Chapter 17: Everyone Knows, Except Gu Nanxi

The indiscreet affairs between Gu Nanxi and her lovers were being dissected in minute detail by the matriarchs of various households.

"The Emperor loves his pet cats most of all. That year, a cat scratched Gu Nanxi, and the Emperor never kept a cat again."

"The Emperor bestows pearls and jade upon others, but for Gu Nanxi, it was a crystal hairpin!"

"Flawless as jade, pure as ice! This is the Emperor's way of warning Gu Nanxi to maintain her pristine and incorruptible virtue!"

"No wonder the Marquis of Yongchang has been forbidden from returning to the capital for over ten years, even after the late Emperor passed away. So that's why."

As these details were connected, they only served to confirm the suspicions held in people's hearts.

Gu Nanxi, one of the protagonists, was entirely unaware of any of this.

The maids in the main courtyard had heard whispers, but they did not dare to ask.

Even Lu Mei, who had always attended to Gu Nanxi, had become self-conscious because of these vivid rumors.

*Could it be that while I am on night watch, my mistress is having secret trysts with someone else?*

"Lu Mei, what are you thinking about?" Gu Nanxi felt that lately, things had not been going smoothly.

The servants in the manor and the courtyard always looked at her with strange expressions.

When she asked them what they were looking at, each one would tremble like a sieve, unable to utter a single word for a long time.

Lu Mei hurriedly brought up a plate of roasted meat: "This maid was simply dazed by the aroma of this roasted meat."

Amused, Gu Nanxi shared half with Lu Mei: "You, truly a little glutton. But the roasted meat from Great Xiangguo Temple is indeed fragrant; it wasn't a waste of my long wait. Take this half and share it with your sisters."

"Thank you, Mistress." Lu Mei's thoughts wandered again. The roasted meat from Great Xiangguo Temple was only sold once every half month and was highly sought after by the citizens of the capital; the queues could stretch from the south to the north of the city.

To be able to buy it so smoothly this time made the errand boy who helped fetch it cry out in luck.

*Could there be some hidden story behind this?*

"Mother!" After a half-month interval, Su Xuanming stepped into Gu Nanxi's courtyard once again.

Su Xuanming's arrival broke the strange atmosphere in the courtyard. The servants, like robots switched on, busily served him tea and water with great enthusiasm.

Their warmth made it seem as if Su Xuanming were the true master of the courtyard.

Gu Nanxi was busy chewing the meat in her mouth, using her eyes to signal Su Xuanming to continue speaking.

The skin beneath Su Xuanming's eyes was bluish, and his entire demeanor was listless.

He first gave Gu Nanxi a flattering smile, then pointed at the roasted meat on the table, making small talk: "Is today's lunch roasted meat? It smells delicious."

Gu Nanxi reluctantly pushed the plate toward him: "Look how thin you've become; you're practically a clothes hanger. If you want to eat, eat more."

Being touched by Gu Nanxi's long-awaited concern, Su Xuanming's nose actually turned sour, and his eyes clouded over with mist: "Mother, I... I want to go to the academy."

As soon as these words were spoken, not only Gu Nanxi, but even Lu Mei and the other maids turned their gazes toward him simultaneously.

"Did the sun rise from the west today?"

Su Xuanming lowered his head deeply. Despite being a tall man of 1.8 meters, he cowered like a quail: "No, I just... I just want to go to the academy."

Gu Nanxi frowned, carefully observing Su Xuanming's expression: "Are you serious?"

Su Xuanming nodded, not daring to look up at her.

"If you want to go, then go."

Even after receiving Gu Nanxi's permission, Su Xuanming did not leave.

He hesitated for a moment before speaking softly: "Mother, I haven't been to the academy for a long time. I want to treat my classmates to a meal."

Gu Nanxi: "How much do you need?"

"200 taels. No, no, 150 taels!" Su Xuanming said through gritted teeth.

Gu Nanxi gave Su Xuanming a deep look: "Lu Mei, go get it for him."

"Thank you, Mother." Taking the money, Su Xuanming turned and walked out of the courtyard, wiping his eyes from time to time.

Gu Nanxi stared blankly at the untouched roasted meat on the table.

At that moment, Su Yunyan, who came every day, walked in and impatiently stuffed roasted meat into her mouth.

"Ah, so delicious. Mother, why aren't you eating?"

Gu Nanxi poured her a cup of warm water: "Drink slowly. Your elder brother was just here; he said the meat smelled good but didn't eat a single bite."

"Oh? Has Big Brother changed his ways? He's always been someone who can't live without meat; he usually devours two pounds in one meal. Today, he actually didn't eat meat?" Su Yunyan spoke with her cheeks bulging.

In the past, she would certainly have been scolded by her mother.

But now, her mother only brought her water, fearing she might choke.

Gu Nanxi also felt something was wrong with Su Xuanming: "Did your brother have a fight with Jing-niang?"

Su Yunyan nodded: "They fought both last night and this morning. Big Brother wants to go to the academy, but Jing-niang won't allow it."

Gu Nanxi's frown deepened. Su Xuanming was not naturally inclined toward studying; in the past, the original owner had to force and pressure him to go to the academy.

For the past ten or so days, he hadn't even picked up a pen, let alone attended school.

Why the sudden urge to go to the academy today?

And even if it meant having a massive fight with Jing-niang?

"Has your brother been acting strangely lately?"

Without a second thought, Su Yunyan replied: "Ever since he met Jing-niang, he's been like he's possessed; nothing is like it used to be."

Having eaten and drunk her fill, Su Yunyan saw Gu Nanxi's furrowed brow and, unable to hide her concern, couldn't help but advise: "Mother, why bother managing them? Big Brother is grown up; surely no one can bully him? Just stop worrying and enjoy your beautiful life."

Su Yunyan stood up and began massaging Gu Nanxi's shoulders: "Mother, you've worked hard all these years. Second Brother is right; you should only focus on being happy and carefree. Don't fear those rumors. Neither Second Brother nor I am afraid."

As she spoke, Su Yunyan's eyes actually reddened: "It's just... could you please not divorce Father? If you divorce and remarry, you'll be strictly controlled by your new husband's family. How could you be as free as you are now? You and Father can each manage your own affairs; even if you have three or four lovers, it wouldn't matter."

Su Yunyan was strong, making the massage exceptionally comfortable.

Gu Nanxi was almost falling asleep from the comfort when these words struck her, nearly causing her soul to flee her body: "Three or four lovers? How do you know about this?!"

Su Yunyan had let it slip and felt too embarrassed to answer. After a moment of awkwardness, she mumbled: "Second Brother said so."

Gu Nanxi felt completely numb. She frantically messaged the "Compassionate Mother System" in her mind: *Such an important plot point, why didn't you tell me sooner? Back then, you only said it would be a painless motherhood, you didn't mention the lovers!*

The Compassionate Mother System had read the original book to death but could find not a single word regarding this matter: *It wasn't written in the book! You are merely the mother of a cannon fodder villain—the cannon fodder of cannon fodder. Who would write so much about you in the book?*

While the person and the system were arguing in her mind, Lu Mei, as if by fate, dropped another bombshell.

"Scholar Chen is noble and elegant, and Minister Li is brilliantly talented, with looks surpassing Pan An. But you've even enticed the Emperor..."

???!

Was the original owner's "fish pond" really this large and of such high quality? She had even caught the current Emperor?

This was truly wild. Gu Nanxi thought to herself: *I can't act this out; I truly cannot act this out!*