Chapter 124: The Beauty Intoxicated

Chapter 124: Intoxicated by Beauty

"Very well, but I cannot have you feeling slighted. How about you serve as a steward in the Prince Wu Manor?" Wu Hong said, scratching his head.

"Brother! How could you take him in?" Wu Songran objected with dissatisfaction.

"Miss Songran, I shall certainly strive to be a diligent servant!" the fat man said, hurriedly trying to curry favor with her.

"Giggle—handsome brother, aren't you afraid that a cat fond of stealing meat might eat the fish? It might just snatch away your delicacy!" the maiden in green chuckled.

Wu Songran's face turned beet red at these words. Wu Hong was quite confident in his own restraint, but the maiden in green spoke without the slightest inhibition, causing Wu Hong to blush furiously as well.

"Ahem—the envoy from the Great Tang, present yourselves—" Eunuch Li’s voice rang out at the perfect moment.

"Hee hee, handsome brother, I must go pay my respects to the Emperor first—why don't you continue chatting with your star pupil and your lover?" The maiden in green laughed playfully, then led her group of Great Tang experts toward Emperor Yang Wei. She bowed gracefully and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty of the Great Qian. May you live for ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years."

"Rise—" Emperor Yang Wei said casually, though he was struck by the maiden’s beauty and graceful physique. Such an aura was nonexistent in the Great Qian Dynasty. The gender customs of the Great Tang were vastly different; men could take women as wives, and powerful women could similarly take multiple men as husbands. Such a nation had cultivated the maiden’s unconventional, seductive charm. It was also highly likely that she practiced some form of seduction technique. Already naturally stunning, her mastery of what the Great Qian considered an "evil" art made her even more lethal to men. Some of the older officials even experienced a flush of vitality, as if they were experiencing a final resurgence before death, clearly stirred by the spectacle.

"Your Majesty, you have recently ascended the throne. And Prince Wu, you have just taken your post today. I present a dance for you all! I hope everyone enjoys it!" No sooner had she finished speaking than her accompanying musicians stepped onto the high platform.

A graceful, winding melody began to play, featuring the zither, the yangqin, and several other exotic instruments. As the music swelled, the maiden in green had somehow changed into a gown of translucent pink silk. Her snow-white skin was faintly visible through the sheer fabric, yet whenever anyone tried to peer into the secrets beneath, they found nothing, leaving every man in the hall feeling restless.

She was no longer a maiden in green, but a maiden in pink, ribbons fluttering as she danced. Her steps were light and ethereal, her movements flowing like a mountain stream. The beauty danced before the crowd, leaving them utterly entranced. Even Wu Songran, who had held a poor impression of her, was somewhat spellbound, to say nothing of Wu Hong and the gathered officials.

As the crowd watched, lost in the performance, the maiden—despite the revealing nature of her attire—did not look vulgar in the least; rather, she appeared like a fairy dancing on air. Just as everyone was deep in their trance, the gentle, stream-like music suddenly surged into the roar of a mighty river. The maiden in pink transformed from a fairy into an enchanting, seductive temptress, her waist swaying rhythmically.

"Crack—" A military officer, unable to withstand the sudden intensity, crushed the agate wine cup in his hand.

The maiden’s outfit was revealing, with a plunging neckline that exposed a vast expanse of snowy skin. Everyone felt that if her bodice shifted even a fraction more during her vigorous movements, her pink secrets would be unveiled. The men’s blood raced; forgetting their status and decorum, some even swallowed hard, their throats parched.

Wu Hong dared not look directly at the fairy-turned-temptress. To his horror, the maiden in pink continued to sway, moving toward him until she was dancing right at his side, her curvaceous hips brushing against him. Suddenly, Wu Hong felt a chill on his neck and started in surprise. The maiden—the Princess of Great Tang—had draped her fair, jade-like arms around his neck and sat upon his lap.

Wu Hong’s lower regions, hard as steel, gave a sudden, sharp nudge against the maiden’s backside. The maiden gasped in surprise and recoiled from his body, her face flushed peach-red. Though she continued to dance, her mind was clearly elsewhere. Wu Hong felt a sudden heat in his nose, and—*poof*—two streams of blood sprayed out!

The maiden in pink could not dodge in time and was splattered. Wu Hong’s blood, now a pale, golden-red, no longer possessed the toxicity that once harmed others. As the blood touched her skin, the maiden felt as though she were being cleansed by a holy elixir. Her face filled with shock, but she did not stop dancing, continuing to sway with wild abandon.

Wu Songran looked at Wu Hong helplessly, thinking to herself, "Sigh—the charm of such a woman is truly too great; any man would be swayed by it, let alone my somewhat lecherous brother!"

Throughout the hall, the only man whose gaze remained fixed on Wu Songran was the fat envoy from Great Han, while the guards who had accompanied the Tang Princess never allowed their focus to waver for an instant.

Finally, the lethal dance concluded. Everyone gathered their wits, afraid to appear too disheveled, though their hearts still echoed with the rhythm of the performance. The maiden in pink approached Wu Hong with small, delicate steps. "Prince Wu, you don't yet know my name, do you? I am Wang Biluo."

Wu Hong’s complexion only just began to return to normal, and he hurriedly stood to return the salute.

"Giggle—Prince Wu, you are indeed mighty! Not only are your martial arts profound, but your 'stamina' is also extraordinary, far beyond the average man! No wonder your lover is so infatuated with you," Wang Biluo chuckled.

"Pfft—" Wu Hong, unable to handle such suggestive remarks, sprayed another fountain of nosebleed.

"Brother, what’s wrong? Are you injured?" Wu Songran asked, her face burning. Having been intimate with Wu Hong, she understood the Princess’s implications all too well. Yet, to help Wu Hong save face, she pretended to be oblivious.

"Yes—it is a bit much. I’ve been taking too many tonics these past two days; perhaps I’ve overdone it," Wu Hong said, covering his nose in embarrassment.

"The Great Tang Dynasty is indeed a vast and magnificent nation. Princess, your dance has truly touched the hearts of all the officials of my Great Qian; it is remarkable," Emperor Yang Wei praised with a smile. He then continued, "Brother, you have just assumed the title of Prince Wu today; why not hold a banquet in your manor tonight to entertain the envoys of all nations? Let us celebrate your promotion at the same time!"

Wu Hong stood up. "Your Majesty, you have only recently ascended the throne; the focus should remain on you. As for me, I have lived as a wanderer for so long that I am accustomed to simplicity—anything will do." He lowered his voice, sending his words directly to the Emperor’s ear: "Your Majesty, I only wish to see my stepmother once to clear up some matters. There are many misunderstandings between us as mother and son."

Emperor Yang Wei acted as if he had heard nothing. "Since you say so, let us simply enjoy ourselves here in the palace today," he replied, pointedly ignoring Wu Hong’s request.

Wu Hong was not anxious. He thought to himself, "You can evade this for now, but it will not last forever. With my current status and standing, seeing her is only a matter of time." Once he reached this conclusion, he felt at ease.

Wang Biluo retreated to the side with her cold, silent subordinates.