Amused by her shy yet angry expression, Huo Jingsha's smile widened, as if he had asked the question on purpose to tease her. He was pleased with her surprised and coquettish reaction, and turned to continue clinking glasses with others, drinking the wine that Shu Yao had filled for him in one gulp.
She turned her face away, still looking angry, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curve into a smile, as if she were secretly laughing.
Between them, a casual glance, a subtle touch, concealed countless intertwined threads of affection, conveying feelings known only to them. Of all the concubines present, she was the only woman he held in his arms, tenderly caring for her, and beside him, there was only room for her.
Just then, the steward rushed in to report that someone had delivered another "big" gift.
The emphasis on the word "grand" is because this person was quite generous, sending three beauties at once. The moment these three women entered the banquet hall, they immediately attracted the attention of all the men present. These three were dancers presented by the Imperial Censor, Prefect Zeng, supposedly to add some new women to Lord Huo's music room. However, everyone knew that if Huo Jingsha liked them, there was no reason not to take them to bed.
Huo Jingsha sat high above, looking down at the three women who were bowing their heads in worship. They all had skin as white as snow and were alluring. Their thin gauze was semi-transparent, which made their figures look particularly exquisite and graceful.
He rested his chin on his hand, his expression largely unchanged, and lazily looked at the women kneeling below, issuing a casual command.
"Lift your head up!"
The three women slowly raised their heads, and indeed, each of them was beautiful, in no way inferior to the concubines in the palace. In particular, one of the women had a face that was so stunning that it could topple kingdoms and was otherworldly, and could be described as an absolute beauty.
You Shuyao immediately sensed that when the woman raised her head, there were gasps and exclamations from the men around her, and she also felt that Huo Jingsha beside her trembled after seeing the woman's face.
You Shuyao seemed unaware, her expression remaining calm and unchanged, but her once-warm heart had slowly cooled down. Especially when Huo Jingsha suddenly let go of her and got up to walk down the steps, he took away the warm temperature around them, leaving only a chilling coldness.
Did he just leave without a second thought? Shu Yao blinked, watching him walk towards the woman and reach out to lift her fair, smooth chin. At the same time, the woman's beautiful eyes slowly met his gaze, carrying a delicate shyness that could evoke a protective instinct in any man.
Her watery eyes sparkled like stars, as if veiled by a layer of mist, shimmering with light. She looked both pitiful and alluring, as if hiding a captivating secret, waiting to be understood and explored.
Huo Jingsha's eyes darkened, and he gently uttered four words.
"A rare beauty."
Though spoken softly, in the deathly silent hall, those four words were enough for everyone to hear clearly. Yes… he spoke the thoughts of every man present. This woman was breathtakingly beautiful, captivating and awe-inspiring. Even Huo Jingsha, who had seen countless beauties, was astonished by her stunning looks.
Even You Shuyao, a woman herself, was stunned by the sight, realizing that she paled in comparison.
"Someone come here."
"Yes, sir." Two guards immediately stepped forward.
Huo Jingsha frowned and waved his hand. "What are you two stinking men doing here? Get out of here, this lord wants a woman." As soon as he said this, everyone burst into laughter.
Such a peerless beauty should not be touched by a rude man; she must be protected. All the men deeply agreed with this. They were both jealous and envious of Lord Huo for getting such a beauty. They could only stand by and watch, drooling.
Just when everyone thought that this stunning woman would rise to prominence and become Huo Jingsha's favorite concubine, Huo Jingsha spoke up.
"This woman is more beautiful than any other, like a celestial fairy. She is not of this world. How could we mortals possibly have the chance to touch or enjoy her? Tomorrow, send her to the palace and present her to Her Majesty the Empress."
The crowd erupted in uproar, even the beautiful fairy before them was stunned, and You Shuyao was completely dumbfounded.
I don't understand what Huo Jingsha is up to. He first amazed me, but then he turned around and gave the beauty away, and to the Empress, not directly to the Emperor.
But upon closer examination... this move was brilliant!
This beauty is rare in the world, even surpassing the beauty of all the concubines in the Emperor's harem by several times. If the Emperor were to find out that his concubines in his harem are more beautiful than the concubines in his own palace, how could he save face? But it is also impossible to give the beauty directly to the Emperor, as that would offend the Empress and the concubines, and would clearly cause them to lose favor in a roundabout way. Huo Jingsha took this into consideration, which is why she first gave the beauty to the Empress, and then presented her to the Emperor in a roundabout way.
Now that the Empress has acquired this beauty, how could she possibly keep her hidden in her own palace? Huo Jingsha gave the credit for presenting the beauty to the Empress, thus avoiding offending the harem while simultaneously pleasing the Emperor—a double win.
Faced with beauty, he remained purely appreciative, and even after a brief, fleeting glance, he was not captivated by her beauty and was still able to calmly plan every step that followed.
You Shuyao suddenly understood why Huo Jingsha was able to become the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard at such a young age. He was not only brave and resourceful, but also not easily swayed by women or money. He had great self-control and an astonishing willpower.
No wonder she couldn't defeat a man like that even after nine lifetimes of fighting. He could probably see through all her petty tricks with just a glance, and she would always be defeated by him.
Huo Jingsha summoned two maids and asked them to escort the beauty to a guest room in the outer courtyard, while he himself returned to continue drinking and chatting.
As soon as he sat down, his strong arms wrapped around her again, pulling You Shuyao into his embrace as if everything that had just happened was just a small interlude at the banquet.
Noticing her probing gaze, Huo Jingsha also looked at her and raised an eyebrow.
Why are you looking at me like that? Don't you recognize me?
Shu Yao couldn't help but say, "That woman is very beautiful." The implication was... "Are you willing to let her go?"
"Yes, she is indeed very beautiful." Huo Jingsha sighed deeply, looking extremely regretful. "So you'd better be sensible and be more proactive towards me. If you're not as pretty as others, you need to work harder in other areas, otherwise you might not be able to keep me, understand?"
He said regretfully, while giving her buttocks a lewd pinch, his words carrying a hidden meaning. "Make more effort in other areas?" In what areas? Was he subtly implying that she should put more effort into her sexual performance? You lecherous bastard…
"I don't know," she said deliberately, trying to displease him.
Huo Jingsha wasn't annoyed. He curled his lips into a wicked smile, pulled her close, and whispered in her ear, "It's okay if you don't know. Tonight, I'll personally demonstrate until you learn it."
"..." Shu Yao's face suddenly flushed, her heart pounding like a drum as he spoke these lewd and shameless words.
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