The First Lackey Under The Empress

#121 - Killing

Xu Zhenguan shook her head.

With her cultivation, she was still far from reaching the immortal realm where "every word spoken is known."

Therefore, the Empress, diligently working overtime in the imperial study, did not know that her silent arrangement had already been discovered by Zhao Du'an.

"Knock, knock."

The door was suddenly knocked on, and Xu Zhenguan simply put down her pen and said:

"Enter."

The door creaked open, and Mo Zhaorong, dressed in a female official's robe and wearing a wingless black gauze hat, walked in and reported:

"Your Majesty, something has happened at the Dali Temple."

"Oh?"

Xu Zhenguan raised her slender, dark eyebrows: "Speak."

Mo Chou briefly narrated the events.

Rarely, did she "add fuel to the fire" because this matter involved Zhao Du'an.

"So, Zhao Du'an went to arrest someone, the Minister of the Dali Temple refused, and Ma Yan stepped in to forcibly take them away?" The Empress summarized and asked.

"Yes."

"Alright, I understand."

"…Your Majesty, at the morning court tomorrow, the Minister of the Dali Temple will likely not let this go easily," Mo Chou calmly analyzed:

"Marquis Xiajiang is nothing, but the conflict involves the Three Judicial Offices and the Zhao Yamen. If not handled properly, it will ultimately…"

Xu Zhenguan said faintly:

"I already have a plan and will give them an answer."

Mo Chou was stunned.

She noticed that the Empress before her had become increasingly assertive recently. Facing the court officials, she was no longer as cautious as before, but possessed more of the decisiveness of an emperor.

This change largely occurred after "Pei Kai Zhi" was removed from his post.

This landmark event seemed to only replace a vice-minister.

But in reality, it meant that the Empress's control over the court had reached a new level.

Mo Chou was somewhat happy for her.

In the two years since her ascension to the throne, she had personally witnessed how the "Third Princess" gradually took back the imperial power.

Although there was still a considerable distance to go before truly and completely controlling the court, this was already a gratifying trend.

"Yes. This servant will take her leave," Mo Chou bowed and turned to leave.

Xu Zhenguan held the celadon coiling dragon penholder, and suddenly smiled with curiosity:

"You didn't say anything bad about him this time, which is rare."

"He" obviously referred to Zhao Du'an.

Mo Chou paused.

Involuntarily, she recalled the previous days when she had righteously complained that Zhao Du'an was causing chaos and flaunting his power in the Zhao Yamen, only to be swiftly slapped in the face.

This crushing defeat had greatly depleted the "female prime minister's" energy, and she had taken two full days to recover.

Summarizing the lessons learned, she decided not to repeat the same mistakes.

Unexpectedly, she was teased by the Empress. For a moment, she felt ashamed and embarrassed, and after a moment of silence, she suddenly blurted out:

"Your Majesty should also remind Lord Zhao to be more careful. Titles like 'Old Xu' are fine to say in private, but it's really inappropriate for the palace maids to hear."

After speaking, she excused herself and left, disappearing outside the door.

Only the white-robed Empress remained, holding the celadon penholder, sitting behind the desk, her fairy-like face gradually showing confusion:

"Old…Xu?"

…

When Zhao Du'an bid farewell to Ma Yan and walked out of the Governor's office, he felt a warmth in his heart.

He indeed had not expected that all of this was arranged by the Empress.

"No wonder my ruthless and heartless senior brother agreed so readily, and wasn't even afraid of the Minister of the Dali Temple. It turns out that he had already received Zhenbao's approval…"

"I was wondering when my flattery skills had become so amazing. Old Ma was so helpful this time… Everything makes sense now."

With his doubts resolved, Zhao Du'an felt a sense of relief in his heart, and his steps became lighter.

Despite putting on an appearance of being in control of everything at the Dali Temple.

In reality, provoking a conflict between two yamen… was really difficult for a small arresting officer like him.

However, after Ma Yan revealed the truth, he no longer needed to worry about the follow-up.

"Just wait for the morning court tomorrow to see how things settle."

Zhao Du'an summoned the coachman, Xiao Wang, and headed home in the night, instructing:

"I need to go to the palace tomorrow. I should arrive around the time court adjourns, so estimate the time and come pick me up."

After all, it was caused by him, and Zhao Du'an would not feel at ease if he didn't see it with his own eyes.

Especially… there was also Princess Yunyang, and he didn't know how the Empress would deal with her.

After all, they were aunt and niece, and Zhao Du'an felt a headache just thinking about it.

"Oh, oh."

The coachman Xiao Wang responded without asking any further questions, and the carriage drove through the streets.

Neither of them noticed that in the distance, from a dark alleyway, several people wearing gray cloaks slowly walked out, watching the carriage leave.

These people were all wearing veils, and the leader had a indigo-blue ghost mask covering his face.

It was the "branch master" sent by the Kuangfu Society to the capital, replacing Zhuang Xiaocheng.

"Branch master, are we just going to let him leave like that?"

One person asked in a low voice, somewhat eager to act.

The branch master, covered by the ghost mask, slowly shook his head:

"Wait a little longer. It's a pleasant surprise that the conflict between the Zhao Yamen and the Dali Temple was provoked so quickly.

Don't forget our purpose. Compared to killing a pretty boy, shaking the court and weakening the pseudo-emperor's control over the Great Yu is the most important thing.

If we kill this person at this time, it will only add variables, causing the Dali Temple to lose its target of hatred and weakening the hostile emotions between the two sides.

It will also cause the court to unite against a common enemy… which would not be good.

He's just a pretty boy. Let him live another day. When the morning court is convened tomorrow and the two yamen confront each other in the golden hall, killing him then will be more secure."

The other Kuangfu Society members were immediately filled with admiration, impressed by the branch master's wisdom:

"The branch master is far-sighted, our great cause will surely succeed."

After that, the group of people disappeared into the depths of the dark alley.

After they left, just across from the alley entrance, on a hundred-year-old willow tree, the air quietly distorted.

A petite girl's figure emerged:

She wore a black Taoist robe embroidered with the "Tianshi Mansion" emblem, exuding a mysterious aura, her eyes unfocused, appearing somewhat dazed.

Jin Jian silently sat on the branch of the large willow tree, a thoughtful look on her small face.

After a moment, she ultimately did not act rashly.

She simply transformed into a wisp of starlight and sped off in the direction of the Tianshi Mansion.

…

Shortly after.

Jin Jian once again arrived deep within the Tianshi Mansion, outside that quiet, secluded courtyard.

Pushing open the courtyard door, she saw the huge, lush banyan tree swaying its verdant branches, emitting a shimmering light that illuminated the entire small courtyard.

Beneath the tree.

Zhang Yan Yi sat cross-legged on the ground, taking the sky as his blanket and the ground as his bed, seemingly lost in thought.

In front of the Old Celestial Master, on that low table, was a casually spread-out green jade bamboo slip, with a carving knife discarded beside it.

That incomparably precious, thousands-of-years-old Heavenly Book, constantly revised by generations of Celestial Masters, had once again had a considerable number of words erased and new sentences carved onto it.

"Eh? Master, you're revising the book again."

Jin Jian was stunned for a moment and walked over curiously.

Seeing that her master seemed not to hear her, completely ignoring her, as if he were traveling in the ethereal realm, leaving only a shell behind.

She squatted down, stretched her neck, and looked at the bamboo slips called "Heavenly Book," murmuring:

"Man follows Earth, Earth follows Heaven, Heaven follows Dao, Dao follows… Nature?"

Jin Jian muttered in confusion: "What does 'Dao follows Nature' mean?"

Zhang Yan Yi suddenly spoke: "Your teacher is also wondering."

Ah!

Jin Jian was startled and widened her eyes:

"Master, you weren't lost in thought."

"En. Just thinking about some things."

"Hmm… these new sentences, were they said by your 'little friend' again?"

"En. When your teacher first heard them, although I felt amazed and delighted, I wasn't puzzled. But when I came back to revise the book, I became confused."

Zhang Yan Yi looked at the night sky and said:

"Writing is the best form of thinking. Before the existence of written words, ancient sages also used dialogue to think. Many confusions in the world, you think you understand, but only when you put it to pen and speak it out will you realize you don't understand."

Jin Jian listened with a blank expression and honestly said:

"This disciple doesn't understand."

Zhang Yan Yi withdrew his gaze, smiled, raised his hand, and touched Jin Jian's head, saying:

"It's teaching you to write more and think more."

Writing books is boring… Jin Jian muttered, curiously:

"Does Master also have things he doesn't understand?"

"There are many," Zhang Yan Yi said with a gentle smile:

"For example, the word 'Dao.' When I was ten years old, I thought I understood it. At twenty, I realized I didn't. At thirty, I thought I had comprehended it, and at forty, I realized that the previous me didn't understand at all… This cycle repeats itself.

About sixty years ago, I completely read through this Heavenly Book of our sect and thought I had no more doubts.

For the next sixty years, there were no new insights, but today, I was shocked to realize that the 'Dao' that I had previously seen through had become unfamiliar again."

The Old Celestial Master's face did not show disappointment or frustration, but was instead rosy and filled with anticipation like a child.

What he didn't say was that he had just connected with the Heavenly Dao and had a faint premonition:

When he completely overthrew and revised the Heavenly Book in his hands.

The day the New Heavenly Book was finalized.

Would be the time when he took another step forward in his cultivation of the Heavenly Dao.

And all of this would depend on that young man surnamed Zhao… The Old Celestial Master was somewhat distracted.

He wondered how a mortal martial artist could repeatedly utter such profound words?

Had there ever been such a figure in history?

After thinking it over, only the Great Yu Taizu six hundred years ago was somewhat similar.

"Oh, right, what did you come to me for again?" Zhang Yan Yi came back to his senses.

Jin Jian was reminded and finally remembered her purpose.

She hurriedly told him about the "new things" she had just seen, and at the end, said:

"Master, those rebels seem to want to deal with Zhao Du'an, the envoy from the Baima Prison. This disciple wants to help him."

There was an unwritten rule within the Tianshi Mansion, which was not to interfere in the struggles of the imperial court.

If the imperial court came to ask for help in battle, they could help depending on the situation.

But the Tianshi Mansion would not actively intervene in disputes, even if they discovered rebels, they would just pretend they didn't see them.

It was precisely because of adhering to this rule, coupled with their powerful foundation, that the Tianshi Mansion had been able to stand for thousands of years, watching generations of imperial power change, remaining unshaken.

"Oh, is that so?" Zhang Yan Yi was not surprised at all, smiled, and said:

"Then go. Right, I also need to tell you something. Do you have the 'Imperial God Talisman' that I gave you for protection with you?"

Jin Jian nodded seriously and patted her small belly:

"I'm keeping it close to my body here."

Zhang Yan Yi said:

"If anyone asks you later, you can say that you gave the talisman to that Zhao Du'an. Remember?"

Jin Jian was puzzled and didn't understand:

"But this disciple didn't give it to him. It's right here."

She patted her small belly again, indicating that she was keeping it very close to her body and hadn't lost it.

"… Your teacher knows. If someone asks, just say that."

"Okay."

"Don't forget."