Chapter 272 - 241: The Prince Suffers for Her
The sky had darkened, yet the Prince of Annan called for food to be brought in. Within the guest hall of the general’s tent, amidst the flickering candlelight, there lay a feast of fine wine and delicacies.
Min Ning sat uneasily, yearning to uncover the truth and demand answers. Yet here, deep within the Prince’s military camp, every step felt shackled, each misstep fraught with peril.
As she picked at her food and glanced upward, she saw Chen Yi conversing cheerfully with Qin Qingluo. Topics flowed easily between them, bringing forth frequent laughter. Min Ning frowned.
How could that scoundrel always talk to the Prince about the Princess?
Such... an impropriety.
No matter how close one’s friendship might be, discussing another’s wife so frivolously was ultimately against propriety and ethics. After all, a wife is referred to as "the inner person" precisely because she belongs inside, not outside, and should not be freely talked about by outsiders.
After three rounds of drinks and five courses of food, Chen Yi excused himself from the guest hall, citing his low tolerance for alcohol. The Prince of Annan’s gaze flickered with an ominous glint, but it vanished just as quickly.
The Prince continued hosting Min Ning as usual.
Qin Qingluo had already changed into informal attire, embroidered with "Cranes Crying at Nine Marshes." The deep indigo fabric matched the meaning of "Qingluo." She picked up a bowl of wine and smiled lightly:
"He’s gone. Now let me toast to you alone."
Min Ning, hearing this, remarked modestly that she was overwhelmed by the honor. She lifted her bowl of wine, though she seldom drank. In the rare instances she did, it was often at her sister Min Ming’s insistence. Her elder sister loved seeing her unable to hold her liquor, teasing her endlessly when Min Yuechi blushed and pursed her lips in embarrassment.
The wine slid down her throat. Min Ning lightly shook her head, finding that with the first sip, her senses became especially sharp. Faint sounds from behind the curtain reached her.