Chapter 517: A Ridiculous Scene

At the break of dawn, Gu Jiu Ling was startled awake by Jiu Yue's hurried footsteps.

Jiu Yue didn't dare step into the inner hall, standing still at the doorway.

She knew her master had a terrible morning temper, but at this moment the whole Shang Jing was already bustling, chaotic, with many people hurrying toward the Imperial Riverbank.

With such a commotion, she feared her master might miss it and complain, so she mustered courage, gently knocked the door, and whispered, "Master, are you up? There's a bustle—do you want to see it?"

Gu Jiu Ling rubbed her slightly sore temples and slowly sat up; yesterday, to celebrate Xiao Yin's return, she had hosted a welcome feast in the flower hall.

She prepared many dishes Xiao Yin loved, and the couple, delighted, couldn't help but drink a few extra cups.

Gu Jiu Ling couldn't hold her liquor and became heavily drunk; Xiao Yin had hoped for a romantic moment under flowers and moon, but this little drunken cat had turned into a puddle of sludge.

Xiao Yin suddenly regretted urging her to drink, and helplessly carried the Princess Consort to the warm pavilion.

He ordered Jiu Yue to brew a sobering broth for Gu Jiu Ling to drink, then left.

At this moment, Jiu Yue's voice reached Gu Jiu Ling's ears.

"What happened? Such a bustle?"

"These days the Shang Jing's commotion is one after another—what bustle could even catch this Princess Consort's attention?"

Jiu Yue whispered, "It's the Sixth Prince who got into trouble."

Gu Jiu Ling was startled, and hurriedly got down from the bed.

"What happened? Where? Take me there quickly to see."

Along the way, Gu Jiu Ling and Xiao Yin had faced life and death many times, almost contracting plague and dying in that small town.

Gu Jiu Ling couldn't believe the Sixth Prince was unaware; the Cao Clan had struck the couple, and the Sixth Prince was the mastermind.

On the surface, the Sixth Prince seemed dashing and gentle, but no one expected him to be a smiling tiger.

His methods of killing were truly one after another—utterly ruthless.

Fortunately this time the two of them overcame the crisis together; otherwise Jiu Yue wouldn't be so cheerful now—perhaps their first seven days would have already passed.

Now this little rascal got into trouble—how could Gu Jiu Ling not be delighted?

She hurriedly sat at the dressing table; Jiu Yue, knowing her master liked to join the bustle, personally brushed her hair and applied a light layer of makeup.

Gu Jiu Ling's attire was proper, Yun Duo draped a thick cloak over her shoulders, and many hidden guards followed; only then did they escort the Princess Consort by carriage toward the Imperial Riverbank.

Unexpectedly, the farther they went, the more people gathered; Gu Jiu Ling's carriage was squeezed to the middle, and many other carriages halted there.

Only then did Gu Jiu Ling realize the crowd was truly massive; she hurried out of the carriage, and a few hidden guards cleared a path.

Gu Jiu Ling followed the guards and walked all the way to the Imperial Riverbank.

The riverbank had gathered even more people than the road earlier.

A strange flower-decorated boat drifted slowly onto the river at an unknown time; from afar it looked rather indecent.

Proper flower barges usually have two decks, with a pavilion atop, where silk and bamboo music plays and beautiful women accompany.

Now the pavilion on this flower boat had its roof lifted, turning it into an open-air setting.

All around were thin veils, and faint, flirtatious sounds made faces blush.

Nobles in Shang Jing had taken up a new craze; the dandy youths, seeking thrills, began taking Five-Stone Powder.

The drug excites people, making them unable to control their actions.

The two-deck flower boat held nothing but a large couch, upon which five or six young men were intertwined.

Those men were strikingly alluring; on the shore, handsome youths recognized several top performers from the South City brothel.

One of the youths was especially eye-catching, with a delicate, androgynous look, draped only in a white veil.

A young man beside him looked toward the shore, and the crowd shouted in unison.

"Oh my! Isn't that the Sixth Prince?"

"What? What? You all step aside, let me see."

"Ah, it really is the Sixth Prince. Usually he prides himself on poetry, books, and propriety; even the palace Grand Tutor praised his etiquette—how is this etiquette? It's sheer shamelessness!"

The comment sounded quite professional; Gu Jiu Ling nearby chuckled silently, guessing it was Xiao Yin's grand scheme, sending people to set the tone.

The boat had many male companions, and the overjoyed Xiao Zheng hadn't realized he was already exposed to the eyes of Shang Jing's citizens.

He had simply taken too much Five-Stone Powder, already hallucinating.

Suddenly the surrounding veiled curtains fell, and the crowd gasped repeatedly, utterly shameless.

Such a thing had never been seen since Southern Qi was founded.

Not only was the heterosexual scandal already a grave breach of propriety, but this male‑male display shattered the people's worldview, especially since Southern Qi is a nation of etiquette.

Officials on the shore who received the news rushed here, and the matter had already reached the palace.

Emperor Longqing was so angry he coughed up blood; after all, Xiao Zheng was a son favored by Emperor Longqing.

Besides the Crown Prince and the Third Prince, only Xiao Zheng could catch Emperor Longqing's eye.

He even favored Xiao Zheng more than the Crown Prince; the Crown Prince, being his first son, had higher expectations, and the father‑son relationship remained tense.

However, the other sons, especially the Sixth Prince, bore a striking resemblance to Emperor Longqing.

Emperor Longqing had high hopes for the Sixth Prince, never expecting such a huge disgrace now.

Not only the royal family, even ordinary households would be ashamed to cause such a scandal; this clan could hardly face anyone.

"Scatter, scatter, stop watching, go back, go back!"

Men from the Five-City Military Office and the Metropolitan Governor, along with a large contingent of guards and the royal Feathered Forest Guard, tried to drive the shore's citizens away.

Such a spectacular scene, how could the citizens let it pass? They surged forward, and for a moment the guards couldn't get close to the shore.

Seeing the Feathered Forest Guards unable to reach the riverbank, more and more citizens flooded in; the people on the boat were utterly wild, showing no restraint.

The surrounding citizens began to riot, the scene devolving into chaos; as waves of people surged forward, Gu Jiu Ling quickly slipped away.

With so many people, it wasn't safe; Gu Jiu Ling returned to the carriage.

Jiu Yue and Yun Duo, along with the other girls, were shocked by the scene, heads lowered, cheeks slightly flushed.

Jiu Yue couldn't help but scold: "It's simply absurd; as your servant, I've lived this long and never seen such an absurd thing!"

Gu Jiu Ling lightly laughed and said: "As a member of the imperial family, to cause such a huge scandal today, this Sixth Prince is probably finished."