Highness's Hush Money?

Chen Estate.

In the bedroom, Chen Mo stood before a bronze mirror, examining himself.

His face was white as porcelain, his beauty like jade beneath a crown, his brows brimming with noble bearing.

He wore a fitted outfit black as ink, embroidered with dark scale-like patterns. A three-foot Horizontal Blade hung at his waist. Heroic and spirited, he was truly a jade-carved young gentleman among men.

"Not bad. About the same as my previous life."

Chen Mo pinched his chin and nodded to himself.

Although Chen Zhuo had confined him to the estate for a month, there was no way he would truly stay cooped up here that long.

Now that his injuries had fully healed and he had broken through to the sixth rank, even if remnants of the Moon Radiance Sect still lurked in the city, they might not be his match!

"As a martial artist, one must advance with courage and vigor. Cowering at every turn will never accomplish great things!"

"Time for work!"

The moment he stepped out of the Chen Estate gates, he ran into a figure in white.

It was the female official who had escorted him into the palace yesterday.

"Young Master Chen..."

"You have the wrong person."

Before she could finish, Chen Mo abruptly braked, spun around on the spot, and headed back into the estate.

The mission had failed before the troops had even set out...

"..."

The female official raised a hand and beckoned.

An immense suction force swept over him. Chen Mo felt the surrounding scenery race backward, and his body flew beyond his control to arrive before the female official.

"Why is Young Master Chen avoiding me?"

The female official frowned, her delicate brows creasing in confusion.

"It is not that I am avoiding you, it is just..."

Chen Mo hesitated before asking, "Has Highness summoned me to the palace again?"

Remembering what had happened yesterday, his heart trembled uneasily. Could Highness be planning to kill him to silence him?

"Not at all."

"Young Master Chen did not receive his reward yesterday, so Highness specifically instructed me to deliver it."

The female official produced a jade box.

"A reward?"

Chen Mo blanked out for a moment.

He reached out and took it. Opening the box, he saw a jade slip and a token inside.

The instant his finger touched the jade slip, a line of text flashed before his eyes:

[Obtained Heaven-tier high-grade martial skill: Azure Dragon in Sleeve.]

[Learn immediately?]

"Heaven-tier high-grade?!"

Chen Mo nearly bit his tongue.

One had to know that Earth-tier martial skills were already the pinnacle in the mortal world. If one entered the martial world, it would be enough to spark a scramble among every major force.

Only colossal entities such as the Three Saints Sect could possibly possess Heaven-tier secret arts!

Yet Imperial Concubine Yu had casually bestowed such a priceless treasure...

It seemed the thigh he had latched onto was terrifyingly thick!

With the female official still standing beside him, Chen Mo did not choose to learn it immediately. Instead, he turned his gaze toward the token.

It felt icy in his hand, neither metal nor stone, likely forged from some special material. A soaring luan phoenix was engraved upon it, every detail vivid, as though it were alive.

"This is..."

"This is the Purple Luan Token. Seeing this token is the same as Noble Consort herself arriving!"

The female official was concise and to the point.

Chen Mo's heart jolted at her words!

Naturally, he understood the weight carried by the words "Noble Consort herself arriving"!

Compared to the Heaven-tier martial skill, this Purple Luan Token was likely the greater reward!

"With my meager merits, I absolutely do not deserve such a heavy reward. So this is... hush money?"

"That must be it. Highness is certainly reminding me not to let a word slip."

Chen Mo pondered in secret.

At that moment, the female official reminded him, "The Purple Luan Token represents Highness's authority. Do not use it lightly unless absolutely necessary."

Chen Mo cupped his hands. "Thank you for the advice. May I ask how to address you, miss?"

The female official clasped her hands behind her back and replied blandly, "Xu Qingyi, a Chief in the palace."

"So it is Chief Xu."

Chen Mo straightened his back, raised the token, and declared loudly, "Chief Xu, heed my command."

The female official: "..."

The corner of her eye twitched violently. Her fists clenched tight as she stared at the purple token, but in the end, she still lowered her head.

"I want you to help me investigate someone..."

"Take care, Chief Xu~"

Watching that retreating figure depart with the speed of Earth-Shrinking, the smile on Chen Mo's face gradually faded.

"For the protagonist to be sacrificed to the heavens is a road every villain must walk."

"By my calculations, he should be arriving in Heaven Capital City soon, right?"

Northern City, Yizhen Ward.

An enormous compound stood there, its bracket sets and soaring eaves rising in solemn grandeur.

Black bricks, black tiles, high walls, and deep courtyards. From afar, it resembled a ferocious beast lurking in wait, its oppressive presence palpable.

This was the headquarters of the Heavenly Qilin Guard.

As a special institution independent of the Three Offices and Six Ministries, the Heavenly Qilin Guard had an extremely broad scope of duties, including but not limited to intelligence gathering, torture by unlawful means, investigating officials, open executions and covert assassinations...

Sometimes, cases the government offices could not handle would also be passed to the Heavenly Qilin Guard.

Simply put, they handled all the dirty and exhausting work.

Originally, the Heavenly Qilin Guard answered directly to the Emperor. But Emperor Wulie's lifespan was now nearly exhausted, and the power in his hands had splintered. The Heavenly Qilin Guard had already been infiltrated by the Imperial Palace Faction and the Consort Faction, becoming one of the battlegrounds in their struggle.

The Heavenly Qilin Guard was divided into five offices and ten bureaus, each office staffed at the thousand-household level.

The ten bureaus were named after the Heavenly Stems:

Jia Wood Bureau, Yi Wood Bureau, Bing Fire Bureau, Ding Fire Bureau, Wu Earth Bureau, Ji Earth Bureau, Geng Metal Bureau, Xin Metal Bureau, Ren Water Bureau, Water Bureau.

Among them, the four bureaus of Wu Earth, Ji Earth, Ren Water, and Water were controlled by the Noble Consort, while the remaining six were all in the hands of the Imperial Empress Faction.

Chen Mo's position was that of a Flag Chief under the Water Bureau.

Five Banner Officers served beneath him, commanding fifty men in total.

At his age, reaching such a position already counted as an exceptional promotion.

What could he do? He had people backing him up above.

As he entered the gates of the Heavenly Qilin Guard, the vast Training Grounds were already packed with people.

The instant Chen Mo entered, the previously clamorous air fell silent.

Every gaze converged on him.

Recently, the name "Chen Mo" had been widely discussed throughout Heaven Capital City.

Whether it was the broken engagement affair or the courtesan's disappearance, both were inseparably connected to him.

Coupled with the fact that he had not shown his face for several days, it was only natural for people's imaginations to run wild.

"Chief Chen."

"Chief, you're here."

One fat man and one thin man greeted Chen Mo.

The fat one was Qin Shou, and the thin one was Liu Mang. They were two Banner Officers under Chen Mo and were usually closest to him.

Chen Mo gave a slight nod and was just about to speak when a mocking voice suddenly rang out:

"Well, if it isn't Flag Chief Chen?"

"I thought you had resigned and quit."

"You tore up your marriage contract for a courtesan, only to end up drawing water with a bamboo basket—empty-handed. You lost both the lady and your troops. Have you been hiding under your blankets these past few days, crying your eyes out?"

The speaker was a short, squat man.

Thick brows, a bulbous nose, and a face full of pits, like a strawberry with all its seeds picked out.

Ding Fire Bureau Banner Officer, Yan Xun.

The moment he said this, a burst of laughter rose all around.

Chen Mo said nothing. His gaze swept across the crowd, memorizing every laughing face.

"Bullshit!"

"Yan Xun, are you fucking looking to die?"

Qin Shou pointed at Yan Xun's nose and cursed furiously.

Liu Mang's face remained expressionless, one hand already resting on his sword hilt.

"I was only joking. Flag Chief Chen would not stoop to my level, would he?"

Yan Xun shrugged with a grin.

"Of course not."

Chen Mo replied blandly.

Yan Xun's expression grew even smugger, thinking Chen Mo had admitted defeat.

"Because you are not worthy."

Before the words had even faded, saber qi erupted!

But Chen Mo's strike was not aimed at Yan Xun. It was aimed at the White-Faced Man standing nearby in silent amusement, mockery in his eyes.

Ding Fire Bureau Flag Chief, Yan Xun's elder brother and immediate superior, Yan Liang!