I became the demon of the female devil

Chapter 285 Who is stealing the food? Her Majesty the Empress requests your presence!
The hall was deathly silent, with only the voices of Chen Mo and Chu Heng echoing in the air:
Why did you kill them?

Some people know too much and must die...

This conversation exploded in everyone's hearts like a thunderclap!

Zhu Qiming, Chief Administrator of the Jingzhao Prefecture; Zhu Chen, Director of the Ceremonial Affairs Department; Gao Jun, Principal of the Zhili Department…

These names looked very familiar; they had all appeared in the evidence submitted by Chen Zhuo before. They were accused of having close personal relationships with Chu Heng and of abusing their power and forming cliques.

Before the incident escalated, all of them claimed illness and returned home, and their whereabouts remain unknown to this day.

So, she was silenced by Chu Heng?!

The interrogation continued, and what followed left them speechless!

Did you orchestrate the barbarian slave case?

I got in touch with the Registrar of Nan Tu Prefecture, obtained a group of barbarian slaves through the black market, and then transported them to Tiandu City by waterway...

What about the tunnels leading out of the city?

I obtained a city defense map from Zhu Qiming, and then found several officials from the Ministry of Works to secretly excavate under the guise of street repairs...

What was the purpose of digging tunnels?

[For the sake of... for the sake of...]

The conversation ended abruptly there.

The crowd looked at each other in disbelief, their expressions filled with shock.

Although Chu Heng never explained why they dug the tunnel, they already had a good idea.

The Zhou family case that shocked the court and the public back then involved Zhou family guards who left the city through that tunnel and conspired with the demon race to mine red sand. If this confession is true, then Chu Heng is indeed suspected of treason!
Once the charges are proven, even members of the royal family will not escape death!
In comparison, the punishments he suffered seemed insignificant...

The image cut off as Eunuch Jin put away the recording stone. From behind the bamboo curtain came the Empress's indifferent voice: "What are your thoughts on this?"

After a brief silence, the imperial court was suddenly thrown into turmoil!
"Chu Heng was behind all these major cases?!"

"I told you long ago, Zhou Chuanbing didn't have the guts, nor any reason to do such a thing. He's just been made a scapegoat!"

"It seems Chen Mo wasn't wrong about Chu Heng after all. The Three Departments' decision to arrest him is perfectly justified!"

"Although the case-handling procedures were not rigorous enough, the merits outweigh the demerits. This matter is of utmost importance, and the culprit must be brought to justice first, otherwise who knows what kind of disaster might result!"

"How ridiculous! Some people are still questioning Chen Mo. If it weren't for him, none of you would be standing here in court!"

"A bunch of pedantic scholars, their brains are waterlogged, they actually tried to exonerate criminals who intended to rebel, and instead wanted to impeach ministers who had made outstanding contributions to the country. Their intentions are despicable!"

"I suggest a thorough investigation of Fu Baiyi and his associates. I have reason to suspect they are in cahoots with Chu Heng!"

Before Chen Zhuo even had to say a word, the officials from the Six Ministries and the Censorate had already locked onto their targets and started criticizing.

The cabinet ministers who had just stepped forward turned pale.

They had no grudge against Chen Mo; they were merely acting under Zhuang Jingming's orders to use him against Chen Mo.

They thought it was a winning situation and didn't take it too seriously, but unexpectedly, the situation suddenly reversed in a short time, and now they've gotten themselves into trouble!

Zhuang Jingming was also completely bewildered.

He had thoroughly investigated the case and concluded that the current evidence was insufficient to convict Chu Heng. However, he never expected that Chu Heng would confess on his own!
Is this guy tired of living?
"quiet!"

Eunuch Jin's voice echoed in the hall.

The boisterous atmosphere gradually quieted down.

The Empress remained calm as she inquired, "Scholar Fu, you had the strongest opinion just now. Is there anything else you wish to say?"

Fu Baiyi's back was already soaked with cold sweat. He hurriedly bowed and said, "This humble subject was unaware of the facts and made a rash judgment. Please forgive me, Your Highness..."

Before he could finish speaking, he felt a sharp gaze fall on him, as if he were being pricked by a thorn.

He swallowed hard, hesitated for a moment, then changed the subject, saying, "However, this is just a confession, and it lacks concrete evidence. Judging from Chu Heng's condition, we cannot rule out the possibility of a forced confession..."

The Empress's tone hardened slightly, "You mean, Chen Mo is giving false testimony to frame Chu Heng?"

"Your Majesty, I had no such intention." Fu Baiyi shook his head and said ambiguously, "After all, this matter is of great importance and must be handled with utmost care. We cannot wrong an innocent person, nor can we let a criminal go free."

"Hehe, now you know how to be cautious. What were you thinking just now?"

Yu Huai, a supervising secretary of the Ministry of Personnel whose blue robe was embroidered with a silver pheasant, sneered: "When you were so certain that Chen Mo was plotting a rebellion and committing treason, did you ever consider the possibility of wrongly accusing an innocent person?"

"The cabinet, those who know, know."

"A bunch of good-for-nothings who waste their breath and do nothing but empty talk, or simply useless people."

"A bachelor's degree, indeed? I wonder if he's learned how to manipulate and undermine others, or how to scheme and frame others?"

The other officials also chimed in with their sarcastic remarks, which were quite biting and offensive.

As a censor, it is one's duty to criticize and investigate politics. Even if the emperor makes a mistake, one can speak frankly, let alone a mere Grand Secretary of the Cabinet.
Fu Baiyi's face flushed red and then turned pale, but under Zhuang Jingming's coercion, he could only bite the bullet and say, "I was just raising a reasonable question. After all, the capital is under the emperor's nose. If Chu Heng really killed so many people, how could there be no news about it until now?"

"Ahem, it seems Lord Fu is completely unaware of the power and influence of the Prince Yu's mansion."

At that moment, a slightly aged voice rang out.

Fu Baiyi turned his head to look. The person who spoke had graying temples, but his eyes were as bright as morning stars. It was Shangguan Jin, the Commissioner of the Court of Judicial Review.

"It's quite a coincidence that some time ago, when the Ministry of Justice was organizing the archives, they accidentally discovered that the numbers on several documents didn't match."

"This old minister felt something was amiss, so he asked the former Tongzheng Qin Yucheng for assistance. After comparing the documents from the past five years, he finally found the missing content and discovered that every single one of them was related to the Yu Prince's Mansion."

Shangguan Jin took out a stack of documents from his sleeve and said, "Over the years, many of the servants and employees of the Yu Prince's Mansion have gone missing. There have been no fewer than a hundred people who have written to report the case, and the actual number of missing persons is probably several times that number."

"Without exception, all the memorials submitted to the government were suppressed and ultimately came to nothing."

"The missing persons remain at large, neither alive nor dead."

Thinking of the crimson blood pool in the secret chamber, everyone's expressions became even more solemn.

Is Chu Heng really killing people and sucking their blood, practicing evil arts?!

That's hundreds of lives lost. Committing such a heinous crime, even members of the royal family cannot escape punishment!
Eunuch Jin took the document and handed it to the Empress.

The sound of pages turning came from behind the bamboo curtain, and after a moment, the Empress's cold voice rang out:
"good very good!"

"They treat human life like dirt, are violent and tyrannical, and are no different from jackals and wolves!"

"Lord Yan, I remember you are related to the Qin family. I will entrust this matter to you for investigation. Anyone involved, regardless of their official rank, shall be thrown into the imperial prison. Arrest them first, then interrogate them!"

Yan Peizhi's face was somewhat gloomy, his fists clenched under his sleeves, and he bowed his head in response, "Your humble servant obeys."

The Empress turned her gaze to Fu Baiyi and asked again, "Lord Fu, is there anything else you wish to say?"

Anyone could hear the anger and displeasure in his tone.

Fu Baiyi was already drenched in sweat and, unable to withstand the pressure, bowed and said, "If this is truly the case, he must be severely punished as a warning to others!"

"What about the others? Does anyone have any objections?"

The Empress's gaze swept over them, and everyone lowered their heads, no one responding.

Zhuang Jingming kept his eyes slightly closed throughout, looking drowsy, but in reality, his heart was churning like a stormy sea.

The Empress had initially set a one-month deadline for Chen Mo to solve the case, and he had been expecting a breakthrough in just a few days!

"What methods did this guy use to get Chu Heng to confess so readily?"

"And why would Shangguan Jin suddenly stand up for Chen Mo?"

As a high-ranking official of the third rank responsible for internal and external discussions and participating in major policies, Shangguan Jin's stance has always been neutral, but this time he is clearly biased towards Chen Mo...

Just as Zhuang Jingming was pondering, a deep voice suddenly came from beside him:

"Your subject has something to report."

Zhuang Jingming's heart skipped a beat. He turned to look at the tall figure that stood out from the crowd, and his eyes finally stirred with emotion.

Lu Huaiyu?
What is he doing?
For a moment, everyone held their breath.

Everyone knows that this Grand Tutor is a staunch supporter of the monarchy and represents the interests of the imperial family. Is His Majesty going to step in to protect Chu Heng?

Zhuang Jingming's mind raced, and he sneered inwardly, "I knew His Majesty wouldn't abandon his own nephew. It seems this move was the right one; at least it shows the Cabinet's attitude..."

"Grand Tutor, please speak frankly," the Empress said.

Lu Huaiyu’s voice was deep and thunderous, “What I am talking about has nothing to do with the case, but is about the Crown Prince’s studies… I propose that Chen Mo, the deputy commander of the Tianlin Guard, serve as the Crown Prince’s study companion and study policy essays together.”

Upon hearing this, the assembled officials were stunned into silence.

Zhuang Jingming looked somewhat confused, wondering if there was something wrong with his ears.

After he came to his senses, he finally couldn't hold back anymore and said in a deep voice, "Let a military officer serve as the Crown Prince's study companion? Grand Tutor Lü, are you kidding me!"

This so-called "study companion" is merely a title, not a position, but the significance behind it is extraordinary.

Not only should they assist in academic studies and supervise behavior, but more importantly, they should establish political ties. In other words, those who spend every day with the Crown Prince will inevitably become the heir apparent's inner circle and the core advisors of the future!

They would usually choose the sons of high-ranking officials or young talents who entered officialdom through the imperial examinations.

Zhuang Jingming had also considered sending a direct descendant of the Zhuang family into the palace, but he encountered numerous obstacles and had to give up in the end.

Now Lü Huaiyu has actually recommended Chen Mo as his study companion?

"What qualifications does the son of a mere third-rank official, a deputy commander of the Tianlin Guard, have?!" Lu Huaiyu said. "Although Chen Mo is a military officer, he has a unique understanding of political affairs, and the Crown Prince also enjoys spending time with him. In my opinion, he would be perfect as a study companion."

"But……"

Zhuang Jingming wanted to say something more.

Lu Huaiyu glanced at him with his pale yellow eyes and said calmly, "I was speaking with His Highness, and I did not ask for Lord Zhuang's opinion."

Zhuang Jingming felt a chill run down his spine, as if he were being watched by a ferocious beast that was ready to devour him. Under that intense pressure, he ultimately swallowed his words.

The Empress pondered for a moment and said, "I will consider this matter carefully, but these are turbulent times, and Chen Mo is unable to get away for the time being. Let's wait until the case is closed before discussing it further."

"Your Highness is right."

Lü Huaiyu nodded slightly and said nothing more.

The court session ended in chaos.

After the ministers left, the Golden Palace finally became quiet.

The Empress leaned back on her phoenix chair, rubbed her temples, and muttered to herself, "It's fortunate that Chen Mo obtained Chu Heng's confession; otherwise, if Zhuang Jingming had taken advantage of the situation, it would have been quite troublesome."

The eunuch Jin, standing to the side, chuckled and said, "At crucial moments, Lord Chen never disappoints."

"Of course, when it comes to the ability to handle cases, he dares to say he's second, and no one in the capital dares to say they're first." The Empress looked somewhat proud, then frowned and said, "However, this confession alone is not enough. If the crime of treason cannot be confirmed, the foundation of the Prince Yu's mansion cannot be shaken."

Upon hearing this, Eunuch Jin frowned and pondered, "Judging from the image just now, it seems that some force is preventing Chu Heng from continuing... Moreover, there are still many doubts in this case, such as the red sand that was excavated, which has not yet been found..."

The Empress tapped her slender fingers on the armrest and said, "Things have come to this point. No matter who is behind Chu Heng, we can't delay any longer. We'll probably know the outcome around the Emperor's birthday. We must prepare in advance..."

"Summon Chen Mo to the palace. I have some matters to discuss with him in detail."

"This……"

Grandpa Jin hesitated slightly.

The Empress asked in confusion, "What's the problem?"

Eunuch Jin quickly shook his head and said, "It's nothing."

The Empress stared at him with her phoenix eyes. "I'm giving you one last chance. Tell me the truth, what exactly happened to Chen Mo?"

Eunuch Jin hesitated for a moment, then said, "It's nothing serious, but I heard yesterday that Lord Chen went to Changning Pavilion and then ran into Miss Lin and Minister Xu..."

The Empress paused for a moment, then asked, "And then?"

Eunuch Jin said in a low voice, "Then the three of them went to the Imperial Palace and didn't come out all night. I don't know if they've left yet..."

Empress: ?
……

……

Palaces and residences.

As dawn broke, bright sunlight streamed into the room through the window lattice.

Chen Mo slowly woke up and found himself lying on the bed, surrounded by gauze curtains, with a rich fragrance lingering around him.

Just as I was about to sit up, I found myself firmly locked in place, unable to move.

Xu Qingyi lay on the left, holding his arm, her elbow sinking into his ample bosom, while Lin Jingzhu lay on the right, her long, snow-white legs wrapped around his waist, her little pomelo pressed against his cheek.

Recalling what happened yesterday, Chen Mo couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.

He was just joking when he said he wanted Xu Qingyi to "grind the ink," since she would definitely be too embarrassed to do it herself.

Unexpectedly, after reading the plot of the book, Lin Jingzhu also came over and insisted on playing the role in the book just like Xu Qingyi, which almost caused the two to fight again.

Lin Jingzhu first gave Chen Mo a kiss in a show of defiance, which angered Xu Qingyi, who then hugged him and started rubbing against him.

However, due to her lack of experience, before Chen Mo could do anything, she herself couldn't hold back anymore...

With the two of them interfering, the brush kept getting wet and then drying until it was completely dark before Chen Mo finally managed to finish writing the ten chapters.

The palace was under curfew, so they had to stay here overnight. The bed was not very big, so the three of them squeezed together and could only manage to fall asleep around midnight.

"What kind of thing is this..."

Chen Mo shook his head.

Before the two woke up, he decided to make a quick getaway, otherwise he wouldn't be able to escape later.

Carefully lifting Lin Jingzhu's long legs, just as he was about to pull his arm back, a soft moan reached his ear:
"Hmm~"

Lin Jingzhu opened her sleepy eyes, and upon seeing Chen Mo, a smile appeared on her pretty face. She said sweetly, "Lord Chen, you're awake!"

"No." Chen Mo closed his eyes again.

"You're lying, I saw you open your eyes." Lin Jingzhu lay on his chest, still sleepy and a little drowsy, and started automatically looking for food based on muscle memory.

The lilac slender fingers reached out and licked Chen Mo's neck like a kitten, making him feel a little ticklish.

"Wait a minute, Chief Inspector Xu is still here..."

Just as Chen Mo was about to speak, her pearly teeth bit his lip.

"Well……"

Half asleep and half awake, Xu Qingyi seemed to sense something; her eyelashes trembled, and her eyelids slowly lifted.

Upon seeing the scene before him, his expression stiffened slightly, but he quickly recovered.

"Still kissing? When will this end?"

Seeing their oblivious behavior, Xu Qingyi's chest heaved, her eyes filled with annoyance.

Recalling her disheveled state last night, she lowered her gaze, gritted her teeth, and slowly leaned closer.

? !
Chen Mo's body suddenly stiffened, and his eyes widened in shock.

Lin Jingzhu noticed something was wrong, raised her head, and asked, "What's wrong?"

"No, nothing..."

Lin Jingzhu only needed to turn around to see Xu Qingyi intently grinding ink.

To avoid this situation, Chen Mo's hand slid down her waistline, and her body immediately went limp, her face flushed, and she said dreamily, "Husband, I want to go to Xuanqing Pool to wash up later, will you come with me? Let's stay away from that annoying woman..."

"Well!"

Xu Qingyi became even angrier and began to intensify her efforts.

Chen Mo could only try to appease Lin Jingzhu while enduring inhuman torture.

……

……

Half an hour later.

Chen Mo pushed open the door and walked out of the palace, with the two girls silently following behind.

Lin Jingzhu thought she hadn't been caught sneaking a bite, so she walked briskly with a smug smile on her lips.

Xu Qingyi, who was actually stealing the food, lowered her head, her cheeks burning as if on fire.

In the final moments, to avoid being discovered, she had no choice but to...

Thinking about this, I wish I could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

The three walked out of the Yeting Palace along the palace road.

Xu Qingyi said in a low voice, "Your Majesty has other matters to attend to, so I will take my leave now."

"Goodbye, Chief Secretary Xu." Lin Jingzhu waved her hand, then took Chen Mo's arm. "Lord Chen, let's go too."

"Master Chen?"

I called twice, but there was no response.

Chen Mo stared blankly ahead, like a petrified sculpture.

Lin Jingzhu was a little confused, but when she followed his gaze, she was also stunned.

A luxurious palanquin was parked not far away, and Eunuch Jin, dressed in a robe with sea-and-river-shaped sleeves, was walking towards them.

"Lord Chen, Her Majesty the Empress requests your presence."

"..."

Chen Mo's lips twitched slightly as he transmitted his voice, "Father-in-law, can you just pretend you didn't see me?"

Eunuch Jin shook his head and said, "Guess?"

I guess so.

"Guess again."

"..."

(End of this chapter)