The First Lackey Under The Empress

The first snow of the third year of Tianfeng came a little earlier than in previous years.

After Empress Dowager exacted her revenge by pinching Zhao Du'an for a while, she finally snorted coldly and left in a huff.

Zhao Du'an stayed in the palace that night, and after a night's sleep, the injuries to his body gradually stabilized under the effect of the imperial palace's medicine.

However, the full blow of the Great Purity Monk was not so easy to eliminate after all.

The next day, Zhao Du'an was sent home in a sedan chair.

With a stroke of her pen, the Empress not only postponed the agreement to arrest Zhuang Xiaocheng until after the New Year but also granted him a long sick leave.

Meanwhile, the court's series of "anti-Buddhist" actions against the Shenlong Temple were in full swing, adding a touch of coldness to this winter, along with the first snow.

… …

In the blink of an eye, several days passed, and the snow fell intermittently, forming a continuous sheet without stopping.

Outside the capital's wharf, an official ship returning from the south braved the wind and waves, slowly entering the port.

On the deck.

Eunuch Hai stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the distant majestic city walls, his face seeming to have aged a few years:

"Order everyone to tidy up and prepare to enter the city."

Behind him, Female Investigator Haitang replied with a low "En," but did not move, instead asking sadly:

"After we land... how should we report?"

Eunuch Hai was silent for a moment, then forced a smile:

"This is not something you need to worry about. We will send you back to the yamen first, and then I will enter the palace to plead guilty to His Majesty."

"But..." Haitang's nose seemed to be blocked, and she even choked up a little.

Eunuch Hai reached out and patted her shoulder, then turned back and saw that the rest of the people on the deck of the cabin were in a very depressed mood, even mixed with a hint of fear.

Ji Yue, who suffered from severe social anxiety, and the drunken Lang Shiba stood uneasily at the cabin door, wanting to escape but not daring to.

Hou Renmeng and Shen Juan, and the other brocade-clad guards of the Pear Blossom Hall, all looked as if they had lost their parents.

The elite imperial guards also hung their heads one by one, without any joy of triumph.

On that day, after Zhao Du'an was assassinated, Eunuch Hai and the others besieged the Great Purity Monk and unexpectedly gained the upper hand, but the Great Purity Monk was determined to escape, and finally fled at the cost of injury.

The crowd was anxious to find Zhao Du'an and had no intention of getting entangled with him, but after searching the vicinity of the pier, they could not find Zhao anywhere.

Only a pool of human-shaped blood on the ground.

"Was Master Zhao beaten into ashes?"

This was the thought in the minds of a group of people at the time, but this idea was too absurd after all and was quickly rejected by them.

Not to mention the Great Purity Monk, even a Celestial Realm powerhouse could not directly evaporate a person.

After thinking about it, the biggest possibility was "abduction," just like the female sorceress who kidnapped Zhao Du'an on Yansuo Lake before.

Several people suspected that the Great Purity Monk used some kind of magic when he attacked, taking away Zhao Du'an's seriously injured body.

This was a relatively reasonable guess, but no matter how they searched, they could not find any trace, and finally, they could only continue north to report to the capital.

Whether Zhao Du'an was killed on the spot or kidnapped, the outcome would probably not be much better.

Along the way, the atmosphere on the ship was heavy and depressing. Everyone was ordered to protect Zhao Du'an, but the result was this, and they all knew that once they returned, they would be severely punished.

But under Eunuch Hai's supervision, no one dared to run away...

"Alright, Zhao Du'an's disappearance is my responsibility, not yours. When we enter the palace later, I will plead guilty to His Majesty and not implicate you," Eunuch Hai said calmly.

At this time, the official ship docked.

A group of people disembarked and then entered the city gate smoothly, silently walking on the main road of the capital, which was already covered in silver.

No one was in the mood to appreciate the snow scene.

Before entering the palace, they first passed by the Zhao Yamen. Eunuch Hai took a few steps, preparing to send Haitang and the others back first.

When the group arrived at the gate of the Zhao Yamen, they were still far away, so they asked the gatekeeper to inform them. Ma Yan, who was in charge of the Governor's Hall, immediately put down his hot tea and went out to greet them with a smile.

"Haha, Eunuch Hai, you're finally back. Why didn't you notify us in advance?"

Ma Yan, whose face was thin and long and whose temperament was gloomy, rarely showed an enthusiastic smile. He glanced around and asked curiously, "Didn't Zhao Du'an come with you?"

As the Supervising Eunuch, Ma Yan certainly knew that Zhao Du'an had already returned to the capital.

So what he meant was that he thought Zhao Du'an would come to greet them first and then come over together.

But these words fell into the ears of everyone, and they had a completely different meaning.

"Supervising Eunuch..." Suddenly, there was a sob in the crowd. It was several brocade-clad guards from the Pear Blossom Hall. When they saw Ma Yan, their eyes turned red, and even Hou Renmeng, a troublemaker, had tears in his eyes.

Ma Yan was stunned for a moment: "What's wrong with you...?"

At a critical moment, Haitang, as the master of the Water Lily Hall, bit her lip, stepped forward, lowered her head, her eyes slightly red, and choked up:

"Supervising Eunuch, we... we have failed His Majesty's grace and failed to protect Master Zhao... Zhao Du'an, he... he may be dead!"

As soon as these words came out, the brocade-clad guards of the Pear Blossom Hall knelt down in unison, all in a posture of pleading guilty.

When the imperial guards behind saw this, they panicked a little and knelt down in confusion.

They said in their mouths: "Please punish us, Supervising Eunuch!"

Ma Yan's expression stiffened, and then his eyes gradually became strange. He glanced at the grief-stricken Shen Juan and others, and then at Eunuch Hai, who was silent, and Ji Yue and Lang Shiba, who were trying to lower their presence...

"Don't you know yet?" Ma Yan tried hard to suppress the instinctive reaction of laughing out loud on his serious face.

"Know what?" Haitang asked blankly.

Ma Yan said seriously:

"Zhao Du'an returned to the capital a few days ago. Although he was injured, he was rescued in time and is now recuperating... He is not dead, nor is he missing..."

Eunuch Hai was stunned.

Haitang's small mouth opened slightly.

Under Ji Yue's long black hair, her ears perked up with a "snap," and Lang Shiba next to her also showed a stunned expression.

Gah—

As for Hou Renmeng and the others who were kneeling on the ground, it was as if they had been pressed on the pause button, and they all raised their heads sharply, looking at Ma Yan in astonishment.

"Supervising Eunuch... are you saying..."

Ma Yan couldn't laugh or cry, so he had to briefly describe the matter, roughly saying that Zhao Du'an relied on the treasure bestowed by His Majesty to escape, and that the Empress Dowager banned Buddhism and beheaded the Xuan Yin Three Swords in front of the entire city.

"So, Zhao Du'an is fine?!" Haitang's blocked nose was suddenly unblocked.

Ma Yan smiled and said: "He's fine. I thought he had already met you."

"Is he in the yamen?" Haitang asked a stupid question.

Ma Yan shook his head and said: "He came here once this morning, took Little Wang away, and said he was going to the Celestial Master's Mansion."

… …

… …

After a winter snow, the huge clock tower in the Celestial Master's Mansion was also covered with white frost.

Zhao Du'an rode in a carriage, carrying gifts, and arrived at the Celestial Master's Mansion, preparing to visit Celestial Master Zhang.

Gongshu Tianyuan, who learned the news, immediately came out and invited him to sit down in his workshop residence.

"I should have come a few days earlier, but at that time, my injuries were still quite serious, and my family wouldn't let me run outside. Also, because the Shenlong Temple was unstable, it was delayed for a few days. Now that my injuries have largely stabilized, I wanted to come and thank the Celestial Master in person."

In the reception hall, Zhao Du'an sat on a brown wooden chair and said with a smile.

The coachman, Little Wang, who had followed, placed the gift boxes on the ground one by one, and then sensibly walked out.

"Thank you, Master?"

The chubby Gongshu Tianyuan sat opposite him.

After entering winter, this guy had gained a lot more meat on his body, and he looked very festive. He was surprised and asked back.

As a technical geek, Gongshu Tianyuan knew nothing about what was happening outside the window. He only knew about Zhao Du'an being assassinated by Da Jing, and he didn't know that Little Celestial Master had taken action at Yansuo Lake.

"Well, it was probably because the Celestial Master took care of me on a business trip last time," Zhao Du'an explained casually.

Gongshu Tianyuan didn't ask any further questions. He smiled and said:

"Brother Zhao, please sit here for a while. I have already sent someone to inform him. If Master is willing to see you, he will reply."

Alas, Lao Zhang's airs are also getting bigger. He is no longer the Lao Zhang who used to block me on my way home when I had nothing to do... Zhao Du'an sighed.

Gongshu Tianyuan was very excited and talked to him about the ice-making business before, and also talked about the progress of the Shenji Camp's Ordnance Bureau. Finally, he said:

"The equipment you sent me last time for pumping water from the mine, I have basically conquered it. I am just waiting for mass production to see how effective it is."

Zhao Du'an couldn't help but be amazed by this guy's work efficiency. At the same time, he keenly sensed that the mana on Gongshu Tianyuan's body seemed to be a level higher:

"Brother Gongshu is not far from stepping into the Mortal Realm, right?"

Gongshu Tianyuan showed a smug look on his fat face, and then said with deep affection:

"This is all thanks to Brother Zhao's help. By the way, I have also prepared a gift and was just about to send it to Brother Zhao. It is one of my new creations."

With that, the short, stout young man got up, walked to the next room, and brought out a blanket... or a small quilt.

"This is also a treasure?" Zhao Du'an was stunned for a moment.

At first glance, it was indeed a small quilt, but it was outlined with cinnabar patterns drawn with talismans on it.

Gongshu Tianyuan's lips curled up in a smile. He said:

"Isn't winter coming? Brother Zhao has cultivation, so he's not afraid of the cold, but I imagine your family is always cold. This thing, I've named 'Bedroom Bliss.' As long as you wear it, it will continuously release warmth…"

Bedroom Bliss… What a terrible name. An otherworldly electric blanket, huh… Zhao Du'an was too tired to retort.

Gongshu Tianyuan was excited to show his latest invention to a "soulmate":

"Let me demonstrate it for you!"

Just then, a few young divine officials walked past the courtyard. Gongshu Tianyuan strode out and enthusiastically greeted them:

"Fellow disciples, I have something here that I'd like you all to help test…"

Before he could finish speaking, the young divine officials looked terrified and fled as if their lives depended on it. They ran away, and their voices slowly drifted back:

"Senior brother's creation is too much for us to handle. Please find someone else!"

Zhao Du'an's teeth ached as he watched this scene, wondering just how dangerous this fat man's creations were to scare people like that…

He suddenly recalled the strange inventions the other man had shown him last time.

Gongshu Tianyuan was displeased at being rejected and could only walk back, plopping down and draping "Bedroom Bliss" over himself. He wrapped himself up earnestly and said seriously:

"I'll demonstrate it to Brother Zhao. You see, as long as you put it on like this, without any operation, this ward will automatically warm up, making you feel like you're in a hot spring, completely unafraid of the cold…"

Zhao Du'an stared blankly at the little fatty's face, which was gradually turning red and dripping with sweat, and the wisps of blue smoke rising from his hair…

He tactfully reminded him, "Brother Gongshu, your hair is on fire…"

Gongshu Tianyuan: ??!

When Jin Jian, a petite divine official with delicate features and an aura like a dark elf, appeared in the workshop courtyard,

What she saw was the Fifth Senior Brother inside the wide-open hall, frantically extinguishing a burning quilt, looking utterly disheveled.

"…" Jin Jian was startled. She carefully wiped away the white mist that had suddenly appeared on her glasses with both hands, then cautiously took two steps back, as if facing a formidable enemy:

"What are you doing?"

Zhao Du'an's eyes lit up. He hadn't seen the young divine official in a while. Just as he was about to explain, he saw Gongshu Tianyuan, with his scorched hair and blackened face, awkwardly fleeing, leaving behind the sentence:

"Junior sister, please entertain Brother Zhao for me. I'll go change my clothes…"

Jin Jian silently covered her face, feeling that the prestige of the Celestial Master's Mansion had been completely lost.

After the nuisance left, Zhao Du'an looked at Jin Jian, whose cultivation had also greatly improved, with a smile and said:

"Long time no see."

Jin Jian walked into the room, took off her glasses, and her eyes lost focus again, appearing dazed: "Ah? Has it been a long time?"

She didn't really calculate time.

"…You're not wearing your glasses?" Zhao Du'an awkwardly restarted the conversation.

"After winter, there's fog!" Jin Jian said matter-of-factly.

…Okay, that is indeed a difficult problem, but can't you sorcerers create a spell array similar to "defogging" or something… Zhao Du'an silently complained.

Jin Jian wasn't one for idle chatter. After sitting down, she said solemnly:

"Master said, thank him and accept it, but take the gifts back."

Not accepting gifts? Are you sure that's what Old Zhang, that mooching guy, actually said?

Zhao Du'an looked incredulous and could only conclude that Old Zhang, as the Celestial Master on the surface, needed to maintain his image… Thinking about it that way, it was his fault for not being sensible. Gifts should be given in private. This time, it was a bit too blatant…

Alas, how could Secretary Zhao make such a low-level mistake?

Is it because as his status rises, his sense of crisis weakens, and he's lost his cautious mindset?

Zhao Du'an silently examined himself, then his heart stirred, and he suddenly asked, "The Celestial Master isn't receiving someone else, is he?"

When would a leader sternly refuse a gift?

Most likely when there are outsiders present.

Jin Jian was shocked, thinking how clever he was. She clearly hadn't revealed a single word, so how did this person guess it?

"Who is the Celestial Master receiving?" Zhao Du'an asked curiously.

Jin Jian shook her head like a rattle: "No, no one."

Her mouth was very tight!

Zhao Du'an looked regretful, sighed, looked at the large pile of gift boxes on the ground, and sighed:

"Since that's the case, then forget it. Originally, I was thinking that I couldn't carry so many boxes and was going to give Divine Official Jin Jian some hard-earned money, but alas, since the Celestial Master won't accept it, I can only give up."

As he spoke, he took out a thick roll of silver notes from his sleeve, exuding the scent of ink, worth several thousand taels.

Jin Jian's scattered pupils straightened instantly!

She opened her mouth, reaching out to grab the air, like a fish out of water, her rosy complexion visibly withering.

I knew it, everyone has a weakness… Zhao Du'an pretended to put away the silver notes, casually saying:

"However, if the divine official is willing to tell me…"

"Eldest Senior Brother! Zhong Pan!" Jin Jian said without any psychological burden, like pouring beans from a bamboo tube: "Eldest Senior Brother is back and is talking to Master."

Zhong Pan? That "Little Celestial Master" who intercepted Dragon Tree Bodhisattva at Smoke Lock Lake in the intelligence?

Zhao Du'an narrowed his eyes. If the Little Celestial Master has returned, does that mean that Dragon Tree Bodhisattva has also returned to the capital?

That being said, the Western Regions delegation should also be arriving soon.

Jin Jian happily grabbed the thick roll of silver notes and began counting them one by one, wetting her fingers with saliva, becoming happier as she counted.

"Oh? Brother Zhao gave you a bonus?" Outside the door, Gongshu Tianyuan, who had changed into a new robe and tidied his hair, walked in.

Jin Jian looked up blankly: "Bonus?"

Gongshu Tianyuan nodded: "Yes, the remaining payment from the saltpeter ice-making recipe. This is your share of the bonus."

So… this was originally my money?

Jin Jian stared blankly at the silver notes in her hand, suddenly feeling that they weren't so appealing anymore.

…

…

Deep within the Celestial Master's Mansion, in the courtyard where the large banyan tree grew.

There wasn't a single snowflake in the entire courtyard, and grass was still growing on the ground, as if under the protection of the large banyan tree, this place had become a realm of its own, experiencing all four seasons.

Zhang Yan, who was tall with narrow eyes, sat in a bamboo chair, his hands folded, examining the "Little Celestial Master" Zhong Pan, who was carrying the scarlet Red Tide Sword and had a naturally fierce appearance, and said with a smile:

"You haven't returned for a long time. It seems you've also gained something."

Zhong Pan respectfully held the purple clay teapot, pouring tea and water for the Old Celestial Master, behaving properly:

"This disciple is dull and has barely made progress. I wonder how the other junior brothers and sisters are doing?"

Zhang Yan sighed, feeling melancholy:

"They also haven't returned for a long time. I don't know which place they're wandering around in. The end of the year is in two months, and they don't even think about coming back."

Eldest Senior Brother Zhong Pan said: "I imagine they're also holding back a force, wanting to make a breakthrough before returning to see Master."

"You, always making excuses for them," Zhang Yan grunted.

Zhong Pan asked curiously:

"Master, what's so special about that Zhao Du'an you wanted me to protect? Is he worth you taking the risk of interfering in the secular power struggles of the imperial court, even to take action?"

Looking into the assassination at Smoke Lock Lake, the Celestial Master's Mansion had already interfered in court affairs.

It was only because the one they intercepted was Dragon Tree, a cultivator of the "outside world," and because the two sides didn't openly get involved, that no one delved too deeply.

The Celestial Master's Mansion has been passed down for thousands of years, and its ability to stand tall largely relies on the rule of "not interfering in secular affairs."

Zhang Yan was silent for a moment, then said:

"That Zhao Du'an… This master can't really say. I can't see through him, I can't figure him out."

Zhong Pan was shocked. There were countless people in the world, so who could be so inscrutable that even his own master couldn't see through them?

"Master's actions naturally have their reasons. It's just that…" Zhong Pan hesitated:

"That Zhao Du'an is ultimately a member of the imperial court. This time is fine, but when the Empress's enthronement reaches its third year next year, and the dragon energy is stable, when we can leave the capital, I'm afraid the situation in the world will greatly change…

If the Empress really wants to perform the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Luo, seeking a breakthrough… then it won't just be a struggle within the royal family. Martial Emperor Green Mountain, Divine Dragon Temple, and the Western Regions Ancestral Court, it's hard to say whether they will interfere… If that Zhao Du'an gets involved in it, then we…"

Zhang Yan's gaze moved upwards, not answering his eldest disciple's question, his gaze seeming to pierce through layers of buildings, casting towards the west, and said:

"The people from the Western Regions have entered the city."

…

At the West Gate of the capital, the gatekeeper was directing soldiers to sweep the snow when he saw a convoy slowly approaching from outside the city.

—

ps: Writing chapters is a daily routine, smoothing out the rhythm.