Chen Wanran felt as though she could not catch her breath, nearly fainting on the spot.
This matter was simply too explosive.
It was no longer merely a case of Shen Honglang keeping a mistress or committing adultery—just another ugly family scandal.
The Great Xia Dynasty placed immense importance on reputation and moral standing.
As long as one’s reputation was good enough, even aristocratic heirs without success in the imperial examinations, military merit, or powerful family backing could still obtain official positions. If their fame spread far enough, they could even rise in rank and nobility.
Shen Honglang was mediocre by nature and incapable of succeeding through the imperial examinations. After the Marquis Manor declined, he could no longer rely on family connections either. Back then, with help from her father, he had managed to reenter officialdom, but his position had not been high.
Because he lacked real talent, he had been unable to accomplish much politically. For several years after entering court, he had remained ordinary and unimpressive, without advancing even a little.
The turning point in Shen Honglang’s career had come from the infamous “favoring the concubine and destroying the wife” scandal at Prince Yi’s Manor.
The Great Xia Dynasty practiced polygamy, but when Shen Honglang had courted her, he had promised her a lifetime of devotion to only one woman. After marriage, he truly had appeared clean and upright, never taking a concubine.
Because of this, after the Prince Yi scandal erupted, Shen Honglang earned widespread praise for being faithful and devoted.
Then there was Master Kongwu.
The renowned monk had formed a connection with the Marquis Manor and, moved by Shen Honglang’s sincerity, supposedly chose to leave the pure tranquility of the temple and reside within the manor to cultivate in the mortal world while praying for blessings and enlightening others.
As those stories spread, Shen Honglang’s reputation soared. His career advanced rapidly through several promotions, until he became a court official capable of speaking before the emperor himself.
Chen Wanran had originally assumed Shen Honglang had merely kept some mistress in secret.
But the woman he had been having an affair with was actually a nun.
And not just any nun—the highly revered Kongwu.
This was utterly absurd.
The wives and daughters of the capital’s noble families deeply admired Kongwu. They frequently visited the Marquis Manor to seek her guidance and enlightenment. Sometimes they even invited her into their homes to chant sutras and pray for blessings.
If people discovered that Kongwu was having an affair with Shen Honglang…
Chen Wanran raised her eyes once more toward the magnificent golden hall before her. Bathed in solemn Buddhist light, the sacred statues seemed almost blinding.
Surely…
Surely they had not done such filthy things inside this very hall, right before the Buddha?
[Oh my god, I do NOT want to see this kind of filthy nonsense! Don’t pollute my eyes! Don’t tell me!]
[Buddha above, forgive me, forgive me! This young lady truly means no disrespect. It’s all that scumbag man and cheap woman’s fault—they dared to commit adultery under your gaze! They really deserve death!]
Uncontrollably, Chen Wanran’s mind conjured the image of two naked bodies tangled together inside the solemn and sacred prayer hall.
The moment the image formed, she viciously pinched herself, forcibly cutting off the filthy thought while silently reciting prayers of repentance in her heart.
Shen Honglang and Kongwu—
How dared they blaspheme Buddha like this?!
How could they possibly dare?!
The chanting stopped.
Kongwu, who had been meditating upon a prayer cushion, slowly opened her eyes, rose to her feet, and walked toward them.
Chen Wanran looked once more at the compassionate-faced Kongwu, her feelings indescribably complicated.
A gentle smile hung upon Kongwu’s lips. Beneath her nun’s cap, her scalp appeared smooth and clean, without the slightest trace of hair.
No one could ever imagine that such a pure and abstinent-looking nun had not only failed to sever worldly attachments, but had even committed such disgraceful acts.
If not for Yier’s miraculous insight, Chen Wanran feared she would have remained deceived for her entire life.
“Benefactor Chen,” Kongwu said gently, her expression full of compassion, “what matter brings you here to seek Kongwu today?”
[So Leng Zhu shaved her head and became a nun twelve years ago, taking the religious name Kongwu. She publicly claimed to have abandoned her secular name, but whenever she was alone with Shen Honglang she still called herself Leng Zhu. No wonder nobody could ever uncover any clues connecting Shen Honglang to Kongwu.]
[Seriously though, Kongwu actually does look like some deeply enlightened nun. How did Shen Honglang—that talentless, immoral freeloader scumbag—manage to seduce a woman who supposedly left the secular world and convince her to carry on a secret affair like this? Is he really that charming?]
“Master Kongwu,” Chen Wanran said calmly, chatting with her as naturally as always.
Thinking about why she had originally come to see Kongwu today, Chen Wanran felt utterly speechless.
At first, she had wanted to discuss Shen Honglang’s infidelity, draw a divination lot, and decide what to do afterward.
But now, how could she possibly seek guidance from Kongwu?
The mistress herself was standing right in front of her. What kind of fortune could such a person possibly interpret?
Chen Wanran was deeply puzzled.
Kongwu and Shen Honglang had several children together. That meant even after becoming a nun, she had still borne children.
No wonder she had once disappeared for more than half a year—it turned out she had been pregnant and giving birth…
Kongwu was famous and supposedly possessed deep Buddhist affinity. After committing such grave violations of sacred vows, how could she still continue devoutly cultivating Buddhism?
[Ah, so that’s why Scumbag Dad was able to pull this off. Kongwu and Scumbag Dad already had a past together!]
[Holy crap! No wonder Leng Zhu dared do something this outrageous and rebellious!]
Chen Wanran instantly sharpened her attention.
[Turns out she’s actually a fake nun!!!]
Chen Wanran: …What?
Kongwu had never truly become a nun?
[All that nonsense about cultivating under eminent monks, deep Buddhist affinity, miraculous spiritual power—it was all fabricated by her and Shen Honglang to fool everyone!]
[Even when Cheap Big Brother supposedly rescued Kongwu back then, the whole thing had been carefully staged by them in advance.]
[They spent years meticulously planning all of this so they could continue their affair more smoothly—and also to advance Shen Honglang’s political career.]
[Tsk tsk. So many people come to Kongwu seeking blessings and enlightenment. Leng Zhu has made up plenty of fake wisdom to pretend she’s profound, and she’s done a ton of shady things. If everyone found out Kongwu was a fake nun who secretly slept with men and even had several children, wouldn’t their faith completely collapse?]
After learning the disgusting truth about Shen Honglang and Kongwu, Chen Wanran had already secretly made up her mind.
One day, at the right opportunity, she would expose Kongwu’s true face so that she could never again deceive the world under Buddha’s name.
[Scumbag Dad’s tastes are seriously unique. Does he have some kind of weird fetish? Nuns can obviously cultivate while keeping their hair, but he specifically insisted she shave her head.]
[Ohhh, turns out it was just to hide things better.]
[Wait—her hair is still there?!]
Shen Zhiyi shot a strange look at Kongwu’s head.
[She’s actually just wearing a fake bald cap? But that scalp looks completely real, and it fits perfectly. What kind of material is this made from? The disguise is insanely convincing.]
Shen Zhiyi clicked her tongue inwardly in amazement.
As expected of an important character in this novel. Even though Scumbag Dad was untalented and immoral, he really was creative when it came to doing evil.
Facing Kongwu’s seemingly pure and flawless gaze, Chen Wanran lightly furrowed her brows, allowing a trace of sorrow to appear upon her face as she sighed softly.
“Master Kongwu, there is something for which I seek your guidance.”
“If my husband kept a mistress outside the home… and even fathered many children with her…”
She looked directly and calmly into the compassionate nun’s eyes.
“What do you think I should do?”
The smile on Kongwu’s lips froze instantly.