“There’s quite a number of people like Old Master Gu.” Pang Xiao picked up the conversation. “Yet many of them are incompetent. For those who are able, they’re lacking in connections. Those who are both competent and resourceful aren’t on the same page as Old Master Gu.”
“Precisely, like me for example.” Qin Huaiyuan grinned. “I’m done with all of the strife and worry. A fire in the city gates spells calamity for all fish in the moat. It’s always the humble people who suffer the most. Even without the war; drought, floods, or the earth dragon turning over is sufficient enough to despair everyone. There’s also a myriad of heavy taxes being levied. It’s extremely unwise to stir up more trouble merely for asserting one’s personal convictions.”
Pang Xiao couldn’t resist laughing. “So there goes the adage that like-minded people marry each other. I’m with father-in-law in this.”
Qin Huaiyuan smiled. “Indeed. I’ve long pegged you as an honest and magnanimous sort. Despite the vice of murder that’s stained your hands, you actually saved tens of thousands by killing just one. Many dub you as some sort of violent god of slaughter, saying that you’re stained with the sins of murder, that you’re going to meet a terrible end. But I think otherwise.
“There’s a Buddhist saying that goes, ‘if I don’t descend into hell, who will?’ You’re that chosen one to bear the stigma of rampages for the protection and safety of millions. How can someone like you not be rewarded?”
Pang Xiao’s face flamed with his father-in-law’s praise, but his heart was warmed with content. He’d never given what he did much thought. He simply followed what his heart told him to do.
Qin Yining smiled with delight to see her father and husband get on famously.
“Father, we’ll keep close tabs on the commandery prince.”
“Mm. Zhixi told me just now that you’ve made arrangements as well?”
“I have. I’m to meet with Azure Justice and Madame Cao. I’d like to make some more arrangements prior to our departure. But the Silver Masks are being watched by the emperor, it’d raise eyebrows if I went to see Madame Cao. It’d be better yet if father can deliver a message for me.”
“That’s just as well. What do you have in mind?”
Qin Yining smiled. “Sixteen Silver Masks are stationed in the capital and eight are posted outside. I want to ask Madame Cao to redeploy those eight. Other than that, I also need a few messenger pigeons.”
Qin Huaiyuan began to see where his daughter was going with this. “Don’t worry, I’ll deliver the message. If she has any questions, I’ll have her come meet you surreptitiously.”
“That sounds perfect. Madame Cao’s a warrior with exceptional skills. It’ll be a walk in the park for her to elude watchful eyes.”
Chapter 433.1: To Lose
What remained unsaid was that where others may fail when making requests to Cao Yuqing, she would always agree if Qin Huaiyuan was involved.
Previously, Qin Yining had only considered things from née Sun’s perspective. Given that, of course she didn't want Cao Yuqing to wade into her parents’ marriage.
The Silver Masks leader was a stunning beauty, possessed adept martial arts skills, and boasted a rich breadth of life experience. Her feelings for Qin Huaiyuan ran deep and she'd remained steadfast and true all this time. After such a long period of impartial observation, Qin Yining could note Cao Yuqing’s sincerity and straightforwardness.
Madame Cao could also tell that the subject of her affections didn’t return her ardor, which was why she'd taken a step back to protect him as a guard instead.
Love for the house extended to even the crows on the roof. Qin Yining often felt that Cao Yuqing was particularly tolerant and trusting of her. Even with that, an extended verbal bout still may have resulted in failure to deploy the Silver Masks. But if her father asked, the Qin fourth miss was almost certain that he would receive whatever he wanted.
Honestly speaking, Qin Yining rather pitied Cao Yuqing not being able to find fulfillment in love and having to take a step back as a guardian. There was pity, but also admiration.
If it’d been a crooked person in Cao Yuqing’s shoes, it’d be the work of a moment with her martial arts skills to take née Sun out of the picture and create space for herself. However, she hadn’t done so because she respected Qin Huaiyuan's decision, and life itself.
Qin Yining, Pang Xiao, and Qin Huaiyuan continued their discussion in low whispers. When they wrapped up the conversation, the prince had Huzi surreptitiously send his father-in-law out.
“Escort Minister Qin and make sure no one discovers you two. Be careful.”
“Understood, Your Highness.” Huzi smiled.
The next day, Qin Yining used the excuse of buying spices to meet with Missus Liao, left some reminders with Steward Zhong, and returned to Pang Manor at noon.
The family took their meal together. The wedding having taken place not long ago, the nuptial bed hadn’t even been fully warmed before His Majesty sent Pang Xiao on such an assignment. The family was reluctant to see them go—even née Yao, who was at slight odds with Qin Yining.
They could scheme and plot against each other behind closed doors, but were one family outside of the home. Née Yao truly feared that the emperor would be up to no good again after the youngsters set off.
“Ai, good thing Dafu can take lass Yi with him, or I’d really be out of my mind with worry,” sighed née Ma.
Yao Chenggu doused her relief. “Dafu is off to deliver emergency relief to the south. We don't know if he’ll be in danger or not.”
Née Ma’s brow furrowed when she heard this, and née Yao worried even more.
“I hear that it was quite a severe earthquake this time. The disaster zone is a very wide area, and with such hot weather, it will be difficult to rescue those buried beneath the debris. If the heat and humidity accelerates decomposition…”
“That’s enough, mom.” With resignation, Pang Xiao interrupted née Yao’s words. “It’ll be fine. I’m just escorting the commandery prince. I won’t have to actually do anything.”
Née Yao was also feeling that her speech wasn't too auspicious. She quickly changed the topic. “That’s good, that’s very good.”
Discomfort crept in when her eyes fell on the smiling Qin Yining off to the side. Since marrying in, the girl had ignored all of the unfriendliness projected from her mother-in-law. No matter what disquieting words were voiced, Qin Yining brushed them all off with a smile, showing only a docile appearance.
This kind of girl is either truly kind and open minded, or her schemes run deep, very deep.
Naturally, née Yao leaned towards the latter.
“Daughter Yi, you and Dafu must take care of each other outside these doors. It’s hot down there, so be careful of coming down with sun poisoning or illness.”
“Yes mom, your daughter-in-law understands.” Qin Yining smiled. “Grandfather, grandmother, mom, there’s no need to worry. The old capital was once my home. I’m familiar with the area and I have some businesses there. The prince won't have a hard time while he’s there.”
“That’s good, that’s good.” Née Ma caressed the girl’s cheek. “We’re all very much at ease with you taking care of Dafu.”
Née Yao nodded as well, and the atmosphere grew warm again.
The time to set off was set. Qin Huaiyuan mixed his messenger pigeons in with the thirty from the emperor. No one anticipated that the newlyweds would bring their own, so when combined with Pang Xiao’s lofty status, no one really dared inspect the prince’s carriage.
The relief mission convoy was quite vast; it gathered interested crowds when it left the capital.
Soldiers at the front cleared the way via banging on gongs. Ceremonial troops behind them raised signs marked with “Solemn Quiet” and “Make Way”. Following them was the carriage holding the Commandery Prince of Yan and his father-in-law Gu Shixiong. Li Yanyan and Gu Chang remained behind in the capital.
Chapte
r 433.2: To Lose
A full two hundred Dragon Riders came next after the commandery prince, led by the specially appointed vice general You Meng.
After them came Pang Xiao in a dazzling purple, python robe. Wrapped in a midnight-black cloak, he sat ramrod straight on a black horse with fur that gleamed coldly. His personal carriage and several more carrying servants trailed behind him.
Finally, a hundred Dragon Riders brought up the rear.
In full regalia, the procession observed all pomp and circumstance before putting it aside after exiting the capital, so that they could make better time on the road.
The same display was brought out again when they entered the next city. This time, Pang Xiao handed his horse over to Huzi and leapt onto the carriage.
Thick blankets padded the spacious vehicle. Out of concern for the hot weather, bamboo mats were laid over seat cushions. Qin Yining laid sideways on one of them, propping her head up with one hand and reading a book of travels with the other.
The curves of her body rose and fell like peaks and valleys, commanding all of Pang Xiao’s attention. He froze in place, kneeling at the door of the carriage.
My wifey is so easy on the eyes that even lying around randomly looks like a painting!
Qin Yining picked up that Pang Xiao was back and raised her eyes curiously when he didn’t come in. “What’s wrong?”
The lazy lift of her eyes sent Pang Xiao’s heart pounding. Though they were already married, his heart always raced out of control at times like these. His hands grew clammy, and his heart ached with emotion because he just liked her so much.
“Nothing, I just lost my train of thought when I looked at you.”
Qin Yining didn’t take the response seriously and rewarded him with an eye roll. “Come rest for a bit. The journey ahead of us is long.”
“That’s right.” He sat down and leaned against a body pillow next to Qin Yining. Wrapping his arms around her, he snuck in a kiss. “But there’s nothing bad about this either. We can spend every day together on this trip. If this was normal times in the capital, I’d have to be busy with this and that. I wouldn’t be able to keep you company whenever I felt like it.”
Qin Yining chuckled and lost interest in her book. She pillowed her head on Pang Xiao’s sturdy thighs. “I think this is swell. It feels more like we’re here for vacation instead of disaster relief.”
Pang Xiao was once again compelled to kiss her forehead.
Their trip to the south didn’t go that smoothly. Apart from the occasional deluge of rain that made travel impossible, they also ran into two bands of ‘brothers in the wild’ that ventured forth from the mountains.
Thankfully, the well-trained Dragon Riders were led by an equally courageous and sharp-minded You Meng. The group weathered the challenges of travel without major mishap.
Along the way, Pang Xiao sent out several imperial messenger pigeons. He didn’t use them to just greet Li Qitian, but also made detailed accounts of everything that happened along the way, dedicating significant space to describing everything Yuchi Yan did and said.
With the size of the procession and how their two parties were at opposite ends of the group, there weren’t many chances for them to speak other than when making camp for the night. Pang Xiao put his dislike of Yuchi Yan on obvious display. Sometimes, he even forbade Qin Yining from leaving the carriage.
Both of them knew that there must be more than one pair of eyes keeping them under constant surveillance. Any discrepancy in their words or actions would certainly arouse suspicion.
On the morning of the fourteenth day, the procession finally reached Great Yan territory. Huzi merrily approached the carriage.
“Your Highness, Yuchi Yan and Gu Shixiong are both missing from the lead carriage. It’s two decoys in place now. They’re just actors and are being paid for their troubles.”
Qin Yining turned to her husband with surprise, but he wasn’t fazed at all.
“I see. Keep a close eye on their movements, but stay away from their party in the procession. Let’s wait for You Meng to figure things out himself.”
“Understood.”
“I guessed that Gu Shixiong would take advantage of this trip to goad Yuchi Yan into searching for the treasure,” commented Qin Yining. “But I hadn’t thought that he’d make his escape in this fashion. Isn’t he worried that when this gets back to the capital, His Majesty will kill the women he left behind?”
There was no way that Yuchi Yan would be content to scrape and bow in front of Li Qitian after finding the treasure. Therefore, he’d probably planned on finding the treasure when he departed the capital. His return was unknown, but sacrificing Li Yanyan and Gu Chang was a certainty.
Seeing his wife’s expression turn ugly, Pang Xiao patted her shoulder comfortingly. “Doing the inhumane—he’s certainly inherited the truest traits from his father. But don’t worry, I would never throw you away. Never.”
Qin Yining hugged Pang Xiao’s arm to herself and rested her head on his shoulder. “I know you’re good to me. I just think that he’s not the type. This seems more like a move from Gu Shixiong. But Gu Chang is his granddaughter! He’s willing to leave her in the capital as a hostage, running the risk of execution at any time?”
She sat upright. “Or maybe in his eyes, a mere woman isn’t anything valuable at all.”
The prince nodded. “Don’t worry. No matter how others are, I will never change towards you. My wife is so good that I wouldn't trade her for a mountain of gold!”
Involuntary chuckles worked themselves out of Qin Yining. “My thanks, my prince.”
Pang Xiao laughed heartily and peppered her cheeks and mouth with kisses. “We’re a married couple, what’s all this politeness for? When we have time tonight, we should bend our minds to studying when our little prince is willing to arrive at the manor.”
Chapter 434: Direction
“What nonsense are you spewing in broad daylight…”
Qin Yining blinked a couple of times before finally understanding where Pang Xiao was coming from. Her cheeks immediately flamed red, and she bestowed a hearty pinch on his arm.
To the prince, her pinch had no more force than a mosquito bite. He spanned her slim waist with his hands and breathed in the faint jasmine fragrance in her hair. With such a warm and soft body by his side, he stirred restlessly again.
He buried his face in the crook of his wife’s neck to drink her in, his voice hoarse. “My darling, you smell wonderful.”
Incredibly flustered, Qin Yining shoved him away with all her might. “Don’t. We’re in the carriage!”
“I know. I just want to hold you.” Pang Xiao effortlessly swept up his wife with his muscular arms, placing her on his strong thighs. His large hands roved all over her body. “You smell so good and you’re so soft to the touch. I love it.”
Qin Yining gasped at his wayward hands. “You, stop!”
“Hush. Don’t make a sound.” He went at her lush lips and gave them a gentle nibble.
The carriage traveled onwards, the tightly drawn curtains blocking prying eyes from the wonders inside.
As the entourage made its way to a village, ready to stop and rest for the night, Yu Meng discovered to his consternation that two decoys had replaced Yuchi Yan and Gu Shixiong!
Enraged, he drew his sword to execute the two frauds. Pang Xiao rushed up.
“Vice General Yu, wait! If you kill them now, don’t you risk destroying all clues and forfeiting further investigation?”
Yu Meng snapped to reason; he was being too brash. He’d been one second away from losing all of the clues that would lead him to the two escapees.
“My thanks to Your Highness.” Close to forty years of age, the tall, brawny northerner reddened from embarrassment. He waved his hands, summoning his subordinates to take the pair away for questioning. “Your Highness, what should we do next?”
The imperial envoy in charge of this mission was the Commandery Prince of Yan, but th
e man had taken off! Yu Meng didn’t dare make a decision on his own, so opted to consult the prince instead.
Pang Xiao lowered his eyes.
“Our top priority is to track down the whereabouts of the commandery prince and Gu Shixiong. We’re a stone’s throw away from the old capital of Great Yan. I wonder if the two runaways are headed straight for the treasure. Secondly, we must update His Majesty of today’s happenings and await his decision.”
Yu Meng nodded. “You’re very right, Your Highness. This humble general will notify my men immediately.”
Pang Xiao didn’t participate in the interrogation because the decoys were Yuchi Yan’s stooges. Those with a discerning eye knew full well that disposable lackeys would be completely in the dark and know nothing of importance. But to avoid arousing suspicion, Pang Xiao kept a respectable distance and ordered his subordinates to keep clear as well.
Sleepy from exhaustion, Qin Yining was half-asleep by the time the prince made his way back to the farmhouse that was their quarters for the night. Her eyes refused to open when she heard her husband’s light footsteps. She asked lazily in a low, soft voice, “You’re back? Has Yu Meng taken care of things?”
The seductive huskiness of her tone titillated Pang Xiao again. Desire stirred when he saw the beguiling sight of her reclining languidly against the bed.
“He has.” He sat sideways on the edge of the bed, reaching out with his large paw to massage her back. That hand traveled slowly down her body to an ambiguous area.
Qin Yining glared at him with reproach, her large eyes glimmering with a light mist, like a small pet that’d been excessively bullied. She complained with resignation, “I’m tired.”
She usually presented a steady and tactful, astute and resourceful front to the world. Those character traits made it easy to forget that she was still a young girl. A playful bout of a tantrum was an even rarer sight to behold.
Now that they were married, she revealed to him every side of her in absolute honesty, without filter. She could be mischievous and vivacious, and at times disarmingly spoiled and cuddly.
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