The First Lackey Under The Empress

Morning, inside the Zhao family residence, in the bedroom.

“Huff.” As Zhao Dou’an pried open his eyelids and abruptly woke up, he couldn't help but shiver, cursing in his mind:

“Old Xu is going too far!”

Last night, during his visualization, he followed the Great Yu Emperor into the snowy plains and unfortunately encountered a storm. Faced with the terrifying power of nature, Zhao Dou’an originally wanted to dig a hole and hide.

But Old Xu didn't even turn his head back and plunged headfirst into the storm. Helpless, Zhao Dou’an had to grit his teeth and follow, nearly freezing into an ice sculpture.

He had no choice but to end the visualization early, using the “log off” method to catch his breath.

As a result, he dreamt of being frozen for the entire second half of the night.

Rubbing his sleepy eyes, Zhao Dou’an got out of bed, relieved to find that he hadn't sweated from the heat this time—the ice basin in the room had already melted into water.

He arrived at the dining hall.

The concubine and younger sister had also finished washing up. The family of three sat side by side, eating steamed buns.

“Oh, you’re here for breakfast today?”

Zhao Dou’an looked at his younger sister in surprise.

Pretty and charming, inheriting her mother's beauty, Zhao Pan was without makeup, her hair was wet and draped over her shoulders. Facing his teasing, she was unexpectedly docile.

This made Zhao Dou’an a little disappointed. If he didn't bully this cheap younger sister, he felt like life was missing a bit of fun.

“Young Master, have your medicine.”

You Jinhua got up and presented a bowl of freshly prepared tonic soup with both hands.

The beautiful stepmother had a simple, elegant bun today, very homely, her face full of gentle smiles.

“…Can I not drink it?”

Zhao Dou’an's smile disappeared, his heart extremely resistant.

You Jinhua looked like a little woman who had done something wrong, biting her lip:

“Is it not to Young Master's taste? Your concubine saw that you have been very tired recently, so I brewed some tonic…”

It's not… It's just that your name also has 'Gold' in it… Zhao Dou’an sighed.

He took the bowl and drank it in one gulp.

You Jinhua revealed a motherly smile, diligently serving him food. Zhao Pan also showed a rare, well-behaved, and gentle demeanor.

A warm and harmonious dining scene from an ordinary family, but in the Zhao family, it seemed like the first time ever.

“Young Master, what style of sachet do you like?”

Just as he was finishing eating, You Jinhua suddenly asked.

Zhao Dou’an was taken aback: “What do you mean, Concubine?”

The beautiful woman smiled and said:

“Young Master is busy with official duties, perhaps you've forgotten? In a few days, it will be the Qiqiao Festival.”

Qiqiao Festival… Great Yu also has this festival.

However, this world does not have the story of the Magpie Bridge. During the Qiqiao Festival, women often gather to eat, drink, and enjoy the moon, and compare their needlework.

According to Great Yu customs, the women in the family must sew sachets for the men in their family to showcase their needlework skills, and the men will symbolically give some jewelry in return.

The Zhao family only has one male, and he is not yet married.

Therefore, You Jinhua is already preparing to sew a sachet for her stepson.

“Ah, anything is fine with me.”

Zhao Dou’an was not picky. After all, in his previous life, he bought clothes by scanning shopping apps, always sorting by sales volume. He smiled and said:

“Whatever Concubine chooses, I will like it.”

You Jinhua was completely defenseless against such words, moved to tears, smiling and crying at the same time.

Crap… I forgot to maintain my persona…

Zhao Dou’an put on a straight face, put down his chopsticks, and fled as if escaping.

… …

After the meal.

You Jinhua happily dragged her daughter into the room to choose patterns from the picture book. On the table were newly bought colorful threads.

“What do you think of this one? It's bright and pretty, it suits your older brother very well, but it's a bit too flashy, not steady enough.”

“This one is better, grand and dignified, with an official air, and it also has the meaning of rapid promotion, but it's too old-fashioned.”

“What about this one? What about this one? Aiya, you silly girl, I'm asking you to help me choose, but you don't say a word.”

The young girl, with a plain face, like a lotus flower emerging from clear water, sat on a round stool.

Looking at her mother beside her, her autumn-like eyes stared blankly at the needle and thread box on the table.

Hearing her mother's call, she finally came back to her senses. The usually silent girl, who didn't get along with Zhao Dou’an, suddenly said:

“Mother, why don't you sew one of each style?”

You Jinhua helplessly poked her forehead with her finger:

“A woman can only give one, and besides, there are only a few days left. Do you want to exhaust your mother to death?”

Zhao Pan said sullenly: “I can also sew one for him.”

You Jinhua was stunned, suspecting that her daughter had changed her personality.

… …

… …

At the entrance of the house.

The coachman, Little Wang, was already waiting. After investigation, it was confirmed that he was not involved in the assassination that day.

After waking up from his coma that day, after learning that Zhao Dou’an, with his mortal body, had killed the swordsman Gao Li, the little coachman was greatly shocked, and even looked at his superior with a trace of worship.

“Let’s go.” Zhao Dou’an got into the carriage casually and ordered.

The carriage rumbled away, but today it did not go to the Imperial Prison or the Baima Prison.

After passing through four streets, it arrived at a teahouse. Zhao Dou’an ordered Little Wang to wait below, and he walked upstairs.

He successfully spotted two figures at a square table by the window upstairs.

“Haha, you two have been waiting for a long time.”

Zhao Dou’an greeted with a smile, slowly walking over and sitting down.

At the square table were the Peony Hall Master Zhang Han and the Narcissus Hall Leader Haitang.

Today, the two Imperial Guards were not wearing uniforms. Like Zhao Dou’an, they were both in plain clothes, sitting and waiting.

With a high ponytail, long legs, and a heroic appearance, Haitang, known for her intelligence, rolled her eyes, threw down the sunflower seed shells in her hand, and said indifferently:

“Imperial Guard Zhao is really punctual, you don’t even come half a step early.”

Two days had passed since the assassination.

Although Zhao Dou’an had received the Empress's mission, he was not in a hurry to act, but rather delayed for two days, in order to make the Dali Temple relax its vigilance.

Regarding finding the crimes of the Dali Temple Minister, the Empress also informed Ma Yan, ordering him to assist Zhao Dou’an and provide him with necessary help.

Ma Yan simply waved his pen and sent two Imperial Guards to be Zhao Dou’an's deputies—allowing the two Imperial Guards of the Divine Manifestation Realm, currently ranked in the top two of the Nine Halls, to assist Zhao Dou’an, filling his resume.

Equivalent to the fact that Zhao Dou’an, the Pear Blossom Hall Master, could mobilize the manpower of as many as three halls.

And they were the most elite group of people in the Imperial Prison.

The nickname “Little Yama” became more and more worthy of the name.

Zhao Dou’an laughed and grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds from in front of Haitang.

Ignoring the female warrior's eye roll, he smiled and said:

“Investigating a case is not urgent, the key is to do things right. How is it? Did you get the information I asked you to investigate?”

Zhang Han, who was fair-skinned and ranked first in the Nine Halls, sat upright at the table, with a focused attitude as if in a meeting.

Hearing this, he placed a scroll on the table and said calmly:

“This is what we have screened, the most likely thing to find Zhou Cheng's weakness.”

That's right!

Zhao Dou’an's first task for them was to use the Imperial Prison's intelligence network to find Zhou Cheng's flaws.

In order to find a breakthrough to tear open the golden body of this third-rank official.

“That's it?”

Zhao Dou’an raised his hand and pressed it down, feeling the thickness of the scroll bag, a little disappointed:

“I thought that such a big figure who has been ups and downs in the officialdom for many years should have a bunch of dark spots.”

Although he complained, Zhao Dou’an still trusted the “business level” of the two colleagues.

He immediately opened the paper bag, took out the information inside, and looked down to read.

Haitang “呸” spit out two sunflower seed shells, too lazy to explain.

Thinking, who do you think is like you, wanting to deal with someone, just sell a teammate? We good people don't have your kind of unique conditions.

At this time, Zhao Dou’an also roughly scanned the information from the past, raising his eyebrows:

“An old case from thirteen years ago? What does this have to do with Zhou Cheng?”