Chapter 429: The Empress Dowager’s True Form Revealed in Private!
Li Mo had visited the Imperial Palace once before going to Loulan.
Back then, he noticed that something was off with Zhao Gao’s expression.
Now, two months later, Zhao Gao had undergone a complete transformation.
He had practically turned into a blue elf!
His skin looked as if it had been poisoned, and his voice was even softer than before.
Zhao Gao beamed at him and quickly responded, “Reporting to the National Advisor, thanks to your guidance, I’ve recently mastered a divine skill.”
“Is it that ‘Sunflower Manual’ you bought from those Shu Merchants?”
Li Mo asked with a strange expression.
Zhao Gao nodded repeatedly, “Exactly! I’ve been practicing day and night, and in just two months, my progress has been rapid. While I cannot compare to the National Advisor, dealing with some small fry is definitely within my capability.”
Li Mo scrutinized him from head to toe.
He chuckled, “Seventh grade, quite impressive indeed.”
From Zhao Gao buying that ‘Sunflower Manual’ to now, it had only been half a year.
Achieving the seventh-grade realm in just six months is truly remarkable!
However…
Li Mo glanced at Zhao Gao’s blue, eerie skin again.
The side effects were indeed quite significant!
“Not bad, not bad.”
Li Mo patted his shoulder, unsure of what to say next, so he simply offered a few perfunctory compliments.
Zhao Gao, however, was overjoyed.
Why had he worked so hard?
Wasn’t it just to catch Li Mo’s eye, hoping to be promoted by him in the future?
Now, receiving Li Mo’s praise, becoming this awkward half-human, half-ghost form felt worth it!
In the study, Ying Zheng was diligently reviewing documents.
Zhao Gao burst in with excitement, reporting, “Your Majesty, the National Advisor has arrived.”
“Oh? He’s finally back!”
Ying Zheng tossed aside his brush and stood up, gazing toward the door.
Finally, after much anticipation, Li Mo’s figure appeared at the entrance.
“Sir, you’ve finally regained your sight!”
Seeing Li Mo, Ying Zheng immediately noticed his newly restored eyes.
He hurried forward and grabbed Li Mo’s arm, observing his eyes with disbelief.
Li Mo couldn’t help but chuckle, “It just happened all of a sudden.”
“Good! Good! Good!”
Ying Zheng exclaimed three “goods” in succession.
Then he added, “Now that you can see again, you can behold the vast lands of our great Qin! Quick, someone, inform the Empress Dowager of the National Advisor’s return!”
“No need, I’m already here.”
Just as Ying Zheng finished speaking, a mature yet authoritative voice resonated from outside.
Lady Zhao Ji had already dispatched people to watch for Li Mo’s return!
The moment he entered the palace, she was informed.
“Really regained your sight? Stand still, let me take a good look at you!”
In her splendid phoenix robe, the graceful Zhao Ji approached Li Mo, her face full of surprise, inching closer as if she couldn’t contain her curiosity.
“Thanks to the Empress Dowager.”
Li Mo chuckled, taking a few steps back.
What a joke, your big son is still here!
Keep some distance!
Noticing that he seemed to be avoiding her, Zhao Ji’s expression instantly soured.
It was only when Ying Zheng spoke that she realized.
“Mother knows the sir has regained his sight?”
Zhao Ji inadvertently let it slip upon entering.
She had said he “really regained his sight,” rather than “surprisingly regained his sight!”
This implied she had known about Li Mo’s eyesight restoration beforehand.
“Ah…”
She froze, realizing that very few knew about this matter.
She only mentioned it to Jing Ni when she wrote last time.
If the Empress Dowager knew, it meant Jing Ni must have hinted at it unintentionally.
A thought struck Zhao Ji, and she quickly came up with a reason: “Didn’t you just shout it so loudly? I heard it right outside the door! Didn’t Mother tell you, you are now the First Emperor? Control your emotions—no need to yell so much!”
What a classic reversal!
Ying Zheng was left speechless by her reprimand.
He pursed his lips, “Mother’s words are correct.”
Months had passed, yet the Empress Dowager was still as imposing as ever.
Her temperament hadn’t changed a bit.
She was still that proud Empress Dowager, especially when she noticed there was a woman following Li Mo!
“And who might this be?”
Zhao Ji sized up Uya, her gaze darting between Li Mo and her.
“This is Uya, the Saintess of Loulan. I pay my respects to Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager.”
……..
Uya was, after all, a leader herself.
Though she was unwell, her aura remained undiminished.
“Ah, the Saintess! Someone, bring a seat!”
Zhao Ji nodded, signaling Li Mo with her eyes.
What’s your intention in bringing her here?
Once Li Mo and Uya were seated, he first handed the imperial seal back to Ying Zheng before saying, “In Loulan, Uya unfortunately got possessed by Malevolent Qi while fulfilling her duties, and I brought her back to seek a healing method.”
Zhao Ji immediately slammed the table, “That’s easy; let the medical practitioners in the palace take a look!”
Li Mo shook his head, “It’s not just any normal illness.”
Those medical practitioners were nowhere near as skilled as Fei Yan and the Moon Goddess.
Besides, if it were that simple, he would have brought Uya straight back to his Mountain Courtyard!
“Is it the reason you wanted us to look for books?”
Ying Zheng, quick-witted, recalled that Jing Ni had come to him a few days ago.
Li Mo nodded, “Exactly, what’s the status?”
“I’ve ordered people to search the Book Pavilion for all texts related to destiny and Malevolent Qi and gather them separately; I’ll bring them right away.”
Li Mo said, “I should visit personally.”
“That works; I’ll have someone escort the National Advisor there.”
Ying Zheng patted the tall stack of documents on his desk, shaking his head with a wry smile.
“There’s no need; the Empress Dowager can accompany the National Advisor. You handle your matters.”
Zhao Ji stood up, rejecting Ying Zheng’s proposal.
After not seeing him for so long, she wanted to spend more time with Li Mo anyway.
Now she had the perfect excuse.
“Alright, I’ll rely on Mother then.”
Ying Zheng didn’t think much of it and nodded in agreement.
Actually, whether he agreed or not, it wouldn’t matter; Zhao Ji was here based on her status, and she wouldn’t listen to him!
Once outside the palace where Ying Zheng was, Zhao Ji immediately dropped the pretense!
She kicked as if aiming for Li Mo while he wasn’t paying attention.
Li Mo barely moved, causing her to kick the air.
“Still dodging?”
Zhao Ji, not one to back down, decided to take a direct approach instead of hiding!
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