Rejected Beauty Practices the Villain Play-Chapter 862 - 838: Rumors
Two months later, the Capital City was already in the depths of summer.
The weather was scorching, and Fengyu, sensitive to both cold and heat, had ice placed in the palace early on. Fruits were chilled in wells before consumption. Even so, it was hard to alleviate the intense summer heat, and due to the heat, Fengyu’s appetite was poor. She only desired chilled fruits to fill her stomach. Xie Xun, worried she might go hungry, tried to accompany her in eating some every day, but Fengyu still found it too hot and was disinterested in meals.
Xie Xun, who hadn’t lived with Fengyu for long periods, was unaware of her habits and treated the situation with great concern. Chunlu and Qiuxiang, however, didn’t think much of it since Fengyu was accustomed to having no appetite in the summer, preferring sour and sweet fruits or chilled syrups. The Imperial Physician advised that consuming too much cold could be detrimental to conceiving offspring. Fengyu was already being cautious by taking fertility medicines.
Xie Xun felt relieved after consulting with Qiuxiang and Chunlu. In a few days, the envoy would return to the Capital City, accompanied by Han Ziqi from Sannan and several members of the Sannan Royal Family. Naturally, both Xie Xun and Fengyu had heard the news of Fang Chuning’s death in Sannan. Xie Xun had the urge to rush to the border to bring Xie Jue home, his worry keeping him awake at night. Yet, he didn’t dare urge Xie Jue by writing to him directly, so he wrote daily to Lin Xiao and Zhang Boxin, requesting a daily report on his Second Brother’s condition, delivered by a special courier. Lin Xiao and Zhang Boxin dared not disobey and sent daily letters detailing everything from meals to activities and rest times.
Receiving the letters only made Xie Xun more anxious. He often said to Fengyu, "Lin Xiao reports that Second Brother eats and sleeps as usual. With Fang Chuning’s death, how could he possibly remain unaffected?"
Fengyu could only console him. The abrupt news of Fang Chuning’s death in battle had left them both deeply saddened and shocked. Although Xie Xun would curse Fang Chuning as a seductress daily, he never wished anything bad to happen to him.
Fang Chuning was also an envoy member handpicked by Xie Xun, and the incident left Xie Xun extremely uneasy. If he felt this way, one could only imagine how much of a shock it was for Mrs. Fang and Fang Lingjun.
The General had entrusted the command of Jiangnan’s forces to his trusted General, and requested to return to the Capital City, a request Xie Xun permitted.
With such a significant event, the General could not remain in Jiangnan and would certainly return home to be with his family. Fang Lingjun cried until her eyes were swollen, and if not for her concern for her mother, she would have set off for Jiangnan long ago. The most harrowing aspect was that Fang Chuning’s body was consumed by fire with no remains for burial, leaving only a symbolic grave.
Fang Chuning’s death was not the end of it. Rumors about him and Xie Jue spread from Sannan to the Capital City, and eventually all of Beining. The salacious rumors about the two powerful men spread widely, even reaching Sannan, where storybooks about their exploits were circulated to the Capital City. Upon seeing the storybooks depicting Xie Jue and Fang Chuning carousing in the barracks, Xie Xun immediately dispatched the Jinyi Guard to arrest the booksellers, sealing the shops and launching thorough investigations into those spreading the rumors. Despite these efforts, he couldn’t stop the gossip, which marred Xie Jue’s reputation, painting him as a man ensnared by male beauty and the culprit of the Sannan unrest. This was particularly damaging now that Xie Jue had children in Beiman, having married Lan Ningzhen and fathered a little Princess, Mingzhu. The rumors now suggested a longstanding affair with Fang Chuning, even alleging revelry during palace banquets. In the public’s eye, Xie Jue had become a depraved lover of both sexes.
Because he was Xie Jue, the renowned Prince Yan, the cornerstone of the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry, and over the years had achieved great military success for the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry and the Beining Dynasty, untainted by worldly desires, cold as snow. Precisely because he was such a demigod-like figure, the scandalous rumors grew ever more exaggerated, beyond Xie Xun’s control.
Xie Jue’s reputation was nearly ruined. In the past, he and Fang Chuning were considered desirable bachelors by the noble ladies of the Capital. Now, they were merely fodder for scandalous gossip.
Xie Jue’s reputation had once been pristine and holy; now, the rumors were degrading and ugly.
"No wonder they never discussed marriage for so many years; they were secretly involved all along. Such disgrace!"
"Truly living up to his title as our Beining Prince. I’ve heard that General Fang is of exceptional beauty. The Prince first had a beautiful Beiman Noble Lady and then General Fang. He is truly fortunate."
"What kind of place is a military camp? It’s the frontline against Beiman. Yet the esteemed think tank and General indulge in revelry. No wonder Beiman has not been defeated for so many years."
"Prince Yan, once thought to be a model of elegance and grace, is just a depraved beast. Disgusting!"
"These nobles are all birds of a feather, fair only in appearance."
"All this bloodshed for a man! Thank goodness he isn’t the Emperor of Beining. What disaster would be wrought by his wrath, tarnishing the reputation of the Marquis Zhenbei Mansion!"
Such gossip was rampant among the public and even in the court, albeit restrained by Xie Xun’s imposing presence and Xie Jue’s reclusive demeanor. Still, people dared not speak in front of Xie Jue, although things were different behind his back.
Lin Helin had overheard young courtiers speculating on multiple occasions, marveling at how close the Prince and General Fang were, implying more to their relationship. They were shocked, puzzled, and curious. They even fabricated tales of seeing them holding hands and kissing at certain times and places. Lin Helin heard these rumors mainly because of Zhang Boju’s outrage.
When two young officials made disrespectful comments behind the scenes, Zhang Boju couldn’t take it. A mere civil official, he rolled up his sleeves and fought them, eyes red with anger.
"In the court or Capital City, wherever you may be, if I catch you gossiping about Fang Chuning, I’ll beat you!" Zhang Boju fumed, "Persist in slandering, and I’ll find an excuse to have you exiled to the wildlands!"
The crowd, "..."
Those gossiping about Fang Chuning mainly belonged to the Li Family’s side. Fang Chuning held high status among the second-generation noble scions, maintained strong friendships, and was fiercely protected by peers like Zhang Boju. They wouldn’t allow anyone to slander him. But the more they defended him, the more fervent their opposing officials became. They knew they couldn’t speak ill of Xie Jue, as the Emperor protected him, and dared not slander the Prince, so they seized the opportunity to attack Fang Chuning. Who would pass up such a chance to strike an opponent?
Hence, gossip thrived both in the court and among the public.
The Fang Family was in the worst plight. Fang Lingjun stopped going out for social activities, for every outing resulted in ridicule, comments about her brother’s unusual preferences, suggesting he’d been consorting with men for years. Various conspiracy theories surfaced about his many deceased fiancées, even implying he had a hand in it. Fang Lingjun, with a fiery temper, fiercely beat a clan girl until her face was battered and bruised. Her family brought the girl to demand justice. Mrs. Fang, with her strong pride, was, for the first time, publicly humiliated and insulted about her family’s lack of propriety. Angered by this, Mrs. Fang fell ill.
