Cultivation Simulator: Starting From The Empress' Palace

Gao Zheng pushed the door open and walked in, seeing a familiar figure half-lying on the soft couch.

He quickly cupped his hands, saying, ”Greetings, sir. Greetings, ladies.”

Yi Yao nodded, but Qiu Lan and Dong Lan’s faces reddened slightly. After all, although they had been intimate with Chen Mo, nominally, they were still maids.

Hearing others refer to them as ’ladies’ inevitably made them a bit shy.

Chen Mo waved his hand to let Yi Yao and the others leave before saying, ”All checked?”

Seeing them leave, Gao Zheng’s emotions, which were kept hidden deep inside, surged up as he said excitedly, ”No. Sir, you wouldn’t believe the luxury of the Prime Minister’s Mansion. It’s almost on par with Your Majesty’s palace, and I never expected that given his age, he’d still have the mind to take a concubine.

The recent one he took is just thirteen years old, truly a beast.”

”You talk as if you’ve been to Your Majesty’s palace,” Chen Mo teased.

Gao Zheng awkwardly scratched his head.

Chen Mo sat up and asked, ”How much have you counted?”

”Sir, may I keep it a secret for now? Take a guess how much,” Gao Zheng replied.

Chen Mo thought for a moment, considering that Hong Qianyan’s wealth alone was tens of millions.

As Prime Minister, and a reputed pure official, Cai Si’s wealth would surely surpass Hong Qianyan’s.

”Fifty million?” Chen Mo said.

Gao Zheng shook his head, ”Sir, we haven’t even finished counting, and the amount is already frightening.” He held up a finger, ”Including those literatures and paintings worth an immeasurable amount, it’s already over a hundred million. You can imagine how much he has embezzled in his ten-plus years as Prime Minister...”

”One hundred million?!”

Upon hearing this, even Chen Mo’s eyes widened.

Even at the peak of the Great Song, its annual tax was never a hundred million.

And now Cai Si’s assets were actually a hundred million.

And from Gao Zheng’s tone, this was only a portion of it.

”No wonder the Rebel Army ransacked the entire Nanyang County and still found so little. Apparently, the wealth of the whole country has been heaped in Bianliang. This is a nation supporting a city...” Chen Mo sighed.

”Sir...” Gao Zheng leaned close to Chen Mo and quietly mentioned the profits gained from this investigation.

Chen Mo nodded and then said, ”Use part of it to craft armor for the brothers. It’d be best if each person could have a set of Yellow Tier treasures.”

Currently, on the market, Yellow Tier basic treasures cost around one to three hundred taels.

Advanced ones cost around a thousand taels.

While Profound Tier basic ones are double the Yellow Tier advanced ones.

”Sir, privately making armor is a serious crime...” Gao Zheng quietly reminded.

Chen Mo chuckled, saying, ”Proceed, there’ll be no issues.”

In a few days, when the warlords commence their skirmishes, the Imperial Court won’t have time to worry about this.

”Yes.” Gao Zheng cupped his hands, lowering his eyes, but did not immediately leave.

Chen Mo frowned and asked, ”Did you get into trouble?”

Gao Zheng shook his head and then, with a smirk, said, ”I have a gift for you, sir.”

”Hmm?”

Gao Zheng clapped, and the door opened. Three beautiful but slightly trembling girls walked in.

For Gao Zheng to present them, the three must have beauty not inferior to Luo Zhen, on par with Ye Wanqiu and Jiang Ruoqing, and better than Chun Lan and the others.

”Sir, they are all still virgins.” Gao Zheng motioned with his hand, ”Why are you standing still? Hurry and pay your respects to the sir.”

”Ministers’ daughter Bu Qingping, have... seen you, sir.”

”Ministers’ daughter... Zhu Ying, greetings, sir.”

”Civilian girl Su Mu, greetings, sir.”

The voices of the three girls were pitifully small.

Yet Chen Mo suddenly shouted, startling the three girls and causing a hitched breath from Gao Zheng.

Chen Mo angrily said, ”What do you take me for, Gao Cooperate Master? I sent you with Chief Qi to do business, and this is what you bring back? Nonsense, go receive twenty army canes later.”

Seeing Chen Mo’s angry face, Gao Zheng’s expression changed, realizing his attempt at flattery backfired, and he nodded repeatedly, saying, ”I wouldn’t dare again.”

Chen Mo coldly snorted, ”If it happens again, it won’t just be twenty army canes. I’ll skin you.”

Chen Mo didn’t want Gao Zheng to develop the misconception that offering women could gain him positions.

Gao Zheng nodded, turned to the three girls, ”Sir, what about them?”

”Since they came, let them stay. They look so pitiful, probably unaware of those traitorous ministers’ crimes, obviously implicated...”

Noticing a hint of delight at the corner of Gao Zheng’s eyes, Chen Mo quickly continued, ”The mansion happens to lack attendants; they can stay as maids just right.”

Gao Zheng sighed with relief and told the three girls, ”Thank the sir for taking you in.”

”Th...thank you, sir.” The three girls kowtowed in thanks to Chen Mo.

As if forgetting that their downfall was partly related to Chen Mo as well.

”If there’s nothing else, leave, why still stand here?” Chen Mo glanced at Gao Zheng.

Gao Zheng took a booklet from his pocket, handed it to Chen Mo, and then left.

Chen Mo opened and glanced at it, finding detailed information on the three girls recorded inside.

Glancing through, Chen Mo called Chun Lan, telling her to take Bu Qingping and Zhu Ying away for training.

Regarding these two, Chen Mo truly intended to treat them as maids, with little interest beyond that. Accepting them as gifts from a subordinate, refusing them to their face might make him think I hold a grudge.

Alas, he just had to be considerate of his subordinates.

Chun Lan looked at Su Mu, smiled, and led the two girls away.

Chen Mo’s eyes lingered on Su Mu. Though she had a fearful appearance, Chen Mo knew it wasn’t her true self, so he smiled, ”This record states you’re the niece of the Cai Mansion steward, that you came here following the loss of both parents a few days ago...”

Su Mu nodded.

”Come here,” Chen Mo beckoned her over.

With nervousness and fear, Su Mu walked closer.

As she approached the soft couch, Chen Mo grabbed her chin playfully, saying, ”Such a look truly catches one’s fancy...”

Before she could react, his hand slipped into her collar, gripping forcefully...

Su Mu winced slightly in pain, and under the scrutiny of the Ancient Heavy Pupils, Chen Mo clearly sensed she was about to explode, yet she forcibly suppressed it, lightly resisting for a while before letting Chen Mo have his way.

Chen Mo, not holding back, after having his fill of advantage, smelled his hand before releasing Su Mu’s chin, saying, ”From now on, you shall be my bed warmer, now leave.”

”... Yes.”

Watching Su Mu’s retreating figure, Chen Mo’s previously frivolous smile turned abruptly somber.

Niece of a steward?

Innate Martial Artist...

Who exactly sent you here?

Even though Su Mu hid it very well, under the observation of the Ancient Heavy Pupils, she had no secrets in front of him.