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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 under 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 was treating them, 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 sense of 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 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 she 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.