Cultivation Simulator: Starting From The Empress' Palace

”Empress Dowager, has Your Majesty arrived?”

As night fell, in Weiyang Palace, Cai’Er came in to report Zhao Chong’s arrival.

”Chong’Er is here, let him in quickly.” Xiao Yunxi had been sleeping the entire afternoon and was unaware of the events outside. Hearing Zhao Chong had come, her face lit up with joy.

Ever since Xiao Yunxi took back Zhao Chong’s power, he had not come to Weiyang Palace to personally greet her. Although Xiao Yunxi didn’t say anything, she was quite heartbroken inside, as he was her own son. Now that Fujin wasn’t by her side, how could she not miss him?

...

However, before Zhao Chong could speak upon entering, the Empress Mu kneeled in front of Xiao Yunxi with a thud, weeping, ”Empress Dowager, I humbly beg you to save my father’s life...”

Xiao Yunxi’s expression changed as she hurried forward to help her up, quickly asking Zhao Chong beside her, ”Your Majesty, what on earth has happened?”

Zhao Chong, unaware that Xiao Yunxi had slept the whole afternoon, naturally thought she was pretending, and said, ”Prince Zhen Nan is getting more and more out of hand. Minister Mu is the Empress’s father, my father-in-law. He actually accused Minister Mu of colluding with rebels and had him thrown into the Imperial Prison...”

With no outsiders present, Zhao Chong did not avoid anything.

Xiao Yunxi instinctively defended Chen Mo, ”Your Majesty, could there be some misunderstanding? Let’s not jump to conclusions so quickly. Wait to summon Prince Zhen Nan and ask him about it face-to-face.”

Just as the words fell.

Cai’Er once again came in to announce that Prince Zhen Nan had arrived.

”Let him in,” Xiao Yunxi said.

The Empress slightly restrained her tears.

Zhao Chong’s legs inexplicably went weak, nearly collapsing to the ground.

He kept chanting in his heart, why did he come, why did he come...

He no longer maintained his pretense, hurriedly saying to Xiao Yunxi, ”Mother, save me, Mother, save me...”

He grabbed Xiao Yunxi’s arm, his expression becoming tense.

”Your Majesty, you’re hurting me,” Xiao Yunxi frowned, quickly withdrawing her arm from Zhao Chong’s grip. Before she could inquire the meaning of Zhao Chong’s words,

Chen Mo had already walked in, ”This humble servant greets Empress Dowager, Your Majesty, and Empress...”

Truth be told, when Chen Mo saw the Empress weeping on the floor and the panic-stricken face of Zhao Chong, he was momentarily stunned before roughly understanding the situation.

When Zhao Chong met Chen Mo’s gaze, his eyes flickered a little. Xiao Yunxi directly got to the point, but her voice was exceptionally gentle, ”Prince Zhen Nan, you have come just in time. I heard from the Empress that you had Minister Mu arrested for colluding with rebels. Is there such a thing?”

Chen Mo cupped his hands and responded respectfully, ”In reply to the Empress Dowager, it is indeed true.”

Seeing Chen Mo admit it, the Empress quickly stood up, wiped her tears, and said coldly, ”My father has been wronged. Prince Zhen Nan, do not wrongly accuse an innocent man.”

With the Empress Dowager and the Emperor present, the Empress naturally had more confidence.

Chen Mo replied with neither humility nor arrogance, ”In reply to the Empress, according to the investigation, the Grandmaster indeed has connections with rebels. I have witnesses and discovered correspondence between him and the rebels from the Grandmaster himself. The evidence is irrefutable and not fabricated.”

”Boom...”

Hearing this, the Empress felt all her strength draining away. If not for Xiao Yunxi’s support, she would have collapsed to the ground.

Zhao Chong’s expression changed slightly. He quickly took over the conversation, pretending to inquire, ”I find something puzzling. If the Grandmaster truly had connections with rebels, why would he keep such incriminating evidence like correspondence? In my opinion, could these letters be forged?”

”They are forged,” the Empress declared confidently. She knew if her father’s collusion with rebels was proven, everything would be over.

Chen Mo shook his head, ”I had the handwriting verified, and it is indeed the Grandmaster’s. There’s no possibility of forgery. As to why he kept it, he was likely holding it as leverage against someone.”

Chen Mo glanced at Zhao Chong.

Zhao Chong was so frightened he stepped back two steps, inadvertently confessing, ”What do you mean by that, Prince Zhen Nan? Are you suspecting me?”

His words only drew more attention from Xiao Yunxi and the Empress, who both looked at him.

The Empress’s expression changed, her red lips moved slightly.

Chen Mo immediately bowed and said, ”I dare not. However, I am sure that the Grandmaster had someone behind instructing him.”

”Who?” Xiao Yunxi asked.

Chen Mo shook his head, ”When I was about to question the Grandmaster, I learned that he had committed suicide in fear of his crimes in the Imperial Prison.”

”What?”

Upon hearing this, the Empress immediately went dark before her eyes and fainted.

”Empress!”

”Empress, someone, call the Imperial Physician, call the Imperial Physician quickly...”

Weiyang Palace became chaotic.

While the Imperial Physician was diagnosing the Empress, Xiao Yunxi called Chen Mo to the outer hall, trembling as she spoke, ”Did you... did you do this?”

”No,” Chen Mo flatly denied.

Xiao Yunxi breathed a sigh of relief and asked, ”Then how did Minister Mu die?”

”He committed suicide out of fear of his crimes,” Chen Mo replied.

”I’m not a child. Would he really commit suicide out of fear? Not many people would believe that if said.”

”Does it matter whether they believe it or not?” Chen Mo took out Minister Mu’s confession from his sleeve and gave it to Xiao Yunxi, ”Read it, and you will understand.”

Xiao Yunxi skeptically took the letter, and after reading it, she immediately understood.

She was somewhat incredulous, covering her mouth, ”Chong’Er, Chong’Er he...”

Chen Mo nodded, ”Since it involves Your Majesty, Grandmaster’s suicide is the best outcome.”

”But... must it be this way?” Xiao Yunxi wanted to say that Minister Mu didn’t have to die.

”He kept correspondence with King Yan. What does that mean, Yunxi, don’t you understand? He left something behind on Your Majesty too. If he’s kept alive, Your Majesty’s matters will eventually be exposed.”

Chen Mo glanced around, seeing no one, he raised his hand to caress Xiao Yunxi’s cheek, ”Between him and Your Majesty, only one can remain, Yunxi, I did it all for you.”

Xiao Yunxi understood Chen Mo’s intention, her eyes moistening, ”But with this, I... I can never return to how things were with Chong’Er.”

This event would only deepen her conflict with Zhao Chong.

”When he did this, he never intended to reconcile with you. Once the plan succeeds, and King Yan enters the capital, Yunxi, have you considered the consequences?” Chen Mo said.

Xiao Yunxi’s body began to tremble.

By then, she certainly would not survive.

Chong’Er, Chong’Er.

Xiao Yunxi’s eyes overflowed with tears, finally unable to hold them back, she buried herself in Chen Mo’s embrace and sobbed.

Chen Mo gently patted her jade-like back, ”Alright, alright, with me here, I won’t let you be harmed, I promise.”

Xiao Yunxi’s emotions were somewhat uncontrollable.

It was only when Chen Mo reminded her, this is your sleeping palace,

that Xiao Yunxi barely managed to hold herself together. She left Chen Mo’s embrace, ”What will you do next about this matter?”

”It ends here.”