Shen Hanyu and the Snow Empress stood at the edge of the crowd. They could not see what was happening inside clearly, but they could vaguely hear indistinct voices.
Amid the clinking and swaying of wineglasses, the atmosphere was quite relaxed and cheerful. Quite a few noble young ladies, their figures swaying gracefully, approached Shen Hanyu with glasses in hand, but when they drew near, they were all scared away by the Snow Empress's icy aura.
Shen Hanyu took a sip of the slightly bitter wine. Looking at the lively scene, he said with an amused smile, "This doesn't seem like a birthday banquet. It's more like a gathering for nobles to consolidate their interests. Everyone came with their own agenda. They're all old foxes who have lived ten thousand years, each more calculating than the last."
The Snow Empress frowned slightly and asked, "When are we leaving?"
She did not like occasions like this. Compared to such bustle and splendor, she actually preferred being alone with Shen Hanyu.
Shen Hanyu tipped back his head and drank the last of his wine, then said, "Let's take the three girls and leave. This kind of occasion isn't suitable for them."
The Snow Empress nodded slightly and let Shen Hanyu lead her toward the other side.
When Qian Renxue, who was moving through the hall, saw the two leaving, her eyes flickered. She quietly whispered something into the ear of the maid beside her, who promptly left the banquet hall through the rear exit.
At the same time, another gaze settled upon Shen Hanyu and the Snow Empress.
It belonged to a young man with orange-red hair. His features were fairly handsome and clean-cut, but his playboy demeanor and arrogant expression made him rather unpleasant to look at.
The fourth prince of