I became the demon of the female devil

Chapter 322 The Empress's Thoughts! Crown Prince: Chen Mo Wants to Be My Godfather?

The courtiers were stunned into silence.

Looking at that imposing figure, his eyes were filled with bewilderment and disbelief.

They knew that Chen Mo was only twenty years old and understood the meaning of the words "Grandmaster of Heaven and Man," but why did they not quite understand the meaning of the combination of the two?

Shen Xiong, Zeng Ge, and other military officers were so astonished that their jaws almost dropped.

I saw Chen Mo make a move in the temple before. Although he was very strong, he was only a fourth-rank cultivator...

He actually broke through to the Grandmaster level in just a few days?!

Moreover, he wasn't just an ordinary grandmaster; the oppressive aura he exuded made it difficult for them to even breathe!
What kind of law is this?
hum-

The powerful aura triggered the defensive formation of the Golden Palace, causing rays of light to shine on the walls and dragon patterns to coil on the golden pillars, emitting terrifying roars!
A series of thunderous footsteps echoed outside the hall, and a group of heavily armed guards filed in.

"Protect the Emperor!" the chief commander roared.

"No need," the Empress waved her hand.

"……Yes."

Once the golden-armored guards determined there was no threat, they bowed and withdrew.

Chen Mo timely concealed his aura, the flames disappeared, and the hall returned to calm.

The Empress said calmly, "The Great Yuan Dynasty is currently in dire need of talented people. Shouldn't such a talent be treated with preferential treatment? What do you think, Chief Minister Zhuang?"

The shadow of the Seven-Beam Crown obscured Zhuang Jingming's face, and his eyes were filled with horror.

A twenty-year-old grandmaster?

How can this be? !
Even if you don't want to believe it, the facts are right in front of you.

The so-called rules are made for ordinary people. With Chen Mo's achievements and strength, he is fully qualified to be promoted exceptionally!
Now that things have come to this, any further obstruction would only bring trouble upon ourselves. Zhuang Jingming immediately bowed and said, "Your Highness has the discerning eye to recognize talent, your insight is far-reaching and your perception is keen. I am ashamed to admit my inferiority!"

"So you have no objections?"

The Empress looked up at the crowd and asked, "What about you gentlemen? Who agrees with Chen Mo's appointment as a commander of the Fire Department, and who disagrees?"

Even through the bamboo curtain, one could still feel the sharp gaze, and wherever the gaze fell, the ministers all lowered their heads.

If you still can't see the situation clearly at a time like this, then you've wasted all those years in officialdom!
There are only a handful of grandmasters in the entire Nine Provinces, let alone a top genius with supreme potential. Judging from his cultivation level alone, he is a bit of a waste to be a fifth-rank commander!

"Congratulations, Your Highness! To have such a talented person is truly a blessing from Heaven and a great fortune for our Great Yuan!"

Feng Jinyu stepped forward first, knelt on the ground with a thud, and his loud voice echoed in the hall: "Your Highness, I congratulate you, and I congratulate the whole world!"

Once everyone realized what had happened, they cursed inwardly for being beaten to it and knelt down below the golden steps.

"Your Highness, I offer my congratulations! And I offer my congratulations to the entire nation!"

"Congratulations to the world!"

The sound waves were like a mountain roaring and a tsunami crashing.

Chen Mo himself was not enthusiastic about power, but standing among the prostrate crowd, he still felt a surge of emotion.

From this day forward, he will have a place in the imperial court.

Is this what it feels like to ascend to the top?
The dragon energy within his body circulated on its own, and his eyes were faintly tinged with a golden light.

Suddenly, he felt a deep gaze fall upon him, but when he looked up, he only saw a tall and imposing figure from behind.

Five breaths passed before the shouting subsided.

"Your Highness, what do you think?" the Empress asked.

The Crown Prince obediently replied, "I will follow Mother's arrangements."

"Since that's the case, then let's draft the decree." The Empress cleared her throat and said loudly, "Issue the Crown Prince's oral decree: The stability of the state depends on the acquisition of virtuous and capable officials; the ceremony of rewarding and honoring officials shall not be limited by convention..."

"Chen Mo, Deputy Commander of the Tianlin Guard, is courageous and resolute, dedicated to his duties, never shirking danger, and has rendered meritorious service in protecting the country..."

"He is hereby promoted to Commander of the Fire Division of the Tianlin Guard, bestowed with the honorary title 'Zhenyue', and the hall name 'Yonglie'. He is granted access to the third level of the Heavenly Armory and is also granted gold, silver, and jewels..."

Hearing the Empress's clear, crisp voice, the ministers felt a chill run down their spines.

Good heavens, so promoting him to the rank of commander was just the appetizer; the main event is yet to come!

In the Yuan Dynasty court, honorary titles and substantive positions were two parallel systems. Only capable officials who made great contributions were awarded honorary titles. These were not only honorary awards, but also class markers linked to privileges!
Zhenyue was a third-rank meritorious official whose descendants could inherit the title at a lower rank.

The family hall name was bestowed upon the family, meaning that from then on, the Chen family was the "brave and heroic family" bestowed by the emperor!
Although there was no hereditary title and no noble status, it was a big step from ordinary officials to the elite class!

"So this was the Empress's true purpose?"

Zhuang Jingming suddenly realized, "No wonder he was so eager to promote Chen Mo, even at the cost of changing his orders frequently and giving people something to talk about. He wanted to strike while the iron was hot and make the most of this achievement!"

In the current situation, even if someone has an opinion, they dare not speak out rashly.

This matter is a done deal!

Lu Huaiyu's lips curled up, and he secretly shook his head: "They directly mentioned 'Zhenyue,' so wouldn't the next step be 'Pillar of the State'? The Empress really went to great lengths to pave the way for Chen Mo..."

Chen Mo was also a little confused at this moment.

He knew the Empress would reward him handsomely this time, but he never expected it to be this generous!

The commander of the Tianlin Guard, the Imperial Guard General, and the third-rank official... it's no exaggeration to say that he rose to the top!
"...I hope you will remain honest and upright, and not fail the great favor of being promoted beyond the usual ranks. Strive to repay this kindness and glorify your achievements in history." The Empress paused slightly, coughed, and said, "Minister Chen, receive the decree."

Chen Mo snapped out of his daze, knelt down, and bowed his head, saying, "Thank you for your great kindness, Your Highness! This humble subject will certainly devote himself to the cause until his dying breath!"

"Hehe~"

The crown prince watched this scene with a bright smile.

He was simple-minded and had no guile; he was simply happy that his good friend had received a reward.

Seeing this, Lü Huaiyu's eyes flickered, and he said at the right moment, "Your Highness, last time I mentioned that Chen Mo should be the Crown Prince's study companion. Shouldn't we consider it?"

Upon hearing this, the prince's eyes brightened even more.

Wouldn't that mean I could listen to Chen Mo tell stories more often?
When the Empress saw Lü Huaiyu bring up the old matter again, she frowned slightly, but she couldn't refuse directly. After a moment of contemplation, she said, "Chen Mo has just taken office and has many matters to hand over. He probably won't be able to spare the time for the time being... If he has time in the future, it wouldn't hurt for him to come to the palace to accompany you in your studies..."

"Alright."

Lü Huaiyu did not say anything more.

The Empress said, "If there is nothing else, let's adjourn the court."

The ministers shouted "Long live the Emperor!" and then left the Golden Palace in turn.

……

……

Stepping out of the palace, bathed in bright sunlight, Yan Peizhi and the others appeared somewhat dazed.

The events that unfolded in the court today were completely beyond their expectations. They had thought Chen Mo was settling a personal score, but they never imagined that the Prince Yu's mansion had actually betrayed the country.

What was even more unexpected was that in this seemingly unequal contest, it was Chen Mo, a military officer, who had the last laugh!
He climbed to the top of the court by stepping over Chu Heng's corpse!

"If I remember correctly, he was only a fifth-rank martial artist during the Heavenly Martial Arts Trial. How long has it been?" Xu Lin, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, frowned and whispered, "Could this guy be some kind of reincarnation of a powerful being? Otherwise, it's just too illogical..."

"I don't know," Feng Jinyu shook his head and said, "but in any case, the rise of the Chen family is unstoppable."

Although Chen Zhuo was difficult to deal with, he was still just a censor and his influence did not extend to the Six Ministries.

But Chen Mo is different.

The Tianlin Guard was originally a special agency independent of the Three Departments and Six Ministries. They did "dirty work" such as intelligence gathering, torture, and investigating officials. They were like a sharp blade hanging over the heads of officials, ready to fall at any moment.

Now, this father and son are one in the open and one in the shadows, one using words and the other using knives. Who can outmaneuver them?
At this moment, Yan Peizhi suddenly spoke up: "There is no need to worry too much. The Chen family may not necessarily be the enemy."

?

Feng Jinyu and Xu Lin exchanged a puzzled look.

“We two are fine, we can just back down,” Feng Jinyu said, frowning. “But the Yan family and the Chen family have a long-standing feud. If Chen Mo really gains power, you’ll be the first one he’ll settle scores with, right?”

Yan Peizhi stood with his hands behind his back and said calmly, "In the imperial court, there are no permanent enemies, only permanent interests. The essence of the conflict between the Yan family and the Chen family lies in the discord between political parties... But do you think the Chen family can still be considered part of the Imperial Concubine's faction now?"

The two were stunned when they heard this.

Power is only responsible for the source of its power.

Although the Chen family has the shadow of the Imperial Concubine behind them, Chen Mo was promoted by the Empress herself and has now been bestowed the hall name "Brave and Fierce". The so-called factionalism has become very blurred.

“The Crown Prince has escaped danger this time, and he will surely ascend the throne in the future. The reason why the Empress promoted Chen Mo so much is to help him build his future foundation.” Yan Peizhi lowered his voice and said, “Therefore, what we should fight for is not the petty gains of the present, but to seize the future!”

That's all for this.

Having experienced the ups and downs of officialdom for many years, the two naturally understood the meaning behind it, and their hearts were filled with emotion.

When a new emperor ascends the throne, he will inevitably purge the court. No matter how much he has gained, he will have to vomit it all out sooner or later. What is the point of factional strife then?
The question now is how to become a minister who can support the emperor!
At this moment, Xu Lin looked around and thought, "Strange, why haven't I seen Cui Hao today? Didn't he come to court?"

"Heh, you don't know? He was thrown into prison on the very day the festival ended." Feng Jinyu sneered and said, "Such a huge mess happened in the capital, someone has to pay the price. Do you think he, as the Prefect of the Capital, can escape it?"

"Moreover, Zhu Qiming, who leaked the city defense map, was one of Cui Hao's men..."

"Luckily, I listened to Chen Mo and ordered Chu Heng's arrest, otherwise you two would have been in prison with him too!"

Xu Lin felt a chill run down his spine; thinking about it now, he was filled with lingering fear.

If they had sided with the Prince Yu's Mansion or chosen to remain neutral, ultimately leading to Chu Heng's escape, it wouldn't be as simple as dereliction of duty; they might even have been treated as accomplices...

It almost turned into a nine-family elimination game!
In that case, we should thank Chen Mo...

“By the way, Brother Yan, there’s something I’ve never understood.” Feng Jinyu stroked his chin and said, “There’s never been a precedent for a prisoner who was thrown into the Imperial Prison to be released without charge. Why was Chen Mo willing to release your son?”

"..." Yan Peizhi seemed to have thought of something, his eyebrows twitched, and a shadow of gloom flashed in his eyes.

"Maybe he was in a good mood..."

"You didn't make some kind of shady deal with him, did you?"

"Ha ha……"

……

……

"Lord Chen, congratulations! Congratulations indeed!"

The saying "A son should be like Chen Jinyan" is becoming increasingly valuable!

"A Grandmaster at twenty years old, what does that even mean? Does that leave no room for other prodigies to compete?"

"Putting everything else aside, to jump three ranks in half a year and enter the Qilin Pavilion is unprecedented in history!"

"What hasn't Commander Chen done that was unprecedented? You'll get used to it."

Chen Zhuo was surrounded by a crowd, and he was showered with praise.

He's feeling a bit dizzy right now...

How did that brat suddenly become a grandmaster?
Zhuang Jingming's side was rather deserted, with only a few ministers from the cabinet accompanying him. Even Lu Bojun, the Minister of Revenue who used to be quite close to him, kept a certain distance from him.

Looking at Chen Zhuo amidst the riotous flowers, a cold glint flashed in his eyes, but he said nothing, broke away from the crowd, and walked straight out of the palace.

After leaving the palace, we arrived at a sedan chair parked on the street.

"master."

The attendant bowed in greeting and reached out to open the sedan chair door.

Zhuang Jingming stepped forward, where Jiang Wangye was already waiting. Dressed in pristine white, he leaned back in his chair, toying with a teacup in his hand.

Zhuang Jingming was already used to this, and he sat down opposite him, picked up the hot tea on the table and drank it all in one gulp.

"Judging from Lord Zhuang's expression, things don't seem too good?" Jiang Wangye raised an eyebrow slightly, sizing him up.

Zhuang Jingming put down his teacup and said directly, "The culprit behind this turmoil is Chu Heng, who has been killed by Chen Moge. Prince Yu has fled and his whereabouts are unknown."

Jiang Wangye paused for a moment, then suddenly realized, and sneered:

"Prince Yu is terminally ill and can't even walk. How could he possibly escape the capital?"

"Besides, if Chu Heng had that ability, why didn't he blow up the Chen residence as well?"

"He has neither troops nor power. So what if he kills the crown prince? Does he think he can ascend the throne? He's just a scapegoat..."

"Perhaps. Judging from the Empress's intentions, this case is to be dropped and she doesn't plan to investigate it any further." Zhuang Jingming tapped his fingers on the table and said, "That's not the point I want to make. It's related to Chen Mo."

"Chen Mo?"

Upon hearing this name, Jiang Wangye's face darkened. "What happened?"

Zhuang Jingming took a deep breath and said, "Chen Mo has rendered outstanding service this time and has been promoted to the rank of Commander of the Fire Division, and awarded the title of Third-Rank Merit Officer..."

click-

Before he could finish speaking, the teacup in Jiang Wangye's hand shattered into dust!
Veins bulged on his forehead, and his once scholarly and handsome face became somewhat ferocious, his voice seeming to be squeezed out from between his teeth:

"You mean..."

"Not only did you fail to bring down Chen Mo, but you also let him rise to prominence?"

"A fifth-rank official position and a third-rank meritorious official—even a toad that has become a spirit wouldn't dare to jump around like that!"

Zhuang Jingming frankly said, "I have done my best, but the Empress is determined to support Chen Mo, and no one can change that."

Jiang Wangye took a deep breath, calmed down, and shook his head, saying, "Does this court belong to Jiang Yuchan? Even if she favors Chen Mo, she still has to consider the opinions of the ministers, let alone this kind of irregular and exceptional promotion?"

He stared intently at Zhuang Jingming, his tone carrying a hint of pressure, "Or is it that Lord Zhuang has chosen to stand by and watch? Throughout history, those who sit on the fence have never had a good ending."

Pressed by this young upstart, Zhuang Jingming also lost his temper. Suppressing his dissatisfaction, he coldly said, "On the contrary, today in the court, I was the only one who stood up to oppose him, and I almost became the target of everyone's criticism because of it!"

Jiang Wangye realized something was wrong and asked in confusion, "What exactly happened?"

"You've had conflicts with Chen Mo, so you should know more about it than I do." Thinking of the power behind Jiang Wangye, Zhuang Jingming's tone softened. "Chen Mo has already broken through to the Celestial Realm, becoming the youngest Grandmaster in the history of the Great Yuan!"

"I don't need to elaborate on the significance of this; if he wants to join the Qilin Pavilion, who can stop him?"

? !
Jiang Wangye's expression suddenly froze.

Sect, Master?
What a joke!
As practitioners, we naturally know how difficult it is to cross this threshold.

Not only does it require talent, hard work, and opportunity, but it also requires a profound understanding and affinity for the Great Dao... This cannot be achieved simply by relying on rare and precious materials; otherwise, the major hidden clans would have already started mass-producing Grandmasters!

Zhuang Jingming couldn't possibly lie about something like this. How did he manage to do it?
“Young Master Jiang, please go back and tell the clan leader that it’s not that I’m inactive, but that I’m simply powerless to help.” Zhuang Jingming sighed and said quietly, “With this grandmaster around, the Chen family is truly poised to rise to power.”

Jiang Wangye felt a tightness in his chest, as if a large rock was pressing down on him.

The promotion to commander of a thousand households is fine; it's just a fifth-rank military officer. The key is the imperial bestowal of a third-rank honorary title... This peasant is actually starting to climb into the ranks of the nobility?

"and many more……"

Jiang Wangye suddenly thought of something.

If the eldest princess were to publicly choose a husband, he would definitely give priority to sons of noble families and meritorious officials.

Was Chen Mo preparing for this?!
Thinking of this, Jiang Wangye could no longer sit still. He stood up and said, "I'll trouble Lord Zhuang to keep a close eye on the movements in the court. I have some matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave now."

After saying that, his figure flashed and disappeared.

"whispering sound……"

Zhuang Jingming poured himself a cup of tea, his expression cynical, and muttered to himself, "Whether it's the imperial family or the aristocratic families, each generation is worse than the last... Chen Zhuo's abilities are mediocre, but he did have a good son..."

"With wings outstretched, it stirs up a thousand waves, soaring straight up to the ninth heaven..."

"We can't stop them..."

……

……

After the court assembly, the Crown Prince returned to the side hall of Ningde Palace under the guidance of the Grand Tutor.

As instructed by the Empress, he would have to stay here for at least another month or so, until everything in the capital settled down before he could return to Linqing Palace.

At first, the crown prince felt excited about breaking free from his cage, but as time went on, he realized that he was just "prisoned" in a different place.

The Empress was busy with state affairs and only came over occasionally. He couldn't go out to play and could only stay in his room reading all day.

"It's a pity that Chen Mo was taken away by Eunuch Jin. I wanted to hear him continue telling the story of the Investiture of the Gods." The Crown Prince changed into his everyday clothes, lay on the bed, and sighed in disappointment.

"Cough cough."

Suddenly, a coughing sound came from behind me.

?

The crown prince turned around and was immediately stunned.

A tall figure entered the room at some point, sat on a chair with her legs crossed, and looked at him with a smile.

"Auntie? What brings you here?"

The prince looked delighted and got up, skipping and hopping to the woman.

Although this princess had a fierce temper and constantly threatened to kill his father, she treated him very well. Even though she hadn't been in the capital for years, she would often write to him and secretly send him novelties that weren't available in the palace...

"I came to see you." Chu Yanli said with a smile, "I heard you did a good job at the court meeting, you almost made those old men angry to death."

"Hmph, those ministers are so annoying. They even tried to scare me, saying I don't understand etiquette and am acting against the natural order..."

The crown prince, hands on his hips and looking quite indignant, recounted in detail everything that had happened in the Golden Hall.

Chu Yanli rested her chin on her hand, listened patiently, and asked curiously, "I heard you talking about Chen Mo just now. Are you close to him?"

"Hmm." The prince nodded and said, "He is my best friend. He is funny, knowledgeable, and not only is he good at playing ball, but he can also tell stories... It's just that he is usually too busy to come and play with me often."

Chu Yanli blinked and said, "What if I had a way to let you see him every day?"

The crown prince's eyes lit up upon hearing this. "Is this true?"

When has your aunt ever lied to you?

"No matter how good your relationship with Chen Mo is, there is still a distinction between ruler and subject. Getting too close will lead to disrespect, and the two of you will only grow more and more distant in the future."

"But if we could become a family, that would be different..."

"At that time, what's wrong with coming to see you, or even taking you out of the palace to play?"

Chu Yanli's voice carried a unique allure.

"Going out to play?"

The crown prince was intrigued, but still puzzled. He scratched his head and said, "But the problem is, I already have a father. How can we become family? Do you expect Chen Mo to be my godfather?"

"..."

Chu Yanli said irritably, "What nonsense! What I meant was to make him your uncle!"

[_?]
Seeing the Crown Prince's bewildered gaze, Chu Yanli whispered, "Just do as I say..."

(End of this chapter)