Cultivation Simulator: Starting From The Empress' Palace

Chapter 177: 177 Prime Minister Cai saved me

Cai Si is a jinshi from Xi Ning’s third year, and he was already the Prime Minister during the Late Emperor’s reign.

His time in office is even longer than Zhao Ji’s reign.

For a Third Grade Martial Artist to stay in office for so long, it speaks to his methods.

In the afternoon, Cai Si sat fishing under the pavilion, with his newly-wedded concubine massaging his leg nearby. Though nearing seventy, his energy was still quite robust.

The fish hook had long remained empty, and with the concubine’s massage, Cai Si’s eyes narrowed slightly, gradually becoming drowsy.

Just then, the fishing rod in his hand moved.

The concubine exclaimed from the side, ”Prime Minister, a fish has bitten the hook.”

Cai Si’s eyes snapped open, and with one hand, he reached inside the concubine’s neckline to grasp her small firm bosom, while with the other hand, he gave a light toss, pulling a koi out of the water as the fishing line suddenly went taut.

At this moment.

A barrel-like figure approached along the corridor not far away, panting heavily, and even before he arrived, he was already speaking, ”Prime Minister Cai, my dear Prime Minister, this time you must save me, or else my son will surely lose his life.”

”Snap!”

The fishing line suddenly broke.

The koi escaped into the water.

The concubine nearby frowned, ”Prime Minister, that hurts.”

Cai Si withdrew his hand from the concubine’s garment.

By now, Gao Qiu had reached the pavilion, looking at the young girl sitting at Cai Si’s feet with her neckline wide open, her prominent whiteness exposed to the air—she looked even younger than Cai Si’s granddaughter.

”Step back quickly!” Cai Si frowned and rebuked the concubine.

The concubine dared not disobey Cai Si’s words, stood up, allowing the thin green silk trousers to slide down, covering her two smooth, lotus root-like calves, and left hastily, eyes lowered.

Cai Si clapped his hands, then servants brought over a deck chair and served snacks and tea.

Cai Si invited Gao Qiu to sit.

The teapot used to serve tea was an expensive purple sandalwood pot.

After Gao Qiu sat down.

Cai Si waved his hand again, and the servants in the entire courtyard retreated one by one.

Under the pavilion, only Gao Qiu and Cai Si remained.

Cai Si was about to pour a cup of tea for Gao Qiu, but Gao Qiu hastily took the teapot, respectfully pouring a cup of tea for Cai Si, then another for himself.

Cai Si took a sip and said, ”Grand Commandant, what happened?”

Gao Qiu’s face showed urgency, ”Xiao Yunqi came to see me just now.”

”What did he want from you?” Cai Si looked puzzled.

They and Xiao Yunxi were not adversaries, nor were they aligned—they usually left each other alone.

”He asked for a favor, more accurately, for you to help, Prime Minister Cai.”

”What kind of favor?”

”It’s...” Gao Qiu whispered near Cai Si’s ear.

After listening, Cai Si frowned, didn’t respond but asked further, ”Then what about saving you, and your son’s life at stake?”

”Xiao Yunqi said if we don’t help, he’d report the trouble my son caused in Nanyang to Your Majesty and personally submit a memorial against him. But if we help, when Your Majesty finds out, he’ll plead for my son,” Gao Qiu explained honestly.

Upon hearing this, Cai Si’s face darkened, feeling somewhat displeased at being needed to clean up after Gao Fen’s mess, but he and Gao Qiu were aligned.

If he didn’t help, it would undoubtedly create a rift with Gao Qiu.

But if he helped...

Cai Si sighed internally and then said, ”What is the background of this Chen Hong?”

”As far as we can ascertain, he is an eunuch at the Weiyang Palace, a disciple of the Shenxiao Sect, and reportedly caught the State Preceptor’s eye to become a favorite. But Xiao Yunqi told me he’s also an Innate Martial Artist,” Gao Qiu pondered before speaking.

”An eunuch...”

Cai Si mused for a moment, then said, ”The eunuch identity is false, whereas the Xiao family likely assigned him as a guard to the Empress, that seems true.

It seems Wang Ze has become the Chief of Staff of the Infantry Department, which brought him great pressure, and thus he wants to support Chen Hong’s rise.”

”That’s likely it too.” Gao Qiu nodded.

Cai Si stood up, flicked the fishing rod in his hand, the fishless line shot into the lake like an arrow.

With a gentle lift, a koi broke through the water.

The broken fishing line surprisingly rejoined.

Cai Si smiled and said, ”Grand Commandant, have you eaten yet?”

”Not yet, after sending off Xiao Yunqi, I came straight to the Prime Minister’s residence.”

”Then stay for a meal at my place.”

Gao Qiu’s eyes brightened, knowing this meant Cai Si had agreed.

...

Celestial River City.

Luo Mansion.

Nowadays, the Luo Mansion could be described as desolate, in just over a dozen days, the mansion transformed from a wealthy residence into a dilapidated haunted house.

As for why it’s a haunted house.

The hundred or so people in the Luo Mansion died inside; wouldn’t that make it a haunted house?

Yet even a run-down haunted house was better than other places in Celestial River City.

After the rebel and Song armies left Celestial River City.

The refugees and beggars in Celestial River City found shelter in this tattered haunted house.

”Leave, leave, quickly leave, is this a place for you? If you don’t leave, I’ll beat you...”

As the sun set, a group of people appeared inside and outside Luo Mansion, their armor crisp as they drove out the refugees gathered inside, herding them together.

They trembled at the sight of the weapon-wielding Imperial Guard.

Just then, they saw a young man clad in Black Armor dismounting from a white horse, walking up the stone steps in front of Luo Mansion’s gate, looking down at them, and saying, ”I am a representative from the Infantry Department...”

After introducing himself briefly, Chen Mo continued, ”The rebel army in Nanyang has been suppressed, and we will establish relief centers at the east, west, south, and north parts of the city. Starting tomorrow, anyone who goes to a relief center can receive a daily portion of food to meet basic needs.”

This wasn’t Chen Mo acting on his own; it was Huangfu Hao’s order, and Chen Mo simply relayed the message in every county he arrived at.

And the disaster relief grain was sent from various counties next to Nanyang.

When news of the Nanyang battle reached the Capital, nearby counties would allocate certain officials to restore public life in Nanyang shortly.

But until officials arrived, the military and political affairs of several counties next to Celestial River City were under Chen Mo’s command.

However, Chen Mo didn’t plan to manage this; after speaking, he scanned the crowd again and asked, ”Among you, who has served as an official?”

The crowd exchanged glances at each other.

Not a single person spoke up.

Chen Mo continued, ”If anyone has been an official, raise your hand, and I will give you an extra serving of rice each day.”

After a moment, one person raised his hand and said, ”General, I...I worked on documents at the County Government Office in Liuzhou County, does that...count as an official?”

”Yes, it counts,” Chen Mo thought for a moment and replied.

”Sir, I’ve never been an official, but I am...a Scholar, I’ve written petitions for others, would that be acceptable?” A frail scholar in ragged clothing stepped forward.

”Scholars are great, I need scholars, what is your name?” Chen Mo asked.

”Fu Bi.”