Cultivation Simulator: Starting From The Empress' Palace

Chen Mansion Main Hall.

”Servant pays respects to Princess De Ning, apologies for my late arrival. I hope Your Highness won’t hold it against me.”

Chen Mo entered the hall in a hurry, with a layer of fine sweat on his forehead, as if he had rushed over the moment he heard the news.

After bowing, Chen Mo raised his head and looked at Zhao Jiangning, who was seated above.

Her skin was radiant and delicate, like ivory carved into jade; though not the most beautiful Chen Mo had ever seen, she certainly had the most charm, like a gentle spring breeze.

Her floor-length satin gown was a mix of moon white and soft pink, with golden embroidery along the hem and sleeves, highlighting her noble status.

On the table beside her were tea and fruits, accompanied by two maids.

”General Chen Hong, you’re too kind. You’re a great hero of our Great Song now.” Zhao Jiangning waved her hand, and the accompanying maid personally poured a cup of tea for Chen Mo.

Chen Mo politely accepted it, sat down on the lower seat, and said, ”Your visit, Your Highness, what might it concern?”

”You may leave,” Zhao Jiangning instructed the accompanying maids.

Chen Mo also waved his hand, signaling Chun Lan and the others to leave.

Soon, only Chen Mo and Zhao Jiangning remained in the hall.

Zhao Jiangning spoke first: ”Is his death related to you?”

”Who?” Chen Mo sipped his tea, pretending to be ignorant.

”Gao Fen.” Zhao Jiangning’s brows furrowed as she spoke.

”Is Your Highness here to hold me accountable?” Chen Mo lifted the teacup and blew gently on the rim. His respect for Zhao Jiangning had clearly diminished a lot.

”He was my Prince Consort; since he’s dead, the reason for his death naturally concerns me.” Zhao Jiangning, noticing Chen Mo’s change in demeanor, bit her lip as she spoke.

Chen Mo let out an ”oh”, then shook his head and said, ”Your Highness, the battle report makes it very clear. He was overzealous and reckless, fell into the enemy traps, and died in battle. It has nothing to do with me.”

Zhao Jiangning looked into Chen Mo’s eyes, seeing no change in their expression. Her gaze lowered as she said, ”But I heard that you had a conflict with the Prince Consort and were late in providing support, leading to his death in battle.”

”Bang!”

As soon as Zhao Jiangning finished speaking, Chen Mo slammed the teacup down on the table, making a crisp sound, causing Zhao Jiangning to jump in fright as tea splattered out.

Chen Mo angrily said, ”Where did such rumors come from? If I find out, I won’t let it slide easily.”

Saying this, Chen Mo looked at Zhao Jiangning: ”Your Highness, you don’t believe it, do you?”

Zhao Jiangning suddenly felt a surge of killing intent emanating from Chen Mo’s eyes, causing her to tremble involuntarily. She hurriedly lifted the teacup beside her to mask the panic in her hands.

She had heard that Chen Mo had slaughtered thousands of rebel soldiers in Nanyang.

What kind of concept was this?

Let’s put it this way, in the previous dynasty, although some killed tens of thousands of enemies, that was with the power of an army, or rather, focusing on the army’s kills.

Whereas these thousands were slain by Chen Mo alone.

Calling him the God of Slaughter wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

His hands were undoubtedly stained with blood.

And now he was furious again.

For Zhao Jiangning, who had never killed even a chicken, how could she not be afraid?

Her voice trembled slightly: ”No... I don’t believe it.”

”I knew it; Your Highness is so discerning, how could you believe such rumors?” Chen Mo smiled.

Zhao Jiangning, however, felt as if Chen Mo had become a completely different person, making it difficult for her to sit still.

Then, Chen Mo said, ”By the way, Your Highness, when will the Prince Consort’s funeral be held? As a colleague, I ought to pay my respects.”

Hearing this, Zhao Jiangning was taken aback.

Offering incense for Gao Fen?

Aren’t you afraid that once you enter Gao Mansion, you won’t be able to leave?

”Tomorrow,” Zhao Jiangning replied.

”Got it,” Chen Mo nodded, then suddenly said, ”How is Your Highness’s health?”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Jiangning’s mind immediately flashed back to that day when Chen Mo treated her chest pain.

That strange sensation had recurred every night since Chen Mo left, every time tangling her legs for no reason.

Her face visibly flushed, her white skin tinged with red, as she replied with difficulty: ”Still... alright.”

Seeing this, Chen Mo let out a sigh of relief and said, ”Then I am relieved. While in Nanyang, I was constantly thinking about Your Highness’s illness, thinking that if there had been no rebellion in Nanyang, perhaps by now, Your Highness’s illness would have been cured by me.”

”Thinking of me...”

Upon hearing this, whether Chen Mo’s words were true or not, Zhao Jiangning was nonetheless moved.

After all, those who cared for her were few and far between.

Even her father hadn’t seen her in a long time.

Therefore, even if Chen Mo’s concern was insincere, Zhao Jiangning accepted it.

”Thank you,” Zhao Jiangning said.

”Your Highness is too kind,” Chen Mo said, then changed the subject, ”Given this, Your Highness, shall we proceed with the subsequent treatment?”

Zhao Jiangning’s face flushed red and she nodded.

...

Gao Mansion.

White lanterns hung inside and out, and even the servants of Gao Mansion wore mourning clothes and white headbands.

The main hall of Gao Mansion had been set up as a mourning hall, with Gao Fen’s coffin placed there.

It would not be until the next day that it would welcome the condolences of the public.

Inside the coffin was naturally Gao Fen’s body, not just his clothing or something else.

When the army returned to the capital, they had also brought his body.

The state of his death was truly ghastly.

His body was riddled with bloody holes, the blood inside nearly drained dry.

The servants of Gao Mansion found it exceptionally challenging to prepare him for burial.

In the room beside the mourning hall, everything was meticulously clean, with a Daoist idol placed on a peachwood square table.

On the black lacquer table against the wall, incense was burning, and by the window, Gao Qiu and Cai Si were conversing.

Gao Qiu’s face was gloomy: ”Fen’er can’t just die in vain. His death must have been caused by that little bastard Chen Hong.”

”What will you do? Assassinate him?” Cai Si frowned; he didn’t actually want to be further involved in this matter. After all, Gao Fen’s death was already concluded, and finding fault with Chen Hong now would be their wrongdoing.

Moreover, with Chen Hong under the protection of Xiao Yunqi and the Xiao Family, even His Majesty found it hard to intervene easily.

Not to mention them.

But Cai Si and Gao Qiu were united in this, and if he did nothing, it would strain the relationship between them.

In short, Cai Si felt it difficult to handle.

”I’ve been an official for many years and know some of the Jianghu forces, including a few powerful individuals.”

Gao Qiu said.

It seemed Gao Qiu indeed intended to assassinate him.

”That’s not possible,” Cai Si shook his head, then said, ”Chen Hong recently achieved great merit and is in the spotlight. If he dies, the whole affair would immediately become a huge sensation.”

”So what do I do, nothing?”

”Don’t rush, let me think.”