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Finest Servant Chapter 605
🕑 Added 2023-10-30 10:54:06 +0000 UTCChapter 605 The Great Khan's Harem
Upon this realization, he felt an odd mixture of thrill and tingling, a sense of being both numb and electrified. He looked around at the rose-tinted silk curtains, silk quilts as soft as clouds, ethereal draperies, and the intoxicating fragrances that filled the air. Everywhere, there was a sense of romantic warmth. It was as if he were in a dream, lying down and never wishing to get up.
"Ah—ah—" Unable to stay any longer in the palanquin, he hastily lifted the curtain, poked his head out, and began frantically waving at Hu Bugui.
‘Why is General Lin suddenly so nervous over a palanquin?’ Hu Bugui looked puzzled. Frustratingly, Lin Wanrong couldn't articulate his urgency, even as his face was flushed with desperation.
The palanquin swayed gently, gradually approaching the palace of the Turkic Khanate. The vermillion gate was now in sight, flanked by two squads of guards conducting inspections on incoming tribal delegations.
The Turkic palace was larger than he had expected, yet compared to the imperial city of the Great Hua, it occupied less than a tenth of the land area. Moreover, the Turkic architectural sophistication paled in comparison. The Turkic people were still in the stage of simple stone and brick construction, and even their most central palace courtyard was no exception. The palace walls were made of large, coarsely-stacked stones, and a gravel path led directly to the front gate.
Even before he got close, he could faintly hear the sounds of the Turkic lutes and horsehead fiddles. Occasionally, he could hear laughter and conversations accompanied by the thick scent of mare's milk liquor. It seemed like the banquet hall was not far from the entrance.
The narrowness, simplicity, and crudeness of the Turkic palace stood in stark contrast to the intricacies of the Great Hua's sprawling imperial city. Even a county magistrate's office in the Jiangnan region was far more elaborate.
The guards at the palace entrance immediately softened their imposing expressions upon seeing the palanquin. They bowed respectfully. The Turkic young woman didn't even give them a glance as she proceeded through the gate, followed by Hu Bugui, who seemed to benefit from her presence. The guards only briefly inspected their dull blades before waving them through.
As soon as he entered the gate, he could hear the distant sounds of uproar and laughter. Just two to three hundred paces from the front gate stood a brightly-lit magnificent palace.
The structure of the palace was entirely made of solid wood—both tall and wide, adorned with intricately carved railings and expansive eaves, truly awe-inspiring. The doorframes of the great hall were made of hollowed-out solid wood and covered with translucent parchment, giving off a subtle golden hue.
The palace, exquisitely designed and grand in scale, stood in stark contrast to the surrounding rough stone houses. With just one look, Lin Wanrong knew that this had to be the work of skilled craftsmen from the Great Hua aiding the Turkic people in construction.
On either side of the main entrance to the grand hall stood massive golden wolf heads, teeth bared and exuding ferocious energy. The cacophony of laughter and the rich aroma of food and liquor filled the air, never-ending.
Seeing the mute warrior lift the curtain, continuously observing the palace with a look of curiosity, a Turkic young woman chuckled and gestured, "That is where the Great Khan holds court and deals with state affairs. Tonight's banquet is also being held there. As you can see, the feast has already begun. Warrior, you've arrived too late!"
Attending court and hosting a banquet at the same location was simply unimaginable in the grandeur of Great Hua. Clearly, the Turks had yet to adopt the complexities and formalities of Great Hua's traditions. Only they would be so indifferent to such matters.
A few Turkic men surged forward, respectfully leading Hu Bugui and others toward the great hall where the banquet was taking place. Lin Wanrong was contemplating this when the palanquin suddenly changed direction. Instead of following Hu Bugui and the rest, it took a side road, avoiding the palace and hurriedly rushing away.
"Ah—ah!" The mute let out alarmed noises, frantically waving his hands for help. Hu Bugui quickly realized what was happening and stepped in front of the young Turkic girl. "What is the meaning of this? Where are you taking our warrior?"
The Turkic girl smiled and said, "Our mute warrior is a hero among heroes on the plains and an esteemed guest of our Great Khan. Naturally, he deserves the finest hospitality. Don't worry, no one will mistreat him."
Reading the situation, the mute began to panic. He was so agitated that he almost leaped out of the sedan chair.
The young girl turned around and gestured reassuringly, "Fear not, warrior. Our Great Khan is a person of her word. If you comply with her wishes, endless wealth and honor will await you!"
What?! Hu Bugui was dumbfounded. What did she mean by having General Lin "comply" with the Great Khan?
The mute felt a shiver run down his spine. ‘This is bad. It seems the Great Khan intends to favor me. Losing my virtue is one thing, but losing my integrity is another! Am I to sacrifice my own reputation for the sake of my country and people? How could I be subjected to such an inhumane dilemma?’
Pausing for a moment, his gaze caught a dazzling firework blossoming in the distant sky beyond the city. Though soundless, it was breathtakingly beautiful. Hu Bugui caught Lin Wanrong's eye and signaled, ‘Great men aren't bothered by small matters. I trust that with your abilities, you can handle the Great Khan. For the sake of Great Hua, some sacrifices must be made!’
"So that's the case!" Hu Bugui chuckled, patting his chest joyfully. "The Great Khan's favor is indeed a tremendous blessing for us. Oh, our warrior is still a bit shy. What a simple man! Please take him away quickly; time waits for no one."
The mute let out a series of anguished cries and struggled in protest. The Turkic girl giggled and waved her hand, the pink curtains dropping as the palanquin sped towards the inner court. Hu Bugui and his men looked at each other, held their heads high, and confidently strode towards the Turkic main hall.
‘That scoundrel Hu Bugui, he's sold me out? Damnable!’ Lin Wanrong bitterly pulled the curtain down, grinding his teeth in utter resentment. Strangely, an image of the Great Khan's exquisite face and tender skin came to mind, full of bewildering expressions.
"Stop!" Just as he was feeling uneasy, a man's voice roared in the Turkic language, and the palanquin came to a sudden halt.
Looking at the man who had blocked their way, the two Turkic girls exchanged glances and bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Right Prince!"
Eagerly, the mute lifted the curtain and peeked out. Sure enough, standing before them was the very Turkic Right Prince whose leg had been broken by Hu Bugui: Tursun!
He sat on a coarse wooden chair, hoisted up by two bearded men. His face mask had long been removed. Although his leg was stabilized by a wooden rod, his dangling lower limb still felt limp, as if they could sway with the wind. Old Hu had been ruthless; his blade had shattered Tursun's leg bones, ensuring he would never stand again.
Right Prince had changed his clothes, but his groin area seemed to be improperly bandaged. Fresh specks of blood oozed intermittently, and each word he spoke seemed to pull at his wounds, causing pain. Lin Wanrong had forcibly jammed both his hands into him, making the Prince's eyes swell with blood, almost bulging out, and narrowing the space between his eyes to a small slit.
The once most dashing and unbeatable warrior of the plains, Right Prince Tursun, admired by countless young women, was now in a pathetic state. Not only was his face ruined and his leg broken, but even his ability to father children was likely compromised. General Lin couldn't help but shake his head in pity. ‘Being handsome isn't your fault,’ he lamented internally, ‘but flaunting it in front of me? That's a huge mistake.’
"Who's sitting in that palanquin?!" Tursun, whose face was flushed red as if he had been drinking, pointed with his only functional hand at the pink canopy and loudly inquired.
Two young women answered in unison, "Your Highness, the Right Prince, it's the Yuezhi warrior that Great Khan wishes to meet!"
"Yuezhi?!" Hate shot out from the Right Prince's barely open eyes. Struggling to his feet, he hopped on his one good leg, his curved blade swinging violently as he howled, "Get him down! Tursun will kill him! I must kill him!!"
The ear-piercing, frenzied scream prompted the surrounding guards to quickly surround the palanquin. One of the young women angrily retorted, "Right Prince, what are you thinking? Do you dare to defy even the Great Khan's decree?"
"Yes, Right Prince, please calm down. We'll find a way," a man hurriedly restrained the Right Prince, speaking soothingly next to him.
The voice sounded vaguely familiar. Lin Wanrong peeked outside and saw Prince Zhao Kangning standing next to Tursun, sneakily glancing into the palanquin.
This bastard! Lin Wanrong silently cursed, quickly lowering the curtain.
In the past, Tursun's authority was unchallenged; who would dare stand in his way? But times had changed. Now crippled and disfigured, he was no longer the invincible and awe-inspiring Right Prince of the Turks in people's minds. Even two lowly maidservants dared to chastise him.
"Fine, I'll go to the Great Khan!" Tursun clenched his fist, the corners of his eyes splitting open, and the hatred shooting from his eyes seemed to pierce the curtain itself.
Finally, after the Right Prince left in a huff, the leading Turkic young woman let out a sigh of relief, patting her ample chest. Another young woman gently lifted the pink curtain and comfortingly whispered to the terrified mute, "Warrior, don't be afraid. You belong to the Great Khan; she will certainly protect you."
He belonged to the Great Khan?! This statement exposed Yujia's wild ambitions beyond any doubt. The mute shook his head in bitter sadness, feeling incredibly distressed.
Aware of the earlier hindrance by Tursun, nobody knew if he would make another appearance, so the palanquin moved much faster. As it reached the entrance of a garden, it slowed to a stop. The Turkic young woman who had been leading him gestured for him to disembark, smiling radiantly, "Warrior, we have arrived!"
‘Arrived?’ The mute man was skeptical as he stepped out of the palanquin. Almost immediately, the air filled with giggles; dozens of Turkic young women seemed to emerge from nowhere, encircling him. Their eyes swept over him from head to toe, not missing an inch.
These women, worthy of being in the Turkic palace, were naturally beautiful, and what was even more captivating were their fiery, exotic gazes. Born bold, these Turkic women made no effort to conceal their flirtatious intentions, their eyes seemingly moist enough to drip water.
‘My God, did I just walk into the land of women?’ Surrounded by a group of Turkic women, their gazes seemed as if they were undressing him with their eyes. Even for the stalwart General Lin, a cold sweat broke out.
The scene was a dazzling array of beauty, causing the mute man to thump his chest as he took deep breaths to calm himself. Seeing his state, a wave of laughter erupted among the Turkic women. Some braver ones even came over to grasp his hands and couldn't resist poking him in the waist.
‘Like a sheep among wolves!’ Unable to resist, the mute warrior sighed. Faced with this overpowering atmosphere, he decided to embrace the experience rather than fight it.
"Don't be afraid, Warrior!" The Turkic young woman who had led him in comforted him with a smile. "This is the Great Khan's private chamber. Apart from the Young Khan who occasionally visits, you are the first man to be here! Especially as the victor of the sheep snatching competition, naturally, the ladies would want to see you! They wouldn’t give any other man the time of day!"
‘This is Yujia's private chamber? Isn't that the legendary harem of the Great Khan?’ The mute man looked around urgently and noticed that this place was different from the palaces he had seen earlier. There were pavilions, flowing streams, and a certain delicate charm amidst the ruggedness, like a garden in the south found on the grasslands—clearly, the touch of a woman.
As he was taking in the surroundings, the leading Turkic young woman suddenly grasped his hands and pointed towards a wooden house at the center of the garden, smiling in unison. Mist and fog seemed to envelop the house; he had no idea what the place was for.
"Please, Warrior, take a bath and change your clothes," said one of the palace maids, presenting a brand-new robe embroidered faintly with gold threads. The leading young women gestured softly.
‘A bath and change of clothes?’ Lin Wanrong instinctively crossed his arms over his chest. The young woman chuckled, her eyes shimmering, and motioned, "Don't worry, we won't violate you."
‘What kind of world is this?’ The warrior snorted in annoyance and reached to remove his face mask.
The Turkic women were startled and quickly stopped him, "You can't! Warrior, your face mask is a symbol of honor. Only the Golden Blade Khan has the privilege to remove it for you!"
‘That's the effect I was aiming for!’ Relieved, the mute man let the leading Turkic women, one on each side, hold his hands as they slowly walked towards the wooden house. The surrounding palace maids looked on with envy.
As he approached, a wave of warm air greeted him. In the center of the courtyard was a wooden house, with a bubbling hot spring that emitted a faint yet refreshing sulfuric scent. Mist swirled about, as if he were enveloped in a sea of clouds.
‘Yueya'er really knows how to pick a spot. With a hot spring like this that's evergreen all year round, I'd be happy to soak in it every day,’ Lin Wanrong thought to himself.
Suddenly, two small hands gently started to touch him from either side. Startled, he leaped back as if jolted by electricity, turned around, widened his eyes, and frantically gestured, ‘What are you doing?’
"We are here to assist you in your bath, warrior," the two young girls, their faces flushed, lowered their heads and said, "The Great Khan has ordered us to do so."
‘Beautiful women to bathe me?’ Lin Wanrong felt slightly dizzy. Even though he had two princess wives, in Great Hua he always bathed himself. Never had any of his wives arranged for maids to assist him. And yet, here he was, experiencing this luxury in a Turkic royal court, with two beautiful women at that. ‘Yujia is really treating me well,’ he mused.
Seeing his hesitation, one of the young girls mustered up the courage to reach for his clothing while the other shyly communicated through gestures, "Don't be afraid, warrior. This is our first time too."
‘These Turkic girls sure are naturally charming. Her 'first time' is more adept than my hundredth,’ Lin Wanrong thought. He waved his hands, gently pushing them away.
What an innocent man! Hearing the rustling sounds of clothes being removed behind him, the two girls flushed, and lightly giggled.
With a "splash," Lin Wanrong neatly piled his clothes beside the spring and, covering his head, jumped into the hot water. He huddled in one corner, his eyes flickering with a timid light.
"I've never seen such a bashful warrior—this is the man who defeated Tursun!" Both girls felt an urge to care for this mute warrior. Suppressing their shyness, they peeled off their outer layers, leaving only their undergarments, and slowly stepped into the pool.
The Turkic girls, accustomed to horseback riding, generally had good figures—shapely and well-proportioned. These two, being the leading maids in the palace, were the cream of the crop.
Droplets of water moistened their enticing, alabaster-like skin, making it translucent. Their thin undergarments clung tightly to their bodies, accentuating their stunning curves.
Blushing, the two girls slowly moved closer to him. Intentionally or otherwise, their slender legs pressed against his, as they flicked clear water droplets onto him. Their small hands, trembling softly, gently caressed his skin.
‘What's going on?!’ Lin Wanrong was taken aback, his heart tingling irresistibly. Pressed against by two scantily clad beautiful women, their ample bosoms rubbing against him—it was more than any man could bear!
‘Look away, look away!’ He reminded himself. At this tense moment, when the battle for Kyzil could break out at any time, he could not afford to be distracted. He hastily took a deep breath and straightened up.
However, these two Turkic maidens seemed unwilling to give him any space. Their cheeks flushed with embarrassment, they took the opportunity to massage him all over his body while scooping water. A light touch here, a firm press there, as if attempting to knead his very soul out of him.
Was this pleasure or torture? He wryly shook his head, feeling a warm surge rising from his lower abdomen.
Seeing his bashfulness, the two Turkic girls became even bolder. Ignoring their wetted garments that left little to the imagination, they almost climbed onto him, and he could hear the pounding of their hearts.
One of the maidens glanced down into the clear water, her face instantly tinged with red. She giggled flirtatiously, and with her dripping wet hands, gently kneaded his chest, "Warrior, you really are courageous!"
‘You're quite courageous yourself,’ the warrior thought, his eyes falling on her chest.
The maiden looked at him and gestured, curiously saying, "The Great Khan has said that we Turkic warriors are naturally passionate and unrestrained. But you seem different from the others. No wonder the Great Khan has us—"
The other maiden coughed unintentionally, interrupting her. She hastily fell silent.
Lin Wanrong was suddenly alarmed, his mind instantly cooling down. Yujia, that cunning girl. Faced with such temptation, acting prim and proper would only arouse suspicion. To be reckless and unrestrained was the way to go. ‘Damn it, I was never cut out to be a gentleman!’
As soon as he let go, chaos ensued. He carelessly touched them a couple of times, causing the two Turkic girls to cry out in surprise and flee, their faces flushed crimson.
"Warrior, you're so naughty!" One of the girls couldn't hide her embarrassment, and spat lightly. This time she didn't use any hand signals; some glances are universal, requiring no translation!
‘If a woman says you're naughty, it means you're not naughty enough,’ Lin Wanrong thought, as clear as a mirror in his mind. He roughly groped again, taking a few more liberties. The two Turkic maidens couldn't stand it any longer; their eyes became hazy, and they panted, "Warrior, we can't. You belong to the Great Khan, and unless she says so, we can't take advantage of you."
‘I'd welcome your advances!’ General Lin reluctantly withdrew his hands, suddenly remembering he was in Yujia's harem, where all the rules were reversed!
It turned out that this mute warrior was far more cunning than ordinary people. The two Turkic young women no longer dared to underestimate him. Their cheeks flushed as they carefully dressed him and tidied his clothes. Only then did they timidly say, "The bath is complete, warrior. Please, come with us."
Not far from the hot spring was an exquisite pavilion. As they stepped through the door, they heard the frame softly click behind them; the two Turkic young women had already closed the door from outside.
The room was filled with hanging pink gauze curtains that gently swayed in the breeze, brushing against the cheeks softly, as tender and delicate as a woman's hand.
Deep within the curtains, the outline of a spacious ivory bed became visible. It glistened with a hint of soft pink, radiant and crystal clear, like a utopia of blooming peach blossoms. The golden silk quilt was neat and soft, filling the room with a subtle fragrance. Right in the center of the bed hung a small golden camel bell. A slender hand reached out slowly and gently tugged at the swaying tassel.
"Ting-ting, ting-ting," the crisp sound of the camel bell resonated in the room filled with blooming peach blossoms, as if it were the most melodious song, slowly sinking into one's heart.
The woman sitting in the center of the bed turned her head and gave him a faint smile, "Mute, do you recognize me?"
