The First Lackey Under The Empress

The setting sun was like blood.

Zhao Du'an spoke those words with a leisurely expression, scrutinizing the reaction of the person opposite him.

The Thousand-Faced Divine Lord's heart sank abruptly, then a bewildered expression appeared on his face, as if he didn't understand.

"No need to pretend," Zhao Du'an shook his head, looking down at him:

"Do you know why this official guessed it was you?"

He pointed to the surrounding streets, then to himself:

"The correct reaction of the common people in this area when they see this official dressed like this is to step aside and avoid causing trouble."

Well... in the capital, you really could encounter misfortune for simply looking at someone the wrong way... after all, this is an era with a clear distinction between officials and commoners.

A subordinate looking directly at a superior was already considered "disrespectful."

Zhao Du'an's arrogant "nobleman" attire was something everyone avoided.

The Thousand-Faced Divine Lord's expression finally changed.

Originally, with his shrewdness and experience in the pugilistic world, he shouldn't have made such a basic mistake.

But having recently suffered damage to his divine soul, he was currently in a mentally unstable state.

This was also why he chose to commit violence during his hiding —

Not just to recover his strength, but also a manifestation of his mental instability.

But... why?

How was he exposed?

His true body was clearly hidden very well; he shouldn't have been traced back to...

Without time to think, the Thousand-Faced Divine Lord lowered his waist and shifted his hips, his feet sinking, "crack," stamping two concave pits into the dilapidated brick road beneath his feet.

His figure was as swift as a leopard, twisting as he fled!

He had no intention of fighting Zhao Du'an.

In an instant, he had darted out several dozen feet.

Just as he was about to rush out of the other end of the street, his shoulders suddenly sank, as if bearing a huge mountain, and his legs also sank into the mud, unable to move.

"Sorcerers..."

The Thousand-Faced Divine Lord looked up in astonishment, his pupils reflecting a bizarre scene.

He saw that on both sides of the unremarkable street, dozens of figures had appeared at some point.

Ma Yan, in brocade robes and with a steel saber at his waist, stood at the end.

Zhang Han, Haitang, and other Jisi from the hall emerged from the low walls on both sides, each holding a weapon.

Their qi formed a net, and he was the fish in the net.

On the rooftops of the residential houses on both sides of the street stood sorcerers, all wearing the uniform of the Celestial Master's Office with cloud patterns, some forming incantations, others holding talismans.

Further away, an old eunuch in a bright red python robe, more to protect Zhao Du'an than to participate in the battle, sat on the spire of a building, his withered hands clasped together.

His eyes opened and closed, shaking his head and muttering:

"These young people nowadays, using a sledgehammer to crack a nut."

It was unclear whether he was criticizing Zhao Du'an or the Empress.

Ma Yan grinned, waved his hand, and shouted loudly:

"Please hold the line, the Zhao Yamen is acting on imperial orders to capture the thief; remember, capture him alive."

The Celestial Master's Office officials remained silent, thinking that no one was stealing their credit.

"Swish, swish, swish..."

Zhang Han, wielding a seven-foot sword, unleashed a torrent of sword qi from above.

Haitang opened her slender hand, and a series of throwing knives flew without fail.

The Thousand-Faced Divine Lord was like a trapped beast, struggling to resist.

Zhao Du'an, however, shook his head and turned to leave.

With such a formation, he had no interest in watching the battle; Ma Yan, on the other hand, seemed to be using the capture of the thief to train his troops.

...

Stepping away from Mud Tile Street, Zhao Du'an went to a small food stall on the street.

Under the shop owner's surprised gaze, he ordered a bowl of noodles and ate them slowly and methodically.

To avoid disturbing the people, even though it was only across the street, the battle to hunt down the Divine Chapter cultivator was invisible from this side thanks to the methods of the divine officials.

One side of the street was the roar of a trapped beast on the verge of death, the other side was steaming noodles.

The contrast was stark.

When Zhao Du'an had eaten half a bowl.

Haitang silently walked over.

Sitting opposite him, she also ordered a bowl of wide noodles.

"It's over? Why did it take so long?"

Zhao Du'an slurped a mouthful of noodles, swallowed, and looked up at the female Jisi opposite him.

Haitang raised her hand and tidied her slightly disheveled ponytail.

As she moved, the tear mole at the corner of her eye was particularly clear:

"Doesn't handling the aftermath take time? That scum was hiding in a family's home, killed the male head of the household, and defiled the female head of the household, doing it right in front of her."

As she spoke, she almost gnashed her teeth, her eyes filled with undisguised killing intent:

"He should have been chopped up on the spot."

Zhao Du'an nodded:

"So, he was captured alive?"

Haitang finished cursing and exhaled:

"His limbs were broken, his qi sea was shattered, and Supervisor Ma is personally escorting him back to the Zhao Prison to torture him; killing him directly would be too easy on him.

However, with the alertness of the Kuangfu Society, even if we hide the news, the other party will probably soon realize it; I wonder how much we can dig out..."

"Unfortunately, after he entered the capital, he didn't seem to have much contact with the rebels in the capital; digging further won't be very effective."

Zhao Du'an nodded, and a weight lifted from his heart.

At least for a short time, he didn't have to guard against thieves, and couldn't help but smile:

"After today, the lower-level officials of the Imperial faction can sleep soundly."

"It's hard for you to still think of them..."

Haitang habitually spoke sarcastically, flipping her hand and pressing a painted mask on the table:

"Here, the spoils of war, a talisman that can change appearance, called 'Nine Changes'; cover your face with it, imagine in your mind, and you can change your appearance.

If a non-sorcerer uses it, it can probably last for nine hours.

Supervisor Ma was supposed to put it in storage according to the rules, but Eunuch Hai spoke up, saying that you deserved a reward for capturing the thief this time; heh, saying that when you go out of the capital to handle matters one day, you can use it."

What do you mean I can use it when I go out... is it because I have too many enemies... Zhao Du'an was too weak to complain.

But he still perked up and immediately grabbed the "Nine Changes" in his hand.

He didn't know what material the mask was made of.

Well, based on his previous life's experience, it seemed like soft silicone... it was painted all over, with a Picasso painting style, as if several faces were superimposed on the mask.

"Did the Thousand-Faced Divine Lord use this to disguise himself?" Zhao Du'an asked curiously.

Haitang glanced at him:

"You're overthinking it; there are many ways to disguise oneself under the heavens, but none who can reach the level of Thousand Faces have not cultivated hard for many years.

He mainly cultivates the methods bestowed by the gods, and this mask only has a portion of the ability.

For example, he can perfectly replicate someone else, but you can only change your face; you can't do anything about your figure or anything like that."

Zhao Du'an was slightly disappointed, thinking that he could transform into anything.

It seemed that the mask's greatest function was not to disguise oneself as someone else, but to change one's own appearance to avoid being tracked...

Of course, if the figures were similar, it wasn't impossible...

"Heh heh, then I'll gladly accept it."

Zhao Du'an put the mask into the silver painting scroll, lamenting that his cultivation was progressing slowly, but he was getting more and more treasures.

At this time, Haitang's noodles were brought up, but Zhao Du'an stood up, preparing to leave.

The women at home had been waiting all day, and he should go back.

"By the way, does His Majesty know about this?"

Zhao Du'an's heart was eager to report to the palace.

The key was that it was getting dark.

He wondered if he could take the opportunity to spend another night in the palace to deepen their relationship.

Haitang pinched her chopsticks and sneered:

"Eunuch Hai went back first; His Majesty will naturally know later."

Old Hai doesn't play by the rules... no wonder he used the mask to shut me up; he's stealing my chance to report... Zhao Du'an was disappointed for a while.

After taking two steps, he stopped again:

"By the way, there's one more thing..."

Haitang helplessly picked up the noodles, with an expression that said, 'Speak your mind'.

"Speaking of which, your surname is Hai, and Hai Gongfeng's surname is also Hai; are there many people with this surname in the capital?"

Zhao Du'an asked curiously.

Haitang was silent for a moment, lowering her eyes, letting the steam in the bowl cover her eyebrows:

"Aren't there many people with the surname Zhao?"

"...Heh heh, that's true."

Zhao Du'an took a deep look at this female colleague with a mysterious background, laughed, and turned to leave.

But in his heart, he faintly felt puzzled.

However...

He was too lazy to think too much.

Zhao Du'an, who had solved a major hidden danger, was full and satisfied, and carried the spoils of war, slowly walking back.

Just as he walked out of a street and returned to the place where he had tied his horse, a group of people suddenly appeared in front of him.

They were ten sorcerers, all wearing divine official robes, walking silently and quietly.

The leader had an interested look in his eyes, and the smile on the corner of his mouth slowly spread:

"You are Zhao Du'an?"

...

...

Inside the Imperial Study in the Imperial Palace.

As the setting sun sank into the ground, Xu Zhenguan was questioning Mo Chou about something.

"...So, this is the result Xue Shence gave? I asked him to investigate himself; did he only find this?"

The Empress's eyes were cold, and a strong dissatisfaction seeped out of her slender eyes.

She slammed a memorial on the table.

Mo Chou stood aside with her head bowed, explaining:

"Secretariat Xue said that he has done his best and indeed found nothing more; back then, the one who worked with Zhang Changshuo should be this one."

The Empress snorted coldly:

"So, the Jing Wang Manor was able to steal the firearms craftsmen without anyone knowing, relying solely on a mere sixth-rank military recorder?"

Mo Chou dared not say a word.

Back then, Zhao Du'an took revenge on Zhang Changshuo, accidentally implicating the Jing Wang Manor's spies.

Thus, he pointed out that there was likely a high-ranking military officer in the Secretariat who was secretly leaning towards Jing Wang.

Due to the Secretariat's special nature, Xu Zhenguan ordered Xue Shence to investigate himself.

So much time had passed, and the person had indeed been found, but the Empress was not satisfied.

"Secretariat Xue excels at military affairs and is indeed not suitable for doing this kind of thing."

Mo Chou thought for a while and still said euphemistically:

"Back then, Supervisor Ma was also unable to find the rebels in the Zhao Yamen; it may not necessarily be that he was unwilling to do things."

She knew that Xue Shence, as an important military official in the Imperial faction, was always highly valued by the Emperor.

At this time, she appropriately offered a step down.

Xu Zhenguan sighed softly:

"Not one of them lets me rest easy."

Mo Chou blinked and said:

"There are specialties in different fields; if we're talking about investigating internal thieves and playing with people, we still have to find the right person to do it..."

The two of them exchanged a glance, both knowing who the other was talking about.

"The Secretariat is different from other yamen; the military is an entirely different circle from the civil officials..." The Empress hesitated.

Just then.

Suddenly, the female officials guarding the door outside the Imperial Study spoke one after another:

"Gongfeng Hai..."

The monarch and her subject perked up.

Xu Zhenguan waved her hand, and the door of the Imperial Study opened on its own.

The old eunuch in the python robe floated in, bowing and saying:

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

Xu Zhenguan was surprised and uncertain: "Is there progress?"

In the evening, Eunuch Hai went out of the palace again, saying that he was protecting Zhao Du'an and cooperating with the Zhao Yamen's plan to capture the thief.

Now he suddenly returned, fearing that there was a change.

Eunuch Hai said "En".

Without hurrying, he explained how Zhao Du'an found Ma Yan, located the rebellious party, and how he gathered a group of people to hunt him down, and finally cupped his hands and said:

"Congratulations, Your Majesty, the assassin rebel's true body has been captured and imprisoned; tonight, the officials can sleep soundly."