Qin Huailian shot him a glare but said nothing. Then she turned around and tried to open another wine jar.
The room was filled with the aroma of wine. Yazebu frowned, thinking she was squandering good wine. He quickly took a step forward, snatched the just - opened wine jar from her hands and said, "This fine Nu'erhong wine is not for you to drink recklessly."
"Give it back to me!" Qin Huailian was already a bit drunk. She cursed and without hesitation reached out to grab Yazebu's wrist.
Seeing this, Yazebu spun around to dodge. He also picked up the sealing clay that Qin Huailian had casually thrown on the ground and sealed the wine jar again, saying, "This is the last jar. Don't waste it. Leave it for someone who appreciates it, okay?"
Qin Huailian covered her dizzy head and shouted loudly, "Give it to me! Did you hear that!"
"Do you think everyone is as deaf as you? Why are you shouting so loudly?" Yazebu said impatiently, "What's going on? Did you become like this after just seeing your father?"
At the mention of Qin Feng, Qin Huailian visibly trembled. Then she curled up her legs, hugged her knees with both hands and buried her face in them.
Yazebu glanced at Qin Huailian, who was sitting on the ground acting out of character, and sneered, "Hey? What's wrong? Can't I even mention it?"
Qin Huailian remained motionless. Her face was buried in her knees, so her expression couldn't be seen. She was like a wounded little beast, trying hard to lick its own wounds.
Yazebu shrugged and sat down beside her. He slapped open the sealing clay and placed the wine jar between them, saying, "Tsk, it's just that I didn't let you drink. What are you doing? See, I've opened it for you. Drink if you want."
However, Qin Huailian still didn't move.
Yazebu simply ignored her. He picked up the wine jar and took two big gulps. Then he smacked his lips and let out an appreciative sound.
"Good wine!" Yazebu looked at the empty wine jars messily placed behind him. He sighed for a while and then took a few more sips from the wine jar.
"What are you doing here with me?" Qin Huailian's voice returned to its cold tone. She slowly raised her head. Although her face was still flushed from the alcohol, her eyes seemed very clear.
— Yazebu didn't know if she was just pretending to be calm or not, but she would surely get dizzy soon.
Yazebu thought so, for the after - effect of Nu'erhong wine was no joke.
"If you've got nothing to do, go think about how to get my brother alone as soon as possible," Qin Huailian scolded.
"Tsk tsk tsk..." Yazebu shook his head and said playfully, "What on earth is your beef with your family? First you captured your father, and now you want us to help you capture your brother."
"None of your business. Just do as I say and don't be so talkative."
"I'm just curious..." Yazebu propped his face up with one hand and looked at her leisurely, "I just want to know, after you've killed so many people and done so many things, will your lovely brother and your stubborn father ever accept you?"
Qin Huailian trembled all over!
Yazebu raised his eyebrows and looked at her.
Qin Huailian's anger on her face visibly dissipated, and then it was covered with a layer of panic and helplessness. She suddenly lowered her head, trying to hide those emotions, but her fingers unconsciously intertwined. It was obvious that she had been thinking about this for a long time.
"...My mother was killed by them. It's only right that I make the Sikong family pay in blood," Qin Huailian gritted her teeth. Her face gradually turned red. Yazebu knew that the after - effect of the wine had kicked in.
"But they may not appreciate what you've done," Yazebu said bluntly, "I've fought against Qin Feng. I know your father's character very well. Even if your brother agrees, your father won't — not to mention I don't think your brother will recognize you either."
Qin Huailian didn't say a word. She quietly hugged her legs and her eyes began to look unfocused.
Taking advantage of Qin Huailian's drunkenness, Yazebu continued to try to get more information from her, "Qin Huailian, what's your real purpose?"
Qin Huailian: "..."
"Do you want your father to be the emperor? Even if your father doesn't have many years left, he has a son. You want to protect both of them, don't you?" Yazebu stared at her intently and said, "Am I right?"
Qin Huailian still remained silent.
The air in the room became extremely tense in the heavy rain. After an unknown period of silence, Qin Huailian finally spoke, saying, "My mother died trying to save Sikong Ting. This is revenge."
Yazebu took another sip of the wine. He was getting more and more interested in the conversation. He wiped his mouth and asked while drinking, "How did your mother die?"
Qin Huailian slumped on the edge of the bed. She stared straight ahead, as if she was thinking of something that made her extremely uncomfortable.
After her expression changed for a while, she finally said, "My mother went to the capital to report on her duties. Coincidentally, Sikong Ting, who was still the crown prince at that time, was assassinated and fell into a coma. The Imperial Hospital had tried many methods, but the national teacher insisted that snow lotus was needed to save him."
Qin Huailian laughed self - deprecatingly, "Snow lotus? The Kunlun Mountains were already blocked by heavy snow at that time. Everyone knew how dangerous the journey was. But that dog emperor actually believed the national teacher's words and assigned this task to my mother... My mother promised to come back to accompany me right after reporting on her duties. But on her way back, she was forced to go to the Kunlun Mountains, and then..."
Qin Huailian slowly covered her mouth. Her eyes were unfocused, as if time had stood still and she was still nestled in her mother's arms, listening to bedtime stories.
"Pick... snow lotus?"
"Humph, do I need to say it a second time? Wasn't it you people from Loulan who lured me to look through the royal scrolls in the palace? You can't possibly not know. Stop pretending to be innocent! I'm so fed up!" After saying that, Qin Huailian threw all the wine jars at hand like a drunken madman and then shouted angrily.
"It's all because of him! If it weren't for Sikong Ting, my mother wouldn't have died!!" The more Qin Huailian talked, the more excited she became. After drinking, her mind was filled with fragmented memories of Gu Hanfang holding and comforting her. The great pain almost devoured her whole.
Yazebu noticed that something glistened at the corner of her eye and slowly ran down her cheek.
The night grew deeper.
Yazebu walked out of Qin Huailian's room.
He frowned, as if there was something that puzzled him, but he couldn't put his finger on it.
Inside the room, Qin Huailian was already dead drunk and lying on the table asleep. It was Yazebu who kindly carried her to the bed.
He looked up at the gloomy sky.
After pouring down for a whole day, the heavy rain finally couldn't withstand the cold night in the Protector - General's Office and turned into white snowflakes, floating down from the sky.
This was the first snow in the Protector - General's Office this year.
In winter, Loulan couldn't afford to drag on. The Xiongnu wouldn't allow this war to be delayed any longer either.
Both sides were on high alert.
He knew that when this snow stopped, it would be the real moment of the decisive battle.
Yazebu stretched out his hand. Snowflakes fell on his palm one by one. He suddenly closed his hand, and the snowflakes instantly melted into water and dripped through his fingers.