Chapter 87 The capital is shaken! The koi carp opens its eyes, stirring up a storm.
The news that Mu Yu could see light spread like wildfire throughout the capital overnight.
The threshold of Princess Anguo's mansion was almost worn down by the crowd the next day.
The butler, who was in charge of relaying the message, was almost hoarse from shouting, but he couldn't stop smiling.
The Empress's reward was the first to arrive, personally escorted by the head female official; it was a pair of fist-sized luminous pearls from the East China Sea.
The lady-in-waiting relayed a message: Her Majesty, feeling sorry for the princess, specially sent this precious pearl, hoping its radiance would forever illuminate the princess's path.
Immediately afterwards, Consort Xian sent over a brocade eye mask that she had sewn herself, lined with the softest cotton, saying that she was afraid the young princess would be blinded by the strong light when she first saw the light.
The gifts sent by princes and ministers from all walks of life piled up like mountains, ranging from top-grade ginseng from Changbai Mountain to ingenious toys from the West, almost filling the treasury of the princess's mansion.
Yan Ziche stood to the side, flipping through his notebook rapidly.
His "Gift List for Princess Anguo" has been expanded by more than a dozen pages.
"Wow, this is even more lively than Chinese New Year."
Xiao Beichen leaned against the door, watching the boxes of gifts being carried in, and kept shaking his head.
His tone carried a hint of amazement, as well as a touch of pride and satisfaction.
"Now the whole capital knows that Xiao Yu'er is the precious darling of our Great Chu."
Mu Fang ignored the noise at the door and sat in the yard with his daughter, basking in the sun.
The autumn sun was warm and gentle, casting dappled light through the sparse leaves.
Wearing the specially made gauze eye mask given to her by Consort Xian, Mu Yu felt only a hazy, bright light in front of her.
Her little head rested in her father's broad arms, and she dozed off again and again.
After the first treatment, although she could see light and shadow, the aftereffects set by the cheat system also appeared.
Excessive sleepiness, an unprecedented level of excessive sleepiness.
She felt as if she could sleep forever.
"Father, I think I smell roast suckling pig."
She sniffed her small nose, smacked her lips in her dream, and almost drooled.
"There's also osmanthus cake and sugar-roasted chestnuts."
Mu Fang looked down at the little glutton in his arms, his eyes so tender they could melt water.
"It was sent from the Marquis of Zhenbei's residence. You can eat it when you wake up."
Mu Fang spoke softly, gently patting her back with his large hand, a gesture so gentle it was completely at odds with his imposing physique.
"Not only suckling pig, but also your favorite milk broth is kept warm in the kitchen. You can have whatever you want to eat."
"Um……"
Mu Yu mumbled contentedly and drifted off to sleep.
Amidst the joyous atmosphere, a discordant voice quietly spread through the teahouses and taverns of the capital.
In the "Jufu Teahouse" in the south of the city, the storyteller slammed his gavel, attracting the attention of all the tea drinkers.
"Esteemed guests, today we won't talk about loyal ministers and generals, nor about talented scholars and beautiful women. Let's talk about this little princess who has recently become the most talked-about person in our capital!"
He lowered his voice, feigning mystery.
"Have you heard? Princess Anguo's eye ailment isn't due to a talent being blocked; it's a backlash from her own abilities!"
A commotion and discussion immediately arose from the crowd.
"Yes, my second uncle's neighbor's cousin works at the princess's mansion. I saw it with my own eyes yesterday when I was on duty!"
One of the shills, who was mixed in with the crowd, immediately spoke up loudly.
"They say that His Highness the Ninth Prince personally came to her door and used his own true dragon energy to heal her illness. It was so bright and dazzling that many people saw it!"
"But what happened after the treatment? The little princess became drowsy all the time, as if she had lost her soul!"
These words were like a stone thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples all around.
"How noble is the dragon's aura? It is the very foundation of the destiny of our Great Chu!"
"It was a pained old scholar who looked quite learned," he said.
"To waste our time on a mere girl like this, isn't that undermining the foundation of the nation?"
"In my opinion, this young princess is not a lucky star at all, but a jinx that will ruin the nation's fortune!"
Another sharp voice rang out.
"Think about it, she was so powerful and influential in Jiangnan, yet she suffered a backlash as soon as she returned to the capital, even going blind. Isn't this an ominous sign?"
Rumors are like ink dropped into clear water; driven by those with ulterior motives, they spread rapidly and become distorted.
What started as whispers quickly evolved into various bizarre versions.
Some say that Mu Yu was actually a water demon from the East Sea who drained the spiritual energy of Mirror Lake in Jiangnan before he could take human form.
Now that its spiritual energy is exhausted and its true form has been revealed, it must begin to absorb the dragon energy of the Great Chu to prolong its life.
Some say that the current emperor has been bewitched by a sorceress, and for the sake of a girl of unknown origin, he has disregarded the fate of the country. This is a sign of the country's downfall and will inevitably lead to disaster sooner or later.
These remarks were increasingly vicious and insidious.
The attack was not only directed at the young Mu Yu, but also cleverly directed at the emperor and the entire royal family who were trying their best to protect her.
Inside the study of the Third Prince's residence.
The air was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood, yet the atmosphere was chilly and gloomy.
As Chu Huaijin listened to his trusted subordinate's report, a barely perceptible cold smile appeared on his lips.
Beside him, Consort De, dressed in a magnificent palace gown, was holding a bowl of bird's nest soup, slowly blowing on it with a silver spoon.
"Huaijin, this is a good move."
Consort De took a small sip, her voice gentle, but her eyes were sharp as knives.
The higher you're lifted up, the harder you'll fall.
“The common people are ignorant and easily swayed. Since they can believe her as a god, they can naturally believe her as a demon as well.”
“Mother is right.”
Chu Huaijin's eyes appeared particularly sinister in the dim light.
“The more the Emperor dotes on her, the more Chu Chongjin protects her. If this fire is ignited, it will engulf them all.”
"An auspicious omen that depletes the dragon's energy—how can those old fogies in the court, who consider the fate of the nation their own responsibility, still support her, how can they support Chu Chongjin!"
This was precisely Sikong Ming's plan, and also the kind of overt strategy he excelled at.
He doesn't need to produce any real evidence; he only needs to weave the vines of doubt around the skeleton of facts to shake people's hearts.
The establishment of faith requires the accumulation of countless achievements and time.
The collapse of faith often requires only a seemingly plausible rumor.
Princess Anguo's Mansion.
The afternoon sun was shining brightly, but the atmosphere in the courtyard was as cold as ice.
"This is outrageous!"
After hearing the news Xiao Beichen brought back, Mu Fang slammed his hand heavily on the stone table in the courtyard.
The hard, thick bluestone tabletop cracked open with a menacing fissure.
"These bastards! How much has my daughter done for the Great Chu?"
He was so angry that he trembled all over, and the fierce aura he had accumulated over many battles burst forth uncontrollably, causing the surrounding air temperature to drop several degrees.
Are they blind?!
He longed to immediately grab his spear and take down all those gossiping rumors behind his back.
"Please calm down, Lord Protector."
Yan Ziche put down the notebook in his hand, his little face calm.
"This is a typical propaganda war by the other side, they are just trying to provoke you."
“If you rush out and kill someone now, it will only confirm our guilty conscience and play right into their hands.”
"What can we do? Just let them smear Xiaoyu'er like this?"
Xiao Beichen also became anxious, his handsome face filled with anger.
"I really wanted to punch those people who were talking nonsense on the street just now!"
Chu Chongjin sat on the stone bench next to him without saying a word.
His face was as cold as a block of ancient ice, and he exuded an aura that kept strangers at bay.
He knew that Sikong Ming and Chu Huaijin must be behind this.
Their goal was never just Mu Yu.
They wanted to destroy Mu Yu's "auspicious" status from the root, thereby severing her connection with the fate of the Great Chu Kingdom and ultimately striking at him, the prince who was deeply bound to "auspiciousness".
Because it was he who personally used dragon energy to heal Mu Yu's injuries, he gave the other party the perfect excuse to attack him.
A sense of annoyance and self-blame quietly rose in his heart.
Everyone fell silent for a moment, and a sense of powerlessness and resentment filled the courtyard.
Just when everyone was at a loss, a clear voice, tinged with anger, pierced the heavy silence like a sharp sword.
"Who dares to say that we, Little Fishermen, are unlucky?"
"I, the princess, will be the first to object!"
Everyone turned around and saw Princess Jianing standing angrily at the entrance of the moon gate.
She was no longer that timid little rabbit; now, she was like a lioness protecting her cubs, her eyes burning with fierce anger.
Behind her followed Qin Zheng, who was equally indignant, and several familiar noble ladies from the capital.
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