Chapter 559 - 216: Whether the harem is chaotic or not, Chen Mo decides! "I’ve become the emperor’s brother-in-law?
Chapter 559 - 216: Whether the harem is chaotic or not, Chen Mo decides! "I’ve become the emperor’s brother-in-law?
Liu Miaozhi pondered for a moment and said, "Ever since Zining passed away, the master has closed his doors to visitors and sits in the study dazing off all day... However, the day before the Xu Family was raided, the master seemed to have seen someone..."
Chen Mo asked curiously, "Do you know who that person is?"
"I’m not sure, I didn’t see it myself. I only discovered two tea cups on the table when tidying the study," Liu Miaozhi recalled as he spoke, "Moreover, the master’s expression at the time was extremely fearful, as if he’d seen something truly terrifying. He planned to send us out of the city that night, but an incident occurred halfway..."
Chen Mo played with the white porcelain tea cup with his fingers, pondering in his heart.
It seems that once we find that thing, everything will naturally come to light.
But he doesn’t even know what it is, there’s really no way to proceed...
"Shall we report this to Her Majesty the Empress first?"
Hoo—
At this moment, a gentle breeze passed by.
A slender figure appeared out of nowhere, a plain white skirt flowing in the wind.
"Is the matter settled?" Chen Mo raised his eyes to look and asked aloud.
Gu Manzhi nodded and said, "That Instructor Wan has already confessed, saying that it was arranged by Fengluan Yang Lin to ’pay special attention’ to the Xu Family’s women... That Yang Fengluan is now at the Purple Cloud Pavilion listening to music, seemingly receiving a noble guest."
"A noble guest?"
Chen Mo seemed to have thought of something, his mouth curled up, "Perfect, let’s go take a look."
...
...
Purple Cloud Pavilion.
In the luxuriously decorated hall, the sound of silk and bamboo lingered continuously.
A few young lords in splendid attire were holding dancing girls in their arms, exchanging drinks and laughter, creating a lively atmosphere.
Chu Heng sat in the chief seat, his long eyes glanced at a short, pudgy man beside him, speaking with a chilling tone, "How’s the task I gave you?"
Yang Lin hunched over, picked up a wine jug, and filled the cup in front of Chu Heng, his expression carrying a trace of obsequiousness, replied, "Reporting to His Highness the Heir, everything has been arranged. Should there be any discovery, I will report to His Highness immediately."
"Hmm."
Chu Heng nodded slightly, said indifferently, "I know you’ve always wanted to enter the Ritual Department. If this is done well, I guarantee you’ll be in the Chief position within three years."
"Th-thank you, Your Highness!"
Yang Lin’s breath quickened a bit.
The Ministry of Rites is divided into the Ritual, Offerings, Guests, and Culinary departments, the Imperial Music Bureau falls under the Ritual Department’s jurisdiction.
Although he’s a top hand in the Imperial Music Bureau, he is ultimately just a ninth-rank minor official and has hardly any space for promotion; whereas, the Chief of the Ritual Department, albeit an idle position, is truly a Standard Sixth Rank Official!
These years in the Imperial Music Bureau, he’s earned handsomely, but he no longer cares about money and only wants to strive for the upper limit of his career path.
With a firm grip on the Heir’s favor, why worry about not advancing further?
"I really want to advance so much!"
Chu Heng’s fingers gently caressed the dancing girl’s delicate skin, his elongated eyes flashed with brilliance.
"In recent years, His Majesty’s health has been deteriorating, with not much time left, must seize the opportunity..."
"What could make His Majesty so anxious, even going so far to raid the Xu Family, must be something extraordinary. Where did Xu Yanlin hide it?"
Back then, the entire Xu Mansion was turned upside down but yielded nothing, very likely aided by someone behind the scenes.
Chu Heng targeted the Xu Family’s women aiming to ’stir the grass and scare the snake,’ seeing if they would catch any leads...
"Now with the winds and clouds rising in Tiandu City, various forces are beginning to stir. Not even the palace is safe, His Majesty has clearly realized this and has not allowed the Crown Prince to leave Linqing Palace..."
"The more trump cards in hand, the greater the odds of winning when the time comes..."
Chu Heng’s fingers unconsciously roamed the dancing girl’s body, causing her cheeks to blush with her weak body nestled in his arms.
"Your Highness..."
Thunk, thunk, thunk—
At this moment, the door suddenly knocked.
A young servant pushed open the door, hurriedly walked in, short of breath said, "Mr. Yang, Yang Daren, something happened..."
Yang Lin frowned and reprimanded, "Rushing about, what kind of propriety is this? Can you handle the consequences of disturbing the noble guest?!"
The young servant shivered, lowered his head dared not speak.
Yang Lin demanded, "Speak, what has happened?"
The young servant swallowed his saliva, whispered, "Just now a few instructors were attacked on backstreet, among them Instructor Wan and Instructor Dong were severely injured, barely holding on to life..."
"Attacked?!"
Yang Lin’s face dramatically changed, abruptly stood up, "Who dared to be so bold, striking within the Imperial Music Bureau?"
The young servant answered, "Heard it was Mr. Chen of the Sky Scale Guard, also, he took Liu Miaozhi and Xu Ling’er away..."
?!
Yang Lin’s scalp tingled upon hearing this.
How did they alarm this god of plague?
He deliberately cautioned not to involve Yu’er, fearing it may displease Chen Mo... These women aren’t even blood-related to Yu’er, this Mr. Chen is protecting them too much!
Yang Lin stealthily glanced at Chu Heng, saw him unmoved, seemingly having anticipated this, only then did his nervousness slightly ease.
"Anyway, if the sky falls, taller ones bear the brunt, now’s the time to demonstrate loyalty..."
Musing to this point, Yang Lin cleared his throat, asserted in a solemn tone, "It’s simply outrageous! Committing violence in public, must face legal consequences, even Deputy Thousand Households of the Sky Scale Guard can’t run amok in the Imperial Music Bureau..."
Bang!
Before the words settled, the door was once again smashed open, and the purple-clothed guard stationed outside was sent flying in, landing with a thud and silenced.
The room instantly plunged into dead silence.
Step, step, step—
Accompanied by a soft paced footsteps, a towering figure walked into the room.
"Master Yang, what punishment do you intend for me?"
"Ch-Chen Daren..."
Gazing at the handsome face, Yang Lin’s legs turned weak.
The name of a person, the shadow of a tree, he had heard of this Mr. Chen’s means!
Not only had he dismembered the son of the Vice Minister of Criminal Justice, Yan Linghu, making him crippled, but also publicly beat the Heir Chu... What’s most terrifying is that he surprisingly faced no consequence afterward!
Handling him would be no harder than crushing ants, wouldn’t it?
At this critical juncture, Yang Lin cast aside loyalty demonstration and quietly retreated two steps, shielding Chu Heng.
Chu Heng’s expression remained calm, said nonchalantly, "It’s been a while, Mr. Chen is still lawless as ever."
Chen Mo sat grandly opposite him, cheerfully remarked, "Not at all, I have my rules, just that His Highness is unaware."
"Oh?" Chu Heng raised his eyelids slightly, asked intrigued, "What rules, let’s hear them?"
Knock, knock, knock—
Chen Mo raised his hand with a wave, three tokens pinned on the sandalwood table.
One gold, one purple, one black, penetrating threefold deep.
"Which of these ’rules’ would His Highness like to hear first?"
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