The First Lackey Under The Empress

At that moment, Zhao Du'an, who was slumped on his computer desk, forced open his heavy eyelids. His vision was initially blurred, then gradually cleared.

His field of vision was first filled with the computer screen in "screen saver" mode due to prolonged inactivity.

Then, there were the various colored "sticky notes" pasted on the upper edge of the computer, each meticulously written with a "reminder item."

This was his work habit. Because there were too many "to-dos" to remember each day, he was accustomed to sticking them in the most conspicuous position.

Shifting his gaze to the side, next to the black keyboard, was a stack of folders, the file names affixed to the light blue spines.

At this moment, the top one was open, white paper with black characters printing a document issued by the higher-ups.

Behind him, inside the filing cabinet in the room, files were packed as tightly as sardines in a can, visible through the translucent cabinet door.

"This is...my office...?"

Zhao Du'an's mind was muddled, his consciousness chaotic, as if waking from a hangover, he sat there with a dazed expression.

"Didi—"

Outside the window, the sound of a car horn came from afar. He subconsciously turned his head to look. In the deep of summer night, a gust of wind drilled in through the window bars, blowing his hair through the half-drawn curtains.

"I...wasn't I in the imperial palace, inside the old building?" Zhao Du'an's thoughts gradually returned, and then, he suddenly remembered everything!

The memories in the Yu Kingdom were too vivid, lively, and complex to be explained by a "dream."

A huge shock and astonishment surfaced on his face, and a thought flashed like lightning:

"I...could it be...that I've traveled back...? !"

This conjecture almost made him jump up. As he suddenly stood up, he lost his balance, and staggered, he reached out and propped himself on the desk, his hand pressing down on the keyboard. The computer turned on, and an electronic document lit up.

It was the speech he was drafting before his "time travel"...the end of the unfinished draft, the cursor was still blinking!

Zhao Du'an shifted his gaze upward, looking at the time in the corner of the computer screen, showing that it had just passed midnight.

The date also corresponded.

"I didn't die suddenly? After traveling for so long, I here only slept for a moment?!"

Zhao Du'an couldn't believe it. Almost subconsciously, he yanked open the drawer and frantically rummaged through it for a personal certificate.

Open!

Covered with a newly stamped one-inch photo, was his face on Earth. In the name column, was printed the name "Zhang Hui."

Zhang Hui… This was his former name. It just felt somewhat unfamiliar at the moment.

"I really traveled back? But I clearly only contemplated the murals on the fourth floor..."

Zhao Du'an's expression was恍惚, his heart first filled with excitement, then turned to disappointment. A year ago, when facing the danger of being killed, returning was his greatest wish.

But now, he clearly had people he cared about, new family and friends...in that world...

Family…

Zhao Du'an suddenly froze, somewhat flusteredly grabbing a certain brand of mobile phone from the table, somewhat awkwardly opening the address book, and pressing his parents' phone number.

Dialing…

However, the phone did not dial successfully. There was no busy tone, the signal was full, but it strangely only stayed on the "dialing" page.

"Can't get through? That's impossible..." Due to the nature of his work, his mobile phone bill was sufficient.

Zhao Du'an then opened WeChat, and impulsively clicked on the Moments with the little red dot, and then...the Moments were blank.

"Is there a problem with the network?"

Zhao Du'an was stunned, and hurriedly used the computer to open the browser, only to find that he could not connect to the network. He turned the mobile phone cellular network on and off, and after repeated attempts, he was shocked to find that all networks were disconnected.

"Something's not right…"

Zhao Du'an belatedly realized the abnormality. He suddenly strode out and pushed open the door, running out of the room.

The sensor lights in the corridor lit up one by one, and Zhao Du'an...or rather, "Zhang Hui," wearing a shirt, trousers, and leather shoes...ran along the stairs.

The sound of footsteps echoed in the building at night.

In a short while, he arrived on the first floor and went straight to the security department in the courtyard…

…

Half an hour later.

On a lively street nearby, inside a 24-hour convenience store, Zhao Du'an walked out blankly and sat down on the roadside steps nearby without any regard for his image.

He threw his phone and keys on the ground, tore open the cellophane of the newly bought cigarettes, shook one out, put it in his mouth, habitually shielded the wind with his hand, pressed the lighter with a 'pa' sound, and then began to exhale smoke.

His eyes became blurred in the smoke.

"Is this...also a mural scroll?"

He murmured.

In the past half hour, he had tried various methods and confirmed that this world was not right.

On the surface, everything was as usual. The people in this city were living "normally" and could also communicate verbally.

However, all networks were disconnected, but the cash register system that relied on the network to operate was functioning normally. He could even scan a code to pay...

On the street, the food delivery riders who were still delivering food by bike at dawn were moving like windmills, but the map routes on their phones were not moving, yet they strangely did not notice anything unusual...

The familiar acquaintances in the security department who used to greet him every day still recognized him, but after chatting with them carefully, the colleagues would show an expression of forgetting something, and would not be able to react correctly to certain topics.

Everything was like...this metropolis of nearly ten million people had a bug...

"This world maintains normal operation on the surface, but it can't stand scrutiny...it's like an incredibly real dream…"

Thinking back to what Xu Zhenguan had said before, that the fourth mural was a strange world...

Then, everything was clear.

"I didn't travel back. I'm still in Da Yu, only my consciousness has entered the fourth mural...and this painting is actually the world in my memory. I am here in my original identity, and even the time is the time I traveled to…"

Zhao Du'an inhaled and exhaled smoke somewhat awkwardly, like a 35-year-old social animal who had been laid off, sitting on the curb, looking up at the sky with severe light pollution.

"Then...could it be that the ability of the fourth painting is to construct a world based on my self-conscious cognition? It's similar to the situation when the 'Bewitching True Man' invaded my memory? This can explain why it's a modern city…"

"...But Zhenbao also said that she also entered a strange world...There's no reason for Zhenbao to also construct a new world…"

"Unless…"

Zhao Du'an's eyes suddenly narrowed, and his brow furrowed:

"It can't be that the fourth mural really depicts such a city, right? So, the countless stars I saw scattered on the mural outside are the night view of the metropolis I saw when looking down on this world at night?"

This guess was shocking...but...it was not impossible!

"I can even time travel. Da Yu and Earth have some kind of connection. Why is it impossible? But how did Old Xu leave this painting six hundred years ago?"

"It can't be that Old Xu was also a time traveler...it wouldn't be that cliché, would it?"

Zhao Du'an felt it was so absurd.

"No...that doesn't make sense. If Old Xu was also a time traveler, then there's no reason why he wouldn't have left any trace of 'time travel' after six hundred years, right? Even if he was a rough man, he could still leave a poem like 'Hoeing millet under the midday sun.'"

However, after traveling for more than a year, he had never found any trace of "fellow villagers" on the Yu Kingdom's founding emperor in that world.

"Was it erased? Hidden for some reason? Or is my guess wrong? Is Old Xu a native?"

"Old Zhang said that Old Xu rose to prominence after entering the Mubei Forest and obtaining an opportunity, and historically, there was more than one person who entered there...If he was a native who accidentally had some kind of connection with Earth, then why did only he leave such a painting?"

"The key is, what kind of connection does all of this have with me?"

A mural left six hundred years ago, which recorded the city on the day he traveled.

This was already an inexplicable mystery.

"Moreover, I already showed something special when I first cultivated the Martial God inheritance...It's as if Old Xu knew that I would come into contact with these steles six hundred years later…"

The more Zhao Du'an thought about it, the more frightened he became, only feeling that there were layers of fog, and the history six hundred years ago seemed to be shrouded in a layer of mist.

He suddenly had a strong impulse to enter the "Great Dream Scroll," follow Pei Niannu, and find Old Xu back then to ask him clearly!

To solve the doubts in his mind, this seemed to be the only two ways. There was also one, which was to explore the Mubei Forest, but that was too far away from him.

Unknowingly, the cigarette in his hand burned out, and he came back to his senses when he was burned by the heat, and smiled bitterly:

"Here, is my body just an ordinary person again?"

Rubbing his face vigorously, Zhao Du'an cheered up and decided to pull himself together and try to do some more exploration during this entry.

As for the disappointment of realizing that this was not Earth...it was quickly dispelled.

He had long given up hope of returning, and now that it was confirmed to be an illusion, he wasn't particularly disappointed.

“I wonder how big this place really is. Could I drive back to my hometown… Hmm, considering the distance, I'm afraid it's unlikely.”

“Although the internet is down, since even the text in the folders is still there, are the books in the library still there too?”

Zhao Du'an muttered, planning to hail a late-night taxi or something… But just as he reached out and took a step, trying to flag down a car, he felt the world spin.

…

Fourth floor of the old building.

Zhao Du'an suddenly opened his eyes and saw the stone wall standing alone in front of him.

In the antique room, the candlelight was bright, and the empress, like a fairy in white, stood beside him, her eyes filled with anticipation as she saw him wake up:

“Did you succeed? Did you see that world?”

I'm back? Is it because my current cultivation level is not enough to stay in this painting for too long? Zhao Du'an was stunned for a moment, and then he felt a pain in his head, and his spirit was exhausted, as if he hadn't slept for three days and three nights, and he felt a strong sense of fatigue.

“Your… subject… vaguely glimpsed a… strange… city.”

Zhao Du'an pinched his brow, urging the green lotus in his sea of consciousness to sway and restore his energy.

He hesitated for a moment, tentatively probing.

He didn't say that the visualization failed, but gave an ambiguous answer, mainly to test the waters.

Xu Zhenguan's eyes lit up, and she leaned forward, asking somewhat eagerly:

“What city? Are they strange pillars, each taller than the tallest building in the capital by countless times, that don't have lights but are bright? And carriages that shine and run very fast on the road, without horses?”

“…” Zhao Du'an's heart sank, and he said:

“It seems so. It's just that when your subject wanted to see clearly, I failed. Your Majesty, what is that?”

The naive empress revealed key information without any defenses, and it was obvious that this "World" was indeed depicting the cities of Earth.

Rather than some illusion aimed at him.

Xu Zhenguan didn't have much surprise, but paced and wandered around the room excitedly:

“You are indeed special, seeing the same world as I do. Unlike Eunuch Hai, even at his peak as a half-step celestial being, he could only barely see an ancient city from an ancient era when looking at this painting.”

What? Only Zhenbao and I can see modern cities? The imperial descendants and the enshrined can't see it?

Zhao Du'an was stunned again.

Xu Zhenguan didn't notice his abnormality because of her joy, or understood it as a normal reaction to witnessing a mysterious city, and said:

“It seems that either it must be of royal blood, or this painting has changed in the last hundred years, different from the past… You can't go deep now, it should be because your cultivation is not enough, this matter is not urgent.

As for what the world inside is, I don't know… I have already successfully visualized it with the blessing of dragon energy, and can enter it, but the time I stay each time is very short.

And that world is extremely strange, the language and writing are different from Dayu, unheard of.

In it, my cultivation disappeared, and in the past two years, I have only barely mastered some of its language and writing, as well as a little bit of the rules of that world… I couldn't go deeper…

Unfortunately, now that the dynasty is in rebellion, I will not have time to explore and study the method of advancing to the Human Immortal… You are not yet cultivated enough to enter it.

Otherwise, I could take you to familiarize yourself and tour that strange world, and explain to you many of the strange things in it…”

At this moment, Xu Zhenguan was like a proud child, wanting to share her treasure with her friend…

An expression of "It's a pity you can't go in now, otherwise it will definitely scare you a lot."

Zhao Du'an pursed his lips and didn't dare to say anything. He thought to himself that it was fortunate that you didn't explore this world deeply, and haven't come into contact with "ancient poetry" and "history", otherwise my secret of literary plagiarism would be exposed…

It's simply social suicide…

Well, but it seems that if the rebellion of the Eight Kings ends, Xu Zhenguan has spare energy, she will eventually be able to find clues to Zhao Du'an's plagiarism in the mural…

However, Zhao Du'an felt that by that time, it would be Zhenbao who would be shocked… Good fellow, you are an extraterrestrial demon, and you dare to say that you want to take me, a native, to visit the earth…

However, countless complaints in his heart were still swallowed by him.

Right now, he is not ready to take the initiative to expose it, even if the two are already bed partners, the secret of the transmigrator is too big, it is better to hide it for as long as possible…

Anyway, Zhenbao can't find out in a short time…

“If that's the case, then your subject looks forward to that day.” Zhao Du'an said very seriously, and then reacted: “Your Majesty said, you can take your subject to visit? Can two people enter the same visualization map?”

This has never happened before.

“This fourth scroll is quite special. All cultivators enter the same painting, but I have never tried it,” Xu Zhenguan explained, winking with a smile:

“Then it's a deal. But what you saw today, you must keep it a secret. Don't reveal it to outsiders.”

“That's natural.” Zhao Du'an nodded, and took a deep look at the stone wall, “Your subject will definitely not mention it to outsiders.”

The monarch and his subject reached an agreement, and tonight's painting viewing should come to an end.

“Seeing that your expression is so sluggish, it should be caused by continuous visualization. Go back and rest.” Xu Zhenguan looked at Zhao Du'an, who seemed to be exhausted.

Hearing this, Zhao Du'an hurriedly cheered up: “Your subject is full of energy and is willing to serve in the palace.”

Tch—Even though Xu Zhenguan was used to this guy's thick skin and glib tongue, and had experienced three days and three nights of artillery fire together, her cheeks still turned red, and she put on a straight face:

“Don't talk nonsense. Now that I have entered the Celestial Realm, you are still thinking about bed matters. Do you want to drop the cultivation level that was not easy to improve?”

Zhao Du'an's face collapsed, and the worst situation he had expected became a reality. There was now a gap between the two people's cultivation levels, which meant that if they practiced dual cultivation, Zhao Du'an would become medicinal dregs…

“Your subject has a bold idea. If you and I don't engage in dual cultivation, but simply do that…” He calmly thought for a moment and made a suggestion.

Xu Zhenguan stared at his lower abdomen with a smile that was not a smile:

“Can you suppress that Dragon Soul?”

Zhao Du'an immediately wilted: “I can't suppress it.”

During those three days in Baihua Village, he discovered that once he had sex, the Dragon Soul would automatically cultivate and start dual cultivation, and he couldn't stop it at all.

Xu Zhenguan put on a straight face: “I can't suppress it either. Even though I am already a Celestial Being, the Dragon Soul has a certain bloodline suppression on the inheritance of the God of War.”

Zhao Du'an lowered his head in frustration. Although he was mentally prepared, he still couldn't hide his disappointment when he faced this cruel reality.

Doesn't that mean that the next time he wants to touch her, he can only wait until he advances to the Celestial Realm? Well, if you use other…

Just as he was turning his dirty thoughts, Xu Zhenguan looked at his frustrated look, and her eyebrows couldn't help but soften. After hesitating, she suddenly said:

“I have already ordered people to prepare gifts and send them to your home in the next two days to propose marriage.”

“Ah?” Zhao Du'an, who was drooping his head, immediately perked up: “Propose marriage?”

Under the lamplight, the empress, with a pink face and spring in her eyes, maintained her emperor's posture, turned her head away, avoided his eyes, raised her neck, and tried to act like a female CEO:

“Since you are the imperial consort, I should send someone to propose marriage. It's just that the current situation is critical and it is not suitable to hold a grand wedding ceremony. Our wedding can only be postponed.”

Zhao Du'an was extremely surprised and suddenly understood what she meant:

In the current situation, it is impossible to hold any grand wedding celebration at this time.

But you can propose marriage, so it is equivalent to truly officially announcing his identity as the imperial consort, instead of just hinting at it at the annual banquet.

“A-Zhen…” Zhao Du'an couldn't restrain his emotions and spoke softly. In an atmosphere of ambiguity, he took a deep breath and said with a serious expression:

“Then wait until the rebels are pacified, and I will…”

He wanted to say marry, but felt it was wrong, and wanted to say marry, but it was even more wrong… He couldn't help but choke.

“Get out of here.” Xu Zhenguan urged, her face flushed and her heart beating.

“Oh, oh.” Zhao Du'an picked up the lantern and walked out, suddenly paused, and said:

“By the way, I plan to take the Divine Machine Battalion to pacify the Qingzhou rebels outside the city.”

Xu Zhenguan was stunned for a moment and looked at him in surprise, as if she had guessed something: “How confident are you?”

“Ninety-eight percent.”

“Then go ahead and do it.” Xu Zhenguan didn't hesitate.

Even though Zhao Du'an has never had the experience of leading troops to fight, as long as he proposes it, she will directly agree, as if she doesn't care even if he fails.

——

These chapters have laid the groundwork and dug pits, and the progress has been a little slow. Next, I can finish it and enter a new plot.