Return of the Swallow c1-644

by Edited by Deyna up to chapter ~100.

  “There’s no need for such reservation. Let’s treat this as a family banquet today. We finally have the opportunity to get to know each other, especially Madame and Miss Qin. We must enjoy ourselves to the utmost! After we become familiar with each other, you two must enter the palace often to visit this forlorn one.”

  “Understood. Our gratitude for Your Imperial Majesty’s deep favor.” Née Sun and Qin Yining curtsied in unison.

  Everyone took their seats, leaving empty the ones on each side of the empress dowager.

  Qin Yining sat to the diagonal rear of the imperial majesty, rather curious why all of them had been summoned today.

  As she delved into a jumble of thoughts, a eunuch suddenly called out, “Announcing Second Master Lu!”

  The empress dowager urged Chen-mama on with a smile when she heard. “Is it dear boy Lu? Hurry and have him come in!”

  The granny servant walked out merrily in welcome, and a cheery Lu Heng walked in before long. He was wearing an elegant brocade robe of light gray and a small jade crown in his hair.

  The man made the grand gesture of greeting when he drew close. “This humble commoner greets the empress dowager.”

  “Oh, enough of that. Come, sit next to me.”

  “Many thanks to Your Imperial Majesty!”

  Lu Heng adopted a prim and proper posture after sitting down. He quickly cast his eyes around and paused briefly on Qin Yining. The tips of his ears were red when he looked away.

  The empress dowager smiled. “My dear, is your mother well? Is everything well at home?”

  “Thanks to Your Majesty’s fortunes, all is well at home. My mother also instructed me to inquire after your good health.”

  “Good, good.” The empress dowager nodded joyfully, but a frown quickly crossed her face. “I’ve heard that your mother is busying about to locate womenfolk to round out your household again, but you’re unwilling?”

  Lu Heng grinned. “Your Imperial Majesty is all-seeing and all-knowing to know even this!”

  * * *

  1. The Chinese honorific for the empress dowager literally means ‘this sad house’, out of respect for her deceased husband. However, I felt that to be too silly in the actual context of dialogue, but I’m not sure if this is any better…

  Chapter 394: How Dare You!

  “How is this forlorn one all-seeing and all-knowing? I’m just at loose ends all day, so I have the spare time to think about the future of you young ones. At my age, all I wish for is that all of you can live happily ever after in bliss.

  “You’re already twenty-six and it’s been three years since that one left your side. Don’t you understand that you can’t keep putting things off like this?” The empress dowager smiled.

  The two girls present apart from Qin Yining were already flushing brightly with embarrassment. They couldn’t resist the urge to lift their eyes and take a peek at Lu Heng.

  The Lu second master was indeed a blue-blooded, handsome, and refined man. Though they would be marrying a widower, Lu Heng had no children, so his status as a widower wouldn’t give rise to any awkwardness. Any son they birthed would be a firm official son.

  Add to that the behemoth that was the Lu clan…

  House Lu’s history spanned a longer timeframe than that of Northern Ji and Great Zhou’s put together. Its wealth rivaled that of a nation’s and it was involved in all manner of industry. The slightest movement it made sent ripples through a country’ economy, and many officials at court were part of the Lu faction.

  And Lu Heng was the second official son of such a mighty aristocratic clan.

  Marrying him would be more impressive than any prince or even the emperor!

  What girl wouldn’t have daydreams? The two girls blushed after merely sneaking a peek at him. Surprisingly, so did Lu Heng.

  The empress dowager smiled. “It looks like you have someone you like, my dear boy.”

  “In response to Your Imperial Majesty, I…”

  A servant piped in before Lu Heng could finish his response. “Announcing the Faithful Prince of the First Rank!”

  The smile on the empress dowager’s face widened even further. “Hurry and have him come in!”

  The doors opened to admit Pang Xiao in an ivory-white brocade robe with a satin belt of jade pieces around his waist. He strode in with dashingly great strides, a small crown of pure gold sitting in his hair.

  His thoughts moved rapidly when he saw a room full of ladies having already taken their seats, and that née Sun and Qin Yining numbered amongst them. Without any of it flickering through his expression, he performed the grand gesture of greeting to the empress dowager.

  “This subject greets Your Imperial Majesty!”

  The older woman snorted and rebuked with mock anger, “You imp! It’s not easy inviting you here for a meal. You’re always busy or out on official business. Who knows when you ever get a spot of free time? Don’t you know to think of this forlorn one?”

  Qin Yining took another glance at the empress dowager when she heard the tone.

  It looked like the imperial majesty was closer to Pang Xiao than Lu Heng. She only inquired politely after the Lu second master, but could joke and admonish with Pang Xiao like her own nephew.

  Pang Xiao smiled, warm tenderness tinging the look in his eyes. The curve of his lips revealed a row of clean, neat teeth. It felt as though a gentle spring breeze had washed over those looking at him.

  “Your Imperial Majesty, how would I not miss you? Didn’t I have people send you a meal box just a while ago?”

  The empress dowager pulled Pang Xiao over, having him sit on the other side of her. “You did put some thought into it. Your chefs make good soup.”

  “As long as Your Majesty likes it,” the prince responded with a smile.

  He happened to be able to look straight at Qin Yining from where he was sitting. However, disdain and aloofness colored his eyes when they swept over her.

  The empress dowager coolly took in the interaction and smiled gently, turning to have Lu Heng sit and continue the topic from earlier.

  “My dear boy, you really should remarry. Your clan is enormous and your industries even more so. You’re so busy running the family businesses, it won’t do to lack a caring touch by your side! In my view, only a noble daughter is a good match for your talents. What do you think?”

  Lu Heng smiled faintly, openly looking at Qin Yining. He could see her charming profile from his angle, fully taking in her pert nose, rosebud lips, long and luscious eyelashes.

  Even setting aside her intelligence, a lifetime of just gazing upon her beauty would be insufficient.

  The empress dowager’s smile deepened further when she saw the gaze. “It so happens that I am partaking in a meal with a few madames and misses today. Since we are so fortunate as to cross paths and are hardly strangers, just speak of anyone you might like. I will make the decision on your behalf.”

  Lu Heng was rather taken aback. The empress dowager was an exceedingly cautious person. This wasn’t her usual style at all.

  At the same time, his heart trembled, and his eyes subconsciously flitted back to Qin Yining’s beauty, again and again.

  Such a straightforward reaction gave rise to various thoughts in those present. Née Sun gripped her daughter’s hand worriedly, discovering that it was covered in sweat.

  Qin Yining was truy afraid this time.

  If the empress dowager set a decree and bestowed the Qin fourth miss to Lu Heng, she really wouldn’t have any grounds with which to refuse.

  The consequences were unthinkable for anyone who dared decline the empress dowager’s order.

  But she had already tied herself to Pang Xiao and wouldn’t be able to accept anyone else—neither did she want to!

  Pang Xiao was a hero, not a mundane or mediocre man. Once a hero such as him took up residence in a heart, it was impossible for the girl to love anyone else in her lifetime.

  Qin Yining kept her head lowered, hiding t
he emotions in her eyes with her long lashes.

  Across the table from her, Pang Xiao’s heart went out to her and he burned with fury. He frowned slightly, narrowing his eyes at Lu Heng.

  Chapter 394.2: How Dare You!

  Lu Heng didn’t notice the prince at all. He flashed a grin. “How would I possibly darn spurn Your Imperial Majesty’s great patronage? Master Qin is His Majesty’s right hand man and is known far and wide as Wise Pan An. Miss Qin possesses surpassing talent and beauty, I confess myself quite enamored. If I am able to have her as my wife, I would thank Your Imperial Majesty for the rest of my life.”

  Qin Yining’s heart skipped a bit. Petrified, she was one with rocks and boulders.

  Née Sun and the others were equally surprised at Lu Heng’s candor.

  The empress dowager smiled and was about to speak when Pang Xiao surged to his feet next to her. He upended the eight-sided table with a mighty flourish of a hand.

  Clang! rang out in the room while crockery flew everywhere, shattering with a cacophony of crashes. The womenfolk shrieked and leapt away, the majority of the food splashing squarely onto Lu Heng and some onto the empress dowager.

  Pang Xiao’s eyes were bloodshot in his rage, like those of a riled up lion. He pointed a finger at Lu Heng and yelled, “You motherf*cking piece of dogshit! Don’t you dare think of having anything to do with her!”

  “Pang Zhixi, you freaking lunatic!” Born of noble circumstances, how had Lu Heng ever suffered such humiliation?! “The empress dowager is of a mind to bestow a marriage match today! I was responding to Her Imperial Majesty! What the hell are you to jump out and stick your nose into things?!”

  “Choose whoever the hell you want, but a woman who I’ve had in my bed isn’t someone a limp chicken like you can pant after!”

  “Crude, base, an absolute lack of decorum!” Lu Heng flushed scarlet in his fury. “A minor prince is nothing in the eyes of my clan! I don’t have to use even two fingers if I wanted to crush you. I can squash you with one!”

  “Bull f*cking shit! Just try me! I’ll pound you into the ground and make you call me your father!”

  “Ai, stop, stop!” The empress dowager’s skirts were drenched in the sauces of fish marinated in vinegar, but that was the furthest thing on her mind. She pulled on Pang Xiao with one hand while Chen-mama and other servants yanked on Pang Xiao’s robes.

  At this time, imperials guards flooded into the palace, alarmed by the disturbance. They came to a blank halt when they saw the disorder in the room.

  The empress dowager stomped her foot when she saw the palace guards ready to draw their blades. “Who let you in? Out! Get out!”

  “Your Imperial Majesty, we’re here to protect you. You…”

  “I said get out!”

  The guards had no other choice than to retreat upon seeing the empress dowager so resolute. They cast worried looks at Pang Xiao and Lu Heng before they left, seeing the two men furiously stare each other down.

  They couldn’t afford to offend either of these great personages. If those that even the emperor gave a wider berth to broke out in a fight, what could little nobodies like them do?

  If the empress dowager wanted them to leave, then leave they shall.

  Qin Yining and née Sun supported each other as they sought shelter far away from the scene; skirt hems dirtied with food. Absolutely livid, the older madame swallowed her words when she looked skeptically at her daughter.

  Meanwhile, Qin Yining was still caught in the throes of shock. She firmly believed that if it hadn’t been for Pang Xiao’s actions, she would’ve been bestowed to Lu Heng just now.

  However, she’d never fathomed that Pang Xiao would declare his ownership in such a wild way! Not only had he fully offended Lu Heng and the Lus, but he’d also denied face to the empress dowager.

  Though he wrapped the cloak of brashness around him, his actions had been swift, decisive, and ruthless! That would spell the end of Lu Heng’s marriage request.

  The Lu second master gnashed his teeth, unable to pacify his anger even with a few deep breaths. The hand behind his back clenched into a fist, he jabbed with a finger of the other. “Just you wait.”

  Paying no attention to the empress dowager afterwards, he left with a proud flourish of a sleeve and robes full of food stains. His back was ramrod straight and his steps leisurely, as if he were the highest ranked within the palace and not the empress dowager.

  In contrast, the imperial majesty didn’t react at all to his words, a sure sign of the Lu’s preeminence and the weightiness of his words.

  “What are you all milling around for? Go send the Lu second master off!” She rebuked angrily and then looked at the womenfolk around her. Waving her hand impatiently, she ordered, “I grow weary. You are all dismissed!”

  “Understood.” Yet to recover from their shock, the womenfolk woodenly offered their curtsies and left.

  Pang Xiao supported the empress dowager in taking a few steps back and found a clean area to sit down in. Chen-mama led the servants in cleaning up the mess.

  The empress dowager viciously pinched the prince and pummeled him a few times for good measure.

  “You little bastard! Do you think you’re still in the countryside?! How dare you flip even my table and yell at a Lu! Is it worth doing that for a woman!? Don’t you know the power standing behind the Lus?? You’re going to be the absolute death of me!”

  “Please quell your anger, Your Majesty. I was in panic too. That née Qin is mine—would I let anyone else touch her? That Lu can dream on!”

  “You really are… sigh. The entire city is rife with gossip because you’re unwilling to wed her due to your father’s feud. I finally found a good match for her, but you won’t let anyone else wed her either. You really are too tyrannical!”

  “Even if I don’t want her, I won’t let any other man touch her either!” responded Pang Xiao pompously.

  “Then why don’t you have her go be a nun then!” roared the empress dowager.

  Pang Xiao finally shut his mouth when he saw that the imperial majesty truly was incensed, allowing her to lecture him as she would.

  By now, Qin Yining and née Sun had left the Palace of Benevolent Piety and could hear the murmured whispers from the other womenfolk.

  When they left the palace proper and climbed into their carriage, Bingtang and Jiyun were afraid to follow them in when the girls saw née Sun’s ugly expression.

  Seeing that no one was around, the Qin madame asked, “Daughter Yi, have you and Pang actually, actually known each other intimately?”

  Chapter 395: Talk of Marriage

  Resignation rose when Qin Yining heard her mother’s question. “Mother, there may be all sorts of gossip about me outside, but none of it bothers me. I don’t mind what the old dowager says behind my back. But does even my own mother not trust me?”

  “Ai…” Née Sun actually regretted her question as soon as it left her mouth. Qin Yining wasn’t at fault in this matter, she hadn’t been willingly carried off. No matter what she’d suffered, she was the victim. A mother not standing up for her daughter and instead, questioning her offspring?

  That really was wrong.

  “Don't think too much, my daughter. I didn’t mean anything by it.” Pulling Qin Yining into her arms, née Sun patted her shoulder. “Don’t be afraid. We’ll go back and ask your father what to do. He’s so very smart and can handle everything. Your father was already thinking about this anyways. It’ll be fine.”

  Hearing the trust and worship in her mother’s tone, Qin Yining nodded with a smile. “I know, I’m not afraid.”

  She really wasn’t.

  After the events of today, she could see even more clearly the sincerity in Pang Xiao’s feelings, and she anticipated the future even more so.

  He was willing to stand against the Lus for her in front of the empress dowager and other noble ladies! While she fretted over how to turn down Lu Heng, he’d already handled everything with a flouris
h. If this wasn’t a sign of his truest feelings for her, then what was?

  But current developments were out of her scope of expectations. It seemed it was indeed time to go home and discuss her marriage with her father.

  Though it was slightly embarrassing for a girl to say outright who she wanted to marry, Qin Yining didn’t hem and haw so much when it came to her lifelong happiness.

  After returning home, the old dowager summoned both of them with the greatest of curiosity, asking them in detail what they had seen and heard with the empress dowager.

  Mother and daughter went over the harmless parts, ignoring with unspoken accord that the Faithful Prince of the First Rank had upended a table.

  To be summoned by the empress dowager was a great honor already. The old dowager was actually slightly jealous. Her son was the important official, but the one basking in glory was that née Sun instead of his mother.

  Due to her preoccupied thoughts, née Sun didn’t clash with the old dowager for once. She kept musing over the consequences of Pang Xiao’s actions earlier.

  When Qin Huaiyuan returned from court, the three gathered in the married couple’s bedroom.

  Née Sun dismissed all of the servants and anxiously relayed the events of the day in great detail.

  “Milord, our daughter is a pure and innocent girl, but her reputation has been completely ruined by uncultured sorts! The empress dowager obviously wants to bestow our daughter onto that widower, but we don't know anything about Lu. He looks to be pretending what he’s not, so who knows if he’ll offer our daughter a genuine heart?

  “And that Faithful Prince of the First Rank, he really is so over-the-top with tyrannical dominance! He’s absolutely nursing a grudge against you from back in the day. Such a personality and hatred from his father’s death means that he’s not a good man either!”

  Perturbed, née Sun started crying and tugged on Qin Yining’s hand. “Why does my poor daughter need to suffer so? She didn’t have an easy childhood and must endure all this crude discussion about her after only a few days of peace and quiet! I want to rip all of their mouths to pieces whenever I see them!”