Beauties in Simulation Cross over into Reality

Chapter 177: Chapter 159: ’Master’? It Sounds So Strange

“Your Majesty, call me ’Master’.”

Jiang Qingyi calmly looked at Xiao Mo.

“I am older than Your Majesty, and I have been practicing the Sword Dao for longer than you. Now that I am instructing you in the Sword Dao, shouldn’t Your Majesty at least call me ’Master’?”

Looking at the eyes of the veiled woman before him, Xiao Mo was speechless for a moment.

But after some thought, Xiao Mo figured it wouldn’t do him any harm. ’It would actually be good if I can close the distance between us.’

“Master?”

Xiao Mo’s voice echoed across the Wendao Platform, tinged with a questioning and even tentative tone.

When the word “Master” reached Jiang Qingyi’s ears, her eyes blinked gently, and she stood frozen in place like a statue.

A strange feeling quietly spread through the woman’s heart.

“Forget it! Don’t call me that!” Jiang Qingyi spun around, her hands clutching her sleeves tightly so he wouldn’t see her trembling gaze. “I was only joking with Your Majesty. You don’t have to take it seriously. I will come find you at the Wendao Platform tomorrow.”

As her words fell, Jiang Qingyi leaped up, flew over the courtyard wall, and vanished from Xiao Mo’s sight.

’This woman’s personality is so strange. And she clearly seemed to be enjoying it just now.’

Xiao Mo shook his head and continued practicing his sword.

’Although I feel like this National Master might have some strange quirks…’

’…But her personality seems decent enough, and she’s emotionally stable. She probably won’t cause any trouble in the days to come, and that’s good enough for me.’

…

’Master…’

’He called me… Master…’

After leaving the Wendao Platform, Jiang Qingyi walked briskly through the Imperial Palace, the word Xiao Mo had spoken echoing endlessly in her mind.

Even if she forced herself not to think about it, she couldn’t stop his voice from ringing in her ears.

Her hand pressed against her heaving chest as she took a deep breath, gradually calming her racing heart. She couldn’t remember the last time her heart had beaten so fast—it had been countless years.

’What ’Master’…’

Jiang Qingyi lowered her head, her cheeks beneath the veil a deep, burning crimson.

’It sounds so strange…’

…

After practicing for an hour, Xiao Mo went to the Spiritual Spring Palace to bathe.

’The water in this Spiritual Spring is certainly something else.’

Every time he finished cultivating, Xiao Mo would come for a soak, which greatly alleviated his physical and mental fatigue.

However, as his Realm improved, Xiao Mo felt that the effects of the Spiritual Spring’s water were becoming less and less potent for him.

Attended by his Maids, Xiao Mo got dressed. Instead of returning to his bedchambers, he went back to the Imperial Study and transcribed the Grass Character Sword Intent from his memory.

Of course, Xiao Mo only transcribed the Sword Formulas and Sword Techniques of the Grass Character Sword Intent.

’As for the insights into the Grass Character Sword Intent from my first life, I naturally can’t write those down.’

A little less than an hour later, Xiao Mo finished transcribing.

He lifted his slightly sore arm, rubbed it himself, and glanced out the window. It was almost noon.

As was his custom, Wei Xun knocked on the door of the Imperial Study right on time. “Your Majesty, it is time for your meal.”

“Bring it in.”

“Yes, Your Majesty…”

The doors to the Imperial Study opened, and Palace Maids carrying dishes entered one by one.

Xiao Mo would eat at most two bites of each dish, no more.

Of course, no one would say anything if Xiao Mo ate more; he himself didn’t think it mattered.

’If Yan Shanao wanted me dead, he’d probably consider poisoning my food too much of a hassle.’

After finishing his lunch, Xiao Mo took a handkerchief and wiped his mouth. “Wei Xun, what month is it now?”

’Between cultivating and entering the Hundred Generations Book, I’ve completely lost track of the date in the real world.’

“Replying to Your Majesty, it is the fourteenth of the sixth month, which marks the beginning of autumn,” Wei Xun said respectfully.

“Mm,” Xiao Mo nodded. “Summer gives way to autumn. A fine season, yet I’m stuck in this Imperial Palace, feeling suffocated.”

“Eh?” Wei Xun was startled. ’What does His Majesty mean?’ He had a pretty good idea of what the Emperor was planning.

“I have nothing to do in the Imperial Palace anyway, and after cultivating for so long, I need to relax a bit. Go prepare some plain clothes. I’m going out for a walk,” Xiao Mo said flatly.

But Wei Xun stood to the side, his expression extremely troubled.

Xiao Mo turned his head and stared at Wei Xun, his voice carrying an authority that needed no anger. “What? Is the Prime Minister forbidding me from going out? Can I not even go for a walk?”

“Please calm your anger, Your Majesty. This old slave… This old slave will go and prepare at once.” Wei Xun hurriedly knelt before Xiao Mo.

“Hurry up and go!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!” Wei Xun quickly withdrew.

’Truth be told, I have a good idea of how things will play out if I leave the Imperial Palace incognito.’

In Great Zhou, successive Emperors would occasionally leave the Imperial Palace for a stroll. As long as they didn’t leave the Imperial City, it was of no consequence.

’Besides, even if Yan Shanao found out, he probably wouldn’t do anything. I’ve been so “obedient,” after all. What’s the harm in going for a walk?’

’As long as I, his Emperor, don’t harm his interests, he couldn’t care less what I do.’

Before long, Wei Xun had prepared an ordinary carriage for Xiao Mo. Under the guard of a few Imperial Palace Honored Guest Elders, Xiao Mo left the Imperial Palace.

On the streets of the Imperial City, Xiao Mo stepped out of the carriage, wanting to walk on his own.

Xiao Mo watched the pedestrians coming and going on the streets and listened to the ceaseless shouts of the merchants. The entire Imperial City was bustling with activity.

“Are there any good places to visit in the Imperial City right now?” Xiao Mo asked Wei Xun, who was beside him.

“There is, Your Maj… Young Master…” Wei Xun nodded. “I hear that at Bichun Lake, north of the Imperial City, there is a type of flower called ’Qiu’er Dao’ that blooms right around the start of autumn. I wonder if the Young Master would like to go see it?”

“Then let’s go take a look.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Eunuch Wei bowed obsequiously and quickly led the way.

…

“Miss, Miss…”

In the Minister of Rites’ Mansion, Xiao Chun ran happily into her lady’s courtyard.

In the courtyard, her young mistress was sitting on a chair, flipping through a book.

This book had been brought over by that Chief Eunuch. It was all about the rules of the Imperial Palace, the locations and symbolism of the various palaces, and it contained illustrations.

“So jumpy again. What is it?” Yan Ruxue put down her book and smiled.

“Miss, the ’Qiu’er Dao’ flowers at Bichun Lake have bloomed! I heard they’re beautiful. Would you like to go see them, Miss?” Xiao Chun blinked at her mistress, her eyes full of excitement.

Yan Ruxue stood up and poked Xiao Chun’s forehead with her finger. “I think you’re the one who wants to go, you silly girl.”

“Miss…” Xiao Chun wheedled, grasping her mistress’s delicate, smooth hands. “You’ll be entering the palace soon, Miss. I’ve heard that the rear palace is as deep as the sea. And you’re going to be the Empress, so it will probably be very difficult to leave the Imperial Palace after that. Don’t you want to go take a look before you enter?”

Hearing Xiao Chun’s persuasion, Yan Ruxue smiled softly:

“Alright. Since you’ve put it that way, let’s go have a look.”