CHAPTER 585: CHAPTER 225 EMPRESS: JUST WENT OUT AND GOT HOME STOLEN? PLAYING BALL WITH XU QINGYI?

(O_O)?

Xu Qingyi looked puzzled.

"What are you talking about? I don’t have a ball either."

"..."

You do, and by the looks of it, it’s not small...

Chen Mo cleared his throat and said, "I was just casually saying, don’t take it seriously, Your Highness..."

The Crown Prince frowned and said, "So, you’re deceiving me then?"

"I wouldn’t dare." Chen Mo shook his head and said, "But this thing can only be played in private, otherwise it might cause serious consequences..."

The Crown Prince pondered and said, "You mean it’s like my ball, playing too hard might make it explode?"

Chen Mo’s mouth twitched, "Something like that..."

"Alright then."

Seeing this, the Crown Prince did not insist and said, "Anyway, I’ve already gifted her to you, so you can go back and play slowly. When there’s a chance in the future, you can give me a good demonstration."

Chen Mo realized that this Crown Prince had a deep obsession with ball sports...

Xu Qingyi blushed and hurriedly said, "Your Highness, I am a palace female officer, and Mr. Chen is an external court official. This does not conform to palace rules..."

"Rules?"

"My words are the rules!"

The Crown Prince took out a yellow paper from his sleeve and handed it to Chen Mo, "The decree has been drafted. I’ll inform the Internal Affairs Office that starting today, this Director Xu will be your woman... If you want to be granted marriage, I can also speak to the King."

Grant, grant marriage?

Xu Qingyi’s cheeks became even redder, as if burning hot.

Chen Mo unfolded the yellow paper, and saw a line of small crooked characters: "Chen Mo, for rescuing the ball, is granted a palace maid (chosen by oneself)."

At the bottom, there was a red seal marked with "Imperial Prince Seal."

"But Your Highness..."

Xu Qingyi wanted to say something else, but Chen Mo secretly winked at her, then cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Your Highness, for the reward."

The Crown Prince nodded contentedly and said, "No problem, I heard from Fan Sigui that you are also an officer leading guards in the palace, so if you have free time, you can come find me to play... cough cough, to report work."

Then he took out a jade token, transparent and crystalline, engraved with a vivid four-clawed dragon pattern.

"It’s inconvenient for me to come out, but with this token, you can come to Linqing Palace to see me."

?

Chen Mo was stunned.

This is the Eastern Palace Order, right? Can this kind of thing be casually given away?

"Your Highness, isn’t this inappropriate?"

"Take it, I have several of these." The Crown Prince didn’t allow any rebuttal and directly stuffed the token into his hand.

Just as Chen Mo was about to refuse, a hurried sound of footsteps arose, and a female officer in a light blue palace dress rushed over.

"Your Highness, why have you snuck out again?"

"What do you mean snuck out, I came out fair and square." The Crown Prince said defiantly with hands on hips.

The female officer bowed her head and said, "The Emperor has decreed that you must not leave Cangzhen Gate, and I am acting on orders."

"Father’s orders are orders, but are my orders not?" The Crown Prince puffed his cheeks angrily and said, "I’m not a child anymore, staying in the palace all day, it’s suffocating!"

The female officer shook her head helplessly and reached out to pick up the Crown Prince.

"Your Highness should come back with me."

"Let go of me!"

The Crown Prince kicked his little legs struggling, but it was to no avail.

"Mr. Chen, again, so soon. Oh? Director Xu is here too?" At this, the female officer raised her eyes to the two and nodded in greeting.

"Fan Sigui." Xu Qingyi returned the salute.

"What is this..."

"Just passing by and happened to meet the Crown Prince, so we chatted a bit."

"I see."

Fan Sigui didn’t say much and after another salute, she took the Crown Prince into Cangzhen Gate.

"Chen Mo, remember to come find me!" The Crown Prince shouted loudly to Chen Mo from Fan Sigui’s shoulder.

Watching the two disappear, Chen Mo became a little curious and asked, "Director Xu, do you know this female officer?"

"Fan Sijin, Sigui of the Eastern Palace, responsible for the Crown Prince’s daily living, rarely interacts with others, only met her once at a court meeting." Xu Qingyi replied.

Xu Qingyi as Director of the Palace Justice Department holds a Standard Sixth Rank, while Sigui is Secondary Sixth Rank.

By official rank, she is half a rank higher than Fan Mihuo, but in fact, being the Crown Prince’s personal inner official, Fan Mihuo has a high status in the palace, even the Palace Justice needs to show some deference.

"This Fan Sigui seems to have quite a high cultivation." Chen Mo pondered.

Though he hadn’t used his Golden Eyes of Truth to check, he could sense an unusual aura.

"That’s quite normal." Xu Qingyi said, "The female officers of the Palace Justice Department and the Senior Palace Lady Bureau are carefully selected, most of them have decent talent, and after entering the palace, they undergo uniform training, their abilities are quite impressive."

"This is also arranged by Her Majesty the Empress."

Upon hearing this, Chen Mo raised his eyebrows slightly.

Clearly, the palace is heavily guarded, yet so many female officers are trained... It evidently has no significance for Her Majesty the Consort, what could Her Majesty the Empress be guarding against?

"Director Xu, how much do you know about the Crown Prince?" Chen Mo asked.

"The Crown Prince rarely leaves Linqing Palace, even in all my years at the palace, I’ve only met him twice."

"However..."

Xu Qingyi paused, "It’s not convenient to speak here, let’s find another place."

"Where to?" Chen Mo asked.

Xu Qingyi thought for a moment and said, "Mr. Chen, please follow me."

...

...

Fan Sijin carried the Crown Prince into Cangzhen Gate, passing by the folding mountains and flowing waters, heading towards the luxurious palace in the distance.

"Your Highness, leaving Linqing Palace without orders again, if His Majesty hears of it, I might not escape a beating." Fan Sijin said softly.