261 Separation 2

Then he remembered, and made a gesture towards the Second Ducal Prince. "Ah? But I thought you had to accompany our Second Ducal Prince back to Yanyun City? To report his progress to the Duchess? And to bask in the adoration of the Palace maids there?"

Lin Liushui flushed, but his expression soon changed to one of desperation, as he turned to the Ducal Prince. As if to beg for his assistance. Something that made Li Changhai roll his eyes at Qin Feng at once. But the youngest in the group only smiled, and waited for the Second Ducal Prince to make up his mind. This did depend on what Li Changhai really wanted to do.

And Qin Feng had already met the Duchess, so he knew that the Ducal Prince didn't want to get into trouble with her!

Li Changhai thought about it for a while, then shook his head. "That would be a little risky. Splitting the group up like that would mean that we would have less soldiers here, to watch over Chuanshui Town. It would be safer if we kept the troop together, to maintain the safety of the people here. That is, if they have not already made arrangements."

"We can't be certain that Zhou Lingming, that Shu Royal Prince, your idiotic cousin, isn't going to try something while we are gone. So keeping the people here safe does take priority. And whatever arrangements that they can make, I doubt that they will be able to match your soldiers."

Lin Liushui agreed with the Second Ducal Prince. Which made the latter puff out his chest a little. Li Changhai was a little proud of the achievements that he had made with that troop of his, Qin Feng was aware. Just as he was pleased that no one in the whole of Chuanshui Town had recognized him yet!

"I believe that it would be to our advantage if we move quietly. The distance between this place and the Snow Swallow Palace is not so significant that we would have no chance of crossing it without being detected. And it would make things easier, if we did not have too large a number when we arrive. The Sect is mostly women, so we would be making things difficult for them, if too many men were to show up on their doorstep."

Qin Feng nodded at Lin Liushui, agreeing with the suave fellow. That was true. And he was rather certain that the badge than he had received from Elder Ling Liyun would only allow for him to bring one or two more with him, when he enters the Palace. So bringing the whole troop along was out of the question.

Something that he brought up quickly. "I can only bring two others in with me, I am afraid. And since Brother Lin had asked so nicely ..."

Li Changhai laughed, and slapped himself on the chest. "I'll make the third! You can't be thinking of leaving me out here on my own, are you? Surely you must bring me with you! Think of the boasting rights that I'll get, if I get to go in there!"

Wait! Was the Second Ducal Prince already making plans to head to Snow Swallow Palace himself? Qin Feng bit down on his sigh. It looked like he wasn't going to be get rid of the pair that easily!

*

That night, there was huge celebration dinner at the Du Residence. And Qin Feng was surprisingly one of those who received the most attention. However, most of the looks that he got were rather hostile ones. From both the men and the women in Chuanshui Town.

It appeared that news of his rather 'warm' exchange with Xu Yanzhi had already made the rounds, and turned him into public enemy number one again!

Well, he was not too surprised by that. And countered it with silence and sighs, just as he had planned. Something that had the female half of the population feeling a little sympathetic, as the dinner party wore on.

Unfortunately, he had ended up drinking a lot more than he should. After all, there wasn't anything else he could do, since he was working hard to give off that despondent air of his. So it was no surprise that he was more than a little tipsy, as the night wore on.

Especially when the womenfolk got into the picture, when they were a little inebriated themselves!

Surprisingly, it was Qin Feng that Yuan Qianlei had a question for, rather than any of the others. Which certainly caught Li Changhai unawares. He had not expected her to be paying that close attention to the youngest of the group. Then, thinking about it, he thought that maybe it was not that much of a surprise. After all, women tended to be a little more curious about what people of their own age thought. Weren't they?

"Say, I have been meaning ask: why are you paying so much attention to the sort of poetry that my maids and I like? And all those story books that you have been borrowing off me? Is there someone who has caught Brother Qin Feng's attention?"

Since all of them were a little drunk at the time, it was not so unwelcome a question that Qin Feng would throw down his cup and storm off. But none of the others expected him to throw his head back and burst out laughing!

Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.

"That is a bit of a secret!" he declared, in a voice that was a little too loud, as he tossed back his wine again, and pointed up at the sky, "I am plotting my revenge!"

The Second Ducal Prince scowled as soon as he heard that. That wasn't what you did when you wanted to keep a secret! Wasn't that as good as telling the whole world what you were intending? How could that be a secret?

"By reading up on the sort of poets that girls like? And their favorite stories from their favorite author? That's for revenge?"

Du Yan was obviously tipsy, which was probably why he had the least self-control, and burst out with the question immediately. "How can you take revenge by doing that?" he asked in an obviously puzzled voice.

"Are you trying to make her fall for you? Then break her heart? Or snatch her away from her lover now, only to abandon her? Tell me! Tell me!"

Qin Feng sniffed at the questions posed by Yuan Qianlei, and giggled like a girl. Which was enough to tell the Second Ducal Prince that he had already had too much to drink. That alone sparked the warning signal in his head:

Qin Feng had always controlled himself while drinking, even with the rest of them. So why was he so out of control that evening? Was it really what Lin Liushui had proposed earlier? That he was caught in an emotional trap? That he was infatuated with someone?

Was it Xu Yanzhi?

"I am going to show her that I am not someone to be trifled with! That I will not be humiliated!" the youngest of the group cried out, his voice suddenly filled with emotion. Something that they had never seen him display before! Not in all the time that they were together!

Which was enough to make Li Changhai a little worried. Was he really that invested in the girl? Was he really that upset, with what she had done during their supposed fight against each other? From the biting comments that they threw at one another, and the funny references that no one else understood, it was clear that there was something between them.

But was he another victim of the Snow Swallow Mountain Palace? Just like Lin Liushui? That was a little too coincidental, wasn't it?

* * *