What's wrong with me, a powerful minister, supporting a few female officials?

Chapter 206 Re-entering the Palace, Surprisingly Meeting My Second Uncle

When Su Mo saw the "huge truckload" that Jiang Laoshi had mentioned, he couldn't help but gasp.

It's really big!

They were transported here in a giant spirit vehicle.

A giant cargo truck capable of hauling tens of thousands of kilograms of goods.

This thing is basically used to transport rice and grain, but now it's bringing glycerin to Su Mo, which really surprised Su Mo.

The car was densely packed with dozens of large wine vats.

This truckload of glycerin probably weighs two or three thousand pounds!

Su Mo pondered what would happen if this whole truckload of glycerin were processed into nitroglycerin.

Bombing the palace is not an option.

But the leveling of structures like Xuanwu Gate and the Shenjing City Tower is beyond doubt.

Of course, small-batch production is not a big problem.

Large-scale production significantly increases the difficulty, at least making sulfuric acid much harder to obtain.

The key is that Su Mo doesn't dare!
This thing is extremely unstable; if you're not careful when building it, it will explode with a bang.

Not to mention that the house was razed to the ground.

No one can possibly piece together a complete version of yourself.

Su Mo sighed for a moment, then turned to the servants from the Ning Duke's Mansion who were delivering the glycerin and asked, "Did Zhang Xuzu send you to deliver this?"

"Does the soap workshop still have any?"

The servant hurriedly and respectfully replied, "Reporting to you, sir, it was Third Master who ordered me to deliver this to you."

"There are probably still thirty shi (a unit of dry measure) left at the workshop."

Su Mo's expression instantly turned strange.

Good heavens, in just two months, they have accumulated five or six thousand kilograms of glycerin!
However, soap making yields about 20% glycerin.

Based on the soap production capacity of the workshop, the amount of glycerin produced could easily reach tens of thousands of kilograms!

Obviously, most of it was wasted.

In fact, glycerin is far more valuable than soap.

Even though there is a lack of reprocessing methods at this time, glycerin still has many uses.

Zhang Xuzu is wasting a precious resource!
Su Mo pondered for a moment, then instructed the servants from the Ningguo Duke's mansion who had come with the carriage to move the wine jars to the courtyard.

He then said in a deep voice to the leading servant, "Go back and tell Zhang Sanlang to invite him and Han Yu to my residence tomorrow morning. I have something to discuss with them!"

After the people from the Ning Duke's Mansion left.

Su Mo informed Jiang Laoshi that he had to tell Lin Moyin and the others that he was going out on business and did not need to wait for him to have a meal.

He went back to his room, found the eunuch robes and the official token of the Director of Ceremonial Affairs from last time, and dressed himself properly.

Also bring along the secret order for the phoenix's cry given to me by Leng Xixi.

He looked in the mirror, tidied himself up a bit, and looked not much different from a real eunuch.

Su Mo then walked along Vermilion Bird Street toward Vermilion Bird Gate.

Leng Xixi gave him the Dragon Whip Technique and a magical whip, so he felt he had to repay her in some way.

While I'm at it, I'll also try to increase her favorability.

Raise the favorability rating to over 40% as soon as possible!

Su Mo didn't have a Blood Eagle like Nangong Sheyue, nor did he know how to send a message to Leng Xixi, so he simply went to the capital to find her in person!
As for how to find Leng Xixi once we get to the capital, that's another matter.

At worst, we can go to the Linhu Palace.

With the Phoenix Cry secret order in place, there shouldn't be any unexpected incidents.

Of course, there is another possibility.

Leng Xixi might approach me as soon as I arrive at Xuanwu Gate!
The result surprised Su Mo.

He walked all the way to the Vermilion Bird Gate and then to the Black Tortoise Gate, but no one who seemed to be from the Phoenix Cry Division approached him.

Su Mo looked out of Xuanwu Gate, feeling dejected.

Then his eyes snapped open.

Suddenly, a dozen or so eunuchs appeared and walked toward the Vermilion Bird Gate.

Two middle-aged eunuchs carried a sedan chair.

In the sedan chair sat an old eunuch with a white face, no beard, and a sinister expression, who was closing his eyes as if he were asleep.

Who else could it be but An Wu?

Isn't that a bit of a coincidence?
Su Mo frowned slightly. As An Wu and the others approached, he stepped out from the corner, blocked their way, waved to An Wu, and shouted loudly, "Uncle An!"

Upon hearing this, the eunuchs' expressions all changed, and they all turned to look at Su Mo.

The middle-aged eunuch in purple robes, who was holding a whisk in front of him, frowned and was about to scold the ignorant little eunuch.

Suddenly, a slightly different, hoarse voice came from behind: "Hmm? Su... Brother?"

The words "Brother Su" were uttered.

The eunuch holding the whisk trembled violently.

The words of rebuke were on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them back and stared in shock at the little eunuch who had appeared out of nowhere!

The other eunuchs, of course, didn't react much better than him!

What kind of person is it that makes Eunuch An call him "young brother"?
"Stop the sedan chair!"

An Wu stopped the eunuchs carrying the sedan chair. A rare smile appeared on his sinister face. He first looked at Su Mo's attire, then chuckled and said, "What brings you here, Brother Su?"

Su Mo glanced at the stunned eunuchs.

He then said in a low voice, "Uncle An, may I speak to you in private?"

A group of eunuchs...

Then they all swallowed hard and stared at Su Mo.

Just who is this junior eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial?
Upon seeing Eunuch An, instead of immediately kneeling down to greet him, she asked him to speak privately.
He thought he was Ning Jing, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial.
Eunuch An actually smiled!
They had been serving Eunuch An for several years, but it had been a long time since they had seen him smile!
What shocked the eunuchs even more was that Eunuch An turned around, looked at them, and said calmly, "You may all return to the palace first!"

The eunuchs naturally dared not stay, and hurriedly bowed respectfully to An Wu before carrying the empty sedan chair into Xuanwu Gate.

Su Mo then smiled and said, "I have something to discuss with Lord Leng."

"Does Uncle An know where Lord Leng is now?"

An Wu was slightly taken aback.

Having just returned from the artisan camp, what business does Su Mo have with His Majesty now?

I had just returned from Wannian County, where I was dealing with the matter of Su Mo's fiefdom.

He thought for a moment, then asked, "What business does Lord Su have with... Lord Leng?"

Su Mo chuckled: "Of course it's a good thing!"

"Is such that……"

But before he could finish speaking, An Wu waved his hand with a smile: "Lord Su, you should talk to Lord Leng yourself."

He looked up at the sky and said, "Lord Su, please come with me!"

After saying that, he led Su Mo toward Xuanwu Gate.

His old face was the access card for Xuanwu Gate. The Imperial Guards guarding the gate quickly made way, and they didn't even dare to check Su Mo's token.

This time, I entered the palace in broad daylight without wearing a mask.

Su Mo truly felt the grandeur of the imperial palace!

Those high walls and red tiles give people a strong sense of oppression, and even make it feel like you can't breathe.

This is the oppressive power of the emperor!

Eunuchs and palace maids could be seen hurrying around everywhere.

Regardless of whether these eunuchs and palace maids were dressed in finery or not, upon seeing An Wu, they all immediately bowed their heads respectfully and stood aside. Only after An Wu and the Su residence had passed by for a long time did they dare to move their feet!
Even Su Mo, who was following behind An Wu, didn't dare to look him in the eye.

Only when Su Mo's luck improves will they dare to secretly observe him!

After passing through many passageways and palace gates, the imposing Imperial Guards, clad in golden armor and wielding golden spears, did not stop An Wu even half a step!
Finally, Su Mo followed An Wu through a small vermilion gate, where they saw exotic flowers and plants, as well as a lake with rippling blue waves.

We know each other very well.

We have arrived at the Imperial Garden, South Sea, and Linhu Palace!

An Wu said calmly, "Lord Su, please wait in the hall for a moment."

"I'll go find... Lord Leng right away and inform him of this matter."

Su Mo nodded: "Thank you for your trouble, Uncle An."

An Wu nodded and left.

Feeling bored, Su Mo began to examine the layout of the Linhu Palace.

The setting sun shone through the gaps in the lattice doors, making the hall surprisingly bright.

After passing through several screens, a huge hardwood bed came into view, probably made of Phoebe zhennan wood. It was simple and grand, covered with dragon patterns, and even had two lifelike five-clawed golden dragons coiled around it.

Su Mo sighed deeply.

This must be the dragon bed where Emperor Wu Taizong slept! Perhaps even Emperor Wu Taizu slept on it!
Su Mo circled back into the hall.

He looked at the calligraphy and paintings hanging on the wall.

Although I can't understand it, it feels very impressive. It must be the work of a famous artist. If it were stolen out of the palace, it would definitely fetch three to five hundred taels of silver.

Just as Su Mo was studying the value of these calligraphy and paintings, he suddenly heard a commotion outside.

Turn around and look.

Through the cracks in the window lattice, a dozen fierce-looking eunuchs in purple robes, dragging a gaunt eunuch in a faded purple robe with a terrified expression, passed by outside the palace.

Su Mo sighed again.

It seems the TV series was made correctly.

The power struggles within the palace are incredibly fierce, far more brutal than those outside, and people die at the drop of a hat!

He naturally wouldn't meddle in other people's business and was about to look away.

But out of the corner of his eye, he inadvertently glanced at the old eunuch's face.

Su Mo's eyes widened instantly, staring at the old eunuch in disbelief, and she cried out, "Third Uncle?"

This old eunuch looks exactly like his third uncle, Chen Qian!
Chen Qian was making MSG in Taihe County, so of course he couldn't possibly be in the palace!

That is……

Su Mo suddenly remembered what his third uncle had said: his eldest and second uncles had stabbed him in the back and gone to the palace to become eunuchs!

Could this be my maternal uncle?

Su Mo's face darkened.

Watching those fierce eunuchs escort the old eunuch, who appeared to be his uncle, away into the distance, one could vaguely hear the words, "Drag him out and beat him to death."

Su Mo finally couldn't hold back any longer.

He strode out of the Linhu Palace and shouted, "Wait!"

The fierce-looking, burly eunuchs' expressions changed drastically the moment they saw Su Mo emerge from the Linhu Palace.

The old eunuch, whose arms were being held by two other eunuchs, also looked up at Su Mo in astonishment.

But seeing that it was just a minor eunuch serving as a servant of the Directorate of Ceremonial, the glimmer of hope that appeared in his eyes quickly faded, leaving him lifeless once more.

The leader, wearing a black gauze hat and a purple robe with patches, was likely a middle-aged or elderly eunuch with three corners of his eyes, who was in charge of the household affairs.

He immediately pointed at Su Mo, his voice trembling with anger, and shouted in a hoarse, guttural voice, "How dare you!"

"...How dare you trespass...trespass into Linhu Palace!"

"Someone is coming!"

"Quick! Quick! Take him down!"

As soon as he finished speaking, two tall and burly middle-aged eunuchs approached Su Mo with fierce expressions!

Su Mo frowned, just as he was about to present the Phoenix Cry Secret Order, when a cold voice suddenly came from behind him: "What's going on?"

The middle-aged eunuch immediately knelt down: "Reporting to the Sect Master, this little eunuch is incredibly audacious, daring to enter Linhu Palace without permission. I was just about to apprehend him and hand him over to the Sect Master for punishment."

Su Mo turned around and looked.

Suddenly, a tall, thin, gaunt old eunuch with a cold expression appeared behind him.

The old eunuch wore a red gauze hat, a red round-necked robe, and a jade belt around his waist. The robe even had dragon and phoenix patterns on it, so he was obviously no ordinary person!
This can also be inferred from the way the sect leader is addressed.

However, Su Mo was not familiar with the titles used by palace eunuchs, so he did not know what position "Sect Master" referred to.

Su Mo was about to speak to this eunuch of extremely high status.

To his surprise, the old eunuch glanced at him expressionlessly and said coldly, "Drag him out and have him beaten to death!"

Su Mo was speechless.

It seems that we have no choice but to reveal the Phoenix Cry secret order.

Just as he reached into his purse, another old, hoarse voice came from the side.

Su Mo felt a sense of certainty.

He withdrew his hand from the money bag.

"Please wait a moment, Master Ning!"

An Wu strode over and nodded to the old eunuch in red robes: "He was following our orders to clean the lakeside palace."

"There was no unauthorized entry into the Linhu Palace."

Upon hearing this, Su Mo's expression changed instantly, and he couldn't help but swallow hard!

The sect leader, the seal, and that red gauze hat, that bright red robe with dragon and phoenix patterns...

Among the twenty-four departments of the inner court of the Great Wu Dynasty, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial was the most prestigious.
Anyone with even a basic understanding of the power structure in ancient times knows what the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs meant!
Notable figures who have held this position include Wei Zhongxian, Feng Bao, and Liu Jin…

Ning Jing was slightly taken aback when he saw An Wu appear.

His cold gaze swept over Su Mo from head to toe, then his expression softened, and he turned to An Wu, saying indifferently, "So it was Eunuch An's order!"

"I wondered who would dare to sneak into Linhu Palace."

He then turned to the head eunuch and said indifferently, "This is none of your business. Go out and have him beaten to death!"

Su Mo frowned: "Wait!"

Upon hearing this, Ning Jing's expression changed instantly, and his cold gaze returned to Su Mo.

Even An Wu became suspicious.

The eunuchs present were dumbfounded, staring at Su Mo in disbelief.

When the Grand Master spoke, this little eunuch actually said "wait"?

Su Mo disregarded the fact that the other party was the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, who was known as the Inner Minister. He took a deep breath and pointed at the old eunuch who seemed to be his maternal uncle: "May I ask, Your Excellency, what crime has this man committed that warrants his execution by caning?"

Ning Jing squinted and looked at Su Mo for a while. Seeing that An Wu didn't say anything, he turned his gaze to the head eunuch.

The head eunuch quickly said, "This man is a palace eunuch, and he has committed the crime of stealing palace property."

Su Mo looked toward An Wu.

An Wu hesitated for a moment, then cupped his hands in a gesture of respect to Ning Jing: "Master Ning, may I hand this person over to you for disposal?"

Ning Jing smiled and said, "Of course."

"I have some things to take care of at home, so I won't say any more to you, Eunuch An. Farewell!"

An Wu also laughed and said, "Please take care, Master Ning!"

Ning Jing and the group of eunuchs left, leaving behind the old eunuch, his face ashen, looking at An Wu and Su Mo with trepidation, not daring to utter a single word.

Su Mo looked at the old eunuch again.

The more I look at him, the more he resembles my third uncle; they're practically identical.

Seeing the other person's fear, he softened his voice and asked, "What's your name?"

The old eunuch hurriedly replied in a trembling voice, "Your Excellency, I am Li Zhong."

Su Mo took a deep breath: "When did you enter the palace?"

The old eunuch Li Zhong was taken aback, wondering why Su Mo asked such a question, but he still answered honestly, "Your Excellency, I entered the palace in the twenty-first year of Yongde."

Su Mo was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Do you know someone named... Li Jin?"

Li Zhong's body trembled slightly, then he replied, "Your Excellency, I have never heard of this name."

Su Mo nodded slightly: "It's alright."

"You go down now."

Li Zhong was stunned for a moment, wondering whether he should leave.

Suddenly, Su Mo said, "Wait!"

Su Mo took out a silver ingot and handed it to Li Zhong: "From now on, do your job well and don't steal any more palace property."

Li Zhong stared dumbfounded at the ten-tael silver ingot in his hand, then looked at Su Mo, opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

Su Mo turned to look at An Wu: "Uncle An... if it's convenient, could you please look after him in the future?"

An Wu smiled and said, "It's nothing."

He then waved to Li Zhong and said, "You go down first."

Li Zhong was completely dumbfounded.

I walked a long way in a daze, still unable to come to my senses.

The Ancestor An promised that ridiculously young eunuch that he would take care of her in the future?!

An Wu didn't ask Su Mo anything, but simply pointed to the Linhu Palace: "Lord Leng is already inside, so I won't go in. Lord Su can go see Lord Leng on his own!"

Su Mo was taken aback.

When did Leng Xixi arrive at Linhu Palace?

Could there be a back door to Linhu Palace? But I didn't notice it.
He walked into the Linhu Palace with suspicion.

Sure enough, Leng Xixi was already sitting behind the table in the hall, having brewed a pot of steaming fragrant tea. She was blinking her pretty eyes at him and asking, "My lord, are you looking for me?"

　I'll update with at least 20,000 words tomorrow night!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)