Cultivation Begins with Caring for Sister-in-law-Chapter 449:

The sky gradually brightened.

The candlelight in one of the separate courtyards of the Copper Sparrow Garden, however, had not been extinguished all night.

Xu Ying lay flat on the bed, her hair loose, her fair legs tensed slightly as if she was exerting effort. After a long moment of stiffness, they finally relaxed powerlessly.

She looked at Chen Mo, who was looking down at her, noting the faint smile on his lips. She felt like her eyelids were wrestling against each other.

She didn’t know how much time had passed; she only knew that when Chen Mo arrived, it was dark, but now it was nearly dawn, and she hadn’t yet closed her eyes.

"What a brute..." she thought to herself. Compared to him, the former Emperor was as different as cloud and mud.

"Aren’t you tired?" Xu Ying didn’t even have the strength to hug Chen Mo.

"Empress, you are simply like honey, utterly enchanting," Chen Mo felt no fatigue, only exuberant energy.

This state, the first time was when he was at Wuguan with Xiao Yunxi.

A woman’s allure isn’t just about looks, figure, and attire, but more about her identity and status.

Seeing Xu Ying truly exhausted, Chen Mo stopped pressuring her, lying beside her and embracing her. He said: "If only the Empress could wear the phoenix crown and wedding dress."

"You are truly defying the heavens," Xu Ying didn’t know what to say about Chen Mo.

She, too, wrapped her arms around Chen Mo, as it truly was comfortable sleeping like this.

Chen Mo kissed the corner of Xu Ying’s lips: "Doesn’t the Empress find this more interesting?"

"You’re far too audacious," Xu Ying said, then mocked herself: "Indeed, imperial power has long declined; the Emperor became a puppet, was forced to abdicate, and Lu Sheng defying the heavens puts you to shame. If the Emperor truly has heavenly protection, and lightning punishment were to fall, it would strike him first."

Chen Mo said nothing, holding Xu Ying tightly as they both drifted into a deep sleep.

...

After Xiao Yunxi’s consolation, Chu Ran finally had a good night’s sleep last night, waking to the morning light.

After washing up and having breakfast, she even had the mood to stroll through the Copper Sparrow Garden. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

It was then she learned that Chen Mo had come over last night, gone to Xu Ying’s courtyard, and hadn’t yet left.

This left Chu Ran stunned, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

Chen Mo hadn’t come looking for her last night, making it clear that her aunt hadn’t mentioned what they had discussed.

But soon, her face flushed red.

To know, Xu Ying was not only the former Empress, but also her sister-in-law.

Thinking of how Chen Mo spent the night at Xu Ying’s place last night.

In the future, she too would spend nights with him.

Wouldn’t that mean...?

Just the thought made Chu Ran feel ashamed, her toes curled tightly inside her embroidered shoes.

...

In the afternoon.

Chen Mo woke softly on the bed.

After all, being an Upper-Grade Martial Artist and still young, after a deep sleep, he was invigorated and filled with energy by the afternoon.

Xu Ying was still asleep, her physique surely not as robust as Chen Mo’s. She slept in after dawn, fatigued from being bullied so much, needing ample rest to recover.

Chen Mo sat up, originally intending to get off the bed once the urge to linger in bed faded, but after glancing at Xu Ying, he felt compelled again.

By this time, it was late May, and the weather was getting hot.

Today was another sunny day.

The room was somewhat stifling.

The quilt covering Xu Ying had long slipped to the floor as she lay on her side with her back to Chen Mo, her graceful curves and perky figure exuding allure.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Chen Mo adhered to her.

As darkness fell, Chen Mo left the Copper Sparrow Garden.

...

Early June.

News spread across the land.

The Jin Xia had invaded and conquered Youzhou, and now they had penetrated the Northern Land.

The first to receive the news was Chen Mo.

Chen Mo was in the middle of breakfast with his family when a maid hurried over, saying Sun Meng had urgent business with him.

In the study.

"What happened?"

Chen Mo asked, straightforward.

Sun Meng handed over an urgent report: "This is the urgent report brought back by the spies you sent to Youzhou earlier. Please take a look, Marquis."

Urgent!

Generally, the presence of these words means it’s not a minor affair.

Taking the urgent report, Chen Mo read it intently.

What he read aligned with his previous speculations.

If Jin Xia was indeed going to attack the Great Song, invading Youzhou from the north was the quickest route.

So it was, Jin Xia really invaded.

And they seized Youzhou effortlessly.

Currently, they’ve entered the Northern Land, threatening Gaozhou.

If Jin Xia also takes Gaozhou, the next step is Qingzhou.

And Qingzhou is Chen Mo’s domain; it’s akin to fire reaching his eyebrows, and war is about to erupt.

According to the urgent report, the spies estimate this Jin Xia army consists of about a hundred thousand troops.

Deploying so many men and reaching Gaozhou means it’s not merely a simple raid on the Great Song.

Combined with previous news from Longyou of Jin Xia’s invasion of the Dongyou Kingdom.

A pincer attack, they’re targeting to annex the entire Great Song.

After brief consideration, Chen Mo sprang into immediate action.

"Sun Meng."

"Understood, my Lord."

"Transmit my command as Marquis, order all the leaders in Xiangyang City to convene at the Marquis Mansion for a meeting. Additionally, send someone to Jiangdong to invite Elder Wu over." Gaozhou doesn’t have any organized military forces, meaning Jin Xia’s army could reach Qingzhou within a month; Chen Mo must deploy defenses in Qingzhou immediately, no delays.

"Understood."

Just as Sun Meng was about to leave to convey orders, Chen Mo called him back.

"Wait." Chen Mo rubbed his forehead with a finger and said, "Foreign invasion is not just my personal affair, immediately report to the Court, asking them to send reinforcements. Also, inform our allies in Xiliang and the Shu Residence, requesting their assistance."

Upon hearing this, Sun Meng was momentarily stunned because even he doubted that the Court and allies would assist, and wondered why the Marquis would bother with such a move, yet he dared not question, merely agreeing obediently before retreating.

...

Fengzhou.

Jing County.

Prince Huai’s Mansion.

Upon learning that the Yuezhi Clan and King Chong couldn’t support him, Prince Huai fell ill. This illness directly brought him down, and yet, ironically, the doctors couldn’t find a treatment since it was a matter of the heart.

Prince Huai’s collapse also incited panic among the people of Fengzhou.

And intensified the contention among the Li, Xiao, and Gan families for the position of Crown Prince, shifting from covert to overt vying.

This competition caused former followers of Prince Huai to leave one after another.

Those still following him, aside from the deeply entangled Li, Xiao, and Gan families, were solely those fully loyal to Prince Huai.

In a room in the rear courtyard.

Madam Hui was taking care of Prince Huai.

To secure the position of Crown Prince, the three madams would visit Prince Huai daily to assert their presence.

But such behavior by the three madams only aggravated Prince Huai’s "illness."

At that moment, a staff officer rushed in anxiously: "Prince, something bad has happened, something major!"