Cultivation Simulator: Starting From The Empress' Palace

On the Canglan Continent, where martial virtue is revered.

There are countless sects under the heavens.

But the chivalrous disrupt the ban with martial arts.

Some martial artists rely on their high martial skills, disregarding the law, and act on their own principles, doing so-called acts of punishing evil and promoting good.

There are even martial artists who commit murder, burn, kill, loot, and commit all kinds of evil, which is absolutely not permitted by the Imperial Court.

Therefore, during the previous dynasty, Qin Zheng issued the ”Weapons Ban Order.”

The so-called weapons ban is to dissolve these large and small sects, confiscate the cultivation method martial arts within the sects, and turn them into state property, or have them join the Imperial Court to work as its hounds.

For those who neither dissolve nor join the Imperial Court, Qin Zheng would send out the army to exterminate them.

This move undoubtedly offended those who were accustomed to freedom in the Jianghu.

So, after Qin Zheng’s ”death,” the Zhao Kingdom united with these people from the Jianghu and the remaining forces from other countries to overthrow the previous dynasty and establish the Great Song Dynasty.

The people from the Jianghu, being contributors, were allowed by the Great Song to re-establish their sects.

However, during the subsequent governance, the Great Song Imperial Court also discovered the harm caused by these Jianghu sects.

But after all, these Jianghu forces had made contributions to the Great Song, so the court did not directly dispatch the army to exterminate them but began to gradually suppress them.

Over time, these Jianghu forces have accumulated grievances against the Great Song Dynasty for a long time.

So, taking advantage of the current chaotic situation of the Great Song Dynasty, when it has no time to manage them, it’s not surprising they come out to create disorder.

Besides these Jianghu forces, the descendants of those countries that the Great Song initially promised to restore but reneged on, failing to restore their kingdoms, might also add fuel to the fire during the chaos.

Hence, these mountain bandits are very likely in collusion with the Jianghu forces or remnants of some previous states.

After all, ordinary mountain bandits don’t have so many martial artists.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yunqi nodded. If what Chen Mo said was true, indeed, this possibility is currently the greatest. He patted Chen Mo’s shoulder, chuckling lightly, ”No rush, take it slow.”

Then he asked how Chen Mo and Yi Yao were getting along.

”Thank you for your concern, Grand Commandant. Yaoyao and I have been well so far,” Chen Mo replied with a smile.

”That’s good. When you have time, come visit the Xiao Mansion with her. The Xiao Mansion is also your home.”

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Chen Mo, Xiao Yunqi took his leave.

Chen Mo then went to the Shenxiao Temple.

As the night deepened, just as Chen Mo was about to return after finishing tonight’s cultivation, Zhao Fujin called out to him.

”Junior Brother, Eldest Sister has divorced,” Zhao Fujin said as soon as she opened her mouth.

Upon hearing this, Chen Mo was taken aback, but there was a bit of secret joy in his heart, and he softly responded with an ”oh.”

”Eldest Sister is so pitiable. Just after she was born, her concubine mother left her, and she suffered from illnesses since childhood. After growing up, she married someone she didn’t like and was bullied by her husband...”

Zhao Fujin slowly spoke a lot before getting to the point, ”After Eldest Sister’s divorce, the Gao Family definitely won’t let her go. Although Eldest Sister is an Empress, the Gao Family wouldn’t dare to do anything overtly, but they will certainly scheme against her in secret.

I originally planned to have Eldest Sister move into the Fengyang Pavilion and live with me, but she refused and insisted on living outside the palace, so...”

Zhao Fujin grasped Chen Mo’s hand and said, ”Junior Brother, can I ask you a favor?”

Playfully tapping Zhao Fujin’s nose, Chen Mo smiled and said, ”Senior Sister, what kind of favor between us? As long as it’s within my capability, it’s no problem at all.”

Zhao Fujin was very pleased, ”Then Junior Brother, can you help me take care of Eldest Sister?”

”This... how should I take care?”

”It’s just...” Zhao Fujin moved close to Chen Mo’s ear and whispered slowly.

Chen Mo understood.

Zhao Fujin asked him to help Zhao Jiangning rent a house for her to live in.

Also, he should arrange some guards and maids for Zhao Jiangning.

”No problem, your matter is my matter.” Chen Mo declared while patting his chest in assurance.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Fujin’s heart melted, her love for Chen Mo grew even stronger. She hugged Chen Mo’s arm, nestled against him, and whispered coyly, ”Junior Brother, how about... you don’t go back tonight, come to Fengyang Pavilion, I’ll... wear black silk for you to see...”

Bang...

Hearing this, Chen Mo’s Heart Fire surged. If it weren’t for Lin Su Ya’s previous instructions, he would have stayed at Fengyang Pavilion tonight no matter what.

He cleared his throat gently and then said, ”I can’t.”

”Why?” Her face, previously blushing, was now filled with confusion.

Despite her initiative, he just...

Zhao Fujin was a bit disappointed.

She saw Chen Mo speak with the demeanor of a righteous gentleman.

Roughly saying, although we both like each other.

But without the order of parents and the words of a matchmaker.

The union of two is improper and unrightfully spoken of, only by marrying her and being together on the wedding night, will it be the most sacred moment.

And upon hearing this, Zhao Fujin was immensely moved.

She felt that this was a responsible act by Chen Mo.

Believing he loved her more than she loved him.

Further fueling Zhao Fujin’s determination that she would marry no one but Chen Mo, solely recognizing him as her partner, sharing life and death with him, and prepared to sacrifice everything for him.

”Junior Brother...” Zhao Fujin tightly embraced Chen Mo, yearning to become his wife at that moment.

...

Returning to the Chen Mansion.

Chen Mo called for Chun Lan, instructing her to buy a house not far from Vermilion Bird Avenue the next day and gift it to Princess De Ning.

Chun Lan immediately understood.

He then called for someone to fetch Xu Dabong as well.

Late at night, around the fourth watch.

The night was cool as water.

Inside the Chen Mansion’s study, a single lamp flickered.

When Xu Dabong heard that Chen Mo wanted him to dispatch five more battalions to encircle the mountain bandits but not exterminate them, he expressed his doubts immediately.

Encircling without exterminating is costly and labor-intensive, not at all favorable?

But Chen Mo had his own intentions.

If these mountain bandits were exterminated, Cai Si had the money ready over there, and he would have to go to Jiangnan at any time.

The initiative would be in someone else’s hands.

If these mountain bandits were kept, the initiative would be in his hands, and encircling the bandits would prevent them from causing further trouble.

Moreover, after the issuance of the State Governor’s Decree, these mountain bandits might even be incorporated.

Of course, these things, Chen Mo temporarily couldn’t explain to Xu Dabong, saying, ”This General has his own reasons, you just follow the order.”

Xu Dabong nodded, ”Understood.”

...

Early the next morning.

”This is tofu pudding, also known as douhua, this is soy milk, this is Mapo tofu, this is fried tofu...”

Early in the morning, Chen Mo personally went to the kitchen and made a table of tofu dishes, introducing them to Yi Yao and the others.

”Xiao Jiu, do you prefer sweet or savory?”

Chen Mo placed two bowls of tofu pudding in front of Xiao Jiu, then said, ”The bowl on the left is sweet, and the one on the right is savory.”

Xiao Jiu squinted her eyes, gestured a few times, first tasted the sweet one, then the savory one, and finally chose the savory.

”Yaoyao, you all should try it too, and see which one you like better.”