System: [What a headache, this gossip. I don’t even know where to start, it’s so complicated.]

Yuan Ruan, on the other hand, got excited: [Is it like a drama series? I’m even more excited now. Take your time, System, let’s go one by one.]

Everyone: Yes, yes, the more details the better. I want to dig into it.

System: [Alright then. First, there’s the National Preceptor of Shu and his sworn brother. The National Preceptor of Shu was originally a wild man from the mountains and forests, then he was captured and sold as a slave to a scholar. Initially, the National Preceptor of Shu intended to escape, but he was captivated by his master’s beauty and kindness, especially after discovering that the scholar also liked men, making him even more reluctant to leave. Then, every day, he would draw water from the well next to his master’s bedroom to bathe, often shirtless, touching and getting close… constantly pulling off these flirtatious moves. A year later, he was pounced on by his master, who couldn’t hold back anymore. Two years later, the two overcame numerous obstacles, secretly went to a temple to worship the gods, and became sworn brothers. Then… hehehe, Yuan Ruan, do you want to hear the details of their interactions?]

Yuan Ruan: [Hiss… forget it, this background story is too full of dog food. Let’s have something more dramatic and thrilling.]

System: [Alrighty.]

The court officials were shocked: Wait, isn’t this already quite stimulating, with the servant seducing his master?

Several court officials who wanted to hear more details anxiously clenched their hands, but when they noticed the emperor and the crown prince’s half-smiling gazes, they quickly put on serious expressions.

System: [Two years later, this scholar was recommended to serve as an official in the capital of Shu. However, the recommender discovered that the Minister of Rites was utterly infatuated with the scholar’s beauty. Without hesitation, the recommender drugged the scholar and sent him to the Minister of Rites, who then slept with him. When the scholar woke up, he resisted fiercely, but was forcibly confined and taken by the Minister of Rites.]

The court officials instinctively glanced to the left.

There stood a Minister of Rites, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.

Though it wasn’t the same person, hearing the same title still felt, well, strange, and they couldn’t help but take another look.

Yuan Ruan: [Hiss… what happened next?]

System: [This scholar, unwilling to be imprisoned, once took advantage of the Minister of Rites taking him out to worship the gods and escaped. Then, your favorite drama unfolded. The previous National Preceptor of Shu, who had been drugged with an aphrodisiac, also escaped, and the two ran into each other. Sparks flew, and they got intimate. After that, the previous National Preceptor was also captivated by the scholar’s beauty and, due to his virgin mentality, rescued the scholar and confined him in his own residence, forcibly taking him.]

Yuan Ruan’s baby body trembled: [Ah, this… out of the wolf’s den and into the tiger’s lair? Seriously, how beautiful is this scholar that everyone who sees him wants to forcibly take him? I really want to see! Are there any pictures?]

System: [Yes, there are. Take a look.]

Yuan Ruan: [Hiss, this is that “Hey! Wife” style. Not exactly stunningly beautiful, but there’s a fragile, pitiable charm to him. No wonder…]

The court officials instinctively looked up: curious, and also somewhat wanting to see.

Yuan Ruan continued: [Wait, he was forcibly taken three times in total, so was it because of his beauty that he was finally taken by the emperor?]

System: [Not exactly. But he was indeed forcibly taken by the emperor.]

Everyone: ???

What?

If not for his beauty, then what else?

Yuan Ruan: [Ah? Then what? His inner beauty?]

System: [The Emperor of Shu had always loved the previous National Preceptor of Shu. One of the emperor’s lackeys deliberately drugged the previous National Preceptor, intending to offer him to the old emperor as a tribute. But… this outcome happened. The old Emperor of Shu was furious. First, he had his lackey executed by a thousand cuts, then he stormed into the National Preceptor’s residence and forcibly took the scholar.]

Yuan Ruan: [Ah?]

The court officials: Ah???

Wait, didn’t the old emperor love the previous National Preceptor? Why did he sleep with the scholar?

Is there something wrong with this logic?

Yuan Ruan: [This doesn’t make sense. Did the old emperor sleep with the wrong person?]

System: [No, no, the emperor, because of his deep love, dared not defile the previous National Preceptor. His entire harem was filled with substitutes resembling certain parts of the previous National Preceptor. Every time the old emperor took the scholar, he would ask if the previous National Preceptor had been treated the same way, and even asked… well, it was just a jealous look.]

Yuan Ruan: […I, heavens! This old emperor is deeply in love, my foot! Frantically finding substitutes and fathering a bunch of children, and at sixty, deliberately messing with a “rival”… there are too many points to rant about… True love should be like Cheng Weining!]

System: [Exactly. Cheng Weining is the true warrior of pure love!]

The court officials of Xia looked at Cheng Weining with half-smiles.

Cheng Weining felt a bit shy but soon puffed out his chest proudly.

Yuan Ruan: [There were three forcible takings here. Let me guess, in the end, did the scholar and the current National Preceptor of Shu connect and then together took revenge by poisoning the previous National Preceptor?]

System: [Ah, no, it wasn’t like that… the emotional lines here are so damn complicated, maybe we shouldn’t talk about it anymore.]

The court officials: !!!

No, no! Don’t stop here!

We understand, System, please finish!

Yuan Ruan also perked up: [Go on, how much more complicated can it be than Ran Dong?]

The System said gravely: [Much more complicated. Every time the old emperor took the scholar, they would discuss many of the previous National Preceptor’s preferences. Through these exchanges, the old emperor found that the scholar’s personality was very similar to the previous National Preceptor’s, and the old emperor also somewhat fell in love with the scholar.]

Yuan Ruan: [Ah?]

The court officials: Ah?

The System continued: [The National Preceptor of Shu wanted to kill the old emperor, so he infiltrated the previous National Preceptor’s residence and replaced the elixir the previous National Preceptor was refining for the old emperor with poison. After lurking for a long time, one day he discovered that the previous National Preceptor had actually drawn pictures of his intimate moments with the scholar. The National Preceptor of Shu, upon seeing this, was consumed with jealousy, and then… well, he subjected the previous National Preceptor to various forms of torture, and finally castrated him, saying it was to make him atone for forcing the scholar into intimacy?! But the previous National Preceptor was also mentally ill; after being castrated, he actually developed Stockholm Syndrome and fell in love with the National Preceptor of Shu, even helping him secretly meet with the scholar.]

Yuan Ruan: [Ah?]

The court officials: Ah?

What’s Stockholm Syndrome?

Wait, someone can fall in love with the person who castrated them? That’s terrifying.

System: [Castration often leads to fatal infections, so the previous National Preceptor was on the verge of death. The old emperor, noticing the previous National Preceptor’s declining health, became desperate and fed him the elixir, which had been tampered with. After consuming it, the previous National Preceptor died. The old emperor was horrified, mistakenly believing that the poison was intended for him, that the previous National Preceptor wanted to kill him. The shock was too much, and the old emperor became partially paralyzed.]

Yuan Ruan: [Ah?]

The court officials: Ah?

What the hell!

The old Emperor of Shu became partially paralyzed because of this?

This emperor is way too fragile.

System: [The old Emperor of Shu thus harbored hatred for all Daoist priests. He was very resistant to the new National Preceptor recommended by the Longhu Temple. By this time, the scholar and the National Preceptor of Shu had already met, and the scholar recommended the National Preceptor of Shu, which the old emperor gladly accepted. After the National Preceptor of Shu entered the palace… well, the emotional dynamics among the three of them are also quite dramatic.]

Yuan Ruan: [Hmm, so how are the three of them dramatic? Can you elaborate?]

The court officials: We really want to know.

System: […No, what’s currently displayed is all mosaic literature… you know, like those po novels.]

Yuan Ruan: [Oh… a threesome? Or non-consensual? Sandwich?… Hmm, are there pictures? I can’t quite imagine it.]

System: [The abacus beads are practically hitting me in the face, no, no! None! I’m a proper system. Instantly understanding this isn’t proper!]

The court officials: …

Seems like they instantly understood too.

Yuan Ruan rubbed her bun-like face, her eyes drifting as she changed the subject: [Ahem, a chaotic dogblood stew. Were ancient high-ranking officials really this messy? Hiss, I hope my brother isn’t like this.]

The emperor stumbled, never expecting to be backstabbed like this.

The court officials: !!!

Hiss, this image is too beautiful, they dare not imagine it.

System: [Hiss, now that you mention it, given that your brother has the most vines entangled around him, making him the king of gossip, it’s hard to say. Maybe we should take a look.]

The court officials’ eyes lit up.

---

This chapter totally wiped me out. I can’t tell if it’s sad or funny—it’s a mix of both, and it’s kind of messing with me. I feel so bad for the Previous National Preceptor, though. Poor guy.