Chapter 658: Teasing the Stone Goddess
Chapter 658: Teasing the Stone Goddess
In just one night, the five experts the King of Kucha had invited had all vanished without a trace.
Du Huan and the Wu brothers were dead, while Situ Liuxing and Wang Chong had left. Now, the camp was left with only Hu Tiefen, Jin Banhua, and his two companions.
"I never imagined that the Stone Goddess would be involved in this," the Pipa Princess said softly.
"You know her?" Jin Banhua asked.
"I've heard of her," the Pipa Princess replied solemnly. "They say she is the most beautiful woman in the Great Desert, and also the most ruthless. She can bewitch men's minds and make them do her bidding."
"Is she really that legendary?" Jin Banhua asked.
"It's not just legend; she is indeed very powerful," the Pipa Princess said. "Even Zhamuhe, known as the King of the Desert, dares not provoke her easily."
"You know Zhamuhe too?" Jin Banhua asked, surprised.
The Pipa Princess couldn't help but roll her eyes. "If a first-time visitor to the desert knows about the Stone Goddess and Zhamuhe, how could I, who grew up in the Great Desert, not know about them?"
Jin Banhua asked, "But how much do you really know about them?"
"Of course..." Facing Jin Banhua's half-smiling gaze, the Pipa Princess quickly conceded, "Alright, I only heard about them after leaving the capital city..."
As a princess, she had not been familiar with things outside her own domain. Even with her recent crash course, she only knew the basics.
So while she had heard of the Stone Goddess, she didn't recognize General Qing, nor had she heard of Black Pearl, and she didn't know whether Black Pearl was male or female.
The two of them went to the main tent to inform the King of Kucha about the situation.
The King of Kucha indeed appeared very anxious, as if once the Star of Bliss fell into the hands of the rebel ministers, he would have no hope of regaining his throne.
But Jin Banhua knew he was putting on an act.
If his suspicions were correct, the King of Kucha's messengers had already bribed the five armies, including General Qing, and the five armies might already be on the move.
So the King of Kucha had to make a big show to draw the attention of the rebel ministers.
If it turned into a war of attrition, the gold and silver he had spent might not be enough to keep the five armies fighting for long.
The King of Kucha took Jin Banhua's hand. "Sir Jin, if you can retrieve the Star of Bliss, I will grant you anything you desire!"
Jin Banhua raised an eyebrow and looked at the Pipa Princess. "Anything at all?"
The King of Kucha glanced at the Pipa Princess and nodded resolutely. "My daughter has long admired you. If you look upon her favorably, it would be a great honor for me."
The Pipa Princess's face turned red, but she couldn't help but glare fiercely at Jin Banhua.
Jin Banhua laughed. "Princess, have you not told His Majesty about my background and what I can do?"
The King of Kucha looked puzzled and shook his head. "No, she hasn't."
Jin Banhua laughed heartily, withdrew his hand, and gave the Pipa Princess a meaningful look. "It's a small matter. Your Majesty, as the father of the Princess, I will lend a hand in this matter."
The King of Kucha thanked him repeatedly.
...
Jin Banhua left the main tent, leaving the Pipa Princess to talk with the King of Kucha. He soon encountered a maid.
"Sir Jin, the Queen requests your presence."
Jin Banhua's eyes flickered. "The Queen wants to see me?"
"Indeed," the maid said, stepping aside and gesturing. "Please follow me, Sir."
Jin Banhua gave the maid a once-over, nodded slightly, and followed her to another tent.
As soon as Jin Banhua stepped into the tent, he was greeted by a fragrant mix of herbal and sandalwood scents, making the luxurious tent feel like it was filled with ethereal mist.
In the center of the tent, a pearl-embroidered canopy was draped with a layer of light gauze, obscuring the graceful silhouette within.
The princess was reclining inside, half-lying and half-sitting, appearing frail and delicate.
Though the thin gauze obscured her features, the curves of her body were clearly visible, exuding a timeless charm and allure.
Jin Banhua gazed at her silhouette, unable to stop his admiration.
Compared to the young female warrior who often stripped down to her undergarments, this middle-aged Shi Guanyin truly understood the psychology of men. Her restrained allure only made her more captivating, stirring the soul.
The princess's voice was light yet seductive, "My frail body cannot rise to greet you, please forgive me, young master."
Jin Banhua raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Not at all, you are the elder of the princess, and I should call you ‘Mother-in-law’ in the future."
The princess's lips twitched at the corner of the tent.
Though Shi Guanyin was in her fifties, her unique martial arts cultivation made her look no more than twenty-something. She was particularly sensitive about her age and would never deliberately make herself look older.
Even this pretend princess was a great beauty who age could be ignored.. She could not tolerate being called an elder or mother-in-law.
"Now that the prince is in danger, it is her good fortune to have a young master to rely on." The princess slightly rose, making her figure even more alluring.
Jin Banhua's eyes lit up, and he examined her closely before saying, "Princess, please lie down. There's no need to be so formal with me. You must be uncomfortable like this, right?"
The princess felt a lump in her throat but, of course, did not lie back down. Instead, she gently lifted the gauze, revealing an arm that could rival frost and snow, her delicate and smooth hand, with nails painted with hibiscus flower juice.
At the same time, her soft whispers entered Jin Banhua's ears, subtly enticing him, "Thank you, young master, for your understanding, but lying here all the time makes my body stiff. Could you help me up?"
Jin Banhua blinked, smiling broadly as he stepped forward and took the princess's hand, licking his lips and gently caressing it.
The delicate hand trembled lightly, resisting the urge to slap Jin Banhua, but she forced herself to relax, allowing him to hold it.
The princess sighed softly, "It's a pity the prince is so stubborn, otherwise, we wouldn't be in this situation."
Jin Banhua played with the princess's hand, remaining silent.
The princess bit her lip and spoke frankly, "Young master, now that you have the prince's trust, could this humble servant request a private favor from you?"
Jin Banhua began to examine the princess's hand, then said casually, "Alright, I agree."
The princess narrowed her eyes, "I haven't even said what it is yet..."
"Oh, oh, then say," Jin Banhua nodded, "Is it about needing an eight-man palanquin for the princess's wedding, or hoping we can visit home once a year?"
"Neither..." The princess began to grind her teeth, taking a deep breath, "With our country not yet recovered and our fates uncertain, who would consider such matters?"
Before Jin Banhua could respond, the princess continued, "I only ask that you inform me of the secret of the 'Star of Bliss' once you discover it."
"Trivial matter!" Jin Banhua patted his chest, taking full responsibility, "It's on me!"
The princess, "..."
(End of Chapter)
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