The First Lackey Under The Empress

Zhao Du'an's words were high-sounding, but he understood that this was also Ma Yan's intention.

The reason the other party sent a message saying he would be stationed at the Zhao Office was so as not to compete with him for merit.

Since that was the case, he gladly agreed, giving a few instructions and arranging the follow-up matters. He also sent someone to the White Horse Bureau to report the follow-up to the Old Supervisor.

Then he mounted his horse and headed straight for the imperial city.

“Calculating with my fingers, today is exactly the seventh day of my assignment. Completing a hidden mission within a week… Damn, I've become a speedrunner.”

Zhao Du'an, full of the joy of spring, spurred his horse onward, using self-deprecating humor to dilute the sadness in his heart.

Suddenly, he had the feeling of returning to the main city to hand in a quest to an NPC after defeating a monster and getting equipment.

…

Imperial Palace.

Because the court's continuous disputes had temporarily come to an end, Xu Zhenguan was feeling lazy today and did not attend court.

She rarely slept until the sun was high in the sky, and then she completed her daily cultivation exercises without fail.

Estimating that she wouldn't be able to handle many affairs, she started her lunch early.

Lunch was very lavish.

There was a pot of soup made with fresh fish slices, cooked until white and tender. The Empress personally stirred the soup with her fair hand, scooping it up to eat, her mood quite good.

“Your Majesty.”

At this moment, Mo Chou, who had been busy all morning, approached, still looking serious and upright.

The white-clad Empress revealed a smile and greeted her:

“You've come at the right time. Today, the Imperial Kitchen has improved a new dish. This fish soup is quite good. You should try some too.”

Mo Chou hurriedly declined, saying that there was a distinction between ruler and subject, master and servant.

Xu Zhenguan shook her head helplessly, eating the fish soup while saying:

“You are not as relaxed and easygoing as you were when you were by my side back then.”

Mo Chou said sternly:

“Your Majesty is no longer a princess, and this servant is no longer just a maid.”

Xu Zhenguan sighed softly:

“Yes, we have all changed.”

After a pause, she seemed unwilling to dwell on this and changed the topic:

“You came here now, is there something to report? Speak directly.”

Mo Chou said “En” and replied:

“It's not anything urgent. I learned that Your Majesty was resting this morning, so I didn't rush to say it.

En, it's about the Zhao Office and the White Horse Bureau. This servant received news that the Zhao Office issued a curfew today, with the exception of Pear Blossom Hall, seemingly involved in arresting rebels…

Within the White Horse Bureau, Supervisor Sun Lianying used his authority to invite the monk Bianji from the Shenlong Temple, but has not yet submitted detailed documents to the palace to clarify.”

Xu Zhenguan paused slightly, and the action of holding the white jade spoon slowed down.

Her expression was a little strange:

“Curfew? Even the monk Bianji has been invited?”

If the two things were viewed separately, they would not be linked together.

After all, they do not belong to the same government department, but if you add "Zhao Du'an", it's different.

The sudden abnormal movements of the Zhao Office and Sun Lianying's invitation of a master had a “precedent” not long ago.

That time, the two departments joined forces to arrest the secret agents of the Jiancheng Dao Jing Prince's Mansion.

It's just that this time the scale is obviously larger.

What happened?

“Your Majesty, this servant suspects that these two things are related to Zhao Du'an,” Mo Chou said calmly, “He has been acting a little too out of line recently.”

Xu Zhenguan said “Oh” and asked with a smile:

“If it's really for arresting rebels, it wouldn't be considered out of line, would it?”

Mo Chou shook her head and said:

“I'm afraid that Zhao Jisi is deliberately using a sledgehammer to crack a nut, using the name of serving Your Majesty to show off his power.”

This top female official analyzed:

“He has done this kind of thing more than once. Back then, he coerced Feng Ju to bite Li Yanfu, which showed a clue.

Now that he has been promoted, he is becoming more and more undisguised. Establishing authority in Pear Blossom Hall can still be explained, but the subsequent arrest of fifty-eight officials is obviously deliberate.

He completely has gentler means to solve those things.

But he insists on choosing the most high-profile one, seemingly handling things properly, but in fact, he is deliberately showing off his favor to everyone in order to achieve the purpose of deterring the court.”

These words were indeed correct. Zhao Du'an did have this idea.

From this perspective, Mo Chou actually sees his thoughts more clearly than many people.

Seeing that the Empress was silent, Mo Chou earnestly advised:

“This servant knows that Your Majesty appreciates this person's ability, and this servant does not deny it, but is Your Majesty being too indulgent towards him?

When he took office, you sent this servant to support him. You blocked the matter of the previous fifty-eight people for him, even at the cost of falling out with Princess Yunyang, but what was the result? What did he do?

Not only did he not care for Your Majesty and make you worry-free, but he became even more arrogant. In order to gain merit and prevent others from snatching it, he even concocted names and forcibly ordered a curfew on the eight halls.

Moreover, he used the convenience of his position to frequently invite people from the Heavenly Master's Mansion and Shenlong Temple to protect him…

The last time the Golden Slip was fine, after all, it was his own will to come, but this time inviting the monk Bianji… is really…

Xu Zhenguan put down the spoon and interrupted her, saying:

“Mo Chou, your prejudice against him is too deep, and it has affected your judgment.”

After a slight pause, she said:

“Taking a step back, even if, as you said, he is indeed arrogant, would Ma Yan and Sun Lianying fear him and follow his lead?”

Mo Chou was criticized and explained anxiously:

“This servant doesn't mean that. This servant suspects that Director Ma and Supervisor Sun have been deceived by the statements fabricated by Zhao Du'an, just like his Pear Blossom Hall is going to arrest rebels today.

But he has just taken office, even if he has obtained some clues from the other eight halls, how much can he gain?

As for making such a big fuss?

As for inviting the monk Bianji to protect him? Are there rebels in the capital with such strong force?

I'm afraid that even the internal spies that may be hidden within the Zhao Office are not like this.”

She finished speaking in one breath, and seeing that the Empress was silent, she suddenly reacted, knelt down and begged for forgiveness:

“This servant was momentarily失态, please punish me, Your Majesty!”

Outsiders only say that there is a “Top Female Official” in the palace.

But in fact, Mo Chou is still the “maid” who followed the Third Princess at her core.

Therefore, she always refers to herself as “this servant” instead of “minister.”

Therefore, even if she is intelligent, her style of doing things is still very different from those old foxes in the court.

She is more like a “big maid” beside a “young lady” than an official.

“Get up, how could I punish you for these things.”

Xu Zhenguan sighed softly.

Although she did not agree with the judgment of her close female official that Zhao Du'an had been lying all the time.

But she really couldn't explain the purpose of Zhao Du'an's actions.

Just like Mo Chou said, is there a "rebellious party" in Kuangfu Society in Beijing that is enough to alarm the monk Bianji?

As for arresting internal spies, she only dared to say that she would see the results in a month when she and Yuan Li gambled in the Imperial Garden yesterday.

Therefore, when she wanted to explain Zhao Du'an's behavior in order to reverse the prejudice of her close "big maid", she couldn't find a reasonable explanation.

Of course, as an emperor, she didn't need to explain to a maid.

But the Empress is still a person who cherishes old relationships.

From this point of view, she is indeed not a qualified, skilled, or ruthless emperor.

“Forget it, I will order someone to ask about this matter later.”

Xu Zhenguan waved her hand gently, and an invisible force helped Mo Chou up, and said.

However, at this moment, the hurried footsteps of a young eunuch came from outside:

“Your Majesty, Zhao Du'an, the Jisi of the Zhao Office, the envoy of the White Horse Bureau, requests an audience.”

Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.

The two women in the room were stunned, Xu Zhenguan smiled and looked at her close female official:

“Okay, you can ask him face to face.”

Mo Chou didn't say anything, but she also had expectations in her heart, thinking about how you would explain it later.

…

Soon.

Zhao Du'an, who had been waiting outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation for a long time, was led by a young eunuch, passed through the straight corridor, and arrived outside the dining hall.

He saw a group of people from the Imperial Kitchen removing the leftovers.

No… I came at lunchtime, but you've already finished eating, is that okay… I'm still hungry… Zhao Du'an opened his mouth, feeling disappointed.

The expectation of having lunch with the Empress was tragically dashed.

After the palace people dispersed.

Zhao Du'an finally saw the Empress, whom he hadn't seen for several days, sitting at a round table in the room.

Beside her was the big ice cube who was extremely incompatible with him, standing to the side, fanning the Empress.

Why is this annoying guy here, I hate flashlights the most… Zhao Du'an muttered in his heart, and bowed respectfully on the surface:

“Your Majesty, I pay my respects.”

“No need to be polite.” The Empress of Great Yu, who was full and satisfied, looked a little lazy.

The white casual clothes hung softly, and her head full of black hair was also listless.

If it were in the past, she would take off her shoes after lunch, sit sideways and lean on the Arhat bed in the bedroom to read and rest.

Today, after all, she was receiving an “foreign minister”, so she had to be more formal.

At this time, she wanted to ask, so she pretended to be majestic and put on a straight face, and asked:

“I was just about to send someone to call you into the palace. I didn't expect you to come on your own.”

Call me to作肾… bah, damn input method…

Call me to do what? Zhao Du'an asked curiously: “Does Your Majesty have anything to order?”

Xu Zhenguan put on a stern face, but after all, she wasn't really angry, so she didn't look majestic at all:

“I heard today that you made a big commotion in the Zhao Office, and even alarmed the monk Bianji of the Shenlong Temple. Is there such a thing?”

Monk Bianji?

Is that the Dharma name of that white-clothed monk? It sounds a bit familiar… Zhao Du'an said:

“There is indeed such a thing, I came to the palace to report this matter to Your Majesty.”

After a pause, he said:

“Yesterday, I discussed a secret plan with Director Ma, and asked Supervisor Sun to bring in a strong guard… This morning, I led Pear Blossom Hall to arrest the rebels.”

He first explained what he had done, and the Empress listened quietly, waiting for the following.

Mo Chou, holding a court fan, pricked up her ears, expecting how he would cleverly explain his actions.

Immediately, she heard Zhao Du'an calmly say:

“This trip was a great success. I led Pear Blossom Hall and joined forces with the Director to successfully find out the rebels hiding inside the Zhao Office, namely the Jisi of Stone Pomegranate Hall and Peach Blossom Hall… Now the two have been imprisoned and are waiting for Your Majesty's interrogation.”

En… Xu Zhenguan listened, first nodded slightly, expressing satisfaction.

Then, she belatedly caught the key words from Zhao Du'an's overly calm and unwavering narration.

Inside the Zhao Office, two rebels…

On Xu Zhenguan's lazy face, there was a brief moment of stunned expression:

“Wait, who did you just say the rebels were…”

Zhao Du'an nodded with a smile:

“I did not disgrace my mission. The internal spies hiding in the Zhao Office have been found.”

The Great Yu Empress woke up all of a sudden, and all her drowsiness disappeared in an instant, and the words “the internal spies have been found” and “the internal spies have been found” kept echoing in her mind…

“Pa!”

Beside her, the court fan in Mo Zhaorong's hand accidentally slipped and fell to the ground, making a sound.

Like a slap, crisp and loud.