Empress with no Virtue

If one to ask what was the most popular topic amongst the citizens, it definitely would not be how Da Qi won over the battles against their enemy, it wasn’t about how peaceful times are now, but instead its about the reincarnation of a deity in the empress.

Ding Shun Teahouse is one of the top teahouse in the capital, recently it was packed to the brim, and the people who went there was not for the tea, but for Capital’s No 1 Mouth, Liu Jun Xian.

Book reading has always been the same, perhaps sometimes there was a change in the background, the characters or location. Therefore whenever there is a new story and an interesting one at that, with an eloquent reader, then all you have to wait is to collect money.

Somehow this Liu Jun Xian, came out with a story, speaking about how the empress was a reincarnation of a deity, as well as accompanying the emperor to war. His story about the empress was spoke with vigor and attractively about the empress, with the addition of the battle stories, made the listeners blood heat up. His story was separated into 5 parts, each day he will read about one part, and continued with the second part only on the next day and so on. Everytime he finished one part, the next day there would be more people arriving to listen to his story. When the entire tea house was already filled with people, those with martial arts or were stronger actually was listening from beyond the walls, climbing on to trees or pillars. From far, the teahouse looked really funny, from all the hanging people.

When all 5 parts was told, Liu Jun Xian will restart the story again, however the amount of people listening to it, does not seem to reduce. That is most probably because there were so many people in the capital that did not manage to listen to all 5 parts. Furthermore, when a story is interesting, no matter how many times they have heard it, as long as the person reading it was good at it, the crowd will naturally follow along.

The teahouse owner business’s was greatly improved, and Liu Jun Xian also made a fortune himself.

The other story tellers in the capital, listened to Liu Jun Xian’s story and went back, changed the story a little bit and started their own story telling. As their skill cannot be compared with him, the amount of people they receive are way lesser in comparison. However, they still get some customers, as Ding Chun teahouse is always full. The stories they created turned the empress into different varieties, from being a hopeless romantic to a charismatic person.

Therefore the current trend of the capital was none other than the empress. No matter old, young, rich or poor, they all seem to have something to say about the empress. The love stories between the emperor and the empress, the empress fighting demons, etc etc..

In a short period, the theatre people started to turn the empress’s stories into songs, which also turned into a hit. There are 4 famous theatre houses in the capital, and amongst them , Shuang Xi Theatre house is considered the best. In this theatre house, their best singer was actually a fatty, called Chang Xiao Yuan, that can be said as the number one singer in the capital. His song about the empress was also the most popular, and his sessions are always full. Even Liu Jun Xian went to visit his show. Every time Chang Xiao Yuan were to sing, the applause for him would be almost endless. However, looking at the roundish “Niang niang’ on stage really puts one into thought, on whether this act was beautifying the empress or not.

Liu Jun Xian felt abit nervous, because this tasks was given to him by the emperor personally, it was not right to say he himself did a good job. Therefore he went to look for the communication method that Ji Wu Jiu left him to meet with the emperor. After listening to his report, Ji Wu Jiu was very happy, and awarded him with many things, and looked for Nu Zhen slave who was not being good to be sentenced to the jail for causing trouble, in order to reply to the talks in the capital.

After a few days, Ji Wu Jiu personally written a wooden plaque with the words “Shu Jing Si Zuo” and got it delivered to Ding Shun tea house. Immediately the owner of the teahouse immediately cleared a s.p.a.ce for Liu Jun Xian’s storytelling sessions and a place for him to hang his plaque there, the moment it was hanged, the amount of envy was unlimited. To be honest, Ji Wu Jiu was someone who could write very well, but he does not like to boast around, therefore his works are not easily found, a lot of high ranking ministers didn’t even get the honour, but for a normal storyteller to obtain such an honour, was really too much.

After that, Liu Jun Xian officially became the no 1 storyteller nationwide.

Ever since then the empress’s name was carried in high prestige, the emperor however was faced with his first ever scandal.

The case was like this. He has been to Cui Fang Lou for so many times, someone would be bound to see him, it was impossible to cover everyone’s mouth, therefore on his final visit to Cui Fang Lou, to end his relations there, the news of him visiting a brothel was spread out.

For a men to visit the brothel, besides getting scolded from their parents and wife, other people wouldn’t bother much. The case however was different for the emperor, don’t’ even think of avoiding talks, for them to not take records of you when you are with your empress in the bedroom was already considered very lenient. Now, for one to dare to visit a brothel?

Hence, the ministers once again attack Ji Wu Jiu.

Not to mention the case now is vastly different. Earlier we mentioned that the empress was highly respected by the citizens now. So with such a good wife at home, you ignored and actually dared to visit a brothel?

Actually, the emperor’s will cannot be questioned, if it was a normal empress, then the citizens wouldn’t really say anything. But who let this empress was an reincarnation of a deity, to marry the emperor was totally giving him face.

Hearing such comment really made Ji Wu Jiu speechless. Afraid that Ye Zhen Zhen will think too much, so he went to her and came clean, after listening to him, she was extremely touched and has consoled Ji Wu Jiu that night very well.

Although managed to settle his wife, but he still can’t ignore the talks. The citizens are  making the gossip worst and worst, and the words they use are more and more ignorant.

But how to settle? To purposely write an edict to explain the entire story to them, stating the real reason he visited the brothel and claiming that he still loves his wife very much? This was not an easy matter to explain after all.

Ji Wu Jiu originally thought that after a few days, the scandal will die down. But with the talks about the empress still going on, whenever she was mentioned, stories about him will be linked somehow or other. Whenever they start to praise the empress, someone will sigh and say why did the emperor went to a brothel.. In the end, JI Wu Jiu wrote an edict saying, that his actions was not right, and promises to change, did the scandal started to die down.

Someone however came out with an evil idea, trying to get others to catch Hong Yun from Cui Fang Lou out as she was the culprit. When Ji Wu Jiu heard of this he couldn’t help but to scold out that the person was stupid, Hong Yun did not even do anything wrong, how can she be taken like that….

But.. Ji Wu Jiu closes his eyes, Hong Yun is innocent, but there is someone else at Cui Fang Lou, that is not so innocent, it’s time to catch her.

The next day, Ji Wu Jiu ordered for a secret capture of the Liu Yue.

Because Liu Yue was a heavy criminal, she was given a single jail cell. Considering that she was a lady, the cell was rather clean, and did not put on the leg chain for her. Liu Yue was brought in after being knocked out, the moment she woke up, she started to claim that she was innocent, and will start her wailing sessions every now and then. Her voice was very flirty, making the guards blood heat up outside.

The people guarding her has already received orders to not torture her, but also to ignore her. Although this lady kept saying she was innocent, but she did not really create any troubles, still eating when it was time to eat, seemingly taking care of herself very well.

After staying there for two days, Ji Wu Jiu finally came.

After being in the jail for two days, Liu Yue was already adapting, she was holding on to the bars claiming her innocence, with a healthy face and voice full of vigor.

When Ji Wu Jiu entered the jail, he got someone to get him a round chair for him to sit. The way he sat was really elegant and nice, totally different from the atmosphere in the jail.

Bending, Liu Yue went towards him and said to him, “Gentlemen, it’s you” her voice carrying a hint of sorrow.

“it’s me” Ji Wu Jiu answered.

“Gentlemen, save me…” she said while suddenly kneeling infront of him, looking with him with tears forming at her eyes.

Ji Wu Jiu raises his eyebrows, “It’s no big deal to save you, but first I must see your sincerity”

Liu Yue’s face turned slightly red, and stuttered a little “Gentlemen, as long as you save me, you… I will do what ever you want”

Ji Wu Jiu lightly pushes her hand away, and said “Kang Cheng Lu did not die. If you were to shout out now, most probably he will be able to answer you”

Liu Yue looked down, “Gentlemen, I do not know what you are talking about”

“It does not matter whether you know or not, but if you want to stay alive, you only need to tell me one thing.”

“Gentlemen, what do you want to know?”

“Where is Ji Li You?”