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Qin Yining was rather surprised by Pang Xiao’s sudden visit. Logically speaking, he would avoid the premises. Otherwise, the emperor would suspect that his relations with the surrendered Great Yan officials had warmed up.
But when her thoughts spun in another direction, enlightenment was soon in coming. Pang Xiao wasn’t a fool; he’d probably prepared another show in advance of his arrival today.
Twin flames of fury burned in his eyes as he glared at Yuchi Yan, almost burning straight through the skinny prince.
“It looks like the Commandery Prince of Yan is having a ball of a time being the ruler of a dead nation?”
“You!” Those words stabbed deeply into Yuchi Yan’s heart. His face beet red and body trembling from rage, he glared furiously back at Pang Xiao.
The Faithful Prince of the First Rank sniffed. “Out of you Yuchi men, the only one worth looking at was the Prince of Ning. He was a real man! He knew that his country would fall, but would rather fall in the battlefield than on his knees! Though he met his end at my blade, he also left scars on my body. I admire and respect him! as for you?”
Pang Xiao slowly closed the distance, forcing Yuchi Yan down with both height and aura.
“If you had the slightest hint of being a true man, you would take your sword to your neck to give your ancestors an explanation. I would respect you as a real man then, a different stock from your useless tyrant of a father.
“But just look at you, not only do you not know the shame of having your nation die on your watch, but you’re of a mind to admire the scenery and dabble in a bit of love. Do you think you’re still the emperor??
“Though I’m the one who didn’t want this woman, go take a look at yourself in the mirror! Take care of someone? Why don’t you take care of yourself first!”
Pang Xiao’s voice wasn’t loud, but every word smashed harshly onto Yuchi Yan’s heart like a sledgehammer. His heart was being mashed into a paste! His face flamed painfully, and there was a voice inside his head that agreed with everything being said.
Just like the hateful Pang Xiao said, Yuchi Yan wasn’t the least bit hot-blooded. He didn’t have an iota of the courage of his royal uncle

He wanted to defend himself, but couldn’t find a single word to say. They were in Great Zhou territory. He was just a commandery prince now, while the one strutting around in front of him was a much higher ranked imperial prince—even if a common born one. Pang Xiao had joined the Grand Secretariat on account of his own battle merits and would participate in the grand affairs of policy making in the future.
Yuchi Yan felt complete and utter shame in comparison.
Qin Yining was both amused and annoyed that her beloved was being so harsh and obviously picking a fight. Likely only one third of this was for a show, the rest of it was because he was jealous.
A big, grown-up man like him being jealous? She hadn’t done anything out of bounds and Yuchi Yan had only asked her a question. With his current identity, there was no way he could get up to anything. Yet her beloved had taken it to heart like a child whose candy had been stolen.
She looked primly at Pang Xiao, but her eyes brimmed with laughter, which made the imperial prince flush.
Maybe I’m going a bit overboard
 He flung a strong glare back at the girl in return. If it hadn’t been for him running across this today, he wouldn’t have known just how popular his darling was!
When Great Yan was being attacked, Yuchi Yan had done all that he could to pursue Qin Yining, even to the point of forcing her to enter the palace so she would be his.
If it hadn’t been for Pang Xiao’s plot, she would’ve long become part of Yuchi Yan’s harem! So how does that silly girl have the good temper to smile at that fop now??
Though irritated thoughts ran madly through his mind, the imperial prince’s anger was mostly assuaged by the gentle look in her eyes. He coughed and stared coldly at Qin Yining.
“What, found another future path after leaving this prince’s manor? Don’t worry, if someone really doesn't mind your past and is willing to wed you, this prince will add a great present to your dowry. We knew each other for a while, after all. But you can’t go to be a concubine now, can you? One of this prince’s women settling for anything but the lady of the household? Isn't that just wallowing in degeneration?”
“You, you go too far!” Yuchi Yan could finally no longer hold it in upon seeing Pang Xiao humiliate the girl this way. “I wonder how His Majesty will judge if I send in a petition censuring you!”
“That would be later in the future, and absolutely nothing to do with you!” jeered Pang Xiao.
Yuchi Yan’s complexion was turning an alarming shade of red. Just as he was about to really dive into things, Lu-gonggong reported that Qin Huaiyuan and the others had walked out into the yard.
“What might the Faithful Prince of the First Rank need, having graced us with your honorable presence?” Qin Huaiyuan smiled faintly and spoke gently.
The imperial prince arched a brow. “Nothing much, just taking a spin around and checking in on an old friend.”
His attitude was extremely arrogant and at disparate odds with how he treated Qin Huaiyuan before.
The Qin patriarch narrowed his eyes, filtering through numerous possibilities in his mind. Behind him were nĂ©e Sun, the second elder master and madame, and third elder master. They were very put out by Pang Xiao’s contemptuous attitude, especially nĂ©e Sun.
Back in Great Yan, Pang Xiao had sought to shorten the distance between them and called her mother-in-law. He’d done everything possible in the realm of flattery for Qin Yining’s sake.
And look just how long it’d been? He changed his mind as easily as flipping the pages of a book!
They’d heard of a few rumors between the prince and their fourth miss upon their return, but nĂ©e Sun hadn’t thought much of them at all. So it turned out that she’d been too optimistic?
Cheeks crimson with anger, nĂ©e Sun held a firm grip on her temper and didn’t say anything.
Qin Huaiyuan remained as elegantly refined as ever. “I see. I had no idea that the Faithful Prince of the First Rank and Commandery Prince of Yan were friends. Is this a new way to greet friends? Or is this a custom of the Great Zhou capital? I’m afraid I have little talent and even less learning. It’s my first time experiencing this.”
Father-in-law really has airtight logic! Life would be horribly difficult if I’d ever become enemies with someone like him.
Even so, Pang Xiao kept a sneer plastered to his face. “Oh, Sir Qin will have plenty of opportunities to experience this in the future.”
Halfsies!