The First Lackey Under The Empress

Zhao Du'an!

In the Hele Restaurant, beside the wine table, Zhou Cheng and Wang Shan's expressions changed noticeably when they saw him.

Why would he be here?

Especially Wang Shan, who was portly and beardless, with reddish eyes, his hand trembled, causing the teacup to fall and the tea to spill.

He guiltily avoided Zhao Du'an's smiling gaze.

What's it like to have the person you're loudly plotting against show up at your door?

"My lord..." At this moment, a group of officers from the Court of Judicial Review stumbled up the stairs.

He Zheng, the registrar of the court, leading the group with a blue robe, had bruises on his face:

"He brought people here wanting to come upstairs. This official wouldn't allow it, so this group relied on force to barge their way up."

Three times!

In just a short period, He Zheng had been beaten three times. Even a clay figure would have a temper.

But without Zhao Du'an even needing to speak, Hou Renmeng behind him grinned savagely, raising a knife hilt as if to strike:

"A good dog doesn't block the way. You've repeatedly hindered my lord's investigation, never learning your lesson. You deserve to be beaten!"

He Zheng and the group of Court of Judicial Review officers behind him, who were not skilled in martial arts, retreated in fear, shrinking into a corner of the second floor.

"Enough!!"

A sharp shout suddenly rang out.

Beside the table, a high-ranking court official in a scarlet robe and black gauze hat slammed the table in anger, smashing the wine cups on the ground.

Zhou Cheng's face was livid, and he was incandescent with rage.

Beating his subordinates from the Court of Judicial Review in front of him was no different from slapping his face as the chief official.

And a similar scene had happened once before a few days ago.

But once is enough.

"Zhao Du'an! How dare you commit insubordination?!" Zhou Cheng rebuked.

"Hehe, Lord Minister of Justice, don't joke," Zhao Du'an said with a smile, giving a look, Hou Renmeng and others chuckled and withdrew their hands:

"The subordinates are ignorant, just joking with Registrar He and the others. I will punish them when I get back."

Joking?

Zhou Cheng almost laughed out of anger.

He took a deep breath, maintaining the demeanor of a high-ranking court official.

Seeing this, He Zheng and others quickly came to the side of the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review.

For a time, the two groups seemed to be facing off against each other.

Zhou Cheng's face was as dark as water. He didn't dwell on the conflict between the subordinates, and asked in a cold voice:

"Zhao Du'an, do you really think you can act lawlessly just because you narrowly escaped last time? Or are you leading these lackeys here today on the orders of His Majesty, to arrest this official?"

Oh, you guessed right...

Zhao Du'an had a smiling face, but didn't answer immediately. Instead, he gently paced towards the wine table.

He Zheng and the others trembled, hesitating whether to step forward to protect him or retreat to save their lives.

Wang Shan desperately lowered his head, retreating into the crowd, trying to be invisible.

Zhou Cheng didn't say a word. He watched Zhao Du'an walk up, glance at the dishes on the table, and exclaim in admiration:

"Very lavish. I must advise Lord Zhou, at your age, you shouldn't eat so much meat and fish. These should belong to the younger people."

As he spoke, he reached out and pulled out a chair, sitting down in a carefree manner.

Looking around, as if searching for chopsticks, he saw Wang Shan hiding in the crowd and couldn't help but smile and wave:

"Brother Wang, why are you hiding so far away? Come closer, otherwise wouldn't it be a waste of this official coming to find you so early in the morning?"

Looking for me?

Wang Shan's heart skipped a beat, and he looked at Zhou Cheng.

Zhou Cheng's gaze also narrowed, seeing Zhao Du'an turn his head back, cross his legs, and say to him:

"Lord Zhou, don't misunderstand. This official is just a mere sixth-rank investigator. How would I dare to lay a hand on the Minister of Justice?

I came here today because a case involves Brother Wang, so I came to ask him to cooperate with the investigation.

I went to Brother Wang's house first, but found it empty, so I had to chase after him, but unexpectedly, I saw you, the Minister of Justice, feasting with him...

Tsk, it was the same when I arrested Marquis Xiajiang last time. It seems I really have a connection with you, my lord."

That's the same excuse again!

Zhou Cheng laughed in anger:

"What case could Wang Shan be involved in? I'd like to know."

Zhao Du'an stared at him, and said faintly:

"I have a friend named Qin Qiu, who I was supposed to meet these days, but he suddenly went missing.

I was concerned about my friend's safety, and only found out after inquiring that he seemed to have gone to Brother Wang's residence. Lord Zhou, do you think he should be suspicious?"

Fabricating out of thin air!

Wang Shan's face changed. Qin Qiu is missing? What does that have to do with me?

He was about to explain, but suddenly became alert. How did Zhou Cheng find him?

Was it he who kidnapped Qin Qiu?

If so, then Zhao Du'an's sudden arrest made sense.

He must have learned about Qin Qiu's disappearance, and even learned through the Zhao Ya's intelligence network that the kidnapper was Zhou Cheng.

With a little association, it was not difficult to guess Zhou Cheng's purpose.

That's why he thought of himself.

If this is the deduction...

Doesn't that mean that Zhao Du'an's purpose in arresting him is to shut him up, to prevent him from defecting to Zhou Cheng and threatening himself?

Zhou Cheng's pupils constricted. Zhao Du'an's hints were already so obvious that he naturally thought of this level.

He couldn't help but secretly scold He Zheng for his incompetence.

He had only kidnapped someone for a day before he was noticed.

He had just reached an "agreement" with Wang Shan, preparing to make a big deal out of it.

Zhao Du'an came to arrest him on the heels of that. His reaction was very quick.

"Absurd!"

Zhou Cheng sneered, rebuking:

"Does the Zhao Ya handle cases so casually? Arresting a former commander official based on unfounded suspicion? And still an old subordinate of your Zhao Ya?

Besides, a friend is missing... Heh, when did this also fall under the jurisdiction of the Zhao Ya? The Emperor raises you, not to serve individuals!"

His sharp gaze swept over the Pear Blossom Hall officers. With his official authority, in the past, he only needed to scold them, and the low-level officers would be terrified.

But the Pear Blossom Hall's group of thorns looked relaxed, not caring at all.

"Is Lord Zhou trying to obstruct this official from handling the case?"

Zhao Du'an's smile faded, and he mocked:

"Or are you going to say that Wang Shan has already surrendered to your Court of Judicial Review? The same reason as Marquis Xiajiang?"

Zhou Cheng didn't fall for it. Wang Shan was invited by him, which was very different from Marquis Xiajiang's situation that day. He only said coldly:

"This official is catching up with old friends today. With you, you still want to take people away?"

After a pause, he also showed a mocking look:

"Or is Ma Yan hiding in the dark again? Why not show yourself?"

Zhao Du'an had no expression.

Zhou Cheng's gaze was indifferent, as if overlooking him from a high position:

"Without Ma Yan backing you, what are you? Daring to be presumptuous in front of this official?"

Opposite him, the Pear Blossom Hall officers glared angrily, but facing a third-rank official, they also felt powerless.

The four words "insubordination" were never a light crime.

Zhou Cheng was in the capital, and he had nothing to fear.

Even if he was the Emperor's favored minister, if he dared to hurt him, all the officials of the Great Yu would stand behind him to protect their own status.

That was the "etiquette" that even imperial power could not resist.

The atmosphere in the building was tense and frozen for a moment.

Zhao Du'an's expression was unusually calm:

"So, Lord Zhou is determined not to let him go?"

Zhou Cheng reached out and took out a "Minister of Justice" waist tag from his waist, and placed it calmly on the table, with a mocking expression:

"Young man, you must know awe. You are a smart person, you should know the rules in the court. Your tag is not bigger than mine, you can't take the person away."

Wang Shan silently breathed a sigh of relief, and the corners of his mouth curled up.

He Zheng and others straightened their backs, with arrogant expressions.

Hou Renmeng, Shen Juan and other Pear Blossom Hall officers were expressionless, gripping the hilt of their swords tightly, but it felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.

The officialdom ultimately relies on rules to operate. Anyone who steps into this system and benefits from it must abide by this set of rules.

If you don't abide by it, you are making enemies of everyone.

Zhao Du'an lowered his eyes, staring at the third-rank Minister of Justice waist tag on the table, and said softly:

"Comparing whose tag is bigger..."

In full view, he suddenly reached into his arms, and slowly pinched out a waist tag-shaped purple jade with two fingers.

It was exquisitely crafted, with golden tassels hanging underneath, and seemed to be stained with the faint fragrance of a fairy.

When he took out this jade tag, the others present hadn't reacted yet, and looked puzzled.

Only Zhou Cheng, sitting opposite him, suddenly narrowed his pupils.

Of course he recognized this jade tag.

He had seen it hanging on the Empress's waist many times, and knew that it was Xu Zhenguan's personal token.

Why... would it appear on Zhao Du'an?

And what did it represent?

How could a mere pretty boy who served the Empress have the qualifications to hold the Empress's token?!

"Pa!"

Zhao Du'an placed the Empress's jade on the table and smiled:

"Sorry, my tag seems to be bigger."

Zhou Cheng didn't say a word.

The surrounding people were stunned, not understanding why.

Zhao Du'an slowly stood up, walked back to his Pear Blossom Hall subordinates, turned his back to Zhou Cheng, and suddenly reached out to pull out the standard saber from Shen Juan's waist.

Holding it up in his hand, this action immediately alerted a group of people. He Zheng shouted loudly:

"What are you going to do... Ah!"

In the next second, Zhao Du'an shook his wrist, and a violent and abundant majestic aura poured into the blade.

With a "bang", the several-foot-long blade shattered into pieces, turning into a torrential storm, wrapped in aura, whistling in all directions.

Sitting in the large chair, Zhou Cheng, wearing a red scarlet robe, was stiff all over, only feeling the strong wind brushing his face.

A thin blade of the knife brushed across his temple, piercing through the black gauze hat on his head. The kinetic energy of the fragment wrapped the black gauze, separated from the scalp, and with a "thud", it was nailed to the window lattice!

The remaining blades also either pierced into the floor or nailed to the wooden pillars and window lattices, causing countless exclamations.

Immediately, there was dead silence!

Zhao Du'an let go, and the bare hilt of the knife fell to the ground, rolling a few times.

He slowly turned back, looked at the frozen faces led by Zhou Cheng opposite him, and smiled apologetically:

"Oh dear, the swords and sabers of the military equipment workshop are too brittle, they can't even withstand the aura, I've startled everyone."

Shen Juan's cheeks twitched, trying hard to control the upward curve of his mouth, but he couldn't hold it back.

"What are you laughing at? Why don't you quickly arrest the person, so as not to disturb Lord Zhou's meal?" Zhao Du'an scolded with a smile.

Shen Juan and other officers received the order, and rushed forward like wolves and tigers, capturing Wang Shan, whose face was ashen, and retrieved the jade left by Zhao Du'an.

No one interfered during this period.

"Lord Zhou, Lord Zhou..."

Wang Shan tried to ask for help, but after meeting Zhou Cheng's extremely gloomy gaze, he closed his mouth.

Soon, the Zhao Ya people left triumphantly.

Leaving behind only a messy restaurant, and the people outside watching the excitement from afar.

"My lord... are we just letting him go?"

In the deathly silent atmosphere, He Zheng carefully stepped forward, took the black gauze hat from the window lattice with both hands, bowed and handed it to Zhou Cheng.

Next second.

"Pa!"

A slap fell on his face. Zhou Cheng stood up, his chest rising and falling constantly with anger, scaring a group of Court of Judicial Review officers to kneel down.

"Zhao... Du... An!"