Throughout the capital from February to March, the people constantly discussed two things: Pang Xiao being impeached and Earl Zhongyi’s remarriage.

On the sixth day of the third month, Qin Yining was leisurely doing needlework with Bingtang and Ji Yun when the newly arrived second-class maid Zi Yuan quickly entered, respectfully bowed, and said crisply: “Princess Consort, Madam Earl Anping has sent a calling card.”

Qin Yining smiled and set down her embroidery frame: “Bring it for me to see.”

Zi Yuan presented the calling card with both hands.

On the card, Madam Earl Anping inquired whether she was free this afternoon.

Qin Yining thought for a moment and told Zi Yuan: “Go tell the steward to reply, saying I’m free this afternoon. If Madam Earl Anping would honor us with her presence, I will certainly sweep the couch in welcome.”

Zi Yuan couldn’t read much but had an excellent memory. Having heard Qin Yining’s words, she immediately memorized them all, bowed, and quickly withdrew.

Bingtang smiled: “Among the newly arrived maids, Zi Yuan is the cleverest.”

“I think Han Xiao is also quite good,” Ji Yun smiled: “The Princess Consort is also deliberately cultivating those two.”

“Yes,” Qin Yining said: “Zi Yuan is very clever, and Han Xiao is somewhat like Qiu Lu’s temperament – very steady.”

Ji Yun and Bingtang both smiled as they continued their needlework.

Ji Yun asked: “This is Madam Earl Anping’s first visit – I haven’t seen you meet with her privately before.”

Qin Yining said: “I’ve met Madam Earl Anping a few times. Back when the prince and I weren’t yet married, the Empress Dowager held a banquet at Ci’an Palace to entertain nobles and officials’ families, and the prince even angrily overturned a table. Madam Earl Anping was present then.

“I hear Earl Anping was an old minister of Northern Ji, like Duke Changguo – both were kept by His Majesty to demonstrate his benevolence. Normally they’re far from the center of power, just holding titles and enjoying their retirement.”

Ji Yun nodded: “With such a person suddenly seeking you out, you should be mentally prepared.”

Qin Yining nodded: “It’s fine. Both of you accompany me this afternoon.”

Bingtang and Ji Yun smiled and agreed.

After lunch, Madam Earl Anping arrived.

Madam Earl Anping was about forty years old, tall and slender. Her elongated face already showed wrinkles, and her glossy black hair was arranged in a bun secured with three silver hairpins, with no other ornaments and no cosmetics. Seeing her wearing a sapphire blue narrow-sleeved jacket with embroidered trim over a dark blue long skirt – also plain clothing – Qin Yining guessed that Earl Anping’s family might have recently held a funeral.

Qin Yining warmly welcomed her and invited her into the warm pavilion for tea.

Seeing Qin Yining in plain colors, Madam Earl Anping couldn’t help but sigh inwardly: “Princess Consort, regarding your mansion’s affairs, please accept my condolences.”