The First Lackey Under The Empress

What a cheap Duke…

As snowflakes gently fell on everyone, Zhao Du'an calmly uttered these words, and the entire residence instantly fell silent.

Utterly silent.

Cao Mao's beard bristled as if he were a hedgehog. His face showed a moment of stunned disbelief, followed by a surge of anger in his eyes that almost exploded. He squeezed out a sentence from between his teeth:

“What… did you say?”

Zhao Du'an feigned ignorance and smiled, saying:

“This official is praising the Duke of Anguo's fine sword. Did the Duke not hear clearly?”

Cao Mao's chest heaved. His fists, hidden in his sleeves, cracked. He closed his eyes.

After a moment, he opened his eyes again, his gaze now calm.

He suspected that Zhao Du'an was deliberately trying to provoke him, especially at this sensitive juncture.

If this were Jubei City, anyone who dared to speak to him like that would not live to see the next hour. But alas, this was not Jubei City.

Therefore, he chose to endure.

“Good, very good,” Cao Mao said slowly. He raised his right hand, pointing to the large group of officials in the courtyard, making a semicircle, his expression cold: “And what does this mean?”

Zhao Du'an smiled and said:

“Duke, please don't misunderstand. It's just that our Zhao Office received information that someone has been interfering with the judiciary these past few days, issuing orders to many yamen in the city.

The Zhao Office has the responsibility of supervising all officials. After learning of this, this official followed the clues, and unexpectedly, the trail led to the Anguo Duke's residence. I came here today only to ask questions. I didn't expect my subordinates to misunderstand and create such a commotion.”

Interfering with the judiciary… Cao Mao's face twitched. He thought, you might as well print the words “nonsense” on your face.

It's as if you weren't the one who greeted the various yamen and issued private orders.

“This matter has nothing to do with me. Inspector Zhao should look elsewhere,” Cao Mao said calmly.

Zhao Du'an shook his head and said seriously:

“That's not how cases are handled. Duke, won't you invite me inside to sit down?”

Cao Mao was silent for a moment, then turned and walked towards the inner hall, Cao Kedi closely following behind.

“My lord…” Qian Kerou cast an inquiring glance, but saw Zhao Du'an gently shake his head. He looked around at his subordinates and said:

“You all stay here and guard. Act according to the plan.”

Leaving these words, he stepped forward and followed behind the father and son. The rest of the Duke's residence were being watched by the Jinyi, and they dared not move.

…

Inner hall.

Cao Mao stepped into the room and sat expressionlessly in the main seat, Cao Kedi standing beside him, not taking a seat.

The father and son stared at Zhao Du'an, who had entered alone, and did not close the door after entering.

Outside, snowflakes were falling heavily. He left the double doors open, as if he were at home, dragged a chair out, placed it grandly in the center of the inner hall, and then nonchalantly crossed his legs and sat down.

He even had a smile on his face: “Duke, when entertaining guests, shouldn't you offer some tea?”

Nonsense, your people have already taken control of the maids. Do you expect me, the Duke, to pour tea for you?

Cao Mao's temples throbbed. He said coldly:

“Say what you need to ask quickly, and then get out.”

Zhao Du'an smiled, not angry. He reached for his “upper coat pocket,” only to remember that he was wearing ancient clothing. He felt a great regret, thinking that in this scene, taking out paper and pen to take notes would be more in line with the imagery.

Shaking his head, he suddenly stared at the Duke of Anguo's temples and said:

“How old are you this year, Duke?”

Cao Mao stared at him: “What does that have to do with you?”

Zhao Du'an said innocently:

“Don't be so irritable. This official has long admired the Duke of Anguo. I've also heard people mention before that the Duke was deeply trusted by the late Emperor and has been stationed in Jubei City for many years. According to the laws of the Dayu Dynasty, military generals have a limit on the number of years they can lead troops, but the Duke has not followed this.”

The more Cao Mao listened, the more uneasy he became. He interrupted rudely:

“What exactly do you want to say?”

The old Duke, with deep nasolabial folds, had a cold gaze:

“If you've come to ask about some case, then ask. If you're here to deliver a message for someone, then deliver it. I've been in the military for many years, and I don't understand or want to understand your Jingguan's set of illusory words, and I'm too lazy to beat around the bush. Either speak directly, or… Kedi, prepare to see the guest off!”

Still an impatient person… Zhao Du'an smiled helplessly and sighed softly:

“I wanted to be more considerate with the Duke… but forget it. This official has only one word of advice for you today. When the Duke attended court today, he should have seen that many new faces have replaced the civil and military officials.

As the saying goes, times change, and the Emperor is considerate of the Duke's old age and intends to invite the Duke to stay in the capital to enjoy his later years. As for the military power in the north, it should be handed over to younger people, and you should let go. Don't you agree?”

Take away military power!

At this moment, even though he had been somewhat prepared in his heart, the Duke of Anguo, sitting upright in his armchair, was still shaken to the core.

Finally… it has come!

Cao Mao certainly knew that after the Empress's throne was stabilized, she would gradually take back military power and entrust the troops to the generals newly promoted by the Empress.

But this day came much faster than he had expected.

Even though he had already confirmed in the Golden Luan Hall that the Empress was going to act against him, the directness and bluntness of coming to his door to ask him to hand over military power still caused him a moment of loss.

How… dare she? Where does her confidence lie?

In just one year, how did the capital become so unfamiliar?

Cao Mao couldn't understand.

Zhao Du'an leaned back, resting on the back of the chair, his hands clasped together, his eyes sincere: “I didn't want to say things so directly, but since the Duke wants to get straight to the point, I have no choice but to do as you wish.”

Cao Mao's voice was slightly hoarse, his expression unusually calm:

“What if I don't want to?”

Zhao Du'an stared at him, not saying a word. After a moment, he shook his head gently, as if facing an unrepentant prisoner:

“Duke, you have spent your life in the military. You should be a smart person, and smart people know when to advance and retreat.

Now, the Lang Shiba case is about to be retried, but how it is tried and to what extent, the choice is not in my hands, nor in the Emperor's hands, but in your hands, Duke.”

He didn't say it explicitly, but how could the Duke Cao not understand?

If he cooperates and hands over military power, the Empress is willing to give him a relatively decent ending.

But if he doesn't, this old case that caused a great uproar will make him, the Duke, infamous for all time.

As long as one is willing to dig deep, this case is enough to implicate many crimes of the entire Cao family, and then, when the many crimes are revealed to the world, the entire Anguo Duke's residence will be buried by this major case.

Cao Mao suddenly understood. He finally understood the full meaning of the Empress's play in the Golden Luan Hall.

It was not just to win over the hearts of the military, but also to use it as a bargaining chip to control him. A light sentence or a heavy sentence, the two sentencing results, depend on how he chooses.

However, Cao Mao shook his head. He suddenly looked down at Zhao Du'an with a hint of sarcasm:

“Do you know why nobles are nobles? How has my title of Duke of Anguo been passed down steadily from generation to generation?

No, you new nobles don't know. The Emperor has only been on the throne for a short time, and it seems that she doesn't understand deeply. Want to abolish me? Even the late Emperor couldn't do it. You think you can?”

Zhao Du'an's eyes showed pity:

“Duke Cao wouldn't want to tell me that the nobles in the capital will help you, would you?”

Cao Mao was silent.

Zhao Du'an sighed and said with a headache:

“Yes, you would certainly think so. Not to mention the nobles, even the local clans know the principle of marrying each other and forming alliances to protect themselves. But Duke Cao, you wouldn't really think that this kind of relationship is unbreakable, would you?”

Cao Mao didn't say a word.

Just then, outside the open door, in front of the courtyard where snowflakes were falling, there was a commotion.

Zhao Du'an didn't get up, just turned his head in the chair and said with a smile:

“People are here.”

What people?

Cao Mao and his son looked up, their gazes passing over Zhao Du'an, over the falling snowflakes, and saw an old man with snow-white temples, leaning on a dragon-headed cane, although thin, wearing noble and luxurious clothes, walking slowly.

A woman was supporting him by his side.

Most people in the capital did not recognize this person.

However, no one would ignore the purple-gold imperial belt around the old man's waist, with as many as eighteen pieces of jade inlaid on it.

Cao Mao stood up in shock and exclaimed, “Duke Chen?!”

Another Duke!

But a Duke with a very special status, not in control of military power, and even few in the family holding real power. He was extremely low-key in the capital, almost a declining aristocrat.

Because he was too low-key, even though Zhao Du'an had been making trouble in the capital for a year, it was the first time he had seen this special Duke.

When Duke Chen's reputation was at its peak, it was when the late Emperor was young. Zhao Du'an didn't know much about this person's past, but he knew that he had a very high prestige in the noble circle.

Although everyone knew that as long as this old Duke, who was already nearing the end of his life, died, the Chen Duke's residence would completely fall from the ranks of nobles.

But similarly, as long as he was still alive, even the old Emperor, who had not yet passed away, would have to respect him.

He was also the soul figure who maintained the entire noble group.

“Why are you here?” Cao Mao had a bad feeling in his heart.

The Chen Duke, who was dying and had already stepped into the coffin with half a foot, but was still hanging on to his breath, and had long ignored worldly affairs, walked to the door.

His wrinkled, spotted face, with a pair of cloudy eyes, stared at Cao Mao, who was old but much younger than himself, and said the first sentence in a very light tone:

“Tang Daren found the old man a few days ago.”

Cao Mao's heart trembled, and he opened his mouth: “Did he slander me again?”

Duke Chen slowly shook his head, looked at Duke Cao, who was old but much younger than himself, with a complex expression, and said the second sentence:

“He told the old man about Zhao Shixiong not returning to the capital.”

Cao Mao was stunned for a moment.

Then, Duke Chen of the State began to cough violently, prompting the woman beside him to gently stroke his thin, bony back.

No one spoke, only the sound of falling snow and the old man's coughing echoed in the hall.

Finally, Duke Chen stopped coughing and spoke his third sentence:

“Let go, if it's time to let go.”

Cao Mao's heart sank to the bottom.

He didn't know exactly what had happened, but he understood that he had been abandoned by the noble group.

Duke Chen leaned on his dragon-headed crutch, turned around, glanced at Zhao Du'an, who was already standing respectfully to the side, and carefully sized him up for a moment, as if examining his appearance.

Seeing that he was indeed a good match for the Empress, he nodded slightly with satisfaction, said nothing, and then, tottering, supported by the woman, walked out of the back hall again and left the Duke's mansion.

Only after watching him disappear did Zhao Du'an turn around again, dust off his robe, sit back in his chair, look at Cao Mao, who had also returned to the main seat, and smile:

“Now, has the Duke agreed?”

Cao Mao didn't say a word. After a long time, he said calmly:

“You really colluded together long ago. No wonder you went to the Ministry of Justice's prison to visit and get the oral testimony of the Blood Saber of the North. No wonder that fellow Tang supported you, thinking that he had joined forces with His Majesty to sell me out and exchange it for his own stable position.”

No… you're quite imaginative… Zhao Du'an chuckled dumbfounded.

How can I say it?

You guessed the whole process wrong, but the result is all correct?

Cao Mao shook his head.

He seemed to have made a decision, his eyes were cold:

“Even if the nobles in the city don't help me, what if I still don't agree?”

A ferocious look that a wolf king of the Northern Lands should have finally appeared on his face, and his hands tightly gripped the brown, cracked armrests of the grand master's chair, almost squeezing ten finger marks into the wood!

He leaned forward, stared at Zhao Du'an, and slowly grinned:

“You want to get rid of me, you can, but who are you going to let take over my position?

Do you believe that as long as I don't nod, no one in this entire Great Yu Dynasty will be able to stably take over the Northern Border Army!”

Finally, he personally said his greatest reliance.

It was also the source of his greatest confidence, the territory he had painstakingly managed for many years!

Who can take over?

No one can take over!

What is called self-importance with soldiers?

This is called self-importance with soldiers!

This was also the point that Cao Mao couldn't understand the most—could it be that the Empress was so dizzy with success that she really thought that the local military power could be transferred with an imperial decree?

If the Yu Kingdom had no turmoil and the Crown Prince smoothly succeeded to the throne, it would still be very likely.

But Xu Zhenguan is not the Crown Prince, and the current Yu Kingdom cannot withstand too much turmoil.

How dare she?

Cao Mao was laughing.

Zhao Du'an was also laughing.

The pity in his eyes was undisguised, like sharp arrows, about to pierce Duke Cao's heart.

Zhao Du'an shook his head and smiled.

He sighed again, but not for himself, but for the stubborn old man in front of him:

“Duke Cao, it seems that you really despise His Majesty from the bottom of your heart, otherwise, how could you ask such a foolish question?”

He sneered:

“Or do you think that His Majesty has laid the groundwork for public opinion, arranged a case sufficient to judge you, and removed the noble helpers you placed your hopes on, but would deliberately miss the most critical move?”

Zhao Du'an slowly restrained his smile and finally lost his last patience.

As he calmly uttered a few words, the smile on Cao Mao's face suddenly froze.

“Brother Cao, the Duke is asking you, after he disarms and returns to his hometown, who can inherit the military power?”

As soon as the words fell.

Cao Kedi, who had always been quietly acting as a background board in the room, finally slowly stepped forward from his adoptive father's side and walked to Zhao Du'an's side.

Then… slowly turned around and faced Duke Cao in the hall frankly.

The deputy general of Jubei City, who was accustomed to wearing dark armor and had extremely thick and straight eyebrows like knives, smiled and said:

“Adoptive father, what do you think of me?”

Boom!

At this moment, even though it was the middle of winter, Cao Mao seemed to hear a thunderclap in his mind.

His whole person seemed to be struck by lightning, his face instantly turned pale, and his eyes widened like copper bells.

He stared incredulously at the adoptive son in Jubei City, whose military affairs and prestige were second only to himself and stronger than his own son, and rolled out a sentence from his throat:

“You… betray… me?!”

Cao Kedi shook his head seriously and corrected:

“Adoptive father… no, Duke Cao, you are wrong, I have never betrayed you.”

After a pause, under the latter's blank gaze, Cao Kedi explained seriously:

“Because I have never been your person from beginning to end, or rather, from the time I entered Jubei City ten years ago and served as a low-ranking military officer, the only task I had was to gain your trust at all costs, so as to gradually control the defense of the Jubei City border army and prepare for today.”

A spy!

Not a traitor, but a spy!

Hearing this answer, Cao Mao didn't feel angry in his heart, but was filled with vast blankness:

“Ten years ago… how is that possible… at that time she was still a royal daughter…”

“The Crown Prince,” Cao Kedi calmly gave the answer:

“Ten years ago, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince arranged for me to enter Jubei City.

At that time, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had already seen that you had been entrenched in the north for too long and would become a hidden danger, so he placed a group of Shadow Guards, including me, in the north.

However, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince did not expect the changes that have occurred today.

After the Xuanmen coup, the current Emperor took over the palace Shadow Guards and was able to re-establish contact with me and others.”

Cao Kedi paused and said with some emotion:

“The Crown Prince originally didn't expect that I could reach the position of deputy general.

In His Highness's expectation, you, Duke, would definitely gradually hand over the military power to your sons, and I, an outsider, even if you accept me as an adoptive son, would not be able to reach a high position.

But what can be done?

The son you originally placed the most hope on died at the hands of Lang Shiba because he couldn't control his private desires.

After that, even if you went to support your other two sons, those two were even more useless and could not be supported, so you could only let me take over part of the military power…

But you were worried about me, so even when you came to the capital, you had to bring me with you instead of your two biological sons.

You said to me that it was to cultivate me, but in fact, how could I not see that you were worried that if you left, leaving me in the north, I would take away your power?”

Cao Kedi shook his head and sighed:

“But what's the difference?

Let me make it clear to you, today, whether you give up your military power or not, His Majesty will not allow you to leave the capital.

And I will return to Jubei City to take over the military power, and your two sons have also had Shadow Guards lurking around them for a long time.

At this time, if there are no accidents, they have already been controlled.

As for the life and death of the two sons, it depends on how you choose.”

After saying these words in one breath.

Cao Kedi, who was a Shadow Guard but unexpectedly made his way to the position of deputy general, seemed to have vented all the words he had been holding back, and turned his head with ease, glanced at Zhao Du'an, cupped his hands, and smiled:

“I have offended the Ministry of Justice a lot in the past few days.

I hope Master Zhao will forgive me.”

Zhao Du'an laughed:

“Cao… no, from now on you should change back to your own surname.

General Luo, congratulations in advance.”

Luo Kedi clasped his fists and cupped his hands, with a smile on his face.

After years of being a Shadow Guard, he finally made it to the top, how could he not be happy?

The two smiled and exchanged greetings, completely forgetting Duke Cao, who was sitting aside in a daze, as if his soul had been drawn away.

Zhao Du'an turned around, glanced at Cao Mao, took out a blank memorial from his sleeve, walked over, bent down, and gently placed it in front of him.

He also put a pen in Cao Mao's hand, who seemed to have aged ten years in an instant and had his spine broken, and said:

“Duke Cao, we will wait for you outside the door.”

…

Zhao Du'an and Luo Kedi walked out of the room and closed the door behind them.

The two stood under the eaves, silently waiting, looking at the increasingly heavy snow outside.

“Master Zhao, do you think he will take the initiative to resign?” Luo Kedi suddenly asked.

Zhao Du'an smiled and looked at him:

“Shouldn't you know better than me?”

Luo Kedi shook his head and said:

“I can't see through Cao Mao in these ten years.”

Zhao Du'an smiled and patted him on the shoulder and said:

“People are not that complicated.

This kind of person is a coward.”

Luo Kedi was stunned.

About a quarter of an hour later, Luo Kedi pushed the door open and entered the room, and then walked out with a memorial requesting to disarm and return to his hometown, with a strange expression.

“What did I say?

This kind of selfish person is reluctant to die together.”

Zhao Du'an put the memorial into his sleeve, shook the bright red cloak on his body, and said with a smile:

“General Luo, please handle the follow-up matters.

I will go to the palace to report to His Majesty.”

“Please.”

Zhao Du'an walked lightly, instructed the people in Lihua Hall to go back first, walked out of the Duke's mansion, jumped on his horse, and went straight to the palace.

At this time, it was noon, and as the Qintian Supervisor said, the snow was getting heavier and heavier.

There were almost no people on the street, and the entire capital was covered in white snow.

Zhao Du'an entered the imperial city.

He dismounted, wearing a red cloak alone, and walked towards the Empress's bedroom along the Wu Gate Square, which was empty but covered with snow.

Snowflakes were flying all over the sky, and the deep red palace walls were covered in snow.

Sending a person off in the snow.

…

Misspelled words will be corrected later.