The First Lackey Under The Empress

The next morning, Zhao Du'an entered the dining hall to find freshly steamed meat buns just being placed on the table.

“Da Lang, you've come at the perfect time; breakfast is just ready.”

You Jinhua smiled radiantly, picked up a pair of brown wooden chopsticks, and took one of the fluffy white buns.

She cradled it in the palm of her other hand, puffed up her snowy cheeks, gently blew on it a few times, and placed it in his bowl.

His stepmother seemed to be in an exceptionally good mood today.

“Mm,” Zhao Du'an replied, preoccupied with his thoughts and not fully focused.

As he sat down, he grabbed a meat bun with his hand, took a bite, and asked curiously:

“Zhao Pan isn't here again?”

Huh, why did he say 'again'?

You Jinhua bit her lip and said tactfully, “She's not feeling well.”

Yesterday she said she had bloating, and today she's unwell again… Zhao Du'an glanced at her slightly embarrassed expression, and a thought struck him. He said:

“Could it be her '癸 water'?”

癸 water, meaning 'red tide,' also known as 'Auntie.'

Upon hearing this, You Jinhua, even at her age of having already borne children, blushed slightly with embarrassment, stammering and unable to answer.

Although the Da Yu Dynasty had relatively open customs, as a concubine, she still couldn't bring herself to openly discuss such topics with her stepson.

So, he guessed right… Zhao Du'an clicked his tongue and said nothing more.

The two ate in silence at the dining table.

After a while, You Jinhua finally escaped the awkward atmosphere and remembered something happy. She said:

“Da Lang, there's something I wanted to tell you. Saltpeter really can make ice.”

You Jinhua had experimented yesterday with trepidation and actually succeeded.

Although only a thin layer formed due to the heat in the room,

it was undoubtedly a genuine piece of ice.

If she made more and lowered the room temperature, the thickness of the ice should increase.

She wanted to tell him last night, but Zhao Du'an went straight to bed after returning, so she held back until now.

“Is that so? Not bad.”

Zhao Du'an wasn't surprised, after all, he had already seen the process through the 'Romance Mirror.'

You Jinhua said happily:

“Your aunt has calculated that buying saltpeter is much cheaper, so the whole family won't be sweltering this dog days of summer.”

Zhao Du'an smiled:

“Is your aunt satisfied with just that?”

You Jinhua was stunned, not understanding.

Zhao Du'an didn't explain further but began to calculate in his mind.

You Jinhua's successful verification meant that the formula was indeed feasible, but because the method was too simple, it would be difficult to establish an "industry barrier."

He could only take advantage of this hot summer to make a quick buck and leave.

This would require the assistance of a large-scale commercial entity, but Zhao Du'an only wanted to make a quick profit and had no interest in doing business.

Who should he partner with?

With his status, it wouldn't be difficult to find a merchant with the formula, but finding a reliable and trustworthy one wouldn't be easy.

After all, it was a highly profitable business with a low barrier to entry…

“Forget it, I'll think about it later.”

Zhao Du'an still had to go to the palace today to get firsthand news after the court session.

To determine the fate of Xia Jianghou and Princess Yunyang.

Although Ma Yan said he didn't need to worry, Zhao Du'an wouldn't feel at ease unless he saw it with his own eyes.

He quickly finished his meal, dropped the words "I'm done eating," dressed neatly, picked up his saber, and walked outside.

Reaching the hanging flower gate, he hesitated slightly, then turned and walked towards the厢房.

...

...

Zhao Pan'er's boudoir was in the west wing.

After a night, the room had accumulated waves of stuffy heat.

The window was open, and the white of the eastern sky mixed with fresh air, dispelling the turbid heat in the room.

“Splash—”

Inside the room, Zhao Pan stood in front of the washstand, scooped up water from the basin, and wet her face.

The young girl's oval face, perfectly inheriting her mother's beauty, had eyelashes that fluttered like small brushes, and water droplets rolled down her fair neck.

Her messy and fluffy black hair, not yet styled, added a bit of laziness.

The girl's slightly thin figure, only wrapped in a white undergarment, revealed a hint of weakness.

“Huff.”

Zhao Pan wiped her face, covered her lower abdomen with one hand, and frowned as she walked to the window.

Looking towards the front yard, she thought that her mother and that person should be eating at this time.

She didn't want to go, not just because she was feeling unwell.

Also because, every time the three of them ate at the same table, her mother always diligently took care of that "elder brother."

It seemed to make her the outsider.

Zhao Pan certainly understood the intention of her mother's actions.

After all, as Zhao Du'an said, what she and her mother ate, wore, and used… all came from him.

Including being able to live peacefully without suffering malice from the outside world, all relied on him.

So, what qualifications did she have to blame anyone?

But the sourness and grievance in her heart couldn't be dispelled.

In the girl's vague memories, she still remembered when she and her mother first came to the Zhao family.

That "elder brother," although he also had a stern face, wasn't actually bad.

At that time, she was still young and didn't understand too much. Perhaps out of instinct, she liked to play with the handsome elder brother.

Although he always looked impatient, Zhao Pan enjoyed it, even if she was chased away repeatedly, but children were forgetful and would soon run back happily.

Once, Zhao's father ordered Zhao Du'an to take her out to buy pastries. Zhao Du'an, annoyed by her, left her alone by the roadside.

Little Zhao Pan squatted blankly in place, not daring to leave, eagerly waiting for her brother to return, but only attracted a group of beggars who tried to snatch the longevity lock from her body. When she refused, they attacked her with fists and feet.

Zhao Pan still remembered that Zhao Du'an, who had returned with the pastries, rushed into the crowd like a mad dog, enduring the chaotic blows to rescue her. His face was bruised for a whole month before it got better.

At that moment, Zhao Pan felt that having an elder brother was really good.

But that was the only beautiful memory left. After that, as Zhao Du'an entered his rebellious phase, the relationship between the siblings became increasingly cold. When he moved out, it was as if they were strangers.

Then, Zhao Du'an suddenly gained power and his temperament changed drastically, turning into the "evil wolf" in her eyes.

Zhao Pan wrapped herself in her undergarment, thinking about the past.

Before her eyes, she seemed to see the "elder brother" whom she once liked so much, and now disliked so much.

Wait… it wasn't just a feeling!

“Heh, what are you doing here like an idiot? Learning to wait for your husband?”

Zhao Du'an mocked, wearing the Jisi official robe and carrying his long saber.

Zhao Pan was stunned, a soft cry caught in her throat.

Then her face flushed red, and she stretched out her arms to close the window—she was only wearing her undergarment!

“Bang!”

However, Zhao Du'an's large hand held onto the two window frames, glancing at her:

“What, you don't want to see me that much?”

“You… let go!” Zhao Pan used all her strength, but the window didn't budge.

Zhao Du'an sighed:

“Shouldn't you be hugging your arms?”

Zhao Pan was stunned, and then belatedly released her hands as if electrocuted, hugging herself and guarding herself:

“What are you going to do?”

But then Zhao Du'an lightning-fast, reached out and tapped her on the shoulder, pouring in a stream of pure martial artist energy, turned and left:

“Here to deliver warmth.”

He muttered in his heart:

Inexplicable, wearing so tightly, what is there to be afraid of people seeing, what about the so-called open atmosphere…

Deliver warmth?

Zhao Pan stood in place in a daze, seeming not to understand what had happened.

Until she felt a warm feeling in her lower abdomen, as if there was a flow of air circling around, and it actually didn't hurt anymore.

The girl suddenly woke up, looked in the direction where her "elder brother" left, and couldn't recover for a long time.

“He… is he caring about me?”

Outside the gate.

Zhao Du'an, who had casually sent out a wave of warmth, felt refreshed and stepped into the carriage.

He said to the coachman Xiao Wang, who had been waiting outside:

“Enter the palace.”

At this time, the great sun had leaped out of the horizon, and the entire capital was shrouded in sunlight.

It was another sunny day… but for some reason, Zhao Du'an suddenly had a feeling of dark clouds overhead.

...

...

Palace, outside Wu Gate.

As early as dawn, officials had arrived in the wide square.

For ordinary small court meetings, the number of participants was only dozens of people, but at this moment, they were in groups of three or five, clearly separated.

Many officials discussed in low voices, their eyes tacitly glancing at two people in the crowd.

Minister of the Court of Judicial Review: Zhou Cheng

Director of the Imperial Prison: Ma Yan

Obviously, the conflict that occurred in the two departments last night had already spread in the circle. All the civil and military officials knew that there would be a show to watch this morning.

“Clang—”

As the bell of Wu Gate rang, the officials tacitly silenced.

Following the steps of the leading eunuch, they stepped into the Golden Luan Hall and entered their respective ranks.

Then, the Da Yu female emperor, who had changed into a dragon robe and had a crown with hanging beads, arrived late, sat on the dragon chair, and looked down at the ministers:

“Do you gentlemen have any reports?”

“This minister has a report!”

Unsurprisingly, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, wearing a crimson official robe, with a square face and a clear “川” character pattern on his eyebrows, stepped out.

Walking a few steps to the front of the hall, holding a memorial:

“This minister, Zhou Cheng, Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, impeaches Ma Yan, Director of the Imperial Prison, for allowing his subordinate Zhao Du'an of Lihua Hall to commit violence, forcibly break into the Court of Judicial Review, forcibly detain Xia Jianghou, and injure thirteen officials, including Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review He Zheng. He disregards the law and acts recklessly…”

Zhou Cheng's voice was sonorous and powerful, like a steel knife, every sentence stained with killing intent.

He described the conflict that happened last night.

Although the officials had already heard about it, they were not sure about the truth of the details.

Hearing the impeachment at this moment, they were all secretly shocked, and the gazes they looked at Ma Yan were filled with hostility.

Common hatred!

For the ministers, the Imperial Prison was their common enemy.

Moreover, this time, even a big figure like the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review was attacked, which undoubtedly easily aroused their empathy.

Above the throne, the female emperor listened quietly, behind the curtain of pearls, was her majestic and calm face.

If Zhao Du'an was here, he would definitely discover another side of Zhen Bao. Compared to her in white clothes, Xu Zhenguan at this moment was more like an emperor of life and death.

“Ma Yan, how do you explain?” The female emperor lowered her eyes and looked at the latter.

The great eunuch with a cold face and messy eyebrows was calm, and also took out a memorial from his sleeve and presented it with both hands:

“What this minister wants to say is all in the memorial.”

Next to him, an eunuch handed the two memorials up.

Zhou Cheng, Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, said loudly upon seeing this:

“Your Majesty, the context of this matter is clear and undeniable. This minister only needs Director Ma to answer one sentence, whether he forcibly broke into my Court of Judicial Review and arrested the prisoner who was first detained by my Court of Judicial Review.”

Xu Zhenguan held the two memorials that had just been delivered, without opening them, and looked at Ma Yan.

The ministers also cast their gazes on him.

Ma Yan met the countless hostile gazes and nodded calmly:

“Yes.”

Wow——

In an instant, the entire court was in an uproar.

…………

Severe card text, only squeezed out this chapter in the afternoon, holding head.

Thanks to godess-moon for the 1500 coin reward!