Chapter 555: Mother Empress, Boundless Fortune and Golden Peace

Chapter 555 -303: Mother Empress, Boundless Fortune and Golden Peace

Lu Yuan’s antics gave the surrounding commoners a real show to gossip about.

The onlookers around them started whispering to each other:

“Is that the Prince Consort?”

“I think it is!”

“Isn’t that Princess Yue Ning?”

…

They whispered furtively, keeping their voices as low as possible.

Others might not have been able to make it out, but Lu Yuan and Su Liyan could hear every word, clear as day.

‘As long as they’re not insulting me, let them say what they want.’

‘Life would be so exhausting if you lived it according to other people’s opinions!’

Gu Ziye hurriedly pushed Lu Yuan’s hand away and said:

“Yuan, we’re on a public street. You have to be mindful of your conduct.”

Only then did Lu Yuan recall his recent actions with Zhao Qiao’Er.

This wasn’t Taiping City, after all, nor was it some small, insignificant place. His behavior was indeed inappropriate here.

‘But, since it already happened, who cares? Whatever.’

Lu Yuan led the three beauties and his entourage of confidants back to his manor with a swagger.

After Lu Yuan and his group left, the surrounding onlookers dispersed.

The rich young master from before seemed to be in a trance, standing there with a vacant look in his eyes.

The young page beside him shook his arm, calling out softly, “Master, Master…”

At that moment, the young master looked as if he’d been slipped a mickey.

He swayed unsteadily, the corners of his mouth twisted, his brow tightly furrowed.

The young page was inexperienced with the ways of the world and had no idea what was happening to his master.

About another 2.5 minutes later, the young page shouted, “Master, why did you wet your pants?”

The young master finally snapped out of the Illusion Realm, recalling the experience which felt just like a dream.

‘A hideous old woman weighing nearly three hundred pounds, sitting on top of him…’

At this thought, the young master let out a great “BLECH” and threw up all over the ground.

“Master, Master, are you all right?” the young page asked with concern, patting his master’s back.

The young master pulled his robes down to cover his wet pants and cursed, “Damn it, you brainless fool, keep your voice down!”

「The next day.」

Lu Yuan and Zhao Qiao’Er had only embraced for a few minutes at the West Gate of the Imperial City.

But the incident was blown out of proportion by certain individuals, and rumors about Lu Yuan quickly spread through every street and alley.

These rumors grew more and more outrageous, until the story became that the Prince Consort was forcibly abducting common women, not even sparing young mothers.

There were also whispers that Princess Yue Ning was too naive and simple to even keep her own man in check.

Emperor Gu Yuanzhang looked over several memorials submitted by his ministers.

They were all reporting on Lu Yuan, and the general content was:

“As a Third Grade Military Officer, Lu Yuan took liberties with a woman in public. According to the laws of the Court, he should be severely punished.”

These ministers were clever enough to only mention Lu Yuan’s status as a Third Grade Military Officer, without bringing up that he was also the current Prince Consort.

The contents of these memorials were nowhere near as exaggerated as the rumors on the streets.

It seemed these ministers had shown some restraint with their words.

Emperor Gu Yuanzhang looked at the Jinyiwei Commander, Mao Xiang, who stood to the side, and asked, “What are the streets saying?”

Mao Xiang felt a headache coming on. Every time a topic concerning Lu Yuan came up, it was incredibly difficult to answer.

“Speak!”

Faced with the Emperor’s pressing question, a flustered Mao Xiang had no choice but to reply:

“At the West Gate of the Imperial City, Lord Lu was indeed embracing a woman.

“After an investigation by the Jinyi Guard, we’ve confirmed that this woman is Lord Lu’s concubine, not someone else’s wife he was harassing, as the rumors claim.”

Mao Xiang was trying to smooth things over for Lu Yuan.

But as soon as the words left his mouth, he realized he had stepped on the Emperor’s toes.

Concubine?

A concubine? In other words, a mistress!

A man who could rise to the position of Jinyiwei Commander should be incredibly intelligent.

How could he call her Lord Lu’s concubine at a time like this?

He should have just said she was one of Lord Lu’s people, especially avoiding words like “concubine” or “mistress.”

Otherwise, what did that make the Emperor’s daughter, Gu Ziye, in relation to Lu Yuan?

Mao Xiang’s words, though truthful, had genuinely angered the Emperor.

The Emperor ordered the Jinyiwei Commander, Mao Xiang:

“Go! I’m putting you in charge of this personally!

“Make those ministers shut their mouths!

“And I don’t want to hear another single rumor about the Prince Consort!”

Jinyiwei Commander Mao Xiang cupped his fists, accepted the order, and retreated.

Inside the Imperial Study, Emperor Gu Yuanzhang sighed.

‘Lu Yuan, oh, Lu Yuan… I don’t care what you get up to in your own manor, but you can’t be so affectionate in public.’

Although Emperor Gu Yuanzhang was a little angry, he had no intention of blaming Lu Yuan.

Emperor Gu Yuanzhang hoped that by dealing with the officials who submitted the memorials and the commoners spreading rumors, he could serve Lu Yuan a warning.

‘When you’re out and about, you still need to be mindful of your conduct.’

Countless eyes, high and low throughout the Court, were fixed on Lu Yuan.

In the eyes of the civil and military officials, Lu Yuan was just a second-rate minor official who had married Princess Yue Ning through a martial arts contest.

They thought he had simply latched onto a powerful connection to get his current position.

In the Divine Ling Empire, it was difficult to earn respect without real ability.

Lu Yuan had saved Empress Ma’s life before.

But in their eyes, they thought Lu Yuan had just gotten incredibly, stupidly lucky.

‘Otherwise, why didn’t he join the Imperial Hospital and become an Imperial Physician?’

Over the next few days, droves of Jinyi Guard, under the pretext of catching Wa Country spies who had infiltrated the Imperial City, raided the homes of commoners and arrested many people.

Back in his manor, enjoying the company of his women, Lu Yuan was well aware of the Jinyi Guard arresting people on the streets.

‘Emperor Gu Yuanzhang is a brilliant strategist and a master of military arts, but he’s too narrow-minded and overly suspicious.’

After a while, the gossip about Lu Yuan died down.

One had to admit, Emperor Gu Yuanzhang had some skill when it came to controlling public opinion.

One morning, Lu Yuan climbed out of bed.

Lu Yuan took his clothes from the rack and put them on.

Song Meiqin was lying on her side behind him.

Her slender fingers traced patterns on Lu Yuan’s back.

Occasionally, her fingertips would leave faint red marks.

With her hair down, Song Meiqin put on a coquettish air and whispered:

“My dear nephew, not going to lie in a bit longer? Your auntie still wants to hold her big nephew!”

Now dressed, Lu Yuan straightened his appearance and tied his boots.

Lu Yuan turned and cupped one of her soft curves.

Just two squeezes made Song Meiqin let out a coquettish cry.

Seeing Aunt Song’s reaction,

Lu Yuan gave her bottom a couple of pats and said with a smile:

“Today, Yue’Er is going to the Imperial Capital.

“I have some things for her to deliver, so I can’t play with my dear auntie today. Another time!”

Lu Yuan could not enter the Imperial Capital without a summons, so he had to take advantage of Gu Ziye’s visit to Empress Ma.

He handed a sizable medicine box to Gu Ziye, asking her to take it to Empress Ma.

Gu Ziye opened the box and gasped in surprise, “Elixirs? And so many?”

The box had several compartments separating different types of elixirs, all clearly labeled.

Lu Yuan replied, “They’re just some Lifespan Extension Pills, Beauty Pills, and a few Healing Pills.”

The grade of these elixirs wasn’t particularly high.

For the current Lu Yuan, he could mass-produce them with just a little time and some ingredients.

Even so, these elixirs were priceless treasures that couldn’t be bought on the market!

Gu Ziye nodded, then planted a kiss on Lu Yuan’s cheek with her small, pink lips.

A delighted Gu Ziye said, “Oh, Yuan! I adore you to death!”

Of course Gu Ziye was happy; her man was so capable.

It allowed her to hold her head high among her sisters.

Gu Ziye took the medicine box and skipped happily off toward the Imperial Capital…

Gu Ziye cradled the medicine box, skipping and hopping across the spacious square of the Imperial Capital.

The Imperial Capital!

It was like a gilded cage.

This place she once longed to leave, she now looked back on with such nostalgia.

Rows of Maids and eunuchs walked past Gu Ziye, bowing their heads and calling out, “Good morning, Princess!”

“Good morning to you all!” Gu Ziye responded with graceful ease.

An old eunuch emerged from the depths of the palace, approached Gu Ziye, and said with a smile:

“Princess, the Empress has been waiting for you for a long time. Please, follow me.”

When Gu Ziye arrived at the Empress’s chambers, she entered and immediately kowtowed to Empress Ma.

“Mother Empress, may you enjoy boundless fortune and peace!”