Return of the Swallow

Qin Yining looked in the direction of the sounds to discover a group of musicians; they had been waiting behind pearl curtains hanging from the scarlet-red pillars around them.

Several dancers wearing gauze drifted in with the euphonious melody. Stepping lightly in time to elegant dance, their footsteps were so airy that they seemed to be walking on lotus flowers.

At this time, several men slowly walked into the room.

They were all dressed differently, built and looked differently, and had differing auras. But all of them were uncommonly eye-catching with remarkable bearing. There were tall, scholarly types and buff, stocky types. There were also two arresting young men who looked the same. One was dressed in red and the other in white, offsetting each other like red and white plum blossoms.

It was puzzling to Qin Yining why so many men had come, but of one thing she was certain of: she disliked this banquet more and more so.

It looks like Madame Lu really doesn’t care about the rules. How can outside males enter a ladies’ banquet?

The madame smiled when she saw the arrivals. She pointed at bulky young man with a chiseled face, wearing a silvery-white tunic with cut-off sleeves. “Go fill the princess’ wine cup. Step to it.”

She then pointed at another elegant and demure scholar clad in white, who looked roughly eighteen years old. “Go serve Miss Qin wine as well.”

The reserved scholar smiled faintly and moved to Qin Yining’s side. His pale, slender fingers grasped the jade wine jug and filled the jade cup in front of the Qin fourth miss.

He then took a seat in a chair right by Qin Yining!

Expressionless, the girl watched as the muscular man eerily reminiscent of Pang Xiao sat next to the princess. Pouring wine with his left hand, his right arm draped intimately over the seat back of the princess’ chair. When faced with such an affront, the princess blushed furiously and ducked her head after looking bashfully at the man’s profile.

Qin Yining finally understood what these people were here for!

Just like men had female escorts keep them company during business meetings, this was what Madame Lu had invited her here today for!

But she was an unmarried girl! What did the madame mean by this??

Thinking back to the host’s opening remarks, Qin Yining grew so furious that the scarlet of her face crept to her neck.

These people must feel that since she’d already been carried off by Pang Xiao, she already knew of matters between men and women. And given how Pang Xiao had taken her, she might not like brawny and ferocious type, which was why a genteel and tender scholar had been sent to serve her.

Meanwhile, the princess liked Pang Xiao, but they weren’t close. This was why Madame Lu had arranged for a man similar to the prince to serve her.

…should she compliment Madame Lu for putting in so much effort?

“Miss Qin.” The refined man offered the wine cup when he saw that Qin Yining had yet to drink. He looked at her tenderly, the warmth in his light-brown eyes enough to melt winter snow. “Miss Qin, please have a cup. This has been distilled from fruit and especially prepared for you. The alcohol content isn’t high, and it’s refreshing on the palate.”

The girl’s lips were slightly compressed and she pushed away the cup that was being brought to her lips. “I’m fine without.” Her tone was coldly aloof.

This was absolutely a red wedding. Madame Lu had arranged beforehand for these men to keep them company, so how would she dare partake in anything offered at this banquet?

The man had been entranced by Qin Yining’s mesmerizing profile. That she would refuse the wine was the last thing on his mind, so in his unpreparedness, the wine splashed on his sleeve and half his shirt.

The disturbance immediately alarmed those at the head seat.

Madame Lu’s red lips were slightly parted as she was accepting the red-clad twin’s offering of an orange bite with his mouth. She was leaning coquettishly in the white-clad twin’s embrace and looked over angrily at the development.

Qin Yining rose and dipped a curtsey to Madame Lu and Li Helan. “Many thanks to the madame and princess for your good intentions. This little girl has some affairs to attend to at home and must depart early. I will take my leave now.”

She turned to call a furiously blushing Jiyun to her and left.

Madame Lu bounced to an upright seated position and slammed her hand on the table. “Née Qin! How dare you deny me face like this! Don’t blame me for being merciless if you dare set one foot out this door!”

Qin Yining sniffed contemptuously and whipped back with a stern glare. “Do you think that would actually scare me? You and I have just met, what kind of prior relationship can you draw on? I’d like to ask Her Highness however, does the Marquis of Northern Stability know that you’ve come to this banquet?”

“How dare you!” Li Helan flew into a rage, but panic flooded her heart as a sense of guilt crept up on her. She spoke without thinking. “What are you acting all superior and pure for?! You’re just a broken toy that big brother Pang’s gotten tired of! You have the chance to taste some gentle loving today, how dare you not be grateful!”

Qin Yining’s expression had frozen over. “Then did Your Highness request such a person because you want to taste some fierce and passionate action?”

“Despicably shameless!” Li Helan was both humiliated and furious that her vulnerable point had been jabbed at. Tears filled her eyes. The man who was built exceedingly like Pang Xiao quickly hugged the princess and whispered comforting nothings in her ear.

Qin Yining looked at those in the hall and then at Li Helan. “You’re just lying to yourself. They may look similar, but it’s hardly the same thing. What can you really get a taste of? You’re just reaching a new low with what you’re doing now. This is all I’m going to say. Please enjoy yourselves, everyone.”