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

I previously disliked the noise of the incoming payment notification, so I set it to be muted, and it won't notify me unless it's a large amount of filial piety payment or a special payment.

He temporarily lifted the shield, and as a result, just by holding Zuo Qiuchi and Feng Ying in the form of a child, he received a series of filial piety messages.

[System Treasure has arrived: 1 point of corrupted filial piety, 2 points of corrupted filial piety, 1 point of corrupted filial piety... (from Zuo Qiuchi and Fengying's embrace)]

[System reward has arrived, 1 point of filial piety unchanged... (from an ordinary disciple of Xiaoxiang Qin Academy)]

[System Treasure has arrived, 20 points of corrupted filial piety... (from Xiao Zhi and Wan Hua's jade dildo and tail interaction)]

These messages came flooding in all at once, almost making Chu Mingkong's head spin, so he quickly blocked them again.

The two babies are getting along well and haven't fought, which is a real relief for him as their child...

Chu Mingkong decided to check how much filial piety savings he had accumulated since he hadn't managed the filial piety system for so long. He figured it should be at least a million.

Chu Mingkong glanced at the account and nearly had a stroke.

[Dishonest Filial Piety Balance: 200000/200000; Undishonest Filial Piety Balance: 300000/300000]

This account has a spending limit?!

This is most likely a strategy to force him to upgrade the system; otherwise, no matter how many ways there are to generate stable income, it won't be of much use unless he keeps spending money on the filial piety blind boxes every day, which would be too annoying.

After we finish chatting, let's find some time to do some shopping. I just got back to Beijing and I'm going to visit the elders at each house to give them gifts.

Chu Mingkong's attention returned to the current topic:

"Then we'll have to trouble Fengying to handle this matter again. If you're worried about the trouble, you can inform the acting sect leader and let her handle it herself. It's all up to her... There's something I'd like you to advise me on."

Feng Ying thought to herself, "Could she possibly just lie around here like a lazy bum with Zuo Qiuchi? If she did, even the best blade would rust."

"You say it."

"This is about how I got scammed in the capital..."

Chu Mingkong recounted how he was trapped in the Princess's residence and how his "teammates" appeared to protect him and draw fire, hoping they could analyze the situation.

"I found out right away that the person of unknown origin was after the late Empress Dowager Zhen. Who exactly is he? I couldn't figure out his tactics. He was hiding something. If I didn't need him to draw fire, I would have captured him and asked him for details."

Zuo Qiuchi pondered his disciple's words and said:

"If someone can manipulate sword qi into form and control more than ten swords simultaneously, then it's highly likely that they come from the Sword Profound Sect. Don't underestimate the sword qi transformation technique, which is a relatively common method that even a dog can do. But to manipulate each qi sword in detail and control more than ten at the same time is extremely difficult. Without the support of a sect-level resource, it's very difficult for a rogue cultivator to achieve this level."

"What should I do if I can't materialize sword energy? I haven't practiced it yet..." Chu Mingkong pretended he could, but Zuo Qiuchi's words confused him, and he mumbled:

"Then why would they do this? The person was taken by that Venerable Wenxin from the Sword Profound Sect, and now the Sword Profound Sect wants to secretly take Madam Zhen away? Moreover, I noticed that the guards and Nightblade Guards outside the Princess's residence were quite surprised, and it didn't seem like they were conspiring together."

Fengying pinched his cheek:

"Is this hard to understand? The Emperor of Tianji relied on Madam Zhen to bring the Sword Profound Sect into the fold. However, it would be unseemly for a major sect to lose the Empress Dowager of a secular dynasty. If Madam Zhen were to be 'snatched' away in private, then this bad reputation would crumble on its own. But the Tianji Empire can still be an ally of the Sword Profound Sect, and continue to cooperate under the guise of 'searching for the missing Madam Zhen together,' which is perfectly legitimate."

Chu Mingkong smiled:

"Why does it feel like these so-called prestigious sects are just more concerned with maintaining their reputation than the heretical sects?"

Chapter Thirty-Two: Selling Property

Cui Mansion.

After her recent interactions with Chu Mingkong, Shangguan Rong learned of his plans and privately arranged to meet with Gu Jungui to discuss them.

Gu Jungui, having heard about what happened at the Princess's residence, guessed it was related to Chu Mingkong, and sought confirmation from Shangguan Rong:

"Miss Rong'er, is the matter at the Princess's residence related to Mingkong?"

Shangguan Rong nodded:

"Yes, but Madam Gu need not worry too much. Mingkong said it was an accident, and he has now successfully left the capital and returned to his master's place to lay low for a while. In a few days, when the officials have relaxed their vigilance, they will come to the capital again to visit you."

Upon learning that Chu Mingkong was out of danger, Gu Jungui breathed a sigh of relief. Thinking back to his own anxiety upon receiving the news, he muttered to himself:

“Oh dear, Mingkong really can’t stop causing trouble. Why don’t we tell him not to come to the capital for the next few days? It would be much more reassuring for us to visit him outside the capital. Or… we could rent a farmhouse outside the city. If Mingkong wants to see us, we can just leave the capital ourselves, so he doesn’t have to take any risks when he comes to the capital.”

Although Shangguan Rong felt it was unnecessary, Chu Mingkong would disappear in a few days and still sneak into the capital alive and kicking, and might even be so audacious as to sneak into the imperial city. However, sometimes it was not a useless thing to put the elders at ease.

The Cui family has the financial resources to easily purchase real estate in the suburbs.

"That's up to Madam Gu. She can choose one she likes and buy it. But there's one thing I need to explain to Madam Gu in advance."

"What's the matter?"

“Mingkong plans to move the Cui family to Xiling. He was much closer to the Cui family before, and the Cui family is very likely to be targeted by the royal family because of this. In fact, in the month or so since Mingkong left the capital, the Cui family has been ‘taken care of’ from time to time. Nightblade Guards have come to inquire about Mingkong’s whereabouts more than once or twice.”

Gu Jungui nodded and sighed:

“It’s time to make such a plan. It would be fine if the Emperor hadn’t woken up yet, but he has only been awake for a short time, and the atmosphere in the capital is already so oppressive. If we don’t leave the capital, it’s the same as living in constant fear. Who knows when the royal family will stop testing us and start taking direct action… When should we move to Xiling?”

"The time is uncertain, but since Mingkong has returned, this matter is on the agenda and preparations can begin." Shangguan Rong paused, then continued, "However, these preparations cannot be too ostentatious and must not be known to outsiders. Madam Gu, please give me the Cui family's account books sometime, or have Madam Zhong do it. Make some false accounts, make some insignificant shops appear to be losing money for months, and find an excuse to sell and close them down. Otherwise, they will be confiscated later."

Also...we can't just sell; we also need to symbolically buy some properties.

Gu Jungui was puzzled. If they were going to sell their assets and run away, why would they buy more?

But these days, Shangguan Rong's care for the Cui family has made Gu Jungui have complete trust and admiration for this girl. No wonder Ming Kong was able to control his temper and reconcile with this girl after they broke up. She is indeed no ordinary girl!

Gu Jun Gui has now taken on the role of Chu Ming Kong's mother. Looking at a talented woman like Shangguan Rong, she feels that she should be her son's woman! Marrying her to the crown prince who died tragically under Ming Kong's blade would be like finding a pearl in the dark. It's just unknown what the relationship between Shangguan Rong and Ming Kong is like.

"Miss Rong'er, explain to me in detail why we have to go through so much trouble to buy property?"

"It's still to cover up the truth. No matter how carefully it's done, the sale and transfer of property still has to go through the government. If you only sell, the government will immediately understand what's going on. But if you both sell and buy, the government will think that you're just mismanaging the business, selling it off to start a new business, and treating the newly purchased properties as tolls, and then abandoning them."

Shangguan Rong, recalling what Gu Jungui had just mentioned about buying a farm outside the city, said:

"Madam Gu can buy more farms. Since you can't take them with you anyway, you can treat your clansmen to a good meal before you leave. It can also be used to meet with Mingkong privately. So it's not a bad deal."

"So that's how it is. Then I'll take Feihuang and the others out to look around these days and see which farms are worth buying. I also need to get Mingkong to set a date as soon as possible, otherwise what if we buy too many?" Gu Jungui said with a smile.

......

a few days later.

In a room in the Cui residence, Cui Lian embraced his father's concubine. The two of them were drenched in sweat as they finished enjoying their lovemaking.

With a satisfied look on his face, Cui Lian asked with lingering satisfaction, "Was that enjoyable?"

Cui Lian is the type who only gives and never takes. He has no cultivation to back him up and no self-control. The quality of the experience he can provide for his father's concubine is getting worse day by day. But the concubine has to pretend to like Cui Lian in order to have someone to rely on and make a living.

"My dear Daddy, you're really flattering me... But it's not good to keep draining my kidney essence on me. Should I make some medicinal soup to replenish myself later?"

"Alright." Cui Lian thought for a moment and nodded.

The concubine then said, "Lian'er, I heard from a recent visitor that the eldest daughter-in-law, Granny Gu, and her family are selling off their shops and planning to buy a farm outside the city. You'd better be careful."

"Be careful of what?" Cui Lian asked, puzzled. After all the hard work, his brain was completely blank, and even if it were, he wouldn't be able to come up with anything meaningful.

“With this sale and purchase, the property will be registered in their own names during the transfer, and any profits will go directly into their own pockets without going into the Cui family's accounts. If this continues, won't it completely hollow out your share, Lian’er?”

Cui Lian suddenly sat up from his comfortable embrace, his eyes wide with astonishment!

They can still give him his monthly salary now, but if the Cui family's shop is completely undermined in the future, wouldn't they just say they're losing money and won't give him his monthly salary to live a carefree life?

"This is terrible! What should we do?" He asked his concubine, who had little formal education, for advice.

"...Why don't you go and scold them a few times? You're the head of the Cui family now, or we can do something underhanded. You can take the shop deed and sell it privately. Having money in hand makes you feel much more secure."

"That makes sense! It's mine to begin with, and I get to decide what to do with it!"

Cui Lian thought about how he had to endure a cold shoulder from Madam Zhong Feihuang when he asked her for money. Now, he was being ridiculed even when he went out drinking with friends. A surge of anger rose within him, and he suddenly raised his voice and cursed:

"The old master Cui valued the abilities of the several wives who married into the family and made them servants to manage the Cui family. How could these servants possibly manage someone like me, a man of pure blood? Now they've started stealing property."

I'm going to yell at that woman!

......

Chu Mingkong was just about to spend some filial piety money on blind boxes when a message suddenly came from Zhitie, and it was from Shangguan Rong.

"I hope nothing serious has happened." He became alert and quickly took it out to check.

[Mingkong, Madam Gu and I were just about to sell some of our properties, but Cui Lian came and caused trouble, even bringing in officials to demand an explanation.]

Chapter Thirty-Three: Protecting people is enough.

By the time Chu Mingkong arrived, the matter at the Cui residence had come to a temporary end.

Fortunately, Old Master Cui had left a handwritten letter specifying that Gu Jungui should be the acting patriarch of the Cui family. Cui Lian's attempt to cause trouble failed, and he returned empty-handed.

However, this was a blow to the plans of Gu Jungui, Shangguan Rong, and others.

What the Cui family needs to avoid most right now is unnecessary scrutiny from the government. Such scrutiny is extremely dangerous. The idea of ​​liquidating assets has always been associated with the boss running away with the money. Chu Mingkong immediately thought of something: "The Wenzhou leather shoe factory went bankrupt, and the boss took his mistress with him..."

At this critical juncture, the Cui family has been embroiled in this mess caused by Cui Lian, and the government will undoubtedly continue to pay close attention to the matter.

The previous scheme of buying small businesses to cover up the truth and then cashing out the larger ones... all of that can no longer continue. If the businesses are moved too much, the government will become aware of the Cui family's activities.

Inside the room, Zhong Feihuang stood with her hands on her hips, her neck flushed with anger, pacing back and forth, her phoenix eyes wide with fury:

"I'm so angry! How can someone be so stupid? What if their house is raided and seized by those who covet it? Can Cui Lian protect such a family fortune? Is he really... that little finger-sized chicken intestine connected to his brain? Did he urinate his brains out while doing those depraved things? Can't he use his brain at all?"

Gu Jungui was also quite angry, but the whole family couldn't vent their anger together; there needed to be a way to ease the tension. So she could only comfort Zhong Feihuang from the side.

"Alright, alright, it's good that nothing bad happened. Luckily, Old Master Cui left a letter specifying his name beforehand. The people at the yamen said it was a family matter and wouldn't be dealt with. Feihuang, don't be angry!"

Standing next to Chu Mingkong, Shangguan Rong also reflected:

"It's also my fault. If I had let Madam Gu set up the farm first and then sold those small shops, I wouldn't have been in the wrong just now, unable to prove that my adjustment of the business was normal or that the purchase of the farm was a bit slow."

Gu Jungui hurriedly said:

"How can you blame Miss Rong'er? Your ideas and plans were all good. Who could have predicted that Cui Lian would act so foolishly?"

The reason they were able to escape unscathed this time was not only because they had Old Master Cui's letter, but also because all the proceeds from the sale of those properties were deposited into the Cui family's accounts without missing a single penny. Otherwise, even with the letter specifically naming them, it would have been difficult to prove their innocence.

Chu Mingkong scratched his head, thinking that Cui Lian was truly outrageous. Usually, he was quiet and unassuming, secretly stealing his father's concubine. Last time, when Cui Rong tried to seize the clan leader's position, Cui Lian didn't seem to react much, so Chu Mingkong thought he would behave himself. Why would he pull such a stunt at such a crucial time...?

But it's all for the best. At least Cui Lian only started causing trouble after Chu Mingkong had already returned. If it had happened a while ago, and he had actually done something, Chu Mingkong wouldn't have been able to get back in time.

He gently patted Shangguan Rong's shoulder, indicating that she shouldn't blame herself, and also comforted Aunt Gu and Sister-in-law Huang:

"Alright, you don't need to worry so much. It's just some property. At worst, you can give it all up. As long as you're still alive, what does this little bit of worldly wealth matter?"