I became the demon of the female devil

Chapter 353 Empress: Actually, I'm very easy to please. Where is the Imperial Concubine?

Chen Mo massaged her gently.

The empress leaned against him, her body trembling slightly, her breathing a little rapid.

Although the redness and swelling had subsided, the pain remained. Under the massage of that large hand, it mixed into a strange sensation, a tingling numbness with a slight prickling feeling, making her heart beat faster uncontrollably.

"Your Highness, are you feeling better?" Chen Mo asked.

"I need to rub it again, it hurts so much..." the Empress groaned.

Chen Mo smiled and teased, "Now you know what pain is? When Your Highness and Consort Yu made their move, didn't you consider the consequences? You were far too audacious."

"How dare you say that?" The Empress glared at him angrily. "If it weren't for you, would I be in such a sorry state?"

Looking back now, she feels a little scared.

Over the years, Consort Yu, mindful of her royal status, never laid a hand on her, no matter how bad their relationship had become.

But that's because they don't want to, not because they can't.

Logically speaking, she should keep her distance from the other party instead of taking the initiative to go to her, or even making the first move... If she really angered that demoness, she might overturn the table on the spot, and it would be uncertain whether she could leave Hanxiao Palace alive!

"I understand the reasons, but I just can't help it."

"It was already unpleasant that she stayed overnight at the Chen residence, and then she deliberately used words to provoke me..."

The Empress pouted so high her lips could practically hang an oil lamp. "She said that my inability to protect my beloved is incompetence, and that my affair with a foreign official is shameless. She's just stabbing people in the back. Who can stand that?"

Chen Mo sighed.

There may be some exaggeration involved, but it certainly sounds like something a noble concubine would say.

The Empress and the Consort were already mortal enemies, and now they have the added identity of "love rivals." It is normal for them to lose control of their emotions after being so provoked.

"Besides, I'm not stupid. I only attacked when I saw that something was wrong with her, but I still couldn't beat her. It's infuriating..."

The Empress's breasts heaved as she looked up at Chen Mo, brandishing her small fists and saying, "You little thief, how about you teach her a lesson next time? Just like last time, hang her up and beat her!"

"..."

Facing that expectant gaze, Chen Mo's lips twitched, "Ahem, I'll do my best..."

The Empress is probably sulking right now; whether or not she can be appeased is another matter entirely.

However, this day was bound to come sooner or later. It's better to have a short, sharp pain than a long, drawn-out one. It's better to talk things out in advance.

"Actually, I can see that there's some kind of connection between you and Yu Youhan, which is why she's been so tolerant of you." The Empress poked his chest with her finger and said softly, "That red ribbon must be one of the signs, right? Was her inability to use her cultivation yesterday also because of you?"

Chen Mo's heart skipped a beat, "Your Highness..."

He hadn't expected the Empress to be so perceptive, and for a moment he didn't know how to answer.

"You don't need to be in a difficult position. I know you have your reasons. It's alright if you don't want to talk about it." The Empress shook her head and said, "I would rather be kept in the dark than be deceived by lies."

Chen Mo fell silent for a moment.

After a moment, he said in a deep voice, "This humble servant does indeed have some unspeakable difficulties, but my feelings for Your Highness are absolutely genuine. Once everything is settled, I will naturally explain everything to Your Highness in detail."

"Very well, I trust you." The Empress nodded.

It's impossible to say that she felt no grievance at all, since her heart was completely devoted to Chen Mo, while this little thief was entangled with Consort Yu...

Originally, I planned to teach him a lesson and let him cool off for at least ten days or half a month before making any further moves.

But then I thought, isn't this just pushing Chen Mo into Yu Youhan's arms?
That won't work!

The Empress embraced his strong waist, resting her head on his chest, and posed the soul-searching question: "You little thief, who do you prefer, me or Yu Youhan?"

Without hesitation, Chen Mo replied, "Of course I prefer Your Highness."

As a seasoned scumbag, I know that I absolutely cannot hesitate for a second when faced with this kind of question, and I certainly cannot try to change the subject.

He even shamelessly added, "Being a concubine is my job, but Your Highness is my life. I can't even imagine how bleak and dull life would be without Your Highness."

The Empress was flattered by the sweet words and blushed as she said, "That's more like it. If you dare to let me down, I'll make you and Eunuch Jin work together."

"..."

Is he having another castration episode?
Whether it was the Empress or the Imperial Concubine, they always liked to use this matter to threaten him, which truly gave them a handle on his weakness.

"By the way, what are your thoughts on the matter of going to the Southern Frontier to wipe out the Gu God Cult?" The Empress then remembered the important matter and said, "Wei Xuan gave the order personally this time, which is very likely due to Wu Lie's instigation. I am worried that there may be a trap, so let's just find an excuse to cancel it."

Chen Mo shook his head and said, "I have just taken office and I am already going against the commander. I am afraid that the road ahead will not be easy... Besides, I can hide for a while, but I can't hide forever. Even without the Gu God Sect, there will be other troubles. I can't stay in the capital forever, can I?"

The Empress frowned and said, "But..."

She understood the reasoning, but the thought of Chen Mo nearly losing his life in the Southern Frontier made her feel very uneasy.

She'd rather keep Chen Mo by her side as a "decorative figure" than let him take any more risks.

Chen Mo saw through her thoughts and comforted her, "Last time, I was tricked and my own strength was insufficient, which is why I was in such a dangerous situation. But things are different now. The Gu God Sect only has a few small fry left, which pose no threat to me."

"Besides, if that person really wanted to make a move, they wouldn't have waited until now."

When he was still a Transcendent Martial Artist, there were plenty of opportunities to kill him, but no action was taken. Now that he has become a Dao Integration Grandmaster, it would be irrational to harbor murderous intent again.

Moreover, Chen Mo had reasons why he had to go.

After all, time was running out for Ling Yishan.

"Then I will have Zhong Lihe accompany you, so at least you'll have someone to look after you," the Empress said.

Chen Mo said helplessly, "This is an internal matter of the Tianlin Guard. What's the point of letting the royal family's retainers interfere? It might have just been a formality, but it has aroused the emperor's suspicion instead."

"That's true, then what should we do?" The Empress's brows were full of worry.

Chen Mo chuckled and said, "Don't worry, people change a lot in a few days. I'm quite capable now."

The Empress sighed, "In any case, you are still too young. As a newly promoted grandmaster, how much..."

Before he could finish his words, his voice suddenly stopped.

As if sensing something, his gaze slowly shifted downwards, and his expression changed from bewilderment to disbelief.

"W-What's going on? It wasn't like this before..."

"I've already said that times have changed. If Your Highness doesn't believe me, you can try."

?

The Empress's throat moved slightly.

"That's not what I meant!"

……

……

An hour later.

The empress's cheeks still had a lingering flush, her eyes were slightly closed, and her breathing was even.

I hadn't rested well these past two days, and now that I was relaxed, I felt exhausted and quickly fell into a deep sleep.

Chen Mo didn't disturb her. He silently sat up, helped her change into her nightgown, tidied the bed, and made sure there was nothing unusual before leaving the bedroom.

It wasn't that he didn't want to stay in the palace, but there was still an empress waiting to be appeased there...

……

……

Midday.

Lady Sun paced anxiously in front of the palace.

"Lord Chen has been inside for so long, and there hasn't been a sound. It seems this problem is really serious!"

As the Crown Princess, she got into a fight with the Imperial Concubine over a man, and the crucial point is that the Imperial Concubine witnessed it... If this matter gets out, the royal family's reputation will be completely ruined!
"I have followed Your Highness for many years with utmost loyalty, so I would never stoop to killing you."

"But the situation with the Imperial Concubine is a different story. She's capable of anything. If she really decides to kill me to silence me, even Your Highness might not be able to protect me!"

Sun Shanggong grew increasingly uneasy, her heart pounding in her chest.

Step, step, step——

At this time, a burst of footsteps came.

Turning my head, I saw Chen Mo step out of the main hall.

"Master Chen!"

Lady Sun hurried forward and asked anxiously, "You've finally come out! How is Her Highness?"

"Don't worry, His Highness is fine, just a little tired. He's asleep now." Chen Mo cleared his throat and said, "Have someone prepare some food and bring it in when His Highness wakes up." "That's good." Lady Sun breathed a sigh of relief.

"Also, about yesterday's events..."

Before Chen Mo could finish speaking, Lady Sun interrupted, "I didn't see anything, and I won't mention it to anyone!"

"That's good." Chen Mo nodded and said, "Shanggong, don't worry too much. After all, this concerns His Highness's reputation, so it's better to be cautious."

"Of course I understand." Lady Sun hesitated for a moment, then said cautiously, "By the way, regarding Hanxiao Palace, I hope Lord Chen can put in a good word for us, so that the Consort may not harbor any resentment..."

Chen Mo knew what she was worried about, and said with a smile, "Based on my understanding of Her Majesty, she wouldn't target you for something like this. Just make sure Lady Sun keeps her mouth shut."

Hearing this, Lady Sun finally felt relieved and smiled, saying, "Don't worry, in the entire harem, I'm the one who keeps my mouth shut the tightest."

"...Really? Well, you're impressive."

Chen Mo didn't say much, cupped his hands in farewell, left the palace surrounded by red walls, and headed towards Hanxiao Palace.

Just as I passed through the Qianqing Gate, I saw a familiar figure.

"Director Xu?"

Hearing the call, Xu Qingyi turned around, her expression filled with surprise and delight, "Lord Chen!"

Recalling the last time they ground ink and wrote in the palace, a hint of shyness flashed in her eyes. With her hands behind her back and her skirt swaying, she approached with light steps, "What brings you here?"

Chen Mo smiled and said, "A day apart feels like three autumns..."

"Alright, it's the same excuse every time. I don't believe it." Xu Qingyi gave him a playful glare and said bluntly, "You're here to see the Empress, aren't you?"

Chen Mo's smile faded, and he asked, "How is the situation on Her Majesty's side?"

"It seems you know about what happened yesterday," Xu Qingyi said. "After the Empress left, Her Highness also kicked me out, and then there was no further news until I went to the palace to pay my respects this morning, when I discovered that Her Highness had already left."

"Gone?" Chen Mo was taken aback. "Where did they go?"

"I don't know, I only left this." Xu Qingyi took out a slip of paper from her sleeve.

Chen Mo reached out and took it, and upon closer inspection, he confirmed that it was indeed the Empress's handwriting.

The gist of the message is that there are some things to take care of, and I may be away from the palace for a while. All matters, big and small, will be temporarily managed by Xu Sizheng. In case of emergency, we can contact each other through the communication talisman.

Chen Mo frowned, seemingly lost in thought.

If she is angry with him, the Empress can simply refuse to see him and there is no need for her to leave the palace.

Moreover, judging from the literal meaning of the words, he won't be able to return in the short term, so it must be due to some urgent matter.

"Could it be that they discovered my relationship with the Daoist Master and stormed straight to the Heavenly Pivot Pavilion?!"

Thinking of this, Chen Mo felt a chill run down his spine.

However, the Gate Key is still in its cooldown period, and we cannot contact the Daoist Master. We can only wait until seven days later.

"Lord Chen, are you really going to the Southern Frontier?" Xu Qingyi asked at this moment.

"After all, it's an arrangement from above, so it's hard to refuse. I estimate we'll be setting off in the next couple of days," Chen Mo replied.

Xu Qingyi hesitated, but ultimately remained silent, lowering her head and keeping quiet.

Chen Mo took out a stack of Xuan paper from his Heavenly Profound Ring and said, "I have written ten chapters of 'The Plum in the Silver Vase' in advance, which can be released regularly to avoid interruptions while I am away. I don't want to be called an unfinished eunuch."

"Okay, I understand." Xu Qingyi nodded.

"And this too." Chen Mo took out a few sheets of stiff Chengxintang paper. "Please have Director Xu bind them into a book and find a few reliable bookstores to print and distribute them."

"This is……"

Xu Qingyi glanced at it, her face instantly turning bright red and burning hot. She stammered, "You...you want me to print this?!"

The cardboard was covered with exquisite illustrations, depicting all sorts of women dressed in flamboyant attire, with even their nipples and lines faintly visible!

Unlike those paintings of ladies that emphasize "elegant and refined beauty", these paintings have extremely delicate brushstrokes and rich and vibrant colors. At first glance, they are almost indistinguishable from real people, with every single strand of hair clearly visible!

Most importantly, the women's makeup and attire were quite unique: black stockings, fishnet stockings, high heels, tight-fitting clothes... long eyelashes, bright eyes, and as many as five or six different hair colors!

Combined with her dreamy expression and subtly revealing clothing, it was full of subtle hints, making even her blush and her heart race!

In addition, there are many short stories, the titles of which are extremely explicit.

"Madam, Please Behave Yourself," "My Pet Fox Has Become a Spirit," "I Picked Up a Severely Wounded Heroine," "As a Cowherd, I Stole the Fairy's Fragrant Skirt"...

The content is also very captivating, and it's serialized with a perfectly timed ending that leaves you wanting more, eagerly anticipating what's to come.

"This picture book doesn't look like a picture book, and it doesn't look like a storybook. What is it then?" Xu Qingyi asked, puzzled.

“I call it a magazine,” Chen Mo said. “This is the inaugural issue, mainly to open up the market. The price can be lower; consider it a loss-making attempt to gain publicity.”

Xu Qingyi suddenly realized what he was thinking.

First, use low prices to establish a foothold and see how it goes. When the time is right, start harvesting on a large scale.

With its title of "Whip-Wearing Hero," along with these exquisite picture books and captivating stories... it's no surprise that this so-called "magazine" will cause a sensation and become a hit throughout the city, just like Xiao Yi!

"I don't know where he gets so many strange and unusual ideas from..."

Xu Qingyi muttered to herself, but she couldn't help but admire Chen Mo's ability to make money.

Jinxiufang's clothing line targets upper-class ladies, while this set of books precisely targets the male demographic. Rather than saying they're good at making money, it's more accurate to say they understand human nature better.

"Then this magazine should have a name, right?" Xu Qingyi asked.

Chen Mo thought for a moment and said, "Let's call it 'Playboy'."

“That’s quite fitting.” Xu Qingyi put away the manuscript and glanced at him. “You’re a commander of the Tianlin Guard, and you’re always researching these things… Are you short of money lately?”

“After all, I’m not getting any younger, so I need to save up more money to get married.” Chen Mo raised an eyebrow and said, “I can’t let Xu Sizheng suffer with me, can I?”

"What kind of talk is that? Do you care whether you have money or not..."

Halfway through her sentence, noticing his mischievous grin, Xu Qingyi finally realized what he meant. Her cheeks flushed like ripe apples, and she stammered, "Wait, who...who's going to marry you? What nonsense are you spouting now?!"

"Ignore you!"

She stomped her foot hard, and was about to turn around and leave, but then she stopped.

After hesitating for a moment, he forced back his shyness and said, "No matter what, you must be careful when you go to the Southern Frontier. As for other things, we can talk about them when you come back..."

After saying that, she didn't dare to look at Chen Mo and ran away.

Gazing at the skirt fluttering in the wind, Chen Mo shook his head and sighed, "A young girl's heart is always so tender... Xu Sizheng is really getting cuter and cuter..."

Since the Empress was not there, he did not linger in the palace.

After leaving the capital, he first went to the Qilin Pavilion to discuss the matter of heading south with Ye Zi'e.

There are three things to do on this trip.

The first priority is naturally to wipe out the remnants of the Gu God Cult, then visit Shen Zhixia at Wusheng Mountain along the way, and finally go to Qingzhou to prepare for the upcoming opening of the Daoist Secret Realm.

According to the original plot of "The Immortal's Path", Ling Ningzhi is one of the "keys" to unlocking the Daoist Canon, so she naturally cannot be absent.

However, since he needed to travel with Ye Zi'e initially, it might be inconvenient to bring her along. Chen Mo planned to send her a message after the first two matters were settled, and the two would meet up directly in Qingzhou.

We arrived at the Qilin Pavilion.

Chen Mo walked through the main gate and across the front hall, where the staff members bowed and greeted him.

"Master Chen."

"Greetings, Lord Chen."

Since the last meeting, his name has become a household name.

If it were just someone with connections, that would be one thing, but anyone who can enter the Qilin Pavilion has no shortage of background. You could pick out any member and they might be a scion of a powerful and wealthy family.

The problem is that this person with connections not only has a strong background, but also has frighteningly strong abilities. His merit list is thicker than all the other commanders combined, and he is the youngest grandmaster in the history of the entire Yuan Dynasty!
That's a bit of an exaggeration!

Chen Mo returned the greetings one by one, his attitude very humble.

He climbed his way up from the rank of colonel, and he knew very well that a thousand-mile dike can be destroyed by an ant hole. Grassroots cadres were the eyes and ears of the government and had a lot of intelligence.

These seemingly insignificant "small characters" often deliver a fatal blow to those "big shots"!
Arriving at the door of the Tusi Library on the second floor, I raised my hand and knocked on the door.

"Commander Ye, are you inside?"

For a long while, no one responded.

Chen Mo frowned. "Strange, where did everyone go?"

(End of this chapter)