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It was the first time that Qin Yining had voluntarily hugged Pang Xiao in public. He froze, not knowing what to do with his arms, and only reacted after half a beat. He slowly tightened the hug and nuzzled his chin lovingly on her forehead.
“Are you cold?”
“Mm. It’s really cold here. It’s much colder than Liang. But, I feel very safe right now.”
The greatest compliment a man could receive was that of his beloved declaring she felt safe.
His darling Yi was so incredibly considerate. She’d gone through all these trials and travails: almost being assassinated, almost freezing to death in the mountains, then almost starving to death, and then filling in all the holes created by his impulsive actions after being rescued. But she hadn’t had a single word of complaint after seeing him, nor did she display a single bit of negativity. It was as if these were all her rightful burdens.
He hadn’t cleared away the obstacles in front of her, nor taken her world on his back, but here she was, repaying his imperfections with a confirmation of safety.
Pang Xiao closed his eyes and dropped a weighty, precious kiss on her forehead.
“No matter what, you’re by my side now. As long as I can see you and do something, as opposed to spending the days on tenterhooks, nothing else matters.”
Qin Yining grinned. “That’s right. We can weather anything together. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”
The prince answered with a smile and ran his thumb across her lips. The soft sensation deepened the look in his eyes, but was dodged by a bashful two steps backwards.
“Let’s go to the study, it’s not good to keep people waiting.”
Pang Xiao nodded with resignation and recaptured Qin Yining’s hand in his own. He warmed up her slightly chilly fingers with his warm palm. “Though the manor is big, I’m usually found in the outer study. I rest in the study as well, so you can just come find me there.”
“I’ve been ‘kidnapped’ here after all, so we have to keep up the act some.”
“I’d want to keep you ‘tied up’ in the study, but that would be far too disrespectful to you, and the rest of the family would only look down on you if they saw. We’ll have to do things this way for now.”
Chapter 309: Ji Zeyu’s Objectives (I)
When the chatting couple arrived at the outer study, they were greeted by a near-frozen statue of Huzi with his hands tucked beneath his armpits.
“You’re here, Your Highness. Sirs Xu and Xie have drank three cups of tea already.” Huzi bounced up and down a few times and then drew closer to bow to Qin Yining. “Greetings to the fourth miss.”
Pang Xiao responded seriously, “We have important matters to discuss. Have people set up a tight perimeter around the study.”
The guard snapped to attention as well. “Understood.”
The study was the same as the upper yard in the inner residence, a heated platform bed by the window. The furnace beneath was going strong, and navy-blue cushions were laid out on top of the platform. A fire also burned in the brazier on the ground, eating away at fine, glittering charcoal as its fuel.
Qin Yining and Pang Xiao had just taken off their cloaks and sat down when the long-waiting Xie Yue and Xu Weizhi quickly walked in. A dozen more scholars followed behind them.
“Are all of these your strategists?” The Qin fourth miss was quite taken aback.
“Mm.” Pang Xiao nodded with a faint smile. “We’ve only invited the core folks for you to meet today.”
Qin Yining quietly clucked her tongue with amazement. He really had a lot of followers!
Everyone had lined up by now and bowed in unison. The Qin fourth miss didn’t dare put on airs.
She was just the daughter of a surrendered official at the moment, and didn’t have an official status with Pang Xiao. These strategists were all the prince’s prized helpers—highly talented and older than her. She didn’t find it the least bit inappropriate that she returned their gesture with courtesy.
Seeing how politely the girl responded, the assembled crowd revised their opinions of her slightly to the positive. But when they glimpsed her stunning looks, that revision veered negative again.
Such innate charm and entrancement weaving around her looks, elegance and grace accompanying her every move—it was no wonder that even a hero like the prince had lost his reason. This was why he’d run the risk of clashing head-on with the emperor and privately deployed troops to look for her!
Had old man Qin sent this girl to seduce the prince, due to fear of retribution over Pang Zhongzheng’s death?
These highly intelligent people had already demonized Qin Yining.
But so too was the girl a very sensitive person. Though none of the followers had engaged in any misconduct, she could still feel the general ambiance of dislike. It didn’t take much thinking to figure out why.
She merely smiled and stood off to the side.
She wasn’t the princess consort after all, and the Qins hadn’t settled in yet. She could interact however she wanted with Pang Xiao in private, but couldn’t overstep herself in front of others.
Pang Xiao frowned at seeing his beloved act so carefully. His irritation was further fanned when he saw how his men were treating Qin Yining. He was about to berate them when the Qin fourth miss turned around and curtsied.
“Your Highness, has there been word of my father or family these days?” She winked playfully at him, instantly restoring his rationality.
That’s right. His followers weren’t like the others. He couldn’t use force to make them submit to Qin Yining. This was something that she surely knew as well.
Goodwill never sprang forth spontaneously. Pang Xiao trusted that his darling had ways to make this group concede willingly.
He set aside the matter and turned to their leader, a refined and scholarly man in his forties. “Sir Xu, has there been word of the Qins?”
This was Xu Weizhi, a highly valued strategist who executed plans flawlessly with the decisive Xie Yue. The former’s mind was highly adept at plotting out schemes.
Xu Weizhi responded with a smile and cupped fists. “In response to Your Highness, there hasn’t been word of the Qins yet. But the Commandery Prince, the Lis, Gus, and other families have been found. They’ll reach the capital soon enough.”
Worry crept in when Qin Yining heard this. Even though she knew that the Silver Masks were protecting her parents, she was unable to fully relax without having seen the two of them with her own eyes.
But regardless, thank goodness for Cao Yuqing and the Silver Masks.
Ever since the trash emperor had abdicated, his once treasured secret service had milled about without a leader. The new emperor refused to use such a force from the old government, so the Silver Masks had been without purpose or pay.
Qin Huaiyuan had utilized his relationship with Cao Yuqing to make them his own force.
Qin Yining had only self-reassurance left to her. The Silver Masks were highly skilled, they should be able to find her parents and escort them safely into the capital.
Tamping down the worry in her heart, the girl continued, “Are we certain that the Marquis of Northern Stability carried out this operation?”
Pang Xiao nodded and indicated for everyone to take their seats. He had Qin Yining sit beside him and turned to Xie Yue and Xu Weizhi. “Go over the situation for Miss Qin.”
When the crowd noted where Qin Yining was sitting and the prince’s attitude towards the girl, various speculations formed in their hearts.
Xie Yue and Xu Weizhi were the most esteemed out of them, apart from Zheng Pei. Speculations were affirmed when the two were tapped to brief Qin Yining. Any suspicions about the girl were temporarily cast aside.
Xu Weizhi was taken aback by the order and didn’t immediately start his narrative. But Xie Yue had spent a lot of time with Qin Yining on the road, and quite understood the girl’s character and smarts. He started the conversation with utmost respect.
“Miss Qin, I think you’ll understand why the marquis attacked the Great Yan convoy when you understand the layout of the capital.”
“I’m newly come and really don’t know much about the capital. I’ll have to rely on the noble sir to enlighten me.” Qin Yining smiled.
Xie Yue hastily waved off the compliment. “Miss Qin is someone the prince values and not an outsider. I’ll be frank. You know how our prince is sworn brothers with the emperor and the marquis, back when they raised the banner of war?”
Qin Yining nodded with a smile.
“The marquis is a highly shrewd, calm, stand-offish person who minces no words with outsiders. But he’s always had a good relationship with the prince. The first reason behind the marquis attacking the convoy may be because he wanted to get revenge for the prince.”
Surreptitious looks were cast at Qin Yining when this reason was given.
She didn’t mind at all. “My father did indeed plot towards General Pang’s death. Even if the northern Ji tyrant had already wanted to get rid of the general, the plot still provided the perfect excuse for him to do so. In other people’s eyes, the prince has an undying blood feud with the Qins and Great Yan.”
“Precisely.” Xie Yue smiled to see the Qin fourth miss being so honest as well. “Everyone thought that the prince would slaughter all of the Qins for his revenge. But your family was amongst the surrendered convoy. Therefore, that meant his revenge hadn’t succeeded.
“Meanwhile, the prince had to rush back to the capital before accepting Great Yan’s official surrender. On the way back, he happened to run into the marquis, also returning to the capital. Everything that happened after was a result of that.”
The girl nodded after hearing all that, but then felt something was off after thinking about it for a moment.
“Didn’t Sir Xie just say that the marquis is a cunning, calm, and indifferent person? But his actions were at complete odds with his personality,” she analyzed with furrowed brows. “How would a crafty, level-headed person take the long way around to report in, to kill a surrendered official who’s very important to His Majesty? Even if he wants to take revenge for his brother, his actions are too direct and extreme.”
Qin Yining consolidated some knowledge that only she was privy to with what Xie Yue had just relayed. The more she thought about what’d happened that day, the more she felt that something strange was afoot.
“When the marquis attacked that day, he had his men dress up as bandits and ordered them to charge in and kill whoever they could find.
“If his purpose was to kill my family to seek revenge for the prince, his actions were entirely too careless.
“And if this is all he has to his name, to take brainless action before thoroughly investigating the enemy, that wouldn’t fit the description of him from Sir Xie. He probably wouldn’t have a similar status as the prince today, either.”
Hushed silence reigned within the room as everyone turned her conjectures over.
It was true. If the marquis was really that impulsive and witless, how would he possibly be able to hold down the north and lead a hundred thousand Dragon Riders? His position had never wavered. Apart from his title being slightly lower than Pang Xiao, his prestige in the military was on par with the prince’s.
Chapter 310: Ji Zeyu’s Objectives (II)
It was the first time everyone had gathered together to discuss Ji Zeyu’s actions, so all the strategists had come prepared with some thoughts.
What surprised them the most was how perceptive Miss Qin was. She didn’t seem like a typical sheltered, noble daughter at all.
Feeling everyone’s gazes on her, Qin Yining continued. “I’m not too familiar with the marquis, but I remember how he led the charge that day and just hacked around randomly. There was actually a lot of suspicious points about that operation. With the marquis’ abilities, it’s impossible for him not to even find the Qins if he really wanted to kill us all.
“Even I know why the emperor is taking in the surrendered officials, how would someone who serves at court not know? Purposefully slaughtering a random amount of people, and defying imperial orders to hurt surrendered officials—is he really not afraid of imperial wrath?
“Perhaps I’m being petty, but I don’t think that the ties of brotherhood are enough to cause the marquis to throw himself wholeheartedly into pursuit of revenge, without even thinking of his own safety. Not to mention, he didn’t even locate the right people to attack beforehand!x He wouldn’t be that impulsive or that idiotic.”
She looked at Pang Xiao at this point. “If the marquis possesses the same level of fame as Your Highness, then he must also worry about eclipsing his liege with his success?”
Pang Xiao sat silently instead of responding, not a flicker of emotion rippling through his face. The Qin fourth miss’ words demonstrated high clarity in thought. She only had a rudimentary understanding of the capital’s political situation, but had been able to deduce many key points. Though the strategists present could likely do the same, it still merited acknowledgment when a little girl could pinpoint the underlying issues with such coherence.
They no longer looked at her dismissively, as if gazing upon a girl that would be trouble. They seemed to understand now why Pang Xiao viewed her differently. This level of beauty was rare already, but even rarer was her intelligence and able to keep pace with the prince’s plans. It really evoked a brand new assessment of the Qin fourth miss.
Xu Weizhi rose and personally picked up a teapot to add a bit more to Qin Yining’s untouched teacup. When he put the teapot back down, he was smiling. “Miss Qin’s perspective is unique, and this old man happens to share many of the same opinions.”
His courteous attitude was a far cry from the remote aloofness earlier. Pang Xiao nodded to himself when he saw this, and the change also hit the others with surprise.
Xu Weizhi then raised cupped fists to Pang Xiao. “Your Highness, I mentioned to you before that the marquis’ actions aren’t what they appear. The newly arrived Miss Qin has also identified the undercurrents within—meaning that my postulations aren’t without reason. Your Highness treasures relationships, but you must be on your guard.”
Pang Xiao nodded with a solemn expression, prompting a sigh from the old strategist.
“Your Highness is highly loyal and principled, which are your strengths and why all of us follow you. But human hearts change, as does the situation. That is unavoidable.
“Though the marquis has a strong brotherhood with Your Highness, he’s in similar straits as well now. Both of you have prodigious achievements that threaten to eclipse our liege. The marquis must also be thinking of all the things he can do to survive. He wouldn’t destroy his future so easily out of emotional impulse.”
“Absolutely. That’s what we think as well.” The other strategists nodded with sighs and mixed emotions.
Qin Yining could understand the turmoil in Pang Xiao’s heart. Out of the three sworn brothers, one was already openly acting against him. If the other did so as well, then the oaths of yesteryear would be completely broken.
No one would feel good about this outcome at all.
But in these times, one had to accept reality if one wanted to survive.
Xu Weizhi had wanted to express this to Pang Xiao several times before, but hadn’t found the right opening to given the prince’s relationship with the marquis. The Qin fourth miss’ speech today was the perfect chance.
“Everyone, this old man feels that the marquis is killing three birds with one stone. The first of a friendly gesture to His Highness. The second of cozying up to the former Northern Ji officials. And the third of creating a mistake to put into His Majesty’s hands. What do you all think?”
This was how the group of dozen usually discussed things. Since they knew that the prince trusted Qin Yining, they openly debated their viewpoints without concern.
“It’s easy to pick out why this is a friendly gesture. The prince and marqui
s have been stationed to the north and south for a very long time. Even if they know what’s going on with each other, distance is sure to set in after prolonged absence. The marquis treasures his friendship with the prince, so making a friendly gesture is a given.”
“But just like Master Xu has said, this isn’t a simple gesture of friendship. Honestly, being friendly is likely just an afterthought. The other two points are his real goal.”
“Agreed. The arrival of the Yan dynasty officials means that the Northern Ji officials will lose some of their power. The marquis’ actions may not win Northern Ji’s gratitude, but it will at least ensure that they won’t stab him in the back when he returns to the north.”
“Precisely. And the marquis really is encroaching on the emperor with his merits. He’s careful and meticulous, and never makes mistakes. The emperor wants to have something to hold over him, but has nowhere to start. This looks fine on the surface, but won’t be good for the marquis in the long run. Rulers are only comfortable when they can fully grasp the people they use.”
“That’s right. Now that the marquis has attacked the Yan convoy and returned to accept punishment, he’s handed a scandal right into the emperor’s hands. His Majesty will feel at ease and think that he has a way to discard this sharp knife when he no longer wants to use it.”
……
Off to the side, Qin Yining listened silently to all of the analysis. This kind of discourse was both novel and delightful. Was this what was meant by pooling the wisdom of the masses and everyone fully expressing their view?
Listening to the intelligent opinions in the room helped her understand more of Great Zhou. Subconsciously, she started analyzing what she was taking in.
Seeing that the girl was deep in thought, Xie Yue smiled. “Does Miss Qin have any thoughts to share?”
The crowd refocused their attentions on the Qin fourth miss.
She hadn’t expected to be called on, but didn’t let that phase her. “I do indeed have some thoughts. I was thinking how this gentleman’s idea that the marquis’ friendliness being an afterthought was a bit off the mark.”
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