The First Lackey Under The Empress

Shua — —

As Zhao Du'an spoke eloquently, revealing the entire plan in the court and presenting corresponding evidence.

The entire courtroom, inside and out, erupted in unprecedented noise, a shock that was hard to describe.

It wasn't that they weren't composed enough, but there were too many reversals, too close together. Originally, they thought Zhao Du'an was about to fall and was just making a last-ditch effort.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Du'an perfectly proved his innocence and instead put Zhou Cheng in check.

However, this was not the end. With the return of two Jisi agents from a thousand-mile journey to gather evidence, Zhao Du'an bared his fangs and delivered a fatal blow to Zhou Cheng.

“How could it be like this… So, everything today was within his calculations?”

“What a brilliant move to cut off the fuel supply! I'm afraid Zhou Tingwei is finished.”

“Where did this Zhao Shijun come from? For the past year, everyone said he was just an incompetent fool?”

“In these troubled times, is another senior official about to fall? It's only been a few months…”

Amidst the discussions, many people looked at Zhao Du'an's back, feeling a chill in their hearts.

If the previous incidents were just rumors they heard.

Then today, after witnessing Zhao Du'an's methods firsthand, it was conceivable that Zhao Du'an's name would truly enter the eyes of the powerful figures in the court.

And not just be seen as a pawn for the big shots, as before.

This change in status, seemingly insignificant, was actually of great significance.

Just like an employee who becomes a CEO, is still just an employee. But even the owner of a small company has entered the ranks of capitalists.

Chess player, chess piece, a difference of one word, a difference of a thousand miles.

After this battle, Zhao Du'an had the status of a “chess player,” although still pitifully small, but to some extent, he had the qualification to have an equal dialogue with true courtiers.

“Pa, pa, pa.”

Yuan Li clapped his hands in admiration, his eyes filled with amazement.

That day, when Zhao Du'an made the choice to fight Zhou Cheng alone, this Daqingyi was not optimistic.

After all, the strength was too disparate. After Zhao Du'an was imprisoned, he saw a glimmer of hope, but he was still not sure.

Until this moment, when the dust settled.

Although the evidence still needed to be verified, since His Majesty wanted Zhou Cheng to die, and the evidence was so complete, how could Zhou Cheng not die?

“Bang!”

The Minister of Justice also stood up, slammed the gavel, and stopped the noise.

Looking at Zhou Cheng, seeing that he didn't say a word, he simply didn't look at him and announced:

“The case is of great importance. Since the chief judge is involved, this official, in his capacity as Minister of Justice, will temporarily detain Dali Siqing Zhou Cheng, pending His Majesty's personal trial!”

“And the Dali Si Cheng and others should also be taken into custody for stability,” Zhao Du'an suddenly added.

The Minister of Justice gladly nodded: “That's how it should be!”

He Zheng was dejected and slumped to the ground.

Yuan Li smiled casually and added: “Don't forget the main business. Heh, this official declares that the case of Su Hongyu is clear. The criminal official Zhao Du'an is released without charge. Does anyone have any objection?”

Where would anyone answer?

Yuan Li waved his hand: “Adjourn the court!”

Immediately, yamen runners stepped forward to unlock Zhao Du'an's shackles.

The young censor waved his hand, and someone came over with a tray, on which Zhao Du'an's clothes were neatly folded.

It was prepared early, as if Yuan Li had expected it.

As the court adjourned, the crowd outside quickly dispersed, many people running in small steps, eager to spread the news as soon as possible.

It was conceivable that if Xue Lin's case was really overturned, it would involve far more than just Zhou Cheng. Many officials involved in the past were still in the court.

Their fate depended on the Empress's mood.

“Lord!”

Qian Kerou ran into the hall against the crowd, her round face filled with a smile, then she patted her forehead, as if remembering something, and hurriedly took out the "Taixu Painting Scroll" from her arms, returning it to its original owner.

The other Pear Blossom Hall Jinyi surrounded Zhao Du'an, expressing their joy, a scene of jubilation.

Ma Yan hid outside the crowd, not joining in the fun.

Leaning back in his chair, watching the Dali Temple side looking like bereaved parents, contrasting with the smiles here, he couldn't help but marvel, turning his head to look at Sun Lianying, he suddenly said:

“Did you know all along?”

Sun Lianying smiled and pretended to be stupid:

“Know what? This old servant just came to join in the fun and doesn't interfere in your affairs.”

Seeing this, Ma Yan became even more certain and suddenly realized:

“Does His Majesty also know?”

Sun Lianying didn't say a word.

That day, Zhao Du'an entrusted him to send two things to the Empress: one was a recording scroll, which was a copy of that conversation, to prove his innocence to the Empress.

The other was a memorial, in which Zhao Du'an briefly stated that Zhou Cheng wanted to use Wang Shan to deal with him, hoping that the Empress would help him act and go with the flow, so he could use a counter-plot.

Therefore, the Empress knew of Zhao Du'an's “innocence” and also knew that Zhao Du'an was going to use a counter-plot to trick Zhou Cheng.

However, the Empress didn't know how the progress was going and didn't know if Zhao Du'an had already proven his innocence after entering the game himself.

More importantly, the Xue Lin case was not mentioned in the memorial.

So, how should I put it.

The Empress knew a little, but not much…

“Lord Yuan?”

In the crowd, Zhao Du'an looked at Yuan Li who was walking over, about to thank him, but saw Yuan Li wave his hand and smile:

“This is not a place for polite greetings. You should go to another place now.”

He blinked his eyes, showing a moment of old-fashionedness.

As if saying:

Go ahead, go to His Majesty and show off in front of everyone.

“Thank you for the reminder, Lord Yuan.”

Zhao Du'an knew very well that in the workplace, often, doing well is not as good as reporting well.

Therefore, he didn't like to show off in front of others, he purely wanted to seize every opportunity to perform in front of the leader.

“Not good, remember when I threw out the scroll, and Zhou Cheng was about to adjourn the court, it seemed that a little eunuch from the palace ran out, probably thinking that the trial was over, and was busy reporting to the palace…”

However, Zhao Du'an thought about it and felt that the problem was not big.

The little eunuch ran too early and didn't know about the subsequent section. The memorial didn't mention it, so Zhenbao doesn't know about my overturning the Xue Lin case…

Steady.

Zhao Du'an hurriedly changed his clothes, borrowed Zhang Han's horse, and whipped it, galloping towards the palace.

…

…

At the same time.

In the palace, the Great Yu Empress welcomed a guest this morning.

In the Imperial Garden, in the pavilion by the pond.

Xu Zhenguan's slender white fingers picked out a white chess piece from the chess box and looked at the old man across the chessboard, saying:

“…Therefore, Grand Tutor, you really misunderstood him. Zhao Du'an is not as bad as the outside rumors say. His past actions were deliberately tarnishing himself.”

The “Grand Tutor” she was talking about was none other than others.

It was the heavyweight figure in the literary world of the Great Yu Dynasty, also a veteran senior official, one of the “Three Dukes” in the court, a minister entrusted with state affairs, and once known as “Southern Zhuang and Northern Dong” along with the traitorous Grand Tutor Zhuang Xiaocheng.

Now, Dong Grand Tutor, who is in charge of the Hanlin Academy and holds the position of a third-rank “Hanlin Academy Chengzhi University Scholar,” is the top noble official in the court.

As the “teaching teacher” who once taught the Empress when she was the Third Princess, Dong Grand Tutor is a thorough “royalist.”

He was also a force in the court that supported the Empress the most when she first ascended the throne.

Therefore, although he was too old to bear important positions.

But this old man still held a pivotal position in the Empress's eyes.

Therefore, he was entrusted with the important task of leading the selection of people to form a “new cabinet.”

This morning, Dong Grand Tutor entered the palace to once again advise her to be close to virtuous officials and stay away from villains.

Obviously, he heard bad things about Zhao Du'an from one of his students again.

Helplessly, Xu Zhenguan had to explain it this way.

Dong Grand Tutor was about seventy or eighty years old, wearing a scarlet university scholar's official robe, with white hair and beard, and a face like heavy dates.

Because he was well-maintained, he was full of energy. Even though he was gray-haired, his old eyes were still sharp and energetic.

At this time, he placed a black chess piece, his tightly frowned brows slightly relaxed, and said:

“If it is as Your Majesty said, this person's character is not as bad as what those students of this old minister said.”

Xu Zhenguan nodded and said:

“The scholars of the Hanlin Academy read the books of sages and are influenced by Grand Tutor, hating evil like an enemy. Hearing that his reputation is bad, they naturally dislike him.”

Dong Grand Tutor shook his head and said:

“But this old minister has heard that this person has recently entered the Taiwan Prison, seemingly involved in a female case…

If I remember correctly, today is the joint trial by the Three Divisions. It can be seen that even if it is not as bad as the rumors, it is far from being a gentleman.

Even if this person is a capable official, he is still just a rude soldier who doesn't understand reading. The greater the power, the harder it is to keep his original intentions… Your Majesty, don't嫌 this old minister's nagging…”

Xu Zhenguan smiled bitterly.

Knowing that although Dong Grand Tutor was loyal, he had a strong prejudice against military men.

Or to put it more accurately, he didn't look up to officials from backgrounds other than scholars.

The earliest cause of the conflict with Eunuch Wang Zhen was Wang Zhen's interference in the Hanlin Academy.

Dong Grand Tutor was furious and rebuked the eunuch in front of the late Emperor for being unlearned, thus forming a grudge.

Zhao Du'an's background as a soldier in the forbidden army was also one of the reasons why the scholars in the capital hated him.

Dong Grand Tutor's prejudice against military men has been around for a long time, and Xu Zhenguan couldn't say anything.

But hearing him mention the joint trial by the Three Divisions, she couldn't help but look at the sky.

Thinking, if everything goes smoothly, at this moment in the court, that little forbidden army should have cleared his suspicion, right?

It's just that, in the painting scroll, Zhou Cheng spoke too cautiously. If you want to use those few words to convict him of “harming court officials,” it is not stable enough.

However, it is already very difficult for that little forbidden army to do this step, entering the game himself and dragging Zhou Cheng into the water. How can I be dissatisfied and criticize him?

Although the crime is not enough, he has tried his best… This is still on the premise that everything goes smoothly. Zhou Cheng has been in the officialdom for many years, but he has not necessarily been fooled.

Thinking, Xu Zhenguan was a little distracted.

“Your Majesty?” Dong Grand Tutor couldn't help but call out.

Xu Zhenguan suddenly came back to her senses, about to speak, when suddenly, in the small path of the Imperial Garden in the distance, a young eunuch ran over in small steps, panting.

Coming to the front, he presented the paper that he had hastily recorded in the court:

“Reporting to Your Majesty, the joint trial by the Three Divisions has adjourned. The trial process is recorded on the paper.”

Is it over?

Xu Zhenguan's eyes lit up, raised her hand to take the thin few sheets of paper, her slender jade hand brushed over, the paper fluttering.

From those records, it was as if she had personally witnessed how Zhao Du'an turned the tide, faced many unfavorable evidence, turned his hand to clear his crime, and turned Zhou Cheng into an army.

Although the records were few, it was more exciting than a storybook.

Xu Zhenguan saw the end, the corners of her mouth slightly raised. This smile, which captivated the city, made the Imperial Garden seem as bright as the arrival of the spring god.

…

Big friends, happy June 1st, ask for a monthly ticket in advance in June, 嘤 嘤 嘤