After the birthday banquet ended, Ding Yun once again faded into obscurity, focusing her attention on the cultivation of superior livestock. She believed that her ability to gain sufficient influence would ultimately depend on superior crops and livestock. Therefore, how could she not dedicate herself to it?
While she retreated from the public eye, it didn't mean that the capital was devoid of excitement. After all, in such a grand capital with so many high officials and nobles, whose family didn't have some gossip?
Today, the Duke's heir was beaten and had his legs broken while visiting a brothel.
Tomorrow, a certain Marquis's concubine was beaten to death by his primary wife.
The day after, a certain驸马 cried about the princess keeping male favorites.
There was truly never a lack of excitement. Recently, the excitement had been so abundant that many citizens of the capital were almost overwhelmed by the gossip, exclaiming about the chaos within the noble families.
And some of this excitement was deliberately spread by Ding Yun. After all, gossiping alone was too lonely. It was much more enjoyable to gossip together.
As for where Ding Yun obtained all this gossip, it was primarily due to the Peony Fairy Card she obtained, which allowed her to communicate with all peonies and gain inspiration. She then experimented with a newly acquired Maid Card and discovered that she could communicate with all animals in the world, even seeing the world through their eyes. Coupled with her powerful mental strength, she could possess dozens or hundreds of animals simultaneously to observe the world.
What in the capital could she possibly not know? She was fully aware of all the dirty secrets and illegal acts occurring within the various households. This made Ding Yun stop watching plays and listening to storytellers for a considerable period. She would spend her free time possessing animals and visiting different households. She would gather the latest information, then selectively release the exciting and illegal tidbits. This not only enriched the entertainment and spiritual lives of the capital's populace but also incidentally upheld justice and the law. Why not? These tidbits were far more engaging than any storybook. After all, an author's imagination had its limits, but some people had no bottom line when it came to their conduct. Real-life events were far more outrageous and beyond imagination than any storybook. For those committing heinous crimes but holding positions of power, making them likely to be shielded, Ding Yun would specifically manipulate animals to directly punish them. She couldn't make men pregnant and give birth, but she could cause the parasites within their bodies to multiply rapidly in a short period, consuming their brains until they were empty.
The result of this was that within half a year, there were few interesting bits of gossip left in the capital. Many wrongdoers were too terrified to act, and many people's moral bottom lines had risen considerably, no longer daring to act recklessly for fear of being exposed. While it hadn't reached the point of "people not picking up lost items," the overall atmosphere of the capital had indeed improved significantly. Ding Yun had, in a sense, achieved her goals without seeking recognition.
...
At the end of another year, a joyous piece of news suddenly arrived from the imperial palace. Three concubines in the harem were successively found to be pregnant, most of them only one to two months along. It was rumored that half a year prior, Emperor Huiyang had specifically invited an imperial physician to condition his body, and now it seemed the physician's efforts were paying off.
Instantly, the entire court was in a state of agitation. Some hoped Emperor Huiyang would have a son, thus resolving the issue of succession. However, others did not wish for him to have a son. Consequently, over the next few months, Ding Yun finally had a large amount of gossip to feast on. Although this gossip all revolved around one matter, it was still gossip nonetheless. After several months of a barren gossip field, Ding Yun's palate had become less discerning. As long as there was gossip, she was content, not picky.
The gossip during this period primarily focused on the three pregnant concubines. Only one of them was carrying Emperor Huiyang's child; the other two were one who faked her pregnancy with medication, and another who was pregnant by a forbidden guard. The one who faked her pregnancy was instigated by Prince Liyang, who planned to replace the prince with the concubine's child later. Coincidentally, Prince Liyang also had several concubines who had recently become pregnant, making them suitable for the "weasel for a prince" scheme. The one pregnant by the forbidden guard was due to a childhood romance. However, due to family changes, they couldn't be together. They unexpectedly met again in the harem, rekindled their old flame, and things quickly escalated. During the period when the imperial physician had just finished conditioning Emperor Huiyang's body, he had specifically paid attention to the entire harem, showering them with favors. The pregnancies were only three to five days apart, making it impossible to detect the deception through pulse-taking, thus they successfully managed to deceive everyone. Emperor Huiyang and the Empress both highly valued these three pregnant women and were currently doing their utmost to protect them, fearing that someone might harm them.
The younger concubines in the harem saw this as an opportunity, constantly seeking encounters with Emperor Huiyang and vying for his favor. The parents and families of the pregnant concubines were overjoyed. Some imperial princes were in a dilemma, unsure whether to act now or wait until the child was born. If it were a girl, there would be no need to cause trouble. Additionally, many palace maids and eunuchs had been bribed and threatened, lying in wait for orders to act.
In short, the gossip surrounding the pregnancy of the three concubines was truly endless. A single thread could unravel dozens of storylines, with one piece of gossip piling upon another. Even though Ding Yun knew the connecting threads behind each piece of gossip, she couldn't predict the ultimate outcome. Therefore, she watched with great interest in her free time, treating it like a serialized drama.
As time passed, the subsequent gossip became increasingly sensational. For instance, some princes' hidden informants were discovered and eliminated by Emperor Huiyang. The concubine pregnant by the forbidden guard, unable to resist, met the forbidden guard again and was discovered by the hidden guards who were protecting her at all times. However, Emperor Huiyang, not wanting a royal scandal and unaware of whose child she was carrying, merely confined her to the cold palace for the time being. There was also the case of two more concubines becoming pregnant later, and someone attempting to give Emperor Huiyang sterilization medication. Interspersed with this were events such as Emperor Huiyang's second daughter killing her unfaithful驸马, entering the palace to express her desire to become Crown Princess, his eldest daughter dying in childbirth with twins, and the驸马, fearing his own family would be held accountable, committing suicide out of loyalty. These events, and more, made Ding Yun admit that indeed, the royal family had the most gossip, though most of it remained unknown to the public.
However, this peak period of gossip only lasted until the day the free gacha draw opportunities for the new year were updated. To be honest, Ding Yun was somewhat reluctant to let go. After all, this series of gossip hadn't concluded yet. She wondered if her next Fairy Card would grant her any special communication abilities so she could continue to follow the gossip.
To increase her luck, Ding Yun decided not to wear makeup this time, opting for a disguise. She transformed herself into the image of the Peony Fairy she had drawn last time. Then, with great piety, she clicked the button on the gacha machine. This time, the color changed. From golden light, it turned to purple light.
[Longevity Immortal Lady—Ma Gu Card]
"The Longevity Immortals of the Heavenly Court are divided into Yin and Yang. The Southern Pole Immortal Weng oversees the lifespan of all beings in the realms, while below him are male and female Longevity Immortals. The male Longevity Immortal is Peng Zu, and the female Longevity Immortal is Ma Gu, each overseeing the lifespan of males and females respectively."