Chapter 217 Palace Banquet
The night is as cool as water, and the moonlight is as bright as a silk thread, flowing quietly in the tranquil courtyard of Ning Pavilion.
The hustle and bustle of the day has long since faded, leaving only the occasional low hum of autumn insects.
Jiang Qingning was not in deep sleep.
Perhaps it was the excitement after days of running around, or perhaps it was because he had too many things on his mind, but he tossed and turned on the couch for a long time. Finally, he simply got up, picked up a plain cloak and wrapped it around himself, and pushed open the door.
The cold moonlight filled the courtyard, illuminating the dark figure standing outside the gate like a pine or cypress.
"Qin Xiu?" Jiang Qingning murmured subconsciously.
He seemed to have been standing there for a long time, and his shoulders were already stained with the coolness of the night dew.
Hearing the door open, he suddenly turned around and looked at the slender figure in the moonlight.
Their eyes met, and the air seemed to freeze at this moment.
There were no words, but silent emotions flowed quietly between the two of them, like the undercurrent of the tide under the moon, clearly discernible yet cautious.
Jiang Qingning paused slightly, then slowly walked down the stairs and looked at him.
"you……"
"you……"
They spoke almost at the same time and paused at the same time.
The atmosphere once again fell into a subtle silence, filled with an indescribable ambiguity.
"You speak first." Jiang Qingning tilted her head slightly, and her ears were a faint pink in the moonlight.
Qin Xiu took a deep breath, as if he had made a great decision.
He took a step forward and walked in front of Jiang Qingning. He stood at the bottom of the stairs and raised his head slightly to see her standing on the stairs.
The moonlight outlined her beautiful figure. Her eyes, which were always calm and composed, were now reflected in the moonlight, as if hiding thousands of stars, and also reflected his reflection.
He looked at her with a focused and intense gaze. His voice was a little hoarse from nervousness, but he asked with extraordinary clarity and directness, "Jiang Qingning, do I have a chance?"
This sentence, like a stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly broke all ambiguity and temptation.
Jiang Qingning had never expected him to be so direct and ask this question without any reservation.
She was stunned, her heart skipped a beat for a moment, and then began beating violently like a drum again.
"What do you mean?"
She lowered her eyes, avoiding his burning gaze, and silence stretched between them.
With every second of silence, the light in Qin Xiu's eyes dimmed a little. He looked at her drooping eyelashes, thinking that this was her answer.
He pulled the corners of his mouth, revealing a bitter smile that was almost self-deprecating, and slowly took a step back, saying in a low voice: "I know, sorry for disturbing you."
After saying this, he turned around resolutely and was about to leave. His back looked particularly lonely and desolate under the cold moonlight.
Just as he turned around and raised his foot, a slightly cool hand gently grabbed his wrist.
The force was very light, but it seemed to carry a tremendous force, instantly stopping him in his tracks.
Qin Xiu's body suddenly stiffened and he looked back in disbelief.
Jiang Qingning lowered his head, his earlobes reddened to the point of bleeding. The voice was as soft as a dream talk, but it clearly penetrated his ears:
"Why did you leave before you told me the answer?"
Qin Xiu turned around abruptly, holding her wrist tightly with his backhand, his voice trembling with extreme excitement: "Qingning...you...what do you mean?"
Jiang Qingning finally raised her head, her cheeks flushed, but there was no longer any evasion in her star-like eyes, but an unprecedented firmness and tenderness.
She looked at him and said clearly, word by word: "Chengyuan, I have thought about it carefully."
She called him by his name, which was a rare act of intimacy.
"Life is like morning dew. If you miss what you truly desire due to fear or worry, you will regret it in your lifetime."
"It's wonderful to fight alongside you and to share your thoughts, but only by being with you can my life be considered worthless. I am willing to work with you to create a future that belongs to us."
Qin Xiu almost cried with joy, his eyes instantly turned red, and he could no longer suppress the surging emotions in his heart. He suddenly opened his arms and hugged her tightly, as if he wanted to rub her into his bones and blood, never to be separated.
Jiang Qingning was held so tightly by him that she could hardly breathe, but she could clearly feel his violent heartbeat and slightly trembling body.
She slowly raised her hands, gently hugged his strong waist, and buried her cheek in his chest that carried his scent.
Under the moonlight, the two hugged each other tightly, silence was louder than words.
All the temptations and waiting have answers at this moment.
After a long time, Qin Xiu finally let go of her, but he was still reluctant to let go. He rested his forehead against hers, his voice still trembling with excitement: "Okay... Qingning, I, Qin Xiu, will never let you down in this life, and will work with you to create a better future."
The two smiled at each other, with only each other's reflection and infinite longing for the future in their eyes.
"Wait for me, I won't let you wait too long." Qin Xiu said in a firm tone.
"Okay, I'll wait for you." Jiang Qingning agreed with a smile.
After a few more tender moments, Qin Xiu reluctantly left.
His steps were light, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders, and he was bathed in great joy.
After seeing Qin Xiu off, Jiang Qingning stood alone in the yard, looking in the direction where he disappeared, with a smile still on the corner of his lips.
The alliance with Qin Xiu gave her peace of mind and also made her more determined in the path she wanted to take.
She didn't want to wait any longer.
"Night Owl." She called softly to the empty courtyard.
The black shadow appeared silently like a ghost and knelt on one knee: "Master."
Jiang Qingning cast his gaze towards the direction of the palace, his voice cold and decisive: "Advance the plan. Tomorrow I want Wei Zhai and Fu Boqian's group of rats to sneak into the palace and assassinate Lu Bin."
A hint of surprise flashed across Ye Xiao's eyes, but he didn't ask any more questions. He just said, "Yes, I will arrange it perfectly. But what about Lu Bin's life?"
"Lu Bin must be seriously injured, but not dead." Jiang Qingning said calmly, "If he died now, this drama would be difficult to perform. I want him to hold on for a while and watch with his own eyes how he is deserted by his friends and family, and how he gradually reaches his end."
She paused, a cold murderous intent and calculation flashing in her eyes. "Moreover, I want the credit for saving the emperor to go to my brother Jiang Qinghuai. Let him take this opportunity to personally take the heads of Wei Zhai and Fu Boqian. The blood of these remnants of the previous dynasty will be used as the first gift for my Jiang family's official return to the capital and the restoration of power."
"I understand!" Night Owl took the order and his figure blended into the darkness again, as if he had never appeared.
Jiang Qingning was the only one left in the courtyard.
She looked up at the bright moon, her eyes deep and firm.
The next day, the palace was decorated with lights and filled with music and singing.
The grand celebration banquet was held in the Qionghua Palace. Civil and military officials and their families attended the banquet in their best attire, toasting each other and creating a scene of prosperity and joy in the air.
Lu Bin, sitting on the dragon throne, was in a very good mood. He drank a few more cups, his face was rosy, and he laughed constantly.
The Jiang family members sat in the seats closest to the throne and attracted much attention.
After three rounds of drinking, the banquet reached its climax.
The dancers in the center of the hall fluttered their sleeves and the music played softly.
At this peaceful moment.
A eunuch who was holding a wine pot with his head lowered, when he was approaching the throne to pour wine for Lu Bing, suddenly threw away the wine pot, pulled out a dagger from his sleeve, and stabbed Lu Bing's heart with lightning speed.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
