Cultivation Simulator: Starting From The Empress' Palace-Chapter 101 Subordinates defying superiors

Before going to Fengyang Pavilion, Chen Mo first made a trip to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Upon entering, eunuchs of various ranks were bustling about, taking out various supplies sent from outside the palace, distributing them according to the allocations for each palace, and tagging them with the respective palace names.

"Eunuch Chen, you’ve arrived?" The Chief Eunuch of the Ministry of Internal Affairs approached with a smiling face.

According to the eunuch hierarchy, he was one level above Chen Mo.

But considering that Chen Mo was serving in Weiyang Palace and was a disciple of the Shenxiao Sect, which could be regarded as a fellow sect with His Majesty,

he naturally had to show him some respect.

"Eunuch Li." Chen Mo cupped his hands and then said, "Does the Ministry of Internal Affairs have any stored peach blossoms? I’d like some."

Assuming it was for the Empress, Eunuch Li replied, "Yes, every year when the peach blossoms are in full bloom, I have someone harvest a batch and store them in the cold storage. Would you like me to take you to get some, Eunuch Chen?"

"I would appreciate it, Eunuch Li." Chen Mo approached Eunuch Li, took out a fifty-tael silver note, and discreetly handed it to him through the sleeve of his robe.

Eunuch Li accepted it without refusing.

The peach blossoms stored in the cold storage had long since withered, with some edges even turning black. Chen Mo selected a few and placed them on a plate.

As he was about to leave, Eunuch Li said, "Eunuch Chen, the items you requested from the Shangyi Bureau have been made into a sample and sent to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Would you like to take a look?"

Hearing this, Chen Mo was briefly surprised, then realized what it was.

Indeed, it was the stockings.

The recent busy days had almost made Chen Mo forget about them.

"Sure." Chen Mo nodded.

With legs as long and fair as Xiao Yunxi’s and Ye Wanqiu’s, lacking stockings would be a waste of their beauty.

...

The stockings were wrapped in ornate fabric. As Chen Mo took a look, he was both amazed and slightly frowned.

"Eunuch Chen, what’s the matter?" Seeing Chen Mo’s expression, Eunuch Li asked.

"Ahem, the color is too monotonous." Chen Mo remarked while examining the stockings, as they were made of Ice Silkworm Silk, giving them a color reminiscent of stainless steel. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Chen Mo had never seen stockings of this color before.

He wondered how they would look when worn.

The good thing was that they were indeed shaped like stockings, with the correct structure, and the texture felt wonderful, having a cool, jelly-like touch.

"What colors does Eunuch Chen desire?" Eunuch Li inquired.

"Flesh-colored and black, white is also fine, but the black should have some patterns." Chen Mo replied without thinking.

"???" Three large question marks appeared in Eunuch Li’s mind.

"Eunuch Chen, what exactly is flesh-colored? And what are patterns?"

"Oh, flesh-colored is the color of skin, and patterns are just some foreign characters..." Chen Mo briefly explained.

"I see." Eunuch Li nodded and then said, "But to my knowledge, the Shangyi Bureau doesn’t seem to have dyes of flesh color."

"Then just black and white will do. Make more of them since they are consumables." Chen Mo said.

"Understood."

Eunuch Li took note and then added, "Foreign characters don’t look good. It’s better to embroider them with our Great Song characters."

"Uh... just black and white, without any patterns on them."

"In a couple of days, Eunuch Chen can come pick them up. With the sample made, they just need to be dyed and dried."

"Thank you, Eunuch Li." Chen Mo handed over another fifty-tael silver note.

"It’s no trouble."

...

Holding many bags, Chen Mo decided to first return to Weiyang Palace, put things down, then make a bowl of Peach Blossom Soup for Zhao Fujin before bringing it to her.

As for the rouge and jade hairpins in the bundle, Chen Mo decided to give them to Xiao Yunxi and Zhao Fujin later in the evening.

Because gifting rouge and jewelry to women in the Great Song Dynasty had a connotation similar to proposing or confessing love among common folk.

And between him, Xiao Yunxi, and Zhao Fujin, they hadn’t reached that level yet.

Giving them now would seem a bit abrupt.

...

Chen Mo wanted to avoid Xiao Yunxi.

But what he didn’t know was that Xiao Yunxi seemed to be somewhat "reliant" on him.

As soon as Chen Mo arrived at Weiyang Palace, before he even had a chance to set things down, Xiao Yunxi sent Cai’Er to summon him.

Chen Mo’s expression changed, and he quickly took a blue jade hairpin and some rouge from the bundle and hid them in his robe.

Xiao Qing’Er stood guard outside the bedchamber, a longsword at her waist, her gaze sweeping over every corner outside the chamber.

By duty, everyone entering the bedchamber was supposed to be searched by Xiao Qing’Er.

But Chen Mo was an exception.

Xiao Yunxi had granted him permission to enter her bedchamber without being searched.

She merely asked what was inside his bundle.

"Rouge and some peach blossoms," Chen Mo said.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Qing’Er frowned and disliked him even more.

Clearly thinking that the rouge Chen Mo had was meant for the Empress as a means of flattery.

Her heart was filled with disdain.

"Enter," Xiao Qing’Er said coldly.

"Did you take gunpowder?" Chen Mo muttered to himself and then walked in.

Summer is the season that best showcases a woman’s beauty.

As the Empress, Xiao Yunxi’s attire varied every day.

She wore a thin gauze mulberry silk dress, reclining sideways on the soft couch, still in a state of rest since her menstruation hadn’t ended.

Her jet-black hair was as smooth as a waterfall, as soft as silk, cascading over the couch. With slender fingers, she gently coiled a lock of black hair, her long phoenix eyes gazing at Chen Mo, she said, "Why have you returned so early today?"

Yesterday, Chen Mo had spent an entire day at the Infantry Department.

Chen Mo shifted his gaze to Cai’Er.

Cai’Er understood and respectfully said to Xiao Yunxi, "Your servant will take her leave."

Xiao Yunxi nodded.

After Cai’Er left, Chen Mo then said, "I missed Your Majesty a bit, so I bought some rouge outside the palace to give to you as a token of appreciation for your kindness."

Through simulation, Chen Mo knew that by the fourth day of the chaos, he could make some intimate gestures toward Xiao Yunxi.

Today was the second day.

He knew that when facing Xiao Yunxi alone, he shouldn’t use the servant-to-master tone or attitude. He could add a hint of flirtation to his tone, but it shouldn’t be overtly apparent.

As for giving rouge,

Chen Mo didn’t want to give it so soon.

But he had no choice; Xiao Yunxi would always ask what was in the bundle.

He couldn’t possibly say it was for another woman.

Xiao Yunxi’s slightly upturned face was delicately beautiful. Upon hearing, her long lashes fluttered momentarily, a peculiar feeling passing in her heart. Then, she put down the lock of hair she had coiled and scolded, "Audacious!"

Chen Mo hurriedly pretended to be fearful, bowing low.

Xiao Yunxi continued, "You impudent Xiaohong, how dare you overstep your bounds."