Cultivation Simulator: Starting From The Empress' Palace

Although after the incident, Xiao Yunqi had done his utmost to suppress it, the sheer number of people present made it impossible to prevent the news from leaking out.

Killing a historian is something that incurs the wrath of the masses, so this news inevitably spread in private.

Because of this, Xiao Yunqi decided to establish a new government office directly under his control, with the foundation of gathering intelligence and performing dirty and laborious tasks. Although the Imperial City Department shared similar functions and was also under his authority, the personnel backgrounds there were complex, with eyes and ears from all sides, making it difficult for Xiao Yunqi to trust them.

He also brought this up in the court.

The official pretext was to establish the Emperor’s personal guard, and the office would be called the Dragon Guard.

And when Zhao Chong heard it was to set up his personal guard, he approved without the slightest dissatisfaction.

After Xiao Yunqi finished explaining the matter, he gave Hu Sheng a knowing wink.

Hu Sheng stepped forward and said, ”Your Majesty, according to the investigation of the Imperial City Department, Governor of Yangzhou Zhao Bo is in close association with the treacherous ministers Cai Si and Gao Qiu. I respectfully request Your Majesty to remove him from his position as Governor of Yangzhou and bring him back to the Capital for investigation...”

At these words, Chen Mo raised an eyebrow.

Are they planning to act against the State Governor appointed by Zhao Ji?

Zhao Bo is on his way to assume office; aren’t they afraid of pushing someone to rebellion, bringing Yangzhou’s army to fight?

Damn, Chen Mo finally understood why there were ’Eighteen Lords’ attacking them.

They are moving too fast on this.

Chen Mo wanted to step forward to refute.

But now he was aligned with Xiao Yunqi; if he were to oppose now, it would mean openly going against Xiao Yunqi.

...

As Hu Sheng spoke, the officials aligned with Xiao Yunqi immediately chimed in agreement.

Zhao Chong’s hands and feet felt a bit cold; Zhao Bo was of the Royal Family, and were they really going to deal with a member of the Royal Family?

Afterward, Xiao Yunqi nodded.

Zhao Chong’s face was uncertain, he waved his hand, and the eunuch beside him said on his behalf: ”Your Majesty approves!”

And after Zhao Bo was relieved of his duties as State Governor, Xiao Yunqi immediately placed his own people in the position.

The last issue of the morning court was the new year title.

The new year title was set to be ”Kaiyuan.”

After the court dispersed, Xiao Yunqi walked out of the main hall with Chen Mo and Xiao Teng following behind him.

After exiting the Inner City, Chen Mo looked around to ensure no one was around before speaking softly: ”Lord of Anyang, won’t replacing the State Governor be too hasty? Shouldn’t we be concerned it might cause them to act desperately?”

Xiao Yunqi paused, looked deeply at Chen Mo, and then said, ”Then what do you think, Chen Hong?”

”I believe we should find a way to ally with them,” Chen Mo said, although he wasn’t very knowledgeable about politics, he felt this was too rushed, and it would be better to form alliances.

Hearing Chen Mo’s words, Xiao Yunqi laughed and said, ”You don’t understand; they are all members of the Zhao Family. If we really wait until they are appointed and muster an army, it will be even harder to deal with them later.

We must nip the danger in the bud.”

”But they are already going to take office, will they obediently return to the Capital?”

”Don’t worry, I’ve already sent someone galloping to invite them quickly, and their families are all in the Capital, so I doubt they dare to disobey,” Xiao Yunqi said.

Back then, although Zhao Ji assigned royal family members to serve as State Governors, he also held a trump card by keeping their families in the Capital City Bianliang.

”Using their families for leverage?” Chen Mo frowned.

Since Xiao Yunqi did not listen, Chen Mo stopped arguing.

Better to think of a way to restore his true identity.

...

Lute Rhyme Pavilion.

A renowned place of entertainment in Bianliang City, famous for its reputation, it is said that in the time of the Late Emperor, the famed courtesan of the Lute Rhyme Pavilion was once favored by the Late Emperor, who awarded her a painting and calligraphy piece.

At that time, it made Lute Rhyme Pavilion the most prestigious of all the brothels. Although decades have passed and it is not as glorious as it once was, it is still the ’leader’ of all the brothels in Bianliang City, a famous money pit.

And today is the day the new courtesan ”Lianyi” makes her debut from the Lute Rhyme Pavilion.

The Lute Rhyme Pavilion selects a new courtesan every two years, and after the courtesan is selected, the pavilion does not immediately let her receive guests but invites a large crowd of scholars and talents to compose poems for the courtesan and spread her fame.

This is also an old tradition of Lute Rhyme Pavilion to build up the courtesan’s reputation. When her reputation grows big enough, even spreading to the states and counties outside Bianliang, the pavilion lets the courtesan come out to entertain guests.

Before this, the courtesan is a maiden and has not yet made her debut.

So the Lute Rhyme Pavilion auctions off the courtesan’s debut night.

Whoever bids the highest can win the courtesan’s first night after her debut.

And the highest price for a courtesan’s debut night is said to have reached a thousand pieces of gold.

As night gradually fell.

Lute Rhyme Pavilion was brightly lit, with the sound of the lute and the bustling crowd filling the air.

The laughter of the ”guests” and the chirping voices of the girls were incessant.

In the hall on the first floor of Lute Rhyme Pavilion, it was crowded with people of all ages, all their eyes fixed on the seductive woman in a red dress, with a veil covering her face, revealing only a pair of eyes that seemed to speak. She stood silently on the high platform, holding a round fan.

After a dance on the stage, she removed her veil and gave the crowd a flirtatious smile. Before everyone could clearly see her face, the round fan covered it.

Below, the madam of Lute Rhyme Pavilion, who was the renowned courtesan several terms ago, clapped her hands, and the bouncer beside her struck the golden gong.

With the sound of the gong, the once noisy hall instantly quieted down.

The madam chuckled softly, ”Thank you, gentlemen, for your patronage. Tonight is my daughter Lianyi’s debut night...”

After some pleasantries, the atmosphere reached a climax.

Immediately, the madam glanced upstairs, and soon, a loud laugh came from an upstairs private room: ”I’ve been fond of Miss Lianyi for a long time, and tonight I must win her over, I bid one thousand liang.”

”Heh, one thousand liang to win over Miss Lianyi, do you take the people present for paupers?” Another voice came from a private room, then said, ”I bid three thousand liang.”

”I bid five thousand,” an elder raised his hand and said with five fingers spread.

”Oh, come on, at your age? Can you still manage? Haha.”

The crowd burst into laughter, laughter continuous.

However, the atmosphere became lively.

Soon, the bid rose to eight thousand liang.

This amount could redeem several courtesans who’ve lost their chastity, but now it’s just to buy a debut night.

The one who bid eight thousand liang was a young man in a brocade robe, looking courteous and polite.

”Ten thousand liang.” Just then, the crowd parted, and a tall, handsome young man in splendid clothing stepped forward, holding a folding fan, tapping it lightly against his other hand’s palm, clearing the path was his guard, each looking fierce and intimidating.

”It’s Young Master Hu!”

”Young Master Hu is here!”

”Looks like tonight, Miss Lianyi’s debut night is destined to belong to Young Master Hu.”