I Became the Devil Queen's Heart Demon

Chapter 1375: Chapter 531: Wardrobe Mishap! The Collapsing Empress! (Part 2)

However, more than a month has passed, and neither the Emperor nor the Crown Prince has appeared. The voices of doubt in the court are growing louder, and if this continues, even Her Majesty the Empress might not be able to suppress them!

"The more critical the situation, the more we must maintain our position. Wu Lie should be the one worried now. We just need to wait and watch," Chen Mo sneered, "I’m quite curious, with the Creation Golden Pill about to be complete, what other tricks does he have up his sleeve next?"

Both were in a stand-off, waiting for the other to make a mistake and deliver a fatal blow!

"The most important thing right now is to protect the Array Map. The day the great array is broken will be Wu Lie’s end!"

Passing through Qianqing Gate, Chen Mo wanted to greet Xu Qingyi. They’ve both been so busy they haven’t seen each other for a while.

However, he learned from a Palace Attendant that Xu Qingyi was not in the palace at the moment.

Her Majesty the Consort was overseeing affairs in the school grounds, unable to leave, leaving Xu Qingyi, as the Director, to handle all matters. She was now in a private discussion with the ministers of the Imperial Consort Faction, trying to calm them.

As for the token for palace access, it was granted by the Empress.

After all, both sides are now aligned, so naturally, all paths are open.

Leaving the Imperial Palace, Chen Mo did not rush back to Chen Mansion but headed for the Observatory.

In the southwest corner of the Imperial City, the area was under lockdown. Hundreds of well-armed Divine Strategy Army soldiers blocked the entire street, making it impossible even for a mosquito to get through within a radius of ten miles.

The location of the Observatory was covered by an array, with no visible anomalies from the outside.

But under Chen Mo’s [Eye of Myriad Calamities], everything was clear—

The once majestic tower was now cut in half, resembling a chopstick broken by a giant, leaving only barren broken walls and ruins.

"Halt!"

"This is a restricted military area. Civilians must leave at once!"

Two officers stepped forward quickly, blocking Chen Mo.

Just as Chen Mo was about to show his token, a clear voice suddenly echoed, "Mr. Chen?"

Looking up, Chen Mo saw a man in golden armor with a lion emblem on his shoulders approaching. He appeared rather delicate, yet there was a stern authority between his brows.

"So it’s Captain Ji." Chen Mo nodded in greeting.

"Oh?" Ji Jingyu was surprised and asked in confusion, "If I recall, we’ve never met, so how could Mr. Chen recognize me?"

Previously, Chen Mo, the Imperial Consort, and the Empress explored the tunnels, leading to Qianji Palace, where they were blocked by Gao Yuheng and his men, narrowly escaping danger by feigning as the Emperor.

Ji Jingyu was the one who took over Gao Yuheng’s position.

However, Chen Mo would not disclose this and instead countered, "Since we’ve never met, how could Captain Ji recognize me?"

Ji Jingyu stated seriously, "I have long heard of Mr. Chen’s exceptional demeanor and unparalleled insight, a true dragon among men. With such bearing at a young age, there isn’t another like you in Tiandu City, so I certainly wouldn’t mistake you."

"Captain Ji praises me too much." Chen Mo replied earnestly, "I also heard that Captain Ji is exceptionally brave and talented, with the ability to bring stability to the nation. The moment I saw you, I knew the rumors were true—you really are a true hero."

"Pfft—"

"Hahaha!"

The two exchanged glances and laughed heartily together.

Hearing their cheerful laughter, the officers behind looked at each other in shock. With such events happening, these two could still laugh. Wasn’t that a bit too optimistic?

After a round of mutual compliments, Ji Jingyu’s smile disappeared, and he inquired, "Something of importance brings you here today, Mr. Chen. May I ask what guidance you seek?"

Clearing his throat, Chen Mo said, "There are rebels causing chaos in the Capital City. I am here under Her Majesty the Empress’s orders to thoroughly investigate this matter..."

Upon hearing this, Ji Jingyu’s expression became serious, "Does Mr. Chen know who is behind this?"

Chen Mo nodded, "The Demon Clan is just a decoy. It’s actually the Hidden Clan causing trouble behind the scenes, aiming to overthrow the Great Yuan government."

"The Hidden Clan?" Ji Jingyu’s brows furrowed, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes, "I knew those aristocrats were ambitious wolves, and keeping them would eventually lead to trouble, but I didn’t expect their audacity to reach this extent. They deserve death..."

"Cough, cough!" Chen Mo coughed, "Captain Ji, be careful with your words."

Ji Jingyu realized his slip, his expression changed slightly, and quickly explained, "Please don’t misunderstand, Mr. Chen. I didn’t mean to imply anything about Her Majesty the Empress."

Since the Empress came from the Jiang Family, his words inadvertently brought the Central Palace into the criticism!

"Her Majesty is Her Majesty, and the Jiang Family is the Jiang Family. The two should not be confused." Chen Mo, hands behind his back, said calmly, "The aristocracy has deep roots and considerable power, so before completely eradicating them, it’s best to stay low-profile to prevent schemers from exploiting it."

Ji Jingyu breathed a sigh of relief, bowing in gratitude, "Thank you for the reminder, Mr. Chen."

"Back to the main topic. I’ve come to inquire something of Captain Ji." Chen Mo stated, "According to Her Majesty the Empress, you were present when the Observatory collapsed?"

"Yes." Ji Jingyu nodded, "It happened suddenly, and I used all my strength to hold up the remaining half of the tower, fortunately avoiding any casualties."

Chen Mo asked, "So where is the Heavenly Observation Mirror that was on top of the tower now?"

"The Heavenly Observation Mirror?" Ji Jingyu shook his head, "I haven’t seen it, and I’ve also asked the officials of the Astronomical Observatory. They all know nothing about it, so it must have been taken by Director Qi."

Chen Mo’s heart sank.

Before the Observatory collapsed, Qi Chengze had already gone to the school grounds and couldn’t have taken the Heavenly Observation Mirror, so someone else must have taken it!