Chapter 9
Red tent
No one understood the significance of these two words more than Hua Zhu Yu.
She once angrily charged into red tent, ordered the officers and the soldiers who were seeking pleasure inside at that time to come out and they each were punished with 20 hits. She also tried to send all those prost.i.tutes away.
However, her father as an army’s marshal did not agree with her action at all, saying this was men’ needs. Besides, those prost.i.tutes unexpectedly did not want to leave, instead they knelt, begging to stay, said that this was their way to earn a living, did not want her to cut off their livelihood.
These women were actually willingly and gladly using their bodies to make money, and even somewhat enjoyed it.
She really pitied them.
Today, Xiao Yin actually wanted to throw into red tent?
“Crown prince, even though she is not Wen Wan, not the crown princess whom crown prince takes a fancy, nevertheless she is daughter of Marquis Ping Xi, she comes from Southern Dynasty, her body is frail, continuously needs to take medication, this woman, how could she live in our Northern Dynasty?” Xianw.a.n.g hurriedly walked up to the crown prince, and tirelessly persuaded him “Crown prince, it is better not to be impetuous, should never send the Princess into red tent ah! She is daughter of Hua Mu ah!”
“Royal uncle, no need to say anymore!” Xiao Yin turned around and looked at Hua Zhu Yu who was lying leaning over the ground, vomiting the wine. His mouth curled cynically down at one corner, “The two of you, still not taking her away!”
It seemed that Xiao Yin was not only angry over Southern Dynasty’s setup this time, but also the replacement of Wen Wan with her, which he must feel so humiliated. if it were Wen Wan whom he took a fancy that came, he would not treat her this ruthlessly.
Hua Zhu Yu coughed again a few times, two maids came towards her, one on her right side and the other on her left side, helped her get up.
On the way, constantly there were soldiers looked gloatingly at her, said in a low voice “humph!, Southern Dynasty actually plotted against our crown prince, do they think we are afraid of them? Look at this Southern Dynasty’s princess, who comes for marriage alliance, she is sent into a military prost.i.tutes’ tent as soon as she arrives here. Tonight, we go to red tent to have fun, have a taste of this Southern Dynasty’ princess to see what is the difference from our Northern Dynasty’s women.
Hua Zhu Yu remained calm listening to those soldiers’ words, no a single trace of emotion in her clear, cold eyes.
Not long, several tents with red-colored top came into sight, the two maids brought her into one of those tent, showed her a bed and then they left.
Hua Zhu Yu sat on the bed, she frowned as she was sizing up her surroundings.
It was a two-person military tent with a cloth curtain separating its two beds. In barracks, this could be considered as a low cla.s.s prost.i.tutes tent, because the highest ones were all one person-tent.
Obviously there were people on the other bed, there were sounds of man and woman gasping for breath could be heard, a silhouette of their bodies tightly wrapped around each other swaying could be seen vaguely through the cloth curtain. Clearly, there was a prost.i.tute serving a guest.
Hua Zhu Yu closed her eyes, lied down on the bed. Many thoughts flitted across her mind, swift as lightning. Now, what should she do? How to get away the imminent humiliation?
The wine began to take effect, her whole body was heating up and she felt dizzy. Last night, she was buried in snow for a day. Originally, her body was already stone-cold. She would certainly fall ill. The wine that Xiao Yin forced her to drink unexpectedly saved her.
This wine was actually very strong, but Hua Zhu Yu was pretty good at drinking, so she did not get drunk. In a daze, she was lying down. The gasping sounds gradually ceased and there was a sound of footsteps.
She opened her eyes and saw a man was carrying pants, went out of the tent.
“Girl, are you a newcomer? What is your name? I am Zhu Xiang.” A woman gracefully came out from behind the cloth curtain, straightened out her garments while asking in slow tone of voice.
She looked to be in her twenties, good looking, and was wearing a misty pink embroidered cotton skirt. Her hair was tied in a loose, messy bun. A pearl hairpin was inserted diagonally in her hair, somewhat tottering.
“Aiya, girl, why is your face this dirty? Could it be that you are a prisoner of war? But, don’t hear the crown prince goes to a war ah. What on earth happened to you? I bring you water to wash up, okay!” Zhu Xiang said in surprise.
“No need!” Hua Zhu Yu said coldly, she did not want to freshen up yet, her current appearance might be able to scare off those men who came to seek pleasure.
“You are like this, which man is willing to come looking for you. Now that you are here, you need to think of a way to make some money. Although we are provided meals in barracks and were given monthly allowance each month, but those men who come to seek pleasure will reward us money for our service every time they are done. In time, it is no small amount of money” Zhu Xiang advised Hua Zhu Yu softly at her side.
Clearly, this Zhu Xiang had been doing this job for not a short time.
“I don’t want to make money at all, I’m sorry, I am somewhat tired.” Hua Zhu Yu closed her eyes, lying down on the bed.
“Then, have a good rest, girl!” Zhu Xiang was actually tactful enough, she returned to her bed.
Night came very fast.
In this still vast wilderness, the wind came blowing from far North was like sound of ghost wailing and wolves howling, made people who listened to it could not help shivering. The cold wind got into the tent through its small cracks, it was extremely cold inside.
The effects of the wine had subsided gradually, with no internal force to protect her body, her body started to get cold, however , Hua Zhu Yu no longer felt soft and weak all over. She began to have some strength, and gradually could move around.
Hua Zhu Yu’s mind was in utmost perplexity, it had been unclear to her what poison Ji Feng Li actually gave her and what antidote should she use to cure the poison. But now, she was mysteriously cured of the poison without taking any antidote. From last night up until now, she hadn’t had anything other than the wine that Xiao Yin forced her to drink.
Could it be that the wine cured her of the poison? The antidote was actually this simple?
Hua Zhu Yu remained perplexed despite much thought when she heard a sound of footsteps outside. The sound approached theirs tent.
Hua Zhu Yu’s heart tensed. Zhu Xiang who had no more guest tonight was already asleep on the other bed.
She hoped those who came to seek pleasure not looking for her.
The tent door was knocked heavily. Hua Zhu Yu heard a man’s loud shouting voice “Open the door! Woman from Southern Dynasty, still not coming open the door and serve me!”