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

She and Feng Ying sat down on the chairs, crossed their legs, and looked at Chu Mingkong with a hint of interrogation.

Chu Mingkong had already changed out of his armor and sat down in front of the two men. Now that they were all on his side, he was no longer afraid of trouble.

At least, the two of them only guessed how outrageous the general situation was, but they didn't know that the process in the Abyss would be even more outrageous!

"There was no other way. Things had already started happening in the Abyss. We couldn't just sit idly by. Besides, strictly speaking, it was that old man Bi Dengqiang who took me as his son and took advantage of me. Princess Chu didn't recognize me as her son in the early years either. It doesn't matter." As he spoke, Chu Mingkong felt ashamed of himself.

"But she did give you milk, and you're her mother, so why doesn't she acknowledge you?" Zuo Qiuchi symbolically tugged at his ear.

"Whoever feeds me is my mother"... That's not how you use that saying; it's used to insult someone who's fickle and opportunistic.

His relationship with the Princess of Chu was beyond explanation; it was a major taboo in the secular world, and the same applied to the cultivation world. For now, the only option was to forcibly disassociate himself with fallacious reasoning, otherwise no explanation would be effective. Chu Mingkong could only say:

"It's not that I don't acknowledge her. Back then, it was Princess Chu who didn't recognize me as her son. If she didn't acknowledge me, how could I insist that she was my mother? If that's the case, what's the point of saying 'once a teacher, always a teacher'? Master, you also had milk, so you're even more like a mother to me. We're the same!"

Zuo Qiuchi almost had a stroke. He wanted to argue but couldn't think of anything to say, so he could only pull him over and pinch his waist hard to vent his anger.

Chu Mingkong didn't have any macho airs in front of them. He was pinched until it hurt, but he still shamelessly hugged Zuo Qiuchi. She was completely helpless with her disciple. Chu Mingkong then looked at Feng Ying.

Fengying issued a statement:

"Are you also going to say that you've learned something from me? I haven't taught you anything."

"It's okay, but if you have milk, I have milk, so we're like mother and mother! It's the same thing!"

"..." Feng Ying looked at Zuo Qiuchi: "Control your disciple!"

"I can't control it..."

Chapter 259 Rewarding Meritorious Service

While Chu Mingkong was busy explaining to Feng Ying and Zuo Qiuchi, Princess Chu also had to deal with Consort Wan's questions.

When Chu Mingkong led Princess Chu into the border of the Abyss, it was still daytime, but now it was almost dawn. Time is truly confusing in the Abyss region; there's no clear distinction between day and night. When darkness falls outside, it seems the entire world blends into the colors of the Abyss. Princess Chu didn't realize she had truly left the Abyss until they entered Tianya City.

At this moment, Wan Gui had just woken up, while Princess Chu, because the whole day had been too...exciting and dramatic, or perhaps because she had been in a daze for too long, was now wide awake and full of energy.

"Zhi'er, where have you been all day? Didn't you say you were just sending Mingkong to the mansion to retrieve some things you forgot? Why are you only coming back now? It's already the second day." Consort Wan asked, her eyes filled with suspicion.

Could it be that he spent the night at the mansion until now? But it's a bit strange that he came back at this time.

News of what happened at the border of the extreme abyss has already reached us, but it is only the elders of Tianya Tower who know about it. Although Consort Wan helps Princess Chu with some simple official matters, she does not have a formal title or identity in the matter, so she does not know what happened.

Princess Chu now has a kind of conditioned reflex; when she hears Consort Wan say "Zhi'er," she's afraid that Consort Wan will say "Baobao" afterward. They should be even now, right? Wan Hua took advantage of the situation to steal her Mingkong, and now Xiao Zhi is just using the same method to take it back.

She gave herself a little self-reflection to boost her confidence and avoid showing any unusual behavior. She also reminded herself to be careful with how she addressed Chu Mingkong when they met, lest she accidentally call him "Zhi'er Baby".

“Something big has happened. There’s been a big commotion caused by remnants of the Buddhist sect at the border of the Abyss. They’re the same group that caused trouble during the martial arts exercise earlier. The situation is urgent. Mingkong was worried about that place and insisted on going there, so I went with him to help… give instructions and stuff.”

"It turns out there was a sudden problem at the Abyss Border. No wonder you disappeared for so long without even a word. How is it being handled now?"

"It's all been handled properly, everything is fine, but the Buddhist sect's foundation is indeed very strong, with a multitude of strange methods..."

The Queen of Chu gave a general account of what had happened, but her explanation was vague. She often hesitated, unsure how to say it or unable to articulate it, her narration fragmented and stammering. Fearing a lack of credibility, she summarized it as follows:

"For more specific information, you'll have to ask Mingkong. However, he's exhausted after the battle and is probably resting today. Let's call him over when he's recovered."

Consort Wan didn't really care about the details, mainly because she wasn't cut out for fighting. Even if she heard the details, she would only have a vague feeling of "oh, I guess that's how it is." However, if Chu Mingkong came to talk to her about the dangers and events that happened back then, Consort Wan would be willing to listen. But her mindset wouldn't be focused on what he said; she would rather be with him.

However, Consort Wan suddenly remembered a detail, and although she had originally given up on asking about it, she couldn't help but say:

"There's something I don't quite understand. Wasn't Mingkong's injury supposed to prevent him from getting close to the Abyss, otherwise it would worsen? How was he able to stay there safely for so long? He even fought several battles there?!"

After asking the question, Consort Wan became increasingly suspicious. From what she'd heard from Chu Mingkong himself, he'd suppressed his Abyss Injury by cultivating in tandem with Princess Jinyu, borrowing a wisp of her extreme Yang power. Consort Wan didn't find anything wrong with his connection to Princess Jinyu; she knew about the events on Qing'an Street, and Jinyu had always loved heroic tales, so it wasn't surprising she'd approach Mingkong.

In short, Mingkong was able to suppress his injuries only by relying on the extreme yang power he borrowed through combined cultivation, right?

But Princess Jinyu isn't here with me now...

Princess Chu was reminded of this by her, and only then did she realize that there was another way of thinking that could expose the things in the Abyss. Could it be that Chu Mingkong's two people around him had thought of this, which was why the atmosphere had been so strange along the way?!

The fact that outsiders knew about this caused Princess Chu's mind to go blank for a moment. She forced herself to calm down and said with difficulty:

"He... has something called Golden Crow Heart Essence, a precious liquid with extremely concentrated Yang energy. I refined it for him and gave it to him to drink, which barely prevented his injuries from worsening..."

...Well, she drank it first, and then Mingkong made her cultivate to suppress her injuries; it's all the same thing.

"Is this alright?" Consort Wan didn't understand, but she just felt it was very suspicious.

If it's really that convenient, why didn't Princess Jinyu prepare more for Mingkong when they left the capital?

"Well, the effect was a bit poor, but it was still acceptable. Moreover, I also used the Extreme Yang Barrier to block the aura in the Extreme Abyss from Mingkong, which is why he was able to hold on for so long."

Princess Chu was getting tired of talking and didn't want to continue the conversation. If she kept being asked questions, she would most likely give herself away!

"Let's leave it at that for now. Mingkong said that the rewards for this border campaign should be distributed as soon as possible to reassure the troops, and the rewards for those sect disciples also need to be prepared. I'll go take care of these matters first and won't chat with you any longer."

"Oh, Zhi'er, you haven't slept all night and have experienced such a fright. Why don't you rest first?" Consort Wan asked with concern.

"No, things are urgent, and it's not too late to sleep after I finish these matters. Mingkong has already promised to send the rewards and rewards to the border as soon as possible, so we can't delay... Alright, I have important business to attend to, Wanhua, please don't disturb me."

Without exchanging many words with Consort Wan, Princess Chu turned her back and hurriedly left the room. Her graceful figure and the alluring peach-shaped buttocks beneath her slender waist seemed to have become even more charming, like barren land moistened by spring rain, radiating a unique allure once again.

Rewarding merit is essential, especially for appeasing the soldiers on the Xiling border. Sect disciples and independent cultivators are easier to deal with, as they were given tasks from the beginning and were given whatever was promised, even with a near-daily settlement plan.

It doesn't matter if they run away halfway, since they have already bought the border troops a lot of rest time anyway.

When rewarding soldiers, it is also necessary to differentiate between levels. It is not advisable to give the same reward to all merits, big or small, otherwise no one will have the fighting spirit in the future.

However, when thinking about the merits, the Princess of Chu thought more about her son, Chu Mingkong, which was not out of favoritism.

Although he treated his mother, the Abyss, inhumanely, outrageously, and despicably, his solo entry into the Abyss (which the Princess of Chu felt she could disregard) to find and defeat the remnants of the Buddhist sect was an unparalleled achievement.

Rewarding him according to the highest military merit standard was somewhat unfair to him, and even the Queen Consort of Chu felt it was unjust for her son.

"What should we do...?"

------

P.S.: Off to watch the game, don't think about me tonight.

Chapter 260 Cat Teasing Stick

Emerging from Qingxin Mansion, Chu Mingkong rubbed his cheek, secretly gloating as he muttered:

"Luckily, Fengying's feet were clean enough, otherwise I would probably have several footprints on my face."

Now it is dawn, the morning light has swept away the last trace of darkness from last night, and the morning sun shines on the streets, people get up and start their work, and merchants come and go.

Chu Mingkong had just finished breakfast with Zuo Qiuchi and Feng Ying. Now he was wondering whether he should go to the elders of Tianya Tower to urge them to upgrade the paper scrolls. Although he knew it was impossible, he still wanted to urge them.

However, seeing them busy preparing the rewards, Chu Mingkong decided not to disturb them. He went straight to the City Lord's Pavilion to check on Princess Chu's condition.

After locking onto the presence of the Princess Consort of Chu, Chu Mingkong discovered that she was not sleeping in her boudoir.

"You haven't slept all day, why aren't you sleeping, but dealing with memorials?"

After knocking, Chu Mingkong entered the room, sat down beside her, and asked:

"Why isn't your little pheasant resting? You've been exhausted all day yesterday, you deserve a break."

Princess Chu also felt that Chu Mingkong should be resting right now, but seeing her son come to keep her company filled her with joy. However, remembering that her sister, Consort Wan, was also in the pavilion, she lowered her voice and scolded him playfully:

"Don't call me that again! You're not allowed to call me that when you come back! What if Wan Hua hears you!"

"So what if they heard it? We're not strangers anymore. Besides, even if they did hear it, I can just say that you lost the bet to me, my little Zhi'er, and that's why I have to call you that. Isn't that enough? Or do you want me to call you 'Baby Mother'?"

Princess Chu gritted her teeth, but after being teased by this scoundrel son with all sorts of nicknames for so long, she didn't feel much real anger; she was more embarrassed.

She couldn't understand how she had lost control. Yesterday at the mansion, she was the one "coercing" and pressuring Chu Mingkong, but in the blink of an eye, after their relationship was exposed, she was completely at his mercy, like a wolfhound that had been eating vegetarian food all its life suddenly tasting meat.

I feel a bit... like I've been tricked.

"Stop using these weird titles... In short, with Wan Hua in the pavilion, you're not allowed to call me that! At other times... it's up to you, but it's not allowed in the presence of a third person."

"Go, go, go."

Chu Mingkong smiled and agreed, afraid of really pushing Princess Chu too far and making her angry. Jokes and banter should always be based on whether the other person can accept them; those that you think are funny but actually annoy the other person are just being obnoxious and harassing.

"But going back to the old way of addressing you now feels so distant. How about I call you Mother Consort Zhi'er?"

The Queen Consort of Chu hardened her beautiful face and forced a cold tone, saying:

"Just explain it clearly to Wanhua when the time comes. If Wanhua asks, don't say that I told you to shout it like that!"

"Okay!" Chu Mingkong sat a little closer to her and asked with concern, "Why don't you rest? You didn't sleep all day yesterday and you've been maintaining the extreme yang barrier the whole time. Even if you don't sleep, you should meditate to let your body recover."

“I’m not sleepy. Besides, didn’t you say you wanted to distribute the rewards to the soldiers on the frontier as soon as possible? I’m thinking about that now.”

Is this something I need to think about?

As far as Chu Mingkong knew, these were all established rules. The rewards for military merits were set by his ancestors, so there was no need to think about it anymore. He could simply take things from the treasury and send them to the border of the Abyss.

"Just reward them as you see fit. Have you encountered some kind of problem?" He became serious. If there was a problem with the treasury, that would be a big trouble.

"Although the military merit system has been established since our ancestors, I now feel that it is somewhat unfair. The conditions at the far-off border are much harsher, and the difficulties we face are even greater. Isn't it unfair to compare our military merits with those of other defense lines?"

So that's what was troubling him. Chu Mingkong had thought about this before, and he had the same thoughts as the Princess Chu now. He also felt it was unfair, but at that time his relationship with the Princess Chu was very bad, and he figured that if he raised it, it would be rejected, so he let it go.

Later, as I took on different positions and experienced more things, I came to understand why this military merit system was the way it was.

If a special merit system is established for the border fortress of the extreme abyss, then the soldiers on other defense lines will feel it is unfair. Everyone is doing their job and fulfilling their duties in their respective positions. We are also on guard against other kings and nobles causing trouble on the border.

Although the challenges at the far-off border are indeed greater, it is difficult for people to understand each other's hearts. If this affects the morale of most of the troops, chaos will ensue.

Chu Mingkong shook his head and shared his thoughts with Princess Chu. Princess Chu thought it made sense, then changed her approach and said:

“But I think the border fortress of Jiyuan really needs more supplies and rewards. Mingkong, what do you think? Let’s change the way we originally wanted to increase their military merit rewards and turn it into temporary supplies. Let’s say that things have deteriorated in Jiyuan and they need more supplies in the near future. What do you think?”

This means everyone gets the same reward, just changed from a "preferential version of military merit reward" to "standardized military industrial rewards + temporary material supplies." It's a different way of saying it, but it should be more acceptable to other soldiers.

“I don’t think there’s a problem. It’s really the baby’s mother who is so clever; she came up with a solution right away.”

“We can’t really treat him like a regular military merit…” After a while, Princess Chu realized that her son had secretly changed his address again, and glared at him in annoyance, “You said you were ‘Pheasant’s Mother Consort,’ how come you secretly became ‘Baby’s Mother Consort’!”

"I was just worried you'd take this too seriously and get yourself stressed out. I was just joking to relax. You should rest!"

"There's one more thing, Mingkong, what about your reward... You've put in a lot of effort, even a first-class merit wouldn't be enough to match your contribution this time."

This was something Chu Mingkong hadn't expected. It was like sweeping his own house and then having to ask his family for credit. The nature of the task might be different, but that was how Chu Mingkong felt.