Receiving news that Su Pan’er had already entered the palace gates, Qin Yi could hardly believe his own ears.
After the initial shock, ecstasy surged onto his face!
He no longer cared about propriety, and bolted toward the palace gates. Not far off, he saw Lord Zhang erge from behind the screen wall, escorting a woman wearing a cloak, prompting him to stop in his tracks.
Su Pan’er had not expected Qin Yi to et her there and stepped forward with so surprise, erging from the throng of people around her.
Qin Yi took two big strides forward, frantically scanning her from head to toe, and upon seeing she was unhard, he imdiately embraced her, holding her tightly in his arms.
"Pan’er, you... you’ve co back? It’s good you’re back, so good..."
The feeling of regaining what was lost was too unbearable, unclear whether it was happiness or sadness, or perhaps a mixture of sweet, sour, bitter, and salty tastes, leaving Qin Yi unable to utter a complete sentence.
Behind him, Lord Zhang and the others, very observant, paid their respects and quietly withdrew.
Su Pan’er buried her head in Qin Yi’s chest, feeling his worry, his fear, and his restlessness, feeling very apologetic in her heart.
"It’s my fault, I’ve made you worry. Next ti, I will..."
"No way! You think there will be a next ti?"
Qin Yi suddenly beca angry!
He hugged her even tighter and growled lowly, "You infuriating foolish woman, you could have just arranged for the servants to deal with matters. Why insist on putting yourself in danger? You, you... you’re really driving mad!"
Qin Yi was not just slightly angered, which only increased Su Pan’er’s feelings of guilt.
In a hurry, she repeatedly assured him, "There won’t be a next ti! No more next tis. It was my fault this ti, I shouldn’t have left the palace without care. But I knew I would make it back before dark, so..."
"So, you thought I would still be in the Purple Zen Hall, and you could slip out of the palace and then back in without anyone noticing. Is that it?"
Qin Yi roared into her ear, with a deanor suggesting that he was frustrated she hadn’t lived up to his expectations.
Su Pan’er shrank her neck and quickly diverted the topic, "Alright, I know I was wrong, and there won’t be a next ti! Please, we are in public, could you leave so face? Besides, I’ve already co back safely, haven’t I?"
In serious matters, she was used to taking charge.
But on this occasion, she indeed caused him worry, so she was willing to play the little woman, humbling herself to please him.
"So now you’re the one in the right?"
Qin Yi laughed out of sheer anger, seeing Su Pan’er pretending to be innocent, his anger had no outlet and was suffocating to hold inside.
"Alright, alright! I know it’s my fault..."
Su Pan’er carefully admitted she was wrong, gently pushing him, "This isn’t the right place, let’s talk when we get back. Can we talk back in the Warm Pavilion? It’s so cold here!"
She hadn’t ntioned it, and Qin Yi hadn’t felt it, but as soon as she reminded him, he realized the little woman in front of him had a red-tipped nose from the cold, her hands as cold as ice blocks.
He could not hesitate any longer, promptly scooped her up, and strode towards Huayang Palace.
"Deserved it! This is what you get for leaving the palace without permission, and if there’s a next ti, I will not let you off easily!"
"Alright, alright, I know..."
Su Pan’er agreed quickly with her mouth but buried her face in his shoulder, secretly laughing to herself.
This man was a complete paper tiger; fierce in his words but once one stroked his fur along the grain, he beca as ta as a little kitten.
As they turned the corner at Chuigong Palace Hall, Qin Yi suddenly turned back, his gaze like a torch falling on the staggering rascal pig behind them, causing the creature to bristle instantly, it’s back arching as it leapt onto the walls lining the path, staring at him with a pair of wary pig eyes.
The murderous intent was overwhelming; this man actually wanted to kill it!
"Eat only vegetables for a month as punishnt and warning! And if there’s a next ti, if you put Pan’er in danger again, just roll back to where you ca from!"
He scolded sternly, not waiting for the rascal pig to react before he turned and passed through the Chuigong Palace Hall.
Behind him, the rascal pig finally ca to its senses and exploded with outrage!
It leaped from the wall and scurried to catch up to Qin Yi, endlessly protesting with smacking sounds.
"Hey, hey! What’s the aning of this, man? I, Grandpa Pig, out of the goodness of my heart, protected Pan’er for you, putting in both thought and effort, yet get complaints instead of gratitude. Who did I provoke? Let tell you, I want to eat at, I want to eat fish, and I want to eat whole roast lamb! Not a dish less, do you hear ? Do you hear...
But its protests fell on Qin Yi’s ears as nothing more than a few pig squeals.
His footsteps didn’t falter, brushing off the rascal pig as he strode back to the Warm Pavilion.
The rascal pig followed step by step, its wailing growing more and more miserable. It knew the weight of this man’s words. Although it could scrounge for food, the thought of missing out on its daily delicious treats... made its heart bleed!
"I say, what about we make a deal, huh? From now on, Grandpa Pig will eat a little less, and I’ll help you take care of those two little maids, and there won’t be any cuts in my food, how about that?"
"Or how about I take care of the two in Pan’er’s belly, too? Grandpa Pig has mighty skills, bless Grandpa Pig for eternal life!"
"So, what do you say? Speak up, will you? If not, I’ll eat half less from now on, that should be good, right?... Or maybe even a little less, just a tiny bit... Look at Grandpa Pig, these thin arms and legs of mine, I’m all skin and bones, can you bear to see this sadness?"
The rascal pig’s bargaining continued nonstop, while Su Pan’er, hearing all the pig squeals, just nestled her head silently in Qin Yi’s embrace. She had just angered this man, and she dared not touch his whiskers again right now.
After all, with the rascal pig’s capabilities, it would certainly not starve.
As for the treats, once Qin Yi cooled down a bit, she would secretly tell the servants to prepare a few extra dishes for it.
Amidst the rascal pig’s dry wailing, Qin Yi took Su Pan’er into the Warm Pavilion.
The Warm Pavilion was already prepared with hot water and ginger tea. Su Pan’er took off her cloak, drank a bowl of ginger tea, and finally felt the chill relent, warming her stiff limbs.
Qin Yi personally wiped her down with a towel, then turned to Eunuch An and ordered, "Quickly have the Imperial Kitchen send a al with so hot dishes."
Su Pan’er did not refuse his thoughtful gesture and after the al arrived, she ate heartily, finally setting down her chopsticks.
"Right, Jiu Lan is still over on the east side of the city, send soone to bring her into the palace. Eh, where are Qingwen and Nanny Xiao? How co they’re not here?"
Back in the Warm Pavilion, Su Pan’er had noticed the absence of her personal attendants, realizing that only Qin Yi could have ordered her servants away. She hadn’t asked before, allowing them both so ti to adjust, but now the ti seed right to inquire.
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