Chapter 331: The Words of Tigers and Wolves

Late in the Xu hour, curfew was approaching.

In the capital's wards and lanes, hardly any pedestrians remained.

Only in Pingkang Ward was it just now entering the liveliest time of the day.

After the sword dance finished, Mei Ying took up her pipa to play a frontier melody.

He Jinglan smiled and beckoned Jian Lan over to sit and drink together, saying she wanted to introduce a good friend for her to meet.

Jian Lan and He Jinglan were already acquainted, so she did not refuse.

However, he simply took a normal seat, did not use the chance to get closer to the guests, his demeanor relaxed, with no hint of flirtatious fawning.

He Jinglan made the introductions.

An Qinghe and Jian Lan greeted each other with clasped fists.

Gu Xixi, however, remained still.

He Jinglan caught sight of something amiss beside her in her peripheral vision, and she couldn't help but startle and turn pale.

Everyone had been watching the sword dance and hadn't noticed what Gu Xixi was doing.

"Xixi, why are you still drinking?!"

He Jinglan reached out to grab the cup, but Gu Xixi beat her to it, downing the remaining liquor.

An Qinghe had also picked up the liquor jar before Gu Xixi, gave it a shake, and showed He Jinglan a helpless look.

"Empty."

He Jinglan broke into a cold sweat, steadied Gu Xixi's shoulder, and gently pushed her, "Xixi, Xixi? Can you hear me?"

Finally, Gu Xixi's neck went limp as she lifted her head, her cheeks flushed, and she giggled a few times.

"Of course I can! I'm not drunk!"

"This is juice—it can't get you drunk!"

"Freshly squeezed green plum juice, Little Plum, are you all right? Sweet and sour—that's me..."

Everyone present was stunned.

No one could understand what she was saying!!

Only Mei Ying struggled to stay composed, and managed not to hit a wrong note, thereby preserving her professional standard.

He Jinglan wore a bitter expression and said, "Good Xixi, you said you'd only have two cups—how did the whole jug disappear while I wasn't looking for just a moment?"

Gu Xixi stared vacantly at He Jinglan for a moment, struggled to push her away, and gestured as she said:

"The dance, the dance was great—so wonderful! Immersive viewing, immersion, do you understand?"

"Just like that, watching while pouring, one cup, then another—I accidentally drank it all."

He Jinglan panicked, "It's over, it's over—if someone finds out I brought Xixi here and got her drunk, I don't know how they'll make a fuss!"

Others might not know, but An Qinghe naturally understood whom He Jinglan meant by "that person."

He instead grew more indifferent, saying, "Let him control heaven and earth—can he really arrest us for the wine we paid for and throw us in jail?"

After saying that, he spitefully poured himself a full cup and drank it down.

Jian Lan was merely startled for a moment, then quickly regained her usual elegance and composure.

After all, the guests' words and thoughts were not his to investigate.

Jian Lan first ordered the maidservants to bring hangover soup and fetch the sobering stone.

She then gave a faint smile to comfort He Jinglan, "Miss He, you needn't worry too much; Boss Gu is merely a bit deep in his cups—help her to the inner chamber to rest a moment and she'll recover."

He Jinglan gazed at Jian Lan with a complex feeling, her heart bitter.

After a thousand words, in the end she could only sigh, unable to speak further: "Anyway, I plan to stay the night; I'll help her over and get her to sleep early."

A drunk person is especially heavy.

He Jinglan tried to lift Gu Xixi up, but had only gotten halfway.

Gu Xixi suddenly opened her eyes and said, "I'm terribly thirsty—I'll have another drink!"

He Jinglan froze, not yet reacting, when Gu Xixi went limp and began to fall.

Seeing Gu Xixi about to fall and hit her forehead on the table corner, Jian Lan hastily extended her arm to support her abdomen, managing to lift her up.

Almost at the same moment, An Qinghe rushed over from the other side of the table.

He hadn't expected someone to beat him to it, couldn't stop in time, and collided heavily with Jian Lan.

Gu Xixi, sandwiched between the two, fell together; the double cushion of flesh prevented her from suffering any injury.

He Jinglan and Mei Ying watched the scene in shock.

The private room's door was pushed open from outside, and a gasp of cool air was heard.

"What... what... what is going on?!"

He Jinglan turned her head, bewilderment turning to surprise: "Brother, how did you come here? And..."

He Jinghui dared not look back, his face gradually turning pale.

He merely wanted to see Mu Nan Zhao flustered and angry, never expecting to cause a loss of life!!

Mu Nan Zhao calmly pushed He Jinghui aside and entered the private room.

What met the eyes was Gu Xixi lying stiffly atop the two men.

He Jinglan gasped in shock, "It's a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding! Just now Xixi fell, and the two of them collided while trying to help her—it really was just that coincidental!"

"Look, the two men have one pressing the other, both lying prone—there's absolutely no impropriety between man and woman!"

Mei Ying was the first to regain her composure, and together with He Jinglan they helped Gu Xixi onto a chair.

Only then did An Qinghe and Jian Lan struggle to their feet in turn.

Both the collision and the fall left them in considerable pain.

The interior fell silent as a tomb.

He Jinghui hastily signaled with his eyes, "We don't need you for now, all of you step back first."

Mei Ying and the others were about to leave, but Mu Nan Zhao said, "Didn't you already spend money? Why are you leaving?"

Upon hearing that, of course no one dared to move.

The staff of the Plant Flower Hall had seen many high-ranking officials and nobles; although the Regent Prince had never visited, they could mostly guess Mu Nan Zhao's identity just by observing He Jinghui's reaction.

Mu Nan Zhao showed no sign of anger on his face.

He walked up to Gu Xixi, as if speaking just for her to hear, "How much have you drunk? You don't even know your own alcohol tolerance."

He Jinglan lowered her head guiltily, hiding behind He Jinghui.

Mu Nan Zhao bent down, reaching out but not yet touching Gu Xixi, when he had thought the person sunk into a deep sleep opened their eyes.

At close range, their eyes met, each pupil filled with the other's reflection.

Mu Nan Zhao frowned slightly, "Awake?"

Gu Xixi stared at him, her eyes blank, remaining silent for a long time.

Mu Nan Zhao was also patient, maintaining his bent-over posture, letting her look.

Suddenly, Gu Xixi grabbed Mu Nan Zhao's collar with both hands fiercely and roared in a deafening voice:

"I still can't marry you!!! Why don't you understand?! Ah?!!!"

Everyone felt as if struck by lightning.

Mu Nan Zhao, with a dark face, hoisted Gu Xixi onto his shoulder and walked away.

An Qinghe also tried to stop him, "Where are you taking Gu Xixi!"

He Jinghui and He Jinglan hurriedly grabbed him, one on each side, earnestly advising:

"If you hear such words that would embarrass him, not being silenced is already good; chasing after him is truly throwing away your life?"

"That's right, An brother, don't rush; I guarantee with my life—although he may not be a gentleman, he at least is a decent person; at most he'll open a nearby private room for Miss Gu Xixi to sleep in, and he won't do anything else."

Mu Nan Zhao scooped Gu Xixi up in a horizontal hold and walked out of the private room.

Outside, a few unlucky fellows who happened to be passing down the hallway hurriedly hid if they could; those who couldn't dodge in time could only press their faces against the walls and pillars.

They hoped desperately that the Regent Prince would not recognize them.

An attentive attendant nearby had already pushed open an empty private room.

Mu Nan Zhao strode in and kicked the door shut behind him.

He released his finger pressing on her mute point, threw Gu Xixi onto the bed, and looked down at her from above.

"I don't understand anything; now I can speak."