Volume 1, Chapter 18: Three Consecutive Promotions and a Thousand Taels of Bounty

Cao Mo, still a dozen paces away, felt his face darken.

What a despicable wretch!

He, Cao, had at least slain over a dozen black-clad assassins, which gave him the standing to come forward and claim credit. But this fellow had not killed a single one, and yet, the moment he saw the assassins retreating, he suddenly emerged to show his loyalty? Where was his shame?

"..."

The Empress stood at the entrance of the main hall with her hands behind her back. She first glanced at the scene before the Hall of Mental Cultivation, littered with corpses and guarded by many wounded imperial guards, before fixing her icy gaze upon the commander in golden armor.

However, she was in no hurry to deal with him, turning her attention instead to the black-clad assassins fleeing toward the palace gates.

"Kill them all."

As her command fell, Nangong Li, standing by her side, remained motionless, continuing to guard the Empress. As for the imperial guards in their heavy silver armor, while they were skilled in defense and skirmishing, they were clearly no match for the fleet-footed assassins in terms of pursuit.

Cao Mo felt a flicker of suspicion, wondering whom the Empress was addressing. But only a moment later, the sound of the assassins' wailing cries rose from the distance, one after another, before finally fading into silence. Only the thick, cloying scent of blood began to drift toward them.

Cao Mo’s heart chilled. It appeared the Empress had a secret guard at her disposal.

"Your Majesty, they were from the White Lotus Sect."

A moment later, a member of the Shadow Secret Guard appeared beside the Empress and reported respectfully.

"The White Lotus Sect!" The Empress’s expression tightened with suppressed fury. She waved a hand, and the guard quietly withdrew.

The Empress then cast a sidelong glance at Cao Mo, who stood nearby still clutching a blood-stained blade.

*Clatter.*

Cao Mo immediately dropped the sword and bowed. "Your Majesty, I, too, came to save the Emperor!"

"..."

The Empress looked at him with skepticism, but having no time for him, she turned back to the commander in golden armor, who was still kneeling on the ground.

"Yang Yan," she commanded coldly, "the White Lotus Sect assassins have repeatedly infiltrated the palace, and this time they have reached the very steps of my Hall of Mental Cultivation. As the commander of the Imperial Guard, you have been derelict in your duty. What say you to this crime?"

"I am guilty, Your Majesty. Please punish me." The commander did not argue, bowing his head in an attitude of submission.

He felt no real fear, for as the young Emperor had noted, this was not the first time such an event had occurred, and the Emperor had always been lenient in the past.

"It is good that you know your guilt, for I feared you might not!" The Empress retorted coldly, turning to the surrounding guards. "Yang Yan, as commander of the Imperial Guard, has been derelict in his duty and has allowed White Lotus assassins into the palace. By law, he is to be executed. Guards, seize him!"

The imperial guards looked at one another, but none dared to step forward to apprehend the commander.

"Your Majesty, you may execute me if you wish, but I must offer a reminder." The commander, realizing the young Emperor—who had always swallowed her anger—was acting with uncharacteristic resolve, turned cold. "I am a man of the Grand General. If you wish to execute me, you must have the Grand General’s decree."

"Presumptuous!"

"In this Great Zhou Dynasty, I am the Emperor!"

"Is the Grand General greater, or am I, the Emperor, greater?"

The Empress’s eyes were cold as she looked toward the white-fox-faced woman beside her. "Nangong Li, seize him."

The morning’s court session had already left her seething, and now, a mere commander dared to hold her in such contempt? Today, she would use him to establish her authority.

"As you command!"

Nangong Li drew her long sword and lunged toward the commander.

"If Your Majesty refuses to show grace, then do not blame me for being discourteous!"

Faced with the assault, the commander did not intend to be taken alive. In an instant, a formidable aura erupted from his body, revealing the true essence of a Grandmaster.

Cao Mo’s eyelids twitched; so this fellow was a Grandmaster. No wonder he had run faster than anyone else.

But the next moment, something even more shocking occurred. No sooner had the commander unleashed his terrifying power than the sound of a sword hum echoed through the air. Before the commander could react, Nangong Li’s blade pierced his dantian, and his aura collapsed like a punctured balloon.

*This white-fox-faced woman is a bit too fierce,* Cao Mo thought.

"You have actually cultivated Sword Intent," the commander gasped, staring at Nangong Li in disbelief.

Nangong Li remained cold and indifferent, sheathing her sword, which remained unstained by a single drop of blood.

"Now," the Empress addressed the silver-clad guards, "whoever kills him shall be promoted one rank and rewarded with one hundred taels of gold!"

Yet, the guards remained frozen. Cao Mo realized that his beautiful Empress was using this opportunity to establish her authority and win over the hearts of the men, hoping to reclaim control of the Imperial Guard.

As silence lingered, the Empress spoke again: "Whoever strikes down Yang Yan shall be promoted three ranks and rewarded with one thousand taels of gold!"

For a moment, many of the guards were tempted, but the thought of the Grand General behind Yang Yan stopped them. Even if they killed him now and gained wealth and rank, they would likely not live long enough to enjoy it.

"Hahaha, Your Majesty, they dare not kill me!" With his cultivation destroyed, the commander felt his spirit shatter, yet he could not resist mocking her. "Your Majesty, you wish to use me to establish your power, but alas, no one will listen to you. You remain nothing but a powerless, young Emperor!"

The Empress did not change her expression, turning her gaze toward Cao Mo. "Cao Mo, you do it!"

Hearing this, Cao Mo did not stand on ceremony. A promotion of three ranks and a thousand taels of gold—to refuse such a windfall would be foolish.

Just as he prepared to act, a flicker appeared before his eyes:

[Empress Xiao Rulong has issued you a mission: Execute the commander of the Imperial Guard, Yang Yan.]
[Mission Completion Reward: Profound-tier technique "Heavenly Star Sword Art," ten years of martial cultivation.]
[Do you accept?]

An unexpected bonus? Cao Mo was delighted.

Seeing Cao Mo standing there in a daze, the commander sneered with disdain. "Your Majesty, are there no men left by your side that you must send a little eunuch to kill me? Hahaha!"

*Pfft!*

Just as the commander laughed, a sudden chill struck his waist. Looking down, he saw a long blade buried deep into his kidney.

"You..." The commander was stunned. He turned his head to see the very eunuch he had despised picking up the bloody blade he had discarded, shamelessly ambushing him.

"Oh, you dare glare at me?" Cao Mo pulled the blade out with a wet sound, then plunged it into the commander's other kidney with a savage thrust.

"You..." The commander’s eyes bulged, filled with rage, as black blood poured from his mouth. A moment later, he collapsed, dead.

Seeing Cao Mo strike down the traitor, the Empress did not break her word. Before all the imperial guards, she announced in a clear voice, "Cao Mo, hear my decree!"

"I am here!" Cao Mo bowed immediately.

"In recognition of your slaying the traitor Yang Yan and your meritorious service in saving the Emperor today, I hereby promote you to Deputy Superintendent of the Inner Affairs Bureau, with the rank of Second Grade, and grant you a reward of one thousand taels of gold!"