Allure of a Country Maiden
Chapter 304 - 302

Chapter 304: Chapter 302

Xiao’er laughed as well, "When someone praises our jewelry, we feel glad. This proves that we have good taste, and at least we haven’t disgraced ourselves, right?"

Madam Lai of the Lai Mansion listened and laughed as well, genuinely complimenting, "Indeed, your set of jewelry is truly dazzling, especially under the sunlight. It’s absolutely radiant."

At this time, Lai Zhewei personally came out to greet them.

By the way, notwithstanding all efforts, Young Master Lai’s wife could not be divorced. The Zhu family put down its pride, offered an apology along with a generous compensation, and promised to school her well before allowing her return to Lai Mansion. Most importantly, Young Master Lai’s wife was pregnant again. Given the sincerity demonstrated by the Zhu family, the matter was laid to rest.

The buffet was held in the open-air garden, fortunate that today was cloudy. The cool autumn wind was bracing, and the temperature was pleasant.

Add the fact that the place was beautifully decorated, setting a festive and warm atmosphere, the guests were in high spirits, all smiles, engaged in lively discussions.

As the buffet style required, the long tables filled with food created a division between the areas for men and women.

The air was thick with fragrance, glasses clinking and mingling, and the nearby stage hosted performances of the most recent and popular shows in the Imperial Capital.

Several servants and maids, each carrying a tray of cocktails, circulated among the guests, providing service as needed.

Li Yunhua got up, took two cups of wine from a servant, and walked up to the Sixth Prince, "Sixth Prince, I’d like to toast to you. I wanted to thank you for your leniency towards Yun Ning and Bao’er last time."

Shangguan Xuanyi was sitting immobile, without batting an eyelid, as if nobody had spoken to him.

Li Yunhua didn’t mind, this man treated everyone else with indifference except for a few close to him.

"Just now, I saw Rui’an County’s princess also got a cup of this wine, she mentioned that it tastes quite good. So, I had one of the servants bring a cup over for the Sixth Prince. I merely took it from him to personally gift it to the Sixth Prince as an opportunity to express my gratitude. Won’t the Sixth Prince give it a try?"

It was then that Shangguan Xuanyi took a glance at the cup of wine in his hand, and then finally at him, taking it. Ambiently raising his right hand, he hid his mouth behind his sleeve, drank it in one gulp, then placed the empty cup down.

"Not bad!"

Li Yunhua knew as long as he mentioned Rui’an County’s princess, he would give it a try.

Having achieved his goal, Li Yunhua didn’t like Shangguan Xuanyi’s superior air he exuded, and thus took his leave.

Just as Li Yunhua retook his seat, a servant came over to him with two cups of wine, stating they were a reward from the Sixth Prince.

Li Yunhua glanced over at Shangguan Xuanyi’s table, only to find out the prince hadn’t even looked at his direction.

The other gentlemen at his table became curious, "Master Li, why did the Sixth Prince reward you with wine?"

"Master Li, how did you manage to curry favor with the Sixth Prince, and he even rewarded you with wine. Did you do something substantial for him?"

"Master Li, do remember to include us next time when such good things happen!"

Upon hearing their comments, Li Yunhua’s face darkened. Shangguan Xuanyi wasn’t that special, only his father was somewhat more powerful than his own father! He wouldn’t deign to curry favor with him!

"It’s the first time that the Sixth Prince has offered wine to someone. What does it taste like?" Chen Jin was fairly impressed with Shangguan Xuanyi.

Pity that Shangguan Xuanyi was too difficult to approach, he wouldn’t bother acknowledging him.

Li Yunhua had no fondness towards Shangguan Xuanyi and didn’t really want to drink these two cups of wine. After hearing Chen Jin’s comment, he retorted, "If you want to know so bad, drink it yourself!"

Li Yunhua offered the two cups to him.

Without hesitating, Chen Jin accepted, thanked him, and began to drink.

Seeing this infuriated Li Yunhua, Chen Jin was a member of his father’s staff after all, how could he admire Shangguan Xuanyi! His sudden hero-worship of Shangguan Xuanyi was appalling!

He could not bear the sight, hence getting up and walking away.

After Chen Jin finished the two cups of wine, he felt an urgent need to relieve himself and stood up to find the toilet.

After using the toilet, he appeared dizzy and feverish, presuming the wine to be strong, thinking that he was probably drunk. Knowing that he wasn’t a good drinker, he asked a passing servant for directions to the guest room for resting in order to avoid any inappropriate behavior due to intoxication later.

Li Yunning sat at the table, absentmindedly fiddling with a piece of cake on her plate using her hairpin.

"Ning’er, don’t you like that pastry? Would you like to change it?" The Minister’s wife noticed her daughter only cutting the cake on her plate, not eating it, so she asked.

Li Yunning didn’t hear her.

"Ning’er..." The Minister’s wife called again.

Only then did Li Yunning look up at the Minister’s wife, filled with confusion.

The Minister’s wife was just about to ask her what was wrong.

At this time, a maid came over and placed a cup of watermelon juice in front of her, saying, "Miss Li, this is the watermelon juice you asked for."

Seeing this cup of watermelon juice, Li Yunning suddenly stood up: "Is it ready?"

Then she realized she had overreacted, quickly sat down, and casually said:

"Put it down."

"You silly girl, it’s just a cup of watermelon juice. Why are you so excited?" The Minister’s wife frowned at this.

What’s wrong with her daughter, she looked so disturbed, what had happened?

"I was a bit thirsty and waited too long for this watermelon juice. I was just a little excited when it finally arrived." Li Yunning pretended to be calm, suppressing her somewhat restless and excited heart.

It worked! It succeeded! I didn’t expect it would be so easy!

"You silly girl, you could have drunk something else if you were thirsty!" The Minister’s wife didn’t think too much and had some helplessness for her daughter’s childish behavior.

Li Yunning smiled, her hands slightly trembling with excitement as she picked up the watermelon juice.

She tried her best to control her nervous and excited emotions, drank the watermelon juice hurriedly, put down the cup, and said, "Mother, ladies, please excuse me, I need to use the restroom."

The Minister’s wife nodded, "Go ahead! What’s the rush!"

"No, I’m just in a hurry." Hearing this, Li Yunning forced herself to calm down. She couldn’t let anyone see anything unusual.

"Well, hurry up then! You can’t hold it in!" The other ladies said.

Li Yunning nodded, and left slowly.

The table where Xiao’er was sitting wasn’t far from Li Yunning’s. She naturally noticed Li Yunning’s strange behaviour.

She thought for a moment and then stood up: "Mother, I need to use the restroom."

Mrs. Liu was talking to the wife of the former Minister of Works, now the wife of the Minister of the Right, who nodded when she heard this.

As soon as Xiao’er left her seat, she carefully followed behind Li Yunning.

As expected! Li Yunning was not heading towards the toilet at all. If she walked further, she would be in the guesthouse of Lai Mansion.

Xiao’er hid behind a rockery, watching Li Yunning’s back, wondering: What is she heading to the guesthouse for? Or who does she want to see?

She thought of the amorous conspiracies in many modern novels where people had travelled back to ancient times, and her eyes widened!

The only person Li Yunning could be plotting against was Shangguan Xuanyi!

Well, that’s all: she’s trying to cuckold me! What a good plot!

With this thought, she couldn’t help but want to sneakily follow.

Just then, a big hand suddenly reached out from behind her and covered her mouth.