Gathering for Gossip

"Rongchang, my friend, it suddenly occurred to me that we haven't gotten together in ages. You wouldn't mind if I came over for a cup of tea after court, would you?"

One of Xun Rongchang's friends slung an arm around his shoulders and spoke with a grin.

"Hey, don't you two forget about me! I'm coming too!"

Another of Xun Rongchang's friends chimed in from the side, afraid they would leave him behind when they went to enjoy the gossip.

Hearing them, Xun Rongchang's face darkened. If he remembered correctly, the three of them had met at a restaurant just yesterday. How did his friend have the nerve to say they hadn't gotten together in ages?

What, had his memories gotten scrambled?

It wasn't just his friends. Even his superior came over to him.

"Rongchang, I've been thinking. As your superior, I ought to show you more care. Let's start today."

Having said that, he made as though to accompany him home.

The others nearby had also been quietly watching them.

Seeing that several people were already going, they prepared to trail along discreetly. After all, a chance to enjoy gossip like this didn't come along every day.

Xun Rongchang was helpless. If it had only been his friends, he could have sent them away. But now there were others—not just his superior, but several high-ranking ministers he ordinarily couldn't even get close to. What was he supposed to do?

So he simply let the cracked pot shatter. Whatever. If they wanted to come, they could come.

Apart from a few ministers who genuinely had matters to attend to, many followed him home.

Meanwhile, Jiang Nuan was secretly plotting how to slip out and enjoy the gossip when someone suddenly flicked her forehead.

"Father, what was that for?"

Jiang Nuan rubbed the spot he had flicked and gave him an accusing look.

"One look at you, and I could tell you were plotting some mischief. You were grinning so hard you were drooling."

Seeing Jiang Nuan's sly expression, Jiang Yunsheng interrupted her thoughts.

Jiang Nuan instinctively wiped the corner of her mouth with her sleeve, only to find nothing there. Her lips immediately puckered into a pout.

"I wasn't! Father, you lied."

"Hahahaha!"

Jiang Yunsheng couldn't help laughing at Jiang Nuan's impish little face.

Under her accusing gaze, he patted her head and said:

"All right, don't be angry. If I remember correctly, you've never left the palace before. Would you like to go out and have some fun?"

"Yes! I would! Of course I would!"

Jiang Nuan tilted her head back and opened her eyes wide. They said the eyes were the windows to the soul, so she tried to let Jiang Yunsheng see her longing to leave the palace through them.

"Good. I happen to be leaving the palace today. You can come with me."

Rather than let Jiang Nuan sneak out, he might as well take her himself.

Learning that she could leave the palace, Jiang Nuan was delighted and threw her arms around Jiang Yunsheng's... thigh.

There was no helping it. She was a little shorty now, while her scummy father was incredibly tall—over six foot three, by her estimate. She was only as tall as his legs.

Jiang Yunsheng scooped up Jiang Nuan, who was clinging to his thigh, then climbed into the sedan chair, ready to leave the palace.

At the Xun residence, Madam Xun was stroking a washboard, occasionally glancing toward the front gates.

She looked at the maid beside her and said, "Judging by the time, my husband should be arriving soon, shouldn't he?"

"Yes, madam. If he follows his usual schedule, the master should be arriving soon."

The maid answered respectfully.

A little while later, a maid came to announce:

"Madam, the master's carriage is almost at the residence."

Hearing this, Madam Xun rose, picked up the washboard, which stood half a person's height, and headed toward the entrance.

Soon, Xun Rongchang stepped out of his carriage.

Madam Xun was just about to bring out the washboard when she noticed several more carriages behind his. Their passengers stepped out as well.

Their matching court robes proclaimed their status, and Madam Xun froze with her hand still poised to bring out the washboard.

What was going on?

Madam Xun could never have imagined that this scene had come about because a certain little imp had openly indulged in gossip at court. She was still wondering when her husband had become so popular.

Should she bring out the washboard, then? Or quietly throw it away?

Before long, however, she no longer had to agonize over it. A clear, childish voice reached everyone's ears.

[Oh, so many people! Looks like I'm not too late. This is the perfect time to enjoy the gossip.]

The ministers who had attended court that day knew the Ninth Princess had arrived as soon as they heard that voice.

After looking around, they spotted Jiang Nuan lurking furtively behind a wall, along with the figure standing behind her.

They were about to go over and pay their respects when they saw Jiang Yunsheng give them a slight shake of his head.

Realizing that Jiang Yunsheng didn't want to be disturbed, they turned their attention back to the gossip.

[Oh, is that a washboard behind Madam Xun? She can't even hide it. Come to think of it, why are so many ministers here today? Is the Xun residence hosting a banquet?]

Hearing that she couldn't hide the washboard, Madam Xun's hand trembled.

Clatter!

The sound of the object hitting the ground rang out with perfect clarity.

Everyone's eyes settled on the washboard.

Madam Xun gave a couple of awkward laughs and tried to cover for herself. "I was just thinking that I hadn't washed my husband's clothes in a long time and was about to do so. I hadn't expected all you gentlemen to visit. Please excuse this embarrassing sight."

[Madam Xun came up with a pretty good excuse. It's just that Lord Xun has knelt on that washboard so many times that the marks are really obvious, hahaha.]

The escape route she had just found was ruthlessly torn away, and Madam Xun could barely keep the smile on her face.

Where on earth was this child's voice coming from? Why did it keep doing such underhanded things?

Following Jiang Nuan's words, everyone began inspecting the washboard. Sure enough, they found two circular marks whose color differed slightly from the surrounding wood.

Xun Rongchang's two friends poked him and gave him looks that said, "Who knew you were this sort of man?"

Under everyone's teasing gazes, tears were already welling in Xun Rongchang's eyes.

Seriously, had anything about his day been easy?

Since there was no hiding his affairs anymore, he simply stopped pretending.

He threw himself straight into Madam Xun's arms, tears pattering down.

Still, he didn't forget to explain the current situation to his wife.

A flicker of surprise appeared on Madam Xun's face, but she quickly absorbed this bizarre turn of events and even patted his shoulder comfortingly.

Seeing him look so "delicate," Xun Rongchang's two friends felt their eyes burning. They even wondered whether he and his wife had gotten their roles reversed.

The maids and manservants around them, however, looked thoroughly accustomed to the sight.

[Hahahaha! Is this a real-life Beauty and the Beast? I'll be the first to raise a toast to this couple! Guagua, I want the gossip on these two!]

The ministers who had thought the spectacle was over and were about to leave stopped in their tracks.