"Your Majesty."

Outside the Yangxin Hall of the Zhou Kingdom's imperial palace, Wei Xun called out.

Xiao Mo's consciousness left the Book of a Hundred Lives, opened his eyes, and exhaled deeply, "Come in."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Wei Xun responded and walked into Yangxin Hall, respectfully performing a bow, "This servant pays respects to Your Majesty."

"What matter brings you here?" Xiao Mo looked at Eunuch Wei and spoke slowly.

"Reporting to Your Majesty," Wei Xun said with a smile, "The Empress Dowager has summoned you to dine with her."

Xiao Mo frowned, "Did Mother Empress say what the matter concerns?"

"The Empress Dowager did not say, but..." Wei Xun's eyes shifted, "this old servant guesses it should be about selecting consorts."

"I understand. Arrange the imperial carriage."

Xiao Mo really didn't want to go out, but there was no choice. When the Empress Dowager invited him to dine, not going would easily be seen as unfilial.

Even though she wasn't his birth mother and he was only adopted, it was still the same.

"Yes, this old servant will immediately prepare the dragon carriage for Your Majesty."

"Wait." Xiao Mo called out to Wei Xun.

"What are Your Majesty's instructions?"

"Clear out an open space in the palace, somewhere secluded and quiet. Set up various Daoist ritual implements inside, including peach wood swords and such. I want to set up an altar to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. No one is permitted to enter. Do you understand?" Xiao Mo instructed.

"This old servant will definitely do it as quickly as possible."

"Go then."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Wei Xun had no suspicions about His Majesty doing this, only thinking that His Majesty had truly become obsessed with cultivation, even wanting to set up a ritual altar.

Since ancient times, which emperor would set up a ritual altar in the imperial palace?

In reality, Xiao Mo wanted to practice the Grass Character Sword Formula. Setting up the ritual altar was just an excuse.

Although Yangxin Hall was large, practicing the Grass Character Sword Formula inside the room definitely wouldn't work.

When the time came, sword qi would smash this and break that, making too much commotion and likely attracting Yan Shan'ao's attention but if he used the name of cultivating the Dao and tending to ritual altars to practice swordsmanship every day there, Yan Shan'ao wouldn't be suspicious.

Yan Shan'ao would even think His Majesty was absurdly ridiculous and become even more at ease with him.

When his realm was about right, he would call Yan Shan'ao to the imperial palace and find an opportunity to eliminate him.

Before long, Xiao Mo rode the dragon carriage to Lingxin Palace.

"Your son pays respects to Mother Empress. Has Mother Empress been well lately?"

Xiao Mo came before Empress Dowager Yan and bowed to her.

"Mother Empress is doing very well."

Empress Dowager Yan nodded with a smile, came down, helped Xiao Mo sit beside her, and patted his arm, "Mo'er, Mother Empress heard you've been obsessed with cultivating the Dao lately and even dress like a Daoist priest. This won't do. You must focus on state affairs!"

"Mother Empress worries too much. Prime Minister Yan is a capable minister for governing the realm. He manages everything in the court perfectly, and everyone praises the Prime Minister's sage virtues. Your son doesn't worry, so Mother Empress need not worry either."

Xiao Mo reluctantly praised Yan Shan'ao.

In reality, the entire court was a scene of corruption and chaos. Led by Yan Shan'ao, court officials formed cliques for personal gain, excluded dissidents, and even sold official positions.

Currently, the Zhou Kingdom had an atmosphere of impending doom.

Why was Yan Shan'ao eager to find Ten Thousand Swords Sect as backing?

It was because the neighboring Yan Kingdom was eyeing the Zhou Kingdom covetously. Yan Shan'ao wasn't a fool; he knew the Yan Kingdom wanted to annex the Zhou Kingdom.

"You..." Empress Dowager Yan sighed, her tone sounding quite helpless but in reality, Xiao Mo felt the Empress Dowager was secretly pleased.

"Forget it, forget it. Although my younger brother isn't accomplished, he still has some ability. Let His Majesty cultivate the Dao if he wants to." Empress Dowager Yan said earnestly, "However, while His Majesty cultivates the Dao, the foundation of the nation cannot be neglected."

"What does Mother Empress mean?"

"Prime Minister Yan has already spoken to His Majesty about this before. His Majesty is not young anymore and should select consorts. The lists of suitable daughters from various ministers have also been submitted.

Mother Empress has looked at them. Those ministers' daughters from great families are indeed not bad, but somehow they don't quite meet my expectations.

The most suitable one is still Yan Ruxue from the Yan clan.

His Majesty should have heard of Ruxue's reputation."

"Naturally I have heard of it," Xiao Mo nodded, "Yan Ruxue is the foremost talented woman of our Great Zhou, well-read and knowledgeable about past and present. Whether court ministers or common people, all praise her highly."

As he spoke, Xiao Mo realized that when he named that little white snake "Ruxue," he had accidentally chosen the same name as that talented woman from the Yan clan.

Hearing Xiao Mo praise Yan Ruxue, Empress Dowager Yan was pleased, the corners of her mouth curving slightly upward:

"According to proper etiquette, we should originally select ten daughters from prestigious families to enter the palace as consorts, and after one year, His Majesty would choose one with both talent and virtue to be empress.

But I've been thinking, since His Majesty is currently cultivating the Dao, you don't have that much energy.

Taking in so many consorts at once might also be bad for His Majesty's health.

Moreover, the nation cannot be without an empress for even a day.

Etiquette is established by people.

So I propose, why not first have Ruxue enter the palace to serve His Majesty?

With Ruxue's background and reputation, if she were to become our Great Zhou's empress, she would surely convince everyone.

Afterward, Ruxue can help His Majesty manage the rear palace and recruit other consorts to enrich the harem.

What does His Majesty think?"

"..."

How could Xiao Mo not understand Empress Dowager Yan's intentions?

She probably originally planned to select consorts for him, then get her Yan clan's Yan Ruxue selected, and operate to make her empress after a year but now, she felt it was too slow and risky.

What if other women gained favor?

What if other consorts became pregnant first?

Furthermore, those other consorts also had considerable backing forces.

What if he allied with other noble families?

So after thinking it over, Empress Dowager Yan simply decided to have Yan Ruxue enter the palace alone first, let her secure the empress position first to avoid complications from delays.

As for what she said about "recruiting other women to enrich the harem," that would at least have to wait until Yan Ruxue gave birth to a prince.

It wasn't that Xiao Mo was eager for "three thousand beauties in the rear palace."

Rather, this feeling of being controlled by them and completely becoming their tool was truly unpleasant.

He was like a marionette.

"Your son has no objections. If Ruxue enters the palace, it would surely save your son much worry, and Ruxue could also reminisce with Mother Empress," Xiao Mo said respectfully.

"Good, good..."

The more Empress Dowager Yan saw how sensible Xiao Mo was, the more she liked him.

"Now the elders from Ten Thousand Swords Sect have already arrived within our Zhou Kingdom's borders. Ten Thousand Swords Sect is the world's foremost sword sect, so we cannot be negligent and must receive them well.

When the elders from Ten Thousand Swords Sect arrive, Ruxue will also enter the palace, and we'll hold the empress coronation ceremony.

We can have the Ten Thousand Swords Sect elders participate in this grand occasion, showing our Great Zhou's hospitality."

Xiao Mo lowered his head and said, "Everything will follow Mother Empress's wishes."