Return of the Swallow c1-644

by Edited by Deyna up to chapter ~100.

  According to Li-mama and Liu Bao’s notions, the wench would feel immensely guilty given her shameful relations with the emperor. The guard hadn’t been allowed to divulge their identities so they could have a good show of how guilty the Qin wench’s expression would be when she saw the empress.

  But who knew this person would be so smart as to kneel far away from them?

  Did the guard tell her? Li Yanyan glared severely at the guard.

  Qin Yining however, quickly rescued him. “In response to Your Majesty, this subject guessed your identity first and wanted to welcome your august self from here.”

  The guard cast a grateful look before backing away.

  Li Yanyan smiled, but a sharp light glinted in her eyes. The Qin fourth miss’ empathy was actually a way to buy hearts. She looked quite like a fairy in her otherworldly garb of white. Whenever the empress thought of the harmonious pair of Qin Yining and the emperor in the square, and how the people described them as a match made in heaven, Li Yanyan felt that she was on a spit being turned over a fire.

  She and the emperor were the loving, married couple! If Qin Yining and the emperor were a match made in heaven, what did that make Li Yanyan?

  “You may rise.” Her tone was icily cold as the empress controlled her temper with a great deal of effort, so that she didn’t descend into shrieking and crying in front of the Qin fourth miss.

  As for Qin Yining, she was on pins and needles given the glare that the empress was levying. Every muscle in her body was tightly tensed. The empress was exuding hostility that was even stronger than that from the wild beasts in the mountains.

  Though the two hadn’t been close before, they didn’t exactly hate each other either. Who knew Li Yanyan would come bearing so much enmity the next time the two met?

  Given how sensitive Qin Yining was, she immediately guessed the reason why. If she’d married Pang Xiao, but he had someone else on his mind all the time, she’d probably want to kill someone herself. With that in mind, it was a display of a wondrous upbringing that Li Yanyan could maintain such a gracious demeanor.

  All the same, Qin Yining felt quite aggrieved that she’d become the temptress in someone else’s eyes.

  “Many thanks to Your Majesty.” Qin Yining rose and respectfully moved to the side, showing humility and obedience. “The day is very hot, will you move indoors for a cup of tea, Your Majesty?”

  Li Yanyan was actually only further angered by such an attitude. Look at that! It’s obvious she’s feeling guilty with how polite she’s being.

  When one was prejudiced against another, there was nothing that the latter could do right.

  Li Yanyan entered the hall with a frosty expression, flanked by Li-mama and Head Enuch Liu Bao. The two palace servants cast contemptuous side glances when they passed the Qin fourth miss, as if they’d glimpsed some disgusting trash.

  This shook the girl. I don’t think things will go well today.

  * * *

  Chapter 254: Arrival of the Empress (II)

  Chapter 254: Arrival of the Empress (II)

  Qin Yining trailed behind the empress, shooting a surreptitious look to Qiulu when she reached the platform in front of the hall’s doors.

  The maid blanked, then slowed understandingly and backed away quietly. When the party had entered the building, she made quick time to the flower-hung gate in search of the four guards that Qin Huaiyuan had left.

  Meanwhile, Qin Yining was personally serving the empress tea. She smiled amiably. “We only have some Dragon Well tea leaves from before the rains. They naturally can’t hold a candle to the ones plucked from the first shoots. I hope you don’t mind, Your Majesty.”

  Li Yanyan accepted the simple, white teacup and placed it carelessly on the eight-sided table next to her. Clad with protective gold fingernails, she picked up the teacup lid with her right hand and toyed idly with it, sizing up Qin Yining with hostile intent.

  “It looks like you’re having a good time here. Aren’t you supposed to be praying on behalf of the nation? Why aren’t you wholeheartedly devoted to your practice, and instead have effort to spare for thinking of whether this tea is from the first shoots or before the rains?”

  Qin Yining’s smile faded and she responded gently. “One still has to live even if one follows the dao. If drinking tea impacted one’s path, our forebears would’ve long since forbidden the practice of tea. Or does Your Majesty feel that nuns and monks shouldn’t drink tea?”

  “Don’t you have a glib tongue.” The lid slid from the empress’ grasp and fell crisply onto the teacup, splashing a few drops of liquid onto the back of the empress’ hand. “This tea is too hot. This seat doesn’t have the divine body that Master Xuan Su has. I can’t protect the nation’s fortunes and therefore, have no way to protect myself. I can’t enjoy such hot tea like you can.”

  The look in Qin Yining’s eyes turned cold. That cup of tea had been at a perfect temperature. It looks like the empress really does hate my guts.

  A smile still hung on the Qin fourth miss’ face, but she retracted her exceedingly polite attitude. She could tell that even if she gave way, that would have no effect on the empress’ impression of her at all. Therefore, there was no need to show any more signs of weakness. She wasn’t an easy target to be kicked around at someone’s whims. She was a Qin daughter and wouldn’t stand for this!

  “Your Majesty’s admonishments are so very true.” Qin Yining spoke slowly, her words suffused with mockery. “This subject doesn’t understand tea dao and didn’t think that my tea would be found wanting. It looks like we should stick with what’s appropriate for our station. Tea brewing should remain with the maids.” She turned back to Jiyun. “Go and serve a fresh pot of tea for Her Majesty.”

  Jiyun assented with a smile and busied herself with serving a new pot of tea to a livid Li Yanyan.

  What does she mean by that?! Is she cursing that I was blind to her kind intentions or mocking that my character is unfit for the throne? The empress’ expression had frozen over. And where does she get such arrogance from? From being spoiled by the emperor, of course!

  “So you’re afraid to serve this seat just because I said that the tea is too hot? It looks like you neither know the art of tea, but you’ve even forgotten your manners.”

  “Your Majesty speaks rightly. In this servant’s eyes, Master Xuan Su really doesn’t know the proper rules and manners. It hasn’t been long since she’s returned home.” Head Eunuch Liu Bao smirked. “After all, there used to be rumors about Master Xuan Su and Great Zhou’s little Prince Pang being a couple! Prince Pang addressed the honorable master’s mother as his mother-in-law — in broad public! And gifted an enormously valuable park to Master Xuan Su. If a woman really did understand rules and manners, would she accept such an expensive present?”

  “That’s right. She’s just a pretty face.” Li-mama snorted. “She’s not a proper noble daughter who grew up by her parents’ side. What kind of good rearing can we expect from her?”

  Li Yanyan burst out laughing at all this and asked curiously, “Are you still in contact with the Faithful Prince of the First Rank?”

  A question with such an obvious answer was just further jeering. No matter how close the rumored couple had been before, any contact now would be treasonous. Not to mention, Qin Yining had been forced to become a nun. Though laymen nuns could marry, it still wasn’t a good thing for a woman to contact a man.

  Qin Yining smiled faintly. “It looks like Your Majesty is of a mind to stroll around the great hall today. However, I am quite exhausted after praying to the heavens and communing with the gods. I’m afraid I can’t keep Your Majesty company, so please do as you see fit.”

  She curtsied with that and headed upstairs. Jiyun also put down her serving platter and followed closely behind.

  Finally unable to hold her temper in any longer, Li Yanyan slammed her hand on the table and shot to her feet. “Qin Yining! Stop right there!”

  Qin Yining halted bu
t didn’t look back. “Does Your Majesty have further instructions to give?”

  “You’re so presumptuous only because you have the emperor’s backing! Aren’t you afraid of being smited by the heavens by trying to seduce His Majesty while you practice here?!”

  The Qin fourth miss finally looked back calmly at the empress. Li Yanyan was halted in her tracks by the frigid stare.

  “Your Majesty is a well-raised noble daughter at the end of the day. You know full well what’s going on. Why do you degrade your noble self with such a fuss over things?”

  Such a noncommittally delivered line was a mountain of pressure for Li Yanyan. She did know full well that it was unrequited love on the emperor’s side. If Qin Yining had wanted to be empress, there would’ve been nothing Li Yanyan could’ve done.

  But how could she just look on while her husband yearned after another? She couldn’t mouth a word of rebuke when the emperor favored Gu Chang. Gu Chang was an imperial consort after all, one of the emperor’s concubines.

  But what was Qin Yining, huh? Just a mistress at most!

  As the proper, official wife, Li Yanyan could suffer her husband sleeping with a concubine, but she would never accept her husband keeping a mistress outside!

  “So you say I shouldn’t degrade my identity as the empress?” Li Yanyan muttered through grit teeth. “Servants, née Qin has offended me with a display of insubordination. Take her."

  “Understood.” Some of the young eunuchs the empress had brought knew a bit of martial arts. They dashed forward to arrest the Qin fourth miss.

  Jiyun immediately hopped out in front, pushing the eunuchs away with a few moves and exhortations. “This is a place for quiet meditation and practice that the emperor himself has bestowed. Please reconsider whatever you’d like to do, Your Majesty.”

  Burning with the flames of anger, the last thing Li Yanyan wanted to hear was someone pulling rank on her by mentioning the emperor. Not only was she not afraid of what Jiyun said, but her fury flared even brighter instead.

  “Well, well! You dare have your maids openly lecture me. Servants, arrest them all!”

  The guards that she’d left outside wanted to rush in, but the reinforcements that Qiulu had summoned and the imperial guards on duty blocked them all.

  The two sides had swords unsheathed, violence ready to explode at any time.

  Within the hall, Jiyun was still standing in front of her mistress, refusing to give way to the empress.

  “To think that this is how the royal family bullies the weak!” Qin Yining denounced coldly. “Does Your Majesty clap these crimes on me today for a personal grudge, or does House Li have the desire to turn traitor?”

  “How dare you slander my family!” This riposte panicked the empress. Her family couldn’t afford such an accusation!

  “If your family doesn’t have treasonous intentions, why does Your Majesty look like you want to rip me apart? Have you forgotten why I’m here? Do you not care about the nation’s fortunes at all in your desire to hurt me?”

  Li Yanyan’s heart skipped a beat. Feverish with anger, her mind finally calmed down.

  Seeing the empress remain dumbly where she was, Qin Yining sneered. “Your Majesty, a brain is a wonderful thing. Remember to bring it with you next time you leave home.” She turned and went upstairs without another glance back.

  * * *

  Chapter 255: Returning Home (I)

  Chapter 255: Returning Home (I)

  Li Yanyan almost broke a tooth in how hard she was gnashing her teeth. She glared viciously at Qin Yining’s back, wishing ardently that she could have someone drag the Qin fourth miss out and caned to death!

  But she couldn’t afford the title of “Li traitors”, so she didn’t dare do anything. Setting a toe wrong would make her the villain that threw the nation’s fortunes to the winds.

  “So you making an enemy out of me today is also the Qins throwing down the gauntlet with the Lis?” Li Yanyan trotted forward, looking up at the girl on the staircase and tried to dish out similar treatment.

  Qin Yining responded with slowing down or turning her head. “Wasn’t it Your Majesty visiting me today to make trouble?” She’d reached the second floor and casually closed the door to the staircase.

  Li Yanyan went beet red, but it was unknown whether that was from anger or embarrassment.

  The exchange infuriated Li-mama and she made to charge upstairs, cursing loudly as she dashed forward. “I’ve never seen such a shameless hussy! She seduces the emperor while she walks the path of dao and shows such spoiled disregard to the empress! It would be a blow to good aristocratic upraising if this wench is allowed to live!”

  A vein throbbed in Jiyun’s forehead when she heard the insults. She blocked the way to the stairs and pushed the charging granny servant back.

  “Keep a civil tongue, mama! Since when did my miss become someone else’s mistress? The honorable master is born of a lofty family and is a proper noble daughter. She resides here on imperial orders. Are you doubting the Soothsayer’s fortune or His Majesty’s judgment with this slander?”

  “Listen to these slippery words. Like mistress, like servant! The dogs she keeps are different from other vermin alright!” Li-mama spat at Jiyun’s face.

  But Jiyun knew martial arts, how would she ever let this old woman spit on her? She dodged adroitly and responded heatedly, “My mistress just set up an altar to pray to the gods and summoned an auspicious sign from the heavens. She did so for Great Yan and the imperial family. So the empress is throwing someone away after using them and comes calling to bully us to boot! Is this Your Majesty’s intentions or the emperor’s??”

  “Who the hell are you to question this seat?!” Li Yanyan flung a slap. So she couldn’t punish the mistress, but she could damn well punish the maid!

  Jiyun could have dodged it easily, but a sudden thought occurred to her and she turned to lean into the slap. However, she evaded the empress’ two pure gold nail guards so that her face wouldn’t be marred.

  A solid slap rang out crisply, echoing in the empty residence.

  The door to the staircase was pushed aside and Qin Yining frantically stumbled downstairs. She pulled Jiyun behind her and met Li Yanyan’s eyes. “Your Majesty, it looks like you’re here today solely to make trouble and raid my house!”

  The empress actually couldn’t find it within herself to meet Qin Yining’s intimidating look. Only the dignity of an empress and a belly full of hate and envy kept her standing. She doubled down. “As the mother of the nation, this seat naturally needs to be an example for all women in the lands. Your loose and licentious behavior is an affront to women everywhere!”

  “Is that so.” Qin Yining intoned. “Since I am such a picture of disgrace in Your Majesty’s eyes, I am unworthy of continuing my practice here. Servants, run a quick report into the palace and ask the emperor for immediate permission to return to the Qin Manor.”

  “Understood.” A guard outside responded and took off. It was the one that the Qin fourth miss had helped earlier.

  This development planted seeds of panic in Li Yanyan’s heart. She knew that her husband liked the girl. If he put in an appearance, he would certainly be on Qin Yining’s side. But now that things were this way, wouldn’t it be a complete loss of face if she retreated? It’s not like I’ve done anything wrong!

  Qin Yining pulled Jiyun away to apply some medicine to the maid’s cheek, leaving the brightly lit hall to the empress’ entourage. When they were a short distance away, Li-mama murmured worriedly next to the empress’ ear, “Your Majesty, if this blows up, the emperor might be angry when he learns of it. Why don’t we go back first?”

  “I haven’t done anything wrong, why must I leave?” The tears swimming in Li Yanyan’s eyes finally spilled over.

  Pained, the granny servant dabbed at the tears with a handkerchief. “But Your Majesty, that wench is good with words. She might paint right into wrong and push all the blame onto us. You’ve only just c
oncluded your wedding with the emperor. Making him unhappy would only affect your relationship. That’ll just benefit the shameless trollop.”

  Li Yanyan sniffled. She felt much better after crying and was much calmer.

  “I understand what you’re saying. Don’t worry, she’ll be in for it if she dares say anything against me!”

  Upon discerning that her mistress wanted to wait for an imperial decree, the granny servant hastily interjected, “Why don’t we avoid the edge of the blade, Your Majesty? She’s right here. There will be plenty of chances to teach her a lesson in the future.”

  Hesitation had indeed crept in for the empress. She was rethinking her decision to venture into the tiger’s lair today. As the empress, visiting a subject to exchange verbal barbs both cheapened herself and gave others something to criticize her with.

  There were plenty of other methods at her disposal if she wanted to kill Qin Yining. She could use poison, send assassins, or any manner of underhanded ways. Why had she come in broad daylight to announce to everyone that she didn’t like Qin Yining?

  No wonder her mother had warned her again and again before the wedding to never act on her impulses, to always meet any situation with calm maturity. Just look at the enormous opening she’d given with her actions!

  The more Li Yanyan thought about this, the more flustered she grew. The uncontrollable fury from earlier was gone and she nodded slowly. “Evading the edge of the blade to take resolute action later is a good strategy as well.”

  “Precisely.” Li-mama raised her voice. “Your Majesty, since you’re feeling unwell, why not let this servant help you back to the palace first?”

  “Mm.” Li Yanyan took the granny servant’s arm and departed with her entourage. However, she crossed paths with someone unexpected.