His Majesty’s Hostage - Volume 1 Chapter 24
Chapter 24
Although Hong Qing solved Zi Li’s predicament for him, but how could he think of saying that odd statement? Zi Li squinted his eyes, scrutinizing Hong Qing beside him, then shaking off that hand clasping on his shoulder. He said: “Didn’t the ninth prince wanted to go in? Why don’t you go in first?”
At first, Hong Ying was quite annoyed from that guy who does not know how to be a gentleman to girls. But upon hearing Zi Li address him as the ninth prince, she immediately restored her enchanting smile. She cheerfully skipped in front of Hong Qing and bowed.
She said: “Hong Ying is truly unworthy, for unknowingly not paying my respects and offending the imperial prince. Please forgive me ninth prince.” As she talked, she raised the corner of her lovely pitiful eyes and sweeps a quick glance on Hong Qing.
How did Hong Qing reacted to this kind of woman’s brazen seduction? Well, he only stared dumbly then his face blushed few shades deeper of red.
Hong Ying was bowing all that time till her hips is sore so she could not see Hong Qing’s reaction. And because of his silent treatment, she labeled him in her mind as an insensitive guy.
Lian Pan immediately went over to help smooth things out: “Why are the both of you having a talk here?” He then pulled Hong Ying on his arms while he’s at it, “You too are unreasonable, why haven’t you shown the way inside to the prince and his highness Jin Yu?
“Yes, that’s right, that was really silly of Hong Ying! Gentlemen, please follow Hong Ying!”
Zi Li didn’t want to follow yet he had to go in as well, when this so called prince pulled him along as he excitedly walked inside!
Three men followed along Hong Ying and Xiao Tao until they reached the vip section of the first wing. They haven’t entered yet when they heard the sounds of music and drunk people ordering more drinks from the inside of the room.
“Oh! It seems that Xiao Yu Xiong and the others had arrived. How about going inside as well! Prince, please come inside.”
The door was pushed open, and inside are four young officials already sitting. These men are hugging courtesans with revealing outfits. Those courtesan’s either urges them to drink, or teases them. When they saw some people entering, they all shifted their glance towards the doorway.
They had an idea that it was An Jin Yu and Lian Pan, but why is there another man along with them today? As they thought about it, they successively aligned their gazes towards Hong Qing. Upon looking, they were all surprised.
Isn’t that the ninth prince?
The four men currently sitting are all officials with minor positions and reputations, they were even not allowed to enter the imperial palace hall used for conference. But in regards to this person’s prestige, they all know.
And with that, the four of them let go of the courtesans on their arms and cupped their hands towards Hong Qing: “This lowly official greets the ninth Prince!”
“Never mind! never mind” Hong Qing raised his hand forward and waved it, he replied, “There’s no need to be formal to me, let’s all have a drink!”
“Yes, yes, there’s no need for all of you to stand in ceremony. The prince rarely have an outing so why not make him comfortable and settled? You are all dampening the prince’s high spirits this way!” Lian Pan followed up.
“Of course, of course.” They all said in repeated response, “Prince, have a seat, have a seat!”
They exchanges conventional greetings and then sat down. Someone ordered a new set of foods and drinks, then that newly hired beauty Lian Pan mentioned before as well as few more courtesans went it. They were all constrained at first because of Hong Qing’s presence, but later on, they became more and more drunk and were embracing intimately with the courtesans in their arms, gradually turning into a shameful promiscuous situation.
Zi Li looks at the banquet as he broke off from the courtesan’s hold in embarrassment. It was really an uncomfortable situation for him. He really can’t stand this excessively licentious act.
“Your highness, why are you not drinking a single drop for this humble servant? Did you perhaps had a new flame in your heart so you are throwing me away for that person?” A beautiful woman with a widely exposed collar area comparable to the radiance of spring coquettishly pouted as she talked, moving closer to Zi Li.
“No.” Zi Li immediately pulled away from her body that is ready to attack.
“You said no, buy yet you shy away from this servant?” She inches forward while talking in a pitiful but lovely way.
“Jin Yu Xiong *hic*” Lian Pan was so drunk, his eyes were misty. He stood up and walked wobbling besides Zi Li as he brought the cup he was drinking with and the girl he was holding along. He said in a slurred tongue: “*hic* say, still, *hic* you still haven’t drink a single drop yet! Don’t want to chat with everyone?”
The other guys that were equally heavily intoxicated indistinctly echoed one another and said: “That’s right! Don’t be so uptight and be like the prince who was giving us the honor of drinking a lot. How can his highness not participate, and only watched us have fun?”
When Zi Li saw Hong Qing, sure enough, his face was bright red from ear to ear, and was lapping the liquor inside of the jade cup. Hong Qing also didn’t intended to drink, and yet he drank too much. He only wanted to come inside and have a look at the brothel to know why men enjoy themselves too much, they forget about going home.
When he saw those courtesans with their revealing clothes, he was truly quite shocked for a moment. Are these women not afraid of being talked about by other people in that way? After that, when he saw those courtesans go to the men who likes them and slipped their hands inside those men’s clothes, secretly teasing them, he then gradually understood that it was that kind of brothel.
At first, he wanted to drag Zi Li out of this place and get back to the palace, but Lian Pan unexpectedly requested him to have a drink for the honors. He had a reputation to uphold, therefore, he drank that cup. But then, the others requested the same thing as Lian Pan, so how can he reject theirs? Therefore he drank theirs as well! After that first round, Hong Qing kept drinking until —— he was knocked out!
“Your highness, would you do me the honors of drinking a cup?” The cup was pushed on the corner of his lips. When he was about to speak of not wanting it, the warm and spicy liquor immediately poured inside his opened mouth until it was emptied out.
“*cough *cough”
“May your highness do the honor of drinking for me as well? Here!”
He had not yet manage to close his mouth when another cup of liquor was forcefully poured in.
“Here, have mine as well!”
“Wu——”
As a result, by the time Hong Xu arrived to the doorsteps of the House of Xiang Wan and opened the door of the room, the scent of the liquor was too strong, and the dirty scene made him scowl.
He kicked the two couples blocking his path to the side, and then stepped over a bunch of scattered clothes with a dark expression, going past the table to pull up the pass out Hong Qing.
“You asks me why is my love for you too deep. I love you so much, my feelings for you is so true, my love for you is too deep. The moon symbolizes my heart” A sudden loud outburst of out of tune wailing like a ghost and howling like wolves echoed throughout the room.
“Your, your highness, please spare this servant. I’m too tired!”
“Bu-but I’m not done dancing yet? Come, come, come! You should turn some more, your movement is getting sluggish, quickly stand up. It’s no good at all. Fine, you, you come here and dance with me.
Zi Li continued to twirl around and dance, when all of a sudden, he bumped into a sturdy wall standing in front of him. He touches the soft face of that wall for a bit and said, “Eh! Why is this wall have a face?”
He reaches his hand towards it, and stroke it, “You are an interesting one. Here, have a dance with this uncle” he had not finished talking yet when he pulled both of Hong Xu’s hand and swayed it around. “Not dancing, then let this uncle have a taste, come”
At this moment, Hong Xu’s face was practically the same as the bottom of the pot. He coldly stared at Zi Li’s scarlet face, his intoxicated misty eyes, his disheveled clothes, and his red amorous lips that moved closer to Hong Xu’s lips and gobbled the other’s lips.
“*kiss*”
“One more, *kiss* *kiss* *kiss*”
Hong Xu let Zi Li’s lips carrying a scent of liquor roam around the corner of his lips and chin. He looks at him with a meaningful gaze and said in a deep voice: “You are the one who initiated it this time. So don’t blame Us in the future!”
After he said that, he carried Zi Li and Hong Qing on both sides of his shoulders and jumped out of the window, towards the roof, and flew back to the imperial palace——
Bonbon wanted to say:
Sorry everyone, I couldn’t release this yesterday as I promised T.T I had a bad case of sneezing and stinging eyes, I had no choice but to sleep it off my whole day off… Must’ve have caught it during my commute on my way home the other day T.T
I’m still under the weather today but I’ll see if I can do one more for today. Gomenasai!
—Donation Section—
Special Thanks to Nik for that birthday ko-fi! I appreciate it my my dude! More ko-fi’s more translating power for this bunny wahahah! Thank you for amerest wood and missbutton for the greetings *^.^*