The First Lackey Under The Empress

"Arrest someone?"

Inside the Pear Blossom Hall, the four subordinates were collectively stunned, but they didn't say much, only turning their heads to make preparations.

Only Zhao Du'an remained standing in the courtyard, looking up at the dense pear tree, thinking that since plans couldn't keep up with changes, he could only switch to another method.

"Heh, trying to use Wang Shan against me? Then we'll see if you old fart have the ability to do so."

...

Early morning, as the sun rose high in the sky, the entire capital city once again became bustling and noisy.

But for restaurants, the morning was usually the quietest time.

However, early this morning, the He Le Restaurant, located on the south bank of the Hun River in the southern city, welcomed a big shot who booked the entire place.

Dressed in a red official robe, wearing a black gauze hat, and with a deep "川" character wrinkle between his eyebrows, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review sat alone at a square table on the second floor.

With his hands folded in front of him, he admired the scenery on the river outside the window while stroking a fiery red, pigeon-egg-sized jade treasure on the finger of his left hand with his right hand.

After a while, heavy footsteps approached on the stairs, and Zhou Cheng, whose hair had slightly grayed, turned his head and saw a fat figure, his expression calm:

"Commander Wang, long time no see."

The one ascending the stairs was none other than the middle-aged man in his forties, Wang Shan, whom Zhao Du'an had seen through the magical artifact mirror.

With a bloated figure, as if he had albinism, with few whiskers under his jaw, and slightly red eyes, Wang Shan squeezed out a bright smile.

He walked a few steps closer and sighed:

"Lord Zhou, you're killing me with kindness. What commander? I'm just a commoner now, how can I be worthy of Lord Minister setting up a banquet to invite me?"

He said this, but he didn't have the fear and trembling that a commoner would have when seeing a third-rank official.

Zhou Cheng seemed to smile, his mood also somewhat complicated.

Back when the late Emperor was still around, the Grand Eunuch Wang Zhen held immense power, and Wang Shan, as his adopted son, was someone Zhou Cheng needed to put effort into befriending.

But a coup by the Xuan sect changed everything, and the tables turned.

Looking at the person he used to have to please, now being obsequious, Zhou Cheng felt three parts smugness and seven parts lament for the impermanence of the world.

Then, a bit of emotion of old friends reuniting arose in his heart.

Waving his hand to order Wang Shan to take a seat, Zhou Cheng smiled and pointed to a steamed river fish on the table, saying:

"I specially ordered it for you. I don't know if it still suits your taste after so many years. I still remember that you had a special liking for the fish at He Le Restaurant."

Wang Shan, who was once a loyal dog of the eunuch and is now a commoner in business, was overwhelmed by the favor, but dared not pick up his chopsticks:

"It's rare that Lord Zhou still remembers. However, Lord, you summoned me today, I don't think you were thinking of the past and specially came to find a commoner to reminisce, right?"

Although Wang Shan was still rich and mixed in the circles of playboys, he was still considered to have some face.

But he was already worlds apart from the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review in front of him.

He was well aware of this, so after the Empress ascended the throne and his adopted father fell, Wang Shan never took the initiative to look for Zhou Cheng, so as not to embarrass himself.

If there were no accidents, although the two had once been "intimate", and lived in the same capital, it would be difficult for them to meet again in this life.

So, when he suddenly received a personal letter from Zhou Cheng yesterday, inviting him to a banquet today, Wang Shan was uneasy and doubtful.

He was restless for several hours, and could only vent his anxiety by ravaging his concubine.

He went to the banquet as promised early this morning, with a smile on his face, but in fact he was apprehensive, and naturally had no intention of exchanging pleasantries.

Zhou Cheng saw through his thoughts like a torch, and smiled:

"Alright, then let's get straight to the point. This time I'm looking for you, not for anything else, but for a person."

"Who?"

"Zhao Du'an." Zhou Cheng said:

"You should know about the incident of this person rushing into my Court of Judicial Review a few days ago, right? And I heard that you have some friendship with him."

Wang Shan's heart skipped a beat, but he smiled on his face:

"Lord, you're joking. When Zhao Du'an was in power, I did think about befriending him, but this person didn't know how to appreciate favors, so I no longer have any contact with him."

Zhou Cheng said "Oh":

"Is that all? But I heard that he was once invited to your house, was well entertained, and even sent a woman to serve him."

Wang Shan cried injustice: "I did invite him to a family banquet, but it was only that once, as for the woman I sent..."

He said half of it, then suddenly stopped, his red eyes suddenly shrank, vaguely realizing the intention of this former dog of his adopted father in looking for him today.

Zhou Cheng picked up his chopsticks on his own, picked up a piece of fish, and lifted the drooping cuff with his other hand, personally delivering it to Wang Shan's bowl:

"What happened to the woman you sent?"

Wang Shan was overwhelmed by the favor, glanced at the fish in the bowl, shook his head and smiled bitterly:

"Speaking of this matter, it is also a memorable one for me.

That day, I had almost made him drunk, led him to the bedroom arranged in my house, and even threw one of my favorite concubines in there early, for him to enjoy.

I thought that even if he didn't move, but since he was drunk, then the concubine would be able to do it on her own initiative, but the result..."

Speaking of this, even this adopted son of a powerful eunuch, who had seen the storms, showed a ghostly look:

"As a result, Zhao Du'an actually tied the concubine with his belt, threw her aside, and slept by himself all night.

When he woke up the next day, he was indifferent to me, and even scolded me for harming him, saying that he only had the Saint in his heart, and Heaven and Earth could bear witness."

Obviously, Wang Shan had a vivid memory of this incident.

He couldn't understand how there could be such a cautious man in this world, who could still hold back in that kind of situation.

Across the square table, Zhou Cheng was also stunned.

This was somewhat different from what he had expected.

But he had long cultivated the ability to not show his emotions, and even the action of picking up vegetables didn't stop for even a short time, and his expression was as usual:

"Oh? How can you be sure that he didn't touch that woman?"

"Naturally it is..." Wang Shan was about to answer.

But he saw Zhou Cheng calmly say: "Think carefully before you speak."

Wang Shan suddenly woke up, glanced at him, and changed his words:

"Lord, you're right, I didn't confirm it, it was just the concubine's side of the story."

Many things don't need to be said too clearly.

With the tacit understanding between the two who had worked together before, Wang Shan had guessed Zhou Cheng's thoughts.

The other party clearly came here to find evidence from him to deal with Zhao Du'an.

Just like Wang Shan in the beginning, deliberately setting a trap and sending a woman to Zhao Du'an was also to get a handle on him, in order to tie up this Empress's favorite.

Unfortunately, he failed, and he didn't have the evidence Zhou Cheng needed in his hands.

But for the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, who was accustomed to perverting the law and also good at manipulating the law, evidence was something that could be created out of nothing.

Of course, fabricating out of thin air can only deal with small people, and cannot deceive the Empress's eyes.

Therefore, Zhou Cheng needed Wang Shan's cooperation, and needed a suitable handle that could withstand scrutiny.

Wang Shan was of course sure that Zhao Du'an did not touch that concubine.

Not only because of the concubine's words, but also because he had personally verified it, and after Zhao Du'an left, he had personally seen the concubine being tied up like a zongzi.

But outsiders don't know.

Like Qin Qiu, he only remembered what Zhao Du'an looked like when he went in and out.

And the servants, maids, and family members of the Wang family, and even the people who accompanied him at the banquet that day, could testify that Zhao Du'an did sleep in the Wang family.

The only ones who knew the truth were Wang Shan and that concubine, so this matter could be made a big deal of.

For example, is there a possibility, to change the wording:

After Zhao Du'an woke up from his drunkenness, he found that he had slept with the concubine, but was afraid of being known by the Empress, so he would lose favor, and then threatened and intimidated the concubine, saying that he didn't touch her?

Wang Shan understood Zhou Cheng's meaning, so he chose to cooperate.

Although he was also unwilling to offend Zhao Du'an, he had no choice.

"So, how can you not carefully examine something that concerns a woman's innocence?"

Zhou Cheng pinched his chopsticks, picked up a piece of tofu, hung it over the ceramic bowl, letting the wind from the Hun River blow away the heat:

"Where is that woman now? I want to see her."

Bah, you want to let her be a witness and bite the Zhao guy...

Wang Shan's expression was awkward, and he whispered:

"After Zhao Du'an left that day, I drove her out, and she died not long after."

The truth is:

Wang Shan learned that the trap had failed, and was sprayed by Zhao Du'an, and was extremely angry, venting all his anger on the beautiful concubine.

Then he beat her to death, and seeing that she couldn't live, he ordered someone to throw her out.

Zhou Cheng's expression was calm, he put the tofu into his mouth and chewed, nodded lightly, and said:

"A good person, who died when she said she would, I'm afraid she was silenced by someone. How can my Court of Judicial Review not ask about such a major event concerning life?"

The implication is that it can also be made a big deal of if she is dead:

After Zhao Du'an threatened and intimidated the concubine, he was worried that she would tell, so he silenced her, which is reasonable.

The so-called death without proof, even if the Empress sends someone to investigate, as long as Wang Shan bites to death, then no matter how you investigate, it will be extremely unfavorable to Zhao Du'an's testimony.

And as an emperor, he doesn't need solid evidence.

As long as the fabricated lies are true enough to make the Empress suspicious, that's enough.

As long as the Empress no longer favors Zhao Du'an, Zhou Cheng believes that he will be able to crush this ant who provokes him without any obstacles.

Wang Shan saw through this killing game, and couldn't help but feel cold all over.

The knives that kill people on the battlefield can be seen, but the insidious knives in the court are hard to guard against.

But they are equally deadly. How ruthless Zhou Cheng is, what a ruthless knife.

"Lord, you are wise, it must be that Zhao Du'an killed someone to silence them, it is really lawless."

Wang Shan was furious, using his actions to show that he was willing to cooperate.

First, he had some grudges with Zhao Du'an. Second, he couldn't bear the consequences of refusing Zhou Cheng.

Sensible... Zhou Cheng laughed:

"Today I finally know how you gained Eunuch Wang's favor in the first place. Come, drink a cup."

Wang Shan smiled, raised his glass, and thought about how to get benefits from this transaction in his heart.

But just as the two clinked glasses and congratulated each other.

Suddenly, the sound of horses' hooves like thunder came from outside the restaurant!

Accompanying it was a burst of frightened shouts, and the sound of fighting with swords, accompanied by screams.

The two were stunned, and at the same time looked towards the staircase.

Then, they saw a handsome and tall figure, slowly stepping up to the second floor, followed by a large group of fierce Pear Blossom Hall Jinyi officials.

Zhao Du'an had a smile on his face:

"How lively. Oh, Lord Zhou is also here? What a coincidence. We meet again."

...

ps: One point that the author is very confused about recently is that, like this chapter, it is clear that there is no padding, and even some sentences have been deleted, and some plots have been omitted, but why is a whole chapter only enough to write the secret dialogue of two supporting characters...