Who is spreading rumors that my filial piety towards them has changed?

Last night, wasn't she... by that bastard? Could it be that he used a jade dildo the whole time?

In Xiao Zhi's mind, the image of the armored man placing the cat's tail and the jade dildo on the table flashed before her eyes. Now, upon reflection, she realized that she hadn't actually witnessed the man's penetration; her eyes had been covered most of the time.

But there's no reason for him to do something so self-deceptive. He'd gone so far as to loosen his belt and be so lewd, practically sticking his penis to her face. Was he just lying to her all along?

"Does this thing really work? It's not a scam, is it?" Xiao Zhi asked suspiciously, her fingers carefully touching the Mother and Child Buddha again. The shimmering white light reassured her.

"When I bought it, there was a shrew arguing and cursing with the monk who was buying it, just because she touched the black one. This Buddha jade I bought was the one she touched. If it were really a scam, it wouldn't be that it's black when others touch it, but white when you and I touch it."

Consort Wan had been told by Chu Mingkong that she no longer needed to worry about physical examinations, as he had a cultivation technique that would allow her to "leave no trace." Now she realized that what Chu Mingkong said was true.

"Zhi'er, you've had it tough too. You were so young, and then King Huai of Chu suddenly disappeared. You've remained chaste all these years. This pure radiance is a testament to your virtue."

“…Hmm.” Xiao Zhi nodded, puzzled and guilty, and said coldly, “I will have someone ban the sale of this kind of thing. It’s always uncomfortable to see such things being sold indiscriminately, especially since it’s sold by those lewd monks from that yin cave. What if they want to taint a woman’s reputation and tamper with this Buddha jade one day?”

Buddhism was once prevalent in this world; otherwise, there wouldn't be Buddhist sects like the Xiaoxiang Qin Academy. However, in recent years, Buddhism's reputation has become extremely poor.

With the horrific Xingkong Temple in the past and the rampant and reckless behavior of the main sect of Buddhism in the future, it would not be surprising if they did something disgusting again one day.

Consort Wan hesitated for a long time, having already exchanged so many words with Empress Xiao Zhi, before finally getting to what she truly wanted to say. She asked:

"Zhi'er, do you know Mingkong...?"

Before she could finish speaking, she felt an invisible hand stroking the back of her hand; this familiar feeling was unmistakable.

"What happened to Chu Mingkong?" Xiao Zhi was unwilling to mention this person, and her voice was almost forced out through clenched teeth.

Now that Consort Wan knows Chu Mingkong's whereabouts, she no longer asks so many questions. She just wants to end her conversation with Xiao Zhi as soon as possible and be "alone" in her room.

She knew that the person Xiao Zhi least wanted to mention was Chu Mingkong, but in order to make the gathering end "unhappily" as soon as possible, she deliberately said nice things to Chu Mingkong.

“Zhi’er, I understand your sadness, because the Fifth Prince has always wanted to take the position of Crown Prince, but I can’t help him in any way… In your eyes, Chu Mingkong must be a bandit who took everything from Feng Nan, and even Prince Chu Huai is biased towards him, right?”

"Otherwise what?" Xiao Zhi retorted.

"But Mingkong didn't have a choice either. The position of heir apparent was suddenly handed to him. Moreover, Chu Mingkong became the heir apparent to shield Fengnan from a great disaster and to bear the bitterness of being a hostage for Fengnan."

Zhi'er, think about it yourself. If Feng Nan had been chosen as the heir back then, he might have perished in that disaster. Then the position of heir would have been vacant, and in the end, Chu Mingkong would have taken the throne.

You only thought about your own 'loss', but failed to see the 'gain'. At least while he was trapped in the capital for such a long time, you and Feng Nan, mother and son, were able to spend every day safely in Tianya City.

"...Enough!"

Xiao Zhi took a sip of tea, said she was feeling unwell, and then left, boarding the carriage back to Qingxin Mansion.

Inside the carriage, Xiao Zhi looked at the bustling traffic and lively atmosphere outside the curtain, her heart calm and peaceful.

If it were the old Xiao Zhi, she would have retorted angrily and rebuked anyone who pleaded for Chu Mingkong, regardless of the circumstances. But this time, she only replied with the two words, "Enough."

To some extent, Xiao Zhi listened to and accepted Wan Hua's words.

She's right...

After last night, Xiao Zhi's state of mind underwent a significant change. She could feel this change within herself, but couldn't pinpoint exactly what had changed.

That self-important nobility, blinded by shame and repeatedly humiliated, was torn to shreds, so shattered that Xiao Zhi herself was powerless to pick it up again, powerless to rebuild her dignity.

When your mindset changes, how you perceive things will also change.

Xiao Zhi recalled all that had happened over the years...

When Xiao Zhi first met Chu Mingkong, who was still an infant, she did not dislike him at all. She even thought he was a lucky star who helped King Huai of Chu return safely after he accidentally entered a dangerous situation. However, this was only for that brief period of time.

After learning that King Huai of Chu had given the title of heir apparent to an adopted child, Xiao Zhi felt more hatred towards Chu Mingkong. She believed that the fact that King Huai had brought him back was probably a conspiracy orchestrated by someone who wanted to seize everything from the Chu royal family.

Driven by hatred, even the other person's breath is seen as malicious and scheming, and they find everything about them displeasing. Even the child's sincere birthday wishes once a year seem like mocking laughter.

In fact, Xiao Zhi had been avoiding her all these years to avoid having too much contact with her and causing conflict. She could see that, but she was unwilling to admit it, thinking that he was cultivating his own power in the border region.

If it weren't for Chu Mingkong, Feng Nan might have really died in that disaster.

Although I fed him before, as his mother, I feel I'm really not up to par in many ways...

......

Watching her sister leave, Consort Wan stood up, her gaze lingering on the room, like someone whose eyesight was impaired in the dark, reaching out to grope in the air, trying to touch the person who was playing hide-and-seek with her.

"Mingkong, are you there?"

Consort Wan spoke softly, her beautiful eyes brimming with excitement—the excitement of being a woman and a mother.

"...Good son, stop joking with your mother, come out quickly!"

Suddenly, a strange, light biting sensation from her navel evoked a soft moan from deep within Consort Wan's throat.

Chu Mingkong's figure appeared, his face buried in the woman's soft heart.

Chapter 212 Entering the Lotus

As they embraced, Consort Wan's old, muscular shoulders slid off, her sash gradually came loose, and her waistband and outer robe fell to the ground.

Her smooth, fair shoulders exude a delicate beauty, showcasing the allure of beauty that lies in the bone structure rather than the skin. Looking down into them, the soft, tender flesh exudes a rich, milky fragrance, from the deep valleys to the delicate collarbone, and then to the slender, graceful neck.

Every kiss on the lips brought Consort Wan a wave of intoxicating, tingling pleasure.

Her hands were tightly wrapped around Chu Mingkong's back, her ten jade-like fingers unable to resist gripping it, but she was afraid of scratching him.

During the embrace, Consort Wan's jade feet gradually rose onto the ground, eventually completely leaving the ground, whereupon Chu Mingkong picked her up and placed her on the embroidered couch.

The woman lay on the bed, her jade-like arms wrapped around Chu Mingkong's head, enjoying his greedy yet aggressive intimacy.

"It really is you! Mother was worried about how to find Mingkong. You always appear and disappear so mysteriously. How did you know I was here?"

Chu Mingkong glanced at her only once before continuing to explore every curve of Consort Wan's neck. He said:

"This is called 'Little Tadpoles Looking for Their Mother.' They want to return to their hometown, so naturally they need to find a way to get there."

"What do you mean by 'returning to one's hometown'? Even your mother doesn't understand what you're saying." Consort Wan was confused, unable to grasp what he meant.

Chu Mingkong shook his head, indicating that there was no need to worry about it. After all, talking about such things was pointless; it was better to put them into practice.

"You'll find out soon enough, Mother. Actually, I'm quite curious about why you're in Xiling. Coming to Xiling to join in the fun at this time isn't fun!"

His tone became more serious, as if he wanted Consort Wan to understand the severity of the current situation. However, with her beautiful body lying before him, so alluring, Chu Mingkong figured that even if he were serious, he wouldn't be able to convince her.

Consort Wan naturally returned with Minister Wan. According to the rules, all the concubines in the harem were entitled to "annual leave," but those of lower status might not dare to ask for it. Consort Wan's family was in the capital, and she had rarely asked for leave to visit them over the years. Moreover, the Fifth Prince had recently run into trouble, so she had every right to get a chance to leave the palace to relax.

When Consort Wan mentioned her idea of ​​visiting her family and relaxing to Empress Pei, the head of the harem, Empress Pei didn't need to worry about any overstepping of her authority and approved it immediately.

The reason she wanted to go to Tianya City with her father, Minister Wan, was to see if she could meet Chu Mingkong.

Consort Wan kissed his forehead and said:

"I haven't heard you call me Mother for many days. I missed my precious son, so I came here with Father."

"I miss my mother too!"

Chu Mingkong felt Consort Wan's slender hand exploring him, so he took the initiative to reach out his hand. Her soft, boneless hand quickly responded, her fingers slipping between his fingers, their ten fingers intertwined.

"When did you arrive at Xiling?"

"We've only been here a short time."

"Wouldn't that be exhausting from the long journey?"

Chu Mingkong calculated the time. If the floating airship hadn't been used, Consort Wan's entourage would have departed shortly after he arrived at Xiaoxiang Qin Academy. During this time, Chu Mingkong toured Xiaoxiang Qin Academy, strolled around Baihu Plain in the Crescent Moon Kingdom, and rested for two days in Xiling before the royal entourage finally arrived.

Couldn't the royal family be a little more generous and use the floating boats? You came here with such a menacing air to seize Tianya City, have some class, okay?

Consort Wan gently shook her head and sighed:

"I wasn't too tired. The carriages and horses were rested before entering Tianya City, and we had a half-day break. However, I'm not used to the food at the post station here. It's quite strong in flavor. I heard the cooks have already made it lighter."

Chu Mingkong could understand this. Different local customs give rise to different traditions, which encompass not only the sex industry but also clothing, food, and so on. Asking the chefs of Xiling to cook bland dishes was truly difficult for them. Moreover, the last time a member of the royal family made a grand visit to Xiling was when Shangguan Rong and her entourage came to offer birthday wishes. How could the chefs of Xiling now know what the people of the capital tasted?

It's likely that when the cooks at the post station served the dishes to the Imperial Concubine, they were worried that they might have put too little salt in, and that the people of the capital might think they were stingy and hadn't treated her well.

Chu Mingkong suspected that Consort Wan's sudden complaint about the food was an implication, a nested hint, that she was trying to hint at something more.

"Would you like me to make noodles for you, Mother, or something else?" he asked.

If Consort Wan chose the former, Chu Mingkong would have to press further to find out which kind of "noodles" she wanted—the longevity noodles he had cooked for her in the palace last time, or something that would be hard to swallow and tiring to eat.

"Then let's have the next one, Mother Consort wants them all!" Consort Wan said with a charming smile.

Chu Mingkong returned the smile, reaching out to stroke her delicate face. His finger traced her cherry-like lips, and Consort Wan gently bit his finger, her fragrant tongue rolling over it, warm, moist, and tingling with a numbing sensation.

"You want both? You really want noodles? If so, then you'll have to wait a while. I need to familiarize myself with the layout of this mansion. The Xiao family is a big family; all their mansions have different layouts. I need to see where the kitchen is." He said seriously.

Chu Mingkong's ability to say this actually meant that Consort Wan was already satisfied.

It's risky for him to act rashly at the Xiao family mansion. Moreover, Consort Wan knows that Chu Mingkong's Dust-Free Talisman is limited, which is his reliance for covert operations. Furthermore, he cannot be exposed while he is currently operating in Xiling. Now, in order to see her, he is directly consuming the Dust-Free Talisman, which can be said to be somewhat disregarding the overall situation.

If she were an outsider, Consort Wan would surely have said that Chu Mingkong was being irrational, but now Chu Mingkong has come to see her.

This feeling of being valued and cherished made Consort Wan's heart flutter and her flower buds secrete nectar.

She didn't want Chu Mingkong to waste any more of the Dust-Free Talisman's spiritual power, so she shook her head and said:

"No, Mother isn't hungry yet. Besides, if I eat now, I'll probably get sleepy and want to go to sleep right away, and then I won't be able to stay with you."

"What were you and... my other mother talking about just now? What is that small Buddha statue?"

Chu Mingkong hesitated over the way to address Xiao Zhi. They were both his mother, and he felt that it would be confusing. He couldn't think of a better way to address Consort Wan.

Chu Mingkong was quite concerned about what the two sisters and their mother had just talked about, because he was currently carrying a Buddha statue in his pocket, though its nature was somewhat different from theirs.

Seeing his curiosity, Consort Wan explained what they had just talked about. After listening, Chu Mingkong's expression turned strange. Princess Chu was not stupid; if she took out the mother and son jade Buddha, wouldn't that expose his prop battle from last night?

Considering the relationship between the Princess Consort of Chu and Consort Wan, Chu Mingkong felt it was better to be honest about the matter. It was far better to confess proactively than to be caught in some strange situation later, and to prevent problems before they arose.

"There's something that happened last night that I feel I need to report to Mother..." Chu Mingkong took out a jade dildo and, while speaking, vividly recounted the general events of last night.

After hearing this, Consort Wan was at a loss for words. Could this be considered an act of intimacy with Empress Xiao?

I don't think so...

Moreover, it was excessive to use a jade dildo to pound medicine all night long. However, Xiao Fengnan harmed his martial arts teacher, and Xiao Zhi, as his mother, still had that kind of attitude. She should also be punished.

"No wonder Zhi'er looks so tired. I thought she didn't want to see me. It turns out it's all your doing!" Consort Wan tapped his nose in annoyance. "But Mingkong, even if you really did something heinous with that strange cultivation technique you practiced, and filled Zhi'er with all your wicked ideas, I doubt even the Jade Buddha could detect it."

"It's true that we can't find out. I acted impulsively last night." Chu Mingkong humbly accepted his mistake. "But I won't really investigate to the end. With Yunhan's involvement, I have to consider Yunhan's feelings."

"But no matter what, you still spent the whole night with her, didn't you?" Consort Wan said with a stern face, cupping her son's face in her hands, her expression clearly showing jealousy.