The First Lackey Under The Empress

The firearms artisan case… …is solved?!

Imperial Garden, inside a gazebo.

After Zhao Du'an spoke these words, the most powerful woman in the world froze.

As if she hadn't heard clearly.

The Censor-in-chief beside her, a first-rank official of the dynasty, also looked over, unable to conceal their astonishment.

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It wasn't that the two of them lacked composure, but it was just too sudden.

It's like everyone is eating hotpot and singing songs, when suddenly a gunshot… …You're saying the case that's been investigated for so long without any progress has been solved?

“Say it again!”

Xu Zhenguan's bright eyes stared at him, her body leaning forward unconsciously, wanting to hear clearly.

Yuan Li also narrowed his eyes.

Zhao Du'an lowered his eyes, smelling the delicate fragrance coming from his nose, and said unhurriedly:

“This subject obtained a clue a few days ago, representing the White Horse Bureau, and joined forces with the Zhao prison to investigate the case. Last night, a total of nine people involved in this case were arrested… …The leader, a sorcerer, is trapped in the Celestial Master's Mansion, and the rest are all imprisoned in Zhao prison… …awaiting punishment… …

He was concise and to the point, giving the key information without going into too much detail.

Even so, it still caused the Empress and Yuan Li to be briefly lost in thought.

It really was Prince Jing… …A trace of anger appeared on Xu Zhenguan's beautiful face:

“Prince Jing's Mansion… …

Even though she had guessed it long ago, she still couldn't avoid feeling agitated at the moment of confirmation.

Yuan Li was not a member of the royal family, and did not comment on the conflict between uncle and niece, realizing:

“It was actually the Zhang brothers who participated, no wonder… …Could it be that the Vice Minister of the Ministry of War is also involved?”

Immediately, he looked at the rumored, notorious “male favorite of the Empress” in front of him, and his impression of him changed.

“This subject has not yet ascertained whether the Vice Minister of the Ministry of War is involved, presumably Director Ma will thoroughly investigate to the end.

The Zhao prison also contributed a lot this time. If Your Majesty wants to ask in detail, Zhou Cang, the centurion of the Zhao prison, is now waiting outside the palace gate and can be summoned.” Zhao Du'an said.

Xu Zhenguan took a deep breath and calmed her emotions.

Looking at him again, surprise and appreciation were revealed in her beautiful eyes:

“Good, you did very well in this matter!”

She never expected that Zhao Du'an would give her such a surprise in just a few days.

Solving a problem that had troubled her for a long time.

Without needing to ask in detail, she guessed that Zhao Du'an must have led this matter.

And the excellence of the man in front of her really greatly exceeded her expectations.

She couldn't help but feel curious about the details of the case, but now was not the time to investigate.

“We ask you, besides the people you mentioned, are there any others involved?” Xu Zhenguan asked.

It was obvious.

With the Zhang brothers' energy alone, it would be almost impossible to do this.

There must be a higher-level internal ghost operating, and the Zhang brothers are only responsible for "execution".

“This… …

Zhao Du'an hesitated, glancing obscurely at the blue-robed Censor.

Xu Zhenguan said: “No need to worry, Lord Yuan is not an outsider.”

Alright… …You asked me to say it… …Zhao Du'an said calmly:

“After interrogation, the suspect confessed that this case is suspected to involve the Privy Council. As for the specific personnel, they do not know.”

Privy Council!

Hearing this word, the Empress and Yuan Li exchanged glances, their expressions slightly changed.

Unlike others, the Privy Council involves military affairs and is an extremely sensitive government office.

“Has Prince Jing's hand already reached the Privy Council?”

The Empress's eyes suddenly became as sharp as knives, and the temperature in the summer garden suddenly dropped.

At this moment, the peerless female emperor stood up, looked out of the pavilion, her face full of the majesty of the imperial family:

“Issue an edict!”

“Order the Golden Guard to immediately arrest the Zhang family members headed by the Vice Minister of the Ministry of War and hand them over to Zhao prison for detention.”

“Order Ma Yan to thoroughly investigate those involved in the case and present them to the palace, We want to personally review them.”

“Order the Sixth Bureau female official, Mo Zhaorong, to rush to the Celestial Master's Mansion and say that We want to interrogate the sorcerer from Prince Jing's Mansion and hand them over to Zhao prison together.”

After a slight pause, she said:

“Summon Xue Shence, the Privy Councilor, to the palace, We have something to ask him!”

Four oral edicts were issued, and the palace eunuchs outside the pavilion responded and left in a hurry.

For a time, a solemn atmosphere permeated, vaguely giving off the feeling of wartime troop deployment.

“Zhao Du'an.” Xu Zhenguan turned her head to look at him again.

Ah?

Zhao Du'an was caught off guard and suddenly cued, startled:

“This subject is here!”

Xu Zhenguan's beautiful eyes stared, seeing his dazed appearance, she found it a bit cute, and her anger subsided a bit, her eyebrows relaxed, and she said:

“It's nothing.”

No… …Why did you call me if it was nothing, scaring me… …I finally understand what it means to accompany a ruler is like accompanying a tiger, or rather, a tigress… …Zhao Du'an complained frantically.

Beside him.

Yuan Li saw this scene and couldn't help but smile, getting up to say goodbye:

“This subject will no longer disturb you.”

The Empress would definitely ask about this matter in detail next, but it was not good for him to stay and be an eyesore.

“Lord Yuan, walk slowly.” Xu Zhenguan restrained her anger and nodded slightly.

The refined and handsome Censor-in-chief looked at Zhao Du'an again and smiled:

“It seems that Your Majesty's vision is still unique, and another talent has been acquired.”

Zhao Du'an was flattered: “Lord Yuan is too kind.”

“No need to be modest,” Yuan Li waved his hand and suddenly said:

“If you have time later, you and I can chat in detail.”

After speaking, the great blue robe fluttered away, his presence full of style.

What does that mean? What do you want to chat about in detail?

Zhao Du'an was confused by this sentence and felt a little inexplicable.

The Empress looked natural, and after Yuan Li left, she no longer had the mind to play chess. She glanced at him and said:

“Accompany Me for a walk.”

… …

… …

The so-called accompanying for a walk meant strolling in the Imperial Garden.

The Empress in white was in front, Zhao Du'an followed behind, and the rest of the palace servants trailed far behind them, maintaining an appropriate distance.

Xu Zhenguan seemed a little unhappy, walking quickly and not speaking.

Zhao Du'an blinked, following carefully.

The bright morning sun poured down, and the deep palace also seemed bright.

The scenery in the garden was excellent, the work of a garden master, with rocks scattered in an orderly manner and fragrant flowers and plants.

The two walking among them looked like a pair of beautiful people in a painting.

The only regret was that they were not walking side by side, making him look like a stalker.

Zhao Du'an followed behind, his eyes first looking left and right, then driven by instinct, falling on the Empress's fair and bright earlobe and beautiful profile in the sunlight.

Then down, it was her flowing black hair, slender waist, and the buttocks below… …

Then he suddenly woke up and quickly looked away.

“Is it good-looking?” Xu Zhenguan's voice was cold, and it was impossible to tell whether she was happy or angry.

“What?” Zhao Du'an, a master of pretending to be stupid, feigned ignorance.

Xu Zhenguan's mouth twitched, and she said quietly:

“Do you know that, for a Heavenly Human Realm cultivator, the entire garden is within Our perception?”

Zhao Du'an knelt down in seconds and loudly pleaded guilty:

“This subject is guilty, but it is really because Your Majesty's beauty is alluring, and this subject's feelings are genuine… …

Xu Zhenguan was amused by his anger, and also a little helpless by his shamelessness, sighing:

“Not to be repeated.”

Zhao Du'an was overjoyed: “Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace.”

Xu Zhenguan slowed down unhappily: “Why don't you come and walk beside Us?”

“Oh! Oh oh!”

Zhao Du'an followed suit, walking side by side with the Empress, deliberately half a step behind.

In this way, from a distance, it really looked like a pair of beautiful people were taking a leisurely stroll.

“Is Your Majesty in a bad mood? Is it because of Prince Jing?” Zhao Du'an tentatively asked.

For some reason, he felt that the source of the Empress's anger was not some minister in the Privy Council, or the betrayal of the Zhang family.

But “Prince Jing”, who was also a member of the royal family and uncle and niece to her.

Fratricidal strife… …He inexplicably thought of this word.

It's just that such things are commonplace in the royal family, right?

“Yes,” Xu Zhenguan first hummed subconsciously, then glanced at him unhappily:

“You know and still ask?”

A beauty's anger was also an extremely beautiful scene in the world, especially when she was only feigning anger.

Zhao Du'an quickly apologized, his attitude of admitting his mistake was extremely good.

Xu Zhenguan looked at him helplessly and said:

“You haven't been in the officialdom for long, only a year at most, how did you learn to be so slick, like those old guys in the Golden Luan Hall.”

Zhao Du'an was silent for a moment, then suddenly said:

“During those countless nights when Your Majesty was the Third Princess, when reading history books, you must have seen that for thousands of years, those who have had a good ending are all like me.”