My Enemy Became My Cultivation Companion
Chapter 137 - 117 Are you cold?

Chapter 137: Chapter 117 Are you cold?

The Tushan Clan returned to the seal, and its underground palace had collapsed the southwestern corner of the Capital City. Fortunately, there weren’t many civilian residences in that area, so the casualties were minimal.

During the time when the Empress Dowager was trapped in the Tushan Underground Palace, the Capital City did not crumble, nor did Great Yu fall into chaos across the four seas. One reason was that it lasted only four or five days, and another was because the nameless old matron presided over the imperial palace, allowing the Chief of Staff’s inner chamber to function as usual.

The inner chamber of the Chief of Staff consisted entirely of palace women, all of whom were female officials responsible for managing official documents and reviewing proposals from the Cabinet. Dubbed the inner Cabinet of the palace, its operations had become more significant under the current Empress Dowager’s regency. To consolidate her power and eliminate the influence left by the previous emperor within the palace, she had reduced the authority of the Directorate of Ceremonies to what it should have been during the era of the first emperor—simply overseeing ceremonial affairs within the Capital City.

The only lurking threat was the Prince of Annan stationed not far from the Capital City.

"The Prince of Annan has arrived?"

"He’s camped sixty miles away, claiming to protect the Capital and has sent a messenger to represent him in an audience with the emperor."

Zeng Yichang hesitated for a moment before saying,

"Everyone knows he’s here to probe for weaknesses."

Chen Yi remained silent.

Having just returned three days ago, he was still unfamiliar with the situation in the Capital and leaning on Zeng Yichang’s knowledge.

"Supervisor Wu has assigned people to monitor the movements within the Capital these past few days, and even the Taoists from the Astronomical Bureau have lent their assistance."

Zeng Yichang continued,

"That Prince of Annan has been overly aggressive, secretly dispatching experts into the Capital to probe for vulnerabilities. We’ve repelled them several times, those we couldn’t repel were allowed entry but under surveillance, preventing them from leaving freely."

After he finished speaking, Zeng Yichang let out a sigh.

"You’ve endured hardship. Yesterday, I submitted an official report to commend your efforts. I believe that soon enough, you’ll be referred to as Zeng Baihu."

Chen Yi expressed his reassurance, picking up on Zeng Yichang’s intent to say more.

Zeng Yichang thanked him repeatedly and then, gazing into the distance, added,

"They killed our people. Several of our brothers couldn’t let it slide, so last night, they went to the western city to investigate the Prince of Annan’s experts. I hope Supervisor Chen won’t hold it against them."

"Naturally, but you’ll have to give me their names."

"Zhu Laosan, Wei Zhu’er, Li Man, and two more whose names I can’t recall right now. I’ll get them to you later."

Zeng Yichang paused briefly and then said,

"By the way, Supervisor Chen, you’re making a trip to the palace soon, aren’t you?"

"Yes, the Empress Dowager woke up last night."

Chen Yi replied.

"A great deed like saving her, I hope you’ll look out for us brothers in the future."

Zeng Yichang took the chance to flatter him, inwardly feeling relieved to have built a connection with Chen Yi early on.

Chen Yi smiled wryly.

As far as his relationship with the ruling Empress Dowager, ’harmonious’ would be far from accurate.

The Empress Dowager awoke, regaining consciousness last night. Supervisor Wu had gathered some of the news—reportedly, the elegant beauty had been muttering someone’s name incessantly upon waking, going so far as to demand his execution in an incoherent rage.

That someone was Chen Yi himself.

The palace staff dismissed it as the Empress Dowager having not fully regained her senses yet, so no one attempted to apprehend him. But Chen Yi understood that by this point, her deep hatred for him could only grow stronger after such an ordeal.

Just think—he, the son of her mortal enemy, shared several days with her as mother and child, even amidst moments of unspeakable intimacy. Who wouldn’t find such humiliation unbearable?

...............

Rain fell cold from the heavens as winter approached. The chilling winds brought desolation; although Demon Extermination Day had passed, the atmosphere in the Capital City remained stifling, with hawkers and laborers lowering their heads as they trudged through the streets. Beggars crowded soup kitchens along the roadside.

Chen Yi rode his horse through the streets at a slow pace. When refugees surged forward to approach him, the nearby Jinyiwei pushed them back. Shortly afterward, the group left the bustling area and arrived outside the East Hua Gate of the imperial palace.

Light rain misted the sky, the cold winds sharpening. After reporting his purpose, Chen Yi braved the rain to enter the palace, led by a eunuch to Jingren Palace. There, from a distance, Chen Yi noticed a female official from the inner chamber of the Chief of Staff. He casually acknowledged her with a gesture, and she returned his courtesy.

Walking through puddles, a voice from within called for him to enter. Stepping across the rain into Jingren Palace, he saw the Empress Dowager before him.

"Your Majesty."

Chen Yi called gently.

Wrapped in a fox fur cloak, the Empress Dowager shivered slightly. Seeing him with only thin clothes on, she spoke instinctively,

"Yi’er, are you... cold?"

Before Chen Yi could reply, the Empress Dowager’s expression darkened, her brows creasing with gloom as if waking from a dream. She coughed twice.

Having just regained consciousness, she lacked the healthy glow of regal elegance, replaced instead by the pallor of someone recovering from a long illness.

"Your Majesty, I’m not cold."

Chen Yi replied.

She gazed at him for a moment before her expression turned bleak.

"These past days must have been difficult for Supervisor Chen."

"Dividing the burdens of the monarch and mother is merely my duty as a subject."

Chen Yi deflected with practiced humility.

Unexpectedly, upon hearing the words ’monarch and mother,’ the Empress Dowager’s expression shifted drastically, deepening into something terribly ominous.

Just as Chen Yi thought she might speak further, her demeanor suddenly warmed. With a regal smile, she asked,

"Supervisor Chen, for what matter do you seek an audience today?"

Chen Yi, attentive to her shifting moods, carefully recounted what Zeng Yichang had mentioned regarding the vassal prince.

"Sending agents into the Capital repeatedly—it’s blatant ambition."

The Empress Dowager paused before instructing crisply,

"His actions to offend both the Eastern and Western Factories amount to disrespecting the Heavenly Family. If we endure this quietly, he will surely assume the defenses of the Capital are weak and resort to arms. You may decide accordingly..."

With such a directive, Chen Yi immediately nodded and replied,

"Then as Your Majesty commands, I shall act. I have no further matters to report."

"Wait. You performed meritorious service in protecting the nation and its ruler; do you desire any rewards?"

Perhaps still frail from her recovery, the Empress Dowager’s voice was soft.

"I merely fulfilled my duty to the country; what need is there for rewards? If any are to be granted, I ask only that my commendation for my fellow brothers be approved."

Chen Yi answered flawlessly.

But the Empress Dowager’s next words caused him to pale.

"Oh, your loyalty to the country is indeed commendable."

Amid the cold wind and drizzle, the Empress Dowager’s languid tone carried a white mist as she spoke,

"However, what is to be done with the daughter of the deceased Prince Xiang whom you took away?"

Chen Yi’s legs became rooted to the ground like stone, his eyes fixed unyieldingly on the Empress Dowager.

The underground palace was already a thing of the past, and the Tushan Clan had returned to their seal.

Indeed,

The Tushan entity who treated him like its own child was gone, leaving only the formidable Empress Dowager of Great Yu before him—who viewed him simply as a tool to be wielded.

The ground beneath the earth was scorching, yet it failed to warm the ice-cold glazed bricks of Jingren Palace.

The Empress Dowager gathered her gaze, choosing not to say more about Yin Tingxue. Instead, she stated,

"Supervisor Chen, since you’ve been acknowledged as a Fifth Grade Martial Artist, prepare for your name to enter the annals of spring and autumn.

And as for your Eastern Factory position... Well, it’s time for someone from the Directorate of Ceremonies to take command there."

..................

"Have you heard? The West Factory Thousand Households earned credit for protecting the ruler, killing nearly a thousand Lin Party members in battle, and even singlehandedly rescuing the Empress Dowager from the underground palace."

The freezing cold of pre-winter seeped through the Capital, marked by festering rain. Though the Prince of Annan loomed outside the city, news of the Empress Dowager’s return had spread like wildfire across teahouses and restaurants.

Such a significant event as her return naturally prompted rumors within the Capital City. The tale of how the West Factory Thousand Households protected the ruler quickly captivated half the city’s imagination.

"Just days ago, the Thousand Households wielded a sword to slay a fierce dragon, and now has suppressed the underground palace. Come, give me some wine money, and I’ll regale you with both stories about this extraordinary figure."

At Loyal Virtue Inn accompanied by its playhouse, a storytelling master sat beside a fire pit, shaking his fan and tapping his handboard with wooden slaps. Enthralled listeners gathered as his voice, sharp and flowing, fleshed out the account of the West Factory Thousand Households.

By the railings stood Li Ping, his gaze shadowed as he listened to the storyteller’s elegant retelling.

Soon, footsteps sounded behind him, his attendant walked forward, and Li Ping asked,

"Mo Hu, was the letter sent out last night?"

"Secretary Li, we encountered the West Factory en route—no, it wasn’t sent."

The man addressed as Mo Hu exuded a tall, robust frame and spoke with resolute composure. As one of the trusted spies from the Prince of Annan’s mansion, he’d now been reassigned to serve Li Ping.

The Loyal Virtue Inn was originally established by Great Yu’s first emperor as lodgings for vassal kings and regional officials to meet the monarch. However, later rule by the Ren Emperor led to its reform—it now hosted not just officials but also major merchants, transforming into refined teahouses, playhouses, and even taverns, yet maintaining a uniquely dignified air.

"The Prince is stationed sixty miles away. We’ve been sent into the Capital for nearly six days, yet not even one letter has been delivered. How are we to explain this to him?"

Li Ping sighed heavily and continued,

"I fear... losing this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, ruining the Prince’s ambitions."

Mo Hu smiled faintly, offering reassurance,

"Secretary Li, don’t worry too much. Though we’ve yet to deliver the letter, it’s now certain the defenses in the Capital are critically weakened. If not today, nor tomorrow, surely we’ll succeed the day after. When the Prince comes to aid..."

He paused mid-sentence—people crowded around, deterring further disclosure.

Li Ping grasped the implication of his unfinished words.

Though outwardly his mission seemed to be acting as a representative seeking royal audience, Li Ping was covertly tasked with assessing weaknesses in the Capital’s defenses. Over the past days, his investigations confirmed the city’s deteriorated state. However, without direct communication, the Prince’s forces remained uncertain and hesitant to act—camping sixty miles away, poised either to seize the Capital or retreat back to the Southern Borders.

The longer time dragged on, the more unfavorable it became for the Prince of Annan, prompting Li Ping’s constant inquiries into his spies’ discoveries.

"Secretary Li, there’s no need to hurry—smooth sailing is rare in the world’s affairs. Over the past days, we haven’t made gains in vain; in last night’s confrontation, Cao Jin made short work of a group of West Factory agents."

Mo Hu spoke in a near-whisper audible only to them both.

"The pale-faced swordsman also entered the Capital with you?"

"He came several days ago."

Li Ping felt a modicum of reassurance but couldn’t shake his concern, voicing,

"I’ve heard he’s brutally violent and employs vicious methods, even attracting criticism from the Prince himself. I fear..."

Before he could finish speaking, a burst of shocked cries suddenly erupted along the street. In rapid succession, they rang out like thunder, gaining in intensity.

A black figure emerged on the streets—its size growing larger as it approached, the cries swelling to a roaring din that swept the alleyway.

It turned out to be a thin, dark-brown horse, appearing exhausted. Its flank bore a suspended string of severed heads dripping blood, while atop it sat a figure strapped tightly to the saddle, headless, with only a wound the size of a bowl where the neck should be.

The horse carried none other than a headless corpse, dressed unmistakably in the uniform of the West Factory’s Jinyiwei!

The commotion swiftly drew government officers. Upon recognizing the deceased’s uniform, the news was immediately reported to the West Factory, resulting in the thunder of galloping hooves. Min Ning barreled down the street outside the Loyal Virtue Inn with her squad.

She gasped, leaping from her horse toward the figure, seeing the dismembered heads hanging from the horse’s flank. Min Ning collapsed to the ground with a loud thump.

"Zhu Laosan, Wei Zhu’er, Li Man... Are they the brothers from last night in the western city?!"