The powdered-faced young man was excessively overwhelmed by the crown prince’s favor. He knelt down, nodding repeatedly while saying his thanks, “Yes, yes! Thank you for Your Highness’s favor.”
The crown prince nodded in satisfaction before turning to look at Qin Guilu. “Family Head Qin, call that maidservant over! Look at the state that she put the Marquis of Su’an’s son into! How can this incident be dismissed so easily?”
Cold sweat beaded Qin Guilu’s forehead, and he stealthily glanced in his two sons’ direction.
Second Qin beckoned to a servant and instructed in a low voice, “Go bring the young lady over. Tell her that she doesn’t have to be afraid. There’s still me to deal with everything.”
Qin Guilu let out a slight sigh of relief. He was worried that this child Second Qin’s temper would flare up and butt heads with the crown prince on the spot, causing things to spiral out of hand.
Seeing that he had sent someone to bring her over, Qin Guilu’s expression relaxed slightly. He cupped his hands and said, “I have already notified the kitchen to prepare the meal anew, so ladies and gentlemen, please wait for a short moment. Why don’t we first enjoy a song and dance for now?”
When Jade Hue Parlor’s Miss Ran appeared, all the aristocrats and noblemen immediately cheered.
Soon, the sh*t-eating episode was forgotten, and everyone zealously watched Miss Ran perform her rarely-seen moon dance.
The crown prince wasn’t anxious, either. He swayed the wine cup in his hand, occasionally sweeping his gaze over the guests below him. The corner of his mouth curled up into a terrifying smile: Qiaoqiao, are you prepared yet…
Qiao Mu shook her head like a rattle-drum. “Not going.”
The Qin Estate’s servant that was charged with bringing her over felt his mouth twitching unceasingly. He cupped his hands and bowed repeatedly. “Little great aunt! Please just follow me over! Young Master and the rest are waiting for you!”
“You can rest assured, Young Master said that he’ll claim responsibility for everything. He’ll certainly ensure that nothing will happen to you!”
Qiao Mu wrapped her hands around a tree, evading to the side. “Nope, not going.”
The servant coughed. He had a sudden flash of inspiration and goaded, “You were so full of spunk when you beat up the Marquis of Su’an’s Family’s Fifth Young Master earlier. You’re not scared now, are you?”
“Me, scared?” Qiao Mu eyes flared. However, she hung her small head despondently immediately afterwards. Alright, alright, she was scared…
Seeing the crown prince made her feel guilty. She had promised him two years ago that she would look for him in the capital, but in the end…
“Let’s go, little great aunt! We really can’t stall any longer.” The servant begged her bitterly with both wheedling and coaxing, before successfully herding her to the banquet’s anteroom.
The male and female guests were seated separately in this birthday feast. However, as Qiao Mu needed to pass through the female guests’ seating area in order to reach the anteroom, she received many of the madams and young misses’ puzzled gazes along the way.
What’s meant to come will come! Darling Qiao’s state of mind had turned tranquil now.
What was she scared of? Wasn’t it just growing fat from eating her words? Wasn’t it just hiding away for two years, not particularly inclined to see others!
Humph! What could he do to her…
But she was very terrified, what to do…
Her small hand was inexplicably dripping with cold sweat! Wuwuwu… Was it really good to be so scared?
When the servant entered to make his report, Jade Hue Parlor’s Miss Ran had also just ended her dance, so the entire room was quiet.
The crown prince curled his lips and stated coolly, “Bring her in.”
Everyone turned their heads and observed a little lady wearing a stiff expression enter from the anteroom.
The crown prince’s gaze locked fixedly on the child’s body the instant she entered. He stared single-mindedly at her, his emotions both sentimental and turbulent. He couldn’t suppress the rampaging fire in his heart…
The little lady pattered forwards on the stone floor tiles with both her hands tucked into her small sleeves. Her gaze was focused, and her poker face made it seem as if she turned her nose up at everyone and anyone, causing people to involuntarily split their sides laughing.
“Little Junior Sister, it’s really you!” Situ Yi was the first to jump up and glared at her incredulously. He had thought that he was dreaming when he saw her earlier.
“Who are you?” Qiao Mu turned to him, her expression impassive.
When this low voice came out of her mouth, Situ Yi truly was dazed this time.
Because, Qiao Mu had also altered her voice with medicine. Her voice now was a few pitches lower than her previous silvery and soft voice. She now had a much deeper intonation…
Qiao Mu involuntarily felt giddy inside when she saw him being dumbstruck.
Look, look. I knew that you were tricking me! You didn’t recognize me at all!
Humph, how could her totally flawless disguise fail her?
——
