Qin Yining was too lazy to spare another glance at this scene of demons dancing in chaos and turned to leave.
Qian Yun hurried forward to serve Qin Yining in putting on her cloak, while Ji Yun supported her on the other side as they quickly headed outside.
Li Helan was already trembling with rage and shouted furiously: “Someone come! Seize her for this palace!”
“Yes!”
The attendants who had accompanied the Princess immediately obeyed, surrounding Qin Yining, Ji Yun, and Qian Yun in a tight circle, waiting for Li Helan’s command to act.
If it were an ordinary woman seeing so many guards and servants with hostile expressions surrounding her, especially on someone else’s territory, she would likely have been intimidated.
But Qin Yining had witnessed grand scenes and had encountered pursuit and assassination attempts more than once or twice—naturally she wasn’t as timid as ordinary sheltered young ladies.
She calmly turned around and looked at Li Helan with a half-smile, her voice gentle as if discussing what to have for dinner, though the sharp intent in her words was quite obvious.
“Princess Anyang, today Madam Lu hosted a banquet and invited me—the invitation was seen by everyone in my family. Is it appropriate for you to act this way at the host’s banquet? Moreover, if I lose even a single hair here, the Qin family will not let this matter rest. Or perhaps your actions today are by imperial decree?”
The words “imperial decree” struck Li Helan’s greatest fear!
Li Helan knew that all her happiness depended on Li Qitian’s favor, so she never went against Li Qitian’s wishes—just like her marriage, she could only exchange obedience to Li Qitian’s will for stability and happiness.
The Empress Dowager had privately told Li Helan that Li Qitian’s regard for the Qin family was inevitable, because Li Qitian needed to win over the faction of former Great Yan surrendered ministers.
If this truly escalated and Li Qitian misunderstood her, she would have no happiness to speak of in the future!
Li Helan was both frightened and angry, but she no longer dared order her servants to seize Qin Yining directly, only glaring at her furiously.
Qin Yining had hunted for years and never retreated even when facing hungry wolves—she certainly wouldn’t fear a spoiled princess.
“Princess Anyang should think carefully about your own affairs. Even if you don’t feel that secretly acting this way behind Prince Consort Ji’s back violates propriety, you should at least consider the imperial family’s dignity.” This was scolding Li Helan for not maintaining wifely virtue and having affairs behind her husband’s back!
Li Helan’s face burned like fire as she pointed at Qin Yining with trembling fingers painted with bright red nail polish: “What are you to dare lecture me!”
“When the road is uneven, someone will step on it. I’m merely feeling indignant on Prince Consort Ji’s behalf. Besides, if you weren’t guilty, why would you be so furiously agitated?”
Li Helan was enraged and about to speak when she was stopped by Madam Lu, who had been quietly watching the show beside her.
Madam Lu stood up, casually pushing away the two beautiful youths who wanted to support her, swaying her waist as she slowly descended the steps. She smoothed the loose golden hairpin in her hair and asked mockingly: “Is Miss Qin planning to make enemies of our entire Lu family?”
Qin Yining asked in surprise: “Madam Lu is capable of representing the entire Lu family?”
That single sentence struck Madam Lu’s sore spot, causing her face to flush red. After a long while, she shrilly said: “Never mind you—even your father or Prince Zhongshun must be respectful when they see our Lu family! What are you to dare run wild on my territory! You’re nothing but wilted flowers and defeated willows that someone has finished playing with—where do you get the face to act pure and noble before me? Inviting you was giving you face—don’t be shameless when given face!”
Qin Yining was almost amused by Madam Lu.
She was always too lazy to argue with people who didn’t know their place, as it would make her seem lowly, so she simply said: “Oh? So Madam Lu can actually represent the entire Lu family lineage? With such great capability, do your family members know?”
“How dare you! You refuse the toast only to drink the forfeit! Believe it or not, I’ll have them feed it to you today!” She pointed at those beautiful men, her intention already quite obvious.
If Qin Yining wouldn’t submit, Madam Lu planned to have Qin Yining properly “entertained.”
Qin Yining narrowed her eyes, cold light shooting from them like ice arrows: “I’ll lend you the courage—you can try!”
Even this doesn’t frighten her!
Is she even a woman?!
“You…” Madam Lu was so angry her lips trembled, unable to speak for a long time.
She truly didn’t dare do anything to Qin Yining—if something really happened, wouldn’t she be going against her family’s intentions?
The reason she could invite Qin Yining today was because she’d heard the family patriarch intended to befriend Qin Huaiyuan. Even if they couldn’t become people of the same faction in the future, at least maintaining goodwill could avoid future enmity.
She just hadn’t expected this woman who usually appeared gentle and quiet to be so intimidating when fierce.
Finding this tedious, Qin Yining turned around, casually pushed aside a matron in front of her, and headed outside with Qian Yun and Ji Yun.
The matron looked at the silent Madam Lu and Princess Anyang, sensibly leading the maids and guards to step aside. Even though they were from the Princess’s residence, they would still be punished if they did wrong.
Li Helan and Madam Lu watched as Qin Yining passed through the obstructing people and quickly went out, both with faces dark as water.
However, just then, a servant woman’s loud announcement came from outside: “Prince Consort Ji and Prince Zhongshun have arrived!”
Hearing this, Li Helan was so startled she nearly fell, hastily waving at the man behind her who greatly resembled Pang Xiao.
Those male favorites, hearing that Ji Zeyu and Pang Xiao had come, were all frightened pale and hurriedly rose to retreat.
These two were the killing gods of south and north respectively—who could afford to offend them!
The tall man who greatly resembled Pang Xiao was now so frightened his face went white. Ji Zeyu had long been renowned in the north, capable of leading the Dragon Cavalry Army to suppress the Tatar forces until they couldn’t raise their heads. He had actually been so muddled as to want to share pleasures with such a hero? He was simply out of his mind, tired of living too long!
Qin Yining also heard the servants’ announcement. Having just exited the door and reached the courtyard gate, she saw two figures in black and white approaching side by side.
Both were equally tall—one wearing a black sable fur cloak, the other a white fox fur cape. Their auras were both like killing gods incarnate, cold and forbidding approach.
Pang Xiao’s phoenix eyes narrowed beneath his temple-reaching sword brows. Though a mocking smile still hung at the corners of his lips, his gaze was like stars in a cold night—making one feel both cold and distant.
Ji Zeyu’s jade-like handsome face was half-hidden in the snow-white fox fur collar. Expressionless with calm eyes looking into the room, his entire person was as exquisite as a jade carving crafted by skilled artisans.
This was Qin Yining’s first time observing Ji Zeyu at such close range, and she secretly marveled that there could be such beauty in the world that transcended gender.
Pang Xiao had now reached Qin Yining’s vicinity and mockingly said coldly: “You’re here too? Is this a place you should come?”
Qin Yining glanced at the people inside from the corner of her eye and knew she needed to be tough now, not contradicting her previous performance.
So Qin Yining raised her eyebrows: “Prince Zhongshun really knows how to joke. Must I report to Your Highness wherever I go?”
Pang Xiao couldn’t maintain his composure, as if unable to accept that his former plaything had suddenly become so disobedient.