LOT – Chapter 25 The Deputy Minister of Justice’s Peculiar Aesthetic

No one knew about Emperor Xuande’s worries—everyone below was busy eating melon seeds and watching the drama unfold.

Lin Mo was especially excited and hurriedly asked the system: [Hurry up and tell me what’s going on with the Deputy Minister of Justice. Don’t keep me in suspense!]

System: [It’s actually not a big deal. It’s just that not long ago, didn’t he have diarrhea? You know, when you’ve got diarrhea, no fart can be trusted. And he made that fatal mistake.]

Lin Mo: [Hahahaha! I can totally picture it now. Who would’ve thought that someone as stern as the Deputy Minister of Justice would have such an embarrassing incident!]

The other officials all lowered their heads—clearly, the same image had appeared in their minds.

The Deputy Minister of Justice: …

That entire morning court session thoroughly ruined the reputations of both the Grand Preceptor and the Deputy Minister. Emperor Xuande even kept them behind after court was dismissed.

Looking at the two ministers before him, Emperor Xuande sighed and held his head in his hands, his face full of grief as he said: “Tell me, is there any hope left for this country?”

Grand Preceptor and Deputy Minister: ??? Why was His Majesty suddenly questioning whether the country still had hope? Everything seemed to be flourishing and prosperous—how could there be no hope?

“We beg Your Majesty to clarify,” the two of them bowed with cupped hands.

Emperor Xuande: “I never knew my officials couldn’t even control their own bowels! If word of this spreads to other nations, won’t they laugh themselves to death?”

“Seriously, what’s wrong with you two? Can’t you just have a decent dream? And when you feel a fart coming, can’t you hesitate for just a second?!”

The Grand Preceptor and the Deputy Minister of Justice stared expressionlessly at Emperor Xuande. “Your Majesty, dreaming isn’t exactly something we can control. And as for farting, who knows if it’s going to be solid or just air?”

Emperor Xuande thought about it for a moment.

Hmm… fair point.

Eunuch Li was beside them, holding back his laughter so hard his face was twitching. After so many years by the emperor’s side, ever since that little Lord Lin started attending court, it was like a comedy show every day.

If laughter really added ten years to your life, he’d live to be a hundred!

In the end, the emperor still gave the two of them a good scolding before allowing them to leave the palace—and he even set down a new rule:

No matter what happens in your dreams, even if you find a toilet—

Don’t. Use. It!

And if you feel a fart coming—

You better think twice before letting it out!

Meanwhile, Lin Mo had no idea what chaos was going on in the palace. The moment she got home, her father kicked her right out the door.

“Dad! What did I even do this time?! I haven’t even done anything today!”

Standing outside her house, Lin Mo pounded on the door repeatedly, trying to recall what she might’ve done wrong.

But all she did was wake up and go to court. And she behaved herself perfectly there—didn’t say a word out loud (well, didn’t open her mouth, at least). So why was she being locked out?

Minister Lin’s voice came from behind the door: “You know exactly what happened today. Just stay outside and reflect on your actions!”

She had exposed two high-ranking officials’ embarrassing secrets in one morning. There were ways to enjoy gossip—but this was not it! Thankfully, the Grand Preceptor and the Deputy Minister of Justice were upright officials. If they’d been treacherous courtiers, they might’ve already sent someone to assassinate her.

Then again, this girl probably wouldn’t even fear an assassination attempt. She had the system to protect her. Still, she could do with a bit of quiet reflection outside. Honestly, just looking at her made his eyes hurt and gave him chest pains—he needed some time to calm down, too.

System: [Since your dad won’t let you in, why don’t we take a stroll through the streets? Might as well check out the latest gossip and gather some energy!]

Lin Mo looked down at her court robes: [But I’m still in my official attire… it’s not exactly ideal for walking around.]

System: [Then just buy something new to wear. You brought money, right?]

Lin Mo patted her completely empty money pouch. [Nope.]

System: […Seriously? Who even leaves the house without money? You’re truly one of a kind.]

[Ah, whatever. I’ll just wear this outfit out. It’s not like I’m going anywhere shady—we’re just strolling down the street, right?]

With a dramatic flick of her sleeves and her chest puffed out, Lin Mo marched forward with a fierce and imposing air.

That eighth-rank official uniform, somehow, looked as if it were radiating the confident glow of a top scholar basking in the spring breeze.

The little servant guarding the gate: … People say even a seventh-rank official at a prime minister’s gate is still worth something. But our Second Young Miss isn’t even ranked that high, yet she’s strutting around like she owns the place?

By now, Lin Mo was quite a known figure in the capital. She had barely walked a few steps when someone suddenly called out to her.

“Well, well, if it isn’t Little Lord Lin. Out for a leisurely stroll today?” A young man with a flamboyant outfit blocked her path.

The guy’s face wasn’t bad-looking, but the outfit… oh dear. It was a mess of colors and clashing patterns—a full-on assault to the eyes.

Lin Mo asked the system in confusion: [Why is he dressed like a peacock in full bloom? Doesn’t he realize how blinding this outfit is? I counted—he’s wearing at least five colors! He’s basically a walking, talking peacock display!]

Peacock Young Master: …

The young men standing around him: “Pfft!”

System: [I checked—this is Wei Zheng’an, the son of the Deputy Minister of Justice. He’s actually a decent guy, but his temper’s a bit hot and his fashion sense… is tragic.]

Wei Zheng’an nearly exploded when he heard that. What do you mean tragic fashion sense?! His sense of style was amazing, okay?!

His friends quickly stepped in to calm him down. “Don’t get mad, don’t get mad. Why are you even bothering with her? Even your dad couldn’t win against her—why throw yourself into the fire?”

Lin Mo, on the other hand, was in a great mood and greeted him cheerfully. “Young Master Wei, hello! I hope the Deputy Minister is doing well these days?”

She was honestly just being polite, checking in on his father. After all, the court gossip was something she shared mentally with the system—she had no idea others could somehow hear her commentary.

But to Wei Zheng’an, this was salt in the wound. He had come specifically to defend his father’s honor. The gossip from court had already spread like wildfire. His father may have brushed it off, but he couldn’t just let it go!

Yet the moment he showed his face, Lin Mo dealt him a critical blow—and now he had an unwanted nickname: “Peacock.”

Lin Mo looked the group over from head to toe. The other three were dressed quite decently—it was just this “Peacock” that seemed a bit… off.

[System, when you say this guy has bad fashion sense, like… how bad are we talking? Give me the details.]

Now that it had the spotlight, the system perked up—it had never seen someone with such aggressively bad taste before.

The people around them also perked up their ears curiously. Luckily, they were in a quiet alley with no outsiders around—just the peacock’s own little entourage.

[This guy? Oh, he’s into all sorts of bizarre stuff. You haven’t seen the maids in his courtyard—they’re so… unusual, he could open a whole “Freaky Finds” museum with them!]

The way everyone looked at Wei Zheng’an suddenly changed. Now they were extremely curious about what those maids looked like if even the system was speechless.

One of his friends whispered: “Zheng’an, should we stop by your place later…?”

Wei Zheng’an: “…Get lost, all of you!”