Chapter 188 - 187: Why Aren’t You Dead Yet?

Chapter 188: Chapter 187: Why Aren’t You Dead Yet?

Su Ling’Er was dressed today in an apricot-yellow silk blouse and a moon-white pleated skirt embroidered with plum blossoms. Her dark hair was styled into a languid Fallen Horse Bun, fastened with a kingfisher-feather Hairpin. Her features were as perfect as a painting, a beauty that could topple nations.

She was carefully swishing a slice of lamb, as thin as a cicada’s wing, in the broth. After dipping it in sauce, she brought it to Xia Wuyang’s lips. "Your Highness, try this. It’s from a lamb slaughtered just this morning."

Across from them, Hanik’s Heart was clad in a fiery red riding outfit embroidered with Exotic Realm totems in gold thread. Her brown hair was woven into countless fine braids, adorned with tiny Golden Bells, giving her a unique charm all her own.

She had a straightforward personality and was currently swishing tripe for herself, a fine sheen of sweat beading on her nose as she ate. "The spicy broth is still the best. I heard Your Highness invented this hot pot. It’s truly a taste of heaven."

The newcomer, Jin Xiuya, knelt by their side. She wore a plain, sky-blue blouse and skirt, covered by a white fox-fur vest. Her temperament was as cool as snow on a branch, yet it made one inexplicably want to pull her into an embrace, to cherish her and toy with her.

As she held the pot to pour wine, her wide sleeve slipped down, revealing a section of her pale wrist. "Your Highness, you shouldn’t have too much spicy food. It’s better to drink some warm wine to warm your body."

To be served by the three greatest beauties of Wenhua Hall all at once was a truly intoxicating sight. Even with Xia Wuyang’s self-control, he found himself stunned for a moment.

He went along with it, putting on a look of infatuation. Accepting all three beauties without refusal, he ate the lamb from Su Ling’Er’s slender, fair hand, took the wine cup from Jin Xiuya, and casually fondled Hanik’s Heart.

Several other beauties were by his side as well, offering vegetables to cleanse his palate or wiping wine stains from the corner of his mouth.

These peerless beauties, all dressed in casual attire, stood in attendance around him. Some wore lotus-root-pink cross-collared robes, others wore begonia-red half-sleeved shirts. With their cloud-like hair and flower-like faces, they looked like fairies on a jade terrace amidst the billowing steam.

Some served dishes, some poured wine, some played the zither. The air was filled with wafts of fragrance and the gentle tinkling of jade pendants—a scene of exquisite beauty.

Soon, having eaten and drunk his fill, Xia Wuyang could no longer restrain himself. He pulled Hanik’s Heart into his arms and tumbled into bed with her. The surrounding beauties, already accustomed to this, showed no surprise.

Half an hour later, Su Ling’Er gently advised, "Your Highness, the Imperial Physician said you need to rest quietly. You’ve already overindulged today. Why not get some proper rest?" As she spoke, her slender, fair hand grasped Xia Wuyang’s wrinkled, old one.

Hanik’s Heart also threw on her clothes and hugged Xia Wuyang’s arm. "That’s right, that’s right! Your Highness was still coughing yesterday. You’ve already favored us three times today. You can’t continue."

Xia Wuyang took the chance to pull Hanik’s Heart into his embrace, deliberately feigning reluctance. "One must seize the day when fortune smiles. On a snowy day like this, one should sleep with beautiful women. If worst comes to worst, I’ll just take some Dragon and Tiger Elixir."

"An ancient medical text says that during the three months of winter, one should sleep early and rise late, waiting for the sun to appear. Your Highness’s... merriment... goes against the principles of health preservation," Jin Xiuya added softly, her gaze lowered.

But Xia Wuyang maintained his reluctant act, holding Hanik’s Heart and another beauty, refusing to let go.

Hearing the commotion inside the hall, the spies and informants waiting outside rubbed their hands, stomped their feet, and shook their heads repeatedly.

"He really has a death wish. A few days ago he passed out on top of a woman, and today he dares to be so indulgent. He must think he isn’t dying fast enough," a young eunuch said in a low voice.

Another eunuch curled his lip. "Who can blame him? Those new Shou Liji are so beautiful that even we eunuchs are moved, let alone that old man with no self-control."

"What a waste. So many peerless beauties, all ruined by that old bastard," a Palace Guard said, his face full of regret.

Meanwhile, in Changhuan Hall, the Fourteenth Princess, Xia Pingyu, was also gathered around a stove for hot pot with a few of her noble friends. Their gathering, however, was far more civilized and not nearly as boisterous as Xia Wuyang’s.

Xia Pingyu was wearing a rouge-red palace dress with a scrolling Peony pattern, a white fox-fur scarf wrapped around her collar. She held a Cyan Jade teacup with her slender fingers, sneering as she enjoyed the hot pot. "The elder Crown Prince may be failing in other aspects, but this hot pot he left behind is quite good."

The other noble ladies nodded repeatedly in agreement.

But as Xia Pingyu savored the delicious hot pot, she showed not a hint of gratitude toward Xia Wuyang. Instead, her elegant brows furrowed slightly. "It’s strange, you know. The elder Crown Prince has been critically ill for almost a year now. The new year is almost upon us, and yet there’s still no sign of..."

Though she didn’t finish her sentence, everyone present understood what she meant.

A noble lady from the Great Xia’s thousand-year-old Li Family chimed in, "Isn’t it? Around this time last year, the Imperial Hospital said he wouldn’t last a year. To think a year has passed and nothing’s happened. I hear he’s still indulging in debauchery every night."

"Could he have had some fortuitous encounter? I heard he recently acquired a large amount of Dragon and Tiger Elixir. Most of the concubines who left sent him fine things. Or maybe... that old bastard is just faking it, and his condition isn’t as serious as we thought," Xia Pingyu mused.

The third young miss from Duke An’s Mansion lowered her voice. "My father said that the expert backing the Crown Prince Consort might have given him something good, allowing him to hold on for so long."

Xia Pingyu tapped her fingertips lightly on the small table and suddenly smiled. "When I have a moment in the next few days, I should really spread the word about this. The elder Crown Prince’s condition improving... why, that’s wonderful news."

She spoke softly, but a cold glint flashed in her eyes, her ill intentions obvious.

After all, according to their original plans, the elder Crown Prince should have been preparing for his funeral by now. Unexpectedly, he still seemed to be indulging in boundless debauchery, showing no signs of kicking the bucket.

This had thrown many people’s plans into disarray. A number of Princes and Princesses had been hoping to fish in troubled waters, to see if they could reap more resources and treasures from the situation.

Soon, related news began to spread, suggesting the elder Crown Prince’s condition had improved and that nothing was likely to happen in the short term.

The rumors also suggested he might be hiding something. Otherwise, how could he have lasted almost a year without incident? The Imperial Physicians had all said the Crown Prince didn’t have much time left—only about half a year.

But it had been nearly a year now. Only a fool would believe there wasn’t something fishy going on.

Back in Wenhua Hall, as the rumors began to circulate, Xia Wuyang, persuaded by the three great beauties, was reluctantly preparing to return to his Practice Room.

Before entering the Practice Room, he still clung to Su Ling’Er’s and Jin Xiuya’s soft hands. "With such beauties by my side, how could I bear to sleep alone? Why don’t you two accompany me for a good rest in the Practice Room? I promise I won’t do anything. At most, I’ll just hold my two beloved consorts."

Recalling the extent of Xia Wuyang’s indulgence during the day, Su Ling’Er and Jin Xiuya’s faces turned pale with fright. They quickly made excuses to refuse, coaxing him with soft, sweet words until he was inside the Practice Room.

Outside the hall, the snow fell ever heavier, turning the red walls and golden tiles into a palace of jade. The eunuch on duty wrapped his cotton-padded coat tighter, gazing at the still-brightly-lit Wenhua Hall and muttering to himself, "Even an Immortal couldn’t withstand this kind of exertion. I wonder if that old man will even make it through the winter."