Bingtang had already knowingly left the carriage by now, walking off into the distance with Jiyun and the groom.
Pang Xiao could finally enfold his girl into his arms without any reservations. He wrapped his cloak around him like a kangaroo hugging its young.
“Why don't you just go back with me?”
Chapter 340: Successful Subjugation
Qin Yining nuzzled lovingly into his embrace.
“You’re spouting nonsense again,” she responded with mock anger. “How could I possibly go back with you now? Everyone already knows that I’m going to participate in the imperial selection—I’m sure the emperor will know soon as well. What will he think if he knows you held onto me, knowing full well that I had to go to the selection?”
Pang Xiao chuckled softly and replied indifferently, “Will he let me off the hook if I don’t hold onto you, and no longer be on his guard against me?”
“At least he won’t have anything to use against you.” Qin Yining reverted back to seriousness. “I don’t want to be a mistake to be wielded against you.”
Her eyes sparkled brilliantly like black jewels in the depths of the dimly lit carriage. They were so deep that they invited one to fall endlessly into them. Pang Xiao couldn’t resist the urge to lean forward and lightly kiss her eyes.
When her eyes fluttered shut, the eyelashes brushed past his lips, setting off an itch in his heart.
The kiss dropped gently and finally moved to her lips. Pang Xiao delicately used his tongue to trace the shape of her lips, kissing her with absolute gentleness.
“How would you ever be a mistake? You’re my motivation.” His deep voice had turned a bit hoarse.
It was because of her that he’d found the persistence to soldier on and gained an edge to duke it out with destiny. Sometimes, caught in the swamp as he was, he wondered just what he was fighting for and how much longer he could hold on.
Sensing his mood, Qin Yining entwined her arms around his neck and gently ran her fingers through his hair. Just a few passes over his scalp with her nails sent shivers down his back, sending him floating up above the clouds. A content grunt sounded as his kiss turned passionate.
The prince only let go reluctantly when his girl found it hard to breathe and was beating on his shoulder with her fists. He licked her bright red lips one more time.
“My darling, I’ll come ask for your hand in marriage when the situation stabilizes.”
Naturally, she knew that he was speaking from the heat of the moment. It wasn’t like him to blurt out something without prior thought.
She didn’t doubt his feelings for her at all, but she was well aware of the current political layout. Their futures weren’t up to them to decide. They could only take things one step at a time.
“It’s too early to talk about marriage. Even if you want to ask for my hand, my father has to come back safely first.” Worry crept into her brows and she looked down. “I’ve kicked up such a ruckus this time in order to not enter the palace. I wonder if the kidnappers will do anything to my parents.”
If her judgment had been off, that meant dooming her mother and father!
She had been wanting to avoid having the family caught in the middle of things, but she wanted even less for her parents to be in danger.
Heart-stricken, Pang Xiao hugged her tightly in comfort. His girl hadn’t known a single day of peace ever since they’d known each other. From eking out a solitary survival in the mountains when young, to plots and schemes abounding after returning home, and then everything that had happened afterwards…
Come to think of it, his darling had always had to work ten times harder to get anything she wanted. But she never once thought of giving up and never blamed the heavens for her lot in life.
She was so mature and resilient! He loved her with every fiber of his being.
“Don’t worry, I’ve already sent people out to investigate the matters of that day. I’ll find my in-laws as quickly as possible. And don’t stress yourself too much either—your body hasn’t fully recovered yet. Your health comes first, no matter what.”
“I know, what would I worry about with you by my side?” Qin Yining curled up quietly by Pang Xiao’s shoulder. She murmured in a soft voice that wrapped around him, “Now that we’re in your territory, I’m looking to you for everything, Sir Yao.”
Said in jest, the name teased a laugh out of Pang Xiao. Memories of how they’d met floated up to contrast with where they were now. It hadn’t yet been a long time, but their love for each other was already so deep. His heart brimmed with sweetness at the memories.
The two chatted lowly for a while longer before Pang Xiao alighted from the carriage. He called Bingtang over and turned his back on Qin Yining to give the maid a stack of bank notes.
“Your miss will find many things inconvenient when she lives with the Qins. Keep an eye out and take care of as many things as possible for her. Also, make sure she makes a full recovery.”
A merrily beaming Bingtang carefully put the ‘household funds’ away. “Don’t worry, Your Highness, if there’s anything we can’t handle, us servants will tell you even if the miss doesn’t want to.”
Pang Xiao grinned at how smart the maid was and handed out some compliments.
When the couple bid each other farewell, Qin Yining climbed back into the carriage with Bingtang and Jiyun. “What did you and the prince talk about just now?”
“What else could we talk about?” Bingtang produced the stack of bills with a flourish and waved them in the air before putting them away again. “The prince gave me these notes and told me to make sure you make a full recovery.”
Qin Yining blinked blankly. “Don't I have my own money? Why should I use his? You shouldn’t have accepted these.”
Bingtang rolled her eyes at her mistress. “We’re so close with His Highness already, are you still thinking of not being with him in the future? Since we’ll be one family sooner or later, why draw the lines so clearly?
“If we really want to talk about gains and losses, how will His Highness pay you back for your loss of name and reputation? I’m just getting some interest for you. Besides, when you recover, won’t you be continuing the Pang bloodline in the future? So no matter how we cut it, it’s the Pangs coming out ahead after all this. It’s just a waste of free money if we don’t take the silver.”
Qin Yining didn’t know if she should be angry or amused by this silly logic. But to be honest, there was nothing she could refute about it.
The two of them were very close. She would feel lost and despondent if she couldn’t marry him, and probably wouldn’t ever consider any other man seriously in this life.
Seeing her fall silent, Bingtang and Jiyun looked at each other and started giggling.
The carriage soon returned to the inns. When mistress and maids returned to the Qins’ yard, they were greeted by the eagerly awaiting Qin Han and Qin Yu beneath the covered hallway.
Both of them had yet to acclimate to the northern winters—they’d transformed into two balls from how thickly bundled up they were. Qin Han stepped forward when he saw his cousin return.
“You’re back, fourth sister! How did it go?”
Qin Yining curtsied to Qin Yu and Qin Han with a smile.
“It went very smoothly and just as we thought. I’m sure it will be public knowledge soon. Not only did His Majesty lose his suspicions, but no one will raise the idea of me entering the palace again.”
The men nodded.
“Fourth sister is meticulous, strategic, and courageous,” remarked Qin Yu. “None of this is difficult for you to pull off.”
Qin Yining blushed from the compliment and smiled. “Don’t say that, big brother, I’ll die of embarrassment.” She looked in the direction of the main house and intoned lowly, “Is everything alright with the old dowager?”
“Things are alright,” responded Qin Han. “My father and third uncle have analyzed the ins and outs of this affair for her. The old dowager understands,
but she had a good cry for a while.”
I wonder if she’s crying because I won’t be leading the family to new heights after entering the palace, over the lost family fortune, or for my still-lost father.
Having mutually caught up on the latest happenings, the three entered the house one after another.
Qin Yining took off her cold outer jacket and stood for a bit, letting her body warm up before she headed to the side hall.
The second wife’s voice filtered to her ears just as she lifted her feet.
“…though this is the case, it’s still a good thing to enter the palace and serve His Majesty. Since fourth sister can’t be chosen, we should give the chance to some of the other girls in the family. By blowing things up like this, doesn’t that mean our family’s completely lost the opportunity?”
The second and third elder master had just managed to coax the old dowager into a better, more accepting mood. It was the work of a quick moment for the second wife to pull the Qin matriarch back.
The old dowager burst into tears.
Entering the house at the same time as Qin Yining, flames of irritation licked at Qin Han to see his wife behaving this way.
“What are you yammering on about?” he hectored. “Just look after yourself since you’re pregnant. Don’t be spouting nonsense and pretending to know things you’re absolutely clueless about.”
The second wife flushed a painful red and lowered her head with mortification.
The second elder master was much assuaged at seeing his son being willing to publicly rebuke his wife.
“Don’t worry, mother,” he started over again. “Didn’t I just analyze things for you? Our family is new in town and should focus our efforts on resting, recovering, and having the days peacefully pass us by. We’ll be able to revitalize the family soon, but if we get involved in these political messes, we’ll end up caught between the emperor and the prince if we don’t handle things properly.
“We haven’t even found our footing in Great Zhou yet, so how can we make any brash moves? We all know mother is doing this for the good of the family. We can figure out other ways to earn money and feed the family, but we can’t voluntarily stick ourselves in between His Majesty and Highness, when we know full well that the two don’t get along.”
The second elder master had talked himself hoarse and had long since lost his patience.
They were both born of the old dowager, but whenever Qin Huaiyuan was present, the old dowager’s favoritism knew no bounds. The second elder master even felt that if his big brother had been present, it’d be so much easier to convince their mother.
His mood dipped down when he thought of his missing elder brother, and he heaved a long sigh.
It was so quiet inside that a pin drop could be heard. The atmosphere was stifling.
The Qin matriarch shook her head after a long time. “Forget it, let this matter be over with. No one else should think about it. Granddaughter Yi can’t enter the palace and neither can granddaughter Hui or number eight. No one shall think of this anymore.”
Chapter 341: Successfully Joining Forces
The eighth miss had a simple, honest, and cheerful disposition. She’d never thought about entering the palace. In fact, she rather felt it a frightening prospect. The girl naturally bobbed her head in agreement when she heard the old dowager’s announcement.
Qin Huining on the other hand, lowered her head demurely and cleverly kept silent.
She wasn’t pleased to let go of this opportunity, but what else could she do? In his exalted and lofty position, she wouldn't be able to reach the emperor even if she had some sort of plan in mind. All of the girls in the imperial selection were in the running because of family connections. It was impossible for her to bypass the Qins to enter.
Besides, she was just a foster girl and no true noble daughter. The family would always think of Qin Yining and Qin Baoning first. It would never be her turn.
……
It took the span of only a night for news of Qin Yining beating the Public Petitioner’s Drum to become public knowledge. For some reason, there seemed to be hands at work in the shadows as minute details of just how the Qin fourth miss had been taken and humiliated were also disseminated. The scene came to life with vivid clarity, as if someone had been present, recording everything.
Rumors flowed from one gossip to the next. Soon, everyone in high society learned that a Qin daughter had been carried off by the Faithful Prince of the First Rank.
Thinking of how brutal and vicious the prince had been to the old guard that had hurt his father after he conquered Northern Ji, the general public developed a deep sympathy for Miss Qin.
But who told Qin Huaiyuan to cause the death of Pang Zhongzheng with a scheme? It was only right that the crimes of the father were the sins of the daughter.
Qin Yining’s name card was naturally rejected, closing the book on the imperial selection chapter.
……
The fourth miss spent her days with Lian Xiaozhou and her maids. Other than greeting the old dowager every morning, she spent the rest of the time in her room, focused on needlework. She was rarely out and about.
When the second madame heard that Qin Yining was setting an example and leading her maids in embroidery everyday, she laid on the praise in front of the old dowager.
“Niece Yi is a mature one, alright. We don’t have any silver to our name now and can live only in the guest inns. Though our room and board are covered, what if someone wants to buy something? It’s not like we can request money from the Great Zhou emperor. In my view, niece Yi is doing women’s work so she help out with the family finances.”
Complex distress welled up in the old dowager’s heart. Though that girl did many things the Qin matriarch wasn’t fond of, one couldn't repudiate her grasp of the bigger picture.
The old dowager summoned all of the womenfolk in the family to do needlework as well.
Qin Huining and the eighth miss spent their days by their grandmother’s side. Qin Huining cautiously tried to pander to the old dowager, and the eighth miss was very filial as she’d lost both her birth and official mother.
With the comparison of ‘wild and intractable’ Qin Yining to more than a decade of familial relationship with Qin Huining, and the eighth miss’ biddable, straightforward cheerfulness, both girls won the old dowager’s fondness. Qin Yining actually turned into the most unwelcome out of the three granddaughters.
But the fourth miss didn’t care about this at all. She returned to her room every day after making her morning greetings.
One day, she happened to hear a venting session between the second wife’s serving girl and the second madame’s maid.
“We don’t have that many left in the family now, but the fourth miss is oh-so pampered. She has five maids serving her. The Qins aren’t as wealthy and high up as before—she shouldn’t be allowed to give herself airs like this. My own madame doesn’t have that many servants by her side.”
“Isn't that right? My mistress only has me and Xiaotao as well.”
Holding Xiaozhou’s hand, Qin Yining planted her feet and looked sideways at the two with their backs to her. She chuckled softly. “After all this fleeing for our lives, anyone who’s still alive is very fortunate. My maids are all very lucky and will naturally live a very long life. But, there will come a day when one’s good luck is used up. Don’t get too full of yourselves and turn good luck into bad.”
The two maids jumped before whipping their heads back. They saw Qin Yining, draped in a pale-green, brocade cape, standing under the covered hallway with her maids. There were no friendly looks cast at the two.
The two complainers hadn’t forgotten the methods that the fourth miss had used back in the day to keep the inner residence in order. They trembled and stammered, finding nothing to say.
“The family’s lost all of their silver and now relies on welfare for our daily meals,” sneered Bingtang. “No one’s taking anything from anyone e
lse. But here we have someone running their mouths! If one day we have to leave the inns, the family will have to depend on the lord and our miss then. But apparently someone has no idea of death or danger? I wonder if they’ll be so principled as to not eat anything then!”
“Isn’t that right?” snickered Jiyun. “It’s like they were never taught any manners.”
The two terrified maids didn’t dare lift their heads. They huddled where they stood and trembled like quail.
Qin Yining had no interest in pointing her fingers at the second madame and wife’s staff. She took her people and left with utter indifference.
The two maids heaved long sighs of relief when they saw the fourth miss walk off into the distance; she didn't seem inclined to punish them.
Another ten days passed before the wedding of the Princess of Anyang to the Marquis of Northern Stability approached. Things in the capital took a lively turn.
As Ji Zeyu’s sworn brother, Pang Xiao naturally had to help. He became so busy that he could only slip away a few times in secret to come see Qin Yining.
Once porridge had been duly eaten for the laba rice porridge festival on the eighth day of the twelfth month, a magnificent wedding on the tenth caused a sensation in the city. Even with living in the guest inns, the crackle and pop of firecrackers as well as the enthusiastic hubbub filtered into Qin ears. Curious serving girls who snuck out for a peek came back with vivid stories.
The proceedings could be summed up with ‘unprecedented pomp and glory come out to play when a royal daughter is wed and a marquis welcomes a wife’.
Outsiders saw the grandness and prestige of the affair, but only the bride and groom knew their heart of hearts.
Li Helan wept countless of times and almost burst into tears when she saw Pang Xiao come with Ji Zeyu as part of the escort.
Ji Zeyu remained expressionless throughout the entire proceedings. His handsome face resembled an ice sculpture and looked more like he was attending a funeral than his wedding.
No one dared malign the marquis for being dissatisfied with the match. All they dared say was that he was simply too direct and stern a person.
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