Led by four beautiful maids, I arrived at the Misty Pavilion that Yan Yuanzong had mentioned. I was somewhat disappointed, as I had hoped to take this opportunity to speak with Yao Ru alone, but she hadn't come along.
Judging from the situation inside the building, Yan Yuanzong had already made preparations to keep me here long before I arrived.
The first floor is the hall and bathroom, the second floor is a study for writing, and the third floor is my bedroom.
Four beautiful maids led me into the bathroom, where a lotus-shaped bathtub was already filled with crystal-clear hot water. One of the maids said sweetly, "Your Highness, please undress!"
During my time in the Kangxi era, I had no shortage of opportunities to be bathed by beautiful women. However, I was still young and ignorant about matters between men and women. After experiencing the pleasures of sex with Consort Zhen, I naturally developed many complicated thoughts about such things.
Two beautiful maids removed my outer garment and helped me sit on the stone chair in front of the bath. I was worried that the stone chair would be cold, but to my surprise, it was warm to the touch like jade. This seemingly unremarkable chair was actually made of warm and smooth firestone.
A gentle voice said, "You may go! I will attend to Prince Ping during his bath!"
My heart suddenly skipped a few beats: "Yaoru!"
Yao Ru was dressed in a red palace gown, her long hair piled up on top of her head, revealing a section of her snow-white neck, the alluring curves extending to her fragrant shoulders and disappearing into the light gauze.
She wore a pair of exquisitely crafted wooden clogs, her crystal-clear toes exposed, which were particularly captivating.
The four beautiful maids responded, turned and left, closing the bathroom door behind them.
Yao Ru placed the tray she was carrying on the stone table in front of me. On the tray were toiletries and two glasses of fine wine. Even though I had experienced many things in life, I couldn't help but feel a little nervous in front of Yao Ru, who was as beautiful as a fairy.
With slender, delicate hands, she raised the wine cup to my lips: "Please, Prince Ping..." My gaze was captivated by Yao Ru's alluring starry eyes. I took the cup and drank it all in one gulp, a cool sensation sliding down my throat and into my chest and abdomen.
A faint smile appeared on Yao Ru's pretty face. She finished another cup of wine and said softly, "This wine is called 'Triple Snow,' and it is brewed with snow water from the depths of winter." She came up behind me and gently took off my underwear. My body was not as weak as it appeared. Long-term exercise had made my body well-proportioned and strong, with full muscles and beautiful curves.
Yao Ru let out a soft "hmm," clearly surprised that a frail scholar like me would possess such a strong physique. Yao Ru's delicate fingertips glided across the skin of my waist and abdomen, causing my muscles to tense instantly. With Yao Ru's support, I stood up, my body laid bare before her eyes.
The water was very hot, and the heat penetrated my body through every pore. Only then did I understand the meaning of Yao Ru's suggestion that I drink 'Triple Snow' before the bath. The two completely different sensations of coolness inside my body and heat on my skin washed over me, and I felt an indescribable sense of pleasure from the bottom of my heart.
Yao Ru removed her red palace dress, revealing her fair and delicate skin, as white as snow. Her figure was perfect, with a light pink bodice encasing her alluring body. Her two long, slender, and crystal-clear legs were deliberately brought together, a gesture that further aroused the most primal desires in my heart.
I turned away, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath. I had to stay rational; one wrong move and I would fall into an abyss of no return. With Yao Ru's beauty, no man could resist her. If she and Prince Qi had a past connection, any rash action would surely bring disaster upon myself.
Yao Ru's slender feet stepped into the pool, and my heart rippled like the water. She reached out to undo my hair, a gesture that made her ample breasts appear and disappear. Yao Ru blushed under my burning gaze and said softly, "If you want to see Yao Ru, you can see her every day from now on."
I suppressed my inner turmoil and laughed, "I'm only staying in this palace temporarily; I'm afraid I won't have many opportunities to see Miss Yaoru in the future!"
I turned around, and Yao Ru carefully washed my hair. Her delicate breasts occasionally brushed against my back. Only then did I realize that her bodice had been quietly removed at some point, and we were now completely naked.
"The Prince of Qi has already given Yao Ru to Your Highness. From now on, Yao Ru will serve Your Highness day and night. How could there be no opportunity?" Yao Ru's words shocked me. I slowly turned around and saw Yao Ru biting her cherry lips and lowering her head shyly. She was as beautiful as jade and looked like a lotus emerging from the water in the rippling blue pool.
"Your Highness..." she called softly, her voice captivating. If I were to continue now, I would surely be a fool. I grabbed her slender hand and pulled her into my arms. Yao Ru let out a soft cry, her soft, fragrant body enveloped in my embrace.
Our skin rubbed against each other, until we finally became one in the pool. The water lost its previous calm, and ripples spread violently from our passion...
I nestled contentedly in Yao Ru's warm embrace. Her breathing was still rapid, clearly not yet calmed down from the extreme pleasure I had just given her.
I tilted my head back and grasped Yao Ru's soft, moist lips, sucking hard. I successfully captured her tongue, and her slender legs involuntarily curved upwards, wrapping around my waist. Her ten delicate toes curled tightly towards her pale pink soles in excitement. I lifted Yao Ru's entire body into my arms, her jade-like arms encircling my neck as she let out a pleasurable moan. This intense sense of conquest thrilled me from the bottom of my heart…
It was almost dusk when I left the bathroom. In my memory, it was the first time I had spent so long taking a bath. Yao Ru's beautiful eyes were filled with a strong sense of spring, and I knew that she had completely surrendered to my body.
After having dinner with Yao Ru, I began writing the "Hundred Longevity Paintings" that Yan Yuanzong was preparing to present to Empress Xiang Jing.
As the ancients said, "A drop of kindness received should be repaid with a spring of gratitude." Emperor Yan Yuanzong bestowed upon me the celestial beauty Yao Ru; such kindness cannot be described as a mere drop of water. Although I harbored other motives, I could not help but feel secretly grateful for Emperor Yan Yuanzong's generosity. The best way to repay him was to write this gift for him, thus pleasing his mother.
Writing a small-scale "Hundred Longevity Characters" painting is not difficult, but writing one hundred different sizes and shapes of the character "寿" on a sheet of Xuan paper that is about ten feet long took a lot of effort.
Perhaps due to her upbringing in the Prince Qi's mansion, Yao Ru also has a unique understanding of calligraphy, which surprised me. I never expected that beneath her beautiful appearance, there was such a kind and intelligent person.
I spent a day and a night considering the layout before deciding to start writing. Yaoru stayed by my side the whole time, which made this dull time suddenly become beautiful and vivid.
During this period, Prince Qi, Yan Yuanzong, did not disturb me, perhaps wanting to give me a relatively quiet space so that I could better create this painting of longevity.
I solemnly wrote the last stroke on the Xuan paper. Yao Ru let out a soft cry behind me, indicating that after two days and two nights of hard work, I had finally completed the task given to me by the King of Qi.
I took the fragrant tea that Yaoru handed me and looked at the painting of a hundred longevity symbols on the desk with satisfaction. My hard work over the past two days had not been in vain. Yaoru obediently massaged my slightly sore and numb arms.
She deserves half the credit for this calligraphy. Only when one's physical strength and energy are properly relaxed can such a perfect work be created. I suddenly understood the true meaning behind the King of Qi giving Yao Ru to me.
Once the ink had dried completely, Yaoru carefully tidied up the artwork: "I'll take it to be mounted right away!" I nodded.
Yao Ru said gently, "Why doesn't Prince Ping go upstairs to rest?"
I smiled meaningfully at her: "Go quickly and come back soon, I'll be waiting for you upstairs!"
Yao Ru understood the meaning behind my words, and her pretty face blushed with shyness. We had spent countless unforgettable moments upstairs these past two days.
She nodded hastily and fled downstairs. I smiled as I watched her graceful figure disappear. The more shy Yao Ru appeared in front of me, the more it proved that she was beginning to fall for me.
I yawned and was about to head to the bedroom when I heard Yao Ru's soft cry from outside.
Then I heard an angry female voice say, "Yaoru! Where have you been all this time?" The voice sounded somewhat familiar, but I couldn't remember who it was for a moment. I pushed open the window and looked downstairs, and saw a girl in a red riding outfit grabbing Yaoru's arm, looking like she was about to interrogate her.
The noise of me opening the window startled them, and they both looked up at me. Now I could see clearly that the girl in red was none other than Princess Yan Lin of the Great Qin Dynasty. I smiled and waved to her, but Yan Lin's pretty face instantly turned cold as ice, and her beautiful eyes revealed a deep-seated hatred. Yao Ruhua, who was beside me, turned pale and kept waving her slender hand at me, reminding me to leave quickly.
"I'm going to kill you, you lecherous thief!" Yan Lin shouted through gritted teeth, drawing a short sword from her waist and heading towards the Misty Tower.
My heart skipped a beat, and I hurriedly closed the lattice window. Yan Lin's voice was already echoing in the lobby on the first floor. I rushed to the door, locked it, and pushed the desk over to block the door.
A loud 'bang!' came from the door, indicating that Yan Lin had arrived outside.
I said loudly, "Ninth Princess! I came to the Prince's residence at the invitation of Prince Qi, and I do not seem to have offended you in any way!"
There was another loud 'bang!' outside the door, probably from her kicking it: "You lecherous scoundrel! I'll skin you alive and tear you to pieces to vent my hatred!"
I braced myself against the desk with all my might. All I did back then was touch her maid in the Crown Prince's residence. Why is it being treated like we're mortal enemies?
Outside the door, Yao Ru sobbed and pleaded, "Your Highness, Prince Ping only came to write calligraphy at the invitation of Prince Qi; he had no other intentions!"
Yan Lin angrily retorted, "You slut! How dare you defend him? Do you think I don't know what despicable things you've been doing here all this time!"
Yao Ru burst into tears.
Hearing this, I suddenly realized that Yan Lin was clearly jealous of what happened between me and Yao Ru. After all this time, this spoiled princess turned out to be a monster who didn't love men. A strange fear gripped my heart. If it was just out of anger at me for insulting my maid, that would be one thing, but now she clearly saw me as a rival in love. Consumed by jealousy, she might very well kill me in a fit of rage. I secretly groaned. If I had known this was the case, I would never have dared to accept the Prince of Qi's generous gift.
Yan Lin banged on the door a few times, then stopped, presumably realizing that breaking down the door was hopeless and finally giving up. I wiped the cold sweat from my forehead, secretly relieved. As long as I could stall for time until Prince Qi arrived, my life would be saved.
Everything returned to silence, yet this silence gave me the scent of death.
Suddenly, Yao Ru's terrified cries came from downstairs: "Your Highness! You can't do this! Someone will die!"
Yan Lin screamed, "Get out of here! I'm going to burn this bastard!"
Upon hearing this, I hurriedly pushed open the lattice window, only to see Yan Lin throwing two torches into the small building. The building was entirely made of wood, and with books scattered throughout, it was highly flammable.
Seeing that the first floor was already on fire, if I didn't leave soon, I would surely be burned to death in this small building by this perverted princess.
Although there were many people in the Prince's mansion, apart from Yao Ru, no one dared to step forward to stop the willful princess's capricious behavior. Yao Ru alone was simply no match for Yan Lin, who was as fierce as a mad tiger.
The fire, fanned by the wind, quickly engulfed the small building. I gritted my teeth; given the current situation, I had no better choice. I pushed open the door and ran outside. It was better to be stabbed to death by the perverted princess than to be burned alive.
Many parts of the hall were already on fire. **Use the nearby flower racks to try and stop the fire.**
I had just rushed out of the building with a few sparks in my eyes when Yan Lin, who was already waiting there, slashed at me with her sword. I raised the flower stand with both hands to meet her short sword, but I didn't expect her short sword to be so sharp. With a whoosh, it cut the flower stand in two. I threw away the flower stand and ran as fast as I could. But Yan Lin would not let me go so easily. She raised her sword and chased after me.
Yao Ru chased after him while crying, while the other maids in the palace stood far away, not daring to interfere in the scene.
Yan Lin was clearly skilled in martial arts. Seeing that she was getting closer and closer to me, I desperately fled to the right across the winding bridge, hoping that the bridge's twists and turns would slow her down. Unexpectedly, Yan Lin let out a sharp cry and suddenly flew into the air, thrusting her sword at me from above. In my panic, I could only do a lazy roll on the bridge to dodge her attack in an extremely ungraceful manner.
Yan Lin thrust her sword at me again, and I scrambled forward on the ground to escape. In my entire life, this was the first time a woman had forced me into such a sorry state.
Yao Ru arrived with tears in her eyes, collapsed at Yan Lin's feet, and tightly embraced Yan Lin's legs with her jade arms, crying out, "Ninth Princess! If you want to kill, then kill me!"
Seeing Yao Ru defend me like this, Yan Lin felt even more jealous and hateful. She gritted her teeth and said, "You bitch! You really are deeply in love with him. Fine! I'll send you two to the underworld as a pair of doomed lovers!" She swung her sword towards Yao Ru's back. Just as Yao Ru was about to die under her sword, I bit my lip and rushed over with all my might, grabbing Yan Lin's arm tightly with both hands. The three of us were immediately entangled together.
The bridge was already very narrow. We lost our balance and rushed toward the railing. With a scream from the two women, we tumbled off the bridge and into the small lake. Although I was a good swimmer, I was caught off guard and swallowed a mouthful of lake water. Yao Ru and Yan Lin were not good swimmers and sank into the water one after the other.
Most of the onlookers were maids from the Prince Qi's residence, most of whom were not good swimmers. When they saw the three of us fall into the water, they hurriedly went to find bamboo poles to rescue us.
I embraced Yao Ru's delicate body and swam towards the bridge. With my help, Yao Ru successfully climbed onto the bridge. Her body was already soaked with lake water, and her alluring curves were on full display.
The maids exclaimed, "The Ninth Princess has sunk!" I looked back and indeed, Yan Lin was nowhere to be seen on the lake. This was no small matter. If this perverted princess drowned, I would surely die as well. I unbuttoned my outer robe and dived underwater. If I encountered such a willful and perverted woman in Da Kang, I would let her fend for herself and drown in the lake. But this was Da Qin, and Yan Lin was none other than the Ninth Princess, the most beloved princess of Emperor Xuanlong of Qin.
I finally saw Yan Lin underwater. At this moment, she had completely lost her arrogant and domineering aura. Her arms were stretched out in front of her, and her delicate body was sinking down.
I quickly swam over and hugged her from behind. I couldn't tell if she was still alive, so I mischievously pinched her breast hard with my right hand. Yan Lin's delicate body trembled. This unruly princess's vitality was indeed tenacious. I took turns stepping down with my feet, lifting her up to the surface.
It took me a great deal of effort to drag Yanlin onto the bridge. A maidservant quickly brought a blanket to wrap her soaking wet body. Seeing me return safely, Yaoru forgot about the others around her and threw herself into my arms, sobbing loudly. I gently patted her shoulder, about to offer some words of comfort, when the maidservants cried out in terror, "Is the Ninth Princess dead?!" Two of the more timid maidservants were already crying out in fear. If Yanlin were truly dead, we would all likely be executed.
I parted the crowd and walked over. Yan Lin was lying stiffly on the bridge, her eyes closed. Her riding outfit was already soaked, outlining her curvaceous body. To be fair, if she weren't sexually abnormal, she could be considered a stunning beauty.
I felt her pulse; though weak, it was still there. I pinched her nose with my right hand and supported her chin with my left. I took a deep breath and leaned down to kiss her cold, cherry-like lips. Yan Lin's lips were full and elastic, and kissing them felt rather alluring.
Perhaps because she had swallowed too much cold water, Yan Lin still hadn't woken up. I clenched my fists and slammed them hard into her chest. The incredible elasticity of the flesh sent a shiver down my spine. Perhaps only this part of Yan Lin's body could I bring myself to hit so hard; it was also a form of revenge for her arrogance earlier.
I pounded her a few times, then bent down and breathed into her cherry lips. Unexpectedly, Yan Lin suddenly opened her eyes. When she saw me on top of her, my hands grasping her breasts, my lips pressed against hers, she was filled with extreme shame and anger. With a "whoosh!", she sprayed a mouthful of cold water all over my face. I wiped the water away and said happily, "It's alright! It's alright..."
Yan Lin coughed violently, spitting out several mouthfuls of cold water. She shoved me in the chest, and I, caught off guard, fell backward onto the bridge. Yan Lin stood up and kicked me hard in the groin: "You lecher!"
I screamed in agony as intense pain spread rapidly from my groin throughout my body, and my body began to convulse. Yan Lin was about to kick me again.
"No!" Yao Ru threw herself onto me without hesitation, and Yan Lin kicked her several times.
At this moment, an angry voice roared, "Ninth Sister! What are you doing?" It was Prince Qi, Yan Yuanzong, who had received the news and arrived in time.
Yan Lin's beautiful eyes filled with tears as she pointed both fingers at my nose: "This lecherous scoundrel dared to humiliate me in public!"
Prince Qi already knew what had happened from the maid's words. He glared at Yan Lin and said angrily, "I let you get away with your mischief before, but today you actually tried to commit murder. You are truly incorrigible. I will definitely report this to my father, and then we'll see if he will still protect you!"
Yan Lin burst into tears. Her seventh brother, who had always doted on her, was now publicly reprimanding her for a lecherous scoundrel. Yan Lin stomped her foot, pushed through the crowd, and ran away. Several maids were about to chase after her when Prince Qi called out, "Don't worry about her!"
Yan Yuanzong's gaze finally fell on me. He sighed and helped me up with a look of guilt: "Your Highness Prince Ping! It's alright that Yuanzong is with your sister, but I'm sorry you had to suffer!"
I wanted to say a few polite words, but waves of pain shot through my lower body, rendering me unable to utter a single word. Yan Yuanzong, seeing my condition, immediately understood and said to Yaoru, "Help Prince Ping to Wanghu Pavilion to rest temporarily, and find a doctor to treat him!" Yaoru nodded, tears welling in her eyes, then suddenly remembered something, her pretty face turning deathly pale: "Oh no! That Hundred Longevity Painting!"
My expression changed slightly. It seemed that Yao Ru had been so focused on saving me that she had lost the Hundred Longevity Scroll. Fortunately, there were many people here, so finding it wouldn't be difficult.
A maid found a corner of the "Hundred Longevity Characters" painting in front of the ruins of the Misty Pavilion, the rest of which had been burned to ashes. Yao Ru was so frightened that her body lost its warmth, and I held her slender hand to calm her down.
When Yan Yuanzong saw the scene before him, his face immediately darkened. His mother's birthday was approaching, but he never expected that the birthday gift would turn out like this.
Yao Ru knelt down with tears in her eyes: "Your Highness, Prince Qi... it's all my fault, please punish me..." I couldn't bear to see her pitiful appearance with tears streaming down her face. Prince Qi looked at me, and I knew he was waiting for my answer.
That painting of a hundred longevity characters took me two whole days and nights of hard work. Now, with only half a day left until Empress Qin's birthday, I can't finish it even if I work non-stop for a moment, let alone with the severe injury to my lower body.
Seeing my expression, Yan Yuanzong sighed in disappointment: "It seems I'll have to make other plans!"
A sudden thought struck me: this was a golden opportunity for me to see Xiang Jing, and I couldn't let it slip by. On the surface, I remained calm and said to Yan Yuanzong, "How about I paint a portrait of the Empress?" I was self-taught in calligraphy, but I learned painting from Kai Zhi, the court painter, and I deeply understood the essence of Kai Zhi's use of color and outline.
Yan Yuanzong's eyes lit up. He didn't know that I was also skilled in painting, but since calligraphy and painting have always been related, he immediately believed it: "That's very good, but..." He suddenly thought of something and asked with doubt: "But you have never met the Empress Dowager, so how can you depict her unparalleled beauty?"
I seized the opportunity to say, "This matter is not difficult. As long as Yin Kong sees the Empress once, he can capture her essence!" I was not exaggerating. When Kai Zhi passed away at the age of twelve, he said that I was the only one in the world who could receive his true teachings.
Emperor Yan Yuanzong hesitated for a moment, not immediately agreeing. With the birthday banquet approaching, the Empress was busy entertaining the officials; how could she possibly find time to meet with me? He paced a few steps and asked, "Are you confident you can paint my mother's portrait in a short time?"
I replied confidently, "Your Highness, rest assured, I will be able to accurately depict the Empress's beauty!"
Yan Yuanzong's brows immediately relaxed, revealing a look of joy: "Good! You will come with me tonight. You will observe carefully from the side and make sure to finish painting the portrait of the Empress Dowager before the banquet ends!"
"I will obey!" My heart was filled with joy. I thought things had taken a sharp turn for the worse, but unexpectedly, another opportunity appeared. As long as I could seize this rare opportunity, get close to the Empress, and gain her favor, it shouldn't be difficult.
Yan Lin's kick, delivered with all her might, really hit me hard. With Yao Ru's help, I arrived at Wanghu Pavilion. At my request, Prince Qi brought Sun Sanfen from the hostage residence. Seeing my disheveled appearance, Sun Sanfen couldn't help but frown.
I pointed to my genitals and said, "Ninth Princess, what a fine thing you've done!" Sun Sanfen sighed, put down the medicine box, and Yao Ru hurriedly poured him a cup of tea.
I unzipped my underwear, and Sun Sanfen looked at my injury: "It's nothing serious! Just some bruising. I'll prescribe some painkillers for you, and then you can apply an ice pack to it. You'll recover quickly."
"I'll go get the ice!" Yao Ru turned and left.
Sun Sanfen watched her close the door before asking me, "And who is she?"
I laughed and said, "The maid that Prince Qi gave to me!" Sun Sanfen shook his head helplessly. I knew that with his experienced and sharp eyes, he could definitely see what had happened between me and Yaoru.
Sun Sanfen sighed, "Beauty is a curse!" He was clearly making this sigh for my benefit.
Sun Sanfen carried medicine for injuries in his medicine chest, which he took out and placed on the table: "Has the matter with Prince Qi been completed? When will you return to the residence, young master?"
I whispered, "The Prince of Qi has invited me to the Qin Palace to celebrate his birthday tonight, so I'm afraid I won't be able to go back today!" Sun Sanfen nodded and said, "There's no use for me staying here. I'd better go back; Caixue is still waiting for your news!"
Thinking of Cai Xue warmed my heart. These past two days, while I was at the Prince Qi's residence, she must have been constantly worried about my safety. I instructed her, "Mr. Sun, please don't tell Cai Xue about my injury."
Sun Sanfen said, "I know that even if I wanted to say these things, I couldn't bring myself to say them!" Before leaving, he added, "Remember, do not have sexual relations for the next three days!"
After Sun Sanfen left, Yaoru returned with a small bucket of ice, which she had packed in a white gauze bag, and came to my bedside. She asked with concern, "Does it still hurt?"
"I feel much better after taking Mr. Sun's medicine, but I'm afraid it will take some time before I fully recover!" Yao Ru blushed slightly, gently unbuttoned my underwear, and applied an ice pack to my wound.
I couldn't help but cry out, "Ah!" Yao Ru's eyes met mine, her face turned even redder, and her slender hands trembled slightly. Facing such a stunning beauty was torture, especially since she was holding an ice pack on my most sensitive spot. I couldn't help but react again, and the already swollen area became even more painful, causing sweat to bead on my forehead.
I held down Yao Ru's slender hand and said, "Go and make me a cup of tea. I'll do this myself!"
Yao Ru blushed and nodded, then fled from the bed as if escaping.