The First Lackey Under The Empress

The traitor has been found…

GOOGLE SEARCH TWKAN

When Zhao Du'an spoke this news in a calm tone, the two women in the room were momentarily stunned.

Xu Zhenguan looked at him in disbelief, her usual languid demeanor gone, replaced by a slightly straightened posture.

Countless storms suddenly arose within her mind.

"Explain clearly, explain in detail!" The Great Yu Empress's voice was slightly hurried.

"Yes."

Zhao Du'an had prepared his speech beforehand and was already skilled at reporting.

He unhurriedly recounted how he had thought yesterday, how he had made a plan, how he had erected a "phantom target", and lured all the "suspects", including Ma Yan, into it.

He then described how he had "netted them all" this morning, using psychological warfare to trick the traitor, telling the story in a娓娓道来 manner.

During the process, Xu Zhenguan did not interrupt, only listening quietly, as did the female official beside her.

"…The matter roughly unfolded in this manner."

Zhao Du'an concluded, quite satisfied with his presentation.

The structure was clear, the expression complete, the language fluent… truly a first-rate report.

The Great Yu Empress did not immediately speak, but stared at him with a slightly dazed expression.

Her heart was far from as calm as her exterior.

Calculating with her fingers, how long had it been?

It seemed that the other party had only been in office for seven days, even with a generous estimate.

Last time, on the Tianzi Tower, she had given Zhao Du'an the task of catching the traitor, but she had not held too much expectation at the time.

Promoting him to the Zhao Ya was more because she felt he deserved a reward.

And with Zhao Du'an's talent, he indeed needed a larger stage.

As for whether he could ferret out the traitor, or even… whether there was a traitor in the Zhao Ya at all, it was still unknown.

But after that, Zhao Du'an's continuous actions aroused discussion in the court, and she raised her expectations.

She began to think that this little forbidden army might really be able to do it.

But even so, when she made a bet with Yuan Li yesterday, she said it would be a month.

This was still an overestimate, after all, Yuan Li reasonably speculated at least two months.

As a result, the two people's bet was only established for one day, and it was declared over.

It didn't take two months, nor did it take one month, Zhao Du'an only used seven days.

Inconceivable.

But after listening to his entire routine in detail, Xu Zhenguan felt that it was natural for the traitor to be exposed.

Strictly speaking, the entire routine, when spread out, was not ingenious, even very rough.

Including the loopholes pointed out by Haitang, there were too many imperfect places.

But Zhao Du'an just used his own "persona" to cover up these loopholes.

"I ask you, the commotion you have caused these days is also for…" Xu Zhenguan lightly opened her mouth, slightly uncertain.

Zhao Du'an understood and nodded before she could finish speaking:

"Your Majesty is wise, this minister has offended Princess Yunyang and the court officials these past few days, which is indeed out of line.

But only by acting out of line can I establish the impression that I am fond of grand achievements, like pomp, and rely on power, so that today's move of being confined and arresting people will not arouse suspicion."

As expected…

Xu Zhenguan nodded lightly, then suddenly turned her head and looked at her personal female official with a smile that was not a smile:

"Mo Chou, did you hear that?"

Mo Chou was silent, unable to speak, only feeling that her face was a little hot.

Especially when she thought that, not long ago, she was still by the Empress's side, saying those words loudly, firmly believing that Zhao Du'an would never be able to capture any powerful figures…

The reversal came too quickly, like a tornado, blowing her into a daze.

"Oh? Does Zhaorong also mention this humble minister?"

Zhao Du'an pretended to be innocent, but secretly provoked her.

"This servant… this servant…"

The big ice lump stammered, speechless.

For the first time, she lowered her head in front of the dog thief she hated.

The Empress smiled, but she had no intention of making fun of her maid.

She looked at Zhao Du'an again, her beautiful eyes full of appreciation and admiration, as if she had many words to say.

But in the end, she just sighed:

"I am more and more suspicious of my own vision."

Zhao Du'an was surprised: "What does Your Majesty mean by this?"

The Empress sighed quietly:

"Otherwise, how could Mingzhu be dusted for more than a year?"

No, it's really not your fault, the previous one was indeed a real "pig"… Zhao Du'an thought for a while and said:

"Your Majesty's eyes are on the world, on all living beings, on the common people. If you look too far, you will naturally easily overlook the people around you."

The Empress was stunned, then smiled and joked:

"Flowery words."

Zhao Du'an said with a thick face:

"The words 'flowery' and 'skillful' are both good words. Your Majesty praises this minister's words, and this minister is ashamed to accept it."

Bah… shameless… Mo Chou, who was drawing circles with her head down, cursed in her heart.

Thinking:

It's no wonder that Your Majesty believes in slander, it's really because this traitor speaks too nicely.

Xu Zhenguan put away her joking thoughts, returned to the topic, and her face also became serious:

"The Zhao Ya's detective department, such a position actually betrayed the court, and two of them came out at once. The stubbornness, strength, and barbarity of the remaining forces of the rebellious party are feared to exceed expectations."

"Mo Chou, you go to the Duchayuan, Dali Temple, and Ministry of Justice immediately, and convey my oral decree to the three law divisions, ordering them to try this case, and be sure to thoroughly investigate and ferret out more accomplices."

The person involved in the case came from the Zhao Ya.

In order to avoid suspicion, the follow-up of this case must be transferred to the three law divisions.

Mo Chou responded.

The Empress thought for a while and added:

"You should also go to the Zhao Ya and order Ma Yan to handle the follow-up matters and then enter the palace to see me."

Such a major event, although Zhao Du'an has reported it once, Ma Yan will definitely have to report it a second time.

"Yes." Mo Chou nodded, then turned and left in a hurry, not wanting to stay in this awkward situation for a second.

"Zhao Du'an." The Empress said again.

"This minister is here." Zhao Du'an looked forward to it.

The Empress narrowed her eyes and examined him for a moment, then said:

"You should wait in the palace, and after verifying that your report is correct, I will reward you."

Reward what… Zhao Du'an remembered that the Empress had promised him on the Tianzi Tower last time.

If he could ferret out the mole, besides fulfilling his duty as a 'Jisi', and earning merits on his record, the Empress would also grant him an extra reward.

The Empress didn't say what the reward would be, but she used her eyes to carefully scan his body from top to bottom.

Seeming to have made some kind of decision, she then said with an inscrutable expression:

"Have you heard of the Yi Jing Marrow Cleansing?"

Seeing that Zhao Du'an didn't say anything, she leisurely said:

"Tonight, I will grant you a chance to be reborn."

......

......

Just as Zhao Du'an was waiting in the palace, his mind filled with anticipation for the special reward that evening.

The subsequent ripples of this incident also spread layer by layer outside the palace.

The Court of Judicial Review.

In the afternoon, Yuan Li woke up leisurely from a nap. He pushed open the door and walked out of the room inside the yamen where he rested.

Passing through the courtyard, he saw pavilions, rockeries, and a gentle breeze.

The handsome and refined Grand Censor, with eyes containing the vicissitudes of life, leisurely strolled in the small garden behind the yamen, using this to clear his mind.

This was his habit, and everyone under him in the yamen knew it.

Therefore, at this time, very few people would disturb him unless it was extremely important.

But today was different.

Yuan Li had only taken a few steps when a censor came running from outside the small garden:

"My lord, Consort Mo has come from the palace, carrying an imperial decree, it seems that something important has happened."

"Oh?" Yuan Li was slightly surprised.

Since Pei Kai Zhi's downfall, the struggle between the two parties in the court had become stable. Apart from the small matters that the Zhao kid had been stirring up these past two days, there were no other storms.

Why would Consort Mo come here in person?

After a short while.

Yuan Li met Mo Chou in the inner hall and said with a smile:

"Consort, your complexion isn't very good today. Has something happened that you've come here."

Mo Chou smiled bitterly: "Lord Yuan doesn't know yet?"

The Court of Judicial Review was not an intelligence agency. Yuan Li spent all day in the yamen and didn't know what was happening outside.

Mo Chou sighed and said with a complicated tone:

"It's the Zhao Yamen... Zhao Du'an designed a scheme today to trick out two moles..."

She briefly and concisely narrated the course of the incident.

The Grand Censor, who was initially leisurely, gradually became serious, and then turned to astonishment.

Finally, after she finished speaking, Yuan Li stared at her suspiciously:

"Are you saying that Zhao Du'an only used seven days to capture the rebel party hidden in the Zhao Yamen?"

Mo Chou nodded with difficulty:

"Although it has not yet been verified, since it has already been reported to the palace, it must be true."

Silence.

Inside the hall, the Grand Censor, who had just woken up from his nap, was a little absent-minded, suspecting that he hadn't fully woken up.

He had clearly judged that it would take two months, but Zhao Du'an only used seven days.

It was like a dream.

......

......

"What? Two rebels have already been captured?"

Sun Lianying, with graying temples and sunken eye sockets, looked slightly surprised at the brocade-clad guard from the Pear Blossom Hall who had been ordered to report.

Qian Kerou said "En" softly, appearing restrained due to unfamiliarity:

"My lord, oh, that is, Jisi Zhao, specifically ordered me to report."

Sun Lianying sat in the bamboo chair in the backyard, digesting the news. After a long while, he slowly nodded and said:

"What about Ma Yan?"

The newbie female guard was at a loss, and weakly said:

"The Director is currently suppressing the bandits in Zhao Prison to prevent accidents."

"Okay, I understand." Sun Lianying exhaled a breath and said:

"What else did that Zhao kid say?"

Qian Kerou said straightforwardly:

"My lord said that he has a clerk named Zhu Kui under his command who is suspected of being killed by the rebels. He has now taken him to Zhao Yamen and asked you to properly comfort his family members according to the regulations of Baima Prison."

Sun Lianying had a slight impression of that ugly old clerk. Upon hearing this, he nodded:

"Go back and tell him that this old one knows."

After Qian Kerou left, the old eunuch sat alone under the tree. Suddenly, he saw a leaf falling from the crown of the tree above his head, landing on his knee.

"The death of a man is like the falling of a leaf."

......

......

Celestial Master's Mansion.

Jin Jian, a girl with a mysterious temperament, wrapped in starlight, and existing as a transparent person, walked with light steps.

She turned into a stream of light and arrived at the door of the quiet house in the deepest part.

Two small hands pushed open the brown wooden door, and she saw that under the big banyan tree, the Old Celestial Master was not resting with his eyes closed, as he rarely did.

Instead, he moved a short table and sat on the ground.

He held a carving knife in his hand and was intently carving words on a roll of jade slips spread out on the table.

"Eh, Master, are you repairing the Celestial Book?"

The girl with fair skin, delicate features, and dull eyes gradually focused her vision and said in surprise.

The successive heads of the Celestial Master's Mansion all had a tradition of repairing the book.

That is, to record the supreme mental method of the sect, the understanding of the Dao of Heaven, and the cultivation, in the form of words.

For thousands of years, the Celestial Book has been modified by generations of people, and the words and sentences that can be added or deleted have become fewer and fewer.

Even Zhang Yan, who was known as one of the top three heads of the Celestial Master's Mansion in history.

But the number of times he wrote in the Celestial Book was also very few.

What insights could be worth Master's writing to repair the book?

"Yes," Zhang Yan smiled, put down the carving knife, picked up the jade slip and blew on it, and said:

"Jin Jian'er, come and take a look, is this sentence good or not?"

Jin Jian walked with a romantic pace, approached to take a look, and read in a low voice:

"The Dao gives birth to one... Eh, Master, you are so shameless. How can you write your name into the Celestial Book."

Jin Jian frowned her delicate nose and pointed out very shrewdly:

"Giving birth to one... That means derived, right? That would be Yan Yi."

Zhang Yan was stunned for a moment, then laughed heartily, shook his head and said:

"Not so, this sentence was accidentally learned by the teacher from a young friend."

"Do I know him?" Jin Jian asked in confusion:

"Why doesn't the disciple know when Master made a young friend."

Zhang Yan smiled without saying a word, and the three words "Zhao Du'an" appeared in his heart, but he didn't intend to say it.

However, it was precisely in his heart, in that instant, that the name emerged, and he faintly gave birth to a premonition in the Dao of Heaven.

Zhang Yan suddenly frowned slightly, pinched his fingers and deduced slightly, and was surprised to realize that a faint red killing intent had been covered on the three words "Zhao Du'an".

"This son... has a tribulation?"