Liang Wan turned to look.
It was Lu Xiu, dressed in a white robe and a gauze cap.
His gaze was brazenly locked on her, a smile playing on his thin lips. Feeling a pang of guilt, Liang Wan lowered her head.
Princess Lanling, seated at the head of the banquet, raised an eyebrow. Her eyes darted back and forth between the two. A glance at the others' expressions revealed that while not everyone had heard the rumors, a good number were in the know.
"It is a rare honor to have the Grand Commandant grace us with his presence. I wonder what your thoughts are on the matter?" Princess Lanling set down her cup, her voice full of amusement as she smiled.
Lu Xiu strode straight to his seat, settled down after lifting the hem of his robe, and only then did he speak. "Naturally, we can't just let this go."
Liang Wan caught Mrs. Zhang shooting her frantic glances from the corner of her eye and quickly spoke up. "Your Highness, Grand Commandant, I am feeling unwell. However, my younger sister can take my place."
"Oh?" Princess Lanling smiled faintly. "And what does the Grand Commandant think?"
Lu Xiu shot Liang Wan a cold glance. If he hadn't heard so many rumors, he truly would have had no interest in attending such a childish banquet.
Liang Wan's heart pounded with anxiety, her hands and feet growing cold. Worried that he would not only refuse but also create more trouble for her, she hastily curtsied to him. "I beg the Grand Commandant to grant my request."
Her voice was delicate and soft. Whenever she feigned composure, she would deliberately lower it. This mix of suppression and forbearance was, to his ears, quite pleasing.
For some reason, Lu Xiu was reminded of that night when she had clutched the corner of his robes, refusing to let go no matter what. In the pitch-black darkness, her eyes had been astonishingly bright—not quite pleading, yet not quite throwing a tantrum either.
In short, she was exceptionally good at pestering people.
A smile touched his thin lips. He nonchalantly glanced at Liang Wan, who was still holding her curtsy, and saw that familiar light in her eyes again. "My lady has spoken. How could I not permit it?"
Liang Wan secretly breathed a sigh of relief and mumbled her thanks.
To the onlookers, this scene held another meaning entirely. The Imperial Family was no stranger to love affairs, so this in itself was nothing new. Most of those were conducted in secret, however, allowing a semblance of peace to be maintained.
So why were these two so brazen? After all, besides the Lu Family, members of the Sikong Mansion were also present at the banquet. Wasn't this a blatant show of disrespect?
"Thank you, Grand Commandant."
Liang Wan sat back down, indifferent to the surrounding whispers and discussions.
Only Feng Qingyue, who was sitting nearby, saw Liang Wan's flushed face, and her own expression darkened.
The performances at the banquet were nothing special, but this unexpected drama certainly livened things up and whetted everyone's appetite for wine.
Now that permission was granted, Mrs. Zhang nudged Liang Jiao from under their small table, whispering instructions.
Liang Jiao rose and stepped forward.
Liang Wan paid no mind to Feng Qingyue's expression, her eyes fixed on Liang Jiao with great anticipation.
Liang Jiao had also studied dance since she was young. Although not as skilled as her sister, she was more than capable enough to put on a performance for them.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have dared to let Liang Jiao take the stage.
A space in the center of the hall had already been cleared. The dance Liang Jiao performed wasn't the Palm Dance that her sister excelled at, but rather the currently fashionable Sogdian Whirl.
Liang Jiao was slightly plump, so this fast-paced, lively, and vigorous dance highlighted her assets perfectly. When the dance ended, the crowd erupted in cheers, praising her endlessly.
Liang Jiao curtsied gracefully, said a few words, and then withdrew. Only when passing a certain spot did her eyes betray a flicker of unreadable emotion.
Liang Wan suddenly recalled something, and her mood instantly brightened. Most of the anxiety that Lu Xiu had caused her dissipated, and she now found the situation rather amusing.
Halfway through the banquet, the Waterside Pavilion was already boisterous. Some, with hazy, drunken eyes, continued their drinking contests. Others, flushed and dizzy, leaned against the pillars. Still others had their arms around each other's shoulders, roaring with laughter. A few sober ones had even run off to the side to compose poetry and sing.
'The Qi people sure do love their revelry! It's no lie.'
Of course, compared to the so-called "revelry" of the tyrant in her memories, this was utterly unsophisticated. No wonder Lu Xiu had looked so bored throughout the banquet, barely cracking a smile. At most, he exchanged a few words with the General of Cavalry and the Crown Prince's Tutor at the next table.
After a moment's thought, she grabbed a wine pot, poured a cup, and stood up to walk toward Lu Xiu. She had barely taken two steps when Mrs. Zhang pushed Liang Jiao to go forward with her.
Lu Xiu, who was in the middle of a conversation with the Crown Prince's Tutor, was caught off guard when he saw Liang Wan approaching. A flicker of surprise flashed in his eyes, but it was instantly replaced by an icy glint. His face became a cold, indifferent mask, and he said nothing.
The Crown Prince's Tutor rested his head on his hand and watched from the side, his gaze brazenly raking over her from head to toe.
Liang Wan was no stranger to this man. She had seen him in the palace before; he was quite close with Lu Xiu.
"She's here for you,"
the Crown Prince's Tutor said to Lu Xiu with a teasing smile.
Lu Xiu's seat was in a prominent position, so the Tutor's not-so-quiet remark drew the attention of many guests.
Liang Wan acted as if she saw and heard nothing. Her only focus was on pulling Liang Jiao along with her. She respectfully presented the cup of wine to Lu Xiu, put on an act of saying a few clever words to thank the Grand Commandant for his help earlier, and took the opportunity to return the clothes from that other day.
However, after all that, Lu Xiu merely toyed with the wine cup, showing no intention of drinking it. This left Mrs. Zhang looking awkward.
The surrounding whispers had turned into pointing fingers and muffled jeers.
Unable to bear the ridicule, Liang Jiao, blushing, forced a smile and gave a curtsy. She then turned, grabbed Mrs. Zhang, and hurried back to her seat, her hasty steps looking somewhat pathetic.
In the past, Liang Wan would never have had the courage to remain standing there. But after the humiliation she had endured in her previous life, this was nothing to her.
Liang Wan nodded to a maidservant not far away, who then approached carrying a tray with sobering tea that had been prepared in advance.
Liang Wan took it, tested the temperature, and carefully presented it to Lu Xiu. Her limpid eyes were filled with tender affection. "A little wine is a delight, but too much is harmful. My lord has had a fair bit to drink at this banquet. Please try this tea; I had it specially prepared for you."
Her voice was clear and bright, yet deliberately fawning—delicate, soft, and pleasant to hear. Such public and solicitous flattery was truly astounding.
The Crown Prince's Tutor, sitting to the side, even clicked his tongue and shook his head.
'I've seen my fair share of women trying to climb the social ladder by latching onto powerful men,' he thought, 'but this is the first time I've ever seen one so shameless and reckless. Thinking about it now, the rumors outside must be false. The Grand Commandant caught stealing a lady's affections at night? It's more likely she's the one who's been secretly pestering him endlessly!'
The chatter in the hall grew louder, but Liang Wan seemed completely oblivious. She remained kneeling before Lu Xiu, holding the tea with both hands, a faint smile on her face. 'When you have a goal you are determined to achieve, all other dissonant voices are just wind passing by your ears.'
Lu Xiu was silent for a moment before taking the cup and setting it aside. His gaze fell upon her slender, pale wrist, which looked so fragile it might snap with a single squeeze.
Their skin touched. Liang Wan's eyes went wide. Lu Xiu was actually getting physical with her in public! Her heart, which had just calmed, was thrown into turmoil, stirred up like a thousand-layered wave.
Of course, it wasn't just her heart he had thrown into chaos, but the entire banquet at the Waterside Pavilion.
Liang Wan could no longer feign composure. Lu Xiu's warm palm was wrapped firmly around her wrist, and the heated touch sent goosebumps crawling all over her skin.
"My lady has always been so skillful with her hands," he said. His voice was like a magnet, low and husky from the wine. His actions were ambiguous, but his tone was even more so.
Liang Wan instinctively tried to pull her hand back, but he held it fast. "Didn't you say you were willing to do anything?"