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

Ironically, everyone in the world recognizes her as the Giant Sword Immortal, but when she suppresses her cultivation level and reverts to her youthful appearance, no one in the capital recognizes her.

Everyone thought that the sword immortal bodyguard who escorted Chu Mingkong into the capital had left, but in reality, she had been living happily in his manor. Although there were many eyes and ears around the manor, no one had caught her trail yet.

The two arrived at the Cui residence together. Chu Mingkong first asked the gatekeeper to inform Aunt Gu. Hearing the lively sounds from inside the Cui residence, it seemed that other guests had arrived.

He asked, "Did any other guests come to the Cui residence today?"

"Yes, just now, someone from the Shangguan family came to deliver birthday gifts to Old Master Cui in advance. Some of the Shangguan family members are away and unable to come to congratulate him on his birthday, so they asked their family members to offer their congratulations on his behalf."

"Whoa~?" Zuo Qiuchi found it interesting and nudged Chu Mingkong with her elbow: "The Shangguan family is here, so will the Second Miss Shangguan who dumped you before also come?"

Chu Mingkong's expression was unpleasant. What was going on? How could he run into his "ex-girlfriend" every time he came to the Cui residence?

"I'm thinking of going back the way I came. Hmm, that's the decision. I can come back another day. We're all in the capital, Aunt Gu will understand!"

He took his master's hand and turned to leave, but he had only taken one step when the servant who had come to report rushed back.

"Young Prince, please wait! The young mistress is on her way!"

There was no escaping it. A few breaths later, a beautiful and voluptuous young woman hurriedly ran over, followed by a maidservant.

The young woman appeared to be in her early twenties, but not yet thirty. She wore a light-colored palace dress, with a hollowed-out gold and pearl hairpin tucked diagonally into her hair. Her skin was like solidified cream, and she had a plump figure. When she ran, her breasts, encased in her bodice, swayed dramatically.

The clothing style of the Tianji Empire has no restrictions on female virtues and is generally quite open. Aunt Gu's attire is not undignified, but if her movements are too exaggerated, it is still quite embarrassing.

"Aunt Gu, why are you running so fast!" Chu Mingkong stepped forward to help her up.

The beautiful woman stroked his cheek, examined him closely, and seeing that he hadn't lost weight, nodded with slight relief. She then scolded him:

"I hadn't even gotten there yet when I saw you about to run away. How could I not be anxious?"

Gu Jun Gui had taken good care of him since he was a child. When Chu Ming Kong first came to the capital, she wanted to visit him at the Prince's Mansion many times. However, she was also a member of the Cui family. Due to the relationship between the Emperor and Chu Ming Kong, the Cui family did not allow her to visit Chu Ming Kong. So she had to cook for him herself and have her maid secretly send him over from time to time.

Now that the situation has eased up a bit, the Cui family has allowed Gu Jungui to visit Chu Mingkong.

“I didn’t intend to run away either, but Aunt Gu, you didn’t tell me that the Shangguan family was coming! Did the Second Miss Shangguan Rong really come?” Chu Mingkong said in a low voice.

"They are here, but let them be, we'll see them. Why do you care about the Shangguan family? This isn't their home, they can't possibly make things difficult for you." After exchanging a few pleasantries, Aunt Gu then scrutinized the woman next to Chu Mingkong, and couldn't help but secretly marvel at the woman's heroic spirit and appearance: "Mingkong, you too, why don't you introduce her to me? Is this young lady your lover?"

"Young lady... Auntie, Zuo Qiuchi is indeed known as the youngest sword immortal, but she's of the same generation as you. You're calling her a 'young lady,' how can you take advantage of her for no reason?"

Chu Mingkong's expression was strange for a moment before he corrected Aunt Gu's choice of words: "Close friend! Close friend! Her name is Zuo Chunchi."

Upon hearing his name change from Zuo Qiuchi to Zuo Chunchi by Chu Mingkong, the woman remained silent, but smiled and pinched his waist.

Aunt Gu knew that Chu Mingkong was not as cowardly as the rumors suggested. His forbearance was merely a low profile as a hostage. However, it was also possible that he was keeping a mistress in the Prince's mansion. Seeing such a beautiful and spirited girl, he naturally felt that they could have something going on.

"Aunt Gu understands~ a close friend, a confidante, right?"

Chu Mingkong didn't want to explain anymore; whatever you say goes.

He secretly glanced at Zuo Qiuchi and breathed a sigh of relief when he found that his master didn't care about these things.

"Don't forget to visit Aunt Gu more often while you're busy with your friends!"

"How could that be! I was hoping to eat more of Aunt Gu's dumplings. You had the maid secretly bring me dumplings a few times, and I've been thinking about when I can see Aunt Gu again and eat them with her. I miss Aunt Gu so much that I can't eat or drink!"

[System Treasure has arrived in your account, 30 points of filial piety (undesirable).]

"Always talking nonsense!" Aunt Gu rolled her eyes at him, exuding charm and allure.

"When are we eating?" he asked anxiously, intending to leave right after the meal and come back another day when the Shangguan family wasn't around.

"What's the rush? Come on, let's go say hello to Old Master Cui first. He saw you when you were little and praised you. I've already prepared the wine for you." The beautiful woman took a pot of wine from the maid and placed it in his hand.

This was a determination to make a good impression on the old man so that they could meet often in the future.

Chu Mingkong couldn't refuse, so he accepted the wine: "Alright, Aunt Gu, would you show my friend around the Cui residence?"

"Alright, you can speak properly later. Old Master Cui isn't stupid; he won't be prejudiced against you because of your reputation during this period."

--------

The main hall was indeed lively. Old Master Cui, with his white hair, sat chatting with his own family and the younger generation of the Shangguan family.

Chu Mingkong spotted Miss Shangguan the moment he entered. Fortunately, he had already composed himself beforehand and avoided feeling awkward. He naturally offered his congratulations to the old man and then presented the wine to Old Master Cui.

As expected, Old Master Cui did not inquire about his recent "being dumped," but instead asked about his trip to the capital and how his injuries were healing, and couldn't help but praise Chu Mingkong's previous reputation.

The younger generation of the Cui family in the hall naturally didn't think much of Chu Mingkong. They were born with silver spoons in their mouths, and the Cui surname alone was enough to instill arrogance in them. Chu Mingkong's subservience and compromise with the Shangguan and Zhang families made them feel disgusted and contemptuous. How could he not even raise a voice of resistance and just let them, the young lady, treat him so badly?!

However, the younger generation of the Cui family also knew that the old man disliked arrogant people the most. With just one word, he could cut off the family's investment in their cultivation resources. So, the younger generation of the Cui family naturally acted as obedient as possible.

It was the younger generation from the Shangguan family who came up with the task.

Ignoring the warning look in the eyes of the eldest daughter of the main branch, Shangguan Liangshan said in a joking tone:

"I heard that Old Master Cui often warned the younger generation of the Cui family not to drink too much and cause trouble. Why is the young prince sending wine to celebrate his birthday? Could it be wine from the Zhang family, the wine merchant?"

Mentioning the Zhang family at this time is simply to say that Chu Mingkong didn't get a good reception there either, and that the wine he drank was watered down. This story has spread throughout the taverns.

Chu Mingkong frowned inwardly. This wouldn't do. He had to flatter Aunt Gu in return for the wine she sent. He calmly replied:

"Extremes meet, so there's no need to completely forbid it. Just control the amount. Excessive drinking is a mistake, but appreciating wine can also be a carefree enjoyment, like 'Sober, I sit before the flowers; drunk, I sleep beneath them. Day after day, I sit among the flowers; year after year, I sleep and drink.' It all depends on the individual. Old Master Cui is no longer one of those people who lack self-control. To be honest, I came empty-handed; Aunt Gu prepared this wine for me!"

Shangguan Rong's bright eyes lit up as she savored the poem Chu Mingkong had just mentioned. It had a touch of carefree ease, yet also a hint of hedonism. What a fine poem! But why does it feel incomplete?

She looked at Chu Mingkong in surprise. A few days ago, when she was with him, Chu Mingkong couldn't say a single kind word. But now he could speak verses so fluently. The key thing was that she had never heard of who wrote the poem.

Old Master Cui silently recited the poem Chu Mingkong had mentioned, then asked curiously, "Mingkong, whose poem was it that you just mentioned?"

Looking at the suddenly silent hall, Chu Mingkong asked uncertainly, "...Uh, is this poem inappropriate?"

Just now, in an attempt to regain face, he simply quoted a poem containing the word "wine" as a rhyme, without really understanding its specific meaning.

Grandpa Cui laughed and said, "That's perfect!"

Chu Mingkong had no intention of pretending to be a scholar or poet. He silently thanked the original author of the poem and explained:

"While shopping, I overheard someone mention it and thought it had a certain charm, so I wrote it down. I didn't expect it to be such a good poem. It's a good way to add to the celebration before the old man's birthday. It's worth it for my cleverness. Next time I go shopping, I'll have to be more careful and find a few more poems for the old man to enjoy. That way, I can also fulfill the filial piety that the Empress advocates!"

[System reward has arrived, 10 points of filial piety.]

Hmm? Why did this old man only give so little? I just praised Aunt Gu a couple of times and I received 30 points of filial piety. Looks like I'll have to go and fawn over Aunt Gu later!

Chu Mingkong suddenly felt that the burden of this trip had become much heavier.

Chapter Nine: How could he discuss such intimate matters with his elders?!

Zuo Qiuchi followed Gu Jungui as they strolled around the Cui residence. These grand mansions of aristocratic families were highly scenic, and even a seemingly ordinary spot might encapsulate the life experience of a garden craftsman.

"Aunt Gu, is it alright if I call you that?"

"Of course, no problem. Those titles like 'Madam' or 'Grandma' are for outsiders. You and Mingkong are so close, no need to be so formal. Just call me whatever he calls me!"

Aunt Gu then acted like a mother-in-law scrutinizing her daughter-in-law's background, asking curious questions about how Zuo Qiuchi and Chu Mingkong met and about her family history.

Zuo Qiuchi was reluctant to discuss information about his family background, but in the current era, what could be considered background were his sect and his own cultivation level.

Seeing that Aunt Gu hadn't delved too deeply into cultivation, Zuo Qiuchi didn't bring up her cultivation level. He simply said, "I served as a guest elder at the Hundred Flames Sword Tomb for several years and am now leaving."

"The Hundred Flame Sword Tomb is one of the sacred sites. You are truly amazing, young lady! I had heard that there were many fairies in these sacred sites before, and seeing it today, I can confirm it is true. I never thought that Mingkong would be in such a dire situation, yet still have a friend like you who is willing to associate with him!" The beautiful woman sighed with emotion.

"Not at all. How can you judge friends by their family background? Besides, I only went to the Xiling Prince's Mansion a few years ago to ask for a weapon to cultivate with. I can be considered to have received a favor from his lineage. But Aunt Gu and Mingkong are so close, how come I never heard about it back then?"

Looking back, the scenery of each of the four seasons can evoke different kinds of sorrow.

The Cui family transplanted many flowers and plants from Xiling, but due to the different climate, they could not thrive in the height of summer, and the bright flowers all looked sickly.

The graceful woman squatted down, her full bodice pressed against her knees. Her slender fingers gently touched the few withered flowers, and she sighed:

“My family is from Xiling. They are on good terms with the Prince’s family. I often played with Mingkong when he was little. That was before I got married. Later, when the engagement expired, I married into the Cui family in the capital. So many years have passed in the blink of an eye.”

She gestured to indicate the height of the little boy from back then; he was barely up to her chest.

“When I left, he was only this short. When he first arrived in the capital, I was shocked. He had grown so tall and handsome. If it weren’t for the traces of his features, I wouldn’t have recognized him. Unfortunately, I could only secretly look at him and couldn’t show my face to see him.”

The family that Chu Mingkong represents is the number one target that the emperor is wary of. Moreover, after the emperor vaguely expressed some dissatisfaction, the Cui family still rashly approached him. What is this? Are they planning to do something to the royal family?

So Gu Jun Gui has only now truly met his nephew. Of course, sometimes when there are festivals or celebrations in the city, they can still meet, but they dare not pretend to know each other and just pass by each other to avoid gossip.

"That can't be helped. Mingkong won't care. Aunt Gu's husband... isn't at home?" Zuo Qiuchi asked curiously. She had followed Aunt Gu to her small courtyard, but there were few traces of a man's life in the courtyard.

Could it be that he went to some sect to cultivate Taoism and directly severed ties with the mortal world to run away? But that doesn't seem likely, as the Cui family has invested resources in many sects, so inviting some teachers back to provide guidance wouldn't be a problem.

Aunt Gu lowered her head and said with a bitter smile, "To my shame, when the Cui family from the capital came to Xiling to take a liking to me, they even consulted a fortune teller who said I had a face that would bring good fortune to my husband. Only then did they arrange the marriage to the eldest son of the Cui family. But when I married into the family, a demonic sect that had been hiding in the shadows for a long time suddenly rebelled near the capital, unleashing a terrifying evil entity that destroyed half of the outer city. My husband went with his master to fight it, but unfortunately, he wasn't so lucky..."

Zuo Qiuchi had heard about that incident. It was quite absurd that such a place as the capital was shrouded in darkness. However, at that time, the Demon Sect had somehow unearthed an altar for cultivation. The sect leader thought he had obtained a treasure and used the altar to cultivate, but ended up cultivating himself into a powerful evil being.

Many sect elders who rushed to provide support perished, so it's quite normal for the eldest son of the Cui family to die. Rather than saying that he went to join in the fun under these circumstances, he couldn't even keep up with any good fortune in marriage.

However, Aunt Gu was quite unfortunate. Zuo Qiuchi noticed that her maid was a young girl. Generally, such personal maids would stay with their masters until death, and when their masters got married, they would accompany them as concubines. But after spending a long time together, even maids could be regarded as family.

Her current maid is so young, so she must have been replaced. The previous maid may have left due to some unforeseen event.

"Please accept my condolences. I was being nosy and asked something I shouldn't have," Zuo Qiuchi apologized.

"It's okay, it's been many years, and I'm doing fine now. The second and third wives have started having conflicts because they've been married for so long and are tired of each other. It's like watching a drama every day, so I don't have those worries anymore!"

The beautiful woman stood up, moved her shoulders slightly, and pulled Zuo Qiuchi along, saying:

"Let's go find Mingkong. It's almost lunchtime, but I'd better ask the servants first how things are going in the main hall. If that kid's bad at talking, I'll have to think of something nice to smooth things over for him."

------------

Chu Mingkong tried his best to curry favor with the old man in the main hall, but he didn't know if the old man was heartless. Apart from the time he stole the poem, he never gave him any more favors. This showed that he didn't take Chu Mingkong's other praises to heart at all.

After several attempts, Chu Mingkong gave up. It was all a waste of effort. He figured it would be better to focus on flattering female elders in the future. Men were too stingy. Even Zhang's concubine was able to shower him with filial piety.

After making an excuse to leave the main hall, Chu Mingkong soon ran into Aunt Gu, who had come looking for him.

"Aunt Gu, I was planning to come find you. Have you finished shopping with Xiao Zuo?"

Xiao Zuo?

Zuo Qiuchi smiled silently at him, and from an angle where Gu Jungui couldn't see, she clenched her fist at Chu Mingkong, indicating that he would be in for a beating when they got back.

"We haven't finished shopping yet. I heard you recited a poem about wine in front of the old man. Oh my, when did you learn such literary talent? Before, you were always thinking about touching weapons. I would find you a good book and then secretly use it to wipe your nose!"

"Hey!" Chu Mingkong waved his hand, resolutely refusing to accept the reputation. "I heard it on the street. How could I possibly write poetry? I can barely copy it! Besides, I couldn't even remember it at first, but that brat from the Shangguan family slandered the wine you sent, Aunt Gu. How could I let you suffer such an injustice? In a fit of anger and anxiety, I suddenly remembered it!"

[System Treasure has arrived in your account, 20 points of filial piety (undesirable).]

Look! Look! What did I tell you? It's all thanks to Aunt Gu's love for him; a simple kind word is enough to win him filial piety! But what exactly is this "not spoiled" notification?