Chapter 44 Orange Cat

Then Cai’Er was called in by the Empress.

Chen Mo didn’t know the specifics, only that the Empress told Cai’Er to take her decree and accompany Chen Mo to Donghua Avenue to collect materials for cultivating Eight Desolates Prison.

...

Although the Harem has resource allocation, each month is quantified by one’s status, and it’s not all-encompassing.

Sometimes, when the Empresses discover that something isn’t available in the palace, they have their eunuchs or palace maids go to the Ministry of Internal Affairs or some shops within the Imperial Palace to buy them.

Yes, even if they are the Emperor’s consorts, if they need something that’s not within the allocated amount, or if their monthly quota is already exhausted and they want more, they must pay for it.

After all, the Ministry of Internal Affairs must register everything.

However, if your status is high, such as being a Noble Consort or Empress, even if what you need exceeds this month’s allocated amount, you can still get it without paying.

Furthermore, there is the practice of bullying by proxy.

If you are a eunuch or palace maid beside the Empress or Noble Consort, you can also get what you want without paying.

This is the unwritten rule of the Harem.

Therefore, inside the Imperial Palace, everyone wants to climb up.

Palace maids want to become consorts or be assigned to high-ranking consorts as maids.

Eunuchs aspire to become Chief Eunuchs.

Attaining the position of Chief Eunuch, you could ignore some less favored consorts.

Even the Noble Consort sometimes has to give you some face.

On the way to the Ministry of Internal Affairs on Donghua Avenue, there are many shops on both sides. These shops may look unremarkable, but their owners might surprise you.

At this moment, the avenue has a few scattered pedestrians, mostly palace maids and some eunuchs, mostly doing errands for their masters.

Of course, there are also some concubines from the Harem.

However, those concubines who personally go to Donghua Avenue are either idle or not favored, have no family in the palace, or have low backgrounds, which results in having few helpers at their disposal, so they must come personally.

"Cai’Er, can you show me the Empress’s decree?" Chen Mo turned to look at Cai’Er beside him and asked.

Cai’Er didn’t hesitate and immediately handed the decree to Chen Mo, saying, "Of course I can."

As she handed over the decree, Cai’Er’s face was slightly blushed.

Chen Mo nodded and opened it to read.

To say reading, it was just absorbing the Emperor’s Qi from it.

This decree was stamped with the Phoenix Seal.

And the Phoenix Seal was granted by the Emperor.

Hence when stamped, it carries the Emperor’s Qi.

However, the Emperor’s Qi on this decree is minimal.

Only a fifth of the previous Holy Decree.

If there’s a chance to touch the Phoenix Seal, it’d be great.

After absorbing the Emperor’s Qi from the decree, Chen Mo returned the decree to Cai’Er.

The two of them arrived at a pharmacy.

This pharmacy is opened by the Xiao Family.

Yes, it’s the Empress’s natal family.

After Cai’Er finished reading the Empress’s decree, the female shop clerk of the pharmacy packaged the herbs Chen Mo needed and gave them to Chen Mo, without charging a penny.

The process went smoothly, without any palace drama involving consorts speaking up for eunuchs or palace maids.

Nobody attempted extortion using their master’s influence.

...

On the return.

The two arrived at a deserted avenue, and Cai’Er suddenly knelt down before Chen Mo.

Chen Mo was momentarily startled and immediately grabbed her hands, trying to help her up.

Only to see Cai’Er say, "Thank you, Brother Hong, for pleading to the Empress for me. Your great grace, Cai’Er will never forget. If Brother Hong ever needs Cai’Er, just say the word, and Cai’Er will definitely... comply..."

When she said comply, Cai’Er lifted her gaze and looked at Chen Mo, her face suddenly flushed with a rosy hue.

Cai’Er originally was also a young lady from a wealthy family, literate and well-mannered, but the family fell, and she was sent to the palace by her parents at fourteen, relying on her clean house background and literacy, she was noticed by the Empress two years ago and entered the Weiyang Palace.

Initially doing dirty and tiring work, though in Weiyang Palace, she hardly interacted with the Empress.

Without parental protection, she’s suffered grievances and humiliations over these two years.

Those at the bottom do not help each other, instead rejecting one another and even backstabbing.

Because she was a former young lady, the palace maids around her, possibly out of jealousy or mockery, deliberately left her with the toughest tasks.

This situation only improved when she became the Empress’s personal palace maid a few days ago.

And during this process, nobody stepped forward to assist her.

Even because of the incident that morning, those sisters who originally started to cling to her began mocking behind her back.

And she thought she was done for herself.

Yet, Chen Mo was like a beam of light, illuminating her.

Helping her.

If Chen Mo knew Cai’Er had so many thoughts at this moment.

He would surely give a bitter smile.

Don’t misunderstand, this is purely a minor favor.

If the Empress herself had spoken, he definitely wouldn’t say a word of pleading.

Exactly, he is this realistic.

"A small favor, don’t be polite. I can’t accept such a big courtesy from you. As for what happened this morning, don’t take it too seriously," Chen Mo helped Cai’Er up.

As for what she said, Chen Mo didn’t take it to heart.

People’s hearts are hard to gauge.

In the Imperial Palace, hearts are even harder to discern.

Chen Mo wouldn’t believe helping her a little could make her truly devoted to him.

This is not a sensational novel.

Cai’Er murmured with a voice as light as a mosquito’s buzz, then looked at Chen Mo supporting her and stole a glance at his face.

No expectation of return, handsome...

If Brother Hong wasn’t...

How great it would be.

Whatever she thought, a streak of shyness flashed in Cai’Er’s eyes.

"Ah..."

"Meow..."

"Sister Yu, are you... okay?"

...

At this moment, from around the corner of the avenue, a tumultuous noise suddenly erupted, and a fluffed-up fat cat darted over from the corner.

Chen Mo and Cai’Er were both startled and quickly pulled apart a bit.

Seeing the fat cat running towards them, and given a voice from around the corner asking to block it, Chen Mo instinctively bent down and picked it up, skillfully stroking its head.

Before crossing over, Chen Mo was a cat lover.

Upon closer inspection, this cat is an orange tabby with glossy soft fur, apparently well-cared for by its owner.

"That little eunuch over there, kill that cat for me."

A commanding voice rang out.

Chen Mo and Cai’Er immediately turned their heads towards the voice, and from around the corner of the avenue emerged a group led by two stunningly beautiful women dressed in lavish attire.

One of them appeared somewhat flustered.

Behind them followed a group of eunuchs and palace maids.