Chapter Eighteen: The Banquet at Hong Gate?

Hearing what Hu Mo said, Huang Sheng was utterly overjoyed, so much so that he almost wanted to pounce on Hu Mo and give him a kiss. Hu Mo narrowly dodged that tiger-like leap, cursing and scolding as he did so. That sleazy fellow truly had a thick skin—even after being scolded by Hu Mo, he remained elated, toddling off ahead of them. Was this really what a young master of a noble family should be like? It was enough to leave one utterly speechless.

Yet what concerned Hu Mo far more was whatever Huang Sheng was hiding; he was certain this meal was a veritable banquet of doom.

He sighed softly, glancing at the guards who were retching so hard they seemed ready to vomit bile. He couldn’t help but feel a surge of anger. Were these supposedly well-trained guards? If they couldn’t handle even such a meager spectacle, how could he trust them to protect him? The thought made Hu Mo uneasy.

Drunken Fragrance—the largest tavern in Flame City, renowned throughout the entire Heavenly Fire Empire. Only the wealthy and powerful dined here—where a single meal for a rich man could cost a poor man ten years’ worth of grain. The saying fit perfectly.

In the past, Hu Mo had loved coming to this place, for one chief reason: the abundance of beautiful women. Even the maidservants serving tea and water were of above-average looks. Men came here for far more than just a meal. If not for the lack of overnight accommodations, this establishment would hardly qualify as a tavern—it would be a brothel in all but name.

Before even reaching the entrance, Hu Mo could hear the soft, coquettish voices drifting out. In Flame City, only the brothels and Drunken Fragrance had so many women soliciting customers at their doors.

And truth be told, these women were quite attractive, enough to draw a sigh from Hu Mo’s heart. So many young beauties squandering their youth—though this was called a tavern, was it really much different from a brothel?

Drunken Fragrance had another rule: as long as you could pay, you could have any service you desired. Any of the women here could be taken out for pleasure if you could afford it. If you didn’t want the hassle, you could simply shut the door and enjoy both the meal and the company at once—it was entirely commonplace. Suddenly, Hu Mo recalled that the infamous boy-love scandal had happened right here. The more he thought of it, the more the name Drunken Fragrance repulsed him.

“Oh my, Young Master Hu, you’re here! Why haven’t you come to support me in over half a month? My poor little heart has been so anxious!” A gaudily dressed woman with ample curves came swaying over, her face powdered so thickly that with each step, flakes of makeup fell away—enough to make Hu Mo’s scalp tingle.

“Heavens, this guy has a unique taste, that’s for sure. Damn!” Hu Mo’s stomach churned as he quickly racked his brain for a way to deal with this seductive matron.

“Sister Mei, enough with the greetings already! We brothers are all waiting!” Huang Sheng called impatiently, crowding enthusiastically beside the alluring woman.

The moment Sister Mei caught sight of Huang Sheng, she covered her nose and spat, “Third Young Master Huang, if you don’t do something about that stench, we won’t dare welcome you here anymore. Last time you took Little Oriole out, she barely ate for over half a month after coming back. Please, stop tormenting my girls—they’re my money-makers!”

Sister Mei spared no mercy in her jibes, but Huang Sheng only responded with a sycophantic smile, treating her with even more respect than he did his own mother.

After much cajoling, Hu Mo and Huang Sheng finally entered Drunken Fragrance. Unlike last time, two guards now accompanied Hu Mo.

What had happened before was so serious that if anything similar occurred again, these guards would have no option but to answer for it with their lives.

Huang Sheng seemed to exhale a huge sigh of relief, leading the way ahead with a beaming smile—his demeanor almost that of a brothel’s head madam.

Though Hu Mo felt something was amiss, it was broad daylight, under the clear sky—who would dare lay a finger on him in such a public place? Only someone with a death wish.

—

In the Second Heaven private room of Drunken Fragrance, the tightly closed door concealed all sound, a stark contrast to the clamor elsewhere. From the other rooms came a ceaseless chorus of moans; Hu Mo’s most immediate impression was that the soundproofing here was truly abysmal.

Only now did Huang Sheng’s face reveal a trace of relief. Making a gesture of invitation, he dared not say a word more, yet his guilty demeanor was all too obvious.

Hu Mo cleared his throat and asked with a smile, “Third Young Master Huang, if I’m not mistaken, there’s someone waiting for me inside—and I doubt it’s just the three of you.”

At these words, Huang Sheng’s heart sank to his feet. He let out a wail, shoved open the door, and cried, “Your Highness, I’ve brought him! Please, spare us!”

There was such sorrow in Huang Sheng’s shout that Hu Mo instantly understood everything.

Seated at the large round table was a man in white, whose chest swelled so prominently that one could faintly glimpse the shape within—those curves rivaled the mysterious girl Hu Mo had seen before.

Hu Mo could barely repress a laugh; anyone could tell this was a woman in disguise. For a woman to drink with such flagrant abandon in a place like this—Hu Mo could only feel admiration.

With a moment’s thought, he identified her.

Princess Zhu Xinyue, the most willful and unruly little princess in all the Heavenly Fire Empire—who didn’t know her name?

Hu Mo wondered inwardly why this little devil had gone to such lengths to ensnare him today, especially when his outing had been so sudden. What did she want from him?

Along with Huang Sheng were two other infamous “handsome men” of Heavenly Fire: Du Zhong of the Du family and Lin Meng of the Lin family.

Unlike Huang Sheng, Du Zhong and Lin Meng genuinely lived up to their reputation—this was no sarcasm, but fact. Looking at them, Hu Mo found his own title as the most dashing young man in the world in jeopardy.

Yet both bore the same pallor as Hu Mo—faces haggard from excessive wine and womanizing. Not even young men under twenty, no matter how vigorous, could withstand such constant debauchery. Hu Mo could only sigh—the world seemed to be filling up with doomed souls.

The two sat miserably, casting pitiful glances at Hu Mo alongside Huang Sheng. When Hu Mo glanced back, all three immediately lowered their heads, looking utterly wronged.

“This is outrageous—why do they look like the victims when I’m the one being set up? I have no idea how that scoundrel fell in with the likes of them!” Hu Mo cursed inwardly.

Clearly, Princess Xinyue was here for him. He well remembered last time, when he’d clumsily groped her chest, nearly sparking civil war. The ensuing chaos had been monumental.

In the aftermath, Hu Mo had been severely beaten by Old Master Hu—blood was drawn, and he’d been bedridden for over half a month.

Just as he recovered, the assassination attempt occurred, and that was the end of the original Hu Mo.

Taken together, the truth seemed to be coming into focus. But lacking evidence, even the fiery-tempered Hu Yihu would not act rashly—no matter how exalted the culprit.

—

“Young Master Hu, life is full of unexpected encounters—we meet again,” Princess Xinyue said with a radiant smile, her expression seemingly innocent. But the way her small fist clenched betrayed a mood on the verge of losing all control.

A chill ran down Hu Mo’s spine; his instincts screamed that this girl was dangerous.

Behind him, the two guards immediately drew close, one on either side, shielding him. They knew well the reputation of this little devil—she would kill without hesitation. No matter Hu Mo’s status, she would show no mercy. If anything happened to Hu Mo under their watch, they would have to join him in the grave.

Hu Mo was deeply conflicted—the situation was dire. He was trapped, unable to advance or retreat, a predicament that made him want to lose his mind.

Steadying himself, he met those seemingly harmless eyes with a faint smile. “Your Highness is too kind. To invite the four of us to such a distinguished place is a great honor. However, I’m not feeling well these days, and such a banquet is truly unsuitable for me. Perhaps my brothers could keep you company, and I’ll host you myself another day?”

His tongue nearly tripped over itself as he spoke. If he’d had a stick in hand, he would have loved to knock out those three traitors where they sat. Their fawning looks made him want to kill. The best solution, of course, was to withdraw—if they’d plotted against him, he had no reason to care for their fate.

Princess Xinyue stood with a gentle smile, slowly approaching Hu Mo. Her eyes were clear as water, her figure perfect, and her beauty unmatched—she was a rare treasure in this world.

Yet Hu Mo felt no inclination to admire her. In his eyes, she was a star of calamity. He’d rather flirt with the prettiest maids in his household than exchange two words with this princess.

“What’s this? Do you have a problem with me, Hu Mo? How bold you are! When I leave the palace, I represent the imperial family of Heavenly Fire. If you have a problem with me, you have a problem with the imperial family. Are you plotting rebellion? And calling yourself ‘Young Master’—you clearly have no respect for the royal family!” Princess Xinyue’s words poured forth like a barrage, leaving Hu Mo dazed. She was formidable—within two sentences, she’d painted him as a traitor. Even Hu Mo had to admit defeat before such rhetoric.

But now was not the time to back down. If he didn’t retort, he’d fall right into her trap.

“Your Highness, I’m afraid I don’t understand. I am, at the very least, a baron of the empire. Basic respect for Your Highness is my duty. If I acted as a commoner, it would be tantamount to disregarding the title bestowed by His Majesty, which is a crime of lèse-majesté—can Your Highness bear that? Moreover, as Your Highness is not the imperial heir, you cannot claim to represent the royal family. Or do you intend to usurp power and meddle in state affairs? If I recall correctly, the law stipulates that women who interfere in court politics are to be executed by slow slicing.”

Hu Mo pressed forward with his words, causing Princess Xinyue to tremble, a look of genuine fear crossing her face.

She hadn’t anticipated that Hu Mo could be so quick-witted—every sentence left her no room for rebuttal.

“Is this really that lecherous brat? Why do I feel this way?” A flicker of panic crossed Zhu Xinyue’s face. The guards accompanying her stepped forward, a powerful aura of battle energy emanating from them and focusing entirely on Hu Mo.

He suddenly felt suffocated by the pressure, barely able to breathe. But rather than anger, Hu Mo was secretly pleased—he bit his tongue, spat out a mouthful of blood, and fell backward.

The Hu family guards froze for a moment before rushing to catch him. Their faces turned ashen, and their eyes blazed with fury at the princess’s guards, as if ready to devour them.

The three companions’ hearts skipped a beat, and they shouted in unison, “Oh no, oh no, someone’s dead—!”