Chapter 147

Chapter 147: You’re quite bold, asking me to lick you? This is a bit tricky!

Li Mo nodded and said unhurriedly, “I understand.”

It was actually not surprising that Zhao Ji would seek him out.

An empress dowager in power and a newly appointed national advisor.

By reason and logic, he should go see her.

As for why she was looking for him, he would find out when he got there.

Li Mo turned to Fei Yan and apologized, “Miss, I’m truly sorry. It seems I can only talk to you after I return.”

He used “Miss” instead of “Lady Dongjun.”

Fei Yan intended to hide her identity.

Now that he knew, it was unnecessary to expose her.

Fei Yan’s heart stirred slightly.

She admired Li Mo’s attentiveness.

As someone so clever, how could she not understand the reason for Li Mo’s change of address?

She nodded and her smile became more genuine.

“No matter, the national advisor has important matters to attend to. Fei Yan will wait for your return.”

Yan Lingji tilted her head.

Hmm?

Shouldn’t I be the one saying that, as his lover?

Fei Yan, whether in temperament or her love-struck mind, was the typical virtuous wife and good mother type.

So when she said such things, it easily led people to think otherwise.

Li Mo instructed Yan Lingji, “You go back first and wait for me. I don’t know when I’ll be back.”

Naturally, the empress dowager wouldn’t just say a few words to him and be done.

Instead of having them wait here, it was better to let them go back first.

Before Yan Lingji could speak, the maid next to them frowned first.

Unhappily reminded, “National Advisor, the Empress Dowager is still waiting.”

She thought this national advisor was somewhat clueless about priorities.

Others would be eager to fly over upon hearing the empress dowager’s summons.

Yet he was here, leisurely arranging these two women first.

Li Mo turned his head, expressionless, “I said, I understand, didn’t you hear?”

Waiting a moment wouldn’t kill you, would it?

Just a few words, he could make up the time by walking faster.

This maid might have stayed by Zhao Ji’s side for too long.

Habitually looking down on others.

Who do you think you are, talking to me like this just because you hold a petty authority?

“You…how dare you!”

The maid’s face darkened.

She meant to say that Li Mo was bold to make the empress dowager wait.

But to others, it sounded entirely different.

Yan Lingji was instantly displeased, “You’re quite an impudent maid. When the national advisor speaks, who are you to interrupt?”

“If anyone should interrupt, it should be the national advisor interrupting you.”

“How dare you call the national advisor bold? Is this how your empress dowager teaches you manners?”

Li Mo raised an eyebrow.

You’re not attractive enough, I’m not interested!

The maid wanted to retort, but Fei Yan suddenly glanced at her.

Slightly smiling.

Her smile sent chills down the maid’s spine!

What was with this woman?

Clearly smiling so beautifully, why did it feel so creepy?

She was Zhao Ji’s personal maid, with at least eighth-rank strength.

Now, she was frightened by a woman’s look!

She couldn’t help but look at Li Mo.

What kind of background did this national advisor have?

How could the women around him be so terrifying?

“Pfft, worthless. Shall we go back first?” Yan Lingji shrugged disdainfully.

She lightly bumped Fei Yan with her jade-like shoulder while folding her arms.

The maid bit her lip, feeling the anger but not daring to show it.

Even when reprimanding a dog, one must consider its owner!

If I’m worthless, what about the empress dowager?

Just wait!

If I tell the empress dowager about this, even the national advisor won’t be able to protect you!

The Xianyang Palace was vast.

The empress dowager’s residence was deep within the palace.

The journey there was long.

The maid leading the way had a vicious glint in her eyes, thinking about how to embellish the recent events when reporting to the empress dowager.

Snitching wasn’t new to her!

“Miss, how much longer until we arrive?”

After walking for about a quarter of an hour, Li Mo suddenly asked.

The maid glanced back with a look of contempt.

A blind man becoming a national advisor was the empress dowager’s and the emperor’s mercy.

Does he really think he’s important?

“Almost there, National Advisor,” she replied, not daring to be openly rude but still speaking with a hint of disdain.

Although she was facing away, her contemptuous and malicious looks along the way hadn’t escaped Li Mo’s notice.

Truly, what kind of master breeds what kind of servant.

The deeper they went into the palace, the quieter it became.

Li Mo suddenly stopped.

The maid noticed he wasn’t following and stopped too.

“What is the National Advisor doing?”

“The empress dowager is still waiting. If she gets impatient, you might not be able to bear the consequences.”

Seeing Li Mo sit down on a stone bench to rest, the maid spoke with a sarcastic tone.

Li Mo cheerfully waved her over, “Come here, I want to show you something.”

The maid hesitated but walked over after a moment, believing her eighth-rank strength and the palace setting would protect her.

“What does the National Advisor want to show me?”

Li Mo sneered, “I have a big gift for you.”

After about half a tea’s time, there was a rustling sound from the roadside bushes.

A disheveled maid, her clothes in disarray, emerged.

After tidying up her clothes and hair, she stood respectfully.

She looked up at Li Mo with fear in her eyes.

Before she could speak, Li Mo nodded, “Not great, but it’ll do for now. Let’s go.”

The maid dared not speak further, obediently leading the way again.

The rest of the journey was silent.

The maid led Li Mo straight to the empress dowager’s residence.

“Master… National Advisor, please wait here. I’ll inform the empress dowager,” she said at the door, as if seeking permission.

Li Mo responded amiably, “Of course, go ahead.”

Moments later, the maid returned.

Respectfully, she said, “National Advisor, the empress dowager will see you now.”

Li Mo followed the maid into the empress dowager’s chamber.

Upon entering, he was greeted by an intoxicating fragrance.

The chamber was luxurious, warm, and comfortable.

Perhaps knowing that Li Mo was blind, the red gauze curtain in the middle was not lowered but rolled up and hung on both sides.

Actually, whether the curtain was there or not made no difference to him. He could “see” everything, whether it should be seen or not.

A seductive figure lay sideways on the phoenix bed at the end, with a charming face and a voluptuous figure, but her eyes showed a strong sense of arrogance.

Her alluring appearance, combined with a haughty demeanor, was typical of the most noble woman in the Qin state. Having been in a position of privilege and power for a long time, this attitude was to be expected.

Zhao Ji lay on her side, her alluring and voluptuous figure creating a graceful curve. Her full hips and slender waist formed an astonishing arc. She supported her head with one hand while gently tapping the quilt with the other.

If one ignored the arrogance in her eyes and only looked at her charming face, it seemed as if she was saying, “Come over here, darling, I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.” But combined with that haughty look, it was quite displeasing.

Li Mo, now a national advisor, had the privilege of entering the palace without bowing and being granted a high seat. He merely nodded slightly toward Zhao Ji. “Greetings, Empress Dowager.”

Zhao Ji lightly opened her phoenix eyes, and the maid beside her immediately understood. She quickly stepped forward to help her up. This scene did not escape Li Mo’s sharp perception.

It seemed this empress dowager was a difficult master to serve. The maids couldn’t be smart enough to know what to do just from her blinking. They must have been scolded for such things in the past and had learned their lesson!

Zhao Ji sat upright, slightly raising her chin, looking down at Li Mo. She said in a calm tone, “Bring a seat.”

Without the gauze curtain, Zhao Ji could now clearly see Li Mo’s appearance. She couldn’t help but admire him. He was indeed a young and handsome man, probably not much older than Ying Zheng. A faint smile hung at the corner of his mouth, naturally exuding confidence. And it seemed he had reason to be confident.

Whether it was being besieged by a group of officials in the court or later methodically intimidating everyone, his words and actions all displayed confidence, as if he never worried about things going wrong.

Two maids quickly brought a seat and placed it at his feet. As soon as Li Mo sat down, Zhao Ji’s voice followed, “The national advisor doesn’t seem curious about why I called you here.”

Seeing the calmness on his handsome face, Zhao Ji became curious herself.

Li Mo responded calmly, “I amazed everyone in the court; the Empress Dowager must be curious about how I did it and whether the inscriptions from the heavenly book are genuine. The horseshoe I presented later caused General Wang to lose his composure; the Empress Dowager must also want to know where I got it from. If the Empress Dowager cares about the state of Qin, you would certainly invite me here to inquire. Therefore, there is nothing to be curious about.”

Zhao Ji’s eyebrow twitched slightly. She understood the implication of Li Mo’s words. He was suggesting that if she didn’t call him over, it would mean she didn’t care about the affairs of Qin, merely a woman indulging in pleasure due to her status.

Zhao Ji looked at him haughtily, her tone slow and deliberate, “National Advisor, do you realize that based on your recent words alone, I could punish you?”

Criticizing the current Empress Dowager is not something many people have the courage to do.

“Yes, I know.”

“And you’re not afraid?”

Li Mo replied bluntly, “No, I’m not.”

Zhao Ji’s phoenix eyes fixed tightly on him. “Why aren’t you afraid?”

Li Mo shook his head. “Just not afraid.”

Zhao Ji took a gentle breath, lifting her snowy white chin even higher, as if trying to use her Empress Dowager authority to intimidate him. But she realized that this person couldn’t see her!

“The National Advisor is indeed quite unique.”

“I seem to understand why Zheng’er trusts you so much.”

Zhao Ji’s arrogance did not diminish. She waved her hand, signaling the maids to leave.

Although Li Mo’s earlier words carried a critical tone, the fact that she had called him over indicated her concern for the state of Qin. She could take it as a compliment.

Since Li Mo didn’t give her a way out, she had to find one herself.

The maids quickly withdrew, and the doors of the bedchamber closed with a creak.

In the vast bedchamber, only the haughty, beautiful, mature Empress Dowager and the young, handsome, strong National Advisor remained.

Li Mo was not foolish enough to think that the Empress Dowager dismissed the maids to warmly welcome him. Most likely, the content of their conversation was going to be private.

Zhao Ji continued to scrutinize Li Mo with her discerning eyes. Sitting upright, she appeared much more dignified than when she was lying down. Slowly, she asked, “I’ve never heard of the National Advisor before. Which family are you from?”

Nowadays, various philosophical schools were thriving. The most famous ones included Confucianism, the School of Yin-Yang, Mohism, the School of Agriculture, and the School of Diplomacy. Based on Li Mo’s extraordinary performance today, Zhao Ji guessed he might belong to the School of Yin-Yang, known for their mysterious practices. However, she had never heard of such a person within that school. Someone whom Ying Zheng treated with such respect could not be an unknown figure even in the School of Yin-Yang.

In fact, Zhao Ji had guessed partly right. The fire phoenix was partly due to Fei Yan’s efforts, which had some connection to the School of Yin-Yang.

Li Mo frankly said, “I am alone, with no family background.”

He no longer needed to use these affiliations to elevate his status. “I don’t need a famous school because I am the famous school!”

Officially, he was now the National Advisor, and secretly, he was developing the organization “Liu Sha” with all his might. Additionally, he had Sister Zi involved in commerce. He had fame, power, and wealth. Establishing his own school of thought did not seem difficult.

“Oh? No family?” Zhao Ji looked at him, quite surprised.

“No family.”

“Then where did the National Advisor learn all this?”

She couldn’t believe one person could possess such immense ability and wisdom. Papermaking, movable type printing, inscriptions from the heavenly book, the fire phoenix – these could all be considered divine skills.

With a smile, Li Mo said, “I traversed the long river of history, crossing different times and spaces to come here.”

“It’s normal for me to know things others don’t.”

Zhao Ji: “……”

Do you think I’m as easy to fool as those other people?

If you don’t want to say, just don’t. Why make up such an outlandish story!

If I believed you, I would be a fool!

Zhao Ji snorted softly, “The National Advisor’s origin is so fantastical that it makes me feel uneasy.”

She then asked, “One more question: the last two lines of the inscription, who were they referring to?”

The first two lines Zhao Ji had already witnessed. The latter part, “授命与天，既寿永昌” (Granted by Heaven, Longevity and Eternal Prosperity), had yet to come true.

The first four characters refer to a person, while the latter four describe the results this person could bring.

From her question, Li Mo faintly sensed some underlying intentions. He pursed his lips and sincerely said, “This person naturally…”

Zhao Ji’s full, sensual lips slightly curled up, and her eyes showed a hint of anticipation as she looked at Li Mo.

Li Mo’s expression remained unchanged. “Naturally, it’s not referring to the Empress Dowager.”

Old witch, having grand ambitions is one thing, but you’ve got quite a bold heart too!

The phrase “授命与天” speaks of divine right and acceptance of heavenly mandate. In simpler terms, it refers to the chosen one!

A person whose status and identity would be supreme, standing above all others.

Zhao Ji’s question revealed her ambitions to Li Mo.

No wonder this beautiful old witch refuses to relinquish power to Ying Zheng. She keeps a tight grip on authority.

What are you aiming for? To set an example for future empresses like Lü Zhi and Cixi? Or to become a Wu Zetian of this era?

I admit you’re quite beautiful, but that doesn’t mean you can entertain such lofty thoughts.

If your son knew, would he tolerate you?

Lü Zhi and Cixi could wreak havoc because the emperors were incompetent. Wu Zetian became empress because Emperor Gaozong was indecisive, delegating decisions to her, allowing her to pave her way from the time of the Dual Sage rule.

But do you know what kind of person your son is?

You’re blindly seeking your own downfall!

Li Mo’s response was firm, carrying an undertone of sarcasm mixed with disdain.

This immediately infuriated Zhao Ji. Her beautiful face turned frosty, eyes filled with anger, her voice cold as ice: “Do you know who you’re speaking to?”

“Of course, the current Empress Dowager.”

“Moreover, the Empress Dowager who holds military power!”

Li Mo remained unafraid, his expression calm and unperturbed.

You want me to grovel at your feet? Sorry, that’s not happening!

If it were the other way around, I might consider letting you demonstrate your skills.

Zhao Ji, holding her noble head high, glared sharply at Li Mo and shouted, “Aren’t you afraid that I will strip you of your title as National Advisor? Aren’t you truly afraid that I will kill you?”

Li Mo remained motionless, sitting there unperturbed. He replied lightly, “When the Empress Dowager is enraged, corpses lie in the hundreds of thousands. When a commoner is enraged, blood flows five steps.”

“Before killing me, I can also take the Empress Dowager’s life.”

“Is the Empress Dowager… not afraid?”