I Became the Devil Queen's Heart Demon-Chapter 82 - 66: Her Majesty the Empress Summons Mr. Chen to the Palace!

Chapter 82: Chapter 66: Her Majesty the Empress Summons Mr. Chen to the Palace!

A big event recently took place in Tiandu City: the Zhou Family has fallen!

Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Zhou Chuanbing, was stripped of his official hat and thrown into the Imperial Prison!

The Sky Scale Guard raided his home, detaining all family members of the Zhou Mansion and confiscating assets that filled five horse-drawn carriages!

For a time, the Capital City was shaken!

In recent years, with fierce party strife, it’s not uncommon for officials to be brought down.

But for a Standard Third Rank Third-Level High Official, the second-in-command of the Ministry of Revenue to collapse without warning, it truly sent chills down people’s spines!

However, this was just the beginning.

On the following day, thirteen Imperial Censors from the Imperial Examination Hall jointly submitted a petition to impeach several officials from the Six Ministries, even the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice was implicated!

Officials from the Six Ministries also began to counterattack, continuously exposing various scandals, turning the imperial court into a battlefield for both parties.

The Eastern Royal Palace held court sessions for three consecutive days, with impeachment memorials flying like snowflakes.

This heated party conflict had already spread from the government to the alleys, with scholars and students from noble families seen in every major teahouse and tavern discussing state affairs with great enthusiasm.

...

Osmanthus Flower Lane.

A group of students from the Imperial College, dressed in scholar robes, were drinking and conversing.

"Who could have thought that the rising Vice Minister Zhou would collapse so abruptly?"

"It’s said that he was secretly mining Red Sand and committed the grave crime of treason!"

A carefree student, with his Confucian cap removed and a casual demeanor, shook his head and said, "Heh, Vice Minister Zhou is a powerful minister, a beneficiary, what reason does he have to rebel? In my opinion, it must surely be the work of the Enemy Party framing him."

Another person frowned and said, "Without solid evidence, how could they take down a Third-Level Golden Physique? I heard that it was Hundred Households Chen from the Sky Scale Guard who traced the clues..."

Bang!

The carefree student slammed the table in a drunken rage and cursed, "Sky Scale Guard? Nothing but dogs on the hunt by scent! Eight or nine out of ten, this is a frame-up... Ugh!"

Before he could finish speaking, the person beside him covered his mouth.

"Be quiet! If you don’t fear for your life, we do!"

People around also whispered:

"Hundred Households Chen is a hero who exterminated the Heavenly Demon; he shouldn’t..."

"Hmph, they’re all cut from the same cloth!"

...

In an elegant room on the second floor.

Hearing the voices from downstairs, Shangguan Yunfei wore a strange expression and said,

"Mr. Chen, it seems the reputation of your Sky Scale Guard isn’t that great, huh."

Chen Mo sat opposite him, playing with a wine cup, and with nonchalance said, "Do you know why the Sky Scale Guard wears black? It’s because our job is to do the dirty work in the shadows. It’s our duty, so why should we be bothered by some curses?"

Shangguan Yunfei’s eyes showed a trace of complexity.

The news related to the Demon Clan had always been tightly sealed by the court, causing many people to be half-informed on the matter.

But he was well aware that Chen Mo’s extermination of demons and elimination of the rebel party was an incredibly significant achievement!

After his father, Shangguan Jin, retired and returned home, he sat on a chair, shaking his head and sighing, at last saying only one sentence:

One should have a son like Chen Jinyan!

Shangguan Yunfei was depressed for several days because of this.

"Mr. Chen, you really went too far... I came to visit you several times, and you ignored me every time, yet you secretly worked on the case with Lin Jingzhu behind my back, it’s really..." Shangguan Yunfei’s tone was of grievance, like a wife who caught her husband cheating.

He didn’t care about the credit.

He had been holding his breath all this time, wanting to prove himself to his father, otherwise he wouldn’t have stayed at the Six Gates for so many years.

Chen Mo smiled and said, "Brother Shangguan played a role in fooling the enemies, your contributions are indispensable, and I will surely mention this to the higher-ups."

Shangguan Yunfei: "..."

That makes me seem even more useless...

"Forget it, the case is solved, that’s what matters. But this round of drinks, Mr. Chen, you must pay." Shangguan Yunfei sighed and raised his cup.

"Of course, today we drink until we drop!"

Chen Mo picked up his cup and drank it down, then beckoned with his hand, "Waiter, bring another ten bottles of top-grade Osmanthus Wine!"

"Right away~"

The waiter responded.

Suddenly, the bustling atmosphere downstairs hushed.

All eyes turned towards the entrance.

A golden soft palanquin appeared out of nowhere, suspended outside the door.

The palanquin was crafted from precious Golden Thread Spiritwood, engraved with auspicious dragons and phoenixes, and topped with a gold-plated treasure top, exuding a breathtaking aura of luxury, like a masterfully crafted work of art!

Shangguan Yunfei was stunned as he looked out the window at this scene. "How did the sedan chair from the Eastern Royal Palace end up here?"

Before he could come to his senses, an old eunuch dressed in a blue satin python robe stepped slowly into the tavern, looked up at the second floor, and spoke aloud, "By the order of the Eastern Royal Palace, Hundred Households Chen is invited to enter the Imperial Palace to receive his reward."

?!

Shangguan Yunfei looked at Chen Mo with surprise.

The royal palanquin, condescending to come to this noisy district of the lane, was actually to pick him up for the palace?

Chen Mo was also at a loss.

Why had Eunuch Jin come here?

Regaining his composure, he went downstairs and approached Eunuch Jin.

"Eunuch, what brings you looking for me here?" Chen Mo asked in a low voice.

Eunuch Jin kept a straight face and said, "Mr. Chen couldn’t be found at the Chen Family or the Government, so I had to ask around to track you down here."

"..."

Chen Mo felt slightly embarrassed.

Damn, skipping out of work was caught.

Eunuch Jin cleared his throat and extended his hand, "Hundred Households Chen, please come with me. Do not keep Her Highness waiting."

Although Chen Mo felt a bit uneasy, not knowing what the Empress wanted with him, in such a situation he had no choice but to brace himself and climb into the royal palanquin.

"Lift the palanquin!"

Eunuch Jin called out loudly.

The royal palanquin rose into the air, emitting streaks of golden light, and disappeared from its place in an instant.

The onlookers finally came to their senses.

The students from the Imperial College looked dumbstruck, with disbelief written all over their faces.

"Hundred Households Chen? That person just now was Chen Mo of the Sky Scale Guard?!"

"The royal palanquin personally fetched him to enter the palace to receive his reward. What tremendous royal favor!"

"It seems the rumors are true. In the case against Vice Minister Zhou, Hundred Households Chen truly made a significant contribution!"

The audacious student who had been drinking suddenly became sober, his expression a bit panicked.

When he cursed the Sky Scale Guard earlier, was Chen Mo listening upstairs?

Why does his neck feel a tad bit chilly...?

Just then, the waiter brought up ten bottles of fine wine to the second floor in front of Shangguan Yunfei.

"Enjoy your drinks, sir."

"Hmm... Huh?!"

Shangguan Yunfei suddenly snapped back to reality, realizing a serious issue.

Chen Mo left, but who would pay?

...

...

...

The decoration inside the royal palanquin was extremely luxurious.

The four walls were wrapped with yellow silk soft cloth. The palanquin was equipped with tables, chairs, bookshelves, and tea sets, and even a bed, almost like a mobile mansion.

It required no human power, offered great privacy, was eco-friendly, and suitable for... a ride.

Chen Mo sat in a soft chair, his thoughts scattered.

If the Empress wanted to reward him, a direct decree would suffice. Why would she have him enter the palace?

Although he solved the Demon Clan case and removed hidden dangers for the court, the Imperial Consort Faction also seized benefits through this.

With the Six Ministries suffering successive blows lately, how could the Empress just sit by and watch?

Could it be she wants to take action against me...?

"It’s such a grand gesture; they likely won’t do anything to me."

"Besides, I’m just a small fry, not worth the risk for them."

Chen Mo pondered in his heart.

At that moment, the palanquin came to a halt and touched down gently.

Eunuch Jin’s voice came from outside, "Hundred Households Chen, we have arrived."

Chen Mo pushed open the palanquin door and stepped out.

He found himself within the grand confines of the Imperial Palace, in front of a majestic palace with "Yangxin Palace" inscribed on the plaque above the door.

Surrounded by the stretching vermillion walls, it was segregated from other palaces.

This place looks somewhat familiar...