Chapter 22: Beijing Headlines: The Regent's Romantic Luck
Just as Chu Xuanyi and Xiao Yu had expected, the "romantic affair" and the "imperial teacher's fainting incident" at the Queen's Thousand Years Banquet spread throughout the capital overnight like wings.
In teahouses, taverns, streets and alleys, people everywhere are talking about the "little fortune teller" Miss Jiu who suddenly appeared out of nowhere and her earth-shattering "Regent's Romantic Prophecy".
Version 1: Thriller and Suspense Version - "Have you heard? The new girl in the Imperial Master's Mansion has the ability to see ghosts! She can see that there is a peach blossom evil spirit wrapped around His Royal Highness the Regent's head! In order to stop her from speaking, the Imperial Master was hit by the evil spirit and fainted on the spot!"
Version 2: Romantic fairy tale version - "Oh, you don't know, that Miss Ajiu is the reincarnation of a flower fairy from heaven! She saw at a glance that His Royal Highness the Regent was her destined man, so she said he had a peach blossom on his head! The Imperial Master was jealous, that's why he fainted!"
Version 3: Realistic version of the street—"Hey, what's with the Yin-Yang-eyed fairy? I think it's just the Imperial Master trying to match his apprentice with the Regent, but ended up messing up! How could such a wise and powerful figure like the Regent fall for a simple-minded little girl?"
Version Four: The Unethical Gossip Version—"Let me tell you, the focus isn't on the peach blossoms, it's on the 'lychees' and the 'lullaby'! Think about it, does 'lychee' mean 'establishing a son'? And who is 'lullaby' sung to? Tsk tsk, His Royal Highness the Regent is...getting good things happen, and it's a double blessing! I just don't know who this 'child's mother' is?"
For a time, speculation in the capital regarding the Prince Regent's romantic interests and future consort reached an unprecedented fever pitch. Even the prominent families already interested in forming a marriage alliance with the Prince Regent's household were eager to investigate, beginning to inquire about the details of this "Miss Ajiu" and whether there was any hidden connection between her and the Prince Regent.
The other protagonist of the incident, Chu Xuanyi, the national master, successfully locked himself in the national master's mansion, closed the door to visitors, and called it "resting".
In fact, he was really scared.
He was afraid that as soon as he went out, he would be surrounded by people, asking whether his Ah Jiu could really see the "Peach Blossom Evil" or the "Flower Fairy"; he was afraid that his colleagues would look at him with the eyes that said "Your family has produced a genius (troublemaker)"; he was even more afraid... If he met the Regent on the street one day, would the other party drag him to the corner and question him on how he disciplined his subordinates!
Chu Xuanyi lay in bed, looking out the window at the bright sunshine, feeling that life was completely bleak. He now seriously suspected that accepting Jiu was the most impulsive, wrong, and... most exciting decision he had ever made in his life.
He tried to "observe" the servants in the mansion according to Ajiu's instructions.
As a result, he only saw the increasingly thinning hair on the housekeeper's head, the new wrinkles on the cook's face, and the sleepy eye boogers in the corners of the sweeping boy's eyes... As for the "dark clouds", "golden light" and "little butterflies", he didn't see any of them.
"Could it be... that my eyes are really not working well?" Chu Xuanyi murmured to himself, and began to seriously consider whether he should really ask Ajiu to pick some "eye-brightening grass" and bring it back to make tea.
While Chu Xuanyi was feeling sorry for himself and doubting his life, Ajiu was living a leisurely life in the Imperial Master's Mansion.
With her master "sick," no one cared about her, and she was perfectly happy to have some free time. Every day, besides eating and drinking, she would wander around the mansion, chasing butterflies and playing with ants. Occasionally, she would run into the kitchen and try to "instruct" the cook on how to make "glowing dishes," but she would be politely "invited" out with a flour-covered rolling pin.
That day, Ajiu was squatting by the pond in the garden, watching intently the koi swimming in the water.
"Huh?" She suddenly exclaimed softly, pointing at a particularly plump red koi, and said to a little maid who was looking after her, "Sister Xiao Cui, look! That big red fish has a small golden crown growing on its head! Is it going to become the king of fish?"
Xiao Cui followed her finger and saw only the koi still happily blowing bubbles. Where was the "golden crown"? She couldn't help but sigh inwardly. This Miss Jiu really had... an overactive imagination.
But she still followed Ajiu's words and said, "Yes, yes, Miss Ajiu, you have observed it very carefully. Maybe it will really become a king fish in a few days!"
Upon hearing this, Jiu clapped his hands happily.
And at this moment, the Regent's Palace.
Xiao Yu listened to the secret guard's further investigation results with an expressionless face.
"My Lord, regarding Master Xuanxu… we've uncovered some even more interesting facts." The Secret Guard Commander's expression remained odd. "This man traveled extensively in his early years and seems to have connections to some… secretive martial arts sects. Some say he's insane and a complete liar; others say he's a true master, keeping his true abilities hidden. His most famous 'deed' was ten years ago, when he publicly predicted that then-Minister of Revenue, Lord Li, would be imprisoned within three days. On the third day, Lord Li was indeed imprisoned for embezzling a vast sum of money. But then he predicted that the family of Wang Yuanwai, the richest man in Jiangnan, would receive a 'windfall'. That very night, lightning struck the roof of Wang Yuanwai's house, burning down most of his wealth…"
Xiao Yu frowned slightly.
The “imprisonment” came true, but the “windfall” turned into “sudden disaster”?
Does this Master Xuanxu really have the ability, or is it just... a blind cat catching a dead mouse, and also a jinx?
"And... I've uncovered something even more bizarre." The Dark Guard Commander lowered his voice. "It's said that before Miss Jiu was picked up by Master Xuanxu, a family was murdered near that dilapidated temple. The local authorities investigated for a long time but were unable to solve the case, stating only that it was the work of bandits. But there are rumors that the family... seems to have some connection to the palace..."
Xiao Yu's eyes suddenly darkened.
A family massacre? Is it related to the palace?
"Keep checking!"
"Especially that tragic case of the annihilation of the entire family, and Ah Jiu's connection to the palace. I will get to the bottom of this, no matter how deep you go!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com