Chapter 112

In addition to the news of Minister Meng’s “heroic exploits” in his concubine’s quarters, Jiang Xiurun also heard quite a bit of gossip.

For instance, Madam Xu, due to Qin Zhao’s sudden death, was demanding to return to her family.

Since marrying Qin Zhao, Madam Xu had never consummated the marriage, and now she was a widow while still a virgin.

She felt deeply wronged, and it was said that the Qin and Xu families were embroiled in a bitter dispute over the matter.

Jiang Xiurun had never asked Feng Liwu what he had done with Qin Zhao.

Since Qin Zhao had committed the crime of betraying his master for personal gain, it was natural that he wouldn’t end up well.

As for Qin Zhao, Jiang Xiurun had never harbored any love for him.

In her past life, she had merely been a plaything he kept on the side, occasionally visiting for amusement.

The thought of never having to see him again filled her with immense relief.

With her spirits lifted, the fresh mountain air seemed especially invigorating, and by the time they were halfway up the mountain, her stomach began to growl.

Other ladies in the group were also feeling hungry, so they decided to stop and have a meal at a pavilion midway up the mountain.

Feng Liwu had originally envisioned a private outing for the two of them, enjoying the scenery and each other’s company.

However, upon arriving, he found the mountain teeming with acquaintances, and his plans were thwarted.

Feeling somewhat frustrated, he sat with the noblemen in a nearby pavilion, occasionally glancing over at Jiang Xiurun.

The sharp-eyed noblewomen noticed this.

The wife of the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Revenue couldn’t help but remark enviously, “The Crown Prince truly dotes on his concubine. He keeps glancing over here. If I didn’t know better, I’d think the two of you were newlyweds!”

Jiang Xiurun had been focused on eating the frog meat specially roasted for the nobles by the mountain chefs, completely absorbed in her meal.

Hearing the deputy minister’s wife’s comment, she looked up and accidentally locked eyes with Feng Liwu.

Her cheeks flushed slightly.

Since when had the Crown Prince developed this new habit?

Instead of admiring the sparkling lake in the distance, why was he watching her eat so voraciously?

This tender moment between the two was truly enviable.

After all, the Crown Prince’s residence was filled with concubines, yet he had only brought concubine Yao with him on this outing, a clear sign of his favor.

Although concubine was stunningly beautiful, the fact that she had won the Crown Prince’s heart showed that she had her ways.

This led some to think of her brother, Jiang Herun.

Since he was skilled in feng shui, perhaps he had set up some sort of peach blossom formation for his sister, which had helped this seemingly powerless hostage princess from a weak state gain such exclusive favor.

Gradually, the conversation shifted from the scandals of various noble households to the mysteries of feng shui.

Jiang Xiurun grew increasingly frustrated by the noblewomen’s questions—why hadn’t she discovered this lucrative opportunity earlier? If she had made a name for herself in feng shui before becoming an official, she could have made a fortune simply by rearranging the interiors of these noblewomen’s homes.

But now that her “brother” was the Minister of the Agricultural Department, how could she start a side business to supplement her income?

So, she casually brushed off their inquiries, saying her brother didn’t know much about such mystical matters.

Just as the conversation was heating up, a handsome young man in luxurious attire approached from the mountain path.

It was none other than the Second Prince, Feng Wu.

Since Feng Wu had only recently returned to the palace and had no wives or concubines, why had he come here? Was he also after the nourishing frog oil?

Feng Wu had noticed the separate pavilions for men and women along the mountain path, but instead of joining the noblemen, he stopped by the women’s pavilion.

Smiling at Jiang Xiurun, who was munching on a frog leg, he said, “Ladies, you should be careful. Although frog meat is nourishing, it has a heating nature. You should balance it with some mild wine. Coincidentally, I’ve brought some with me to help you cut through the greasiness.”

Compared to the stern and reserved Crown Prince, the Second Prince was clearly more approachable.

The two brothers resembled each other, but Feng Liwu’s looks, inherited from Empress Wei, had a more imposing beauty.

Feng Wu’s features, on the other hand, took after his late mother, giving him a gentler appearance.

This thoughtful gesture of offering wine further endeared him to the noblewomen.

Seizing the opportunity, Feng Wu openly glanced at Jiang Xiurun several times.

It had been a long time since he had seen her in feminine attire.

Although Feng Wu had been with countless women in his life—even during his time wandering the jianghu, there were bold women who willingly engaged in affairs with him without formal arrangements—he had never truly cared for any of them.

To him, women were like food and drink: necessary to satisfy hunger, but once consumed, who would remember the name of the pig or cow they had eaten?

Yet, this hostage princess from the state of Bo had left a deep impression on Feng Wu.

Especially the image of her tearfully mourning Feng Liwu’s supposed death, which had haunted his dreams in recent days.

The scheming and cunning Second Prince, for the first time in his life, felt the stirrings of youthful infatuation.

Every day at court, he watched “Jiang Herun’s” every smile and frown, each expression filled with charm.

Even her scolding of Meng Xian for being “full of crap” had a lively, mischievous quality to it.

This two-day break from court duties meant Feng Wu wouldn’t see Jiang Xiurun for two days, and the thought left him restless.

After learning from the city gates that the Crown Prince had gone to Mingshan, Feng Wu immediately ordered his carriage to follow.

From a distance, he had seen Jiang Xiurun enjoying her meal with gusto.

Unlike the other noblewomen, who ate with restraint, Concubine Yao was carefree and unpretentious, yet her eating was still elegant.

Truly, a beauty could do no wrong.

Everything she did was captivating.

Especially today, with her youthful appearance, Feng Wu found it impossible to tear himself away.

Feng Liwu, noticing his brother’s sudden appearance and his lingering near the women’s pavilion, felt a growing discomfort.

As a man, he could clearly see the sparkle in Feng Wu’s eyes as he looked at Jiang Xiurun.

It was the look of a man smitten, unmistakable to anyone who knew.

So, Feng Liwu glanced at a nearby nobleman, who immediately understood and called out to Feng Wu, inviting him to join them for drinks.

Feng Wu smiled and walked over.

At first, the men enjoyed their drinks and conversation.

But as the alcohol flowed, the underlying tension between them began to surface.

By the end, the pile of wine jars at their feet had grown considerably.

Some of the noblewomen sent servants to check on the situation and were told that the men were playing drinking games.

At some point, things had gotten out of hand, and many of the officials had already passed out.

Now, it was a drinking contest between the Crown Prince and the Second Prince.

Both were formidable drinkers, and they were playing a game called “Thousand Army Command.”

The rules were simple: if you lost a round of finger-guessing, you had to drink from a set of ten nested bowls, starting from the smallest to the largest.

It was said that by the end, even the strongest men would be unable to stand, stumbling and crawling away—hence the name “Thousand Army Command,” as it could topple an entire army.

Jiang Xiurun, hearing the name, knew this wasn’t the refined drinking game of Luo’an’s banquets but rather something Feng Wu had brought back from the jianghu.

No matter how good the wine was, drinking in such quantities was harmful.

Jiang Xiurun understood that when men got competitive, regardless of their status, they could act like three-year-olds fighting over toys.

If no one intervened, they might even resort to pulling hair and biting, locked in a never-ending struggle.

Now that the Crown Prince and his brother were locked in this drinking battle, if she let them continue, the Crown Prince—the future ruler of Great Qi—would end up humiliating himself in front of the nobles.

So, she decided to step in and stop the Crown Prince.

When the noblewomen followed Concubine Yao to the pavilion, they were shocked by the scene.

In a makeshift tent next to the pavilion, several officials lay sprawled out, completely naked, their fat spilling out as they snored loudly, drunk out of their minds.

Their wives, mortified, quickly pushed past the other women, calling for servants to bring clothes to cover their husbands’ shame.

Meanwhile, a servant stood by, awkwardly stopping the women, explaining that according to the rules of “Thousand Army Command,” they were also playing “Light Clothing Command.”

The losers had to gradually remove their clothing until they had nothing left to take off, at which point they were out of the game.

For the next hour, they were not allowed to put their clothes back on.

Since the defeated officials hadn’t yet reached the one-hour mark, putting on clothes would be breaking the rules.

Losing their drinking honor was one thing, but losing their integrity was far worse.

This left the wives utterly confused, unsure whether to dress their husbands or not.

As for the wives whose husbands weren’t in the tent, they breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that their men had more dignity and hadn’t embarrassed themselves in front of the noblewomen.

Though noblewomen were refined, their tongues were sharp.

Today’s exposure would surely become tomorrow’s gossip in other households.

If their husbands were well-endowed and handsome, it might not be so bad.

But for those less fortunate, wouldn’t they become the butt of jokes?

Jiang Xiurun glanced at the scene in the pavilion.

The remaining nobles had also shed varying amounts of clothing.

Even the Crown Prince and Feng Wu were down to their inner garments, their well-toned chests and abs on full display.

The noblewomen who had followed couldn’t help but stare, secretly comparing the men.

Some were disappointingly flabby, while others were irresistibly attractive.

It was said that feminine beauty could intoxicate, but masculine charm was equally captivating.

Privately, Jiang Xiurun thought her Crown Prince had the better physique.

His chest, glistening with sweat from the alcohol, was firm, and his waist was taut and powerful…

This line of thought made her cheeks flush with warmth.

But there was no time for embarrassment.

It seemed the Crown Prince had lost a round and was about to drink from the set of nested bowls in front of him.

Jiang Xiurun couldn’t very well act like a common woman and drag her man home by the ear.

But she had her own methods.

Suddenly, her legs gave way, and she feigned a faint, signaling to Taohua beside her.

Taohua immediately understood and called out, “Your Highness, come quickly! The concubine has fainted!”

At this, both Feng Liwu and Feng Wu rushed over.

Feng Wu even shouted, “What happened? Was she overexerted earlier? Let me see!”

However, both men had clearly had quite a bit to drink, and their steps were unsteady.

Feng Liwu, annoyed that Feng Wu was blocking his way, pushed his brother aside and quickly scooped up Jiang Xiurun.

Ignoring Feng Wu’s darkening expression, he carried her away swiftly.

The local official who had been accompanying them hurriedly led the way to the mountain lodge that had been prepared earlier.

When Feng Liwu set Jiang Xiurun down and was about to call for a physician, the woman who had just seemed on the verge of collapse suddenly sat up and pinched his earlobe.

“How will you thank me for saving you from that situation?” she asked.

Feng Liwu paused, realizing she had been pretending.

But as he relaxed, the alcohol hit him, and he collapsed onto her, unable to get up.