The First Lackey Under The Empress

"Explain clearly!" Zhao Du'an's spirits lifted, the remnants of sleepiness fading away.

"Yes," Zhu Kui said:

"Yesterday, according to your orders, this subordinate sent men to tail Wang Xian, instructing them to report any unusual activity.

As a result, after this person left Ding Feng Restaurant, he went straight home, without going out or receiving any visitors.

Until dawn, a family servant quietly left the residence and went directly to the office of the Ministry of Personnel's Selection Department, presumably to deliver a message, and then returned."

Ministry of Personnel's Selection Department? Zhao Du'an was taken aback and asked:

"Which Principal?"

Each of the six ministries has several 'Departments' under its jurisdiction. Each department has one Director, one Assistant Director, and two Principals.

A Principal is a sixth-rank official who manages the various 'Sections' below. Although it may not sound like a high rank, the Selection Department is in charge of the transfer and appointment of local officials below the fourth rank, which is related to their future prospects.

Therefore, even in the capital, they are considered officials with real power.

Li Shutong, the lyricist of the famous song 'Farewell,' had a father named Li Shizhen (not Li Shizhen of the Compendium of Materia Medica fame), who once served as a Principal in the Ministry of Personnel.

"Feng Ju, Principal Feng," Zhu Kui had obviously done some background research before coming. Seeing Zhao Du'an frown, he whispered a reminder:

"Also a Jiangnan scholar, a Jinshi graduate of Longqing thirty-eighth year."

Longqing thirty-eighth year?

Zhao Du'an found the number familiar.

After thinking carefully, he suddenly remembered that the 'convicted official' currently imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice, whom the Ning'an County Heir had bribed him to rescue, was also a Jinshi graduate of Longqing thirty-eighth year.

As 'fellow graduates,' the two were very likely members of the same official 'clique'.

Perhaps out of friendship, or perhaps due to entangled interests, belonging to a common group, they must be rescued… That's not important. What's important is that Zhao Du'an has finally identified the 'buyer'.

"Well done," Zhao Du'an praised, "I'll remember this contribution."

Zhu Kui grinned and asked for instructions:

"How does Your Excellency plan to proceed?"

This old official had already figured out the situation at this moment, realizing that his lord was probably going to make trouble.

Zhao Du'an did not answer. He looked at the pale sun rising in the morning mist outside the window, and the dark clouds faintly gathering in the sky, and remained silent.

… …

… …

Noon.

Outside the gate of the Ministry of Personnel's Selection Department in the capital, a seemingly simple carriage slowly drove out, heading back towards its residence.

Feng Ju was over forty years old, with a thin face and a typical scholar's temperament.

Given his background, it was extremely difficult to climb to this position at this age in the Dayu Dynasty's officialdom.

Naturally, he had received a lot of support from fellow villagers and fellow graduates.

In officialdom cliques, Jinshi graduates from the same year's imperial examination would form small groups, and those from the same region would also have 'hometown associations'.

Members must support and recommend each other. The model is similar to the Indian executives in large American companies in Zhao Du'an's previous life, who recommended each other.

There must be gains and losses. Feng Ju had benefited from the clique, and when members were in trouble, he had to take risks to help.

For example, a recent incident:

A local official in the clique was caught by the patrolling censor for corruption and was arrested and brought to the capital for investigation and imprisonment in the Ministry of Justice.

Facing his colleague's plea for help, Feng Ju attempted to intervene, and after many twists and turns, found the Ning'an County Heir, bribing Zhao Du'an, the rumored 'male favorite' of the Holy One.

As a result, the other party had been slow to act. Anxious, Feng Ju urged Wang Xian to inquire.

The good news was:

This morning, Wang Xian's servant came to deliver a message, saying that Zhao Du'an had agreed and would lend a hand in the next few days.

The bad news was:

This morning, going to the yamen, he learned that Zhao Du'an had failed to capture the rebellious party and was facing a joint impeachment by the Zhaoyu Yamen and the Censorate, in a precarious situation.

"Alas."

Inside the carriage, Feng Ju felt a headache and was uneasy.

Although Wang Xian said with certainty that Zhao Du'an would not fall and told him to rest assured.

But things in the officialdom are unpredictable, who can say for sure?

Reining in his thoughts, he decided not to think too much for the time being and go home for a meal first—Feng's residence was not far from the yamen, and he was accustomed to going home for lunch.

However, halfway there, the carriage suddenly stopped. Feng Ju asked through the curtain:

"What happened?"

The coachman said:

"Someone is blocking the road… Alas, who are you people? Do you know that the person in the carriage is…"

"Principal Feng," a sinister voice sounded.

Immediately, Feng Ju was shocked to see the curtain lifted, and several men were standing outside, with Zhu Kui at the head, smiling:

"My lord invites Principal to a meeting by the lake, I wonder if you would do us the honor?"

… …

… …

When Feng Ju, under duress, arrived at the north bank of the Hun River, which runs east-west across the capital, and got out of the carriage, a drizzle was faintly falling in the sky.

Dark clouds piled up, and the long river embankment was planted with willows.

On the gray, muddy river surface, a black awning boat floated, and a small boat was moored on the shore.

"Principal Feng, please."

Zhu Kui stared at him and gestured to "get on the boat."

Feng Ju felt uneasy, but as a scholar, he valued his reputation and did not believe that there would be danger under the emperor's feet. He instructed the coachman to wait, and happily boarded the boat.

Zhu Kui personally steered the boat, and soon the two boats docked. The old official dropped Feng Ju off and steered the boat back to the shore.

In this way, the conversation on the boat would not be known to a third person.

"The servants are crude, and the impolite invitation may be disrespectful. Principal Feng, please come in and sit down." A voice came.

Only then did Feng Ju discover that in the black awning, a man in luxurious clothes was sitting cross-legged, with an exceptionally handsome face.

In front of him was a small table, and he was holding a small fan to brew tea. Under the red clay stove, scarlet flames licked, and wisps of steam rose, with pastries placed around.

In the misty rain season, a black awning on the lake, brewing tea around the stove…

Feng Ju's DNA as a scholar was activated, shocked by this elegant and petty-bourgeois scene.

In a trance, he couldn't even tell whether he was 'kidnapped' or invited to a private gathering of literati.

"May I ask who this young master is…"

Feng Ju cautiously asked, unsure of the other party's intentions.

There were countless high-ranking officials and nobles in the capital, and Zhao Du'an had only risen to prominence in the past year. Feng Ju had never met him.

"Principal Feng doesn't recognize me?" Zhao Du'an feigned surprise and smiled:

"Then why did you ask Wang Xian to seek me out?"

Feng Ju was stunned and said in amazement:

"You are Zhao… Envoy Zhao?!"

He was dumbfounded, not understanding why the other party would find him, and even know that he was the person behind Wang Xian… This was against the rules!

A surge of anger suddenly rose in Feng Ju's heart, believing that Wang Xian had not followed the rules and had told the other party his identity as an intermediary.

Then, it turned into vigilance and doubt, unable to figure out the other party's intentions.

Zhao Du'an took his expression into his eyes and nodded slightly:

"It is I. Although the rain outside is light, it can easily cause a cold. Come in and sit down."

Feng Ju was suspicious and uneasy, stepped into the black awning, and sat down cross-legged opposite him.

At the same time, he carefully observed, and felt quite surprised in his heart.

In the rumors he had heard, Zhao Du'an, the 'male favorite of the Empress,' was a frivolous villain who had gained power overnight.

Arrogant and domineering to his subordinates, flattering and ingratiating to his superiors, born as a small soldier in the Imperial Guard, although he had a good appearance, his temperament was disgusting, and scholars were ashamed to be associated with him.

But witnessing it with his own eyes was very different.

The person in front of him was not only handsome and elegant, but also had a calm and restrained temperament, without the crudeness of a soldier. Instead, he had a faint scholarly air.

His demeanor was calm and composed, and he even had a bearing that had been immersed in officialdom for many years.

If Zhao Du'an knew what he was thinking, he would probably roll his eyes and say something superfluous.

After all, he was also a small-town exam taker who had been educated all the way to a prestigious university, and had been in the system for several years, following a big leader.

Influenced by what he saw and heard, coupled with insights far beyond the current era, he was really not afraid of a Ministry of Personnel Principal.

"I wonder why Envoy Zhao has invited this official here?"

Feng Ju cautiously asked, probing.