Chapter 232 Rumors and Gossip

Chapter 232 Rumors and Gossip

The coconut meat melted in her mouth, refreshing and smooth, sending a warm feeling through Shen Nanzi's heart.

She picked up a piece of stewed beef and put it in his bowl as a return gift.

Xie Yan paused slightly in his hand holding the bamboo chopsticks, a hint of surprise on his face. He picked one up without making a sound and put it in his mouth.

As he ate, a smile involuntarily crept onto his lips.

She remembered that he liked to eat this, and Xie Yan's heart fluttered.

After the girls finished their song, they gracefully stepped off the stage.

Then a wooden table was brought onto the stage, and an old man in a blue robe slowly walked over and stood in front of the wooden table.

He was still holding a gavel in his hand.

Storyteller!

Now that it was time to tell a story, Shen Nanzi lost interest and focused her attention on the food.

A sharp crack of the gavel rang out, and the old gentleman's clear and distinctive voice echoed across the stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Listen to my absurd tale of power struggles within the immortal sects, where a mother vies for her son's throne!"

"You say that in the heavens above, among the immortal mountains, there should be clear breezes and bright moons, and morality should come first. Yet there are those who, for the sake of power, are willing to bend their backs and humiliate themselves, using personal relationships as bargaining chips!"

"It is said that there was once a sacred mountain, which was the ancestral land of a single lineage, and was the largest and most majestic of all the mountains."

"But when the new immortal lord was being passed on, troubles arose one after another, as the old immortal lord's children and grandchildren all wanted to become the new immortal lord of this mountain."

"Unfortunately, there can only be one Immortal Lord position."

"Even before the old immortal lord died, they were already locked in fierce battles. Once the old immortal lord died, the immortals and their descendants used all their skills to seize it."

"Even the old immortal's half-grown children almost became victims of his blade!"

"If the fairy had succeeded, none of you would be hearing this story today."

The old man slammed his gavel on the table, silencing the entire restaurant.

Shen Nanzi's eyes widened in surprise, and she gripped her chopsticks tightly.

The storyteller's loud voice echoed throughout the entire restaurant.

"Naturally, they were defeated and fled with their son overnight."

"Logically speaking, this fairy is a fairy consort, and she has a fairy grandson. She possesses supernatural powers. She should raise her arms and call on her like-minded people to fight against the rebels, protect her children, and reclaim her homeland. That would be the right thing to do."

"But she's different! Instead of thinking about how to hone her cultivation, or seeking help from her elders, she's set her sights on a celestial being from the neighboring mountain."

"That immortal lord already had an immortal empress, but this fairy was willing to lower herself and submit to him for the sake of those immortal soldiers and generals, becoming the immortal lord's bedmate!"

“Every day they flirt and fawn over each other, serving the emperor and turning their pride into dust, leaving their lifelong reputation behind!”

"In the end, he received a troop mobilization order from the immortal lord, and led the borrowed three thousand soldiers back to his own immortal mountain."

"Amidst the clash of swords and the shadows of spears, all those who stood in her way were slaughtered. She returned to her homeland, and her little doll truly ascended to the throne of the Lord of the Immortal Mountain."

"But look at this, everyone! The fairy is now enjoying boundless glory, as the Queen Mother of the Immortal Mountain, worshipped by thousands, and enjoying all the honors."

"But I have to ask you one question! Was this throne on the sacred mountain obtained at the cost of my mother's dignity?"

"The crown of the nation's mother is woven from the chastity of women!"

"Even if one wields immense power and enjoys great wealth and honor with one's children, can the humiliation of submitting oneself for survival and the scheming of using one's body as bait truly be concealed by the clouds and mist of this sacred mountain?"

"Everyone says she's great, willing to do anything for her child, but in my opinion, what kind of greatness is that? It's clearly bowing down to power and losing her integrity for wealth!"

"Among the immortal sects, integrity and morality are highly valued. But she has turned those integrity and morality into a stepping stone to climb the social ladder!"

"When that child grows up and learns that his throne was obtained by his mother in such a shameful way, how will he feel? Will he be proud or ashamed?"

"Ladies and gentlemen! The story of this sacred mountain sounds legendary, but upon closer examination, it is full of cold-blooded greed for power and shameless scheming!"

The storyteller's gavel struck again, filled with indignation.

As the saying goes: "When the immortal mountain changes hands, bloodshed rages; why does a loving mother bend her knee?"

"Today, the Mother of the Nation enjoys her honor; who remembers the humiliations of the past!"

In an instant, discussions arose in the restaurant, from near and far, from men and women, young and old.

"Which of those fairies sitting in those high positions is clean? None of them earned their positions by sacrificing their bodies."

"To gain three thousand soldiers and the entire country in exchange for a good night's sleep—what a worthwhile deal! If it were me, I would do the same."

"You're submitting yourself to her? She's a fairy, you're a pig's head."

"If I were dressed in fine silk and satin, with everything done for me, and never lifted a finger, I could apply the finest rouge and powder to my face and still be just as beautiful as a fairy."

"That's right, that's right. Clothes make the man, and a saddle makes the horse. There's a lot of dirty stuff behind the glamour! They look glamorous, but they're all just petty thieves."

"What are you talking about? I don't understand."

"These are all matters concerning immortal lords and fairies, so of course you wouldn't understand them. Anyway, they're not matters for us common folk, so just listen to them as entertainment."

"Wrong! This is a disgrace to the world, a case of being unworthy of one's position and deceiving the world."

"How can such a national mother be loved by the people and supported by the army?"

"Hey! This is a restaurant. If anyone dares to talk nonsense again, we'll take you to see the officials right now."

"Why can't we talk about it? Now that this matter has spread to Yunxi, it means it's not far from being known to the whole world."

"If the Queen Mother truly had an affair with the king of a neighboring country, she is not worthy to live in that palace, and her children are not worthy to sit on that throne!"

"If even the Queen Mother is not virtuous, won't she be ridiculed by the world? If the king of a neighboring country were to announce this, what would become of the dignity of Yunhan?"

"Shut up! Shut up! This is a restaurant. How dare you interfere in the affairs of the imperial family? Be careful not to risk your lives."

"So what if they kill you? If the imperial family only resorts to beheadings to settle this matter, then there will be no end to the killings!"

"If everyone acts like a coward, the collapse of the Yunhan Kingdom is not far off!"

In a private room on the second floor, Shen Nanzi, pale-faced, listened to the discussions below without missing a single word.

Xie Yan had already gotten up and disappeared without a trace.

Enraged, Qinghe drew her soft sword from her waist and, with fury, shouted at the person who had started the fight outside, "Master, have me kill this scoundrel!"

"Those who speak nonsense dare to speak ill of Your Majesty the Empress Dowager in public."

"No need." Shen Nanzi put down her chopsticks and bowl after hearing the offensive words below.

"This was done intentionally by someone who spread the story through the mouth of a storyteller, exaggerating and embellishing it in an attempt to smear me."