The First Lackey Under The Empress

Zhao Du'an left with satisfaction, carrying his lantern, after receiving the Empress's affirmative reply.

After seeing off the "future imperial consort," Xu Zhenguan did not return to her bedchamber but went back to the fourth floor of the old building.

She planned to meditate once as well, to confirm if she would experience any new changes after entering "The Human World" as she was now.

The night was quiet, and the white-robed Empress placed the fiery red lantern on the floor, sat cross-legged on a futon, and entered meditation.

Even breaths flowed from her delicate, jade-like nose.

In a daze, Xu Zhenguan also experienced the familiar sensation of weightlessness, as if falling from a great height into another world.

At the same time, in the metropolis where Zhao Du'an lived in his previous life, at the same time in the early morning.

In a certain city park within the bustling metropolis, a young woman in her twenties, curled up and fast asleep, suddenly appeared on a park bench.

Xu Zhenguan opened her eyes and slowly sat up, her disheveled long hair covering half of her face, revealing a countenance identical to her appearance in the "outside world."

However, the clothes she wore had changed; her upper body was clad in a woman's shirt, her slender legs were encased in trousers, and her feet were shod in a pair of light-colored sandals, revealing her ten exquisite toes.

"Every time I come in, it's at the same time, the same place, the same identity, as if time is frozen at this point."

Xu Zhenguan took out her phone from her pocket, turned it on, and glanced at the Arabic numerals on the screen.

She first meditated here, carrying nothing but her phone and a set of keys.

Unfortunately, she didn't know the phone's unlock password and still couldn't open it, nor did she know which house in this city the keys belonged to.

"It seems there's no difference. Let's see if the duration of my stay here will be extended this time."

As Xu Zhenguan pondered, a car passed outside the park, and its bright headlights swept over her, causing her to instinctively raise her hand to shield her eyes.

After the car left, a deep curiosity and vigilance flashed in her beautiful eyes.

Even though she had entered here many times, this city still filled her with novelty because her stays were always short.

As an Empress, she even wondered, if this really was another world recorded by the Taizu Emperor, how powerful would the experts here be?

To be able to build such magnificent buildings, the "carriages" were even faster than the warhorses in the army.

Shaking her head, Xu Zhenguan pocketed her phone, walked out of the park, and headed in a familiar direction.

Before long, she appeared outside a Taoist temple with a plaque that read "Taiqing Palace."

This was the only place in this unfamiliar city that made her feel familiar and at ease.

Moreover, although the rules of the Taoist temples in this world were very strange, she had tried and knew that Taiqing Palace wasn't closed at this time.

Inside, there was a female Taoist priest who called herself a "management staff member" who was quite kind-hearted and would allow her to stay for a while if she made a request for being homeless.

This time was no exception.

When Xu Zhenguan knocked on the door and expressed her request for lodging to the middle-aged female temple keeper, who was about forty or fifty years old and wearing a green Taoist robe, in slightly awkward Chinese.

The middle-aged female temple keeper, with gentle eyes and a benevolent nature, hurriedly said, "Come in first. I'll help you call the police, but the police station will have to wait a while before they can send someone."

Xu Zhenguan knew that the female Taoist priest had reported to the authorities, but every time she was here, she would wake up before the officers arrived.

Before long, the Empress was led to a room, and the middle-aged female temple keeper chatted with her while tidying up the divination sticks on the table.

The Empress was not in the mood for small talk, and her gaze was fixed on the "Marriage Tree" in the courtyard, which was covered with brightly colored cloth strips.

According to the female temple keeper, for some reason in the past two years, young people had become popular for seeking marriage at temples, and this business was booming.

"Do you want to seek a marriage? It won't cost you any money."

The female temple keeper looked at her appearance and smiled, "I can tell fortunes, and it's very accurate."

Xu Zhenguan hesitated for a moment and nodded, "Thank you for your trouble."

Following the female temple keeper's instructions, she provided her birth date and other information. After fiddling around for a while, the other party handed her a jar filled with beads, each bead inscribed with a surname.

Xu Zhenguan reached out and randomly grabbed a bead. The surname on the bead was relatively rare; it was the character "Zhang."

The female temple keeper smiled and said:

"Your future true love will have this surname. According to the divination, you will definitely get married before you turn thirty, and his career... he'll even be a civil servant."

Xu Zhenguan stared blankly at the bead with the character "Zhang" written on it, then suddenly shook her head and smiled, throwing the bead back into the jar.

She thought to herself: Sure enough, she's a con artist.

The husband she chose clearly had the surname Zhao.

… …

… …

The same night.

Within Linfeng Prefecture, a boat sailed north under the moonlight.

Eunuch Hai, his temples slightly gray, stood on the deck in a scarlet python robe, bathing in the moonlight and gently breathing.

Suddenly, footsteps came from the cabin, and Mo Chou emerged from the cabin and walked to the side of the ship.

"Why isn't Miss Mo Chou asleep?" Eunuch Hai opened his eyes and looked at her:

"You've been rushing about for days; you're still an ordinary person. If you don't rest well, I'm afraid you'll get sick."

Mo Chou's face was haggard, and she was wrapped in a female official's robe, not saying a word, gazing at the broken reflection of the bright moon in the river, the direction of the capital shrouded in darkness:

"I can't fall asleep. It's stuffy in the cabin, so I came out to get some air. I don't know where His Majesty is now."

Eunuch Hai cupped his hands and said, "His Majesty is blessed by the heavens. He must have already entered Linfeng Prefecture, escaped the pursuit of the rebels, and will definitely return to the capital soon."

News of the Battle of Hundred Flowers Village had not yet spread. Because almost everyone who participated in that battle had died, even Eunuch Hai, apart from a very few people, was unaware of the details.

All he knew was that a battle had erupted, many experts had died, and His Majesty and Zhao Du'an were on the run.

There was no way around it; he had been firmly held back by Duan Shui Liu and his men, losing track of the Empress's whereabouts.

Therefore, he had no choice but to change direction and lead the Martial Arts Hall's offerings under his command to join up with Mo Chou, the Minister of Rites, the Canal Transport Governor Ning Zechen, and the others who were heading north for the Fengshan ceremony.

"I hope so, but after so long, I'm afraid that many people in the capital are already restless."

Mo Chou frowned tightly:

"I'm only worried that if we return too late, something will happen in the city. I heard that Heng King of Qingzhou Province has already led rebel troops to the eastern suburbs of the capital... If the capital is lost, even if His Majesty returns, it will..."

Eunuch Hai said calmly:

"Although this old servant doesn't understand court affairs, I also know that Qingzhou's troops are not strong. That Heng King is ambitious but incompetent, not a hero, more like a fool. The fact that he was the first to send his son, Xu Zudi, to the capital to make trouble shows this. He's not worth worrying about."

After a pause, the old eunuch added:

"As for His Majesty, with Zhao Du'an's talent, he will surely be able to safely escort her back to the capital."

Zhao Du'an... Mentioning this detestable "love rival," Mo Chou couldn't help but snort, grinding her teeth slightly:

"That guy is really lucky. On this journey escorting His Majesty, His Majesty's favor towards him must be even greater."

Mo Chou, who secretly loved the Empress, was secretly unconvinced and decided to continue competing fairly with Zhao Du'an after returning to the capital.

She still believed that with the Empress's amazing talent, no man in this world was worthy of her.

Although she wasn't worthy, she could stay by the Empress's side as a maid until she grew old.

Poor Mo Chou, with her unrequited love, didn't know that Zhao Du'an had already climbed onto the dragon bed... and didn't even know that a coup had broken out in the capital, and had even been quelled...

Eunuch Hai glanced at her but didn't say anything. He raised his palm and struck the sail. A strong wind blew, the sail billowed, and the boat sped towards the capital for support.

… …

… …

Eastern outskirts of the capital, several dozen miles away.

On a flat plain along the Qingzhou Road, the Qingzhou rebels and the imperial court's Five Armies Camp had been facing each other across the Qingzhou border for many days.

Seen from the sky, large military camps were set up at opposite ends of an open space on the ground.

As one of the 'Capital Camps,' the Five Armies Camp naturally possessed elite weapons and soldiers, but the current situation was too complex.

The Prince of Heng on the opposite side, as a member of the imperial family, was acting under the banner of 'Aiding the Emperor.' Dong Taishi, a court official, neither dared nor had the authority to rashly order an attack.

They could only garrison and defend.

The Qingzhou rebels also did not actively initiate war, and the two sides were temporarily deadlocked.

Furthermore, due to slow intelligence, they were still unaware that the Empress had returned to her throne in the capital.

At this moment, inside the central military tent of the Qingzhou rebel camp, the lights were brightly lit.

The core members of the rebel army gathered together, sitting around the tent, discussing important military matters.

Sitting at the head was a well-groomed middle-aged man, about fifty years old, with a thick beard. He had the air of a privileged person accustomed to giving orders. This was none other than the Prince of Heng, one of the 'Eight Princes'.

Below the Prince of Heng, on the left, sat a fair-skinned young nobleman in his thirties, who was none other than Xu Zudi, the 'old acquaintance' of Zhao Du'an.

Back then, Xu Zudi and the female head of the Xiao family from Donghu, along with Master Zhengyang, had entered the capital. Because the Prince of Heng and Princess Yunyang shared the same mother,

Xu Zudi stood up for Li Lang, that good-for-nothing, and captured two small soldiers from Pear Blossom Hall, causing trouble for Zhao Du'an.

As a result, Zhao Du'an slapped him hard in the face, and the Privy Councilor Xue Shence even stepped in to mediate, preventing the conflict from escalating.

Later, Zhao Du'an even accepted the allegiance of Madam Xiao of Donghu at the Lake Pavilion Market, plotting against this young master.

On the right side of the Prince of Heng, a dignified general in his thirties or forties, wearing armor, sat upright with his back straight. His head was slightly lowered, and his gaze habitually fell to the ground, concealing the light in his eyes.

It was none other than Wei Xianzong, the highest-ranking military commander of the imperial court stationed in Qingzhou.

Prince Heng's ability to quickly assemble a rebel army to go to the capital was thanks to the defection of this commander.

Below these two were the other civil officials of the Prince's mansion and military officers in the army.

"Father, Dong Xuan, who controls the Xiuwen Pavilion in the imperial court, is stubbornly refusing to budge. If this continues, the Capital Camp in front will not retreat. Although we rushed to the capital this time, relying on Qingzhou, we don't have much supplies and provisions in the army. If we continue to stalemate, I'm afraid it will be unfavorable!"

Xu Zudi spoke first, handing over several pieces of intelligence sent from the capital:

"As for the news we sent people to spread in the city that the Empress is dead and the city is about to fall, it has been very effective. Now the people in the city are panicking, and the court is restless. In my opinion, we should take the initiative to attack."

Inside the tent, another general also agreed:

"Your Highness, what the young master said is very true. Our Qingzhou troops are now ahead of the other feudal princes, approaching the city. This is the will of heaven. However, if we continue to stalemate, I fear that before the imperial court collapses internally, other feudal princes will arrive, and we will miss the opportunity."

Another strategist from the Prince's mansion hesitated:

"What the young master said is naturally correct, but the Prince's steady approach also makes sense. Our Qingzhou troops are not many. If we go to war with the Five Armies Camp in front, we will inevitably suffer losses. After taking down the Five Armies Camp, there is still the Divine Machine Camp guarding outside the capital, and the Twelve Guards of the Forbidden Army inside the city…"

The reason why the Qingzhou rebels had been hesitant to start a war was because they were afraid of the remaining forces in the capital.

They were worried about losing too many men.

Therefore, they had been playing the 'Aiding the Emperor' card, trying to stir up internal turmoil in the imperial court, hoping to enter the capital without bloodshed.

At this moment, everyone in the tent was giving their opinions, discussing heatedly.

"Quiet!"

Finally, a large hand without calluses slammed on the table, and everyone fell silent.

The Prince of Heng, who was pampered and ambitious but lacked talent, glanced at the "ministers", raised his nostrils, and turned his gaze to Wei Xianzong, the commander of the Qingzhou army:

"Xianzong, what do you think?"

Wei Xianzong cupped his fist and bowed, standing up to salute respectfully:

"This subordinate only obeys the Prince's orders. Whether to fight or wait is up to the Prince to decide."

A flatterer… Xu Zudi pinched his folding fan, glanced at him, and lacked affection for this commander who was always a little gloomy.

However, the Prince of Heng was very satisfied with Wei Xianzong's performance, nodded slightly, and said arrogantly:

"What you all said makes sense. Since those treacherous officials in the city occupy my imperial family's power and refuse to open the door to welcome this Prince, continuing to delay is indeed inappropriate."

However… rashly launching a full-scale war will ultimately result in the loss of my Xu family's soldiers… Now that the court is restless, the Capital Camp outside the city and the Forbidden Army inside the city must also be panicking. As subjects, how dare they really fight with this Prince?

After a pause, the Prince of Heng made a decision:

"Therefore, it's better to fight a battle first. Send out fierce warriors to fight and suppress the arrogance of the Five Armies Camp, so that these soldiers who consider themselves to be the Capital Camp can see the power of my Qingzhou troops!

Heh… outsiders think that my Qingzhou troops are not many and are not good at battle formations. It's ridiculous. If this Prince had no reliance, how dare he be the first to enter the capital to aid the Emperor?"

He sneered, not afraid of the well-equipped Capital Camp army at all.

It seemed that as long as he gave the order, defeating the Capital Camp would be as simple as eating and drinking.

And everyone in the tent also looked as if it was a matter of course.

Xu Zudi smiled smugly:

"What Father said is true. Those idiots really think that our Qingzhou troops can't enter the city? Heh, it's not that we can't, it's just that we don't want to suffer losses.

As Father said, let's not fight to the death for the time being, but fight a battle first, subdue the Five Armies Camp, and then force them to surrender, which is the most appropriate.

As long as we win a big victory and tell those Confucian scholars in the city that we Qingzhou troops can break the city if we want to, then they will really be afraid!

At that time, as long as we send people to spread and incite the city again, we are not afraid that the imperial court will not open the door to welcome Father into the city!"

The others also echoed one after another.

The Prince of Heng laughed and ordered to start the war tomorrow.

The generals dispersed to prepare to mobilize troops for battle.

After everyone had dispersed, the Prince of Heng also stood up, left the central military tent, and returned to his luxurious military tent where he slept.

At this moment, two beautiful concubines were laying the bed and folding the quilt in the tent, waiting:

"Your Highness!"

The Prince of Heng stepped into the tent, grunted softly, and suddenly asked:

"How is that Xiao Dong'er?"

One of the concubines lowered her eyes and said smoothly: "According to your Highness's order, she is being held separately. Does your Highness want to bring her over?"

"Forget it," the Prince of Heng waved his hand, lacking interest:

"If I wasn't worried that the Xiao family would cause trouble behind my back, I wouldn't bother to bring a widow on the expedition. It's unlucky. You can go out too. The battle is imminent, and this Prince needs to conserve his energy."

"Yes."

After the two beautiful concubines left, the Prince of Heng walked to a box in the corner, opened it, and inside the box was a strange and mysterious half-body armor.

It was fiery red all over, with black human face patterns on the front.

"The throne, this Prince is determined to get it." The Prince of Heng held up the mysterious armor, the corners of his mouth rising, revealing a condescending expression: "With this thing in hand, even if a celestial being appears, this Prince can kill them!"