Chapter 10

Chen Mo deliberately showed off in front of Duolong before finally leaving the palace with Zhang Bao. As the head of the guards, Zhang Bao also had to show his waist badge when entering and exiting the palace gates. Looking at the towering red walls around him, he secretly pondered that even a group of experts would find it extremely difficult to storm the Forbidden City.

Returning to Zhang Bao's place, Chen Mo did not leave to return to Huichun Hall. To avoid unnecessary trouble, he had to stay there for the night, waiting for the Heaven and Earth Society to find him a suitable house before he could leave.

Zhang Bao's home had only one servant for cleaning, and his wife was not there but in Tongzhou, to avoid exposing his identity and putting his family in danger. When they arrived home, it was lunchtime. Zhang Bao had the servant buy some cooked food and some wine, and the two of them began to drink in the living room.

While chatting about the Heaven and Earth Society, Chen Mo felt dissatisfied with its structure. The main headquarters of the Heaven and Earth Society had only a dozen or so people, but the branch halls were expanding indefinitely, with members of varying quality. Fortunately, he was not the real young leader; otherwise, he would have thought that such an organization would eventually lead to certain death.

After a night, it was still far from dawn when Zhang Bao woke him up. The morning roll call required them to arrive at the palace before the hour of Mao. Chen Mo splashed his face with cold water. Fortunately, he was used to working at construction sites at any time of the night; otherwise, leaving so early would have been a bit difficult.

Arriving at the hidden courtyard in the palace, Duolong handed Chen Mo a seventh-rank guard waist badge, a thumb-sized copper seal, and an appointment from the Imperial Household Department. From this moment on, Chen Mo could freely enter most areas of the palace. Duolong looked at Chen Mo, who carefully placed the waist badge, copper seal, and appointment, and said with a strange smile:

"During this time, you will practice martial arts here. Unfortunately, I don't have any martial arts manuals, or I could have let you choose a few to practice.

By the way, your resting place is that room. Later, I'll introduce you to your subordinates. In the future, you'll need their help to get things done."

Chen Mo knew what Duolong was referring to. Wei Xiaobao was already a favorite of Emperor Kangxi, who wanted to take down Ao Bai. These wrestlers were the secret weapon to deal with Ao Bai.

Chen Mo had only ethnic hatred towards Ao Bai but did not find it strange that he acted arrogantly and tyrannically. A rough man whose power had surpassed the emperor had his own reasons for his actions. Without him, the Han people would still rebel against the Qing; his presence only added to the public's resentment.

Chen Mo pretended not to know all this. After meeting the wrestlers at the training ground with Duolong, Chen Mo learned that the person he had fought the previous day was actually a member of the royal family, a descendant of the Aisin Gioro clan, though a distant relative.

Training until around nine in the morning, Chen Mo stopped practicing martial techniques. He already understood that martial skills were best improved through combat, so he now focused more on cultivating the internal energy that could flow through his meridians.

He walked to his work area, opened the door, and almost burst out laughing. The room was empty except for a chair and an eight-legged table. The wooden floor was spotlessly clean. He found a corner, sat down cross-legged, and began to practice.

"Creak..."

After only an hour of practice, someone pushed open the door. Chen Mo frowned and opened his eyes. This place was a secret training ground for the inner guards; even Duolong would knock before entering.

The person who entered didn't wait for Chen Mo to speak but asked with a grin:

"Are you Chen Mo?"

Chen Mo stood up and looked at the person. He was dressed in short clothes, wearing thin-soled long boots, and was only about fourteen or fifteen years old, with a proud look in his eyes. Chen Mo looked at him coldly and said:

"Who are you? Don't you know that outsiders are not allowed here?"

"I know, that's why I came to find you. I heard you defeated four wrestlers yesterday. I want to see if you have real skills," the young man said with a sneer.

Chen Mo's heart raced. How many people dared to enter this place? This was where Emperor Kangxi trained his confidants. In the palace, there was probably only one person of similar age who could look down on him: Emperor Kangxi himself.

Looking at the young man who might be Kangxi, Chen Mo had a fleeting thought of killing him. However, he remembered that in the world of "The Deer and the Cauldron," the Eight Books and Forty-Two Chapters could only be gathered with Wei Xiaobao's help. Without Kangxi, Wei Xiaobao's fate would be different. He had to reconsider the person in front of him.

Chen Mo's mind raced through seventeen or eighteen thoughts in a few breaths. He calmed himself and said with a strange laugh:

"Hmph, want to test me? Show me what you've got."

The person turned out to be Kangxi. Ao Bai had repeatedly suppressed this young emperor, and Kangxi was very cunning. To outmaneuver Ao Bai, he secretly trained these wrestlers and young eunuchs in the palace, aiming to take down the crude and tyrannical chief minister in one fell swoop.

Hearing Chen Mo accept the challenge, Kangxi, who considered himself well-trained, was overjoyed. Though cunning, he was still young. He had recently fought with the half-trained Wei Xiaobao, but he still didn't know his own limits.

Chen Mo was introduced to Kangxi by Duolong as a young and capable Manchu, more useful to him than the young eunuch. Kangxi, who didn't understand martial etiquette, stepped forward with a bow, one hand protecting his chest and the other throwing a punch at Chen Mo's chest.

"Trivial skills."

Chen Mo growled, flipped his left hand, and caught Kangxi's fist. As Kangxi tried to break free, Chen Mo lifted his foot and kicked him in the chest in a flash.

"Oof."

Kangxi had practiced for a few years, though the fake Empress Dowager had only taught him some basic boxing and no internal skills. His body was agile and strong. Chen Mo's kick sent him reeling back several steps, but instead of anger, he was delighted. He lunged forward, both fists aiming for Chen Mo's temples.

"Too slow."

Chen Mo sneered, stepped back to avoid Kangxi's punches, and when his moves were old, he slapped Kangxi's shoulder.

"Oof... Ouch... Bang... Stop!"

Chen Mo's slap hit Kangxi's shoulder, making him cry out in pain. As his cry subsided, the door was pushed open, and a worried Duolong rushed in, shouting.

Knowing the reason, Chen Mo loudly said:

"Lord Duolong, this person trespassed into this forbidden area. How will you punish him?"

"Dog slave, open your eyes and look. This is His Majesty Emperor Kangxi."

Duolong, cursing, rushed to Kangxi's side, supporting him with a worried look that even his father might not have received.