These women paid no heed to anything else, indulging in their laughter at Morgan Shangguan, as if she were their sworn enemy.
Morgan Shangguan had long become the butt of jokes among the women of the Inner Palace. The dignified Princess Consort, caught in bed on the day of her investiture, and of all the beds she could have chosen, she picked the frail Ghost King!
Honestly, there was a reason these women remained out of favor—their lack of cunning and wisdom was obvious. All they cared about was how Morgan Shangguan’s actions had embarrassed Emperor Alexander. He must be displeased with her, and bestowing her the title of 'Enchantress' was proof enough. Wasn’t it a blatant mockery, calling Morgan a seductive vixen who only knew how to tempt men?
Yet they forgot that Morgan Shangguan was now the Princess Consort to Prince Damien, the Ghost King. To treat her so rudely was to insult Damien Gray himself. Emperor Alexander cherished Damien deeply, even if that affection was just for show. With his cunning, Emperor Alexander knew how to keep up appearances—he wouldn’t care about these few neglected concubines. If these women truly mattered, they wouldn’t be so overlooked!
Perhaps, for those lacking in cleverness, not receiving Emperor Alexander’s favor was a blessing in disguise. Otherwise, they might have vanished from the Inner Palace long ago.
A few women were quite satisfied with Morgan Shangguan’s silence; the more they talked, the more spirited and excited they became, wishing they could shame her into the ground.
There will always be people like this in the world—unhappy themselves, yet wanting others to share their misery, as if that could make them feel a little better.
Morgan Shangguan had the misfortune of running into these women just when jealousy and dissatisfaction filled their hearts, making her the perfect target for their need to vent and find balance.
Morgan Shangguan showed little reaction to their mockery. She would never waste anger on such trivial people. But not getting angry didn’t mean she had to let them vent at her—she owed them nothing.
Her fingers tapped twice on the Spirit Gourd at her waist, then she ignored the women and continued walking forward.
A terrified scream sounded from behind her. "Ahhh... a monster!"
"Something's pulling me! A ghost..."
Morgan Shangguan walked farther away, but the shrieks drew the palace guards over. Suddenly, the place was in an uproar. The guards thought there was an assassin—if one had infiltrated the palace and harmed someone, none of them could bear the consequences. Especially now, with the Azure Crown Prince still in residence, they dared not relax for a moment.
But when they arrived, they were at a loss for how to react. All they saw were several women frantically tearing at their own clothes, nearly naked, striking seductive poses.
What the guards couldn’t see was a group of ghosts, now thoroughly excited.
"Heh heh... This one’s got such smooth skin!"
"Hey, shouldn’t we head back soon?"
"What's the rush? The mistress finally gave us a task—we can’t do a sloppy job!"
"Exactly, let’s have a bit more fun! Tsk tsk... this feels great!"
The women were now completely naked, writhing and moaning suggestively. The guards stood dumbfounded, unsure what to do. Finally, their leader snapped out of it and sent someone to report to Emperor Alexander—this situation was simply too bizarre!
Not far away, Damien Gray stood in a hidden spot, calling softly, "Maxwell Jing!"
Maxwell Jing appeared in a flash. Damien’s cold voice echoed through the small courtyard, "Throw them into the Red Tent!" Being sent to the Red Tent as military courtesans was worse than being a brothel girl—most women thrown there did not live long, dying from torment and abuse.
Damien Gray glanced at the commotion. The little ghosts trembled, then each grabbed a woman and sped off. The guards only saw fleeting shadows, and when they came to, the place was empty.
Maxwell Jing had long suspected the presence of these strange beings, so he wasn’t surprised. With a quick movement, he followed along—it was certainly easier than carrying all those women himself!
Morgan Shangguan didn’t find Damien Gray in the Imperial Garden, nor did she plan to join the chaos. Instead, she went straight to the carriage to wait.
Soon, Damien Gray boarded the carriage, pulled her into his arms, kissed her cheek, and smiled, "My Princess Consort has frightened everyone!" His gentle whispering, full of laughter, was a far cry from his earlier coldness. No wonder no one ever connected the Ghost King with the Ghostmaster.
Morgan Shangguan raised an eyebrow, realizing he must have witnessed the earlier scene. She hadn’t even sensed his presence—his martial arts truly were extraordinary. Relaxing against him, she said nonchalantly, "I am the Enchantress, after all! It’s only fair to scare people now and then."
As the carriage rolled on, Morgan reached for a wooden box beside her and handed it to Damien. "Emperor Alexander sent you a spirit elixir!"
Damien Gray opened the box, curled his lips in a cold smile, and said, "Is he worried I can’t satisfy you, or afraid you’ll bear another Demon Child?" What Emperor Alexander had given Morgan was a Sterility Pill—one dose would boost vitality and energy, but taken daily for three days, it would render a man sterile forever.
Emperor Alexander had given Morgan three pills and specifically instructed her to take one per day, with no exceptions—his intentions were clear.
In truth, he feared not only that Morgan would bear another Demon Child, but also that if she had a child, she might soften and betray him.
Emperor Alexander kept sending Damien all sorts of medicines, but he never realized that every obscure drug was perfectly understood by Damien Gray.
Damien casually tossed the box aside, then kissed Morgan’s lips, nibbling gently. Morgan moved, wrapping her arms around his neck, thoroughly enjoying their intimacy.
Damien’s hands gradually grew bold. Morgan tilted her head back, leaving his lips, and lazily smiled, "What does my lord wish to do?"
Damien didn’t stop, parting her robe as he spoke, "Of course—to have more Demon Children, and drive that old fox mad!" With that, his heated lips and tongue fell upon her jade-like neck.