The First Lackey Under The Empress

"What did you say?!" Marquis Xiajiang almost lost his voice, highly doubting the news.

Princess Yunyang also pursed her red lips tightly.

The servant anxiously said, "It's true, he has indeed come..."

He relayed the message again, leaving no room for doubt.

Marquis Xiajiang's face, usually handsome, turned ashen, a sign of his rage:

"Good, very good, just as the rumors said, what audacity!"

As a marquis who always prided himself on his "noble" status, he held a natural sense of superiority over commoners like Zhao Douan, who had risen from the bottom through his looks.

Backed by the entire group of meritorious nobles, he had always maintained a detached attitude towards the disputes in the imperial court.

Even the infamous Zhao Ya held considerable sway over the Great Yu bureaucracy, but rarely targeted the meritorious nobles.

Therefore, even after learning of "Lord Meng's" capture, Marquis Xiajiang still didn't believe that Zhao Douan would dare to touch him.

Moreover... a mere Chief of the Imperial Hunt Guard.

Where did he get the authority to arrest him?

"Marquis, please calm down."

Beside him, Princess Yunyang spoke at the right moment:

"With him making such a big show, Ma Yan must know about it."

"Does the Princess mean... he has Ma Yan's tacit approval? Indulgence?" Marquis Xiajiang found it hard to believe.

Princess Yunyang said quietly:

"I can't be sure about such things, but if he really has a warrant signed by Ma Yan to arrest you, Marquis, if you resist arrest impulsively, the trouble will be great."

Marquis Xiajiang instantly calmed down.

That's right!

That Zhao Douan was an utterly cunning and treacherous villain. Although arrogant and despotic, he wasn't stupid.

Making such a big show, overstepping his authority to arrest him, could it be that he really had no backing?

Was he setting a trap? Deliberately trying to provoke him into retaliating?

"What the Princess says is very reasonable!"

He nodded, frowning:

"But can this Marquis really just surrender?"

Princess Yunyang didn't say anything, only silently playing with the empty wine cup in her hand.

Indeed, Marquis Xiajiang wasn't really asking her, but rather finding an excuse for himself.

As a man, he always had to save face. Often, the so-called anger was just for show.

Seeing the Princess offering a way out, he seized the opportunity and said thoughtfully:

"If that Zhao is deliberately trying to anger me, if this Marquis resists, I'm afraid I'll really fall into his trap. Forget it..."

Marquis Xiajiang instructed the servant:

"Prepare the carriage, we're going to the Great Prison."

He then turned to the woman behind him and cupped his fist regretfully:

"Princess, this Marquis must go and deal with the aftermath, and will come to find you later."

"Hehe, Marquis, feel free to be busy," Princess Yunyang smiled.

Watching him leave in a hurry, she leisurely put down the wine cup.

Beneath her black hair, a fox-like face appeared thoughtful.

At this moment, the last ray of afterglow fell on the horizon outside the building. She gently exhaled, twisted her waist to get up, slipped her bare feet into embroidered shoes, and walked down the restaurant.

Getting into her luxurious sedan, she said:

"Return to the manor."

The six-man sedan chair rose, heading back to the Consort's residence.

Princess Yunyang's gaze passed through the shaking sedan curtains, looking towards a flock of startled birds at the end of the long street, and sighed quietly:

"What a ruthless person... Heh, this Princess also needs to avoid the limelight."

...

...

After another while, a team of brocade-clad Imperial Hunt Guards galloped from the end of the long street.

On the leading tall horse, Zhao Douan reined in his horse, looked at the "empty building" in front of him, and raised his eyebrows:

"Go ask."

Behind him, Shen Juan jumped off his horse, ran into the restaurant, and returned after a short while:

"Reporting, Lord, the person had already run away. The two parted ways after drinking, Princess Yunyang should have returned to her residence, as for Marquis Xiajiang..."

"Speak."

"The waiter in the restaurant said that before Marquis Xiajiang left, he told him that if you, Lord, came later, he should tell you that he is waiting for you at the Great Prison."

The Great Prison!?

Zhao Douan's heart stirred. Obviously, Marquis Xiajiang had received the news in advance and avoided the battle.

But he took the initiative to tell his whereabouts, which was clearly a silent provocation.

"Lord," Zheng Lao Jiu said in a low voice behind him:

"The other party is confident, I'm afraid they have been prepared for a long time, we..."

"Lao Zheng ah," Zhao Douan said faintly from his horse:

"You know my style."

Zheng Lao Jiu closed his mouth.

Hou Renmeng's eyes lit up, he gave a hey and scolded with a smile:

"I really haven't tried arresting people at the Great Prison before."

Zhao Douan pulled the horse's rein:

"Let's go, people have already invited us, wouldn't it be disrespectful to the Marquis if we didn't go?"

...

As the only government office among the Three Law Divisions with complete and independent authority to investigate cases, arrest, and adjudicate, the Great Prison was located in the southwest of the capital.

Not far from the Ministry of Justice's prison.

The last time Zhao Douan came here, he had set a trap for Lü Liang and incidentally staged a fake "husband and wife facing charges."

When the Pear Blossom Hall's entourage arrived at the main entrance of the Great Prison, it was already dark.

At the entrance of the government office, a majestic stone beast stood tall, with a plaque hanging high above.

Big red lanterns hung high, full of grandeur.

Even the steps were higher than other government offices, highlighting the ruthless nature of the law.

"Zhao Douan, Chief of the Imperial Hunt Guard of the Pear Blossom Hall, is here to arrest a suspect, tell Marquis Xiajiang to get out."

Zhao Douan ordered the gatekeeper impolitely.

The gatekeeper was also taken aback, not knowing why, and turned his head to enter and report.

After a while, a familiar, middle-aged civil official wearing a green robe, with a righteous and awe-inspiring appearance, walked out, followed by a group of clerks carrying guns and sticks.

He Zheng, Vice Magistrate of the Great Prison!

It was precisely that guy who confronted Shen Juan in the morning, and was slapped in the face by Zhao Douan in public when he arrived in time, and ran away in a sorry state.

"Hehe, Chief Zhao, we meet again."

Vice Magistrate He smiled insincerely, showing that enemies meeting were especially jealous.

Zhao Douan also smiled:

"Is there no one left in the Great Prison? Why can I meet you wherever I go?"

Vice Magistrate He's face was cold, too lazy to argue with him, and said:

"Chief Zhao, why are you here so aggressively? Could it be that you want to trample my Great Prison's government office?"

It's not impossible... Zhao Douan said with a smile:

"My Imperial Hunt Guard received a report that Marquis Xiajiang was involved in a major case that violated the law. This official came here personally to invite him back to cooperate with the investigation, but unexpectedly, I learned that he came to your esteemed office..."

Heh, don't tell me he's not here, that would be meaningless. Vice Magistrate He, please do me a favor? Call him out, this official won't make things difficult for you today."

Vice Magistrate He said lightly:

"Marquis Xiajiang is indeed here, but unfortunately, you are one step late."

"Oh?" Zhao Douan was surprised.

Vice Magistrate He said calmly:

"My Great Prison is also investigating a case about the Red Flower Society. Today, we have made some progress, and it is suspected that it is related to Marquis Xiajiang, so we brought him back.

Just now, while interrogating people from the Red Flower Society, they revealed a major case involving the so-called 'Lord Meng' privately kidnapping officials' family members..."

The Minister of Justice learned about it and has personally intervened and is currently hearing the case. Chief Zhao, please go back first. According to legal procedures, we will send the person over after we have finished hearing the case here."

As soon as these words came out, everyone in the Pear Blossom Hall was stunned.

The Great Prison took the lead and arrested the person?

Also involved in the case of the Red Flower Society?

Even involved in the matter of Feng Lianlian?

However, in He Zheng's description, it was defined as "Lord Meng's" personal behavior.

Zhao Douan's heart suddenly sank.

He really didn't expect that Marquis Xiajiang would play this trick.

He didn't choose to resist stubbornly, or use his status as a meritorious nobleman to pressure people and deny his guilt.

Instead, he took the initiative to hand himself over to the Great Prison.

Happened to be arrested one step earlier? Bullshit!

Marquis Xiajiang must have colluded with the people of the Great Prison.

With such an operation, this case fell within the jurisdiction of the Great Prison.

As for the final trial result of the case, the right to define Feng Lianlian's kidnapping would also be led by the Great Prison, not the Imperial Hunt Guard.

"...I have to admit, I underestimated him a bit," Zhao Douan sighed softly.

He Zheng pretended not to understand, his expression arrogant, and he waved his sleeve:

"Everyone, please go back."

The situation reversed.

In the morning, it was the Great Prison who came to snatch Zhao Douan's people, and he rejected them on the grounds of non-compliance with the regulations.

In the evening, it was Zhao Douan who came to snatch the Great Prison's people. This time, it was He Zheng's turn to reject him in the name of "regulations."

Zhao Douan didn't move, and the Pear Blossom Hall's troublemakers behind him didn't move either.

The atmosphere changed slightly.

He Zheng narrowed his eyes:

"What does Chief Zhao mean? This time everything is in accordance with the rules, are you still going to hit people here?"

His tone was sarcastic.

Although the disparity between the two sides in terms of martial strength was still huge.

But the territory had changed.

The conflict between people from two government offices in a private residence of a rebellious party was completely different from the conflict in the government office of the Three Law Divisions.

He Zheng didn't believe that Zhao Douan dared to do anything here.

It wasn't that he underestimated Zhao Douan's courage.

But in his opinion, there were better ways to arrest people, such as going to find the Empress, or operating according to the rules of the officialdom.

Fighting was the worst choice from any point of view.

Since the Zhao was a smart person, he should understand the principle of retreating to advance.

"You may have misunderstood one thing," Zhao Douan shook his head gently.

He Zheng frowned: "What did this official misunderstand?"

Zhao Douan suddenly flipped over and dismounted, and the people of the Pear Blossom Hall behind him also dismounted at the same time.

The uniform movements revealed a certain power.

Zhao Douan stepped forward and walked up the steps, and the brocade-clad guards followed, like a rising tide, engulfing the reef.

He Zheng's eyelids twitched wildly, his body subconsciously frightened, wanting to retreat.

But he forcibly held back and still stood proudly.

Like a heroic image facing evil forces, upright and unyielding.

Zhao Douan stopped in front of him, the two of them were no more than an inch apart, and the corners of his mouth raised slightly:

"This is a notice, not a negotiation."

He Zheng's eyes widened: "What are you going to do..."

"Peng—"

The next second, Zhao Douan's palm had gently pressed towards him. The Star River Inversion, personally passed down by the Taizu, reappeared in the world in the most peaceful posture.

A strong wind rose.

The green-robed civil official was like a leaf, lifted by the wind, floating backwards, and fell straight into the flower bed.

And the group of strong and powerful clerks behind him, holding sticks, were also blown down, like ears of wheat bowing down when a hurricane passed.

A burst of exclamations.

Not only the other party, but even the officials of the Pear Blossom Hall were shocked by their Lord's decisiveness.

Zhao Douan slowly retracted his palm, stepped over the threshold of the Great Prison, and the big red lantern above his head slowly drooped.

"Tsk, we're all adults, who's going to talk to you about the rules, childish."

Thank you godess-moon for the 1500 coin reward!