Volume One, Chapter 14: Rain Striking the Plantains, Mistaken Identity with Cao Mo
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Listening to the Empress speak such beguiling words, and seeing her beauty—enough to make any man lose himself—how could Cao Mo possibly endure it?
Without the slightest hesitation, he pressed his lips directly against those alluring, vividly red lips, covering them in an unrestrained kiss.
The fragrance of wine lingering between her lips mingled with the Empress’s own faint, elegant scent.
It flowed into his throat—and straight into his heart.
“Mmm!?”
All at once, the Empress’s already hazy, intoxicating eyes grew even redder with embarrassment. When she saw what had appeared in Cao Mo’s hand, she was momentarily unable to believe her eyes.
How could his touch be so smooth and effortless?
Cao Mo said nothing.
He merely continued to employ the Dragon-Hand That Seeks the Clouds.
He had only practiced this martial art the night before—how could he not let Her Majesty broaden her horizons?
Besides, the Dragon-Hand That Seeks the Clouds was merely an appetizing little trick. His true masterpiece was the Kuiyuan Inner Scripture, which he had already cultivated to the eighth level of Grandmaster attainment.
Before long, the Empress discovered in horror that Cao Mo had clearly freed both hands, yet she herself had not fallen to the floor.
Oh, heavens…
As though she had realized what was happening, the Empress sobered up by more than half in an instant.
Yet the crimson blush spreading across her beautiful face deepened imperceptibly.
It was over.
She had truly fallen hopelessly in love with Cao Mo.
…
Within the sleeping chamber, phoenix hairpins chimed and tinkled.
Outside, rain beat endlessly upon the banana leaves.
More than an hour passed in the blink of an eye, yet the sounds within the chamber only grew more intense, showing no sign of quieting.
The palace maids were all blushing furiously.
Every one of them kept her head bowed, silently defending their Empress in her heart.
How could anyone torment someone like that?
His Majesty was far too remorseless toward Her Majesty the Empress!
As for the eunuchs who had been attending them, they had long since been driven far away from the Palace of Earthly Tranquility.
Though they had been castrated and could scarcely be considered men, they were bound to harbor a few private thoughts. His Majesty was favoring the Empress so greatly that they could not be allowed to overhear it for no reason.
Even the imperial eunuchs who had carried the imperial carriage over were driven away.
That naturally included the woman disguised as Cao Mo—the reigning Empress herself.
At that moment—
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Outside the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, listening to the ceaseless rain striking the banana leaves, the Empress, dressed in black cloth shoes and a brown tunic with a little eunuch’s cap on her head, had turned green with anger.
Very well, Cao Mo!
Was he truly planning to make her wait two whole hours?
Just as the Empress was secretly gnashing her teeth, seething with resentment, several crooked-necked junior eunuchs hurried over from a short distance away. Walking before them was an old eunuch dressed in the uniform of an imperial supervisor.
“Godfather, that’s him!”
The leading junior eunuch’s eyes lit up the moment he spotted the Empress disguised as Cao Mo.
He hurriedly pointed her out to the old eunuch beside him.
Hearing this, the old eunuch in the imperial supervisor’s uniform first cast the Empress a contemptuous glance, then slowly approached.
“You there. You’re called Cao Mo, aren’t you?”
“…”
The Empress remained silent.
She was utterly baffled by their arrival.
The imperial eunuchs responsible for carrying the carriage, standing nearby, lowered their eyes and pretended not to see anything.
There were six supervising eunuchs among those serving before the throne, responsible for arranging the daily attendants.
This old eunuch in the supervisor’s uniform was one of them.
A superior of one rank could crush a subordinate, and this old eunuch happened to be in charge of them. Naturally, they would never dare offend him.
Not that they had any particular fondness for Cao Mo.
Even if they had wanted to help him, they would not have dared step forward.
“Eunuch Cao, I told you yesterday: you may have been the top dog then, but you can’t stay on top forever. Now you know who my godfather is, don’t you?”
Seeing that “Cao Mo” had been frightened into silence, the leading junior eunuch let out a cold laugh. He twisted his still-crooked neck and began to taunt her with unconcealed arrogance.
“Exactly. You there, Cao—let’s see how much longer you can swagger now!”
Behind him, the other junior eunuchs who had been so thoroughly disciplined by Cao Mo the previous day also felt a surge of triumph.
Not only had Cao Mo ordered Little Duozi to beat them until their necks were crooked, he had shamelessly demanded their silver—and even forced them to thank him afterward!
The man was utterly despicable.
Now they would make Cao Mo repay every last bit of it.
“Little Cao, I must admit, you certainly have character. I rather admire you.”
The old eunuch raised a hand, suppressing the enraged junior eunuchs.
Then he said mildly, “Yesterday, you not only struck my godson. When you came to report for duty today, you showed no understanding of proper etiquette. It seems you truly know nothing about the ways of the palace.”
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“What etiquette?”
The Empress frowned, still unable to make sense of the situation.
“Heh. Little Cao, it seems you have grown conceited on the strength of His Majesty’s temporary favor.”
The old eunuch gave a sinister smile.
“Let me enlighten you. What does a mere imperial eunuch amount to? I oversee thirty-six eunuchs who serve before the throne. Every newcomer must obediently offer me a token of respect.”
“As for those who have given me gifts, I honestly can’t remember them all.”
“But those who haven’t given me anything—I remember every one of them perfectly. And you are the first to be so ignorant of proper courtesy.”
“Godfather, why waste your breath on him?”
The leading junior eunuch rolled up his sleeves and began cracking his knuckles.
“When this fellow Cao beat us yesterday, we even invoked your name, yet he ignored us. He wasn’t merely insulting us—he was insulting you! Why are you still bothering to reason with him?”
“Enough, enough.”
“Since you refused the opportunity I gave you, you can hardly blame me for showing no mercy.”
Seeing that “Cao Mo” still failed to understand, the old eunuch sneered. No longer interested in wasting words, he cast the others a meaningful glance.
“He beat you yesterday. Can’t you return the favor today?”
“…”
The Empress finally understood.
For some unknown reason, Cao Mo had beaten these junior eunuchs the previous day, and now they had come seeking revenge.
As for the old eunuch who supervised the imperial attendants—
She had never imagined that this eunuch, who usually fawned and flattered her, possessed such an overbearing side. He had actually dared to demand money openly.
And this was happening within the imperial palace, right beneath the eyes of the reigning Emperor herself.
If such corruption existed even here, how much worse must things be beyond the palace walls—in the imperial court, among the civil and military officials, and throughout the officials governing the thirty-six provinces of Great Zhou?
“Kill them outright.”
As several junior eunuchs approached her, the Empress’s expression remained unchanged. She merely spoke in a faint voice.
The junior eunuchs, who had been eagerly preparing to fight, froze upon hearing this.
What did she mean?
They had only intended to teach Cao Mo a brutal lesson, yet Cao Mo was telling them to kill her outright?
Well, well.
This boy had some nerve.
Did he truly believe that, having been promoted to serve before the throne, they would no longer dare lay a hand on him?
“Yes!”
But at that moment, a voice suddenly sounded behind them—cold and ethereal, yet so terrifying that it sent shivers through their bones.
When the supervisor eunuch saw the white-clad figure appear, he was struck dumb with terror.
“Lord Nangong!?”