Cultivation Simulator: Starting From The Empress' Palace

”It’s that Chen Hong from the Empress’s palace.”

Quan Qiyang thought his sister might not know, so he added a sentence for her.

”I know him, brother, what happened?” Consort Yu frowned, then said, ”Did he oppose you when you were in Nanyang?”

Consort Yu had heard that Chen Hong’s status was no longer the same; he had a strong army of ten thousand under him.

And with the army’s general, they were few across the entire Great Song Dynasty.

Even as a Third Grade Martial Artist with her as his sister, though a general, he still had no army under him.

If Chen Hong truly opposed her brother.

Consort Yu really wouldn’t know how to help her brother.

Quan Qiyang shook his head and laughed, ”Sister, you’ve misunderstood. Not only did he not oppose me, but he also saved my life on the battlefield, a life-saving grace for your brother.

The reason I mentioned this is not because your situation in the harem isn’t too good, right? You can use this as a pretext to present gifts to meet the Empress; isn’t Chen Hong close to the Empress? You could use this as a pretext to build a good relationship with her.” Quan Qiyang said.

Seeing her brother still thinking of her situation, Consort Yu felt a sudden urge to cry and said, ”Brother, you don’t need to worry about me. I am already doing well in the palace. As for competing for favor, I’ve given up. Living like this isn’t bad.”

Quan Qiyang looked into Consort Yu’s eyes, then sighed, took out some gold leaves and silver notes from his robe, and gave them to Consort Yu, saying, ”This is from the battle merits awarded to me by Your Majesty. Sister, you need money while in the palace, take it.”

”Brother...” Tears rolled down from Consort Yu’s eyes.

Quan Qiyang placed these things in front of Consort Yu, then said, ”Take it, I’m leaving.”

Consort Yu stared blankly at the gold leaves in front of her.

She had initially thought that becoming a consort would help her brother.

But it turned out that her brother had always been helping her.

”Brother is so good to me, I must repay his savior properly...”

...

Fengyang Pavilion.

”Oh dear, how did this happen?”

The matters of the court naturally reached Zhao Fujin’s ears.

When she learned that Chen Hong had set up his mansion outside the palace and could no longer serve the Empress inside, Zhao Fujin’s face turned sorrowful.

Because this meant that meeting with Chen Hong would become very difficult.

After all, she hardly met her grandfather Xiao Yunqi throughout the year.

”Fujin... wha... what’s wrong?” Zhao Jiangning had just woken up from a faint.

Earlier, her illness had acted up, causing her to faint from pain, and now her head was still dizzy, and her body felt discomfort everywhere.

Seeing Zhao Jiangning awake, Zhao Fujin went over to help her sit up and said, ”Father has let Chen Hong set up his mansion outside the palace. Without an imperial decree, he won’t be able to enter the palace easily. I haven’t explained the misunderstanding from that day to him yet, and elder sister, your injury... still hasn’t been fully healed...”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Jiangning thought for a moment, then said, ”Chen Hong has achieved such great feats this time and was elevated to Military Commander, leading a strong force of ten thousand. Letting him continue to serve the Empress in Weiyang Palace is indeed not quite appropriate.”

”I know, but... but what about your injury, elder sister?” Zhao Fujin couldn’t help but express.

Zhao Jiangning smiled, ”I can leave the palace to get treated by him.”

That’s the advantage of being married.

In a certain sense, one could freely enter and exit the Imperial Palace.

”But hasn’t Gao Fen already died in battle?” Zhao Fujin asked, puzzled.

”But I haven’t divorced him yet. I am still the Gao family’s daughter-in-law, and I have a residence outside the palace. I don’t need to live in the Gao Mansion,” Zhao Jiangning replied.

”Then elder sister, can I leave the palace with you?” Zhao Fujin exclaimed with excitement.

”No.” Zhao Jiangning shook her head, ”Unless Father allows it.”

Zhao Fujin’s expression turned low again.

”I suspect you just want to leave the palace to see Chen Hong.” Zhao Jiangning unabashedly exposed her.

Zhao Fujin’s face turned red.

”You!”

Zhao Jiangning tapped Zhao Fujin’s forehead with her finger and then said, ”I’ve told you more than once, given his status, there won’t be a good outcome between you both.”

”Sp... speaking can’t be like that, isn’t Rama’s Remains still there?” Zhao Fujin murmured so quietly that she couldn’t even hear herself.

Zhao Jiangning gave her an exasperated look, then said, ”You are hopeless.”

Zhao Fujin remained silent.

As though unwilling to see her become dejected, Zhao Jiangning added, ”Though he can’t enter the palace to see the Empress, he can go to Shenxiao Temple to practice martial arts, so you can meet him there.”

”Indeed, how could I forget?” Zhao Fujin was awakened by this sentence.

Moreover, Shenxiao Temple was no longer sealed now.

Chen Hong hadn’t been practicing for days.

Now that he’s back in the Capital, he should catch up.

...

The rear courtyard of Xiao Mansion.

”Ugh—”

A faint mumble echoed in the room.

Yi Yao opened her weary eyes, feeling muddle-headed, yet warm all over, but she was powerless, unable to muster any strength.

Soon after, memories of last night flooded her mind.

She was preparing to leave with her mother.

But caught a peculiar scent, fainting...

Murmurs from her mother reached her ears.

It seemed she was apologizing.

”Master!”

Yi Yao’s eyes widened abruptly, realizing that her mother had betrayed her, endangering her master.

Determined to find her master, Yi Yao tried to get up but found herself powerless.

Finally, she struggled to sit up, accidentally knocking over a tabletop.

Alerting Zhihua, who was guarding outside.

”Yaoyao, you’re awake?” The bead curtain was lifted, and Zhihua walked in.

Seeing Yi Yao trying to get up, Zhihua quickly went over to support her, saying, ”Qinghong said you were affected by Soft Bone Powder, and it’ll take another day to recover. Don’t get up; rest a bit more.”

Yet aware of being betrayed by Zhihua, Yi Yao wouldn’t listen, struggling to shake off Zhihua’s hand, her eyes reddened as she glared at Zhihua, ”Was it you?”

Zhihua trembled slightly, ”Yaoyao, listen to your mother, she’s doing this for your own good.”

Hearing this, Yi Yao grew furious, shouting, ”Sending me to serve a eunuch, is this for my own good? You’re pushing me into a flaming pit.”

Yi Yao’s physique was strong, and through sheer willpower, she managed to get off the bed, struggling towards the door.

Hearing her biological daughter shout like this, Zhihua felt upset, her eyes wet, but she didn’t regret it. Watching Yi Yao’s back, she said, ”Yaoyao, don’t you want to save your master?”

Yi Yao stiffened abruptly, returning and saying, ”Mast... master? What’s happened to her? What have you done to her?”