Chapter 57 You're really annoying!
Cao Yuanlu truly couldn't understand the undercurrents between the two.
What's even more incomprehensible is that His Highness brought Yun Kui along to such an important and private occasion.
Those who have come here today to seek pleasure are all trusted confidants promoted by Emperor Chunming over the years, including the Ministry of Personnel, which is in charge of the appointment, removal and transfer of officials; the Court of Judicial Review, which handles major criminal cases; the Shuntian Prefecture, which is in charge of all affairs in the capital region; and the Five Cities Military Command, which is responsible for the security and patrol of the capital.
It seems that the emperor's mood has been unpredictable this year, and the court has been in turmoil. Especially after the case of the lantern collapse on the Lantern Festival, although the Ministry of Works bears the primary responsibility, the government offices of the officials present today have also been affected to some extent. The group has been busy for a long time, and finally found some free time tonight, so they came to Zuihua Tower to relax.
Little did they know that this most prosperous brothel in the capital was actually owned by the Crown Prince.
From high-ranking officials to ordinary merchants, countless court affairs, official secrets, conflicts of interest, and clandestine schemes were revealed during these rounds of toasts and drinks.
After Emperor Chunming ascended the throne, in order to firmly control the important departments of the court, he promoted many of his cronies, and few of the officials next door had clean hands.
It's understandable that His Highness the Crown Prince would personally come tonight to deal with these people, but what's the matter with bringing a girl along?
Could it be that he also wants to come here for some fun, which is why he wants a young lady to accompany him and serve him?
Whatever the purpose, Cao Yuanlu had prepared everything. The prince and the young lady had enough clothes and bedding to change into, as well as sausage casings, ointments, and even aphrodisiacs commonly used in the Drunken Flower Pavilion.
Crown Prince: "..."
Just then, Qin Ge had something to report, and the Crown Prince gestured for her to take the cherries over to eat, saying, "Go and rest in the gauze-covered cabinet for a while."
Not daring to disturb him while he was handling his official business, Yun Kui took the cherry and tiptoed inside.
The curtained doorway is separated from the outside view by a screen covered with gauze and silk. Inside, there is another world, with a huanghuali wood canopy bed, a soft couch, a desk, and in front of the couch, there is a gilded carved brazier and a flower stand.
Yun Kui sat on the soft couch, picked up a ripe red cherry and put it in her mouth. She bit down, and the sweet juice instantly filled her mouth.
Being the Crown Prince's personal maid is great; she gets a share of his meals, and even the fruits and snacks he eats are tributes.
Recalling my time in the Imperial Kitchen, such rare items were first served to the emperor, and then bestowed upon the concubines and powerful officials in the harem. Sometimes, by the time they reached the officials, they had already begun to rot, making it even less likely for them, the palace maids who did odd jobs in the kitchen, to eat them.
So following His Highness the Crown Prince guarantees a good life!
Yun Kui ate a few, then remembered the voluptuous beauty next door and subconsciously looked at herself.
She's been eating so well these past few months that the effects are especially noticeable in her chest. While it's not as voluptuous and alluring as that of a beauty, it's still much fuller than before, and a cherry can still sit steadily on it.
Yun Kui picked up a cherry and, out of curiosity, pressed it inside. The bright red cherry disappeared quickly as it sank into the soft, white flesh.
Yun Kui smiled, it seems she has some skills after all.
Outside the gauze curtain, Qin Ge was reporting on disaster relief efforts for the drought in the north, but he noticed a rare glimpse of his prince's distracted expression, with a hint of dark emotion in his dark phoenix eyes that even he couldn't quite decipher.
Qin Ge suddenly felt awkward.
The Crown Prince was contemplating sending an imperial censor to the north to investigate when his thoughts were interrupted by a voice coming from inside the door.
"I never knew cherries could be eaten this way."
"I think I can hold it in place too."
"I'll try to squeeze in too..."
The prince's eyes darkened, and the veins on his clenched hands bulged.
Coming to his senses, he realized that Qin Ge was still waiting for his decision. He quickly locked onto a name in his mind and instructed, "Send Yu Hongwen over. Send someone to protect him secretly, and make sure nothing happens to him."
Qin Ge immediately bowed and accepted.
The Crown Prince said, "If there's nothing else, you may all leave."
Qin Ge glanced at Cao Yuanlu, who had a knowing look on his face, and Qin Ge understood. The two of them bowed and withdrew.
Inside the green gauze cabinet.
Yun Kui squeezed the two sides together, trying to see if she could actually do it. But she had only been studying for half the time when she suddenly heard the lattice door creak. Startled, her hand trembled, and her round cherry popped out, abruptly disappearing into her apricot-pink dress.
"Your Highness, you're back so soon?"
She had just vaguely heard voices and thought they were going to have a long discussion!
The Crown Prince's gaze fell on that abrupt spot. Recalling her earlier thoughts, he guessed what it was, and his brow furrowed slightly.
Yun Kui's cheeks turned bright red. He had witnessed her doing something so embarrassing, and she was so ashamed that she wished she could disappear into the ground.
She turned her back to take out the cherry, but before she could even put her hand in, someone grabbed her from behind and forcefully gripped her wrist.
The crown prince asked in a deep voice, "You want to play this too?"
Yun Kui naturally refused to admit it, lowering her head and saying without any confidence, "If I said that I accidentally fell in, would you believe me..."
The crown prince's eyes were as black as ink. "If you wish to come, I can give it a try."
Yun Kui: "..."
"Boss, can you please listen to what I'm saying again?! Oops! Oops! Never mind, I'm too tired..."
She had tried it earlier and it hurt a lot, so she couldn't bring herself to do it.
The man, however, ignored everything and slowly and methodically began to try.
She gripped her sleeves tightly, unable to suppress a groan. The prince seized the opportunity to pick up a cherry from the glass cup and pressed it directly to her lips.
"You are not allowed to eat it," he ordered in a stern voice.
Yun Kui looked at him with a pitiful expression.
The Crown Prince said, "There are people everywhere outside."
Yun Kui thought of Cao Yuanlu and Guard Qin still guarding outside, and immediately dared not make a sound, her eyes becoming increasingly sore and red.
The Crown Prince's gaze was deep as he looked into her tear-streaked eyes. "Why did I let you in here, hmm? If you insist on doing this, aren't you asking for it?"
The man continued what he was doing; she trembled all over, her teeth chattering.
After an unknown amount of time, a bright red juice splattered onto the apricot-pink dress with a soft sound. The man's warm, thin lips pressed against the snow-white flesh, slowly and deliberately consuming it completely.
The prince waited until she slowly finished eating, then licked the bright red, sweet cherry juice off her lips.
Seeing her face dazed and tears streaming down her face, he chuckled softly, "Are you silly?"
He reached out his finger, slipped it into her mouth, and pulled the cherry pit out onto her soft, moist tongue.
Yun Kui was shocked, aggrieved, and somewhat bewildered.
"How come he can do everything..."
The Crown Prince recalled how Shen Yanyu often praised Madam Shen in bed, so he said, "You are not bad either."
Yun Kui: "..."
"Is that how you praise someone?!"
Feeling sticky and uncomfortable all over, she bit her lip and said, "I want to go back to the palace. I want to take a bath."
The crown prince was much easier to talk to this time. "Well then, let's go back to the palace."
He originally brought her here just to recognize her face. He had some secret plans and hidden desires in his heart. Perhaps seeing them through dreams could give him more direction and inspiration.
The identities of the Marquis of Ningde's heir, Consort Yu, and Lu Qi, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, were all secrets she had gleaned from her dreams.
Especially during the three years he was away from the capital, many things had already been destroyed and were impossible to trace.
Even though he has the ability to read minds, there are some secrets that people often resist thinking about and dare not easily entertain. For example, he can get close to Xie Huaichuan, but Xie Huaichuan will not tell him his secrets through his thoughts. This is where entering a dream comes in handy.
The Crown Prince frowned when he saw her clothes stained with juice. He ordered hot water to be brought in, and the clean clothes that Cao Yuanlu had prepared also came in handy.
Yun Kui quickly washed herself and saw the clear red finger marks on her chest. She couldn't help but curse him in her heart.
The crown prince stared intently at her. "Do you need me to help you wash?"
Yun Kui quickly turned around and stammered, "I...I can do it myself."
Emerging from the gauze-draped wardrobe, she saw her own clothes being mercilessly thrown into the stove, and felt a pang of heartache. "These clothes can still be worn after a wash!"
There were a few other clothes that he had torn before, which could actually be patched up and worn, but he just threw them into the stove and burned them!
These are all very valuable! Even if she had a lot of money, she wouldn't be willing to buy such nice clothes.
The crown prince asked, "Who will wash them?"
Yun Kui snapped angrily, "I'll wash it myself!"
The prince handed her the soaking wet undergarment, saying, "This hasn't been burned yet; you can take it back with you."
Yun Kui's face was dripping with blood. "Isn't this all His Highness's doing!"
The Crown Prince said, "It was your own desire; I am merely granting your wish."
Yun Kui: "..."
"You're so annoying!"
On the carriage ride back, Yun Kui sat far away from him, lifting a corner of the curtain and pretending to look out the window so that the cool night breeze could dissipate some of the heat on her face.
The prince closed his eyes to rest, but upon hearing the noisy hawking outside, he suddenly remembered something, lifted the carriage curtain, and looked out.
Yun Kui saw him give some instructions, and the carriage slowly pulled up to a stop by the roadside.
Not long after, Cao Yuanlu came running back, lifted the curtain, and Yun Kui's eyes were immediately illuminated by a rabbit lantern.
She reached out and took the rabbit lantern, smiling happily, "Did His Highness give this to me?"
Holding the wooden handle in her hand, she suddenly remembered that she had bought the exact same lantern on the Lantern Festival, but His Highness the Crown Prince had thrown it away as a hidden weapon, saying he would return it to her...
So much time has passed, and she only remembers the thrilling experience of that night, having completely forgotten about the rabbit lantern. She never expected that he would still remember it.
She pursed her lips and deliberately said, "Thank you, Eunuch Cao."
The crown prince gave her a cold glance.
Cao Yuanlu smiled and handed her the candied hawthorns he had bought. "It was all His Highness's order. If you want to thank someone, thank His Highness."
The carriage slowly began to move.
The rabbit lanterns cast a bright yellow glow in the dimly lit carriage, illuminating the prince's tense face.
The girl's smiling face suddenly moved closer, and her sweet, soft lips, coated with icing sugar, gently pecked his lips.
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