Loyalty Hall was brightly lit.
Shi Mei had parted ways with them a while back. Mo Ran stepped into the hall after Xue Meng, perplexed, but suddenly understood the situation upon seeing the scene inside.
Rong Jiu, that sissy.
Mo Ran had stolen some money from him before leaving, and he'd actually had the nerve to come to Sisheng Peak to complain.
Rong Jiu was crying miserably while curled into the arms of a large, stocky man. When Mo Ran and Xue Meng entered the hall, his sobs grew three pitches higher, as if he might foam at the mouth and swoon if not for the arms holding him.
On the dais, behind a bead curtain, a delicate lady sat, clearly at a complete loss.
Mo Ran didn't spare the repulsive pair so much as a glance, and instead saluted to the lady. "Aunt, I'm back."
This woman was indeed the master of Sisheng Peak, Madam Wang.
Unlike those heroines who were every bit a match for their male counterparts, she was a meek homemaker who did not dabble in outside matters. Without her husband here, she really didn't know how to deal with this at all. She spoke timidly, saying, "A-Ran, you've finally returned."
Mo Ran acted as if he didn't even see the pair here to complain, and smiled at her. "Aunt is up so late, did you need me for something?"
"Mn. You see, this Rong gongzi says that you… that you took his money?"
She had a thin face, and was too embarrassed to say that Mo Ran went whoring. Sooo instead, she chose to address the minor offense.
Mo Ran's eyes curved in a smile. "Really? It's not like I'm short on money, why would I need to take theirs? Besides, they don't look familiar, do I know you?"
The stocky man sneered. "Yours truly is surnamed Chang, the eldest of my family. As a business person, minor formalities matter little; you may call me Chang Da [eldest son]."
Mo Ran smiled, and purposefully flipped his name around: "Ah, so it's Da Chang [big intestine] gongzi. It's an honor to finally meet you, please excuse my rudeness. And this other gentleman is…"
Big Intestine gongzi: "Hah, Mo-gongzi sure is fond of acting the fool. This is the first time you and I have met, but in the thirty days of this month, you've spent fifteen nights in Jiu-er's room. Have you gone blind? How would you not recognize him?"
Mo Ran was entirely unperturbed, still smiling as he glanced toward Rong Jiu. "What's this, trying to slander me? I'm a decent, honorable person, of course I've never slept with any San-er or Jiu-er."
Rong Jiu's face was red with anger, but he continued to nestle against Chang's chest, sobbing. "Mo, Mo-gongzi, I know my status is low and unseemly... if you hadn't exploited me so cruelly, I wouldn't have come calling, but to be treated like this, I… I…"
Mo Ran's tone was as if he was the one being wronged. "I really truly do not know you, I can't even tell if you're male or female, how could we have met?"
"You patronized my business just last night, how could you be so cold? Chang-gongzi, Chang-gongzi, you have to get justice on my behalf." He burrowed even deeper into Chang's arms, crying louder than ever.
Off to the side, Xue Meng's entire face was ashen, frown twitching as he listened to this absurdity. If not for the self-restraint of his young master upbringing, he would've beaten this repulsive pair off the mountain long ago.
Big Intestine-gongzi patted Rong Jiu's head while soothing him with soft words, then declared threateningly, "Madam Wang, Sisheng Peak is a virtuous, upright sect, but this Mo-gongzi is vulgar and despicable! Jiu-er works hard for his money, all to buy his own freedom as soon as possible. But this guy! As if mistreating Jiu-er wasn't enough, he even stole all the savings Jiu-er sweat and bled for! The Chang family are not cultivators, but we are moneyed and have been in business for generations. If your sect does not give us a satisfactory explanation today, we will be sure to give the whole lot of you a hard time in BaShu!"
Madam Wang was flustered. "Ah…...Chang-gongzi please calm down, I,
I...…"
Mo Ran sneered internally. The Chang family were salt merchants, ludicrously loaded. Who would believe that the eldest son of the Chang family couldn't afford to buy out Rong Jiu's freedom, and had to let his Jiu-er earn his way himself? Smelled fishy, to say the least.
But his smile remained fixed as he said, "Ah, so Big Intestine bro is the son of Yizhou's affluent merchant family, impressive and commanding as expected.
Truly admirable, admirable!"
Big Intestine-gongzi looked quite smug. "Hmph, so you do know your place. Why don't you make it easy on yourself and 'fess up, where are Jiu-er's things? Hurry and return them."
Mo Ran said, still smiling, "How strange, your Jiu-er takes so many guests every day, even if he lost something, why am I being blamed?"
"You!" Big Intestine-gongzi gritted his teeth, sneering. "Fine fine fine, I just knew you would try to get out of it! Madam Wang, as you've just seen, Mogongzi won't be reasonable, and refuses to come clean, I won't waste my breath on him anymore. You're the one in charge, you decide!"
Madam Wang knew little and less of such affairs, and her words stumbled over each other in her nervousness. "I… A-Ran…... Meng-er…..."
Unwilling to let his mother get put on the spot like this, Xue Meng stepped forward. "Chang-gongzi, Sisheng Peak has strict rules of discipline. If your accusations turn out to be true, if Mo Ran truly violated the mandates against greed and promiscuity, we will naturally deal out severe punishment. However, it's your word against his, have you any evidence?"
Big Intestine-gongzi smirked. "I knew your sect would pull this, that's why we rushed to get here before Mo Ran arrived, to confront Madam Wang."
He cleared his throat, saying, "All of you listen well. Jiu-er lost two units of pearls, ten gold ingots, a pair of gold plum blossom bracelets, a pair of jade hairpins, and a jade butterfly pendant. Just search Mo Ran for these items, and the truth of my accusations will be made clear."
Mo Ran objected, "What right do you have to body search me?"
"Hmph, looks like a guilty conscience to me." Big Intestine-gongzi lifted his chin haughtily. "Madam Wang, what's the punishment for the sins of thieving and lechery at Sisheng Peak?"
Madam Wang answered softly, "Uhm…my husband has always been the one in charge of sect matters, I truly…do not know…"
"Doubtful, doubtful. I think Madam Wang is purposefully playing dumb to shield her nephew. Heh, who would've thought that Sisheng Peak was actually such a corrupt, filthy place——"
"That's quite enough out of you. My aunt already said she's not used to making these kinds of decisions, aren't you done bullying a housewife yet?" Mo Ran interrupted, finally fed up with his blathering. Even the carefree grin that was usually on Mo Ran's face had dropped somewhat. He aimed a sideways glare at the repulsive couple.
"Fine, search me then. But if nothing is found, yet you slandered my sect to such extent, what should be done then?"
"Then I will promptly apologize to Mo-gongzi."
"Sure." Mo Ran agreed easily enough. "But just one thing. If you're wrong,
then you have to crawl off Sisheng Peak on your hands and knees as an apology."
Seeing Mo Ran's confidence, a seed of doubt couldn't help but sprout within Big Intestine-gongzi's heart.
He had held cultivators in high regard since he was young, but he himself unfortunately had no talent for cultivation.
A couple days ago, he'd heard that his old paramour Rong Jiu had somehow earned Mo Ran's favor, so the two had come to an agreement. Rong Jiu would find an opening to seize Mo Ran's cultivation, and Big Intestine-gongzi would buy his freedom in exchange. Not only that, he'd also promised to take Rong Jiu into his household, and take care of him for life.
Big Intestine-gongzi longed for cultivation, Rong Jiu coveted riches. The pair of scoundrels were well-matched in their collusion.
Mo Ran had fallen for their scheme in the previous lifetime. He'd gotten even in the end, but had suffered quite a bit in doing so. This time around, their ploy came up completely empty, for Mo Ran had done an about-face suddenly and for no apparent reason. He'd still been in a drunken stupor mere days ago, nestled tenderly in Rong Jiu's arms, Jiu-er this, Jiu-er that. But this morning, he'd brutally screwed Rong Jiu twice, unexpectedly taken all his belongings and valuables, and run off.
Big Intestine-gongzi was furious, and had immediately dragged Rong Jiu to Sisheng Peak to complain.
This salt merchant gongzi was a shrewd businessman; he figured that if he just busted Mo Ran, then he could force Madam Wang to disperse his cultivation. He'd come prepared with a cultivation-absorbing jade pendant, to gather some easy pickings for assimilation into his own spiritual reservoir later.
But looking at Mo Ran now, Big Intestine-gongzi hesitated.
Mo Ran was a crafty guy. What if he'd already sold the stolen goods, and was just waiting to pull one over on him?
But then again, things had already come to this point, it'd be a waste to give up now. Maybe he was just bluffing…...
The one over here was still struggling with his thoughts, but Mo Ran had already started stripping over there.
He took off his outer robe, casually tossed it aside, and gestured in invitation with a smile. "Go ahead and take your time to search."
After all that racket, they found nothing but some spare change. Big Intestine-gongzi's expression changed entirely.
"Impossible!! You're definitely playing some trick!"
Mo Ran squinted his purple-tinted eyes, stroking his chin. "You've already turned my robe inside out ten times, and touched me all over seven, eight times. There's nothing left to do short of getting totally naked, and you're still not giving up?"
"Mo Ran, you——"
Mo Ran had a sudden realization. "Ah, I get it! Big Intestine-gongzi, could it be that you've been lusting after my good looks, and put on this entire show just to take advantage of me and cop a feel?"
Big Intestine-gongzi was about to pass out from rage; his entire face was red with anger, and he pointed at Mo Ran, but was unable to manage a single word. Watching from the side, Xue Meng had long hit the limits of his patience; he might have disapproved of Mo Ran, but Mo Ran was still a member of Sisheng Peak, and outsiders had no right to degrade him.
Xue Meng strode forward with not a trace of politeness, raised his hand and unhesitatingly broke Big Intestine-gongzi's finger, admonishing, "We've humored you for half the night, but it turns out you were just making trouble out of nothing!"
Big Intestine-gongzi howled in pain, cradling his finger. "T-the lot of you! You're all in on it together! No wonder the things weren't on Mo Ran, you must've hidden them! You strip too, let me search!"
Someone actually dared to order him to strip?! Xue Meng immediately flew into a humiliation-driven rage. "Shameless! You really think those dog paws of yours are fit to touch even the corner of my hem? Get the hell out!"
Now that the young master had spoken, the attendants in Loyalty Hall, also long since fed up with this facade, immediately surged forth to clear out this pair of ordinary people with no means of resistance, and soundly kicked them off the mountain.
Big Intestine-gongzi's furious screeching could be heard from the distance. "Mo Ran, just you wait! I'm not done with you yet!"
Standing outside Loyalty Hall, Mo Ran gazed at the night sky, his eyes curved into a smile, and sighed. "I'm so scared~"
Xue Meng shot him a cold glare. "What're you afraid of?"
Mo Ran said with genuine worry, "They're salt sellers, I'm afraid I won't get to have any more salt in the future~"
"..."
Xue Meng was silent for a moment, before asking, "You really didn't screw the prostitute?"
"Nope."
"And you really didn't steal?"
"I really did not."
Xue Meng hmph'd. "I don't believe you."
Mo Ran raised a hand, laughing. "Let the heavens strike me down with lightning if I'm lying."
Xue Meng suddenly lifted his hand, and grabbed Mo Ran's arm in a vice grip. Mo Ran stared at him. "What are you doing?" Xue Meng humph'd again, and rapidly chanted an incantation. Scattered sounds could be heard as a handful of beads, each about the size of a soybean, slipped out of Mo Ran's sleeve and fell to the ground.
Xue Meng gathered spiritual energy in his hand and waved toward the beads. The beads started glowing and growing in size, turning into a pile of jewels and valuables, plum blossom bracelets, and jade earrings, golden and sparkling on the ground.
Mo Ran: "…We're fellow disciples of the same sect, don't make things difficult."
Xue Meng glowered. "Mo Weiyu, have you no shame."
"Hehe."
Xue Meng roared, "No one's laughing with you!"
Mo Ran sighed. "It's not like I can cry on command."
Xue Meng's face was gloomy. "Is this how you use Sisheng Peak's concealing technique?"
"Mhm, practical applications~"
Xue Meng's anger returned. "That salt merchant was an annoying dog-thing,
so I didn't roast you in front of him. But that dog-thing did have one thing right: violating the mandates against thieving and lechery like you have, no matter which sect you're at, you'd have it coming!"
Mo Ran grinned, undaunted. "And what are you gonna do about it? Wait for uncle to come back to tattle on me?"
He wasn't even worried. His uncle spoiled him to no end; the most he would do would be to scold Mo Ran a little, he'd never have the heart to beat him.
Xue Meng turned around, brushing his wind-blown hair aside, his eyes glinting with scorn in the darkness of night.
"Dad? No, he's at Kunlun and won't be back for a month or two."
Mo Ran's smile froze, an ominous feeling washing over him. He suddenly remembered a certain person.
But——
If he were here, then it would've been him receiving Chang-gongzi at Loyalty Hall today, not the oblivious Madam Wang.
That person… shouldn't be here... right…?
Seeing the flickers in his eyes, Xue Meng's air of disdain became even more obvious.
"Dad does spoil you overmuch, but here at Sisheng Peak, isn't there someone who doesn't coddle you?"
Mo Ran slowly backed away a few steps, a forced smile on his face. "My esteemed cousin, it's so late already, let's not disturb the elder's peace and quiet, I was wrong, there won't be a next time, how about that? Please go get some rest, hehe, you look so tired."
And then he immediately made a run for it.
You've got to be kidding me! This Xue Meng fellow is way too ruthless!
Right now he isn't Taxian-Jun, ruler of the human world, how could he risk falling into that person's hands? If that person were to find out that he had stolen and whored, he'd probably break both of Mo Ran's legs! If he doesn't run now, he won't get a chance to anymore!