I became the demon of the female devil

Chapter 263 The Empress's Push-Back Sensation! Lord Chen's Busy Day!
Early in the morning, just as dawn was breaking, Chen Mo quietly slipped out of the palace.

It was not yet time for morning sweeping, and the entire inner court was quiet. Just as he was about to head towards the Qianqing Gate, a faint voice suddenly came from beside him:

"Master Chen..."

"..."

Chen Mo froze.

Turning my head, I saw Xu Qingyi sitting in the corner, holding a cat.

Dewdrops clung to her jet-black hair, her handsome face was slightly pale, and her clear black and white eyes gazed at him, her emotions somewhat unreadable.

"Xu Sizheng, what are you doing here?" Chen Mo was stunned for a moment, then asked in confusion, "You didn't sit here all night, did you?"

Xu Qingyi did not answer, her eyelashes casting trembling shadows beneath her eyes, and said in a low voice, "Lord Chen stayed at the Begonia Pond all night? What matter did you report that took so long?"

"Ahem, this is a long story..."

Last night, Chen Mo gave the Imperial Concubine a massage with essential oils. After he finished massaging her back, he wanted to massage her front as well, but the Imperial Concubine insisted on letting him experience it too.

Then, under his patient guidance, they did a chest-to-back pose...

Thinking of that wonderful feeling of being pushed back, Chen Mo's heart was still racing. He pursed his dry lips and said, "After reporting to the emperor last night, I practiced under the guidance of the Empress. After entering a meditative state, I forgot the time. When I opened my eyes again, it was already dawn."

"Really?" Xu Qingyi was somewhat skeptical. "Just cultivation? You're not lying to me?"

"Of course," Chen Mo said without changing his expression. "I never lie. If you don't believe me, do you think you don't believe Her Majesty?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Qingyi's expression softened slightly, and her eyes regained some of their sparkle.

She got up and went to Chen Mo, handing him the cat that had been rubbing against her all night and looked a little listless.

"Meow~"

The cat opened its sleepy eyes, saw that it was Chen Mo, and then fell back asleep peacefully.

"Your Highness is, after all, an Imperial Noble Consort, a woman of noble birth and high status. You must be mindful of your image. If you always stay overnight in your palace, people in the palace will start gossiping," Xu Qingyi reminded her earnestly.

Chen Mo said with a smile, "If I can't stay overnight in the palace, am I supposed to stay overnight in the inner palace?"

"You...you mustn't misunderstand me. When did I say that?"

A blush crept across Xu Qingyi's cheeks. Her fingers gripped the hem of her dress. After a moment of silence, she stammered, "But if you have the Crown Prince's decree and insist on sleeping in my place, there's nothing I can do..."

?

Before Chen Mo could react, she had already turned and run far away, her clear voice echoing in the air:

"Seeing that you've been quite busy lately, I won't rush you to update for now. Next time you go to the palace, remember to bring the last ten chapters of Yin Ping Mei..."

Gazing at the swaying skirt, Chen Mo shook his head and muttered to himself, "Why does Xu Sizheng seem to be getting more and more girlish?"

"Meow~"

The cat murmured softly and rubbed gently against him.

Chen Mo's scent is still the most comforting. I wish I could be held by him every day.

……

……

Chen Mo left the palace and flew towards the north of the city.

It was still early and the streets were sparsely populated. He moved with the grace of the wind and arrived at Huaizhenfang in just half an incense stick's time.

Just as he was about to enter the gate of Tianlin Guard, he suddenly noticed something and his brows furrowed slightly.

"Ok?"

In the alleyway by the street.

Two furtive figures huddled together, peering outwards.

"Holy Maiden, you're going to crush me to death..." Qiao Tong's face turned bright red.

Yu Hongyin, clinging to her back, asked with some confusion, "Strange, I clearly saw someone coming just now, how come they disappeared in the blink of an eye?"

"Are you looking for me?"

Just then, a familiar voice entered my ears.

The two slowly turned their heads to look, only to see Chen Mo standing behind them, arms crossed, leaning against the brick wall, looking at them with great interest.

"Chen Mo?"

Yu Hongyin stammered, "You... how did you get here?"

"Nonsense, of course I'm here to work."

Chen Mo walked up to the two of them and looked down at them, saying, "I'd like to ask you the same thing: what are you doing sneaking around here so early in the morning?"

Yu Hongyin jumped off Qiao Tong and said somewhat awkwardly, "It's nothing, we just happened to be passing by."

"Oh, okay."

Chen Mo didn't ask any more questions and turned to leave.

"and many more……"

Seeing that he was about to leave, Yu Hongyin subconsciously grabbed the corner of his clothes.

Faced with Chen Mo's questioning gaze, she hurriedly let go of his hand and hesitated, "Actually, I also wanted to ask, what are your plans to do with the case reported yesterday, sir?"

The whereabouts of those missing cultivators remain unknown. All sects have realized the seriousness of the problem, but this is, after all, the capital city, and their actions are restricted in many ways. To solve the case, they still have to rely on the power of the imperial court.

Aside from asking Chen Mo for help, Yu Hongyin couldn't think of any other way.

"You mean this..."

Chen Mo said calmly, "The case has been solved, now we just need to arrest the people."

?

"What? It's already broken?!"

The two were stunned.

After regaining his senses, he said impatiently:

"Who is the murderer?"

"Are my Netherworld Sect disciples still alive?"

Chen Mo shook his head and said, "It's still uncertain whether there are any survivors. We'll only know after the real culprit is brought to justice. However, the time is not right yet, and we need to wait patiently."

Actually, he put it rather tactfully.

Chu Heng probably captured people to treat their injuries; after so many days, those sect disciples may have already met with misfortune.

Otherwise, Chu Heng wouldn't have been able to recover so quickly.

"Is the time right?"

The two exchanged a glance and gradually calmed down.

Yu Hongyin asked, "How much longer do we have to wait?"

"I'm not sure, but we should have news soon," Chen Mo replied.

Yu Hongyin frowned, feeling somewhat uneasy.

Did Chen Mo really find the murderer, or was he just using this excuse to deceive himself?
She said softly, "Then we will wait nearby. If there is any news, we hope Lord Chen can let us know so that we can do our part."

Chen Mo thought for a moment, realizing he might actually need her later, and nodded, saying, "Then you shouldn't linger here. Be careful you don't get arrested as spies. Come with me to the yamen."

"it is good."

The two naturally did not refuse and followed Chen Mo into the Tianlin Guard's gate.

We walked through the training ground and headed towards the yamen (official residence).

"Master Chen."

"Greetings, Lord Chen."

Along the way, the constables stopped and bowed when they saw Chen Mo, their gazes only lingering briefly on the two women, their expressions remaining unchanged.

Upon seeing this, Yu Hongyin gained a new understanding of Chen Mo's prestige within the Tianlin Guard.

We arrived at the Fire Office.

Li Yuan quickly stepped forward, smiling sweetly, "My lord, you've arrived... Hmm?"

Upon seeing the two girls following behind, Li Yuan's smile quickly vanished, and her expression turned serious.

"What is this, you two...?"

"Family members of the victim, please don't worry about it, just find a place to sit down."

Chen Mo picked up the cat, wiped the dust off the public chair, then casually tossed it aside, sat down, and put his legs up on the table.

"Meow~"

The cat seemed a little annoyed and lay in the corner, quietly grooming its fur.

"My lord, please have some tea."

Li Yuan stood to the side, poured a cup of hot tea, and then served one to Yu Hongyin and Qiao Tong respectively.

"Thank you."

The two nodded their thanks.

Yu Hongyin sat on a chair in the corner, quietly watching Chen Mo.

She was also very curious about how this man, who had solved a series of major cases in just a few months and whose experience was nothing short of legendary, spent his day.

This kind of efficiency in handling cases must come from a workaholic who forgets to eat and sleep...

Right?
Soon, reality surprised her greatly.

Chen Mo first leisurely sipped the tea, commenting on the tea leaves and water temperature, and then reminded Li Yuan to pay attention to quality when purchasing next time.

Then, out of nowhere, he pulled out a miscellaneous book with a picture of a half-naked woman on the cover and the title "The Temptation of a Fairy" in large characters next to it. He began to examine it carefully with a critical eye.

"..."

Yu Hongyin initially comforted herself, saying that it was only past 3 AM, the morning drum hadn't sounded yet, and she hadn't officially started her shift, so it was normal to relax a little.

By 3:45 AM, the roll call had ended. Chen Mo covered his face with the book, and a snoring sound came from below...

She fell completely silent.

Chen Mo didn't wake up until Chen Shi (7-9 AM).

Just when Yu Hongyin thought he was finally going to start doing his job, she saw him tear two pages from a miscellaneous book and slowly walk toward the outhouse with his hands behind his back.

Fifteen minutes later, Chen Mo returned from squatting in the toilet.

I glanced at the sundial; it was already time for breakfast.

Li Yuan walked in carrying a food box from Zuixianju, and the table was full of steaming hot food.

At the beginning of the Si hour, the meal was finished.

Li Yuan had prepared desserts and fruits in advance and gave her a full tiger massage.

At noon, Chen Mo stamped the documents that Li Yuan had prepared in advance, and then began to seriously consider what he should eat for lunch.

At noon, Qiu Longgang came to report on official business. He received high praise from Chen Mo for catching five tokens at once.

As the hour of Wei (1-3 PM) approached, Chen Mo began tearing up books again… “Lord Chen!”

Yu Hongyin couldn't hold back any longer and suddenly stood up.

Chen Mo was taken aback for a moment, then asked in confusion, "What, you're feeling it too?"

tear-

He tore a few more pages from the already thinned book and handed the paper with erotic pictures to Yu Hongyin.

"Together?"

"..."

Yu Hongyin's eyelids twitched.

She finally understood that this person was just giving her the runaround!

At this rate of inefficiency, when will the real culprit be brought to justice?!
"I am extremely grateful to Lord Chen for his help with the investigation yesterday!"

"If you don't want to investigate further, you can just say so. I understand. There's no need to try to fob me off like this!"

?

Chen Mo frowned and said, "Who's trying to fool you? Didn't I tell you that we've already found the murderer?"

Yu Hongyin took a deep breath and asked, "Then may I ask who the murderer is? If it's inconvenient for you to take action, sir, I can go and bring the person back myself!"

"The heir of the Prince Yu's mansion."

"..."

"Who?"

Yu Hongyin's expression stiffened slightly, as if she was unsure.

Chen Mo said calmly, "I said, the one who kidnapped those sect disciples was Prince Yu's heir, Chu Heng. His purpose was probably to absorb their essence and blood to heal his injuries... I've already told you the identity of the murderer. Go and bring him back."

Yu Hongyin's lips twitched slightly.

Chen Mo wouldn't joke about something like this.

No wonder he hesitated to make a move; it turns out the murderer was actually a member of the royal family.

"That's okay."

Yu Hongyin silently sat back down.

It wasn't that she didn't want to save people, but rather that the gap between them was too large.

Despite her title as the Holy Maiden of the Netherworld Sect, which commands respect from the martial arts world, she is utterly insignificant in the face of the Great Yuan royal family.

He probably stepped into the palace gates and was chopped into mincemeat for trespassing.

Even if her master came, he could only collect her body; there was nothing else he could do...

"Haste makes waste; we need to be patient," Chen Mo said, then left with his hands behind his back.

"Holy Maiden, this Chu Heng is no ordinary person. If he really is the murderer, things might get complicated," Qiao Tong said in a low voice.

"Of course I know."

Yu Hongyin looked worried. "I heard that Chen Mo had a conflict with Chu Heng before. Now that things have just calmed down, would he be willing to escalate the conflict again for a few complete strangers?"

"But there is no other way."

"Sigh, let's just take it one step at a time. After all, Chen Mo's stance is what it is, and we can't force him to do anything about it."

The two looked gloomy and dejected, feeling that their hope was fading.

An incense stick later, Chen Mo returned from his paid squatting session, feeling refreshed.

At this moment, a captain strode in, bowed, and said, "Lord Chen, three guests have come to visit, saying they have come specifically to see you."

"Three people?"

Chen Mo's eyes flashed, and he nodded, saying, "Let them in."

"Yes."

The captain withdrew.

A moment later, three figures wearing long robes and straw hats entered the courtroom.

Seeing how bundled up they were, Chen Mo chuckled and said, "The three of you are quite cautious, it seems you're afraid of getting involved with me in some way?"

"Lord Chen, you misunderstand. The political situation is complex these days; it's always good to be cautious." A deep voice came from under a bamboo hat, then turned to look at Yu Hongyin and Qiao Tong, "May I ask who these two are...?"

"They're just江湖人 (jianghu people), no need to care about them," Chen Mo waved his hand and said.

The three then took off their straw hats, revealing their true faces.

The person who spoke just now was Yan Peizhi, and the other two were Feng Jinyu, the Vice Minister of Rites, and Xu Lin, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review.

"Commander Li, please take a seat," Chen Mo said.

"No need for that." Yan Peizhi took out a piece of yellow silk from his sleeve and handed it to Li Yuan, saying, "This is what the master wants. Please take a look."

Li Yuan presented the yellow silk, and Chen Mo unfolded it, glanced at it, and a smile appeared on his lips.

"The three of you have already met with my father? That's quite efficient."

Yan Peizhi asked, "I wonder if Your Excellency is satisfied?"

Chen Mo put away the yellow silk and said with a smile, "Satisfied, very satisfied."

The three breathed a sigh of relief. Yan Pei stepped forward and said in a low voice, "In that case, what about that piece of evidence..."

"Rest assured, Lord Yan, I am a man of my word. Once this matter is settled, I will destroy all the evidence." Chen Mo paused for a moment and said, "After this experience, His Highness will surely see the stance and ability of the two of you, and will naturally no longer pursue the past."

Yan Peizhi and Feng Jinyu exchanged a glance.

As long as there is one piece of evidence, countless copies can be made, and even if it is destroyed, it is meaningless.

The key lies in Her Majesty the Empress's attitude towards this matter...

Feng Jinyu stepped forward, handed over a thick envelope from his sleeve, and said with a fawning smile, "I hope you will put in a good word for me before His Highness."

"Easy to say."

Chen Mo reached out and took it without a trace of cynicism.

"Master Chen!"

At this moment, Xu Lin, who had been silent until now, cleared his throat and said in a stern tone, "When cutting grass, you must pull it out by the roots; when cutting wood, you must remove the root. To eliminate evil completely, you must leave no room for future trouble... Since you are going to take action, then leave no room for retreat, otherwise I'm afraid there will be endless troubles in the future!"

Xu Lin was in a very bad mood.

Originally, this matter had nothing to do with him, but he was dragged into it by these two old guys.

There was no other way; the group was very close and each had something on the other. If Yan and Feng were forced into a corner and fought to the death, he wouldn't fare any better!
Now that the Prince Yu's mansion has been thoroughly offended, he only hopes that Chen Mo can solidify the case and prevent Chu Heng from ever recovering!

"I don't need Lord Xu to remind me of this. I might make a mistake once, but I will never make a mistake a second time," Chen Mo said calmly.

“Good.” Xu Lin nodded and said, “Then I will wait for Lord Chen’s good news.”

Yan Peizhi cupped his hands and said, "We have said everything that needs to be said. We cannot stay any longer. Farewell."

"Walk slowly, don't send."

Chen Mo showed no intention of getting up.

"Stay."

The three put their straw hats back on and hurriedly left the government office.

Chen Mo clutched the yellow silk in his hand, a cold smile flashing across his eyes.

"Don't rush, take it one by one. Let's get rid of Chu Heng first, this thorn in our side, and then we'll settle accounts with you one by one!"

"But Yan Peizhi really makes me look at him in a new light. His own son is in the imperial prison, and he doesn't even ask a single question. He's really cold-blooded... No wonder Qin Shu wanted to cuckold him..."

Open the envelope that Feng Jinyu gave him.

What they found inside was not banknotes, but a stack of documents.

The files included all the female members of the Xu family, including Yu'er and Liu Miaozhi. They were very detailed and also included a document bearing the official seal of the Ministry of Rites.

The female relatives of convicted officials are different from prostitutes; under normal circumstances, they cannot redeem themselves.

With this official document, Chen Mo could take the person away from the Jiaofangsi at any time. Although they still couldn't escape their lowly status, they were much freer in comparison.

"This Vice Minister Feng is quite astute; no wonder he's so successful in the Three Departments and Six Ministries. It's a pity he's got such a terrible teammate, Yan Peizhi..."

Chen Mo shook his head, put the document away, and planned to take a closer look when he had time. He had more important things to do right now.

"Yuan'er, coder! Time to get down to business!"

"Yes!"

Li Yuan strode out of the yamen.

Soon, the sound of drums gathering echoed across the training ground.

Chen Mo, holding the yellow silk, was about to leave when he stopped in his tracks as he passed the two men. "What are you two standing there for? Come on."

Yu Hongyin looked somewhat bewildered. "Where to?"

Chen Mo said with a smile, "Where else could we go? Of course, it's the Prince Yu's residence! The time is ripe; let's close the net!"

……

……

Chengbei Fangshi.

Two figures darted across the street.

"Your Highness, are you sure Chen Mo will agree?" Lu Shuangge asked.

"It's pretty much a done deal." Chu Yanli said with a smile, "The conflict between him and Chu Heng has completely escalated. We can't delay any longer. It's best to strike first. Chen Mo will definitely find an opportunity to make a move against Chu Heng..."

"The Empress is willing but unable, and the Three Departments are unwilling to cooperate. Besides me, who else would give him this opportunity?"

Lu Shuangge shook his head and said, "I feel that Chen Mo's personality doesn't seem like the type to curry favor with the powerful."

Chu Yanli said dismissively, "Young people are all a bit arrogant at heart. They'd rather break than bend, harder than refined iron. But after hitting a few more walls, they'll gradually soften."

"But……"

Lu Shuangge hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

I have a feeling that this matter is not as simple as the eldest princess thinks.

Just as the two arrived at Huaizhenfang, the gate of Tianlin Guard suddenly opened, and dozens of people rode out, raising dust in the air. The leader was none other than Chen Mo!
A spirited woman declared loudly, "Our mission to capture the criminal Chu Heng is of utmost importance! Anyone who dares to defy the law will be punished as an accomplice and executed on the spot!"

"Yes!"

The crowd responded in unison!

?

The two stood on the street, watching the dark clouds rushing past, their expressions frozen on their faces.

Lu Shuangge blinked and said cautiously, "Your Highness, it seems Chen Mo is even tougher than you thought..."

Chu Yanli: "..."

(End of this chapter)