CHAPTER 692: CHAPTER 262: THE EMPRESS’S PUSHING SENSATION! MR. CHEN’S BUSY DAY!

Early in the morning, with the sky just beginning to lighten, Chen Mo quietly slipped out of the sleeping quarters.

It was not yet time for the morning sweep, and the entire Inner Court was in silence. Just as he was about to head toward Qianqing Gate, a gentle voice suddenly sounded beside him:

"Mr. Chen..."

"..."

Chen Mo froze in place.

Turning his head, he saw Xu Qingyi sitting in the corner, holding a cat.

Dew clung to her dark hair, and her refined face looked slightly pale. Her eyes, clear and bright, gazed at him with unreadable emotions.

"Director Xu, why are you here?" Chen Mo was startled and asked in confusion, "You couldn’t have been sitting here all night, could you?"

Xu Qingyi did not answer. Her eyelashes cast trembling shadows beneath her eyes as she softly said, "Did Mr. Chen stay at Haitang Pond all night? What kind of affairs needed reporting that would take so long?"

"Ahem, it’s a long story..."

Last night, Chen Mo helped Her Majesty the Consort with an essential oil spa, offering a massage from back to front. But then, the Empress turned the tables and insisted on letting him experience it as well.

Under his gentle persuasion, they ended up with a front-to-back embrace...

Recalling the delightful feeling of the back massage, Chen Mo’s heart raced a little as he licked his dry lips and said, "After reporting last night, I practiced under the Empress’s guidance. Meditating, I lost track of time, and when I opened my eyes again, it was morning."

"Really?" Xu Qingyi was a bit skeptical, "Just practicing? Are you not lying to me?"

"Of course." Chen Mo replied calmly, "I never lie. If you don’t believe me, surely you trust the Empress?"

Xu Qingyi’s expression eased upon hearing this, and her eyes regained some of their sparkle.

Standing up, she approached Chen Mo and handed over the somewhat dispirited cat that had rubbed against her all night.

"Meow~"

The cat opened its sleepy eyes, and upon seeing Chen Mo, it relaxed and drifted back to sleep.

"The Empress, as the Imperial Concubine, is of noble birth and status, so you must be mindful of the influence. If you keep staying overnight in the sleeping quarters, gossip could spread among the palace." Xu Qingyi reminded him earnestly.

Chen Mo laughed and said, "If I can’t stay at the sleeping quarters, should I stay at the Imperial Court instead?"

"No, don’t twist my words. When did I say that?"

A blush swept over Xu Qingyi’s cheeks as she gripped her clothes, hesitated for a moment, and murmured, "However, you do have the Crown Prince’s decree. If you must sleep at my place, I can’t do anything about it..."

?

Before Chen Mo could react, she had already run off into the distance, her clear voice echoing in the air:

"You seem quite busy lately, so I won’t rush you for updates. Next time you enter the palace, remember to bring the following ten Chapters of Silver Bottle Plum..."

Watching her swaying skirt, Chen Mo shook his head and muttered to himself, "Why does Director Xu increasingly feel like a young girl?"

"Meow~"

The cat whispered softly, snuggling against him.

Chen Mo’s scent is the most reassuring. It would be wonderful to be held by him every day.

...

...

Chen Mo left the Imperial Palace, darting toward the north of town.

The sky was still early, and the streets were sparsely populated. Moving like the wind, he arrived at Huai Zhen Fang in just Half a Stick of Incense time.

Just as he was about to enter the Sky Scale Guard main gate, he suddenly sensed something, prompting a slight furrowing of his brows.

"Hmm?"

In the alley by the street.

Two shady figures huddled together, peering out cautiously.

"Holy Daughter, you’re squashing me..." Qiao Tong’s little face was flushed red.

Yu Hongyin lay on her back, puzzled: "Strange, I clearly saw someone coming earlier. How did they disappear just like that?"

"Are you looking for me?"

At this moment, a familiar voice reached their ears.

Both slowly turned their heads and saw Chen Mo, having somehow arrived behind them, leaning against the brick wall, arms crossed and inspecting them with interest.

"Chen Mo?"

Yu Hongyin stammered, "You- Why are you here?"

"Obviously, I’m here for work."

Chen Mo approached them, looking down: "I was about to ask you two the same thing. What are you stealthily doing here so early in the morning?"

Yu Hongyin jumped off Qiao Tong’s back, seemingly flustered as she said, "Nothing, we were just passing by."

"Oh, alright then."

Chen Mo didn’t ask further and turned to leave.

"Wait..."

Seeing him about to depart, Yu Hongyin instinctively grabbed his sleeve.

Seeing Chen Mo’s puzzled look, she quickly let go and hesitantly said: "Actually, I wanted to ask, how is Mr. Chen planning to handle the reported case yesterday?"

The whereabouts of those missing cultivators remained unknown, and various sects realized the seriousness of the issue. But since this is the capital under the Emperor’s nose, their actions were restricted. Solving the case would rely on the court’s power.

Aside from seeking Chen Mo’s help, Yu Hongyin couldn’t think of any other solution.

"Oh, that matter..."

Chen Mo replied coolly, "The case has been solved; now we’re just waiting to catch the culprits."

?

"What? It’s solved already?!"

The two were taken aback.

After snapping out of their shock, they urgently asked:

"Who is the culprit?"

"Are the Netherworld Sect disciples still alive?"

Chen Mo shook his head: "Whether there are survivors is uncertain. We need to apprehend the real culprits first to find out, but the timing isn’t right yet. We must be patient."

He was actually speaking in rather veiled terms.

Chu Heng’s apprehension should be for healing purposes. It had been so many days, and those sect disciples were likely in dire straits.

Otherwise, Chu Heng couldn’t have recovered so quickly.

"The right timing?"

The two exchanged a glance, gradually calming down.

Yu Hongyin asked: "How much longer do we need to wait?"