Chapter 30: What Yu Youhan Can Give You, I Can Give Too!

The Empress's voice was cold, drifting without a trace of emotion.

But to Yan Peizhi, it weighed like ten thousand catties, crushing him so he could not straighten his back!

Though the two factions openly vied and schemed in secret, fighting for power and profit until their heads were battered into dog brains, they still maintained the facade—rank and order preserved, decorum unbroken, upholding the imperial court's most basic order.

Yet this word "rebel" tore away the last shred of pretense!

It seemed recent events had filled the Empress with deep dissatisfaction!

Yan Peizhi was utterly frustrated.

He never imagined that, before the barbarian slave case had even settled, Chen Mo had again achieved such a Great Achievement.

His own failure was painful enough, but the enemy's success was even more agonizing!

People compared to people lead to death; goods compared to goods get thrown away!

After several comparisons, their own incompetence stood out all the more glaringly!

"Your Highness…"

Yan Peizhi still wished to say more, but the Empress cut him off: "Commandant Yan, as a pillar of the imperial court, your duties are heavy—do not waste your time here."

"I hope next time you come, you bring me some good news."

With just a few words, she issued a dismissal, as if she had no patience left to listen to him.

"Your servant takes his leave."

Yan Peizhi rose and shuffled away, head hung low.

He'd come to flatter, only to kick himself in the face—his nose swollen, his face bruised…

Chen Mo…

Why is it always him?

Could this man be my destined nemesis?

…

After Yan Peizhi left, the hall fell into brief silence.

The eunuch in the python robe, standing bowed beside her, whispered: "Your Highness, are you not being too harsh on Commandant Yan?"

Ultimately, these two incidents have little to do with Yan Peizhi.

He merely happened to be in the way.

The Empress snorted coldly: "The Yan family has grown too close to the Wang Fu lately—slick, opportunistic old foxes who've long needed a beating."

She paused slightly, then added: "Still, I never expected Chen Mo to possess such ability… Chen Zhuo really did raise a fine son."

The eunuch said: "I've inquired—Chen Mo now enjoys high prestige in the Tianlin Guard; not only has his strength surged, but his temperament is utterly transformed from before…"

"Sudden strength growth may stem from a miraculous encounter, but one's nature never changes so easily."

"He has both sharpness and daring—such a man is destined never to remain obscure."

"Previously, he must have been deliberately concealing his true ability."

The Empress shook her head: "Too bad—he's turned from light to darkness, siding with that demoness Yu Youhan."

The eunuch pressed his lips shut, saying nothing.

In all of Ducheng, only the Empress would dare call Yu Youhan "demoness" in public—he had no such courage.

"Then regarding the killing of the Tenth Heavenly Demon, Your Highness plans to…"

"Of course we reward him—and reward him lavishly!"

"What Yu Youhan can give him, I can give too—and give more!"

"How solid can loyalty be, when it's maintained by the cold-blooded methods of a bloodthirsty she-devil?"

"Even if I can't win him over, I can sow discord between them… With Yu Youhan's nature, once suspicion takes root, the accusation is already proven…"

At this, the Empress seemed weary.

Her imperial form leaned back against the chair, lazily stretching her waist, the curve of her body softly outlined against the screen.

The eunuch stood with head bowed, eyes straight ahead.

"A crowd of useless fools in the Three Courts and Six Ministries—everything falls on me."

"Huan'er, come massage my body—I'm utterly exhausted lately…"

…

Before the Imperial Palace gate.

A handsome man dismounted and strode forward.

The armored guards at the gate raised their weapons to block him—then saw the purple token flash in his hand, their faces changed instantly; they dropped to one knee in salute.

"No wonder the Empress has such clout."

Chen Mo shook his head in awe, stepping into the palace.

Since returning from Tongling County, he hadn't gone back with the others to Lin Siya—he came straight to the palace to meet the Empress.

Reporting his duties was one reason; unconsciously, he was also avoiding Li Yan—

This woman's mind was broken, and so was her body!

Her affection level kept rising the more he hit her!

Thinking of Gu Manzhi, whom he'd beaten to near death; Li Yan, whose buttocks had been swollen from whipping; and the Consort, bound in red ropes… Chen Mo had reason to suspect this world was one giant Eros fetish.

Shit, scary!

"Still, getting rewards for free feels great—just one point left until the next stage…"

"Should I find a chance to slap her two more times?"

Chen Mo pinched his chin, pondering silently.

…

Familiar with the route, he made his way to the inner court and had a palace maid go in to announce him.

Soon, a familiar figure came into view.

"Steward Xu, it's been a long time."

Chen Mo waved in greeting.

"Long time? We clearly just saw each other the day before yesterday."

Xu Qingyi said coolly.

Chen Mo tilted up the corner of his mouth and said with a smile, "As the saying goes, one day apart feels like three autumns. On the days I can't see Steward Xu, every moment seems especially long, so in my heart, it really has been a very long time."

"You—whatever are you babbling about now?"

Xu Qingyi's willow brows shot up as she glared at him in pique.

This man was growing more and more brazen, utterly without restraint, daring to flirt with her in public!

But seeing that fair, handsome face with rosy lips and pearly teeth, her heart inexplicably panicked, and she hurriedly lowered her head.

Recalling the question Her Ladyship had asked her last time while bathing, her heart beat all the more violently.

"Could Her Ladyship be thinking of having me and Chen Mo…"

"No, absolutely not! Even if I died, I would never agree!"

Watching her distracted look, Chen Mo raised a brow and said, "Just a joke, Steward Xu isn't actually angry, is she?"

Having learned from last time, how could Xu Qingyi fall for it again?

She immediately shook her head and said, "I'm not angry!"

"I don't believe you."

"Huh?"

"Not unless you smile."

"Chen Mo, don't push it…"

Staring at the gleaming token before her eyes, Xu Qingyi's expression went rigid.

After a long silence, she tugged at the corner of her mouth and forced out a smile:

"Ha, haha…"

"The smile doesn't look very natural. Work on it next time."

"…"

Arriving at Hanxiao Palace, Chen Mo stepped into the great hall.

Gazing at his retreating back, Xu Qingyi gnashed her teeth and stamped her foot, waving her small fists, her eyes full of vexed fury.

"That hateful fellow, always bullying me!"

……

A faint, orchid-like fragrance suffused the great hall.

After several visits to the palace, Chen Mo had noticed that Noble Consort Yu never burned incense; this scent was entirely the natural fragrance emanating from her flawless jade-like body.

After the last foot treatment, the fragrance had lingered on his hands for a long time, and he had been almost reluctant to wash them…

What was strange was that at the very last moment of the foot treatment, that faint fragrance had suddenly become rich and moist.

Like osmanthus blossoms in full bloom on every branch after a torrential downpour…

"What business have you come to see this palace about?"

Yu Youhan said coolly.

Still dressed in a plain everyday robe, she sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion with her back to him, an unfathomable aura swirling around her.

Though clearly right before his eyes, she seemed extraordinarily distant, like the bright moon hanging high above the nine heavens.

When Yu Youhan was cultivating, no one dared come disturb her.

Apart from Xu Qingyi, only Chen Mo, who possessed the Purple Luan Token, was an exception.

"Of course it's to drop some gold coins…"

Chen Mo thought to himself slyly, his face bitter as he said in a trembling voice, "My Lady, you nearly never would have seen this subordinate again!"

Yu Youhan turned her lovely head to the side, a strand of dark hair spilling loose, and the way she tilted her head to look at him was unexpectedly a little adorably dazed.

"Oh?"

"And there's such good news?"

Chen Mo: "…"