I became the demon of the female devil

Chapter 268 The Eldest Princess's Candlelight Dinner! Your Majesty, please calm down!

It's getting late.

Chen Mo carried the cat out of the yamen.

He stroked her back, smoothing the bristling fur, and said softly, "Yuan'er's temperament is indeed a bit too straightforward, I hope Your Highness will not take offense..."

"..."

The cat, or more accurately, the catgirl, gave him a knowing, disdainful look.

This wasn't the first time she'd seen something like this.

Last time, since it was due to poisoning, it was somewhat understandable...

In broad daylight, they crawled right under the table, and with such practiced ease, it's clear they've undergone extensive "professional training"!
What are those two doing all day at the yamen?!

Chen Mo said softly, "Yuan'er has been through thick and thin with me, and our bond is undeniable. But that does not diminish my respect and love for Your Majesty in the slightest... Your Majesty should know my feelings, so please don't be jealous, okay?"

I'm not jealous at all!
It's just that it's an eyesore!
"Meow!"

Yu Youhan wanted to scold Chen Mo, but when she opened her mouth, all that came out was a soft, guttural voice.

I almost forgot, cats' vocalization structure is different from humans'...

In order to suppress her aura as much as possible so as not to be detected, she only separated a wisp of her divine sense and attached it to the cat. It was only used to observe the surroundings and at most to make some simple movements. She was not yet able to use her divine sense to transmit her voice.

Hearing the whimpering cry, Chen Mo frowned slightly. "Your Majesty, can't you speak human language?"

"..."

Yu Youhan angrily bit him.

nonsense!

Can you say I didn't say that earlier?

Seeing how stubbornly it wouldn't let go, Chen Mo pondered for a moment, as if he had thought of something.

"You wouldn't happen to want to..."

"No, I have hangnails on my tongue..."

?

What nonsense is this guy spouting!

Yu Youhan was both ashamed and annoyed, and bit down even harder.

Since he couldn't break through the defenses anyway, Chen Mo let it go. His figure was as graceful as the wind, and in just a quarter of an hour, the massive palace complex came into view.

Just as they arrived at the palace gates, they bumped into two familiar figures.

One of them, dressed in a red robe and wearing a seven-beam crown, was none other than the Grand Secretary Zhuang Jingming.

Meanwhile, Eunuch Jin stood to the side, still dressed in a sea-themed robe, holding a silver whisk in his hand, his hair tied up in a bun, meticulous in every detail.

"Sir, please stay."

"Please take care, Lord Zhuang."

Zhuang Jingming's expression was somewhat unpleasant. He cupped his hands in greeting and was about to leave when he turned around and saw Chen Mo holding a cat. He was momentarily stunned.

"It's you?"

"This humble official greets Lord Zhuang and Eunuch Jin."

The empress was still nestled in his arms, so he couldn't perform a proper bow and could only nod in acknowledgment.

Zhuang Jingming narrowed his eyes, a cold glint flashing in them. "I heard that Lord Chen solved a major case today?"

Chen Mo said calmly, "Lord Zhuang is indeed well-informed."

Zhuang Jingming sneered, "Lord Chen's massacre of the Prince's Mansion has caused an uproar throughout the capital! If I didn't even know this, then I'd be a useless Grand Secretary!"

Chen Mo had long anticipated that the matter would spread quickly and could not be hidden from the eyes and ears of these court officials. He frankly said, "I was ordered to arrest the suspect Chu Heng. During the arrest, the guards of the Prince's Palace resisted stubbornly and refused to be arrested with knives. I had no choice but to take action."

"Fine, what a convenient excuse of having no other choice."

Zhuang Jingming's smile faded, and he said in a deep voice, "You should know what it means to wield a knife against a member of the imperial family. If you can't produce concrete evidence, Lord Chen will likely find it difficult to escape unscathed."

"There's no need for Chief Minister Zhuang to trouble himself with that."

Chen Mo said calmly, "However, in the beginning, it was Chief Minister Zhuang who suspected that the Crown Prince had ties with the demon race, and even suggested in court that Lord Yan thoroughly investigate the matter... Now that the three departments have made a ruling and ordered the arrest, why does Chief Minister Zhuang seem rather unhappy?"

"..."

Zhuang Jingming's eyelids twitched slightly.

The reason he spoke up for Chen Mo in court was partly at the Empress's request, and partly to put pressure on the Yan family.

From the moment Yan Peizhi came to him for help, he had already taken the bait... He had Yan Linghu implicate the Crown Prince while he himself went to the palace to meet the Empress, completely blocking Yan Peizhi's escape route.

Yan Peizhi had no choice but to submit to him and become the Jiang family's pawn in infiltrating the Six Ministries.

As for those so-called confessions, they were not enough to threaten Chu Heng, and ultimately nothing came of it.

Everything was proceeding smoothly according to plan.

What Zhuang Jingming didn't expect was that Chen Mo somehow obtained evidence of Yan Peizhi's favoritism and corruption, completely disrupting his plans.

The evidence is irrefutable and conclusive, enough to remove the Vice Minister of Justice from his post!

In this way, Yan Peizhi had no further use and would only bring shame upon himself, so Zhuang Jingming had no choice but to cut ties with him at lightning speed.

With nowhere else to turn, Vice Minister Yan, under Chen Mo's coercion, actually produced a document from the Three Departments!
Chen Mo was decisive enough. Before the news could spread, he led his men to storm the Prince's mansion. Before anyone could react, Chu Heng had already become a prisoner!

Zhuang Jingming didn't care whether Chu Heng lived or died, but he had to consider His Majesty's thoughts.

After all, he was the one who first proposed a thorough investigation of the Crown Prince. Now that he has been arrested and imprisoned, what will His Majesty think about this?
They might even suspect that he was behind it all!
A huge, black pot was just dumped on him, how could Zhuang Jingming not be furious?

"A true hero is one who possesses both integrity and virtue, concealing his abilities and waiting for the right moment to act."

"Although Lord Chen is very capable, he is still too young and impetuous, and does not know how to be flexible and adaptable. He is bound to stumble in the end."

Zhuang Jingming's tone became colder.

Is this old guy threatening me?

Chen Mo raised an eyebrow, about to retort, when he heard Eunuch Jin speak up: "Lord Zhuang, I cannot agree with what you say. What kind of young man is he if he is not impetuous?"

He held the whisk in his left hand and said softly, "If it were really as Lord Zhuang said, that we should be holding back our talents and waiting for the right time to act, then the Eight Desolations Demon-Slaying Formation would probably have been destroyed long ago."

"Without the protection of the great formation, demons will wreak havoc in the capital, and your position as prime minister may not be secure."

"In my opinion, every single official in the court owes Lord Chen a favor."

"You're right, aren't you?"

Zhuang Jingming seemed somewhat wary of Eunuch Jin. Even though his expression was extremely gloomy, he did not refute him and nodded, saying, "What you say makes sense, Eunuch. It was my narrow-mindedness that led me to say this. I still have matters to attend to in the manor, so I cannot stay any longer. Farewell."

Having said that, he didn't even glance at Chen Mo, and turned to get into the sedan chair.

Watching the departing sedan chair carried by four men, Eunuch Jin snorted coldly and muttered, "That two-faced old bastard..."

Chen Mo smiled and said, "Thank you for helping me out, Father-in-law."

"It's alright, I've disliked him for a long time." Eunuch Jin said without any hesitation, "As a high-ranking official, he has no ambition for the country and only cares about petty gains. He's like a hungry hawk chasing a rotten rat. He's not even as respectable as Lü Huaiyu..."

"You'd better keep your distance from him to avoid being led astray."

"I understand."

"Hmm, Lord Chen is a smart man, there's no need for us to waste our breath... Did you come to the palace today to see Her Majesty the Empress? And why are you carrying a cat?"

Chen Mo looked around and said in a low voice, "This humble official has been summoned by the Princess to pay his respects at Changning Pavilion."

?

Grandpa Jin was stunned.

If you go to the Princess's palace at this hour, will you say good morning or good night?

He knew that the eldest princess had once said that whoever inherited the art of military strategy was qualified to be her husband... but now that he had only been back in the capital for a few days, wasn't this progress a bit too fast?
"Then this cat..."

"Oh, my cat can do backflips, and the princess was quite interested in it, so I brought it along as well."

"Backflip?"

Faced with Eunuch Jin's curious gaze, Chen Mo subconsciously patted the cat's butt, wanting it to perform, but forgot that the cat was now under the Empress's control.

The black cat remained unmoved, its heterochromatic eyes coldly fixed on Eunuch Jin.

Jin Gonggong felt a chill creep down his back for no apparent reason, a coldness spreading up his spine as if he were being looked down upon by some higher being, making even breathing incredibly difficult.

However, this feeling is fleeting.

Upon closer inspection, there was nothing unusual, as if everything that had just happened was merely an illusion.

"Never mind, no need for the performance." Eunuch Jin looked away and said, "It's on my way, I'll take you there."

"Thank you for your trouble, Father-in-law," Chen Mo nodded.

The two entered the palace and walked along the palace road toward the inner court.

"Do you know why Grand Secretary Zhuang entered the palace today?" On the way, Eunuch Jin asked aloud.

Chen Mo said, "It must be related to what happened at the Prince's residence, right?"

“That’s right.” Eunuch Jin’s voice was compressed into a single line, reaching our ears: “The news of your arrest had just spread when Zhuang Jingming submitted a memorial to Qianji Palace, impeaching you for abusing your power, committing treason, and being suspected of rebellion.” “Fortunately, Her Majesty the Empress was prepared and intercepted the memorial midway. Zhuang Jingming was also turned away by me and was unable to see His Majesty.”

Chen Mo frowned.

I never imagined that so many things would happen in just half a day.

After all, Wu Lie was Chu Heng's uncle, and he couldn't just sit idly by. He also didn't want the Empress to be caught in the middle, so he never intended to use the power of the Eastern Palace... but he didn't expect the Empress to be so unconcerned and was already quietly helping him clean up the mess.

"This is just the beginning."

"His Majesty must already know about this matter, and it's hard to say what will happen next."

Eunuch Jin paused, his voice turning sharper, and said, "Things have come to this point, there's no turning back! Since Lord Chen is going to handle this, then make it an ironclad case. Don't be lenient, or the consequences will be dire!"

Chen Mo said solemnly, "Thank you for your guidance, sir. I understand."

"That's good."

Grandpa Jin said no more.

The two arrived deep within the inner court, where a palace courtyard separated by vermilion walls stood before them, with phoenixes perched on the eaves visible in the distance.

Eunuch Jin stopped and said, "This is Changning Pavilion. It is inconvenient for me to go inside, so I can only escort you here."

Chen Mo bowed his head and said, "Thank you for your trouble, sir."

"Go ahead, don't keep Her Highness the Princess waiting." Eunuch Jin waved his hand and said.

"Yes."

Chen Mo passed through the archway and entered the palace courtyard.

Eunuch Jin's expression turned serious as he composed himself.

Given his level of skill, it was impossible for him to have a misperception; there was definitely something strange about the aura emanating from that cat.

Looking across the entire capital city, the only person who could give him such a strong sense of crisis was probably that woman…

"If those two were to bump into each other, it would definitely cause a huge mess... We must inform Her Majesty the Empress of this matter immediately!"

With a flash, Eunuch Jin disappeared.

……

……

Chen Mo walked through the palace gardens, his feet treading on the gravel path.

Unlike the splendor of other palaces, the entire courtyard appeared somewhat desolate. Lush vegetation grew rampantly, layered rocks were covered with moss, and even the pond had long since dried up, looking as if no one had taken care of it for a long time.

Upon arriving at the palace, Chen Mo intended to send someone in to announce his arrival, but upon looking around, he couldn't find a single palace servant.

"Is this the imperial bedchamber or the cold palace?"

"As the eldest princess of the Great Yuan Dynasty, surely she doesn't have to be so shabby?"

He muttered to himself.

Just then, a slightly hoarse female voice came from the main hall:

"Don't just stand there, come in."

"……Yes."

Chen Mo lifted his leg and walked inside.

The main hall was deserted and empty, with very few furnishings. Upon entering the inner hall, Chu Yanli was seen sitting at a table, drinking alone.

She appeared to have just taken a bath, wearing a light, long dress embroidered with gold cloud patterns. Her calves beneath the hem were as smooth as jade, and her long, black hair cascaded down like a waterfall. Her fair, porcelain-like cheeks were flushed with a faint rosy hue.

It was already late, and no palace lanterns were lit inside the hall. Only a red candle burned on the table, casting flickering shadows in the dim candlelight.

Perhaps it was the lighting, but she seemed less assertive and sharp than usual, instead exuding a gentle and quiet charm.

"Please sit wherever you like. There's no one else here but us, so don't be shy," Chu Yanli said softly, holding her wine glass.

Chen Mo sat down opposite him, holding the cat, and asked, "I wonder why Your Highness summoned me here?"

"No rush, we can talk about it later." Chu Yanli slightly raised her eyelids. "Why did you bring this cat along?"

Chen Mo tentatively asked, "This cat is quite clingy, so I just picked it up... Your Highness doesn't mind, does he?"

"It's alright, I also quite like small animals. I even adopted a stray adult Wind and Thunder Cat in the military camp before." Chu Yanli spread her arms and gestured, "It was about that big."

?

You're talking about the Wind and Thunder Tiger, right...?

The Wind and Thunder Tiger is a high-level mythical beast. When it grows to adulthood, it is more than two zhang tall and weighs more than 800 jin. It doesn't seem to have anything to do with "small animals".

Moreover, this strange beast is incredibly powerful. It is said to have the bloodline of the Taotie, and even a fourth-rank martial artist would be no match for it. It would be a beast king-level existence in any mountain forest, so how could it be a wanderer?
It was obvious that she was forcibly "adopted" by the eldest princess.

"Your Highness is quite kind-hearted, huh?" Chen Moqiang said with a smile.

Chu Yanli sighed, "It's a pity that it accidentally fell into the pot later... no, it fell into the river and drowned. We had no choice but to stew it to nourish the soldiers... I must say, the meat is quite chewy. I'd like to raise a few more if I have the chance."

"..."

Chen Mo's lips twitched slightly.

If you're craving cats, just say so. Why pretend to be a cat lover?

Chu Yanli placed a wine glass in front of him, "Let's have a drink together."

Chen Mo waved his hand and said, "This humble servant is of little strength and ability. If I were to be impolite and offend Your Highness while drunk..."

"I'm not discussing this with you," Chu Yanli interrupted, frowning.

Then, perhaps realizing his tone had been too harsh, he softened his voice and said in a low voice, "I'm in a bad mood today, and there's no one else here. Will you have a couple of drinks with me...?"

Since things had come to this point, Chen Mo couldn't refuse, so he nodded and said, "Then this humble servant will accept without hesitation."

Chu Yanli's rosy lips parted, revealing a smile, her eyebrows curving like crescent moons, radiating a touch of brightness.

She personally filled the wine glass and said with great relish, "This is 'Burning Immortal's Intoxication' that I specially brought back from the Southern Frontier. It has a very strong flavor, unlike the wine from the Central Plains, which is soft and tasteless."

"Here, have a taste."

Smelling the strong smell of alcohol, Chen Mo suddenly thought of Qin Shu...

Could there be drugs in this wine?

He raised his glass, and unintentionally spilled a few drops onto the table.

The cat stuck out its tongue and licked the wine. After a moment, it winked at him, indicating that the wine hadn't been tampered with.

Chen Mo then tilted his head back and drank it all with peace of mind.

The moment the wine went down his throat, he sensed something was wrong...

This thing is way too strong!
It felt like a ball of scalding fire suddenly exploded, burning down my esophagus and making my throat feel like it was being cut by a knife!
He was a regular at drinking parties, and for a moment he found himself struggling to keep up.

Just as he was about to use his true energy to neutralize the effects of the alcohol, Chu Yanli stopped him, saying, "This alcohol is a bit strong at first, but as long as you persevere, you'll experience its wonders."

Hearing this, Chen Mo could only barely endure it. However, as the burning sensation gradually subsided, warmth rose from the bottom of his stomach and gradually spread to his limbs and bones. His pores opened up, as if he were bathing in the warm spring sun. All the discomfort he had just experienced turned into a slightly tipsy pleasure.

"I didn't lie to you, did I? Isn't it amazing?" Chu Yanli said with a smile.

Chen Mo took a deep breath and said, "It is indeed interesting, but most people would probably be unable to withstand it for even a moment."

"That's why it's called 'Burning Immortal's Intoxication'." Chu Yanli swirled her wine glass, her eyes slightly unfocused. "Only by enduring the 'burning' can one experience the 'immortality,' and of course, in the end, one still can't escape getting drunk... Thinking about it carefully, isn't life just like that?"

"To enjoy sweetness, one must endure bitterness; to wear the crown, one must bear its weight." Chen Mo toyed with his wine cup and sighed, "To be born as a human is like the contents of a cup; without experiencing tribulations, how can one taste all these flavors?"

Chu Yanli was stunned upon hearing this.

Jian Shui stared at him blankly, murmuring:
"You rascal, do you have some kind of mind-reading ability? How come you always manage to say things that resonate with me?"

"..."

The cat sensed that the atmosphere was a bit awkward and reached out its paw to grab Chen Mo's crotch.

You're still pretending, aren't you?
Chen Mo shuddered and suddenly came to his senses.

As a self-proclaimed king of showing off, it's become second nature to me; I guess I need to try to control it a bit...

Chu Yanli took out a piece of Xuan paper from somewhere, placed it on the table, and said, "Did you say these words?"

Upon seeing the passage about "governing a large country is like cooking a small fish," Chen Mo's expression stiffened slightly, and he said awkwardly, "It's just nonsense and shouldn't be taken seriously. I am a lowly official with little power and dare not presume to discuss state affairs."

"So, you really did say that?"

Chu Yanli smiled and said, "Even that arrogant old fellow Lü Huaiyu praised your words highly. I didn't expect you to understand the way of governing a country... Chen Mo, I am becoming more and more satisfied with you."

The cat's claws were digging into Chen Mo's hips with increasing force.

Chu Yanli recalled, "Oh right, there's another saying that's widely circulated and deeply resonates with me: 'The greatest heroes are those who serve their country and its people...'"

Seeing that the woman was going on and on, Chen Mo interrupted, "Your Highness is mistaken. I meant those with large lower limbs who serve the country and its people."

Chu Yanli: ?

Chen Mo soothed the catgirl with one hand and said casually, "What I'm trying to say is that it's good to spend money in brothels when you have nothing to do, which can boost the local economy. It's a good thing for the country and the people... It has nothing to do with any kind of chivalrous hero."

Chu Yanli: "..."

(End of this chapter)