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

Chu Mingkong must have been driven crazy by the persecution of the royal family, and his long abstinence from women has made him so. As a well-behaved child (in Aunt Gu's eyes), he certainly wouldn't dare to break the hymen between him and Miss Zuo and take their relationship a step further.

This sheer dress would actually be more suitable for Miss Zuo!

"Xiao Zuo, come here to Aunt Gu." Gu Jun Gui led Zuo Qiu Chi back to her room and mysteriously took out a package: "Xiao Zuo~ Today, some scoundrel spread rumors that my Ming Kong has ulterior motives towards his master. It's all false! I know Ming Kong very well; he's definitely not that kind of person!"

"...Hmm." Zuo Qiuchi was skeptical. In fact, she also thought the rumor was very suspicious and didn't take it too seriously.

However, Zuo Qiuchi then heard Gu Jungui say:

"Actually, Mingkong confided in me privately that he has a bit of a crush on you, but he keeps it to himself and has never shown it. So he would never have any ulterior motives towards his master. You can rest assured and don't listen to outsiders' nonsense. What Aunt Gu said is the truth!"

"Huh?" Zuo Qiuchi was stunned.

"There's also something Mingkong asked me to send to you privately."

Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Empress's Daughter

Chu Mingkong chatted with Zhong Feihuang for a while, praising the elder's beauty in his words and exchanging tips on beauty and skincare. The conversation made Zhong Feihuang happy, and she kept expressing her filial piety to Chu Mingkong.

It's a pity that they're mostly sent out at 10:10 AM. Although every little bit counts, it's always easier to go from frugality to extravagance than from extravagance to frugality! I really miss the generosity of my sisters-in-law when they could send out hundreds of filial piety messages in one go, like a flood.

After chatting for a while, Chu Mingkong heard Aunt Gu say that "Xiao Zuo" went back to change his clothes and showed them to him. However, when he returned to his palace, his master was gone.

He didn't see her for several days afterward, and he couldn't find Zuo Qiuchi, the female bodhisattva, near the temple. Chu Mingkong was forced to sleep alone for several days and couldn't figure out why.

I can't figure out where I went wrong. Why did Zuo Qiuchi suddenly start playing hide-and-seek?

Without his master, a generous benefactor of filial piety, Chu Mingkong was like an actor with only 100 million yuan left in his account, feeling very anxious.

"I can only try to get something out of Fengying. She should be older than me. I hadn't even finished developing yet, but her buttocks were already so plump. She must be someone who could be an elder."

Just as he was about to go looking for Fengying, the other party seemed to know his thoughts and came to find him first.

Now, as a maidservant in the Prince's mansion, Feng Ying's attire has become "proper," largely similar to the one she wore when she went to the Zhang family to fetch her that day. Her plain dress resembled silver, her hair was like clouds, her makeup was elegant, and her unique features brought out a touch of glamour in her light makeup, yet she did not appear seductive.

"Aloof yet stunningly beautiful" is probably the best way to describe her, especially when she is quietly dressed as a maid.

"I guessed you needed to talk to me, and I was just about to come find you to save you the trouble of walking those few steps, but you beat me to it."

Upon hearing this, Feng Ying gently curled her red lips, the coldness on her pretty face melting away and being replaced by a fiery and sexy charm. Her eyes revealed an innocent look, and with a slight blink, they were full of captivating charm. With just one glance, she made her light makeup more alluring than the top courtesan.

"Young master, you're really getting into character. Do you really think I'm your obedient maid, that I'll be overjoyed just by hearing a few nice words from you?"

"You really understand my thoughts, I'm so happy right now~"

Even though he knew Fengying was just putting on an act to amuse him, he couldn't see any signs of acting and almost believed it to be true.

Chu Mingkong realized that Feng Ying knew exactly what kind of person he was easily swayed by, but deliberately didn't show his previous attitude. Instead, he kept it hidden, only occasionally revealing a fleeting glimpse of his expression.

It's a pity~ If he weren't so flirtatious, liking all types and never focusing on any one, he would have really been captivated by Kazekage.

"Fengying, you go first. What's the important matter?"

"I have to go out for a while. I also need to ask you for the jade you used as a Hearthstone. There are some important things I need to confirm first, so don't run away!" Fengying smiled.

And so, with the source of filial piety from the master cut off, Fengying, the intended source of filial piety, also disappeared without a trace, leaving the vast royal mansion empty.

He took out an invitation letter from the Shangguan family, inviting him to visit their residence soon. The letter didn't specify a time, indicating it wasn't urgent, so Chu Mingkong kept putting it off.

Since he had nothing better to do at home, he packed his things and set off.

--------

Chu Mingkong was no stranger to the Shangguan residence. When he was "ordered" to be the second young lady of the Shangguan family's sycophant, he frequented the residence every day. He was so familiar with it that even the maids there dared to look at him with a hint of subtlety.

However, his timing was somewhat unfortunate today. Chu Mingkong encountered an unexpected woman in the front hall: Princess Jinyu.

Normally, no one in the royal family would dare to comment on the princesses' beauty or ugliness, or even rank them, otherwise they would be offending the royal family. However, among the common people, there were private rankings of the princesses in the palace, and the most beautiful princess was none other than Princess Jinyu.

Princess Jinyu is the third princess of the Tianji Empire and the daughter of the empress. She is dignified and graceful in her dealings with others, and her speech and social interactions are in line with the royal demeanor. At the age of ten, she was able to accompany her mother and the emperor to receive foreign envoys and visit holy sites to present treasures. She is the emperor's most beloved daughter.

When Chu Mingkong came in, she was just about to leave. The two exchanged a few simple pleasantries, and Chu Mingkong didn't try to be overly attentive.

This woman is about the same age as him, a nobody, I don't care!

He kept his eyes straight ahead, but a very beautiful female Nightblade Guard following closely behind Princess Jinyu focused her gaze on Chu Mingkong. As she brushed past him, she paused slightly, pursed her lips, and finally escorted Princess Jinyu away without saying a word.

Chu Mingkong glanced around, but didn't see any women from the Shangguan family come out. He felt a pang of regret, and after a brief greeting, he got straight to the point:

"Uncle Shangguan, what brings you here?"

Another opportunity to show my filial piety has been lost. Uncle, why didn't you seize the opportunity to witness the shining moment of my humanity?

Slow!

Could it be that Shangguan Mingzhe actually believed those rumors circulating outside, thinking that he had designs on his master, and therefore ordered all the women in his family to avoid his arrival?

Shangguan Mingzhe put down his teacup and said, "It's been a while since we last met. You seem to have become much more straightforward. I don't care whether you've smeared yourself or not, and I don't care about what happened before. But there's something I need to tell you first."

Shangguan Mingzhe is the head of the Shangguan family in the capital and also Shangguan Rong's father. He could have been Chu Mingkong's father-in-law. He's a decent person, but unfortunately, Chu was caught in a difficult situation...

He dismissed the maids on his left and right, and ordered the servants to close the doors and windows of the hall. Judging from the order, it was probably to keep it a secret and prevent the servants from eavesdropping. But most likely, it was just a show for others. Chu Mingkong solved the secrecy problem by simply transmitting his spiritual energy.

Of course, it cannot be ruled out that Shangguan Mingzhe might smash the cup as a signal, and then eight hundred axemen would rush out.

"What could possibly warrant such a great deal of trouble from Uncle?"

"The Lantern Festival. This year's Lantern Festival is being funded by my Shangguan family, and the coming-of-age spiritual energy tests and competitions for the Wuhou disciples will begin at the end of the Lantern Festival. I heard a few days ago that you knocked Zhang San away with one finger, so you must have some strength. You should have a chance of winning the competition. If you're capable, tell me who you can beat. If not, I'll pick the easiest one for you."

Is this an attempt to win him over, or a deliberate test to see if he has any hidden strength?

If he says no, some people will probably call him a coward. If he says yes, then there's a big problem. Wouldn't that be confidently showing that he's quite capable in a fight? He doesn't know Shangguan Mingzhe's methods, and he doesn't know whether Shangguan Mingzhe is pretending to be innocent to test him on behalf of the emperor, or whether he really just cares about him and doesn't want him to be so tired and exhausted.

"I almost forgot that I should also go up and make a trip during the Lantern Festival. Look at my memory."

Chu Mingkong patted his head. He decided not to follow the Shangguan family's rules and let the game proceed as usual.

"In this matter, it's not appropriate for Mingkong to let the Shangguan family secretly handle things for the younger generation. Face is meaningless. Let things be as they are. If I am unlucky enough to draw the strongest one among my peers, then it's fate. It's all destiny."

Shangguan Mingzhe stroked his beard. He suddenly realized that his daughter, Shangguan Rong, had mentioned it. This boy was a bit slick and cunning; he hadn't noticed it before and had been fooled by his cowardly side.

To have such a patient and tolerant mindset at such a young age is truly remarkable!

Ironically, his daughter, Shangguan Rong, was stern in front of Chu Mingkong, even once publicly questioning him, "Can't you be a man? Don't be so spineless." She seemed to be full of dissatisfaction with Chu Mingkong. However, when she heard that the clan members were badmouthing him behind his back when he was not around, Shangguan Rong would retort, "Chu Mingkong at least had some achievements before, have you?" to speak up for Chu Mingkong. But she would never show such concern when Chu Mingkong was present.

However, the Poison of the Abyss is the most poisonous substance in the world, and it is unknown whether he can survive it.

“Then my Shangguan family will proceed according to the rules. However, the Nightblade Guards have recently expressed a desire to see the young master and Yang Xintian spar…”

Shangguan Mingzhe was reminding him that the Nightblade Guards wanted to interfere with the random draw results of the competition, and pick a stronger opponent to challenge him. This might be to his advantage, or it might be to embarrass him in public.

Yang Xintian must be quite strong, right? Chu Mingkong had vaguely heard of him, and there was indeed a Yang family with military merit in the capital, which matched the surname.

"It doesn't bother me," Chu Mingkong replied smoothly.

After chatting about some unimportant matters related to the Lantern Festival, Chu Mingkong realized that the most important thing about his trip was probably the topics they had just discussed. Although he didn't know the Shangguan family's true stance or why they suddenly wanted to help him, Chu Mingkong expressed his gratitude, inquired about the well-being of the elders in the mansion, and then headed back home.

At the entrance of his palace, Chu Mingkong saw a luxurious carriage parked at the gate, with the female Nightblade Guard he had just met standing guard beside it.

Does this mean Princess Jinyu is looking for him?

Chu Mingkong, wanting to avoid the trouble, took a detour and prepared to enter the mansion through a small gate. However, Princess Jinyu called out "Hey!" and ran out of the carriage, her bosom swaying gracefully as she ran over and blocked his way.

Chapter Thirty: Testing Chu Mingkong

Chu Mingkong is not close to the royal family, nor does he have any reason to be. At this moment, their positions are in an irreconcilable contradiction.

I was not familiar with Princess Jinyu; I had only met her a few times.

He was stopped by Princess Jinyu at this moment, and he was very puzzled. What business did this princess have with me? There was no reason for her to come to me. Her father, the emperor, was seriously ill and bedridden. Did she come to test me now?

I have indeed been acting much more arrogantly lately. Just that one point I made at the Zhang family has caused a lot of suspicion. Let's see what kind of show she has up her sleeve.

Chu Mingkong forced a fake smile, as if afraid the other party wouldn't notice, and walked towards Princess Jinyu:

"How have you been, Princess Jinyu? May I ask what brings you here?"

Princess Jinyu was also extremely beautiful, with a face as lovely as a flower and a demeanor as elegant as the moon. Her brows were adorned with plum blossom makeup, and her lips were small and cherry-like. Occasionally, a hint of temper or displeasure would appear on her face, but it only added to the charm of her beauty, making even her anger captivating. Her figure was curvaceous, but what stood out most was her magnanimous heart.

It is said that she inherited most of her mother's beauty, the Empress, and Chu Mingkong was very curious about how beautiful the Empress, whom he had never seen, must be.

Princess Jinyu said softly, "Why is Mingkong so distant? I came to see you, but I can't even get into your palace? And this is a private meeting, not a grand ceremony or anything like that. Why be so formal? Just call me Jinyu."

"Isn't this because I'm afraid of neglecting Jinyu? You know that my palace hardly employs any servants, and it's probably not as comfortable as your carriage."

"Oh, is that so? Why don't you come and sit in my carriage?"

Riding in the same carriage as you, the most favored princess who is not yet married, I'm worried about being framed and slandered... Even if you don't take the opportunity to cause trouble, I'm afraid that tomorrow your sycophants will throw eggs at the gate of the palace.

However, Princess Jinyu's tactic of feigning retreat made it difficult for Chu Mingkong to refuse her entry into the mansion.

"Alright, Jinyu, why don't you come with me to my residence for a while? If you feel uncomfortable, please bear with me."

Princess Jinyu is widely known for her amiable and approachable nature. While there are factional conflicts within the royal family, Princess Jinyu always manages to garner smiles wherever she goes. Her casual way of addressing people is a testament to her "whims," ​​a whimsical quality that effectively fosters closer relationships.

Moreover, she handled this "willfulness" perfectly, showing proper respect to elders and being approachable and humble towards those of lower status than herself. It sounds simple, but among so many princes and nobles in the capital, only Jinyu truly managed to do it.

Now, even if she calls her elders by their names, it gives others the feeling that she is being affectionate, not that she is being disrespectful. If Chu Mingkong did that, someone would immediately come after him.

Although both were in the capital, this was Princess Jinyu's first time visiting his residence. Just as the rumors had spread, not a single servant could be seen; the vast mansion was occupied only by the heir apparent.

No, there are others too. Just a few days ago, it was rumored that Chu Mingkong had taken in a foreign beauty as a maid.

Once Princess Jinyu entered the palace, she no longer maintained the elegant demeanor of a princess. She relaxed considerably and became much more lively, curiously observing the palace gardens. Overall, she exuded a more lively spirit amidst her elegance, giving others the impression that the princess felt very relaxed in her own residence, as if she were at home.

It may seem like there's no scheming involved, but every move is a calculated attempt to win people over, and it's all done with meticulous care.

Chu Mingkong was bombarded with unrelated questions by her, and before he knew it, it was time to eat.

"Mingkong, you don't even have a cook in your household, and I rarely hear of you eating at restaurants. Do you cook all the food yourself?" The princess's eyes sparkled with curiosity, and her delicate hand covered her lower abdomen, indicating that she was somewhat hungry.

Chu Mingkong immediately understood why she had been talking so much nonsense. Did she want him to cook, or did she want him to call out the newly acquired maid to take a look?

Why don't we go to the restaurant and order some dishes? Who knows what tricks she's up to again? From the moment she entered the manor until now, Chu Mingkong still hasn't figured out what she's up to. Oh well, cooking isn't that difficult anyway.

"I did make it myself. Could it be that Jinyu is hungry? But I only know how to make spicy dishes with strong flavors. If I don't eat these, I can't get rid of the cold in my body."

"It's alright. It's a rare treat to see Mingkong's culinary skills. I've never heard of any prince or nobleman's son who can cook for himself!"

"Then you can sit here by yourself for a while. The kitchen is full of grease and smoke."