The early summer sun was as scorching as a branding iron, scorching the cobblestone streets of the capital until they sizzled with heat. But even the scorching heat couldn't compare to the rumors swirling through the streets. Ever since the rumor of Chen Weiwan's "homosexuality" spread, it had spread like wildfire, slithering through the walls of teahouses and taverns, and finding its way onto the tongues of every citizen, roasting the Li Xiu family like ants on a hot pan.
In the lobby on the second floor of the "Tingfeng Tower," storyteller Old Man Zhang clapped his jujube wood wake-up stick, and the sound of the "pop" startled the sparrows nesting on the beams. He stroked his sleek goatee, his triangular eyes scanning the crowded room, and spoke in a deliberately drawn-out tone: "Ladies and gentlemen! Yesterday we talked about Master Li meeting his lover on West Street. Today, we'll delve into the wonders of his limp—"
"What's so great about it? What's so great about being lame?" Wang, the butcher selling pork in the front row, rolled up his greasy sleeves and grinned, revealing his half-missing front tooth.
Old man Zhang suddenly lowered his voice, his spit splashing on the noses of the tea drinkers in the front row: "How do you think he got that lame leg? Hey! It wasn't from a fall on horseback, nor was it a battle injury. It was from a jealous fight with his lover, and his leg was broken by another lover!"
"Oh my god!" The tailor's wife in the back row trembled, and the embroidery needle pierced her thumb with a "poof!", and blood instantly spurted out. "No wonder I always see him going to 'Mianhualou' on West Street! Isn't that a famous men's brothel in Beijing?"
These words were like sparks dropped into a pot of boiling oil, with a crackling sound that shook the whole place. The tea drinkers were immediately excited, their heads gathered like candied haws:
"That's what I thought! Last month I saw him arguing with a handsome young man in a white shirt in the alley. Turns out they were fighting over a girl!"
"What's the Second Miss Shen to me? Just a shield!"
"Tsk tsk tsk, pitiful thing, being used as a pretext by a gay man, where can I put my face?"
Meanwhile, from the shadows of the Li family's back door, Li Xiu, wrapped in a pale grey cloak, poked his head out like a weasel. Just as he was about to slip out to grab some tranquilizers, he heard the shrill voice of Mrs. Wang next door: "See? That's the gay prince of the Li family! I heard his leg was broken by his lover!"
"Really?" the flower girl's eyes widened, the jasmine basket in her hand shaking loudly. "I even sold flowers to him!"
Li Xiu was so angry that his whole body shook. His limping leg twisted suddenly, and he almost fell into the gutter in the corner with a cry of "Ouch!" To make matters worse, several naughty children with pigtails surrounded him, holding branches, clapping their hands and singing a jingle: "Li Quezi, the man with broken sleeves, hiding in the brothel on West Street, breaking his leg for a lover, deceiving the girl in the general's mansion—"
"Get out! Get away from me!" Li Xiu yelled hysterically, picking up a broken broom from the corner and hurling it at them. The urchins dodged, laughing. A brave one picked up a rotten tomato and smashed it against his cloak. The red juice flowed down the gray cloth, reminiscent of his bleeding heart.
He scrambled back to his house, slamming the door, and leaning against it, gasping for air. The laughter and curses from outside the wall surged in like a tide, each word piercing his eardrums like a needle. He kicked the bronze mirror on the table, and with a loud "crash", the mirror shattered into eight pieces, reflecting his distorted face: "Chen Weiwan! Fuck your ancestors!"
In the main room of the inner courtyard, Liu sighed over her account book, her jade armor scratching against rice paper. Ever since the rumor of Li Xiu's "homosexuality" spread, her doorstep had been nearly worn down by matchmakers breaking off engagements. "Mother!" Shen Ruorou burst in, her face mournful, the pearl flower ornaments in her hair teetering on the edge of their seats. "I went to Xiangguo Temple to burn incense today, and a few old, pious women pointed at my nose and called me 'homosexual's lover.' I'd rather die!"
Liu threw the account book down in frustration. "Cry, cry, cry! You only know how to cry! If you hadn't had an unclear relationship with Li Xiu, would you have gotten into this mess?" She suddenly lowered her voice, the powder on her face falling off. "I asked someone to find out. That little bitch Chen Weiwan paid ten storytellers to make fun of us in the teahouse every day!"
Shen Ruorou's eyes lit up: "Then we'll also hire someone to dispel the rumors!"
"What the hell are you trying to dispel?" Liu slammed the table and stood up, shaking the teacups. "Now the whole capital believes Li Xiu is gay, so who would still believe us? Yesterday, your grandfather wanted to submit a memorial to impeach Chen Weiwan, but before he could even get his words out, the Seventh Prince retorted with a casual, 'It's just a rumor, why take it seriously?'"
When the Seventh Prince was mentioned, Shen Ruorou instantly collapsed in her chair like a punctured ball. She recalled the Seventh Prince's half-smile in the garden that day and the words "unique taste". Her cheeks suddenly turned red and white, and she wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
Meanwhile, in the Qinghui Courtyard of the General's Mansion, Chen Weiwan was lying on the beauty's backrest with her legs crossed, slowly spitting out grape seeds as she listened to Chuntao's "battle situation" report. "Miss," Chuntao laughed so hard she nearly spilled her icy sour plum soup, "This morning, Li Xiu tried to leave, but a tyrant blocked him in the alley and threw three rotten vegetable stalks at him! And what's even more amazing? Some talented scholar posted a couplet at the entrance of the Li Mansion: 'A gay man faces many troubles at his doorstep, a lame young man is in debt to his wife,' with the horizontal banner 'You've brought this upon yourself!'"
"Puff—" Shen Weiwan spat out a mouthful of grape juice, the grape seeds splashing into the pond, startling the koi fish into scattering. She wiped her mouth and slapped her thigh with laughter. "Well done! Tell Old Man Zhang to add five taels of silver tonight and tell him to make up a more outrageous story about Li Xiu's lame 'lover interrupting'. It would be best if he involved a dancer from the Western Regions or something. The more outrageous, the better!"
"Alright!" Chuntao skipped off, leaving Shen Weiwan alone, lost in thought, gazing at the pond. The shimmering water reflected the cold light in her eyes. Li Xiu was merely a pawn on the chessboard; the real big fish lay ahead. The old housekeeper had uncovered evidence of Liu's embezzlement and was simply waiting for the right moment to close the net.
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