The First Lackey Under The Empress

Zhao Du'an shifted his buttocks back, returning to his original position, and the corner of the car curtain he had lifted fell back down.

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"Is this His Majesty's intention?" He locked his gaze on the other person across the small stove in the carriage.

Yuan Li pinched the jade ruyi, gently tapping the lever on the side of the stove, and immediately a stream of air poured in, illuminating the fire inside: "It is."

Zhao Du'an took a deep breath, leaning his body slightly forward: "Why?"

The Daqing official calmly said: "This year-end, Zhao Shixiong, who was stationed in Yunfu Road, did not return."

This sounded abrupt, but Zhao Du'an was quick-witted and instantly understood the implication:

"Is Your Majesty worried about the generals leading troops on the border?"

Yuan Li neither admitted nor denied it, but simply said:

"Today, Her Majesty summoned me to the palace, saying that she had a face-to-face meeting with Duke Cao, hoping that the Duke would transfer his two sons serving in the military back to the capital for training.

But Duke Cao did not agree. Well, you may not be aware that Duke Cao only brought back an adopted son this time, but did not bring back his biological ones."

Hiss...

Zhao Du'an's pupils narrowed, realizing that this was a very dangerous signal.

When the Empress first ascended the throne, due to the turbulent situation, she was surrounded by enemies and lacked direct allies, so for a considerable period of time, she adopted a policy of appeasement towards the important officials of the old emperor's era.

But this was only temporary. As the situation changed, these ministers who held military power but were "far from the emperor's reach" had to show their attitude.

Returning to the capital at the end of the year was a test.

"Is it because Zhao Shixiong shirked his duty and did not return, making Zhenbao realize that this matter could no longer be delayed? Or is it also because Cao Mao's sudden arrest of Lang Shiba, a subtle act of forcing the palace, made Zhenbao determine that Cao Mao was not reliable enough?

So he was asked to submit more pledges of allegiance? Placing his children in the capital as 'hostages'?"

"Speaking of which, although Cao Mao, unlike Zhao Shixiong, still chose to come back, he didn't fully return... Thinking about it, it's normal. His behavior of arresting Lang Shiba this time and forcing Zhenbao to abdicate was already dancing on the tip of a knife.

Relying on his deep roots in Jubei City and his status as 'Duke', even if he goes a little overboard, the court can tolerate it, but obviously Cao Mao's inner confidence is not so strong...

He is worried that if he does this, he will be detained by Zhenbao, so he left his other children in the northern army. This is also adding another layer of insurance to his safety...

However, the so-called wavering stance is equal to no stance... Is Cao Mao too conceited, thinking that Zhenbao would not dare to touch him, or does he really harbor ulterior motives?"

Zhao Du'an's thoughts raced.

He only heard Yuan Li continue:

"Moreover, Her Majesty's meaning is that the news fed back by the imperial shadow guards in the north also believes that Duke Cao is no longer suitable to lead troops."

This sentence was quite subtle... So, Cao Mao did have some restless behavior?

So he forced Zhenbao to make up her mind and take action?

Zhao Du'an considered it and said, "What does Your Majesty want to do?"

Yuan Li said softly:

"If Duke Cao is willing to step down, it is undoubtedly less risky than forcibly abolishing him. And if we want to avoid tearing our faces apart, we must make a big deal out of Lang Shiba's case, so that the world knows what Cao Mao has done. In other words, we need a public opinion to give Her Majesty a step to publicly retry this case and make the truth known to the world."

"Next, there will be insiders who will complain to the yamen, and some upright censors from the Metropolitan Procuratorate will impeach Cao Mao one after another in order to gain fame. But the voices of the censors alone are not enough. We also need the voices of the common people to form a wave of public opinion.

It is best to have the support of soldiers in the army.

In addition, Cao Mao is a noble, and once something happens, those nobles in the capital who usually don't show up are afraid that they will take action. This is also the object we need to find a way to disintegrate."

After listening, Zhao Du'an said, "When?"

"The sooner the better."

"Understood," Zhao Du'an handed back the confidential booklet in his hand to him.

But Yuan Li just used the jade ruyi to open the lid of the stove and threw the booklet into the already dim charcoal fire, and the flames soared up, wrapping it.

Zhao Du'an lifted the curtain and walked out, leaving a sentence:

"Yuan Gong will take care of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, and I will take care of the rest."

Yuan Li was stunned for a moment, chasing the former with his eyes: "Leave it all to you?"

Zhao Du'an jumped out of the carriage, turned back and smiled at Daqing official, revealing a row of white teeth in the darkness:

"I have helpers too."

……

……

"Da da da..."

Under the night, on the street outside the Zhao Yamen, a horse broke through the cold wind and stopped outside Lihua Hall.

Zhao Du'an dismounted and entered the official office. Following the light in the duty room, he pushed open the door and saw a group of Jinyi school lieutenants working overtime, copying documents.

"Sir? Why are you back again?"

Qian Kerou raised her head in astonishment, asking blankly.

Zhao Du'an calmly nodded and pointed out Shen Juan, entered another empty room, and then buried his head and wrote a full piece of paper, handing it to the latter:

"You were the one who handled the Red Flower Society gang last time, right?"

Shen Juan, staring at the dark circles under his eyes, nodded: "Yes."

Zhao Du'an nodded: "Very good, take a trip and tell the people from the Red Flower Society to do the things on the paper. Say it's my intention."

Shen Juan blankly took the paper, glanced at it, and his face suddenly changed:

"Sir, you want to..."

Zhao Du'an stared at him: "Ask less, do it."

Shen Juan's eyes lit up, and he cupped his fists and clasped his hands: "Your subordinate obeys."

After speaking, he went out to change his clothes, and then went straight out of Lihua Hall, leading his horse into the night.

As an arrest officer of the Zhao Yamen, he was very familiar with the headquarters of the largest underground gang in the capital.

Soon he arrived at a wealthy area.

Bang bang knock on the door.

"Who."

The back door of a low-key four-entry mansion was opened a crack, and a middle-level member of the gang said in a deep voice, then choked, and stammered: "Shen... Sir?"

Shen Juan strode straight into the mansion and said expressionlessly:

"Let your leader come out to see me, immediately, immediately."

A little while later.

In the main hall of the house, Shen Juan, sitting with a golden sword, saw a bald middle-aged man jogging hurriedly from outside the door.

In the middle of winter, he was actually only wearing thin pajamas. As he walked, he hurriedly buttoned his coat, and his shoes were not properly stepped on. Obviously, he had received the news and rushed out of a woman's bed.

The current leader of the Red Flower Society ran into the room, and the dignified underground gang boss lowered his head flatteringly:

"Sir Shen, why are you here suddenly?"

Shen Juan didn't even bother to glance at him and said, "My lord has a few things to tell you."

The leader of the Red Flower Society's face straightened: "What are Zhao's adults orders?"

Shen Juan took out a piece of paper: "Tomorrow, my lord wants this news to spread throughout the streets and alleys of the entire capital."

The leader of the Red Flower Society held it up and looked at it. In the middle of winter, dense cold sweat instantly oozed out of his bald head, staring blankly at the words "Duke Cao".

Shen Juan glanced at him: "What? You don't dare to do it, or can't do it?"

The leader of the Red Flower Society, who was like an underground emperor in the capital and held tens of thousands of gang members, bowed deeply:

"To be able to do things for Master Zhao, we must do our best."

Offending a Duke was certainly a headache, but compared to Zhao Yanwang, he naturally knew which team to stand on.

……

……

Tang National Duke's Mansion.

The night wind brushed across the clean and spacious street, and the two red lanterns under the lintel of the mansion swayed slightly.

"Sir Zhao?" The doorman opened the door, looking at Zhao Du'an's sudden visit in surprise.

"This official is here to visit the Duke, may I ask for a report?" Zhao Du'an smiled.

The doorman was stunned for a moment, and hurriedly welcomed him in, and called the servants to report.

Not long after, Zhao Du'an was led into the study in the mansion.

Pushing open the door, he saw Duke Tang, wearing loose and soft casual clothes, sitting behind the table, slowly putting down the writing brush, and looking up at him with a slightly surprised expression, smiling:

"The envoy came quickly, but he didn't send a letter in advance, but missed dinner."

Zhao Du'an apologized:

"I am taking the liberty of visiting the Duke at night, it is really abrupt, and I hope you will forgive me. But there is indeed a major event that I would like to discuss with the Duke."

The wealthy-looking Duke Tang smiled and invited him to sit down: "Oh, what's the big deal?"

Zhao Du'an went straight to the point and said, "I would like to ask the Duke to submit a pledge of allegiance."

Duke Tang paused, and slowly narrowed his eyes.

……

In the courtyard of the Duke's mansion.

The siblings who came after hearing the news met outside the study. The cold wind was blowing, and the two hugged their arms together, looking at the tightly closed door of the study with complex expressions, reflecting the shadows of the two people in the room.

Young Duke Tang Ping smacked his lips:

"Second sister, what do you say that Master Zhao suddenly came to the door and closed the door with Dad in the study for so long, what is it for? It's not to complain, didn't the morning matter get cleared up?"

Tang Zhao, a straightforward and sturdy female general with dark wheat-colored skin, also hugged her arms, rolled her eyes, and said:

"You ask me, who do I ask?"

After waiting for a long time, suddenly the two figures reflected on the window paper stood up at the same time.

Then, with a "creak", the door of the study opened, and Duke Tang smiled and sent Zhao Du'an away, then looked at a pair of curious babies like children, his eyes flashed:

"It's just right that you came, I'll tell you one thing."

—

The next chapter will be updated at zero o'clock. My butt is a little numb from sitting for a long time. I finished writing this chapter kneeling in front of the computer... This posture of coding is so tiring...

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