The First Lackey Under The Empress

【 I hope readers will remember our domain name here: 𝓽 𝔀 𝓴 𝓪 𝓷 . 𝓬 𝓸 𝓶 】

The second year of Tianfeng, the southern outskirts of the capital.

Dark clouds pressed down on the city, as if the Milky Way had burst its banks. Raindrops the size of beans poured down, hammering the ground like drums, raising a mist as low as dust.

In the past, this place would have been bustling with activity. Merchants and caravans from the nine provinces and eighteen prefectures of the Great Yu Dynasty would converge here. The entrance fee alone could support the palace's massive expenses.

But today was slightly different.

As early as last night, the Department of Astronomy had posted a heavy rain warning, and the divine officials of the Celestial Master's Mansion had also issued a celestial phenomenon alert. The yamen issued a decree of "daytime curfew." The people of the capital consciously closed their doors and suspended business, waiting for the curfew to be lifted at noon.

Only the side gate of the city remained open, and no one could enter or exit without special permission.

The majestic city was at a standstill, and the area was deserted.

The world seemed to fall into silence with this rain.

But there are exceptions to everything.

At this moment, a lightning bolt shaped like a spider web tore through the dark sky, illuminating the bamboo forest in the southern suburbs. At the edge of the lush green bamboo sea, two armored soldiers with sharp weapons gazed into the distance.

The sound of hooves was like thunder!

A three-horse carriage crashed through the rain curtain, approaching from afar. The wheels stirred up large swaths of mud, and finally stopped outside the bamboo forest path.

The dirt road was muddy and narrow, making it difficult for the carriage to proceed. The coachman jumped down, set down a small stool, and held up an oiled paper umbrella like a canopy next to the carriage.

The curtain of the carriage was lifted, and two servants in green clothes came out one after another, each holding a heavy wooden board.

Zhao Du'an lazily raised his eyes, bent slightly and stepped out of the spacious carriage, not looking sideways, and stepped down.

The hem of his embroidered and splendid clothes fell down, and his expensive cloud-patterned boots casually trampled towards the muddy ground, but a moment before the dirt, a wooden board had already been placed under his feet.

He strolled forward, and the umbrella above his head moved with him.

The two servants on the left and right bowed and knelt in the mud, their faces wet with cold rain, alternately moving the two wooden boards, paving a dry and clean road.

"In ancient times, nobles used female servants as human spittoons. I use servants to pave the road, which is far inferior."

As Zhao Du'an was distracted, he saw two fierce soldiers in the army rushing to him, cupping their hands and clasping their fists:

"The rebels are trapped in the forest, awaiting your orders!"

Zhao Du'an smiled and said, "It is fitting that this great achievement falls into the hands of this official. Lead the way!"

"Yes!"

… …

The forest floor was covered with fallen leaves, and verdant old bamboos pointed straight to the sky.

Outside, the wind and rain were torrential, but stepping into the forest, it was much more gentle. Zhao Du'an, under the protection of his entourage, walked for a short time before seeing a dilapidated temple through the rain.

The pillars on the left and right were engraved with couplets:

"Great virtue carries all things."

"Life is endless."

A Land God Temple!

Compared to the main altar of the Celestial Master's Mansion in the capital and the Shenlong Temple Dojo, the small temple in front of him was quite shabby. Not to mention the courtyard, even the main hall was dilapidated.

At this moment, the temple door was tightly closed, and more than a dozen elite soldiers of the Imperial Guards surrounded it tightly.

Seeing Zhao Du'an arrive, a black-clothed clerk hurriedly flattered him and asked for credit:

"My lord, that old thief and his disciples have been injured by us. We are just waiting for your order, and your subordinates will arrest them!"

Zhao Du'an nodded in satisfaction and praised, "Not bad."

If his subordinates were to arrest the target first, the superior would inevitably lose face. Now, by surrounding them without killing them, the credit is completely presented. This is basic operation for an old fox in the officialdom.

"Since that's the case, this official will personally capture them," Zhao Du'an changed the subject, "Bring the saber."

The clerk was stunned, and hurriedly offered his saber with both hands.

Zhao Du'an didn't even raise his eyelids, and grasped the hilt of the saber in front of him with one hand.

After a little pondering…

Clang!

The saber was unsheathed, and a surge of energy shot out, instantly shattering the decayed wooden temple door!!

As wood chips flew, Zhao Du'an had already stepped into the hall.

Inside the dilapidated temple.

A silver-haired old man in his sixties, wearing a Confucian robe, was sitting cross-legged facing him. His face, with deep wrinkles, was calm. Although he looked disheveled, he had the demeanor of a national scholar.

Behind the old man, on the offering table, stood a stone statue as burly as a heavenly god, with a ferocious appearance, holding a stele in one hand and covering the ground with the other, covered in cobwebs and in disrepair.

"As expected of the former Grand Tutor, even when death is imminent, you can still remain calm," Zhao Du'an said with a slow smile:

"But who would have thought that Mr. Zhuang, a remnant of the Second Prince's faction, would hide in the capital, under the Sage's nose, while being wanted by the entire world? Is this the so-called great hidden in the city?"

The old man, revered as "Grand Tutor" and once one of the Emperor's teachers, named Zhuang Xiaocheng, looked at him coldly:

"I, this old man, have been wise all my life, but I never thought that I would be found by a traitor like you, a dog who betrays his lord and seeks glory, and is willing to be the male favorite of the false Emperor."

"Bold!"

The black-clothed clerk behind him scolded angrily, but Zhao Du'an raised his hand to stop him.

The well-known male favorite of the Empress of the capital, with a chiseled and outstanding face, had his smile fade away, and sighed softly:

"Grand Tutor, you are mistaken. When the late Emperor passed away, it was originally the Crown Prince who should have succeeded to the throne, but unexpectedly, the Second Prince was rebellious and had long harbored treacherous intentions. He actually colluded with rebels, broke into the palace to assassinate, and launched the Xuanmen coup, intending to usurp the throne.

At that time, the Third Princess had achieved success in martial arts cultivation and took action to quell the rebellion upon hearing the news, killing the rebels. It is only a pity that she was one step late, and the Crown Prince and the remaining princes were all slaughtered.

Afterwards, because the country could not be without a ruler for a day, she helplessly ascended the throne and became Emperor, ruling the Great Yu Dynasty. What fault is there?

It is you remnants who followed the Second Prince, like wildfire that cannot be eradicated… If you had abandoned the darkness and turned to the light earlier, why would you be in this situation?"

"Bah! The dog thief is talking nonsense!" Suddenly, a clear female voice rang out.

It was a young girl standing beside the old man.

Dressed as a page, holding a blood-stained, sheathless short sword in her hand, her hair was broken in battle, her black hair was scattered, her facial features were exquisite, and a delicate and fair face was raised, staring at him fiercely, her silver teeth clenched:

"It was clearly the false Emperor who murdered her father and brothers. The Second Prince was loyal to the Emperor and protected the throne. My master wanted to restore the world, but was slandered by a villain like you!"

"Yunniang!" Zhuang Xiaocheng said in a deep voice.

The sword-wielding girl's eyes contained sorrow and despair, like a female beast trapped in a desperate situation:

"Teacher, this disciple is useless and could not protect you. I will repay your kindness in the next life…"

Zhao Du'an was indifferent to the melodrama in front of him, his eyes swept across the girl's face, and he said meaningfully:

"Grand Tutor has good taste. Even on the run, you don't forget to bring such a beautiful female disciple. It's just that she has a sharp tongue, and it seems she lacks discipline. But don't worry, this official will take her back and discipline her properly."

The sword-wielding girl's eyes were about to split, wishing she could devour his flesh!

Zhuang Xiaocheng stared at him for a moment, then suddenly shook his head:

"Being complacent and forgetting yourself, it is the nature of a villain. Acting like you, you won't be rampant for long."

"Huh?" Zhao Du'an sneered, looking around:

"Am I a petty person? Am I getting carried away?"

The clerks, servants, and armored imperial guards behind him all shook their heads.

Zhao Du'an's smile disappeared as he looked down at the two:

"Look, they all say I'm not. After entering the pass, great Confucians will debate for me. Grand Tutor, you've been in the officialdom for many years and understand the ways of the world, so I don't need to explain this, right? Moreover, it's you literary types who fabricate history. If I'm a petty person, then what are you?"

Zhuang Xiaocheng, wearing a Confucian robe, remained calm, seemingly without fear from beginning to end:

"Do you really think you've got me figured out?"

For no reason.

At that moment, Zhao Du'an's heart tightened.

Inside the bamboo forest, the wind and rain were dark. The light inside the dilapidated temple was dim. The rustling raindrops made the whole world silent.

Despite the disparity in strength between the two sides, the momentum was now reversed.

Zhao Du'an forced a smile, taking a half-step back imperceptibly:

"Do you really think I'm easily scared? This is the capital city. An old man and an injured woman, what can you use to fight against my team of imperial guards? Or are you a hidden high-ranking martial artist or a master of術法?"

His words were mocking.

Zhuang Xiaocheng, with his white hair and beard, gently shook his head: "I am just a humble commoner."

His tone changed: "However, I still have some friends to help."

Zhao Du'an's pupils suddenly contracted. At the same time as the old man uttered these words, behind him, the stone statue on the dust-covered altar suddenly vibrated!

Even the earth shook.

The ferocious statue's brow split, emitting golden light, and then the cracks spread throughout its body. The stone skin fell off, revealing a burly figure inside, wrapped in golden light.

"Divine Descent!"

"A worldly術士!"

"Your Excellency, be careful—"

The crowd retreated in terror, noisy and chaotic. Zhao Du'an, however, seemed to be frozen in place, his legs as if filled with lead, unable to move, allowing the dilapidated temple to be illuminated in every detail by the golden light of the "Earth God."

Rings of golden ripples spread from the statue in all directions. The soldiers outside the temple were blown away amidst exclamations, their black iron armor crashing heavily into the fallen leaves, splashing large amounts of accumulated water.

"Go!" The old man shouted.

Zhao Du'an's face was pale. He only saw the figure wrapped in golden light, indifferent and majestic, looking down below.

With a grab of his large hand, he dragged the old Grand Tutor in his Confucian robe into the ripples of light, then raised a finger and pointed it at him.

Boom!

Zhao Du'an's chest felt as if it had been struck by a heavy blow, and he flew out like a cannonball, crashing out of the temple gate, plowing several zhang along the ground, his life or death unknown.

Inside the temple, the golden figure seemed to be lacking in strength, dragging the Grand Tutor into the earth. In the blink of an eye, all the strange phenomena disappeared.

As if nothing had happened.

Only the cold rain fell rustlingly.

Later, the rain also stopped.

......

......

After a long time.

The unconscious imperial guards and others woke up one after another. The black-clothed clerk was horrified, his face pale, and he pounced on Zhao Du'an, calling out loudly:

"Your Excellency! Your Excellency! Wake up!"

Finally.

"Zhao Du'an" woke up slowly, his eyes blankly seeing himself lying in the arms of a stout man with a fleshy face, dark complexion, and ancient costume.

"Your Excellency! It's good that you're alright!"

The black-clothed clerk was overjoyed. If something happened to his master, they, as followers, would not escape death.

However, in his joy, he did not notice that Zhao Du'an's temperament had undergone earth-shattering changes, turning from the previous arrogance and frivolity to calm and collected.

"I... didn't die?"

Zhao Du'an spoke slowly, his sentences not coherent, as if learning how to speak.

"Perhaps the術士 was far away, casting a spell to snatch someone, consuming a great deal of magical power, and your armor also blocked a layer."

The black-clothed clerk took out a dented breastplate to show him.

Zhao Du'an's gaze became more and more confused. He slowly sat up. What he saw was a collapsed dilapidated temple in the bamboo forest after the rain. His line of sight moved up, and the dark clouds in the distance split open, revealing a few rays of sunlight.

The corner of a majestic city could be faintly seen, towering high into the clouds.

"Dang—dang—"

The sound of bells came.

Noon had arrived, and the "daytime curfew" was lifted.

"Where is this?" Zhao Du'an suddenly asked, paused, and raised his hand to press his forehead. "My mind is a little chaotic."

The black-clothed clerk did not suspect anything else, only thinking that he had been stunned from the fall. He flattered:

"The southern suburbs of the capital city. You obtained intelligence and, with the authority of the envoy, mobilized a team of imperial guards to come and arrest Zhuang Xiaocheng. It's hateful that the thief had an accomplice術士 who used magic to save him."

"What year and month is it?"

"Uh... Tianfeng two years, actually three years. After the Xuanmen coup the year before last, it was delayed."

"Not the Xuanwu Gate?"

"Your Excellency is joking. We wouldn't dare to add words to this matter."

Zhao Du'an was silent for a long while, with no reverence in his eyes. Based on the brief conversation and the gradually clear strange memories in his mind, he had realized what had happened.

The Great Yu Dynasty, a coup, a female emperor, martial artists,術士... a world that was similar but not quite the same.

As for himself...

The female emperor's personal male favorite? An arrogant and domineering capital city纨绔?

Hard to say.

"Your Excellency, that female thief couldn't escape!"

Suddenly, an imperial guard dragged out the unconscious Yunniang from the collapsed temple. The fair and refined girl's forehead was broken, and her delicate eyebrows were tightly furrowed in her unconsciousness, showing stubbornness and unyieldingness.

The clerk with a fleshy face was uneasy:

"This rebel was originally a clue found by the Zhaoya secret agents, but we Baimajian intercepted it. Now that the city ban has been lifted, the people from Zhaoya must be arriving soon...

If we successfully capture her, it will naturally be a great achievement, but now that the rebel has escaped, I'm afraid this blame will be placed on our heads. If those in the court who don't like you find out, they will accuse you of privately releasing prisoners and colluding with rebels... Even with your status, I'm afraid you will..."

"The only plan for now is to trouble you to report to the Sage ahead of time to plead guilty, so that there is a glimmer of hope," he swallowed his saliva, seeing that he was silent, he said anxiously:

"Your Excellency, please say something!"

Zhao Du'an silently withdrew his gaze, glanced at the latter, his eyes like deep pools, and everyone shut their mouths in unison.

A hellish start...

After thinking for a moment, he closed his eyes and opened them again:

"Then... enter the palace to meet the Sage."

ps: I heard it's popular recently to put a [brain storage] at the beginning of the book, so I'll put one too. . This reply has been successfully stored~