Two months slipped by, quiet yet swift, amidst the clamor and undercurrents of the Royal City.
The Cloud-Top Celestial Palace continued its nightly revelries, its halls filled to the brim with guests. Chu Mo's other venture, the tavern called "Another Village," was also flourishing.
Su Mari had not abandoned his investigation into the escape of the Kaisha sisters. Over these two months, he had mobilized considerable resources—city guards, minor transport officials, and any potential eyewitnesses along their route. He had even attempted to infiltrate the core of Chu Mo's business empire.
Chu Mo seemed utterly unconcerned. In the end, all Su Mari obtained were fragments of information, which, as Chu Mo would be the first to point out, were useless without concrete evidence.
One day, while Chu Mo was handling affairs in his private study at the Cloud-Top Celestial Palace, an urgent summons from a royal attendant interrupted his work. The tone was casual, but it demanded an immediate audience.
Chu Mo set aside his ledgers, straightened his robes, and made his way to the palace, his usual composed expression firmly in place. Mentally, however, he was calculating rapidly. It's not a scheduled banquet. Why a sudden summons at this hour? Has Su Mari made a move? Or is this just another of Hua Ye's whims?
Entering the luxurious side hall—a space filled with rare treasures and an air thick with the scent of wine and powder—Chu Mo found Hua Ye reclining on a massive, ornate soft couch. Two beautiful female angels in thin white silk lounged beside him. Su Mari was nowhere to be seen.
"Old Chu is here? Sit!" Hua Ye waved a hand, dismissing the two female angels. His face bore the lazy satisfaction of a man well-fed and thoroughly entertained.
"You summoned me, My King. What are your instructions?" Chu Mo sat as directed, his attitude one of deep respect.
Hua Ye tilted his head, eyeing him with a playful glint. Suddenly, he grinned. "Old Chu, I've heard your business has been growing larger and larger lately. Quite a few people in the city are saying that your wealth, Manager Chu, might already rival the entire Royal Treasury? The title of 'Richest Man'... tsk tsk, impressive!"
Chu Mo's heart skipped a beat, but he immediately put on a look of panic and rose from his seat. "The King is wise! This must be a rumor spread by small-minded people, jealous of the trust you place in me! Every business I run is for the sole purpose of serving you better and easing your burdens. The profits I earn are merely to maintain operations and to seek out rare treasures to present to you. To call me the richest man is nonsense!"
"Hahaha, why so nervous?" Hua Ye laughed loudly, seemingly satisfied with Chu Mo's reaction. "I'm not blaming you. Making money is your talent! Over the years, the money you've sent my way and the tasks you've handled—I've seen it all, and I've kept it in mind."
He sat up straight and gestured for the other attendants to leave, leaving only his two most trusted guards in the distant corners. The atmosphere grew more formal.
"Old Chu, I called you here today for a serious matter—a good matter—that I want to entrust to you." Hua Ye tapped the armrest of the couch, his eyes burning as they fixed on Chu Mo.
"Please speak, My King. I will do my utmost," Chu Mo replied with a bow.
"I want you to take the position of Finance Minister of the Angel Nebula," Hua Ye dropped the bombshell, his tone as casual as if he were deciding what to have for dinner. "Well? Interested? You like doing business, don't you? This position is perfect for you to flex your muscles! Organize the wealth of our Angel Nebula for me. Make the money in the treasury flow like the revenue in your shops—non-stop!"
Finance Minister?!
Chu Mo's heart pounded. This was no minor role! Nominally, it controlled the entire Angel civilization's finances, taxes, resource allocation, and treasury expenditures. Under the authority of the Heavenly Palace Order, it was one of the most powerful positions outside of military command.
The previous Finance Minister was a veteran from the era of King Hua Que, known for being conservative and steady. He had frequently "remonstrated" against Hua Ye's lavish spending on palaces and rewards for his new favorites, which had long ago earned him Hua Ye's resentment.
Hua Ye was clearly clearing out the "stumbling blocks" of the old era and putting his own obedient man in place to facilitate the expansion of the Heavenly Palace Order.
Sure enough, before Chu Mo could even digest the news, Hua Ye continued with a tone of blatant impatience and disgust. "That old fossil, humph! I told him to pull money from the treasury to build a new palace—the most luxurious, most magnificent, most imposing one yet! And what does he do? He starts doing math with me! Complaining about insufficient surpluses, needing to save for military expenses, fearing public outcry... talk, talk, talk! It's annoying! I've told him to get lost. Old Chu, you're stepping in!"
Hua Ye stared at Chu Mo, his eyes flashing with unabashed greed and expectation. "You're smart and resourceful. How to make the treasury grow and how to spend it to make me happy—you'll have ideas, won't you?"
In an instant, countless thoughts raced through Chu Mo's mind. This position was a massive opportunity, but it was also a massive pitfall.
The opportunity lay in the power: the Finance Minister could legitimately access the core economic lifelines and resource data of the Angel civilization.
The pitfall was that he would have to become Hua Ye's "money bag." He would need to satisfy Hua Ye's extravagance while maintaining at least the facade of a functional economy, all while dealing with the backlash from old factions and the countless eyes watching this lucrative post.
But... this was a deal worth making. Power was exactly what he needed.
Hua Ye wanted money? He would give him money! As for where that money came from, how it was gathered, and how much room there was to maneuver in between—that would be the true skill of the "Finance Minister."
Within a second, Chu Mo had finished his assessment. A look of overwhelmed gratitude appeared on his face as he bowed deeply. His voice trembled slightly with simulated excitement. "That the King trusts me with such a heavy responsibility... I am moved to tears! I will dedicate my life's blood to managing the treasury, to ensure it is overflowing and that the King never has another worry!"
"Good! Hahaha! That's the spirit!" Hua Ye clapped and laughed, thoroughly pleased. "Tomorrow! You take over tomorrow! That old fossil should have packed his bags and left by now. Take the ledgers and the official seal. Then, the first order of business: get the funds for my new palace out as quickly as possible! I've had the craftsmen prepare the blueprints—make it as grand and comfortable as possible! Money is not an issue!"
"I obey your command!" Chu Mo answered decisively. "Your Majesty's new palace will be the most glorious in the Angel Nebula—no, in the known universe! I will begin arrangements immediately to ensure the funds are in place at the first opportunity!"
Satisfied, Hua Ye waved him off, already picturing himself indulging in his new palace. "Go then, get ready! Do a good job, and I won't treat you poorly!"
Chu Mo thanked him once more and respectfully exited the side hall.
Walking out of the palace, the afternoon sun was somewhat piercing. Chu Mo narrowed his eyes and took a deep breath of the Royal City air—a mixture of decadence and power.
Su Mari's hostility? The dissatisfaction of the old officials? The holes in the budget? Hua Ye's greed?
Chu Mo didn't care about any of it.
Starting tomorrow, he was the Finance Minister of the Angel Nebula. And with that, many things could finally begin to move...