Chapter 439: Shocked to the Core!
Translator: Novel Saga Editor: Novel Saga
The dimmed and aged eyes of Li Shang also livened up. Nobody moved for a long time. However, a huge cloud of smoke had gathered inside the room.
The three individuals lifted the curtains after some time, and rushed out of the room. A massive plume of smoke soared into the sky. It was presumed as if something had been set ablaze. Consequently, the sound of alarms rang out in the household. And, the guards started to arrive with buckets of water…
Li You Ran coughed a few times before he returned to normal. However, he continued to watch the rising smoke in silence.
Li Shang took the letter which had been delivered by the eagle. He read it very carefully from the start to finish. And, his complexion became very serious as a result. Grand Preceptor Li lifted his head after a long time, and looked at that dark cloud of black smoke as it hovered above. He let out a very lengthy sigh and muttered, "I tried to overestimate him as much as possible… But, I was underestimating him very greatly this entire time. Oh Heavens… there's bound to be a change…"
Li You Ran's expression also became unsightly as he muttered, "He fought four Spirit Xuan experts… fought four Spirit Xuan experts," This usually calm Young Master You Ran had suddenly lost his mind…
...
Each powerful family also received this news from their own intelligence networks; the Royal Family was no exception either. The wordings of their respective letters were slightly different. However, the information contained was virtually the same…
Consequently, Tian Xiang City witnessed yet another earthquake!
It was earth shattering, world-shaking! In fact, it was something which could turn the world on its head!
Jun Mo Xie has caused an earthquake when that news about his affair with his elder sister-in-law had spread. And, these vibrations hadn't even settled yet. In fact, people with ambitions were still trying to spread the flames in order to increase its effect… Consequently, the response to it was also increasing. And, the voices of insult were getting increasingly loud…
Over half of the people in Tian Xiang were waiting for that shameless hoodlum to return so that they could shame him. In fact, they had planned to curse him to death. Moreover, they were certain that they would drown him in their spit if he didn't die from their cursing…
Jun Mo Xie's present reputation in the city was even worse than the one that had stained his name before he had come to this world. In fact, it had become synonymous with words like dirty, shameless, contemptible, lowly, and despicable. And, the same effect had spread to Guan Qing Han's name due to her relation with him. The talk of this adulterous couple had spread to every corner of the city… whether it was the teahouses… or the taverns. And, they were being cursed everywhere!
It had to be said that the civil officials had been able to make their campaign work in a very effective manner. After all, they knew that the common people didn't know the truth. Thus, they had found it easy to instigate the masses. It went without saying that such a thing wasn't acceptable to anyone in this era. Consequently, those scholars were successful in changing the entire city into an ocean of abuse for Jun Mo Xie.
They were sure that they would overwhelm him in a sea of clamor as long as he entered the Tian Xiang City. The Young Master could turn a deaf ear to this abuse. However, could Guan Qing Han do it as well? Could she endure such an embarrassing situation?
However, they heard the latest astonishing news now. And, it was like a bomb explosion to their ears… or maybe even like the incineration of a nuclear bomb! And so, it caused an even greater ruckus. Anyone who heard this news had the same reaction — they were stupefied and dumbstruck. In fact, it was like they had been struck by lightning… They simply couldn't believe it!
Some groups of scholars and officials weren't ready to believe it. However, there were many who felt like they had picked a boulder, and had dropped it on their own foot…
[Young Master Jun is so fierce? How can he be so fierce?]
[A lone man fought four Spirit Xuan experts…. and won an overwhelming victory?! Damn!] Everyone knew what kind of people these Spirit Xuan experts were. So, everyone felt a slight chill in their hearts. [How is one man who is able to fight four Spirit Xuans not be on the same level as the Great Masters? How could he not be unrivalled? Couldn't one say that the Jun Family has become an existence that is on par with the Silver Blizzard City…? Or maybe even higher… like an ultimate existence of some kind…?]
[Would I shame such a terrifying power? Do I not love my life?] Then, someone suddenly stood up and clarified the facts. These were the same people who had spread the rumors yesterday. But, they were the ones who were hurriedly standing up to clarify the facts today.
However, who could control the effect of the rumors once they were out? It was like an old saying, "It's much easier to put a damn on a river than to stop a person's mouth from flowing!" And, it was true! Moreover, this kind of a rumor made for a strong flavor in gossip. And, such things spread as fast as lightning…
Moreover, this wasn't merely a gossip or rumor… It was mostly true!
It could be said that the people who had only imbibed scholarly text could only know the literary differences between civil and military matters. They could advocate the pros and cons of everything, and talk about things that were better. They could talk about the Spirit Xuan experts when it came to the topic. In fact, they could even talk of higher powers. However, these Xuan experts were nothing more than a knight-errant to the eyes of these scholars…
They believed that even the legendary warriors were subject to the law of the land. After all, there would be utter chaos if there weren't any laws. Therefore, these men didn't believe that there were people who could stand beyond the imperial power, and couldn't be constrained inside this world. Consequently, the notion of someone being above the imperial power after having attained a certain level of strength seemed even more absurd to them…
After all, every piece of land and shore under the heaven belonged to the Emperor!
The news about Jun Mo Xie killing these Spirit Xuan experts reached the ears of Mei Gao Jie. However, the old man merely curled his lips and snorted as he said, "The crimes that he has committed haven't even been judged yet, and his case has also been smeared with murder now. This cruel, heartless, and pigheaded Jun Mo Xie should die to redeem for his sins. This world won't be peaceful until he dies."
Case smeared with murder…? This amazing and world-shaking event was a 'criminal case' in the words of that old man. However, the Tian Xiang City was like a brick of night-soil which was with scuttling maggots under the heavy rainfall… Everything was in utter chaos!
Inside the royal palace…
The Emperor had been bitterly complaining to the Empress and the Princess when he received this letter...
"You had said that this Jun Mo Xie would eventually calm down in time. However, he first made a huge mess in the capital. And then, he patted his buttocks and went off to the Southern Heaven City. And now, he has done such a filthy thing over there. However, this is a good thing. This would've merely been a matter for gossip if it had happened with someone else. But, this has happened to Jun Mo Xie! And, this has created a perfect opportunity to attack him. And, don't forget how Jun Mo Xie had insulted those great scholars some time ago. Moreover, he had done so in front of the Emperor, his relatives, and the court officials! Besides, that Old Man Jun also despises the government officials. Military and bureaucracy have always been at odds with each other. In fact, they probably will remain so forever. So, wouldn't those scholars take this chance to hit the Jun Family when they're down…?" The Emperor's face was riddled with grievances. In fact, it seemed that his resentments had arisen since his expectations hadn't been met.
The Empress's expression was extremely cold as she sat to the side. In fact, it seemed as if she hadn't even heard a single word. There was a chance that she may have heard some of it. However, she didn't have any expression belying it. However, the Princess had a somewhat sad and worried expression on her face. In fact, she was looking anxiously at her father — the Emperor.
These things had been happening every once in a while inside the Palace these days. And, the main reason for this was that the Emperor wanted to use these opportunities as a pretext to try and talk to the Empress. However, the thread of conversation had turned to Jun Mo Xie this time…
However, the outcome was the same as the others… The Empress would sit cold-faced. In fact, she would be as calm and quiet as an ice sculpture. And, the Emperor would eventually finish talking, sigh, and leave…
The Princess could remember her father pining after her mother like that since ever. In fact, the Princess's heart felt a lot of pity for her father. After all, this had been the case for over ten years now. [How does he get by his day? After all, Father is the ruler of an empire. However, he has been fawning in a low voice over his wife in this manner for ten years! Doesn't this infatuation prove everything?]
[However, my mother hasn't changed… even a bit.]
[Why?]
[Uncle Ye is pitiful, and Father is also very pitiful…] Princess Ling Meng's heart had deep sympathy for both these in-love men. She didn't know what she could do to make it well. Nor could she choose a side…
How long had this been going on for? The Emperor knew that it had been going on for a very long time. In fact, it had been so long that he had forgotten when it had started. But, the Empress still remembered it very clearly.
The Empress had treated her husband with the respect after their marriage ceremony. However, the birth of Princess Ling Meng had left the Emperor besides himself with joy. Consequently, he had drunk himself well, and had said something which he should've never uttered in front of the Empress…
It was about the real reason behind the extermination of Ye Gu Han's Family!
This cold wall between husband and wife had been erected as a result. And, it had continued to stand strong to this date. In fact, it hadn't even thawed ever since. And, perhaps it would never thaw in the future either…
This moment seemed no exception either. So, the Emperor finished talking, and sighed as he looked at his wife's reactionless face. In any case, it would've been strange if she had reacted to his words of complain…
However, his efforts managed to exceed his expectations this time…
And, a strange thing happened!
"You needn't speak of how everyone in the city is gossiping about Jun Mo Xie. That matter is public knowledge! You were the one who sent him to the Southern Heaven City to die. And, you're acting innocent now…? Your Revered Majesty, why do you always use such methods? Can't you change your methods?" the Empress slowly spoke-up.
The Emperor turned around like a whirlwind, "What did you say? Do you know what you're talking about?"
"Of course I know what I'm talking about. What I'm saying is… can you not be so shameless? Don't you think that this will affect your image as the ruler of this nation? A real man acts courageously, and he takes responsibility. Do you think you can be considered a real man now?" the Empress spoke-up in a slow and clear manner.
The Emperor was astonished by this. [She would never say anything when I would talk to her in the past. However, this quiet woman has suddenly started to distort the right and wrong when I brought up Jun Mo Xie. In fact, she is even cursing me so bitterly! This is the first time this has happened in more than ten years! Why?]
[Why?]
She had been feeling guilty all those years, and she had wanted to redeem herself… She would dream of going back to the days of her youth…
The Empress had always acted in a dignified and graceful manner. She had never acted out in inflamed anger. In fact, she had never spoken so sharply even when she had been unhappy. This was the first time since that 'incident of the past' that she had behaved like this.
Princess Ling Meng's expression became one of fright as she looked at her father. Then, she looked towards her mother. She had long become accustomed to that cold wall between her parents. In fact, she couldn't even imagine witnessing anything beyond that between these two. Therefore, she was at a loss for a moment…
"I'm shameless? Why do you always say that I'm shameless? Why do you call me shameless?" His Majesty spoke-up in violent rage, "I'm the Emperor! I have to look out for the whole society! I have to give thought to everyone who lives in my lands! Where have I gone wrong? I have to look after millions of people! So, I have no luxury for words like, 'a real man'!"