Chapter 278: Rumors — You Wretched Bitch
Back when the big boss used to darken, there were always signs. But this time, Nan Xun had no idea what she’d done to provoke him.
He was the one who made her learn witchcraft.
If she acted too smart, he darkened.
If she acted a little dumb, he darkened even more.
Damn it—so hard to serve.
Little Eight tried to comfort her. “It’s fine, it’s fine. Darkening is darkening. He was already at 90 anyway—what’s the difference between that and 100? As long as the evil value doesn’t go back up, we’re good.”
Nan Xun crossed her arms. “But bosses at 100 darkening are kind of变态… I’m scared, okay~”
Little Eight: “The hell, your tone’s twisting all over the place. Is that what scared looks like?”
Thankfully, Gong Mo Ran’s darkening finally stopped at 96 and didn’t rise any further, which gave Nan Xun the tiniest bit of comfort.
After their last meeting, the Fifth Prince shed his former impulsiveness and aggressiveness, becoming low-key instead. Clearly, after learning that shocking secret, he’d begun planning something else. As for Gong Da, there was no movement—except that when his gaze occasionally swept over Nan Xun, it carried a warning laced with hidden killing intent.
And Princess Yao, who had once screamed that Gong Nineteen should die a horrible death, had become unusually obedient, as if she’d forgotten Nan Xun entirely.
Nan Xun looked at the little paper effigy marked with the Five-Thread Heart-Lock Formation. Another line on it had snapped.
Everything looked calm—but who knew if this wasn’t just the calm before the storm?
Little Eight yawned. “It’s been so boring lately. The big boss’s evil value won’t drop, and Princess Yao is about to marry into Eastern Lin. Didn’t she swear she’d make your life hell? Why’s she suddenly cultivating inner peace?”
Nan Xun: “Little Eight, what—are you bored and hoping someone stirs trouble for me?”
Little Eight said nothing.
“It’s not that Princess Yao doesn’t want to move against me,” Nan Xun said smugly. “It’s just that I’m glued to the big boss every day. She has no chance.”
Her face promptly swelled—metaphorically.
Overnight, rumors exploded through the streets: she had seduced and defiled the National Preceptor. Worse, word spread that she’d once been the top courtesan of Zuiyue Pavilion!
Everyone cursed her as shameless. So what if she’d once been the elegant top courtesan Rose? A prostitute was still a prostitute. They’d thought she was so refined and noble—turns out she’d set her sights on the National Preceptor. A shameless slut!
The uproar was massive. By the next day, it had reached the court.
The National Preceptor wasn’t a monk, but in everyone’s eyes, he should be as pure and ascetic as one.
Officials repeatedly impeached Gong Mo Ran, claiming he’d been tempted by a woman and broken his vows; that woman had even been a brothel prostitute; his “divine status” was sullied; he was no longer fit to be Southern Yun’s exalted National Preceptor.
Those impeaching officials were all confidants the Second Prince had promoted. He’d realized the National Preceptor was backing the Fifth Prince and couldn’t wait to remove this thorn in his side.
But the old emperor trusted the National Preceptor deeply. Upon hearing the accusations, he flew into a rage and demoted or punished every single impeaching official.
Gong Mo Ran sat on his silver cushioned chair, utterly unmoved. “I am revered as National Preceptor not because I am celibate, but because I possess heaven-defying power. I have never claimed to avoid women. I merely favored one woman—why are you all making such a fuss? In the past, the Retired Emperor even bestowed a couple of maidservants on me. Do you mean to say that, too, was defiling me?”
Faces changed instantly. Who would dare accuse the Retired Emperor? That would be blatant disrespect.
“But that prostitute is your disciple! How could you commit such a violation of ethics and propriety?” someone shouted angrily.
At the word prostitute, Gong Mo Ran’s gaze sank cold. He looked straight at the speaker.
“Left Chancellor, do you know why the nineteen disciples of Mo Ran Hall do not call me ‘Master’? Because in my eyes, we are not master and disciples, but lord and servants. They are merely my attendants. And servants naturally belong to me.”
After a pause, his voice grew colder. “I once heard that the Left Chancellor favored a concubine and neglected his wife. Your current wife was once merely a bed-warming maid. Left Chancellor, you’ve truly set a fine example.”
The Left Chancellor’s eyes bulged with rage, and he collapsed on the spot.
The old emperor waved his hand, rubbing his temples. “Enough, enough. The National Preceptor merely favored a maid—what’s all the fuss? Don’t bring such private matters into court.”
Nan Xun waited outside the second gate. Nearby, a few attendant boys and maids huddled together, whispering. She felt their furtive glances and faintly heard words like “shameless” and “slut,” and rolled her eyes skyward.
Princess Yao was ruthless. Nan Xun had thought that since the princess worshipped the National Preceptor like a god, she wouldn’t drag him down while plotting against her. But clearly, Princess Yao no longer cared—even if the public’s insults toward Nan Xun also cast doubt on the National Preceptor.
Nan Xun stood alone, treating the filthy whispers behind her as nonexistent.
After a long wait with no sign of the big boss, she guessed he’d been kept behind by the emperor and wouldn’t be coming out anytime soon.
Sure enough, a little eunuch soon ran over with a message. “Miss Nineteen, the National Preceptor asked me to tell you he’ll be staying to dine with His Majesty at noon. You may return first.”
With the Heaven-Pass Token the big boss had given her, Nan Xun could move freely in the palace. She didn’t need to wait and could leave on her own.
The road back to Mo Ran Hall was long. Halfway there, she “coincidentally” encountered the Empress.
The empress sat in her phoenix palanquin, which stopped right in front of Nan Xun. From on high, she looked down at her.
“Miss Nineteen has quite the airs. I invited you twice for a small gathering in the palace and you refused both times. This time, I invite you personally—will you grant me some face?”
Nan Xun snorted and directly raised the Heaven-Pass Token. “My lord told me that even His Majesty must give way to this token. I don’t need the Empress to give me face—just make way.”
The Empress’s face turned iron-green. “Good. Very good. A mere prostitute, yet you dare be so shameless!”
Nan Xun’s expression cooled. “Your Majesty, stop worrying about things you shouldn’t. You’ll age faster.”
With that, she walked around the phoenix palanquin and left.
“You—! You wretched bitch! You whore ridden by ten thousand men!” the Empress screamed in fury.
The moment Nan Xun passed the palanquin, her gaze darkened.
How could she not understand the Empress’s schemes? She clearly wanted to rope her in—ideally using her to do something to the National Preceptor. Perhaps she was even willing to bait her with the future position of Empress.
But Nan Xun had already rejected her outright. Yet the Empress still chased after humiliation—which struck Nan Xun as… strange.
