Lu Heng didnât notice the prince at all. He flashed a grin. âHow would I possibly darn spurn Your Imperial Majestyâs great patronage? Master Qin is His Majestyâs right hand man and is known far and wide as wise Pan An. Miss Qin possesses surpassing talent and beauty, I confess myself to be quite enamored. If I am able to have her as my wife, I would thank Your Imperial Majesty for the rest of my life.â
Qin Yiningâs heart skipped a bit. Petrified, she was one with rocks and boulders.
Née Sun and the others were equally surprised at Lu Hengâs candor.
The empress dowager smiled and was about to speak when Pang Xiao surged to his feet next 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, with the majority of the food splashing squarely onto Lu Heng and some onto the empress dowager.
Pang Xiaoâs eyes were bloodshot in his rage, like those of a riled up lion. He pointed a finger at Lu Heng and yelled, âYou motherf*cking piece of dogshit! Donât you dare think of having anything to do with her!â
âPang Zhixi, you freaking lunatic!â Born of noble circumstances, how had Lu Heng ever suffered such humiliation?! âThe empress dowager is of a mind to bestow a wedding today! I was responding to Her Imperial Majesty! What the hell are you to jump out and stick your nose into things?!â
âChoose whoever the hell you want, but a woman who Iâve had in my bed isnât someone a limp chicken like you can pant after!â
âCrude, base, an absolute lack of decorum!â Lu Heng flushed scarlet in his fury. âA minor prince is nothing in the eyes of my clan! I donât have to use even two fingers if I wanted to crush you. I can squash you with one!â
âBull f*cking shit! Just try me! Iâll pound you into the ground and make you call me your father!â
âAi, stop, stop!â The empress dowagerâs skirts were drenched in the sauces of fish marinated in vinegar, but that was the furtherest thing on her mind. She pulled on Pang Xiao with one hand while Chen-mama and other servants yanked on Pang Xiaoâs 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. âWho let you in? Out! Get out!â
âYour Imperial Majesty, weâre here to protect you. You...â
âI said get out!â
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 couldnât 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 hadnât been for Pang Xiaoâs actions, she wouldâve been bestowed to Lu Heng just now.
However, sheâd 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 heâd also denied face to the empress dowager.
Though he wrapped the cloak of brashness around him, his actions had been swift, decisive, and ruthless! Thatâd spelled the end of Lu Hengâs 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. âJust you wait.â
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 didnât react at all to his words, a sure sign of the Luâs preeminence and the weightiness of his words.
âWhat are you all milling around for? Go send the Lu second master off!â She rebuked angrily and then looked at the womenfolk around her. Waving her hand impatiently, she ordered, âI grow weary. You are all dismissed!â
âUnderstood.â Yet to recover from their shock, the womenfolk stiffly 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.
âYou little bastard! Do you think youâre still in the countryside?! How dare you flip even my table and yell at a Lu! Is it worth it to do it for a woman!? Do you know the power standing behind the Lus?? Youâre going to be the absolute death of me!â
âPlease quell your anger, Your Majesty. I was in panic too. That née Qin is mineâwould I let anyone else touch her? That Lu can dream on!â
âYou really are... sigh. The entire city is rife with gossip because youâre unwilling to wed her due to your fatherâs feud. I finally found a good match for her, but you wonât let anyone else wed her either. You really are too tyrannical!ân/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
âEven if I donât want her, I wonât let any other man touch her either!â responded Pang Xiao pompously.
âThen why donât you have her go be a nun then!â 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 Sunâs ugly expression.
Seeing that no one was around, the Qin madame asked, âDaughter Yi, have you and Pang actually, actually known each other intimately?â