Female supremacy: blasphemy of imperial power [Yuri/GL]

Chapter 69: First Night

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*Knock, knock—*

Tao Yao was still immersed in the shock that Flower Daughter had brought, when the knocking on the door broke her concentration. Zhao Yang glanced at her, noticing that she looked dazed, and decided to get up and open the door herself.

The door was locked from the inside, meaning that anyone outside had to be allowed in by the occupant.

As soon as the door opened, she was enveloped in a tight embrace.

Startled, Zhao Yang gently pushed the person away and laughed, “How did you know it was me?”

Lord Jin looked intently at Zhao Yang and said, “I could feel that the lady had returned.”

Zhao Yang chuckled and pulled Lord Jin inside. “Come in.”

Lord Jin obediently entered, his eyes never leaving Zhao Yang.

Once seated, Lord Jin was aware that there was another person in the room, but he chose to ignore it. It was characteristic of him to be well-mannered; unless Zhao Yang initiated a conversation, he would never pry.

Zhao Yang, however, casually introduced Tao Yao. “This is Tao Yao, a… master.”

Upon hearing the brief introduction, Lord Jin nodded slightly.

A master…

Stealing a glance at Tao Yao, Lord Jin noticed that she was not looking at him but was deep in thought. Her extraordinarily beautiful yet enigmatic face was quite captivating.

Zhao Yang picked up her teacup and took a sip. “Does Flower Daughter know that I have returned?”

Lord Jin naturally grabbed some pine nuts from the table and began to peel them. After hearing the question, he nodded, “She plans to come over later.”

“How have you been for almost a year?”

Lord Jin placed the peeled pine nuts into Zhao Yang's palm. “Every day in the Qinhuai remains the same; people just gradually age.”

Zhao Yang placed the pine nut in her mouth; its rich aroma enveloped her, and it felt as if it still retained the warmth from Lord Jin’s hand.

Lord Jin gazed at Zhao Yang with a soft, watery expression, but his hands, which were peeling the pine nuts, trembled slightly.

Zhao Yang's return had caught him off guard. There hadn’t been any news beforehand, and now, upon seeing her, he could only maintain a facade of calmness.

After eating just a few pine nuts, Zhao Yang no longer continued, placing the uneaten ones back into Lord Jin’s hands. She took a sip of tea to rinse her mouth.

The two casually chatted about the happenings of the past year, though it was primarily one-sided; whenever Lord Jin inquired about Zhao Yang’s affairs, she skillfully dodged the questions.

“What about the final act? Who is it?” Zhao Yang asked.

Lord Jin replied, “It’s the daughter of a wealthy merchant from Jiangnan.”

A hint of surprise flashed in Zhao Yang’s eyes. “When did the Qinhuai start catering to women?”

“This was just a spur-of-the-moment decision.” Since Zhao Yang didn’t seem to mind sharing this information in front of Tao Yao, Lord Jin decided to continue.

“The matter ultimately started because of me,” Lord Jin said, glancing at Zhao Yang. “That woman has declared that she wishes to marry me and has been causing a ruckus in the Qinhuai daily. She even insisted on booking the entire venue. She claims that as long as I remain unmarried, the Qinhuai will be unable to conduct normal business.”