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Chapter 561: Outskirts of the Capital
eep fear drenched Li Guanwen’s back with cold sweat. He was crystal clear about what Ji Zeyu really meant.
The emperor deeply favored Li Guanwen. In court, even officials of the inner council showed him respect. He was sometimes sent to complete tasks on the emperor’s behalf, such as questioning Ji Zeyu right now.
Everyone under the heavens knew this. Even the uncouth boors of the Valiant Tigers knew that the supervising official by the emperor’s side should not be offended. However, they’d immediately hauled him off without the slightest shred of protest or hesitation when Ji Zeyu gave the word.
Li Guanwen had no doubt that if Ji Zeyu had casually ordered him to be executed on the spot just now, his head would’ve separated from his neck in the next moment!
Valiant Tigers obedience to Ji Zeyu had reached a stage in which they didn’t even think before following his orders. They didn’t even care if their actions could lead to a charge of high treason, only that Ji Zeyu had given his orders. Wasn’t this a clear representation of the control that the prince consort held over this portion of the army?
Ji Zeyu used these actions to bluntly answer Li Guanwen’s previous question.
Some things were best believed when seen. Not everyone would believe that the prince consort now grasped complete control over the Valiant Tigers, but Li Guanwen was forced to be a believer now.
Li Guanwen wiped the sweat from his forehead, cutting a sorry figure as he scrambled up from the ground and pasted a wide grin on his face.
“Prince Consort Ji is indeed a hero to sort out the Valiant Tigers in such a short amount of time and with such thoroughness. His Majesty will be very happy to hear of this.”
Ji Zeyu nodded indifferently, “Anything else?”
Li Guanwen choked. The prince consort was known for treating others in an aloof manner, but the eunuch had just mentioned the emperor! Shouldn’t ordinary people make some sort of modest remark, exchange pleasantries, then thank His Majesty for his trust and patronage?
Why did it feel like Prince Consort Ji was showing him the door?
“In response to Prince Consort Ji, this servant has nothing left to address. Rest assured, I won’t say anything untoward when I report back to His Majesty. His Majesty will only know that you have taken control of the Valiant Tigers. He is certain to be so pleased that he will lavish you with praise.” Li Guanwen’s smile was so wide that it creased two deep rows of wrinkles by his eyes.
Ji Zeyu’s face was stony from start to finish; he nodded without a single flicker of emotion. “I won’t see you out.”
Li Guanwen hastily bowed and walked outside, finally feeling alive again after breathing in fresh air.
Ji Zeyu was indeed a veteran of the battlefield who’d reaped countless lives; the frosty aura around him was simply too overpowering. It felt like he could snap one’s neck from his stare alone, and Li Guanwen felt that the events of today would give him nightmares for weeks.
But fortunately, he had good news. His Majesty would be highly pleased to learn that Prince Consort Ji held complete control over the Valiant Tigers. They no longer had to worry about the Valiant Tigers betraying the throne to support the Faithful Prince of the First Rank.
Li Guanwen quickly departed to make his report to the emperor.
Back inside the tent, Ji Zeyu returned to contemplating the map. His slender, powerful fingers tapped a border station, Skyzone Pass, before sliding down to Skywolf Pass, then to Skyaxis and Skygate Pass. The route passed through countless towns, slowly making its way to the capital.
Pang Xiao was on his way back, he had found Qin Yining. However, the emperor had already prepared a large net and was just waiting for them to rush in.
The emperor has even given me the Valiant Tigers with complete peace of mind in order to deal with Pang Xiao. His Majesty truly wants to completely eliminate Pang Xiao this time.
Ji Zeyu narrowed his eyes, tapping somewhere on the map with his fingertips. Only after a long while did he awake from his trance with a sigh. It’s better to not return this time. What are you doing, hastily coming back here with your wife?
The happy couple naturally couldn’t hear Ji Zeyu’s thoughts. However, the pace of their travels was indeed hampered by Qin Yining’s severe morning sickness.
“My dear, are you feeling better?” Pang Xiao fed Qin Yining a piece of dried plum and coaxed it down her throat, “I hear this can help alleviate nausea, try some.”
They were lying together in a soft, cozy carriage. In order to reduce the bumpiness that caused her to vomit, Pang Xiao had ordered the vehicle’s wheels to be bound with a layer of thick cotton. That really did lessen the jolting and noisy din, but the decline in speed was unavoidable. Just looking at the carriage now made Yi Binghu’s stomach churn with anger.
“I’m fine, it’s already a lot better.” Qin Yining scrunched her brows up as she leaned on Pang Xiao’s chest, a few tears still hanging on her lashes from when she’d thrown up earlier. She closed her eyes, weakly giving all of her weight to Pang Xiao.
The prince lowered his head and looked tenderly at her pale face. He used his sleeve to wipe her tears away.
“We’ll arrive at the capital soon. I don’t feel comfortable with your body like this. I’ll send for an imperial physician to give you a proper examination as soon as we arrive.”
Qin Yining found it funny. “We’re being escorted into the capital as criminals, how would they let you call for an imperial physician? If we really do request one upon our arrival, His Majesty would probably die of apoplexy.”
Although her tone was very relaxed, her voice was weak and hoarse.
Chapter 561.2: Outskirts of the Capital
Hearing that, Pang Xiao’s heart clenched. He didn’t immediately reply to Qin Yining’s words, instead sighing, “If I’d known it’d be this hard on you, I wouldn’t have wanted kids.”
“What are you saying?” Qin Yining gripped Pang Xiao’s hand and closed her eyes, her voice low. “Even if you don’t want to be a father, I still want to be a mother. This isn’t just about you. As long as our child can have a safe birth and grow up happy and healthy, I’ll be satisfied.
“Besides, look around, all mothers undergo this process. Both of ours suffered through a great deal. That’s why the saying goes that one doesn’t understand the gratitude owed to their parents until they have children themselves. When we return, we must demonstrate deep filial piety to our mothers.”
She still marshalled her spirits to talk things through with him despite her deep weariness, a consideration that only made Pang Xiao’s heart hurt even more.
“Alright then, we’ll do as you say. You should grab the chance to sleep now that the symptoms are a bit better. We’ll reach the outskirts of the capital soon, and I’m not sure if there will be people waiting for us there. If His Majesty doesn’t do anything immediately, I’ll summon an imperial physician for you.”
Hearing that, Qin Yining could only docilely nod her head. Moreover, she truly was tired. She closed her eyes, hugging Pang Xiao’s waist and finding a comfortable spot on his chest before falling into a deep sleep.
Pang Xiao pulled the quilt over her. Weather at the end of the fourth month was still a bit chilly, and his darling was especially sensitive to the cold right now.
They’d spoken with many doctors along the way, and all to a man said Qin Yining lacked vitality blood, and that it wasn’t the best timing for her to be pregnant right now. Regret assailed Pang Xiao everytime it was repeated. He shouldn’t have made Qin Yining carry a child when her body was so weak. However, what was done was done, so they had to try their hardest to protect this child.
Pang Xiao closed his eyes, but the arm around Qin Yining didn’t relax in the slightest. His mind raced through what awaited them at the capital. Most had already been scouted out by the Elite Tigers, so he had a general grasp of the situation.
Now, he just had to see if those close to him truly shared a tacit understanding with him. Especially him and Ji Lan.
He knew that the emperor would choose to attack him at his weakest, at a moment in which he was least able to fight back. The most likely candidate was at the moment of their return, before they had time to prepare anything.
Everything proceeded according to Pang Xiao’s speculations. The prince’s entourage was met with Metropolitan troops as soon as they approached the outskirts.
When Yi Binghu saw one of his own, he felt like he’d finally returned home. He greeted them happily, “Have you come on His Majesty’s orders?”
The leader of the squadron was called Sun Yan, and he was relatively close with Yi Binghu. He cupped his fists upon seeing the two carriages, “Yes, I’m here on imperial orders to welcome the prince’s entourage into the capital. I’ve been waiting here for many days. His Majesty believed that His Highness would return around this timeframe and ordered me to keep watch here.”
Hearing that, Yi Binghu suffered a burst of frustration. They were so close to the capital, so shouldn’t His Majesty just seize and arrest Pang Xiao’s party? Sending out more soldiers to welcome the prince was giving him his due respect. This wasn’t what Yi Binghu had anticipated, not at all.
Pang Xiao alighted from the carriage, gravely solemn as Qin Yining’s condition wasn’t very good. “So it’s General Sun. Please give thanks to His Majesty on this prince’s behalf.”
Sun Yan immediately raised cupped fists in greeting, “Your Highness, it would be better for you to thank His Majesty yourself. His Majesty also gave orders for Your Highnesses to rest in a manor outside of the capital. Everything has already been fully prepared there. There happens to be a big court session tomorrow morning in which Your Highnesses are requested to attend together. You will have the opportunity to personally thank His Majesty at that time.”
Yi Binghu’s brows immediately rose with happiness. So this was what the emperor was planning!
This meant keeping the prince’s group in house arrest outside the capital, not permitting him time to prepare anything before trying him in court tomorrow morning!
When he thought of this, Yi Binghu almost laughed aloud.
Pang Xiao naturally understood Li Qitian’s intentions, but he wasn’t afraid. “Many thanks for His Majesty’s arrangements. However, my wife is currently with child. Was a physician arranged for at the manor?”
The secret messages Yi Binghu had sent along the way had already reported Qin Yining’s pregnancy. Each of their stops along the way was also to search out doctors or medicine, so Li Qitian had long known the news.
Given how directly the prince phrased the question, Sun Yan naturally couldn’t say His Majesty hadn’t arranged for anything. He thought quickly on his feet, “I will immediately request a doctor for Her Highness.”
“An ordinary doctor won’t do, I need an imperial physician from the palace that specializes in pregnancies. Send for one. If you can’t, this prince will personally go,” said Pang Xiao.
The threat in his words was clear. Sun Yan wouldn’t dare to allow the prince to search out an imperial physician, not for anything under the sun! If they escaped along the way, the soldiers here would be the ones to bear the blame!
Sun Yan nodded and saluted, “Please be at ease, Your Highness. This general will certainly do so.”
While Sun Yan sent men to summon an imperial physician, Pang Xiao returned to the carriage and ordered his men to set out. Following the soldiers from the capital, they traveled to the manor the emperor had prepared for them.