The entire hot - spring palace was built halfway up the mountain, shrouded in mist. The golden palaces were like pieces of gold inlaid on the green, snow - capped mountainside, extremely dazzling and magnificent.
Just that day, the wind and snow stopped, and the sun peeked out from behind the soft white clouds. The golden light shone on the glazed tiles of the palace, making it look towering, grand, and radiant.
Du Gu Luanyue had chosen a relatively secluded location for her hot - spring palace. After all, during this visit to the hot - spring palace, she didn't intend to be the center of attention.
Huo Wei took a step back. His handsome and gloomy face showed a calm expression. "It's an incurable disease. I'll never be cured in this lifetime."
Du Gu Luanyue covered her smile with her fingers. "Why are you afraid of me? Aunt Mei Jiang knows a bit of medicine. I'll ask her to take a look at you."
Huo Wei was wearing a black mink cloak, looking noble and cold. He said softly, "That's not necessary."
What Shen Guilan had said to him earlier actually hadn't made him reach a decision. It seemed that Shen Guilan was giving him a way out.
Du Gu Luanyue was not an easy person to control. She was like a thorny rose. One wrong move and one could end up with blood on their hands.
Aunt Mei Jiang said euphemistically,
"When I was young, my family treated infertility and impotence. Your Highness, please rest assured. I really do know a little.
But you'll have to undress so that I can examine... you know."
She was too embarrassed to say it clearly. After all, she didn't know anything at all. It was all her mistress who told her to say such nonsense.
This stupid idea was Du Gu Luanyue's own. She just wanted to see Huo Wei's reaction.
Huo Wei was stunned for a moment. A old woman actually wanted to see his... His face flushed a bit, and he turned around and left.
"I've been traveling for several hours. I'm tired. I'll leave first."
As soon as he left, Du Gu Luanyue and Aunt Mei Jiang exchanged a look. She let out a charming laugh.
"I feel something's fishy. Any man who gets such a disease would surely try every means to get cured. How could someone like Huo Wei just run away?"
Aunt Mei Jiang smiled with relief. "That's good. Your Majesty the Queen can start the second - step plan."
In the hot - spring palace, only a small number of rooms belonging to the royal family and nobles had private hot - spring baths. The rest had to share the open - air hot - spring pools halfway up the mountain.
The next day, just after lunch, Murong Min and Xie Xuanjin, the Crown Prince of Dongning, arrived at the hot - spring palace at the same time.
Murong Min didn't expect the hot - spring palace to be different from what he had imagined.
Under the magnificent buildings, even the waiting maids were extremely charming. Wearing light pink veils with their chests half - exposed, these maids had rouge on their eyebrows and cheeks. They stood beside the hot - spring pools, looking extremely charming.
Wine, minced meat, fruits, and delicacies were everywhere. The sound of silk and bamboo instruments and pipas played by the musicians in the palace was fast and lively, filling the ears with noise.
A messenger from the Queen's palace invited Murong Min, saying there was a surprise for him. Murong Min couldn't wait to go there.
He got off the imperial sedan chair and walked a few steps to the private hot - spring pool in the Queen's palace.
In the misty hot - spring pool, beautiful women with rosy cheeks were taking a bath.
Du Gu Luanyue paddled the water with her arm and walked out of the hot - spring pool. After the thin veil was wet, her jade - like body was faintly visible. Her graceful and charming figure and the blushing cheeks soaked in the pool water made her look even more charming.
Murong Min's eyes darkened. "Your Majesty the Queen is especially charming today."
Seeing this, Yu Zan thought she was going to serve the emperor again. She looked up, only to hear Aunt Mei Jiang say, "Yu Zan, you may step back first."
She said in a daze. Did the Queen want to do it herself this time?
She couldn't help but feel scared, worried that her value to the Queen would decline.
Du Gu Luanyue clapped her hands. More than a dozen beautiful women from Southern Chu, dressed in sexy and revealing clothes, came in from outside the hall. Each of them was charming and full of tenderness.
These beautiful women were holding delicious food and wine. They came over with charming smiles.
More than a dozen pairs of beautiful eyes full of amorous feelings were looking at Murong Min, captivating his soul.
Du Gu Luanyue untied Murong Min's belt and threw his dragon robe on the ground. She took the emperor's hand and walked step by step towards the private hot - spring pool. Looking deeply into his eyes, she said,
"Your Majesty, these beautiful women are collected from all over. Each of them has unique skills. Why don't they serve Your Majesty today?"
Murong Min was a fairly proper emperor in the palace. He had thought about some things but never done them.
The mouths of the censors in the Imperial Censorate were really sharp.
He pretended to be calm and said, "Isn't there too many people to serve?"
These beautiful women had received professional training. Before Murong Min could react, they took off their thin veils, picked up the wine jugs, and walked towards him in the water.
The beautiful woman Su Rou said, "Your Majesty, what are you talking about? The more people there are to serve, the more considerate it will be."
A pair of fair and jade - like arms carried the wine jug and walked over. One beautiful woman poured wine for the emperor, and another fed him fruits.
It didn't take long for Murong Min to let down his guard, but there was still a bit of restraint in his eyes.
Du Gu Luanyue smiled. "Your Majesty is a great emperor with far - reaching strategies in the world. Now that the country is stable and the world is at peace, Your Majesty should also treat himself well."
As she spoke, she made way for these beautiful women. More than a dozen beautiful concubines rushed towards the emperor and submerged him in the beauty.
Su Rou hugged Murong Min's neck. Taking advantage of the emperor's slight intoxication, she kissed him passionately.
The other beautiful women were not shy. They tore off their thin veils and casually threw them into the pool water. Then they threw themselves into Murong Min's arms. The charming laughter of the women kept coming.
Du Gu Luanyue had added some aphrodisiacs to the wine, but not too much. It was enough to make Murong Min act wantonly for a few days.
Du Gu Luanyue was peeling an orange on one side and said,
"If Your Majesty enjoys himself alone, those accompanying officials may pull the censors to remonstrate with you. Your humble servant thinks it's better to enjoy the pleasure with others."
Murong Min let go of Su Rou and smiled. "Your Majesty the Queen has thought it through very well. You can make the arrangements."
Du Gu Luanyue smiled and waved her hand. She arranged a feast of wine and meat for the accompanying court officials as well.
The whole hot - spring palace suddenly became lively.
Those officials left their mansions. No one would have thought that they would act so wantonly and dissolutely.
Now that both the emperor and the court officials were involved, and there were no censors to remonstrate, the emperor could have peace in his ears. It was good to let him indulge in beauty slowly.
Du Gu Luanyue thought that there was nothing for her to do, so she got up and left the hot - spring pool, leaving Murong Min and a group of beautiful concubines in the pool to enjoy themselves like mandarin ducks.
She returned to her bedroom and changed into a long imperial - green palace dress. She only wore a golden hairpin in the shape of a phoenix on her coiled hair and then walked out. She put a little rouge on her cheeks, making her look extremely charming.
"Aunt, where is Xie Xuanjin now?"
Aunt Mei Jiang replied, "The Crown Prince of Dongning didn't accept the beautiful women arranged by the palace. He is wandering around the palace by himself."
Du Gu Luanyue raised her eyebrows and asked again, "What is Huo Wei doing?"
Aunt Mei Jiang said, "The Prince of Yuzhang has kept his door closed all the time. He has driven out all the beautiful women sent to him. I don't know if he is taking a hot - spring bath alone now."
She dragged her long dress and walked step by step towards Huo Wei's palace. The corner of her lips curved up, and she said playfully, "All the beautiful women sent to him have been driven out. Is Huo Wei really impotent or just pretending to be a gentleman?"
Yu Zan followed behind and looked at her. "Your Majesty the Queen, the Prince of Yuzhang is not an easy person to deal with. Your humble servant is afraid that you will get hurt. How about I go in your place?"
Aunt Mei Jiang was the first to get angry. "Do you think you can deal with the Prince of Yuzhang just by knowing some of your bed - chamber tricks?"
Yu Zan shut up. Serving Murong Min all her life, Murong Min would never remember who she was. But Huo Wei was different.
It was just that this bitch Mei Jiang always stopped her. She bit her lips and felt a bit unwilling.
Now the whole palace was immersed in the gentle - land of beauty. The guards had all retreated to the outer perimeter to guard. It was just the right time when there was no one around.
Du Gu Luanyue didn't delay any longer and walked to the door of Huo Wei's palace. His guard, Meng Tan, blocked her with a sword in his hand. "Your Majesty the Queen, please forgive me. His Highness doesn't see anyone."
Before Du Gu Luanyue could say anything, a deep and lazy male voice came from inside. "Let her in."