Return of the Swallow

Chapter 353.2: With Swords Unsheathed and Bows Drawn

With glowering expressions, Li Helan and Madame Lu watched Qin Yining quick-step her way through the crowd.

At this time, a granny servant suddenly called out, “Prince Consort Ji and the Faithful Prince of the First Rank has come!”

Li Helan almost collapsed to the ground when she heard this. She hastily waved a hand at the escort behind her, the one who looked exceedingly like Pang Xiao.

Color had drained from all of the male companions’ faces; they shot to their feet to dismiss themselves. The war gods of the north and south had come! These were entities that no one could afford to offend!

The Pang Xiao-lookalike was doing his best impression of a sheet of white paper. Ji Zeyu had long since dominated the north—his Dragon Riders kept the Tartars firmly down. How had he ever been so damn foolish to think he could share the same bed companion as such a hero??

He was an absolute idiot and courting death!

Qin Yining had also heard the report. She’d just exited the door when a figure clad in black and another in white rounded the corner.

Both of them were equally tall and bulky. One was wrapped in a black, sable fur cloak while the other sported a white, fox fur coat. They seemed possessed by the gods themselves, their frosty auras intimidating anyone else from approaching.

Pang Xiao’s phoenix eyes were slightly narrowed beneath his angular eyebrows. Though a jeering sneer curved his lips, his eyes were as if the coldest stars on a winter’s night, both freezing others out and pushing them away.

Ji Zeyu’s handsome, chiseled face was half buried in the collar of his snow-white cloak. He looked indifferently into the house. He presented such an exquisite sight that he looked like a jade sculpture that a craftsman had painstakingly carved.

It was the first time that Qin Yining had observed Ji Zeyu in such close quarters. Wow, I never thought there’d be someone in this world whose beauty surpasses the definition of gender.

Pang Xiao was up in the girl’s face by now and sniffed disdainfully, “You’re here too? Is this a place where you can come?”

Qin Yining snuck a peek out of the corner of her eye at those in the house. She couldn’t contradict her performance from earlier, so had to show a tough side now as well.

“Doesn’t Your Highness like to joke around.” She arched a brow. “Do I need to report at all times to Your Highness as to where I am?”

The prince’s expression sank, seemingly unable to accept that his former toy had turned so disobedient.

Meanwhile, Ji Zeyu reached Li Helan.

The princess’ face was ashen, but her ears and neck were flaming red. It was the first time she’d ever spoken to her husband in such a gentle tone. “What brings you here, prince consort?”

Ji Zeyu raised cupped hands to Li Helan and didn’t spare a look at the other women in the house. He wholly ignored Cui née Lu and Little née Lu’s looks to make straight for the men. He looked at them with his hands behind his back. “Did you enjoy yourself, princess?”

“No, no, I didn’t...”

“You don’t need to explain yourself to me. You’re the princess, and I’m the prince consort. You’re my master. You can do anything you’d like.” Ji Zeyu turned back with a severe, remote air and looked quietly at Li Helan.

Heart pounding frantically, the princess recalled how she’d been uncontrollably attracted to this man on their wedding night.

Such a beguiling man was her lawfully wedded husband! But he only spoke harshly to her, and had even discovered the rare occasion in which she’d mustered courage to seek some fun outside.

Wouldn’t their life together be increasingly difficult in the future?

Catching a glimpse of Pang Xiao furiously glaring at Qin Yining out of the corner of her eye, heartache welled up in Li Helan. Of these two men, one was her husband and another the one she’d loved for many years. She really didn’t want to give up either one!

Qin Yining surreptitiously winked at Pang Xiao and quickly threaded past the crowd with her maids.

Ji Zeyu was pacing in front of the line up of escorts. Those who hadn’t run away in time quailed violently in front of the frostily statuesque marquis.

“Which one does the princess like?” Ji Zeyu was still expressionless. “Why not say the word to Madame Lu and bring him back with you?”

“No no no, prince consort, listen to me, I didn’t...”

“Your Highness is the purest of royalty, there’s no need to explain yourself to a subject.” Ji Zeyu stopped in front of the muscular man and turned back to his wife with a slight smile. “Is this your type?”

Blushing painfully, Li Helan shook her head rapidly.

Pang Xiao walked up to Madame Lu. “If I may, are these your male escorts?”

The madame was all loving smiles. She looked bashfully at the prince and nodded shyly.

Pang Xiao arched a brow in a teasing grin. “If Madame Lu’s escorts have offended this prince, can I punish them as I would?”

Utterly captivated by the grin, Madame Lu completely lost the capacity for thought. She nodded.

Pang Xiao strode up to the men and demanded lowly, “Who was it that served the eldest princess just now?”

The one who had served Li Helan was as white as a sheet and didn’t dare out himself. However, the ones next to him all looked at him.

“It was you?” The prince walked next to him.

The man thumped to his knees. “This humble one was only following orders. This lowly one would never dare, never again!” He kowtowed repeatedly.

Pang Xiao turned back to Li Helan. “Which hand did he touch you with just now?”

The princess’ lips trembled as she wished ardently for a hole in the ground to crawl into.

A dark chuckle rang out as Pang Xiao casually pulled out the sword at Ji Zeyu’s waist. He tapped both sides of the man’s shoulders and declared irately, “You court death in touching my brother’s woman!”

Blood geysered out of the man’s shoulders and he fell to the ground, wailing and howling.