The First Lackey Under The Empress

“Neigh.”

Outside the main entrance of the Jiangnan garden with white walls and black tiles, Zhao Du'an tightened the reins, not dismounting, but overlooking the front from horseback.

Behind him, a group of brocade-clad government servants and imperial soldiers, who had come ashore and mounted their horses, followed with murderous intent, like wolves and tigers, first rudely driving the gate-keeping royal guards into the gate to report.

Subsequently, they threw the corpses of the assassins, salvaged from the lake, onto the ground.

“Sir, are we really not waiting for Hai Gongfeng and the others to return? Are we sure that barging in like this won't make the other party… …” Shen Juan, among the Pear Blossom Hall members, was the more thoughtful one, leaning over with concern.

Zhao Du'an glanced at him, smiling and shaking his head:

“Relax, if Prince Jing had the guts to publicly break with me, he wouldn't have arranged a sneaky assassination outside the city. Don't underestimate the ability of a hero to endure humiliation. How could someone who achieves great things not even be able to withstand our provocation?”

After he led his men back to the city, he first encountered Xu Qian, Xu Junling, and their servants who had come to greet him, and followed his elder brother away.

After Zhao Du'an ostentatiously paraded through the city, he sent someone to notify Feng Ju, while he led the others straight into the garden where Prince Jing was staying.

The purpose was simple: to vent his anger, expand the victory, and completely settle this game concerning the “opening of the market.”

After appeasing his subordinates, Zhao Du'an gathered his energy and shouted loudly.

After silently counting ten breaths, he saw a large group of people walking out of the mansion, led by Prince Jing and his son.

“Zhao Du'an!”

Prince Jing's face showed anger, and he walked as if carrying wind and thunder. Before he arrived, he shouted angrily:

“What do you mean by this?!”

Zhao Du'an was on horseback, holding a horse whip, condescendingly overlooking this brocade-clad, powerful prince, with a indifferent and mocking expression:

“Your Highness has finally come out. This official thought you would avoid seeing me.”

Prince Jing put on a righteous and awe-inspiring posture, glanced at the corpses on the ground, and frowned deeply:

“Zhao Du'an! This prince is asking you! What do you intend to do by breaking into this prince's residence?!”

This is pretending to be ignorant… Just looking at his indignant and doubtful expression, Zhao Du'an couldn't help but admire him, wanting to award him an Oscar…

“Prince Jing, this official was assassinated outside the city not long ago and almost lost his life. Are you aware of this?” Zhao Du'an asked coldly.

Prince Jing frowned and said, “I just heard something about it, but I don't know the details.”

Zhao Du'an smiled: “A good ‘don't know the details,’ Old Hou, tell the Prince.”

“Yes!”

Hou Renmeng was a complete troublemaker and not afraid of Xu Wen at all. He immediately loudly narrated the assassination attempt.

After Zhao Du'an waited for him to finish, his expression darkened, and he pointed at the father and son with the horse whip, arrogantly saying:

“Your Highness, don't you think you should give this official an explanation?”

Prince Jing frowned tightly and said:

“Kuang Fu She's rebel dared to assassinate you in broad daylight, which is extremely bold. But you come to this prince to ask for an explanation?”

Zhao Du'an narrowed his eyes and said softly:

“Does Your Highness think it was done by the rebel party? But appearing with that rebel party was Duan Shui Liu, and as everyone knows, this Jianghu guest troubled this official before I entered the city, and at that time, the Heir Apparent was nearby. If I remember correctly, you repeatedly claimed to have a friendship with him.”

Xu Jinglong's face changed, and he said angrily:

“Zhao Du'an, stop spouting nonsense! This Heir Apparent is acquainted with Duan Shui Liu, but there are many who know him. There are a bunch in the capital. He was defeated by Hai Gongfeng that day and has already fled. He hasn't appeared in the past few days. Who knows if he has anything to do with the rebel party?”

Saying that, he suddenly seemed to realize something:

“Are you deliberately framing me, wanting to take revenge on this Heir Apparent?”

Zhao Du'an overlooked the father and son's performance, his smile growing stronger:

“Oh, so it was Duan Shui Liu's private actions? Then these corpses of assassins were also arranged by the rebel party?”

“Otherwise?” Prince Jing's face darkened, “If not the rebel party, could it be related to this prince?”

Zhao Du'an sighed softly and said:

“I've seen them. These people are very clean. They don't have any items on them that reveal their identities. I originally wanted to capture a few alive, but they all bit through the poison and committed suicide… What a group of death warriors, but unfortunately, they didn't meet a wise master and served a group of rats in the gutter, ugly and unbearable scum, selling their lives for such great villains, cowardly people with the heart of a thief but not the guts. Your Highness, do you think they deserve to die?”

Prince Jing's hand, hanging in his sleeve, clenched until his knuckles turned white, his face as heavy as water.

Zhao Du'an didn't let him off, with a serious face:

“Why doesn't Your Highness speak? Could it be that you sympathize with this group of rebels?”

Prince Jing took a deep breath and smiled:

“What Master Zhao said is right, they indeed deserve to die. A mere rebel party dares to assassinate an official of the imperial court, their death is not a pity.”

“Your Highness is still reasonable,” Zhao Du'an's smile faded:

“However, although I trust Your Highness, when it comes to rebels, we should always be cautious. After Duan Shui Liu fled in defeat, he seemed to have come this way. Considering his acquaintance with the Heir Apparent, he might choose to hide here. Your Highness wouldn't mind if this official searched, right?”

After speaking, without waiting for the other party to respond, Zhao Du'an waved his hand:

“Come on, search the mansion to see if there are any traces of rebel bandits hiding!”

“Yes!”

Hou Renmeng took the lead, drawing his sword and rushing in.

“You dare… …” Xu Jinglong's eyes were about to split, trying to stop them, but suddenly Prince Jing grabbed his arm, and Prince Jing calmly said: “Let him search.”

“But… …” Xu Jinglong was anxious, wanting to remind the Princess Consort in the inner residence.

But after a group of government soldiers, like wolves and tigers, broke into the mansion, searched wildly, smashed everything, and even Hou Renmeng chopped the bed in the Prince's bedroom with a knife, they returned empty-handed.

Not surprisingly, with Lu Yan'er's cultivation, hiding was not difficult at all.

“Master Zhao is satisfied? If you are still not at ease, do you want to take this prince and his son away for interrogation?” Prince Jing smiled.

Zhao Du'an looked regretful:

“Your Highness, what are you saying? This official was just anxious for a moment and spoke improperly. Your Highness, please forgive me, don't take it seriously. This official follows the law. In the Great Yu law, I don't have the power to arrest and interrogate the royal family. Don't force me to make a mistake.”

Prince Jing was almost laughed at by his hypocrisy: “Good, very good.”

Zhao Du'an changed the subject again and said:

“This official is unfamiliar with the place in Huting. Speaking of which, Your Highness, you are familiar with this place. These corpses, please trouble Your Highness to hang them on the city wall to deter the rebels in the city.”

Still not waiting for him to respond, a group of Jinyi school lieutenants from Pear Blossom Hall had already stepped forward with playful smiles, picking up one or two corpses each, and throwing them casually into the courtyard of the mansion.

Each corpse fell in, making a "bang" sound, splashing a pool of blood, and a burst of exclamations came from the servants in the mansion.

The faces of the father and son outside the door became uglier.

Finally, Xu Jinglong couldn't bear it anymore. He suddenly took a few steps forward, pointing at Zhao Du'an and about to scold angrily.

But the horse whip in Zhao Du'an's hand suddenly swung out, with lightning speed, the end of the whip hitting Xu Jinglong's face hard.

“Pa!”

The loud sound of the whip rang out, and the surroundings were silent for a moment.

Xu Jinglong incredulously covered the high, swollen, blood-seeping wound on his face, seemingly stunned by the beating, not expecting Zhao Du'an to dare to attack him.

“Sorry,” Zhao Du'an retracted the horse whip, with an apologetic face:

“I was assassinated not long ago, and this official was still in shock. When encountering someone approaching suddenly, I instinctively retaliated. I didn't want to accidentally injure the Heir Apparent. After this official returns to the capital, I will definitely ask His Majesty for forgiveness. What does the Heir Apparent think?”

Xu Jinglong was panting like a cow, unable to maintain the demeanor of a graceful young nobleman.

The smile on Prince Jing's face, who was also stunned by this whip, could hardly be maintained, and he uttered a word in a low voice:

“Get out!”

“Haha, let's go, let's go.” Zhao Du'an laughed loudly, waved his hand, pulled his horse and led a group of subordinates away along the long street.

Only the messy Prince Jing's mansion and the nearby or distant gazes secretly peeping remained.

It is conceivable that it will not be long before what happened here will spread in the city.

… …

… …

On the other side.

Wu Ling, dressed as a Jianghu person, quickly returned from the sensational street again, quietly slipping into a secluded alley.

He knocked on the door and entered the temporary residence of the Kuang Fu She small team in the city.

“How is the situation? Is the Zhao thief dead?!”

As soon as Wu Ling entered the door, he was surrounded by the passionate young people in the house.

The restless young man Kou Qichi, like a little tiger, especially had a burning gaze.

Wu Ling took off his hat, shook his head with a solemn expression, and said:

“Failed. The Zhao thief has already led his generals back to the city, and seems to have only suffered minor injuries. Our operation has failed!”

The light in the eyes of a group of young people dimmed, and the atmosphere turned dull.

“Bang!” Kou Qichi slammed his fist angrily on the wall, ignoring the broken skin on his hand, “Why don't good people live long, but this evil thief is in power? Why can't he be killed?”

The others also cursed endlessly, greatly disappointed.

Wu Ling glanced around the room, frowned and said: “Lin Yuebai hasn't returned?”

One person said: “Senior Sister Lin went outside the city to meet Qi Yuchun at the agreed place, General Qi, hasn't returned yet.”

As soon as the voice fell, a regular knock on the door came from outside the courtyard again, followed by Lin Yuebai's voice:

“It's me.”

Everyone hurried out to meet her. After the door opened, the female magician Lin Yuebai, dressed as a man, walked in with a solemn face, glanced at Wu Ling, and sighed:

“It seems you already know.”

Wu Ling said solemnly: “The Zhao thief is not dead, how is General Qi?”

Lin Yuebai shook her head:

“Commander Qi suffered serious injuries, but fortunately, he escaped back. He is worried that the government in Huting City will conduct a large-scale search afterwards, so he left first, asking me to bring everyone to evacuate as soon as possible according to the agreed route! The sooner the better!”

The atmosphere in the room was oppressive.

Seeing everyone looking dejected, Lin Yuebai adjusted her emotions and encouraged:

“The Zhao thief is not immortal, but the time has not come. Although this time failed, there will be opportunities in the future. Moreover, it's not that there is no good news at all.”

Seeing Wu Ling and the others looking up.

Lin Yuebai smiled:

"Commander Qi said that during this assassination attempt, a Bodhisattva from the Buddhist sect also appeared nearby, but did not reveal themselves."

"Furthermore, the ancestral temple of Buddhism in the Western Regions has sent people to the capital. In short, the situation will be very complex. Next, that false Emperor will face thorny problems. If the Buddhist sect doesn't handle it well, perhaps the situation will lead to a direction favorable to us."

A Bodhisattva also participated in this assassination?

And why didn't they appear?

Wu Ling was utterly confused.

As for the Western Region monks coming to Great Yu, he had known about it beforehand, and also knew that Dragon Tree Bodhisattva and Great Purity Master of the Buddhist sect had already left their respective temples…

"Was it Dragon Tree or Great Purity who came to Lake Pavilion this time? It wouldn't be the female Bodhisattva Prajna, would it?" he asked curiously.

Lin Yuebai shook her head, indicating that she was also unclear.

Then, she urged everyone to get up and leave immediately.

… …

… …

Humble Administrator's Garden.

Zhao Du'an swaggered back to this garden and found that Feng Ju had already led a large group of officials, anxiously waiting in the hall.

"Lord Zhao!"

"Prefect!"

"We heard that you were assassinated…"

A group of officials swarmed up, and only breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that he was alright.

Then came a series of self-examinations, with a posture of pleading guilty.

"Haha, everyone, there's no need to be like this. We are all officials of the same court. In terms of rank, I am still lower than several of you present. Such treatment is not appropriate."

Zhao Du'an smiled brightly, first comforting everyone, and then indicating that he would not blame them for this matter, which slightly reassured the group of civil officials.

"Feng Langzhong," Zhao Du'an sat in the main seat, picked up a blue and white porcelain teacup, took a sip, and then said faintly:

"I have several things for you to do next."

"Please speak!"

"First, immediately search the entire city for rebel parties, especially paying attention to places like medical clinics. If there are suspicious injured people, do not startle them, and report immediately."

"Second, summon the imperial merchants to the Humble Administrator's Garden. This official will personally meet with them to reassure them."

"Third, this official just went to the place where Prince Jing is staying. As for what exactly I did, you can ask Hou Renmeng and the others, and then declare this matter for me. Before tonight, I want the entire city to know about this matter."

Zhao Du'an stared at him again: "The last thing, the Lake Pavilion meeting tomorrow will begin and proceed as usual. I will wait for the results in the Humble Administrator's Garden."

The officials looked at each other. A group of shrewd people understood what was going on, got up and said yes, and then left in a hurry to handle matters.

After everyone left, Haitang, who had been left behind to find Madam Xiao alone, walked over quietly and said:

"Did you deliberately leave me in the city?"

Zhao Du'an smiled at his female colleague: "How could I?"

Haitang looked indignant: "Obviously! I'm not weak! If I had been there, I might have been able to keep Qi Yuchun!"

Speaking like that, you are the descendant of Old Hai… Such a dangerous occasion, bringing you there wouldn't affect the overall situation, wouldn't that mean I'm ignorant? The martial world isn't just about fighting and killing, it's also about human relationships…

Zhao Du'an slandered in his heart.

Haitang put on a straight face, took out a bottle of wound medicine and bandages, and was about to speak when she suddenly heard movement outside the courtyard. It was Eunuch Mangpao, bringing Ji Yue and Lang Shiba back.

The three had obviously learned of Zhao Du'an's safety, and were quite surprised to come in at this time.

"This old servant was scared to death by you kid."

Eunuch Hai was wearing a low-key cotton robe, and sweat was still seeping from his pale temples.

He came in, looked at him for a moment, threw the Frost Sword to him, sat down unhappily, and summoned his granddaughter to massage his shoulders.

"Hehe, who would have thought there would be assassins."

Zhao Du'an smiled cheekily and briefly explained the matter, only saying that he had a backup plan. Eunuch Hai was old and sophisticated and didn't ask further.

Ji Yue and Lang Shiba breathed a sigh of relief when they saw that he was fine, and silently went to recuperate.

The few people talked in the hall for a while, and Zhao Du'an also talked about how he went to Prince Jing to make a scene after returning to the city.

"Today's matter has turned out to be a blessing in disguise, forcing Prince Jing to swallow my beating, and those neutral factions will be further shaken."

Zhao Du'an said with emotion.

What he was thinking about was the change in Prince Huai'an's position, but how Prince Huai'an would specifically choose would be revealed tomorrow.

Haitang's face was not good after hearing the process, and she said indignantly:

"His Majesty should have killed this group of princes. On the battlefield, there is a saying 'capture the enemy, first capture the leader'. If they were killed directly, what would there be to fear of insidious methods?"

I didn't realize that Little Hai, you are quite extreme… Zhao Du'an glanced at her.

Eunuch Hai felt his granddaughter's shoulder massage service, and when he heard this, he drooped his eyelids and said unhappily:

"Don't think about things that don't exist. His Majesty is now being smeared by the rebel party, carrying the crime of killing his brother and father, but at least he has never done it. Prince Jing is ultimately His Majesty's uncle, as long as he doesn't do anything outrageous on the surface, no matter how dark his methods are in private, could you just find an excuse to kill him? Would you really want His Majesty to bear the eternal infamy?"

After scolding his great-granddaughter, Eunuch Hai sighed again: "Besides, can you kill them if you want to?"

"Isn't His Majesty a Celestial Realm?" Haitang retorted: "What can't be killed?"

Eunuch Hai shook his head and sighed:

"His Majesty is in the capital, blessed by the Dragon Qi of the Emperor, so naturally he is a Celestial. But outside the capital, it is a different scene."

Zhao Du'an didn't say anything, knowing that what Old Hai was referring to was the "pseudo" in "Pseudo-Celestial."

Since it is pseudo, there must be drawbacks.

The Emperor leaving the capital too far, the decline in realm is the drawback.

Haitang said in surprise: "If His Majesty leaves the capital now, will the Dragon Qi weaken?"

Eunuch Hai nodded, then pondered for a moment and added:

"It used to be like this, so she couldn't leave the capital, but as long as the throne is firmly established for a longer period of time, maybe next year, she can go out a little bit. If the world is completely united and the throne is completely stable, there will be no difference within the territory of the Great Yu Dynasty."

Zhao Du'an suddenly had a thought in his heart:

If the Emperor can go out of the capital slightly next year, does that mean that the world situation will undergo further changes?

Eunuch Hai's wrinkled hands gently patted his great-granddaughter's young hands and sighed:

"Without the Celestial Realm, where can the princes be killed? Even if they are really killed, killing one would force the other to immediately make trouble… The imperial court can't suppress these people from making trouble together now. There are too many bandits, and they can't be suppressed, let alone the feudal lords…"

Zhao Du'an smiled and said: "After the market opens, the imperial court's fiscal deficit will be greatly eased next year, and it will have the confidence to suppress the rebels."

Eunuch Hai glanced at him: "Do you think the market opening will succeed?"

"Seventy to eighty percent."

Zhao Du'an gave an answer, looked up at the winter sun outside, and said softly:

"We'll wait and see."

… …

On that day, officers and soldiers in Lake Pavilion City went through the streets and alleys, searching everywhere for rebel parties, and the city was filled with a bleak atmosphere.

At the same time, the news that Zhao Du'an was assassinated but returned unharmed, and whipped and threw corpses at Prince Jing's residence, spread like wildfire, and spread throughout the entire Lake Pavilion in just one night.

That night, I don't know how many people had a completely sleepless night.

… …

The next day was the day of the Lake Pavilion Market Opening.

Zhao Du'an got up early in the morning, did not leave, just ate quietly in the Humble Administrator's Garden, and then moved a chair and sat in the courtyard to bask in the sun, waiting for the results.

He had already done everything he could do.

And there was really no need to attend this meeting.

Time passed little by little.

There was only the sound of birds chirping in the Humble Administrator's Garden. Today's Lake Pavilion City was exceptionally quiet, as if it was brewing something enough to change this decadent dynasty.

I don't know how long it took.

Lying in the chair, Zhao Du'an, whose face was covered with an open book, heard the chaotic footsteps coming from afar.

It was Feng Ju who hurried back. This Langzhong, who was low in rank but held great power, was wearing an official robe and his face was flushed. He almost trotted to the Humble Administrator's Garden.

Perhaps he ran too fast, and when he got close, he fell to the ground with a thud, but he didn't care at all, just knelt on the ground, looked up excitedly at Zhao Du'an:

"L … … Lord … …"

Zhao Du'an raised his hand, slowly grabbed the book on his face, looked at the rows of birds flying across the blue sky, and the dazzling winter sun, and said: "How is it?"

Feng Ju said excitedly:

"Xiao Family Head of Qingzhou took the lead, and the rest of the neutral merchants and large families who have close relations with Prince Huai'an's Mansion have also changed their positions… The market opening has succeeded! A great success!"

The corners of Zhao Du'an's mouth turned up slightly, and he lazily turned over, listening to Feng Ju's uncontrollable laughter, and said in disdain:

"Look at your bear appearance."

… …

Da Feng Lou.

Rooftop.

Prince Huai'an listened to the reports from his son and daughter behind him. This pot-bellied foodie prince stood with his hands behind his back, looking in the direction of the city gate, at the convoy that was leaving the city and returning towards Jiancheng Road.

That was Prince Jing who had already left.

"Father, according to your instructions, today should have been led by our people, but I didn't expect that the widow of the Xiao Family in Qingzhou stole the show. I don't know when she became an imperial merchant."

Xu Junling said with some regret.

Prince Huai'an smiled and said with emotion:

"Talented people come forth from generation to generation, it seems that I still underestimated this Zhao Du'an."

"Father, then next, what about us and His Majesty…"

"Everything remains the same, business is business, position is position, in short… let's see again, there will definitely be a change next year."

"Yes… By the way, Father, something seems to be wrong with the Buddhist sect. Not only have monks from the Esoteric Buddhism of the Western Regions come to Great Yu, but our people reported that they saw the traces of Dragon Tree Bodhisattva and Great Purity Master of the Buddhist sect in the Huai River and Linfeng."

… …

Typesetting first, then change later

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