ng Qianqian sat down beside Lu Yuan, holding the sleeping Bao Shu in her arms.
Lu Yuan asked nonchalantly, "Did you find the person you were looking for?"
ng Qianqian’s heart trembled, "Grand Commander... you know I’m searching for soone?"
Lu Yuan said coldly, "Every step you’ve taken to approach has been calculated."
ng Qianqian: "And yet you still let —"
Lu Yuan’s gaze grew colder: "Only because I have temporary use for you."
ng Qianqian lowered her head: "Oh."
Lu Yuan said, "The day you’re of no value—"
ng Qianqian said, "I’ll disappear from the Grand Commander’s side of my own accord, never troubling you again."
Lu Yuan said coldly, "See that you do."
The two said nothing further.
Downstairs in the main hall, music played amidst constant cheers, as the Oiran competition reached its peak intensity.
Fragnted starlight spilled into the private room, like an invisible veil isolating this tiny world into an island of incongruous tranquility.
Bao Shu murmured in her sleep, her soft little face nuzzling into ng Qianqian’s embrace.
ng Qianqian suddenly thought of her younger brother, who had died horrifically by an enemy’s blade. When he was young, did he ever sleep in her arms this peacefully?
The flas of hatred burned endlessly in her chest, searing her innards with their intensity.
She lifted the teacup before her, tilting her head back to down its contents.
The next mont, her forehead slamd onto the table—unconscious!
Lu Yuan glanced at Qing Shuang suspiciously: "What did you give her to drink?"
The cup had been brought over by Qing Shuang.
Qing Shuang answered, "Liquor. The kind that doesn’t make people drunk."
Lu Yuan retorted coldly, "What kind?"
Qing Shuang replied, "Baodaozi." (a strong intoxicating liquor)
Lu Yuan: "..."
"Sister!"
Tan’er hopped over, sniffing the air. "Wow, it slls so good!"
She grabbed the wine jar on the table and took a hearty swig.
Qing Shuang reached out: "You can’t drink—"
Tan’er had already drunk, grimacing as she stuck out her tongue. "It tastes awful!"
Holding the jar, she staggered a few steps, rolled her eyes, and collapsed.
Lu Yuan looked at Qing Shuang: "Doesn’t make people drunk."
Qing Shuang looked awkward.
Shangguan Ling returned after patrolling outside. Upon entering the room, he saw everyone sprawled on the floor and instinctively tensed up: "Whoa! Qing Shuang, you drank others under the table again? Wait a minute—how did even Miss ng and Tan’er end up drunk? You dare ply them with liquor, too?"
Qing Shuang: "Didn’t ply them."
Shangguan Ling looked at ng Qianqian, then turned to Lu Yuan, grinning sheepishly: "Grand Commander, so... should we..."
Lu Yuan rose: "Leave."
Shangguan Ling froze: "What? Won’t... stay here... to watch a bit?"
Lu Yuan replied indifferently, "What’s worth watching?"
Shangguan Ling was on the verge of tears. You may not care, but I do! The Oiran of Wan Hua Loft, the Oiran!
...
ng Qianqian had only had one cup, and halfway there, the alcohol had partially worn off. Groggy, she grabbed onto Lu Yuan’s sleeve.
Lu Yuan saw her slowly waking and said coldly, "Call ’Father,’ and you’ll be as good as dead!"
Fortunately, ng Qianqian didn’t call him that. Half-asleep, she rely muttered, "Where... Where’s Madam Wang?"
"Inford her," Lu Yuan replied irritably.
"And Yan’er?"
"Hmph!"
ng Qianqian went on to ask about all the won present today. All were fine, she nodded in satisfaction, curled up, and continued to sleep.
When Qing Shuang carried her off the carriage, she was still clutching Lu Yuan’s sleeve.
Lu Yuan pulled his sleeve out chanically, face devoid of expression.
At that mont, Lu Lingxiao arrived and saw the scene.
"Who’s there?"
Lu Lingxiao asked warily.
Lu Yuan and Qing Shuang turned to face him.
In the night, Lu Yuan’s violet robe seed subdued yet imbued with an unmistakable aura of authority and danger.
Lu Lingxiao was startled: "It’s you?"
Lu Yuan’s gaze remained stoic. "You encounter your superior and fail to show proper respect?"
Lu Lingxiao’s sight landed on ng Qianqian in Qing Shuang’s arms, then rembered ng Qianqian clutching Lu Yuan’s sleeve earlier. He dared not imagine what had transpired in the carriage.
His heart felt suddenly bitter.
With furrowed brows, he bowed and saluted. "Subordinate greets Grand Commander."
Getting closer, he caught the strong sll of alcohol. Though ng Qianqian didn’t reek of liquor, Qing Shuang did.
Since Qing Shuang seed entirely sober, Lu Lingxiao naturally assud ng Qianqian was the one who had drunk too much.
A woman, drunk at midnight in the company of a man—it was disgraceful!
"Grand Commander, she’s a lady! You drunken her at this hour—what are your intentions?"
Lu Yuan smirked, "And you ask as what? Her husband or her lover? Might I remind you, the two of you are already estranged?"
Lu Lingxiao clenched his fists tightly.
Not a word Lu Yuan had said was untrue. He was no longer her husband and had no right to ddle in her affairs.
Lu Lingxiao straightened his expression: "Though she was once my wife, I cannot stand by and let her be humiliated! Even as Grand Commander, you cannot abduct won with impunity!"
"What’s all the racket?"
From inside the carriage, Tan’er grumbled irritably.
At the sound of her drunken mumbling, Lu Lingxiao grew increasingly furious. "Even her maid has been made to drink? You beast!"
Tan’er is so young, and yet you’ve given her alcohol! Surely, with Tan’er’s high Martial Arts skills, Qing Shuang might not have been able to subdue her, forcing Lu Yuan to intoxicate her.
"Lu Yuan, I never thought you could stoop so low! Do you not fear backlash from the remaining Black Armor Guards for disgracing the new Yin Hu?"
The Monkey is dead, but the other guards aren’t!
Lu Yuan let out a cold laugh, before rcilessly waking ng Qianqian: "ng Xiaojiu."
ng Qianqian opened her groggy eyes: "Hmm?"
"Did I humiliate you?"
ng Qianqian shook her head.
"Did I force you to drink?"
"Little Nine... drank on her own!"
"Who was it tonight that insisted on boarding my ship?"
"Little Nine... wanted to board... Grand Commander’s ship..."
Lu Yuan looked back at Lu Lingxiao: "Did you hear?"
ng Qianqian clung to Lu Yuan’s sleeve: "Little Nine... is the Grand Commander’s..."
Lu Lingxiao’s pupils contracted violently.
What did this woman just say?
She belonged to Lu Yuan?
How long had it been since she had renounced him? Was she already entangled with Lu Yuan?
The courtyard gates swung open, and Lu Yuan entered with Qing Shuang.
Bam!
The gates shut abruptly.
ng Qianqian hiccupped drunkenly: "Little Nine... is Grand Commander’s... lapdog..."
Lu Yuan’s mouth twitched.
Inside the carriage.
Tan’er mumbled incoherently: "N... did we... forget sothing? Hoo... hoo..."
The moon hung dark in the sky, wind whispering.
ng Qianqian lay sprawled across the bed, snoring softly in sleep.
Her alcohol tolerance was remarkable. Even inebriated, she didn’t cause a scene. She rely kept tugging on Lu Yuan’s sleeve.
Perhaps this sleeve reminded her of her father’s.
The moon hung dark in the sky, wind whispering.
Two shadows slipped into Fengshui Alley.
"Third Brother, you sure the girl lives here?"
"She appeared at the pleasure boat tonight. I followed her here. No mistake. Old Five died by her hand; we must avenge him!"
"Fine! Avenge Old Five!"
The two vaulted across rooftops using Qinggong.
Within a room, a silver-haired man in black robes reclined on a bed, opened his eyes montarily: "Oh? Visitors? Not my problem."
He had no interest in ddling.
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