The Flying Flower Poetry Game

The two came to an agreement, straightened their clothes, and left the corridor in opposite directions.

Su Luoqian's brows were tightly knitted, and her ears were bright red, both from anger and from hearing the pair's utterly shameless flirtation.

Only when no one else was around did Zelan dare speak. "Princess Consort, wh-what should we do?"

Su Luoqian took a deep breath and steadied herself. "Take the prince's residence's pass and go to the Prison Administration to find Lu Jingsi. If you can't see him, Chengying will do too. Make sure you tell them what we just heard."

"But what about you, Princess Consort? If I leave, won't you be alone?"

Su Luoqian patted her hand. "It's all right. The Crown Princess is coming today. I can stay with her later."

Her gaze resolute, she gave Zelan a nudge. "The banquet hasn't started yet, and plenty of people are moving about. Slip out now, and no one will notice. Go."

Zelan was worried about her, but she also knew there was no other way. "I obey."

Mistress and servant emerged from beside the rockery one after the other. When Su Luoqian returned to the garden, the Crown Princess had just arrived.

The Crown Princess was a guest of honor, and Lady Xu Wang accompanied her at her side. Quite a few ladies from prominent families also wanted to show their faces before her, but Qin Shuning swept her gaze around, spotted Su Luoqian, and waved her over with a smile.

Su Luoqian curtsied gracefully before walking over.

The others nearby wondered when Su Luoqian had become acquainted with the Crown Princess, but they could hardly approach now.

Having seen the person she wanted to see, Qin Shuning said to Lady Xu Wang, "Please see to your other duties, my lady. I can stay with the Princess Consort."

Qin Shuning had been married to the Crown Prince for nearly a year, and the titled ladies of Yujing City's prominent families knew something of her temperament. Hearing her say this, Lady Xu Wang did not dare linger before her.

With the Crown Princess there, Su Luoqian felt a little more at ease.

The two sat down at a table, eating pastries and chatting softly.

Zhou Xuheng had withheld much of the green plum wine Qin Shuning had brought back from Su Luoqian's place that day, leaving her only a small jar. She could only ration it.

At this, Qin Shuning pursed her lips, looking a little displeased.

Su Luoqian chuckled. "You and the Crown Prince are deeply devoted to each other, Sister-in-law. Say a few nice words, and he's sure to agree."

Qin Shuning did not know how to explain matters between her and the Crown Prince to Su Luoqian.

Whenever the two of them got together, a few words of disagreement were enough to set them off like lit firecrackers, and they would quarrel.

She really should not have felt sorry for him back then.

She had thought him frail and sickly, but who knew his martial arts were far superior to hers?

And to think she had originally planned to give way to him more after they married, since she was in good health.

But look how that had turned out. This man was an expert at climbing the pole whenever he was given the chance.

At the thought, Qin Shuning picked up the tea on the table and took a fierce gulp, as if venting her frustration.

Su Luoqian thought for a moment, then winked at her and whispered, "If nothing else works, I'll secretly give you some next time."

Qin Shuning's eyes lit up. "That's a good idea."

As the two chatted and laughed, Xu Yin, the guest of honor at today's banquet, came gracefully through the garden's moon gate.

With a pearl-and-jade hair ornament on her head and a gauze dress on her body, she looked rather pretty.

Su Luoqian followed everyone's gaze and unexpectedly met Xu Yin's eyes.

Though they were neither very close nor very far apart, she keenly noticed the contempt and malice in Xu Yin's eyes.

But only an instant later, Xu Yin looked away and chatted and laughed lightly with the noble young ladies who had come to greet her.

Su Luoqian's beautiful eyes flickered, and when she saw Kong Cuilian following behind Xu Yin, she understood everything.

She sneered inwardly.

She had originally intended to find an opportunity to inform the Xu family of Xu Jia's secret affair with her cousin. After all, the place where the two were to meet after the banquet was right beside the courtyard where everyone would listen to music and admire the flowers. If they were discovered, today's coming-of-age banquet and the reputation of the duke's household would be utterly ruined.

But as things stood, there was no need for that.

Xu Yin and Kong Cuilian were sure to have more moves in store for her today.

Su Luoqian lifted her beautiful eyes slightly and surveyed the surroundings.

Xu Jia, who had secretly met her cousin in the corridor at the back just now, had already appeared in the garden.

But Xu Yin was the main attraction today, and Xu Jia, following at her side, seemed somewhat impatient.

Thinking of what Xu Jia had just said, Su Luoqian reflected that birds of a feather truly did flock together.

If Xu Yin made trouble for her, today's coming-of-age banquet would become the laughingstock of Yujing City.

As everyone chatted merrily and exchanged pleasantries, Duke Xu and Lady Xu Wang appeared together and invited the guests to take their seats.

More than ten tables filled the spacious dining hall, where both male and female guests were seated.

They were merely separated by screens down the middle.

Lady Xu Wang had Su Luoqian and Qin Shuning seated at the head table on the women's side. At the head table on the men's side, besides Duke Xu and several noble kinsmen of the imperial family, sat an elderly man with snowy white hair.

Su Luoqian thought he looked somewhat familiar, but she did not know who he was.

Qin Shuning, beside her, leaned close and whispered, "That is Yan Bai, the Grand Tutor. He taught the Crown Prince and Prince Cheng'an."

Grand Tutor Yan was a man who held himself to strict standards and was upright and incorruptible.

Even the reigning emperor had studied under the Grand Tutor when he was still the Crown Prince.

Although he had retired several years ago, every civil and military official at court admired and respected him.

Lu Jingsi had studied alongside several imperial princes from the time he first began his education, so he too addressed Yan Bai respectfully as his teacher.

Su Luoqian grumbled inwardly that Duke Xu must have truly gone to great lengths today to secure a substantive official post for his legitimate son.

Before she could finish the thought, she heard Duke Xu speak from the men's side.

"Today is my daughter Xu Yin's coming-of-age ceremony, and I have invited you all to a banquet. Please forgive any shortcomings in our hospitality."

"Allow me to offer a cup of humble wine by way of apology to you all."

With that, Duke Xu raised the wine cup beside him to the guests, tipped back his head, and drained it.

The others present raised their cups in return.

The banquet was filled with harmonious laughter and conversation.

Seeing that the time was about right, Xu Yin lifted a hand and lightly tugged Lady Xu Liu's sleeve. Taking the hint, Lady Xu Liu rose and, as a member of the host family, suggested that everyone play the flying flower poetry game for amusement.

Hearing this, Su Luoqian raised her delicate brows slightly.

So they're going to play the flying flower poetry game.

Duke Xu had also known in advance about the game.

Both Lady Xu Wang and Lady Xu Liu had come today hoping to find husbands for their daughters, so when Xu Yin suggested the idea a few days ago, neither had objected.

Besides, the flying flower poetry game was an elegant pastime commonly enjoyed by scholars, and there was nothing improper about it, so Duke Xu had agreed as well.

With Yan Bai present, the Grand Tutor naturally had to choose the character for the game.

Duke Xu had the servants bring brush and paper, and the Grand Tutor wrote down a character and handed it to the duke's steward.

But before the steward announced the character, Lady Xu Wang suddenly rose and curtsied to the guests.

"We have many guests today, so to avoid taking up everyone's time, why don't we leave the flying flower poetry game to the young people?"

Looking at Duke Xu and Yan Bai, she gave a slight nod. "Your Grace, Grand Tutor, how about we watch the children and enjoy the fun?"