The First Lackey Under The Empress

Zhao Du'an did not want to die.

Some say, 'practice makes perfect,' but having experienced death once, he especially cherished the hard-won life he had.

Therefore, even though he knew that the stunning beauty before him, who possessed both the qualities of a fairy and an emperor, wouldn't really do anything to him, he still put on a look of fear:

“I was reckless and impudent, Your Majesty, please punish me.”

Xu Zhenguan stared at him with her dark, lacquer-like eyes, without saying a word.

This book is first published on 𝕥 𝕨 𝕜 𝕒 𝕟 . 𝕔 𝕠 𝕞

Just staring.

Couldn't it be… did I mess up? It's strange, why were my actions so bold tonight?

After thinking about it, it was probably because of the gentleness of the Empress lowering her head when she listened to him so attentively?

Or because she had taken off her dragon robe and ordinary clothes today, and stood shoulder to shoulder with him by the riverbank in the night…

The atmosphere had been built up.

“Your Majesty…” Just as Zhao Du'an's heart was pounding a little.

He heard the beautiful woman in front of him say softly:

“When we're outside, don't call me Your Majesty.”

Then what should I call her? Miss Xu? That wouldn't be right…

Zhao Du'an muttered to himself, and suddenly felt his hand empty.

The “White Yaksha” mask that he had retracted was snatched by the Empress, and then her jade fingers gently removed the veil, placing the mask on her face.

The brief moment when the veil was removed, revealing the fairy's jade face… was breathtakingly beautiful.

In the night breeze, a corner of the light veil fell to the bottom of the bridge, floating slowly away on the river.

“Don't let it happen again.”

Xu Zhenguan said.

“…Oh oh! I… I understand.” Zhao Du'an was stunned for a moment, and then hurriedly assured her.

As for how credible this guarantee was, only the gods knew.

“Walk with me… let's take a walk, let's enjoy the fun with the people today.” The Empress stepped forward and walked into the distance.

Only then did Zhao Du'an hurriedly put on the “Black Yaksha” mask as well.

To conceal his appearance and avoid being recognized.

The two masks did not cover the entire face, but only the upper half, with two horns extending from the top, and only reaching the nose below, exposing the mouth and chin.

Convenient for young men and women to wear to eat snacks in the night market.

Thus, one black and one white, one male and one female, two “Yaksha” walked off the bridge and gradually merged into the crowd.

…

Today's capital was very lively, with people coming and going in the streets, and the shops and stalls on both sides were crowded with people.

Many people were wearing all kinds of masks, and the two blended in without being conspicuous.

There were also merchants who paid to hire people to carry sedan chairs, on which were paper-made statues of the God of Wealth, the God of Longevity…

Blowing and beating, they paraded through the market, followed by a large group of masked people, which was called “Touring the Gods”.

When strolling around, it was naturally not suitable to talk, so they didn't say anything of substance.

It was just that people were crowded, and sometimes, in order to avoid the cars, they inevitably got closer.

Although the women in the capital had become much bolder in their dress and behavior after the Empress ascended the throne, the separation between men and women still existed, and walking together was the limit.

In the world that Zhao Du'an was familiar with, it was absolutely impossible for young couples to make out in public while strolling around.

But human wisdom is interconnected.

Therefore, some young men and women would deliberately gather in crowded places, creating opportunities to bump into each other because they couldn't dodge in time.

Whenever this happened, the Empress would turn her head, and under the mask, her eyes would vigilantly stare at him.

So Zhao Du'an could only retreat again and again, using his tall and sturdy body to forcefully squeeze out a space around him, innocently indicating that he was Her Majesty's loyal guard and would never take the opportunity to take advantage of her.

Xu Zhenguan was quite satisfied.

Although with her cultivation, as long as she slightly moved her mind, even in the midst of an army, no one could get close to her.

“Your Majesty, would you like to eat something?”

The two finally squeezed out of a congested street, and the surrounding crowd suddenly thinned out a lot, with a continuous row of food stalls in front of them.

Xu Zhenguan looked around and went straight to a small but clean and elegant noodle shop.

There were many people in the shop, but they were lucky, and a seat was just vacated.

After the two sat down, the young shopkeeper eagerly came over:

“What would you two like to order?”

The Great Yu Empress, who was used to eating delicacies, already had an idea and directly ordered a bowl of fresh meat wontons.

Then she glanced at him: “What about you?”

“Me too.”

Zhao Du'an said solemnly, and added, “Add some coriander.”

Coriander is cilantro, and in Great Yu, you need to order it separately, otherwise it will not be added by default.

After the person left, Zhao Du'an said: “Just eat this?”

He really couldn't figure out what to call her, so he simply omitted the subject.

Xu Zhenguan said with some nostalgia:

“I've eaten at this shop before, but that was years ago. At that time, the shop hadn't been renovated as new, the signboard was also old, and the shopkeeper was still an old man. Now, it's probably his son taking over the business. Things have changed.”

Only then did Zhao Du'an realize that she wasn't just taking him around randomly, but was heading here.

“Years ago… it wasn't convenient to come out then, right?” Zhao Du'an said cautiously.

Unmarried princesses lived in the palace, and the atmosphere was not as open as it is now when the old emperor was in power. As a princess, her actions would be restricted.

Far less “free” than married royal women.

“Yes,” Xu Zhenguan sighed softly:

“At that time, I was still following my elder brother, the Crown Prince, on outings. He was the one who told me about this place. At that time, Mo Chou and Sun Lianying were by my side.

In the past, when it was inconvenient to go out, I always thought about going on a private visit, but I couldn't get it. Now… although no one is restricting me, I no longer have the energy or mood to go out.”

Zhao Du'an felt that this was really difficult to respond to, so he just listened quietly.

Fortunately, the Empress wasn't talking to him, but more like sighing, and then chuckled:

“Forget it, it's all in the past.”

At this time, the shopkeeper came over with a tray, first putting a bowl of wontons in front of each of them, one with coriander and one without.

Then, he took out a small plate with a tea egg inside, accompanied by a small flower, and smiled:

“This is an extra gift from our shop to the gentleman and his wife.”

Gentleman and wife… are honorific titles, not tied to age.

Obviously, the new shopkeeper who inherited his father's noodle shop had a lot of ideas, and gave extra snacks to couples who came into the shop.

Second time.

Xu Zhenguan: “…”

Zhao Du'an: ( * ω )

After the shopkeeper left, Zhao Du'an said innocently in a low voice:

“This time it's not my fault…”

Xu Zhenguan didn't bother to argue with him, and wouldn't take her anger out on the people under the imperial city because of this.

So, the two of them silently started eating, and Zhao Du'an took the time to silently push the tea egg over. The Empress didn't stand on ceremony, and used chopsticks to take small bites.

And these two “weirdos” who didn't even take off their masks while eating in the shop quickly attracted the attention of some customers.

Xu Zhenguan frowned, and one hand placed under the table pinched a magic seal, and an invisible mental force spread out, shielding the small table.

Isolating the sounds inside and outside.

“Your Majesty?”

Zhao Du'an sensed the abnormality and tentatively spoke.

The Empress slowly and methodically held the spoon and drank the soup, looking like she didn't want him to make a fuss, and said:

“Regarding today, what do you think about what happened in the Zhai Garden?”

Suddenly talking about serious matters…

Zhao Du'an thought for a while and said truthfully: “This is obviously a premeditated targeting, led by Chen Zhengru, a Grand Academician of the Hanlin Academy and his disciples…”

He explained his guesses and analysis.

Xu Zhenguan nodded, then shook her head:

“You're right, but it wasn't Chen Zhengru who led it.”

Zhao Du'an was surprised: “You mean…”

“Li Yinglong.” Xu Zhenguan calmly said the name:

“Li Yanfu's son, an important figure in the 'Li Party' in charge of appointments and removals. You have taken action many times these days, and finally attracted the other party's attention. And after Grand Tutor cleared your name, I'm afraid Li Yanfu will also notice you.”

Li Yinglong?

The number one playboy of the capital circle in the previous generation, the legendary “Little Grand Secretary”?

Zhao Du'an was of course familiar with the name, but he had never dealt with him.

“Didn't Li Yanfu notice me before?”

Zhao Du'an had no concept of the Little Grand Secretary, and was only deeply impressed by his father, after all, he was the person he had seen on the day he transmigrated.

Xu Zhenguan said calmly:

“Li Yanfu has been floating up and down in the court for many years, with countless political enemies. How could you be the only capable official he has seen?

Moreover, when he reached his position, very few people could be regarded as enemies by him. Of course, that was in the past, and it's naturally different when it comes to the New Policies.”

Should I feel honored… Zhao Du'an didn't care much, and smiled:

“Anyway, I've already offended them, it doesn't matter if I have more debts.”

Xu Zhenguan looked at him in surprise, and seeing that his expression didn't seem fake, she asked curiously:

“In this court, is there really no one you're afraid of?”

Zhao Du'an paused while eating wontons, raised his head slightly, and said seriously:

“Yes, there is.”

“Who?”

“Far away at the horizon, but close in front of me.”

“…Slick tongue.” The Empress realized that this guy was being glib again.

She put on a straight face and decided to give him a little lesson.

She moved her chopsticks and used half of the tea egg in the bowl as a cannonball, and with a bang, it hit Zhao Du'an's bowl, splashing soup on his mask.

Zhao Du'an was stunned for a moment and said blankly:

“Why is Your Majesty rewarding me?”

“…” Xu Zhenguan was unable to decide whether to laugh or cry at his rogue appearance.

She put her chopsticks on the table, with a smile that was not a smile:

“If I had known that half a tea egg was enough for you, I shouldn't have arranged those things.”

Zhao Du'an asked suspiciously: “What is Your Majesty referring to…”

Xu Zhenguan slowly stood up.

At this moment, even though she was in ordinary clothes and wearing a slightly comical female Yaksha mask on her face, she still showed a heavenly majesty:

“You have contributed to this strategy, how can I allow meritorious officials to be bullied, and not care?”

“I… just vented your anger for you.”

…

…

At the same time.

In the Zhaoyu, in the General Superintendent's Hall.

Superintendent Ma Yan, who was not invited, sat upright in the large chair, and gently pushed a list filled with densely packed names along the table.

He said to the several Jisi who were on duty today:

“His Majesty is very dissatisfied with the rumors among the scholars in the capital recently. Take these people back and investigate carefully whether they have been instigated behind the scenes by rebellious parties to deliberately uglify and slander court officials?

You must not release them until you have interrogated a result. Do you understand?”

The Jinyi responded one after another, took the list and walked out of the General Superintendent's Hall in a hurry.

Looking down, they looked at each other.

The scholars who participated in attacking Zhao Du'an in the Zhai Garden today, and even those who did not attend but had been scolding the most fiercely in recent days, were all on the list.

“Hiss…”

They all understood that tonight, the literary world would be greatly shaken again.

Shortly.

Outside the gate of the Zhaoyu, countless Jinyi Tiqi swarmed out, full of murderous intent.

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