Chapter 86 Declaration
"Master Qin, you are too kind."
Jiang Qingning's voice was still clear and cold, like a quiet mountain stream, without any emotion.
"It's just a trifle, not worth mentioning. As for the surprise..."
The corners of her lips lifted up ever so slightly. The curve was so faint, but it was like a cold light passing across the surface of ice, carrying an indescribable sense of distance.
"Your Excellency is too kind. Qingning was just a woman before, and now she is a woman in seclusion. All she knows are a few self-protection techniques she learned in her childhood. How can she even talk about 'hiding' from you? How dare she even talk about 'concealing' from you, Your Excellency?"
Their eyes met, one of them with a scorching gaze, carrying penetrating power.
A look was cold, like a bottomless cold pond, and the silent aura collided and pulled violently between the two people.
Qin Xiu stared at her for several breaths, his eyes so sharp that they almost pierced through her.
Finally, he chuckled softly, the meaning of the chuckle was ambiguous, with a hint of frustration, a hint of unwillingness, and a deeper possessiveness.
"Self-preservation techniques?"
Qin Xiu repeated it, with a rising tone at the end, with a hint of playfulness.
"What a great self-preservation technique you have, Jiang Qingning! Your self-preservation today was truly earth-shattering."
Jiang Qingning lowered his eyes, fully aware of Qin Xiu's angry behavior today.
It's because she pushed herself into the eyes of the world with her own hands. No matter what she does in the future, it will be watched by countless people, and it will also be much more dangerous.
She said in a deep voice: "I know your concerns, but I have no regrets."
"What a person who has no regrets."
Qin Xiu stood up, the oppressive pressure eased a little, but his eyes were still fixed on her, as if he was re-evaluating a treasure that had been lost and found but had become unrecognizable.
"Very good, I am not worthy of this surprise. Miss Jiang, please celebrate on your own."
After he finished speaking, he looked at Jiang Qingning deeply, his eyes were complicated and indescribable, and finally turned around, and the dark figure disappeared again in the crowd of light and shadow.
Zi Su was surprised. She looked at Qin Xiu's back as he left angrily, and looked in the direction of Jiang Qingning with some worry.
They deceived Prince Qin, so it was reasonable for him to be angry and sad.
Jiang Qingning watched Qin Xiu leave, picked up the teacup, felt the warm touch of the cup wall with her fingertips, and lowered her eyelashes to cover the flash of light in her eyes.
Qin Xiu's performance was within her expectations.
Soon, another shadow appeared in front of the table shortly after Qin Xiu left.
Xun Chen had obviously drunk a lot of wine. The collar of his crimson official robe was slightly open. His usually calm and elegant face was now abnormally flushed, and his eyes were a little hazy, but deep in them burned a fire that was almost paranoid.
He stared straight at Jiang Qingning, or rather, at the dazzling coral crown on her desk, his breathing a little heavy.
"Qingning..."
Xun Chen spoke, his voice hoarse from drinking and with a barely perceptible tremor.
"Don't call me that, it's disgusting."
The curve of Jiang Qingning's mouth was flattened, with a deep disgust.
Xun Chen staggered forward, resting his hands on the table in front of Jiang Qingning, leaning forward, with a strong smell of alcohol hitting his face.
"Tell me, when did you learn that archery technique? Why don't I know anything about it?"
His tone was filled with incredible confusion and the pain of being completely bewildered. His eyes were fixed on her, as if he wanted to find even the slightest trace of familiarity on her face.
The moment Jiang Qingning approached him, his brows furrowed slightly.
She hated this approach that was accompanied by the smell of alcohol and uncontrolled emotions, and she hated Xun Chen's attitude at this moment, as if he had suffered a great betrayal.
She retreated slightly to avoid the uncomfortable breath.
"Lord Xun, no, Earl of Anping."
She spoke, her voice even colder than before, clearly drawing a line in the sand. "Please pay attention to your manners. Hunting and riding are just leisurely pastimes, not worth mentioning."
"The Earl of Anping is busy with official duties, so it's normal for him not to know about these trivial matters. Why should we worry about it?"
"A trivial matter?"
Xun Chen seemed to be hurt by this word and suddenly raised his voice, attracting the attention of people at several nearby tables.
The flush on his face deepened, and bloodshot appeared in his eyes, revealing an emotion of being hurt.
"That's archery that's enough to kill the Pig King and win the Coral Crown bestowed upon him by the Emperor himself. That's a skill that's enough to make the entire capital take notice! And you're telling me this is a trivial matter?"
"Jiang Qingning, look at me and tell me, what have you been doing in the backyard every day in the past few years since you married into the Xun family?!"
Xun Chen was so excited that he seemed to want to reach out and grab Jiang Qingning's arm.
Just as his fingers were about to touch Jiang Qingning's cuffs, a figure inserted itself between the two of them even faster.
Lin Heng stood beside Xun Chen, pressing one hand seemingly casually but forcefully on Xun Chen's outstretched arm.
Jiang Qingxi was stunned and recognized this person almost instantly. This was the person who almost killed her. The anger in her heart suddenly surged out.
Zi Su squatted down and poured her some hot tea. Her voice was filled with a smile but contained a reminder: "Second Miss, don't forget what the eldest lady said. Eat and drink well today, but you are not allowed to..."
When Jiang Qingxi heard Zi Su's words, he almost froze instantly, and then he obediently picked up the hot tea on the table and sipped it in small sips.
"Mmm, good tea..."
Zi Su nodded with a smile, stood up and stood beside Jiang Qingxi, looking worriedly at Jiang Qingning in front of her.
The person standing in front of the eldest lady is the enemy of the two young ladies from the Jiang family's first branch.
"Lord Xun."
Lin Heng's voice was not loud, but it carried a kind of calmness that was ingrained in the bones, which was unique to the children of aristocratic families, and a barely perceptible coldness.
"I'm drunk and inevitably lose my composure. Miss Jiang has been honored by His Majesty today. Is your behavior inappropriate?"
There was no warmth in his eyes as he looked at Xun Chen. Xun Chen's arm was held firmly by Lin Heng, with such force that he could not move.
He suddenly turned around and glared at Lin Heng, his eyes filled with anger and drunkenness.
"What does this mean, Young Master Lin? What does it have to do with you if I'm talking to Qingning?"
Lin Heng had just asked someone to inquire about Jiang Qingning's background, and now he happened to know her relationship with Xun Chen. The smile on his face suddenly deepened a bit, but his eyes became sharper.
"Master Xun is wrong. A gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall, nor does he allow others to be in peace."
He turned his gaze to Jiang Qingning, who was sitting still with a cold expression, and his tone instantly became gentle, even with a hint of concern as if he had realized something.
"Miss Jiang, you must have been frightened just now. This Qionglin Garden is quite exquisite, and the corridors along the water are quite tranquil. Would you like to take a look?"
Jiang Qingning's gaze swept across Lin Heng's hand that was pressing on Xun Chen's arm, and then fell back to Lin Heng's face with a playful smile.
She naturally understood that his rescue was not entirely out of good intentions, but was also a declaration and a test.
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