At the same time, inside the Prime Minister’s residence.
“Miss Liu, the Prime Minister is waiting for you inside. Please go ahead.”
On Ye Mo’s orders, Ye Xiang had personally found Liu Qinghuan that evening and brought her to the residence.
Facing the old plaque inscribed with the words “Prime Minister’s Residence,” written in an ancient, solemn script, Liu Qinghuan couldn’t help tightening her grip on the sword in her hand.
She took a deep breath to steady her nerves, then walked through the gates with large strides.
After walking down a long corridor, the main hall ahead was brightly lit.
Liu Qinghuan’s nerves tightened again.
Under the guidance of Hu An, she finally entered the main hall, and the moment she saw Ye Mo, she froze.
At the head of the table sat an old man in plain clothing, scooping rice porridge into his mouth.
There was only a plate of pickled vegetables, a fish, and a plate of boiled greens on the table—it looked incredibly modest.
At the corner of the table, there seemed to be another plate covered by red silk.
“Master, Miss Liu has arrived.”
“Hmm, you may leave.”
Ye Mo picked up a piece of pickled cucumber and chewed it slowly. Then he finished the entire bowl of porridge in one go, stood up, drank a mouthful of water, and finally looked toward Liu Qinghuan.
That one look startled Liu Qinghuan so much that she instinctively raised her sword across her chest.
This old man clearly had no cultivation, yet the pressure he exuded was terrifying.
“Hehe, no need to be nervous, Lady Liu. Have you eaten? This is just plain food, forgive me if it’s too humble.”
He picked up the empty bowl and ladled another scoop of porridge.
Liu Qinghuan asked, “What do you want with me?”
“Nothing serious,” Ye Mo replied, sitting back down and mixing a leaf of vegetable into his porridge before eating it.
“I just wanted to ask, why has Miss Liu come to the capital?”
Liu Qinghuan scoffed coldly, “Do I need to report my whereabouts to you, Prime Minister? Tell me, which law have I broken? What crime have I committed?”
Ye Mo smiled and shook his head, “None. And even if you had, it would be the Imperial Inspectorate and the Ministry of Justice who would handle it. I was simply curious. As the chief disciple of the Purple Cloud Sect and someone with considerable fame in the martial world, why would you get involved in Court affairs? Coming to the capital now—surely it’s for the opening of the Jinling Secret Realm?”
“That’s right,” Liu Qinghuan said proudly.
“The Jinling Secret Realm has drawn attention from all over the martial world. I wanted to see it for myself. Is that against the law too?”
“It’s not.”
Ye Mo set his chopsticks down and wiped his mouth with a white cloth.
“But if your plans clash with the Court’s arrangements, the question of legality no longer applies.” You are reading on g.com, the official source.
Liu Qinghuan was stunned and unconsciously took two steps back.
“Lady Liu, you are a person of the martial world. Don’t involve yourself in Court matters. The waters here are deeper than any love and rivalry your Jianghu has ever seen. Once you step in, there’s no turning back.”
“I only want to see the Jinling Secret Realm. It’s not as complicated as you make it sound,” Liu Qinghuan said.
Ye Mo said, “The Jinling Secret Realm is a national treasure of the Great Chu Empire. Only decisions from the Court can determine who enters. You cannot enter just because you want to.”
Liu Qinghuan fell silent.
Ye Mo continued, “Lady Liu, I already know the true reason for your visit to the capital, even if I haven’t said it out loud. Let me give you a word of advice—so long as you stay away from this mess, everything will remain peaceful.”
Liu Qinghuan replied, “I don’t understand what you’re trying to say, Prime Minister.”
Ye Mo smiled and said calmly, “Must I really spell it out? Very well. If you don’t want Her Majesty to be placed in a difficult position, then don’t involve yourself in the Jinling Secret Realm.”
“You… you already know?”
“As the Prime Minister of the Great Chu Empire, it’s my duty to understand all under heaven—including the internal matters of your Purple Cloud Sect.”
Though Ye Mo’s tone was mild and his face bore a faint smile, the pressure he emanated made Liu Qinghuan feel like she couldn’t breathe.
“What if I insist?”
Ye Mo simply smiled and shook his head.
“If you do, it will only bring endless trouble upon the Purple Cloud Sect and Her Majesty. Perhaps in a few days, the Court will receive an official report stating that the Purple Cloud Sect has betrayed the Empire and was eliminated by the military. Would you like to see that happen?”
“You…”
Such a blatant threat, with no effort to conceal it, left Liu Qinghuan at a complete loss.
The Prime Minister’s residence had the power to overturn the heavens. His words were no mere threat—they were a promise.
At that moment, she hesitated. She truly didn’t want her sect to suffer.
But what would she tell her junior sister?
Ye Mo added, “Lady Liu, things aren’t as complicated as you think. Like I said, those in the martial world should mind their own affairs. Don’t get caught in Court politics. After all, you wouldn’t want your sect to be falsely accused of conspiring with foreign powers or Her Majesty to be forced to abdicate, right? Take my advice. Let it go.”
Liu Qinghuan couldn’t say a single word.
Only now did she truly understand what kind of opponent Jiang Mengxuan was facing.
If she could, she would have drawn her sword then and there and slain this treacherous official.
But doing so would only doom her junior sister and the Purple Cloud Sect to eternal ruin.
The next moment, Ye Mo stood up and lifted the red silk from the corner of the table.
Beneath it lay a stack of 2,000 taels in silver notes and a pile of gold ingots, each weighing 50 grams, totaling over 400 taels.
“I heard the Purple Cloud Sect is expanding recently. Please deliver a message to Sect Master Wu on my behalf. This is a small token of my personal appreciation. Don’t worry—every coin here is clean. Feel free to use it. Once I have some free time, I will personally visit the Purple Cloud Sect.”
At this moment, she even began to believe that Jiang Mengxuan had no chance against Ye Mo.
And that belief was growing stronger by the second.
“Lady Liu, I’ve said so much. What do you think? Can I get a response?”
Faced with Ye Mo’s earnest inquiry, Liu Qinghuan finally gave in.
“Fine. I promise, Prime Minister. I won’t get involved in the Jinling Secret Realm matter, but you mustn’t trouble my junior sister.”
“You worry too much. Her Majesty is the sovereign, and I am but a servant. How could a servant make trouble for his ruler? I, Ye Mo, am wholly loyal to the Great Chu Empire.”
Only then did Liu Qinghuan leave the Prime Minister’s residence, utterly dejected.
Once she was gone, Ye Mo called out sharply, “Hu An.”
Hu An immediately appeared by his side. “Master, what are your orders?”
Ye Mo pointed at the gold and silver on the table. “Send these to Lady Liu. Gifts from me aren’t meant to be refused.”
“Yes, I’ll take care of it right away.”
Hu An swiftly packed the gold and silver and ran out of the hall after Liu Qinghuan.
Ye Mo sat back down and waved his hand.
Ye Xiang appeared at his side. “Prime Minister, what are your instructions?”
Ye Mo said, “Go notify the disciples of Qingyi Tower. If they want the secret realm’s treasure, they’d better move quickly.”
“Yes…”
“Wait.”
“Prime Minister, is there more?”
After some thought, Ye Mo added, “On the way, go to the Imperial Guard and inform the Prince. Tell him Qingyi Tower will arrive within the next two days.”
Ye Xiang hesitated, “Prime Minister, what do you mean by this?”
Ye Mo raised his eyes and stared silently at Ye Xiang.
Ye Xiang immediately lowered his head and bowed. “Forgive me, Prime Minister. I’ll see to it at once.”
He turned and quickly left the Prime Minister’s residence.
No sooner had he gone than Hu An came running back in.
“Did she accept it?”
“She didn’t dare refuse.”
“Hmph.”
Ye Mo snorted coldly and leaned back in his chair.
“People of the martial world… ultimately useless. I truly hope that one day, disciples of these sects can be brought under Court regulation. That way, this world wouldn’t be so full of deception and chaos, and we’d have far fewer troubles.”