Chapter 57: Your Majesty: This Dog Servant Is Actually Quite Useful (Request Follows)

The east turned pale with dawn, a streak of morning light spreading to outline the majestic imperial palace in hazy contours.

Deep within the palace, surrounded by vermilion walls, stood a lavish hall.

Ningde Palace.

Inside, the beams were carved and painted, the décor opulent; the floor was paved with Bai Yu, engraved with rivers, mountains, and landscapes; the walls were draped in silk and brocade, embroidered with gold and silver threads in auspicious cloud patterns.

In the inner chamber, maids lit the octagonal palace lanterns.

Behind gauzy curtains, a graceful, curvaceous figure was faintly visible.

"Your Highness, the hour is nearly here."

Sun Shanggong stood bowed, presenting the phoenix robe with both hands.

"Sigh... time to hold court again..."

"Just thinking of those old faces makes my chest tighten—I can't bear to stay another moment…"

The Empress's voice carried displeasure and languor.

She stretched, her curves unfolding, her full, rounded form trembling slightly.

"…."

Sun Shanggong was accustomed to such "outrageous remarks" and silently assisted the Empress in changing her attire.

She knew well that the Empress merely vented verbally—in truth, she was diligent in state affairs, never slacking for all these years.

Last night, she had reviewed memorials until deep into the night; barely had dawn broken when she prepared again for court, having rested less than an hour in between.

Had she not labored day and night to balance the court's power, the bureaucracy would have long since descended into chaos.

Fifteen minutes later, the elaborate court attire was finally donned.

She wore a bright yellow phoenix robe adorned with five-colored phoenix patterns, draped in a crimson ceremonial sash, her three thousand black tresses bound beneath a double-phoenix crown, jeweled flowers framing her temples, golden-threaded pearl and jade pendants dangling from her ears.

The languid air vanished; every gesture radiated commanding authority.

"Has there been progress in the demon race case?" the Empress asked.

Sun Shanggong replied: "The Demon-Pacifying Office has conducted wide searches within the city but found no trace of the demon race. However, the deceased, Lin Huai, is unusual… According to investigation, he was one of the Ministry of Public Works officials who assisted the Wuwang Temple in setting up the array."

"Oh?"

The Empress paused, as if recalling something.

After a moment, she continued: "What of Chen Mo from the Tianlin Guard? I assigned him as lead investigator—after all these days, has he made any move at all?"

Sun Shanggong shook her head: "He's reportedly stayed locked inside the Lin Siya all day, never stepping out—he seems uninterested in this case…"

The Empress's expression darkened; she snorted coldly: "I have always been clear in rewards and punishments—slay a demon, you're rewarded; fail in duty, you're punished! Send word to him: if he cannot produce results before the deadline, I will hold him solely accountable!"

"Yes."

Sun Shanggong responded.

She felt a faint unease.

The case had no leads; the demon race excelled at concealment—it was truly hard to begin.

But as the primary responsible officer, he should at least pretend to act—how could Chen Company Commander even bother pretending?

Arrogant from past achievements?

Or did he have another agenda?

At this moment, the Empress had stepped out of the inner chamber; her thoughts broke, and she hurried after her.

…

Hanshao Palace.

On the terrace, Yu Youhan wore a plain everyday robe, seated on a rattan chair, legs crossed, the taut fabric of her skirt outlining a smooth, rounded curve.

Xu Qingyi stood beside her and said: "Your Majesty, Yan Liang remains detained in the Imperial Prison; the Qianshui Office is under heavy pressure—today in court, the Court of Judicial Review and the Ministry of Justice may unite to strike."

The case of privately keeping barbarian slaves implicated many officials.

As long as this case remains unresolved, they will be unable to rest or eat, and will inevitably apply pressure through every means possible.

Shen Shuchou has held out this long already—remarkable.

Yu Youhan fell into quiet thought.

She held concrete evidence of guilt; if revealed, it would shake the court and the realm.

Strike while the iron is hot; act when the timing is right—rushing in now may not yield the best result.

"How is the matter I assigned to Chen Mo progressing? Any developments?" Yu Youhan asked.

Xu Qingyi shook her head. "No news yet."

She paused, then continued: "The Zhou family's illegal mining may be baseless rumor. Even if the intelligence is true, gathering evidence in just a few days is nearly impossible."

Yu Youhan said coolly: "Do I not know that? It was merely a side move—I never expected much from it."

After a moment's reflection, she said: "Enough. Then proceed as planned…"

Knock-knock-knock—

At that moment, the door knocked, and a maid's voice came from outside:

"Your Majesty, Chen Mo requests an audience—he says he has urgent news to report."

"Hmm?"

Yu Youhan's eyebrows lifted slightly. "At this hour, why is he entering the palace?"

Xu Qingyi muttered under her breath: "Again? The sky isn't even fully light yet—does this man treat the inner palace like his own backyard?"

Yu Youhan extended her slender hand and gestured lightly.

The air rippled like water; a figure materialized out of nowhere and tumbled down from midair.

?!

Chen Mo had been waiting outside Qianqing Gate—suddenly, the surroundings shifted; in the blink of an eye, he stood inside the inner chamber.

At the same moment, a strong sensation of weightlessness came over him.

Catching Yu Youhan and Xu Qingyi in his peripheral vision, he stirred wind and thunder around his body, intending to make a dashing landing.

But he forgot that he had been traveling at full speed moments ago, and his depleted true yuan had not yet recovered. The flash of lightning vanished in an instant, and with a "splat" he slapped flat onto the ground.

"..."

The atmosphere was dead silent.

Chen Mo did two push-ups on the spot, then rose unhurriedly, cupped his hands, and said, "This subordinate pays respects to Her Ladyship."

The corner of Xu Qingyi's mouth twitched, as if she were struggling to hold back laughter.

Yu Youhan glanced at him and said, "True yuan exhausted, blood qi not yet dispersed. Did you kill someone?"

Chen Mo nodded. "Her Ladyship's insight is as piercing as a torch."

"Who?"

"Ding Fire Bureau Centurion, Chu Zhuo."

Upon hearing this, Xu Qingyi's pretty face stiffened.

Chen Mo actually killed Chu Zhuo?!

Murdering an imperial court official is a grave crime, let alone one who is a Centurion of the Celestial Qilin Guard!

Without proper justification, even the Chen family cannot protect him!

No wonder he was in such a rush to enter the palace — he was seeking Her Ladyship's protection... But would Her Ladyship risk great censure to forcibly shield Chen Mo?

Once she did so, she would inevitably face attacks from the assembled ministers; the gains and losses were completely out of proportion.

Based on her understanding of Her Ladyship, even if she valued Chen Mo highly, the chance of her saving him was almost zero!

Yu Youhan's expression remained calm. "The reason?"

Chen Mo presented a memory stone. "Her Ladyship will understand once she has seen it."

Yu Youhan reached out and took it. After viewing its contents, her expression grew rather interesting, her phoenix eyes full of astonishment.

"You actually really..."

"Her Ladyship."

Xu Qingyi beside them hesitated for a moment, then said softly, "Since the matter is already settled, why not secretly send Chen Mo out of the city, let him change his name and live in obscurity, serve as a hidden operative in the jianghu... A living man is more useful than a dead one."

Anyway, with the Misty Rain Pavilion around, there would always be a place for Chen Mo.

"..."

Facing the strange looks from the two of them, Xu Qingyi realized something seemed off.

Yu Youhan handed the memory stone to her. "You'd better see for yourself."

Xu Qingyi took the dark, round stone etched with patterns, and sank her consciousness into it.

After a moment, her cherry lips parted slightly, her face full of shock and disbelief.

"He not only found evidence of the Zhou family's mining operation, but also cracked the demon race case in one go?!"

Yu Youhan looked at Chen Mo, her gaze somewhat complicated.

Although this dog of a servant had left her in a wretched state and was truly detestable, judging from these recent incidents, she had to admit—

He actually seemed quite useful?