Cultivation Simulator: Starting From The Empress' Palace-Chapter 73 Jade Bamboo Liquid

The bamboo planted in the Imperial Garden is of an excellent variety.

Unlike the bamboo Chen Mo saw in his previous life.

These stalks are like emerald, without any extraneous branches, and only at the very top do some branches radiate outward.

Fortunately, this bamboo grove is quite expansive, so Chen Mo deliberately pulled up two bamboo stalks with their roots from among the densely packed bamboo.

If he cut them off in the middle, they would be easy to spot, but pulling them up by the roots, he only needs to fill the gap with soil and scatter fallen bamboo leaves, and it would look as if no bamboo had grown there.

"You have great strength!" Qing Shuang exclaimed, looking at Chen Mo in surprise.

Being able to pull up bamboo with roots requires substantial strength, doesn’t it?

Although Qing Shuang looked calm, Ye Wanqiu beside her appeared flustered, like a child who had done something wrong. She knew that this bamboo was called Jade Maiden Bamboo and was precious. Outside, one stalk could sell for about fifty taels of silver as it was used to craft yellow-grade treasures.

Yet Chen Mo had pulled up two stalks.

She lowered her voice and said, "Qing Shuang, don’t talk, let’s go quickly. It won’t be good if we’re discovered."

As she spoke, she lifted her skirt and dashed out.

Seeing Chen Mo standing still, she turned back and said, "Chen Hong, why are you standing there? Hurry up, or else, if we’re caught, not only will we face punishment, but we’ll also have to pay in silver."

"Coming."

Chen Mo didn’t expect Ye Wanqiu to have such a side to her, reminiscent of the time he stole oranges from someone’s yard as a child, fearing being caught by the owner.

Chen Mo broke the bamboo into several sections, cradled them in his arms, and followed.

Fortunately, most of the consorts had gone to greet the Emperor, leaving fewer people in the Imperial Garden. After a few covert maneuvers, they managed to slip out of the garden.

Once outside the Imperial Garden, they didn’t fear anymore. As long as they weren’t caught in the act, even if someone later discovered it was Jade Maiden Bamboo, it didn’t matter.

After all, there’s no evidence proving these Jade Maiden Bamboos were taken from the Imperial Garden.

Though precious, Jade Maiden Bamboo isn’t exclusive to the Imperial Garden.

...

Since they needed Ye Wanqiu’s help, Chen Mo naturally followed her to Jingru Palace.

If Xiao Yunxi’s Weiyang Palace was a grand villa, then Ye Wanqiu’s Jingru Palace was like an ordinary self-built house in the countryside.

It was only a fifth the size of Weiyang Palace.

There weren’t many attendants.

Besides Qing Shuang, there was one palace maid and two eunuchs responsible for miscellaneous tasks at Jingru Palace.

"How does it compare to Weiyang Palace?" Qing Shuang, who had never been to Weiyang Palace, couldn’t help but ask, seeing Chen Mo looking around Jingru Palace.

"Um... they’re about the same," Chen Mo replied.

"Oh, I thought it would be much..." Good was the word cut short.

"Qing Shuang..." Ye Wanqiu quickly interrupted with a call.

Qing Shuang hadn’t been there.

But Ye Wanqiu had been.

Jingru Palace couldn’t compare to Weiyang Palace at all.

Qing Shuang asking this was just self-embarrassment.

Chen Mo chuckled, holding the bamboo as he addressed Ye Wanqiu, "My lady, where shall we work on this?"

"Let’s... go to my inner chambers," Ye Wanqiu glanced around, thought for a moment, then suggested.

Since Chen Mo was a eunuch, Qing Shuang didn’t find it odd for him to enter Ye Wanqiu’s chambers. Add to that Chen Mo’s two previous rescues, Qing Shuang had a good impression of him and didn’t think along other lines.

Chen Mo nodded, holding the bamboo and following Ye Wanqiu.

Thanks to previous simulations, Chen Mo felt at ease in Ye Wanqiu’s presence, rather than constrained.

As Ye Wanqiu walked gracefully, her skirt sweeping the ground, obscuring her feet.

Yet under Chen Mo’s scrutiny, he noted Ye Wanqiu’s long legs, taller than Xiao Yunxi’s, though Chen Mo was even taller, straightening his back by half a head more.

Upon entering the chambers, the less circulated air made a faint fragrance reach Chen Mo’s nose.

His sensitive constitution made him realize the fragrance wasn’t from the chamber but from Ye Wanqiu herself.

Xiao Yunxi had a fragrance due to a perfume-like substance she applied daily, not naturally lingering on her.

Having massaged her legs several times, Chen Mo was sure of it.

However, Ye Wanqiu seemed to possess a natural scent...

Naturally, Chen Mo hadn’t had much contact yet.

He couldn’t be sure.

Originally, Ye Wanqiu asked Chen Mo to work in the outer hall, but once entered, he surprisingly wandered about like an outsider, even lifting the bead curtain to explore the inner chamber.

Ye Wanqiu’s eyes widened slightly; she pursed her lips but said nothing, eventually entering too.

The inner chamber was "cramped."

Not that the space was small, but it housed many items.

In the center at the back was a large bed.

On the bed lay an orange cat.

That’s right, it was Rice Ball.

Evidently, after slipping from the Imperial Garden, it ran straight back to Jingru Palace.

Seeing Ye Wanqiu and the others enter, it didn’t even lift its gaze.

Near the bed stood a long table, upon which sat a guzheng.

On the other side of the bed stood a nearly foot-high bookcase filled with books.

Additionally, there were screens, several small tables, incense burners, bamboo chairs, even a loom...

From these, Chen Mo almost saw in Ye Wanqiu an embodiment of a cultured, virtuous lady proficient in the arts.

The room was tidy, everything neatly arranged.

Seeing Chen Mo’s surprised gaze made Ye Wanqiu slightly embarrassed, and she softly explained, "Unable to leave the palace without much to occupy me, and with His Majesty away for long periods, it seemed wasteful for such a large space to remain empty. So, I added some items to avoid a harsh life..."

Chen Mo nodded in understanding, set the bamboo aside, didn’t pick, but instead sat cross-legged, asking, "My lady, do you have a knife, oil paper, fine thread, and such?"

"I have oil paper and fine thread, but as for a knife..." Ye Wanqiu glanced at Qing Shuang.

"There’s one in the kitchen; I’ll get it." Qing Shuang quickly ran out of the chambers.

The knife brought back by Qing Shuang was a chopper, used in the kitchen for chopping wood and fueling fires.

Chen Mo split the bamboo to prepare several segments.

However, halfway through, Chen Mo noticed a pale yellow, honey-like liquid oozing from the bamboo’s interior.

"What is this..." Ye Wanqiu seemed to recognize it, quickly moving to the bookcase, retrieving a book, leafing through, then approaching Chen Mo to say:

"This is likely Jade Bamboo Liquid."

"What is Jade Bamboo Liquid?" Chen Mo quickly inquired.

"Jade Maiden Bamboo is named so not only because it looks like jade, but due to a liquid produced inside called Jade Bamboo Liquid. This liquid serves as a skincare agent, enhancing beauty and making women appear like jade maidens.

Moreover, this Jade Bamboo Liquid can enhance the abilities of martial artists," Ye Wanqiu explained slowly.