555: Chapter 555 Meeting the Empress Dowager

On the other side, Mysterious Clarity Master bid farewell to everyone and left the discussion hall. Instead of heading toward the main palace gates, he quietly turned and walked slowly toward the depths of the inner palace.

Passing through several crimson palace walls and rounding the shimmering Moon-Reflection Lake, he saw a tranquil and elegant palace complex situated on the opposite shore. Its upturned eaves were hidden among the Cui Zhu, untainted by the clamor of the world; this was the residence of Zhou Mei, the Empress Dowager of the Tianqi Dynasty.

This woman was the biological mother of the current ruler, Li Xuan, and the most powerful person in the Dynasty. Although she had lived for over three hundred years, she remained stunningly beautiful, her grace undiminished.

Zhou Mei possessed a voluptuous and graceful figure, with a slender waist and exquisite curves. Every step she took carried the unique, languid charm of a mature woman.

Her features were enchanting to the bone, her eyes sparkling with every glance. Every inch of her face was filled with an indelible allure; her every gesture, frown, and smile exuded a soul-stirring, mature charm that made it impossible for one to look away.

Her profound Cultivation at the Mid Golden Core Stage had forcibly erased all traces of time.

Despite being three hundred years old, she only appeared to be in her prime, in her early thirties.

Her skin was lustrous, white, and delicate, like the finest mutton-fat jade, appearing soft enough to break at a touch. Her eyes were filled with a thousand charms, showing no signs of age or exhaustion; instead, the passage of time had only added a layer of captivating grace.

It was precisely this bone-deep seductiveness that had captivated the late Emperor at first sight. From then on, he became obsessed with her beauty, accompanying her day and night while completely neglecting state affairs. Ultimately, he exhausted his Essence Blood and mental energy, failing to break through the threshold of the Golden Core Stage in his lifetime. He passed away suddenly fifty years ago, leaving behind a turbulent and weakened Tianqi Dynasty for the young Li Xuan to inherit.

After the late Emperor's passing, Zhou Mei did not covet court authority. Instead, she took the initiative to request a move to this Forbidden Ground in the rear mountains of the inner palace. Her residence was adjacent to the estate of State Preceptor Xuan Qingzi. Since then, she had lived in seclusion, focusing on self-Cultivation and rarely interfering in court politics, living a quiet and leisurely life as if isolated from the world.

Mysterious Clarity Master stood outside the palace gates, looking at the elegant pavilion hidden among the trees. His heart was filled with mixed emotions, and his thoughts were complicated.

He didn't have much of a favorable impression of the Empress Dowager before him, but he didn't harbor any dislike either.

Although this woman had once seduced the monarch and caused the late Emperor to neglect his empire, she was not an inherently evil person.

Since the late Emperor's death, she had behaved herself and kept to her station, never interfering in court decisions. She had always been respectful and polite toward him, the State Preceptor, never overstepping her bounds.

However, recently, Li Xuan had been making frequent secret moves, constantly plotting and hiding his sharp edges everywhere, which left the State Preceptor truly uneasy.

Before leaving the capital this time, he felt compelled to make a special trip to find Zhou Mei, hoping that in her role as a mother, she could offer her son more guidance and prevent him from taking the wrong path.

Mysterious Clarity Master walked slowly to the main gate of the palace. When the two Servant Girls guarding the door saw the State Preceptor's arrival, they hurriedly knelt and bowed deeply, not daring to show the slightest negligence. One of the girls immediately ran toward the inner hall to report his arrival.

In just a few moments, the Servant Girl returned in a hurry, bowing her head with an extremely respectful tone:

"State Preceptor, the Empress Dowager invites you in. Please follow this Servant Girl."

Mysterious Clarity Master nodded slightly, his expression calm. He followed the Servant Girl through the front hall with its carved beams and painted rafters, all the way to the pavilion in the middle of the lake in the backyard.

The warm spring sun spilled down, landing on the calm surface of the lake like scattered gold, making the waves shimmer.

The weeping willows along the shore had sprouted fresh green buds, their long, soft branches swaying gently in the wind, brushing against the water's surface and creating ripples. The breeze carried the faint, refreshing scent of vegetation.

Inside the lakeside pavilion stood a bluestone table and two bluestone stools. On the table was a set of fine celadon tea tools. The Spiritual Tea, brewed with boiling water, sent up curls of white steam, and its delicate fragrance drifted with the wind, calming the soul.

Zhou Mei was leaning against a stone stool, leisurely enjoying her tea, her entire being exuding a languid and relaxed aura.

Today, she wore a pale purple cloud-patterned silk dress with delicate cymbidium orchids embroidered on the hem. The fabric was light and form-fitting, perfectly outlining her voluptuous and graceful figure. Her snow-white skin appeared even more radiant and delicate against the pale purple dress.

A languid charm flickered in her eyes, which were as clear as water. A single glance from her was enough to make an ordinary man's heart waver and his Divine Soul tremble.

Her jet-black hair, like a waterfall, was loosely gathered into an exquisite cloud bun and secured with only a jade hairpin. A few soft strands of hair fell by her cheeks and neck, fluttering in the breeze, making her enchanting face look even more pitiable yet carrying a hint of seductive innocence.

She rested her cheek languidly on one hand, her elbow propped on the stone table, while her other hand, slender as jade, held a teacup to her lips. She took a light sip, her posture relaxed and elegant, her myriad charms appearing entirely natural.

Seeing Mysterious Clarity Master enter the pavilion, Zhou Mei slowly set down her teacup and rose gracefully. She took light, lotus-like steps toward him and gave a graceful bow, her waist bending slightly and her skirt trailing, fully displaying a woman's soft and seductive grace.

A perfectly measured, enchanting smile played on her lips as her eyes swept over him. Her voice was soft and melodious, like a feather brushing against one's ear, sweet and alluring:

"What brings the State Preceptor to my remote and lonely residence in the inner palace today? Has something important happened in the court that requires my consultation?"

Even for a Nascent Soul Cultivator like Mysterious Clarity Master, whose Dao Heart was firm and Cultivation profound, and who had seen all kinds of women, he had to secretly admit that this woman's charm was an innate, bone-deep seductiveness that could disturb one's mind with a single smile.

If not for this extreme allure, the late Emperor would not have been obsessed with her beauty and neglected the empire, eventually causing his Cultivation to stagnate. He failed to even enter the Golden Core Stage before passing away early, earning her the reputation of a 'femme fatale.'

The ancients did not lie; such peerless, enchanting beauty truly could lead a nation astray.

Mysterious Clarity Master shook his head inwardly, suppressing his stray thoughts. His face remained impassive as he nodded slightly to Zhou Mei and then slowly sat down on the opposite stone stool.

Seeing this, Zhou Mei smiled and leaned in close, her slender, white fingertips gripping the teapot as she gracefully and naturally poured him a cup of clear tea.

Her manner was gentle, as if she were merely hosting an old friend of many years, without the slightest air of an Empress Dowager or any intentional distance.

However, her heart was already filled with suspicion. She had long since retired to the inner palace, ignoring court politics to focus on her later years. Even if there were major affairs in the court, Mysterious Clarity Master should have gone to discuss them with the ruler, Li Xuan. Why would he make a special detour to this deep palace to find her? There must be something important.

"Is the Empress Dowager's life in the palace comfortable?"

Mysterious Clarity Master took the teacup, took a light sip, and asked calmly.

Zhou Mei was startled for a moment, then her eyes curved into crescents as her smile grew softer, making her enchanting face even more moving:

"Thank you for your concern, State Preceptor. This place is adjacent to the Forbidden Ground of the rear mountains and close to the State Preceptor's estate. It is quiet and rarely disturbed. I find life in the palace very comfortable. However, the State Preceptor's visit today is surely not just for greetings. Why not speak plainly—what exactly is the matter?"