The First Lackey Under The Empress

Swish, swish—

The warship cut through the waves. Jing Wang Shizi stood at the bow, a white fox tail scarf wrapped around his neck against the autumn chill.

Coupled with a face that bore a seventy percent resemblance to Jing Wang, he was already quite striking in the eyes of the young women from wealthy families on the ship.

“Your Highness, the official ship from the capital is ahead.”

On the deck, which was a size smaller than the warship’s three-story structure, only a few figures stood. At this moment, one of them came forward to speak.

Xu Jinglong's appearance here, having been following Zhao Du'an's itinerary for several days, was no accident.

Today, ostensibly, Jing Wang Shizi had invited many young men and women from Lake Pavilion to take a pleasure cruise and enjoy the scenery on the river.

The entire second floor had been temporarily converted into a setting suitable for games, with many children of aristocratic families and wealthy merchants gathered together, originally for amusement.

Now, they also noticed the abnormality, and they looked towards the approaching official ship, whispering among themselves.

On the first-floor deck, the Wangfu private soldiers, who were temporarily in control of the ship, looked stern. Although they did not explicitly adopt a posture of facing an enemy, they already exuded a chilling aura.

“I see it,” Xu Jinglong said coldly.

“Continue to approach. This Shizi wants to see Zhao Du'an's appearance clearly. Hmph, let him know that Shizi are not all the same. Xu Zudi is weak and unproductive in the capital, but if he wants to land, he must first pass this Shizi’s test.”

After speaking, the Shizi, wrapped in a gray-white fox fur scarf for warmth, turned his head and looked at the middle-aged man in a gray robe who quietly emerged from the cabin, and smiled:

“Senior Duan Shuiliu, I will trouble you to take action later.”

The middle-aged man with such an imposing name was actually a dwarf.

He was a full head shorter than Xu Jinglong, with a square face, a large nose, and rare gray eyes on his weathered face.

His slightly stocky figure under the gray robe looked almost like a farmer from the fields, and no weapon could be seen on his waist.

But the three words “Duan Shuiliu” were enough to make heroes of Jianghu turn pale.

“Shizi is too polite. I also want to see how capable that offering is who defeated the Little Monk Tianhai.” The middle-aged man said indifferently.

His gaze, however, was like a sharp sword, directly piercing towards the distant official ship.

… …

… …

“Jing Wang Shizi, Xu Jinglong?”

As Zhao Du'an uttered this name, his expression became somewhat subtle.

He was not unfamiliar with this name. He first learned of this person when he and Yuan Li cooperated to bring down Pei Kai, the vice minister of the Ministry of Justice.

Afterwards, Zhenbao drank and talked with him on the Tianzi Tower, during which he learned a little about the past of the current Empress when she was the Third Princess.

This included Jing Wang Shizi's expression of love.

Xu Jinglong and the Third Princess were both members of the imperial family. According to the etiquette of the Great Yu Dynasty, it was naturally inappropriate, but how should I put it… Turning the pages of history, there were precedents of palace royals disrupting the established order.

As a man determined to deceive the emperor, Zhao Du'an had only casually mentioned Jing Wang Shizi, whom Xu Zhenguan disliked and hated, once, and had done a simple investigation.

Regardless of reputation, ability, or appearance, he was considered an outstanding member of the aristocratic children.

He was a formidable enemy.

This time, he knew that the Jing Wang Xu Wen family would come to Lake Pavilion to supervise, but he did not expect that this guy, who was disliked and hated by Zhenbao, would impatiently rush forward.

Before he could land, he was greeted.

“Is he in a hurry to die?” Zhao Du'an sneered: “Or does he think he can give me a show of strength?”

He was a little puzzled. Why were the sons of these princes all like this? Xu Zudi was like this, and Xu Jinglong was also like this.

Well, if the county lord who had also troubled him in the beginning, but was later considered to have let it go, was also counted, every prince's son would touch his bad luck.

The old offering sighed:

“People are also prepared. Did you see the person next to Xu Jinglong on the third floor?”

Zhao Du'an's eyesight was amazing. He vaguely caught a glimpse and wondered:

“Could it be some peerless expert?”

The old offering smacked his lips and spat out a few words: “Martial Emperor City, Green Mountain.”

“He is Wu Xiankui?” Zhao Du'an was shocked.

“…” Hai Chunlin glared at him angrily:

“Do you deserve to be sniped by a celestial martial artist? However, this person is a disciple of Wu Xiankui. Well, didn't you deal with a young man from Green Mountain in the capital last time?”

“That Chai Keqiao?” Zhao Du'an had a deep memory of the guy who came to provoke him with an axe.

“That person on the boat is Chai Keqiao's eldest senior brother. He has entered the Mortal Realm for many years, and now it is estimated that he has also gained a firm foothold in the Great Perfection of the Mortal Realm.” The old offering sighed:

“No one knows this person's real name, but he has a nickname that is quite loud, called Duan Shuiliu. His martial arts are extremely powerful. It is said that his temperament is strange. He is lustful but not addicted to women, and he is tyrannical but not addicted to bloodshed. He has traveled the Jianghu for many years and has never been defeated…

Hehe, this is mostly boasting, but at least in public martial arts, he has indeed never lost, at most it is a draw. But knowing what kind of people can fight and what occasions can be a draw, isn't that also a kind of wisdom?”

Duan Shuiliu? Eldest senior brother? Is this such a topical name?

Will this person shout out a sentence later: Everyone here is trash?

Zhao Du'an complained frantically and frowned:

“People from Green Mountain? How did they get involved with Jing Wang? Could it be that Wu Xiankui has also defected to the Eight Kings?”

The old offering shook his head:

“How could a celestial martial artist defect to some prince? Duan Shuiliu's position also does not represent that great Green Mountain. Hehe, the Martial Emperor City lineage is somewhat different. Although they also value the friendship between senior and junior brothers, they do not have binding force.

Anyone who joins the Martial Emperor City lineage will no longer represent the Martial Emperor City's position after 'graduation'. In the past, it often happened that senior and junior brothers of the Martial Emperor City lineage joined different forces after going down the mountain and faced each other with swords.”

Zhao Du'an's expression eased slightly, and he curled his lips and said:

“So, after we beat this Duan Shuiliu eldest senior brother to waste, we don't have to worry about Wu Xiankui coming down the mountain to avenge his disciple, right?”

Hai Gonggong: “…”

Haitang: “…”

Good fellow, people haven't really done anything yet, and you're already thinking about beating them to waste.

Haitang rolled her eyes even more, thinking, do you really not know the value of "Great Perfection of the Mortal Realm"?

Having reached this realm, unless a celestial being takes action, it is already very difficult to seriously injure them. At worst, if you can't beat them, just run. Without an encirclement by several times the stronger, it is almost impossible to stop them.

During the conversation, the two ships finally drew close to a certain sensitive distance.

The remaining cargo ships in the distance on the river, seeing the warship appear, had already adjusted their sails and avoided it from afar.

So, in the vast waters around, only these two lonely ships remained facing each other.

And as the ships on both sides tacitly stopped, the huge shadow cast by the warship on the river almost enveloped the small official ship.

“Be prepared!”

Without Haitang's reminder, the Jin Yi officials and the accompanying imperial guards had already lined up on the deck.

The young men and women who had gathered for a party on the opposite tower ship also looked over in surprise.

The next second, only the middle-aged man with a short stature under the python dragon flag fluttering in the wind on the third floor of the warship shouted with thunderous voice:

“Is Zhao Du'an on the ship? Quickly return my Martial Emperor City's Six Talisman Treasure Armor!”

The martial artist spoke, his voice like thunder.

Clearly, he was not roaring, but the thunderous roar swept across the cold river water between the two ships, and the surface of the water rippled.

Zhao Du'an?

That Empress's gigolo from the capital?

The newly promoted popular person?

At this moment, before Zhao Du'an could do anything, the young people who came out to party on the second floor of the warship made a noise, and they all attracted attention to this name.

Especially many young ladies, tiptoed, supported the railing and stretched their slender necks, looking forward, wanting to catch a glimpse of the demeanor of the rumored “White Horse Zhao Envoy”.

Zhao Du'an's expression was strange, and he murmured: “Is this how you pick a fight?”

Xu Jinglong came to pick a fight, whether because of the “rival in love” relationship or to show his power at the Lake Pavilion meeting.

In short, at the juncture when the Eight Kings and the imperial court had not yet started a war, the other party driving a warship was only a deterrent, and it was impossible to be crazy enough to directly sink and tear the official ship with an ironclad ship.

Even if he was looking for trouble, he would find a passable reason.

But he didn't expect that Jing Wang Shizi's entry point for looking for trouble was actually the protective magic weapon [Six Talisman Treasure Armor] that the Empress had bestowed on him in the beginning.

Zhao Du'an still remembered that Zhenbao had said at the time that this magic weapon was a trophy won by the royal family in a gambling fight with Martial Emperor City.

Therefore, for the disciples of Martial Emperor City, it had a special meaning of shame.

They tried every means to take back the “lost” magic weapon.

He naturally carried it with him this time, and he was wearing it on his body at this moment.

Unexpectedly, the news leaked out, attracting Duan Shuiliu to come and demand it.

“Haha,” Zhao Du'an suddenly laughed, and the sound was magnified many times by the vibration of the Qi machine. After suppressing the noise, he restrained his smile:

“I didn't expect that the news of this official's arrival at Lake Pavilion has become known to everyone. It's hard for Jing Wang Shizi to come and greet him in person. However, this official didn't expect that Jing Wangfu would raise guests from Green Mountain. Xu Jinglong, what kind of trick are you playing?”

No more pretending, calling him by his name directly!

In the capital, Zhao Du'an superficially gave Xu Zudi face, but at this moment, he directly called Xu Jinglong, who was also a Shizi, by his name.

On the warship, Xu Jinglong, wrapped in a fox fur scarf, had a gloomy expression, but then he held the railing with both hands, leaning his body slightly forward, making a condescending posture, and smiled:

“Zhao Envoy's reputation, this Shizi has admired for a long time. I have long heard that he acts arrogantly, but today I have seen it.

How can you convict someone without any evidence? What kind of person is Senior Duan Shuiliu? He is a well-known figure in the Jianghu, a demigod-level figure. How could he be a guest of my Jing Wangfu?

It's just that we happened to know each other and came out to cruise together today.

I just learned that Zhao Envoy also stole the senior's treasure. It's also surprising. This Shizi advises you to return it, lest you anger the senior and lose face before entering Lake Pavilion.”

Hehe, it would be a disgrace if I really gave it… Zhao Du'an was not angry either, and said lightly:

“That treasure armor was bestowed by His Majesty. Xu Jinglong, are you saying that His Majesty stole it? Or are you saying that your Xu clan royal family stole it?”

He looked at Duan Shuiliu, who was wrapped in a gray robe, with a square face, a giant nose, and gray eyes, and smiled mockingly:

“Duan… What's coming? Did you hear clearly? It was the Xu family who took your treasure. Why are you asking a Zhao for it? How about this, if you want it, I'll make the decision.”

He raised a finger, pointed it at Xu Jinglong from afar, the corners of his mouth raised, and his expression suddenly became stern:

“You take off his head and exchange it for the treasure armor in my hand, what do you think? Hahaha…”

Thank you to Mercury's Masked Superman for the hundred rewards!