The First Lackey Under The Empress

"Yes!"

The coachman responded, tucked the whip into his waist, and then asked for instructions:

"After finding the person, should we just grab them?"

He Zheng rubbed his mustache with his thumb, a habitual action when he was thinking, and shook his head:

"No need, just confirm he's there, no need to alarm him. Then wait outside. There are too many people inside, wait for him to come out, then tie him up and interrogate him."

He kept Zhou Cheng's instructions in mind, trying to avoid alarming Zhao Du'an prematurely.

Watching his personal guard head towards the Jiaofang Division, the green-robed official lightly tapped his knee, his gaze drifting into the distance:

After two days of investigation, he hadn't found any clues about Zhao Du'an having affairs behind the Empress's back.

However, he did learn that this "Qin Qiu" was Zhao's close follower. If he could pry open his mouth, there might be a breakthrough.

… …

East City.

After leaving the teahouse, Zhao Du'an and his party headed straight towards their target's location.

As they got closer to the east side, the buildings on both sides of the street became visibly dilapidated.

Unsurprisingly, if the capital were divided into four quadrants, it could be roughly summarized as:

North for the noble, West for the rich, East for the poor, South for the lively.

East City was where most of the poor people lived.

Yes, even under the Emperor's feet, in the most civilized place, there was no shortage of impoverished people.

"That Xue Xuan's private school is located here?"

Zhao Du'an lifted the curtain of the carriage, curiously looking around.

Haitang, riding a horse beside the carriage, walked alongside him and said indifferently:

"Otherwise? Grand Tutor Dong only saved her life, but as the daughter of a convicted official, what prospects could she have in the capital?

Moreover, female teachers are rare even today. Let alone a few years ago?

Only in the East City, where many families can't afford to send their children to good schools, are they willing to accept a female teacher. Even so, she probably only teaches young children."

Understood, a private kindergarten… As Zhao Du'an looked around, he saw a large courtyard ahead, seemingly filled with children, and asked curiously:

"Is that also a school?"

Haitang curled her lip:

"That's the Jigu Institute, a type of charity house that specializes in taking in orphans. You don't even know that, do you?"

Zhao Du'an asked curiously: "Oh, is it funded by the government?"

"Yes, but relying solely on the government's allocation isn't enough," Haitang sneered:

"When the silver allocated to the charity houses is distributed, so many people take a cut, and there's not much left.

Especially in the poorest East City, there were even cases of people starving to death in previous years. But it's been better in recent years. I heard that a divine official regularly makes private donations, supporting many orphans."

There's such a philanthropist?

Zhao Du'an was a little surprised, then curiously asked:

"You seem to be very familiar with these things."

"More than a pampered young master like you," Haitang rolled her eyes:

"Stop talking nonsense, we're almost there. By the way, when we get there, don't speak. Zhang Han and I will ask, so as not to scare people."

Perhaps because Zhao Du'an stabbed her during the incident with the spy, Haitang's words were tinged with sarcasm.

Am I that scary… I suspect you're subtly criticizing me.

"Hehe, I won't speak then."

Lord Zhao had a broad mind and didn't argue with this young woman.

Mainly, he also knew that he had a notorious reputation among the people, a purely villainous image of a纨绔 and ruthless character.

If Haitang could obtain information with kind words, he wouldn't bother to intervene.

… …

… …

East City, Zhongfang Street.

The people here all knew that in the Huajian Alley on one side of the street, the third house, with a large willow tree in front of the door, lived a female teacher.

The female teacher moved here more than ten years ago, when she was still a tender young girl, accompanied only by an old couple.

It was said that she was a young lady from an official family who moved from the North City.

Due to suffering hardship, she ended up in Zhongfang Street, and the old couple accompanying her were her original family servants.

Early in the morning, some of the women nearby would successively bring their young children here, sending them to the private school opened by Xue's wife to study, and then take them back in the afternoon.

Children who lived nearby would also run over by themselves.

Today was no exception.

After the sun rose, children ran over one after another. After entering the courtyard, they would respectfully bow to the elegant woman standing in the courtyard and call out:

"Teacher."

Chirping and chattering, it was quite lively.

Xue Xuan would wear a woman's Confucian robe, smiling and nodding to each of them.

She was only in her early twenties, with a slender and weak figure, but her gestures were full of scholarly air, rare in this neighborhood.

Perhaps her face was naturally thin, even when speaking normally, her cheeks were slightly flushed.

"Teacher! These are spring rolls fried by my mother, she asked me to bring them to you!"

A girl of about five or six years old, with a cute and well-behaved appearance, with pigtails, ran in from outside the door with a small box.

She almost tripped when entering the door, and exclaimed in fright, Xue Xuan hurriedly went to help her.

But the little girl stood firm on her own, with a silly smile on her face, eagerly holding up the lunch box like a treasure and shouting:

"Teacher eat, teacher eat!"

Because she was short, so small, holding up the box was just enough to reach Xue Xuan's chest.

The little girl tried hard to tiptoe, but couldn't reach it no matter what.

Xue Xuan's face bloomed with a gentle smile, she raised her hand and rubbed the girl's hair, took the lunch box, and asked with a soft voice and smile:

"How many did your mother fry? Did you eat any?"

This girl was a little slow, and also one of the youngest among the children, so Xue Xuan took extra care of her.

The girl counted on her fingers, seriously counting:

"One, two, three… six, my mother fried six, and said they were for the teacher, and wouldn't let Nannan eat."

A slightly disappointed expression.

Xue Xuan smiled, helped her tidy up her pigtails, and handed the lunch box back to her:

“Sir, class is about to start. Nannan will keep this for you. Go to the school to recite your lessons, and we'll eat together at noon, okay? We'll share it half and half.”

The girl was very happy and ran cheerfully into the house.

Before all the children arrive, they recite their lessons on their own. Class only starts when everyone is present.

At this moment, there are already tender voices reading aloud in the house.

Xue Xuan smiled and stood up straight. After seeing a few more children, the entrance finally became quiet.

“Miss, I’m going to the shop to buy paper money and incense. Is there anything you want to tell me?”

At this moment, an old servant with gray hair walked over and said softly.

The old servant was carrying a bamboo basket. Although he was dressed plainly, one could still vaguely discern the air of someone who had only been cultivated in a wealthy family.

The smile on Xue Xuan's face slowly faded.

A trace of loneliness appeared in the eyes of this woman, who had fallen to this state and had once been very rich and noble.

A momentary sadness flashed across her face, and she forced a smile, speaking gently and softly:

“There’s nothing to tell you. I’ve always been at ease with your work, Uncle Fu.”

The old servant named Fu Bo revealed a comforting smile:

“I don’t remember things as clearly as when I was younger. In two days, it will be Master’s memorial day.

Last year, I almost forgot to buy wine. Fortunately, you remembered, Miss. Master didn’t care about money when he was alive, but he loved a good sip of yellow wine.

If I forget again, and after a few more years, this old servant goes down too, I'll meet Master and Madam, and they'll scold me for not being thorough in my work.”

Xue Xuan's eyes were slightly red. She squeezed out a smile and wanted to say a few words, but she choked up a little.

Thirteen years. It has been a full thirteen years since the Xue family was exterminated. Xue Xuan, who had luckily escaped with her life that year, had already grown up.

And the couple, Uncle Fu, who were the only ones who hadn't left, were also old.

The neighbors in Zhongfang Street only knew that Xue Xuan was originally the daughter of an official.

But these people of low status didn't know that this "Miss Xue," whose nature was gentle yet strong, knowledgeable and reasonable, and praised by everyone around her, was once the only daughter of a fourth-rank official.

Not only did they not know, but Xue Xuan herself was gradually forgetting.

Only on this day, the memorial day for her family, would she be forced to recall the tragic extermination of her family in the past.

Is there hatred in her heart?

Naturally, there is. It is a deep-seated, blood-sea-deep hatred.

But the enemy who framed Xue Lin and caused the Xue family to be exterminated that year has risen step by step, and is now a big figure that she, an ant, can't even see.

What can she do?

Xue Xuan could only wipe away the moisture from the corners of her eyes, squeeze out a smile, and make herself forget those painful pasts.

However, at this moment, the sound of carriages and horses came from outside Huajian Lane.

Then, three uninvited guests appeared in the shadow of the big willow tree.

“Who are you looking for?” Uncle Fu asked suspiciously and vigilantly.

The visitors were naturally Zhao Du'an and his two companions.

At this moment, he was also curiously sizing up this simple private school, his gaze passing over the old servant and landing on the scholarly, thin-skinned, and rosy-cheeked young lady behind him.

He instantly determined that this person was a descendant of Xue Lin.

For no other reason than that, even after more than ten years of hardship, the temperament of a lady from a noble family that had been cultivated in her bones was still too outstanding among this group of grassroots people.

Just the way this woman stood there was enough to have the five words "My ancestors were rich" welded to her forehead.

“Miss Xue, we meet again.”

Haitang said with a smile.

She had come to the door a long time ago when investigating the case files, but at that time, she only briefly understood the situation and reported the name of the Zhao Ya official.

Xue Xuan also recognized her, her expression changed slightly, and her eyes showed an imperceptible coldness and alienation:

“So it’s the officials arriving, I’m sorry for not welcoming you properly. These two must be your friends?”

Official… Zhao Du'an’s expression was strange as he glanced at Haitang:

You said I scare people, you’re not much better.

Haitang nodded with a smile:

“These two are my colleagues. We are visiting today because we want to learn more about Lord Xue Lin’s case back then. Last time, we were delayed by something and left in a hurry, so we couldn’t talk in depth, so…”

Before she could finish speaking, Xue Xuan shook her head respectfully and said:

“My father committed heinous crimes. I am grateful to Heaven for allowing me to survive. The government has already concluded the case, and all relevant case files must be there. If you officials want to know more, please investigate. I don’t know anything about the affairs of the court.”

Tsk, she’s obviously distrustful… This is the normal reaction…

If a government official came to inquire and she immediately cried injustice, that would be courting death.

Heh, the case back then was investigated by the late emperor and decided by Zhou Cheng, the current Minister of the Court of Judicature.

If Xue Xuan dared to say half a word of injustice or disagreement, wouldn’t that be saying that the late emperor was wrong? That Zhou Tingwei was wrong?

Zhao Du'an shook his head, as expected, it wasn’t that easy.

“Miss Xue, you don’t have to be so wary. This official and my two colleagues have come here without any malice…” Haitang was still trying to persuade her nicely.

Beside her, Zhang Han, with his poker face, also said in a deep voice:

“Miss Xue, please cooperate with our investigation.”

It's over!

Zhao Du'an wanted to cover his face.

As expected, no matter what the two of them said, Xue Xuan stubbornly insisted on the six words “My father committed heinous crimes” and didn’t reveal anything.

Now, Haitang and Zhang Han also found it difficult.

They couldn’t directly say that they were here on His Majesty’s orders to find trouble with Zhou Cheng.

“Forget it, I’ll do it.”

Zhao Du'an, who hadn’t said a word since entering the courtyard, finally couldn’t stand it anymore and spoke gloomily.

He stepped forward, glanced at the two of them, shook his head, and said:

“Is this how you usually handle cases, being so gentle, kind, respectful, thrifty, and yielding?”

He turned his head again, looked at Xue Xuan and Uncle Fu, his face already changed to a villainous one, looking down from above, laughing arrogantly and mockingly:

“I see that you are refusing a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit!”