Yan Zhibai walked back to the private room on the third floor in a daze, his steps somewhat unsteady.
His handsome face was flushed, like the sunset illuminating cold jade.
After sitting down, his eyes were unfocused, veiled by a thin mist, staring blankly at the table, completely unaware that his collar was slightly open.
Seeing his expression, the Fourth Princess Qin Zhaoshu frowned slightly and asked, "Where is my sixth sister?"
Yan Zhibai didn't react until the Fourth Princess called him twice more, at which point he suddenly jolted awake, looking up as if from a dream, "Huh?"
His eyes darted around in a panic before he regained his senses.
"The Sixth Prince said she wants to walk around down there a little longer..."
Before he could finish speaking, the Fifth Prince Qin Jingzhan, who was sitting to the side, slammed his wine cup down on the table with a "bang".
His face instantly darkened, and his gaze pierced straight at Yan Zhibai.
"So, you left my drunk sister out alone and came back by yourself?"
The previously relaxed atmosphere in the private room suddenly became tense, and everyone's gazes, filled with scrutiny, doubt, and dissatisfaction, were all focused on Yan Zhibai.
Yan Zhibai was startled by the sudden accusation, and his dazed state was instantly dispelled.
He was completely dazed before, his mind was a mess, and he couldn't think of anything at all.
Only now, awakened by the Fifth Prince's stern rebuke, did he realize:
He actually behaved in such a rude and uncouth manner!
"I'm sorry..." His face drained of color, leaving only an embarrassing pallor. "I was rude. I'll go find the Sixth Prince right away."
"No need!" Qin Jingzhan suddenly stood up.
His tall figure exuded an imposing aura, looking down at Yan Zhibai with undisguised displeasure in his eyes.
"Since some people don't care, I, as the older brother, will go and find them myself!"
He snorted coldly, flicked his sleeves, and strode towards the door.
this……
Yan Zhibai had just stood up halfway when he watched the Fifth Prince's figure disappear through the doorway, and stood frozen in place.
I felt my hands and feet were ice cold, my mind was in turmoil, and I was completely at a loss.
He opened his mouth, wanting to explain, but swallowed the words back.
What could he say?
Could it be that the Sixth Prince just confessed his feelings to him downstairs, and he was so flustered and confused that he made this obvious oversight?
Not to mention that these words would damage the Sixth Prince's reputation, he himself was ashamed to utter them.
The atmosphere in the private room suddenly became even more somber due to the departure of the Fifth Prince and Yan Zhibai's silence.
Princess Xiao Yunshuo of Shuofeng had also drunk some wine, and her cheeks were flushed at the moment.
She seemed slightly tipsy, her left hand lazily supporting her cheek, her head tilted slightly to the side.
Her eyes were unfocused as she gazed towards the doorway, a half-smile playing on her lips.
"The imperial heirs, who are engaged in such a great undertaking, actually have a very harmonious relationship..."
His tone was slightly raised, carrying a hint of barely perceptible envy and self-deprecation.
The emperor was worried about his sister's safety. The last time I could remember seeing such a scene was when I was about eight years old.
That autumn, the north wind blew through the royal hunting grounds.
Because of her youthful arrogance and resentment that women are inferior to men, she defiantly rode alone deep into the dense forest, wanting to hunt a snow fox to prove herself.
As darkness fell, a sudden downpour swept in without warning, turning the world into a white expanse.
As a result, the horse got startled and threw her off, twisting her ankle.
Dragging her injured leg, she could faintly hear the howls of wolves in the distance, and could only huddle under the tree, shivering.
Fear, like cold vines, slowly rose and coiled around.
Just when she was almost in despair, thinking she was about to be devoured by wolves...
"Yun Shuo!" A heart-wrenching cry pierced through the wind and rain.
She responded with all her might, and then... a familiar figure shot through the rain like an arrow, rushing towards her.
That was her eldest brother, Xiao Yunzheng!
His hair was disheveled, and his face showed unprecedented panic and anxiety.
Those usually calm and collected eyes were now filled with panic.
Xiao Yunshuo still remembers that day. Her elder brother practically dismounted and rushed to her in a few steps, his knees slamming heavily into the mud, before pulling her small body into his arms.
Carrying the rushing heat, they held on tightly, refusing to let go.
"Don't be afraid, your brother is here! Your brother is coming!"
His memory of what happened after that was very blurry, because Xiao Yunshuo had fainted in a daze.
After that, the emperor's elder brother left the palace to establish his own government and led troops to the southern border.
He became a qualified prince and an excellent general, but he was no longer the warm older brother he remembered.
The Fourth Princess, Qin Zhaoshu, glanced indifferently at the doorway before turning her gaze back to the wine cup in her hand.
With three imperial heirs gathered here, plus Princess Shuofeng, Meng Jian and his imperial guards alone are probably not enough.
The Empress Dowager gathered all the imperial heirs in the palace, clearly as if she were protecting them.
What is the source of the danger?
Could the fact that they dared to target the imperial heirs be related to the assassination attempts that the eldest sister and the sixth sister had previously encountered?
But if it were really that dangerous, why would the Queen Mother allow Princess Shuofeng to travel with her?
The light in Qin Zhaoshu's eyes was dim and unfathomable, unless... they themselves were bait!
Did Xiao Liu guess this, which is why he deliberately led Yan Zhibai away from the crowd, creating an opportunity for those who were secretly eyeing him?
As soon as this thought arose, a complex and indescribable emotion welled up in Qin Zhaoshu's heart.
There is the sting of being used as a pawn, and the intense frustration of being unable to control the overall situation.
She tilted her head back sharply and drank the wine in her glass in one gulp.
As he put down his wine glass, his gaze seemed to inadvertently sweep over the dejected Yan Zhibai beside him.
The temperature in his eyes instantly dropped by three degrees, becoming as cold as ice.
"Honestly, she can't even walk past a man, this silly girl!"
Qin Jingzhan grumbled and cursed as he quickly walked down the stairs, his heart filled with rage.
He had just reached the first floor when he bumped into Qin Zhaoyue, who was climbing the stairs.
Although her face was still slightly flushed, her eyes were clear and her steps were steady, indicating that she had mostly sobered up.
Qin Zhaoyue tilted her head back, looked at her fifth brother who was storming downstairs, and blinked.
"Hmm? Fifth Brother, what are you going to do?"
"Uh," Qin Jingzhan stopped abruptly, his heart filled with worry and anger momentarily frozen in place, and he stammered, "It's nothing..."
Qin Zhaoyue narrowed her beautiful eyes, like a cunning cat, and a knowing smile appeared on her lips:
"Could it be... that Fifth Brother was worried about his younger sister and came down to look for me on his own?"
"You...you're talking nonsense!"
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