Prince Bei Jing of the Red Chamber, starting from saving Qin Keqing

With a "snap," Shui Rong paused slightly in the wine pot in his hand, and a few drops of wine splashed onto the table.

He looked up at Zhu Changming, his pupils contracted slightly, and the smile in his eyes vanished instantly, replaced by a look of seriousness.

After a moment of silence, he sighed softly, his tone tinged with helplessness: "Ming'er, with your personality, you really aren't afraid of death. Some things shouldn't be said carelessly."

As he spoke, he raised his hand and gently stroked Zhu Changming's long hair, as if he were treating a junior, his tone softening considerably:

"Ming'er, you're not getting any younger, it's time to consider finding a princess."

"Your eldest brother, the King of Chu, already has a child who is three or four years old; even the Crown Prince is preparing to marry his Crown Princess after the New Year."

"The King of Qin recently got engaged to the daughter of the King of Xiping. And you? You're still acting crazy and childish all day long—what kind of behavior is that?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Changming immediately straightened his back and retorted firmly:

"Uncle Wang, how dare you criticize me? You yourself are not even married, not even engaged, yet you make no attempt to hide your possessiveness toward Miss Lin."

"Don't forget, the Crown Prince only wrote a poem for Miss Lin a few days ago, and your malice was practically overflowing. You're practically the number one jealous little brat in the royal family!"

"Wow!"

Shui Rong suddenly snapped out of her daze, grabbed Zhu Changming's long hair, and spoke with a hint of anger and embarrassment.

"You little brat, you're getting bolder and bolder, daring to talk such nonsense about your Uncle Wang? Very well, very well!"

He turned and shouted to Zhao Zhong, who was not far away:

"Zhao Zhong, I'm taking this little guest out for a bit, to give the little fellow a good taste of meat! Make sure you take good care of the banquet at the manor, don't neglect the managers!"

"Your servant obeys!" Zhao Zhong bowed and replied hastily, a smile appearing in his eyes as he looked at the two men.

Shui Rong loosened Zhu Changming's hair, then grabbed his ear, grinning wickedly, and said, "You made fun of Uncle Wang, today I'll show you what's what!"

Zhu Changming winced in pain, but still stubbornly insisted, "Uncle Wang, you're cheating! If you're so tough, don't pull my ear!"

"So what if I cheat?"

Shui Rong smiled, exerted a little force on her hand, and dragged Zhu Changming out.

The two bickered and teased each other as they passed through the streets and alleys of the Prince's Mansion, and soon arrived at Zhuque Avenue, the most bustling street in the capital.

Zhu Changming rubbed his reddened ear, looked up and saw a gilded sign hanging on the street corner ahead, with the three large characters "Decadent Brothel" written on it. It was the most famous brothel in the capital.

His face stiffened, and he turned to look at Shui Rong, exclaiming in surprise, "Uncle Wang! Why did you bring me here?"

Shui Rong raised an eyebrow and smiled slyly: "Didn't you say I was a jealous little thing? Today I'll show you what I'm made of, so you won't spend all your time scheming about random things."

"Don't worry, Uncle Wang is treating today. He'll show you what it's all about!"

Without saying another word, he dragged Zhu Changming along and strode into the building.

"Uncle Wang! Calm down! If the Lin family's daughter knew you'd set foot in such a filthy place, she'd skin you alive!"

Zhu Changming kicked his legs frantically, struggling to shrink back, his voice trembling.

"This place is a den of iniquity! Father has repeatedly forbade us members of the imperial family from going to such places, and you are openly breaking the law!"

Shui Rong turned around and grinned, her grip on his hand tightening as she pulled him toward the door: "What's there to be afraid of breaking the rules! My imperial brother never cares about me in these matters."

Before they finished speaking, the two of them were enveloped in a scent of perfume mixed with the smell of alcohol.

The building was bustling with noise and the sounds of stringed instruments, a stark contrast to the refined elegance of the Prince's mansion, exuding the bold and unrestrained spirit of a northern brothel.

Upon seeing Shui Rong, the madam at the door immediately swayed her hips and trotted over, a wide smile plastered on her face, speaking in thick northern dialect:

"Oh my goodness! Your Highness Prince Bei Jing, you've finally graced us with your presence! Please come in, Hong Niangzi and the others have been waiting for you for days, they're practically ready to break down the gates of your palace!"

The madam, with her sharp eyes, spotted Zhu Changming being dragged along. Her eyes lit up, but she didn't dare ask about his identity, so she just chimed in:

"This young man is quite handsome. Is he His Highness's new buddy? He looks so youthful and fresh! Quick, the ladies are all waiting!"

Zhu Changming's face turned bright red, and he wished he could disappear into the ground. He kept his head down, not daring to look at anyone, and kept shouting urgently:

"Uncle Wang, take me away quickly! And who is this 'Matchmaker' he mentioned? This place...this place is indecent!"

"What a load of rubbish!"

Shui Rong chuckled and kicked his shin, pushing him towards the lobby. "Today I'll open your eyes, so you won't always be like a timid little wife, too shy to even look a girl in the eye!"

The lobby was even more lively, with tables piled high, men playing drinking games and shouting loudly.

The girls sat or stood, some leaning against the guests and acting coquettishly, others carrying wine jugs and moving among the tables, each dressed in a flamboyant yet unpretentious manner.

As soon as Shui Rong came in, several girls dressed in red and green immediately surrounded him.

The woman leading the group wore a bright red jacket, with a fierce look in her eyes and a slender waist; she was none other than the top courtesan matchmaker in this den of iniquity.

Hong Niangzi strode up to Shui Rong, patted him on the shoulder, and started spouting nonsense:

"Oh! Your Highness, you've finally arrived! If you hadn't come soon, I would have brought all the girls to your residence to beg for wine!"

Her gaze swept over Zhu Changming, and she raised an eyebrow, teasingly saying...

"This young man looks unfamiliar, he's as delicate as a porcelain doll. Where did you bring him from? Is he perhaps the young master of some noble family, and this is his first time in a place like this?"

Stop spouting nonsense!

Shui Rong smiled and brushed her hand away, pushing Zhu Changming towards her.

"This is His Highness Prince Zhao. Behave properly, but don't be too reserved. He came with me today, so just enjoy yourself!"

Upon hearing this, Hong Niangzi immediately toned down her fiery temper, but still retained her straightforward nature. She curtsied to Zhu Changming, but her words were still sharp:

"So it's Your Highness, Prince Zhao! My apologies for not recognizing you! Your Highness looks so young, don't act like a coward. After you've had a few drinks, play a few rounds of drinking games with the ladies, don't let them laugh at our Great Yin prince for being timid!"

A little girl named Cui'er, wearing a pink jacket, approached Zhu Changming, holding a pot of wine in her hand. She winked charmingly, her words laced with a playful air.

"Young man, don't be nervous! Come on, have a sip of wine to boost your courage. Our wine is strong, and the girls are very open-minded. I guarantee you'll want to drink it again after you've had it once!"

Zhu Changming shrank back in fright, waving his hands and saying, "No...I won't drink, I won't drink!"

"Look at you, so pathetic!"

Shui Rong snatched the wine pot from Cui'er's hand and filled the bowl in front of Zhu Changming, splashing wine all over the rim.

"Drink! If you dare leave a single drop today, I'll leave you here to learn to sing with the girls!"

The matchmaker chimed in from the side, slapping her thigh and laughing:

"Your Highness is right! Don't be a coward! Your timid, hesitant manner, like a timid young lady, isn't appealing!"

Forced into a corner, Zhu Changming reluctantly picked up the wine bowl. He had barely taken a sip when the alcohol choked him, causing him to cough uncontrollably, his face turning bright red, and tears welling up in his eyes.

This is much stronger than the peach blossom wine at Uncle Wang's house.

Upon seeing this, the girls immediately burst into laughter. Cui'er patted his back and said with a smile:

"Young man, drink slowly! This wine is strong, you can't just chug it down like that!"

Shui Rong sat to the side, slowly sipping his wine, watching Zhu Changming's helpless expression, laughing heartily, muttering to himself:

"You dare laugh at me for being a jealous fool? Today I'll show you what it's like to 'break your vow'! Let's see if you dare to spout nonsense again! You think this is some kind of royal peach blossom wine?"

Hong Niangzi moved closer to Shui Rong, poured him more wine, and whispered in a slurred voice:

"Your Highness, what brings you here today? Judging from the prince's appearance, he seems quite frightened. If this gets to His Majesty, you'll be in deep trouble!"

Shui Rong glanced at her, a smile playing on her lips:

"I'll just let it go, it's no big deal! Do you think I'd let this little guy look down on me?"

As he spoke, he picked up his wine bowl and shouted to the entire room:

"Don't just stand there! Drink! Today I'm treating, all expenses are on me. Anyone who doesn't drink to their heart's content isn't leaving this den of iniquity!"

A burst of cheers erupted in the hall, a cacophony of sounds from drinking games, laughter, and traditional music.

Zhu Changming sat in the middle, looking at the heavily made-up girls in front of him who were spouting nonsense, and then at Shui Rong who was laughing unrestrainedly.

For a moment, he forgot to struggle, only feeling his head buzzing—this place was a completely different world from the royal palace and mansion where he had lived since childhood!