The First Lackey Under The Empress

Zhen Bao has gone mad.

Zhao Du'an fled a long way in a puff of smoke, and after confirming that the Tai'a Sword had not chased after him, he came to this conclusion.

“Huff… huff…” Inside the Royal Garden, he hunched over slightly, his hands on his knees, breathing heavily, his mind racing.

He turned his head to look in the direction of the Hall of Mental Cultivation and whispered:

“Why is there a smell of vinegar…”

After pondering for a moment, Zhao Du'an once again crept back to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, cautiously not stepping into the building's perimeter.

He only poked his head out near the doorpost like a thief, beckoning to a familiar, older female official who was leaving after her shift.

The older female official was stunned for a moment, hesitated slightly, and walked over:

“Young Lord Zhao, please forgive us, but we cannot let you in…”

“I know,” Zhao Du'an crouched behind the red lacquered wooden pillar, stretching his neck.

After confirming that there was no movement in the direction of the Empress, he skillfully stuffed a silver note over:

“May I ask why Her Majesty is angry?”

The older female official was shocked and instinctively declined, but unable to resist Zhao Du'an's forceful pressure, she had no choice but to reluctantly accept it.

She looked left and right, and after confirming that no one was paying attention, she whispered:

“Her Majesty was as usual during her meeting with the Xiao family head.

Only after sending her away did she order that no adults were allowed to enter.

This servant is outside and vaguely heard Her Majesty seem to be blaming the adult for being too concerned about the Xiao family head.”

Zhao Du'an said solemnly: “How could there be anything between me and a widow?”

The older female official said:

“There is a saying among the people that there is much gossip in front of a widow's door.

Did the adult ever meet with her privately?

And allow her to be a royal merchant?

Now, not only save her from fire and water, but also recommend the Xiao family to enter the palace to meet the Holy One.

The adult's heart is for the public, upright and selfless, but in the eyes of outsiders, they may not think so.”

Zhao Du'an opened his mouth, unable to refute.

Whether in his previous life or this life, being framed by yellow rumors is an extremely disgusting method.

The older palace maid seemed to smile and comforted:

“The adult doesn't need to worry too much.

If Her Majesty were really angry, the adult would not have just been driven away and not allowed to enter just now.

Besides, with Her Majesty's intelligence, she can naturally distinguish right from wrong.

It's just… the thoughts of men and women are always unreasonable.”

This sentence was almost a clear indication.

The implication is that the Empress's current behavior is not really thinking that Zhao Du'an has any ambiguous relationship with the widow.

But being reasonable does not mean not caring.

Putting yourself in her shoes, if the Empress had a private meeting with another man, repeatedly helping him and saving him from fire and water… even if everything was out of public interest, Zhao Du'an admitted that he would be extremely upset.

Especially since Zhao Du'an knew very well that Xiao Dong'er was probably really thinking about him.

In the Qingzhou rebel camp, the widow's eyes were not right, and with the Empress's keen insight, she might have seen this.

So…

“Is Her Majesty jealous?” Zhao Du'an smacked his lips, inexplicably happy.

The first female emperor in the history of the Great Yu Dynasty is jealous for herself… this is probably the ultimate fantasy of all men in the world.

Others just think about it, but Zhao Du'an did it.

“This servant didn't say that,” the older palace maid was cautious in her words and actions.

She took a step and left, took two steps, and suddenly hesitated and said: “If Lord Zhao has the heart, it is better to coax her.”

I understand… Zhao Du'an smiled and cupped his hands: “Thank you, Sister.”

The older palace maid was overwhelmed with favor and left quickly.

However, Zhao Du'an, who was adept at strategizing in the court and had a meticulous mind, lacked experience in coaxing women.

He thought about it, turned into the Royal Garden.

Before long, he slipped back with a large bouquet of flowers in his hand.

He didn't go through the main entrance, but leaped over and bypassed the not-so-strict defense.

Arriving outside the door of the Imperial Study, he smiled obsequiously:

“Your Majesty, this subject has picked the most beautiful flowers in the palace and put them together to give to you, but these myriad flowers are not as good as half of Your Majesty… Ouch!”

A gust of wind.

After a short while, Zhao Du'an, who had dropped the large bouquet of flowers and fled the Hall of Mental Cultivation again, grinned and stretched his neck and shouted:

“Your Majesty! Please calm down first, this subject is waiting in the palace.”

Leaving these words, Zhao Du'an applied oil to the soles of his feet and hurried towards the Martial Arts Hall amidst the giggles of the female officials.

He was going to rest at Old Hai's place for a while and wait for Zhen Bao to calm down.

As for showing his heart by basking in the hot sun… he wasn't that stupid.

Arriving at the Martial Arts Hall.

He found a place in the inner hall with practiced ease and chatted with Eunuch Hai, who had returned, about their experiences during this period.

Eunuch Hai was quite curious about his and the Empress's experiences in Hundred Flowers Village, and listened with gusto.

The other offering eunuchs also gathered around with great interest, listening to Zhao Du'an's bragging.

“…Let me tell you, you didn't see it at the time.

After I defeated the Little Monk Tianhai, that group of people didn't talk about martial arts ethics and were about to join forces to besiege me.

At this time, the world changed, and Her Majesty, she…”

Zhao Du'an was in the middle of his story when a forbidden soldier suddenly ran in from outside:

“Young Lord Zhao, someone from your family has come to deliver a letter, saying that a friend of yours is visiting your home and asking you to go back as soon as possible.”

Friend? Visiting my house? Zhao Du'an was surprised.

…

…

A little earlier.

On Vermilion Bird Avenue, inside a shop specializing in Jiangnan stir-fries.

Jin Jian, Gongshu Tianyuan, and Yu Xiu sat upright around a square table, watching the waiter place the dishes on the tray on the table:

“The dishes are all here, please enjoy, three guests.”

The three of them were covered in dust and hungry, and were not wearing the robes of the gods, and their expressions were different.

Jin Jian was dazed, sitting on the stool, her short legs swinging gently in the air, her hands supporting the sides of the stool, trying to maintain her balance.

She wore a pair of crystal lenses on the bridge of her nose, but her eyes were almost narrowed into a line, and her head was nodding downwards from sleepiness.

If she wasn't so hungry, she would have fallen asleep on the street.

Gongshu Tianyuan stared fixedly at the delicacies on the table, his Adam's apple rolling downwards, his fat hands repeatedly rubbing the gray robe in front of him, the large bamboo tube behind him was placed at his feet, and the hemp rope on the bamboo tube was loosely hanging down.

He looked at the colorful and fragrant dishes and the bowl of white rice in front of him, turned his head and flattered:

“Second Senior Sister, can we start eating?”

The woman, who was about thirty years old, wore a loose and elegant gray Taoist robe, the sleeves of which were pure white, with a gold rope-like belt around her waist, and a cyan jade short sword slung across her body.

It was the Second Disciple of the Old Celestial Master, Yu Xiu, who had taken action in the Battle of Hundred Flowers Village!

Yu Xiu sat upright, although she was tired from the journey, she was calm and natural, and although she was in the downtown area, she gave people a sense of tranquility.

“Didn't the Master teach you to recite the rites before meals and give thanks to the 'Grain God'?” Yu Xiu glanced at him lightly.

The little fat man Gongshu Tianyuan smiled sheepishly: “We… we…”

He had already returned these codes of conduct to the Old Celestial Master.

“Forget it, eat.” Yu Xiu sighed softly, picked up the rice bowl, and picked up the wooden chopsticks:

“Today we return to the capital.

After we finish eating later, you go back to the Celestial Master's Mansion first, and I will go and take care of some other things.”

Gongshu Tianyuan perfunctorily said “Oh” and pounced like a hungry ghost, swallowing rice in big mouthfuls.

Jin Jian, who was almost falling asleep, was agitated, her chopsticks were flying, almost pulling out phantoms, and she buried her head in a frenzy of eating.

Compared to the rough eating habits of the two, Yu Xiu behaved elegantly and looked indifferent, a true demeanor of a Taoist nun.

After the wind swept through the clouds.

Gongshu Tianyuan and Jin Jian, who had eaten five bowls of rice each, rubbed their bulging bellies at the same time, slumped in their chairs contentedly, burping: “After sleeping in the open air, we finally had a good meal.”

After the Battle of Hundred Flowers Village, Zhong Pan left alone to practice, and the three returned to the capital to report to the Celestial Master.

But the three of them were only in the Mortal Realm, and their speed could not catch up with the Empress.

They rushed as fast as they could, and their food and accommodation on the road were simple.

Yu Xiu slowly put down her chopsticks, wiped the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief, stacked the twelfth empty rice bowl high beside her, and beckoned the terrified waiter to come and settle the bill.

Then she stood up, her still slender waist swaying as she walked outside:

“I'll go ahead, and return to the Celestial Master's Mansion later.”

Jin Jian: zzzZZZ…

Gongshu Tianyuan: “Senior Sister, where are you going?”

Yu Xiu: “To meet someone.”

She walked along the road, arrived at the north of the capital, in an alley where high-ranking officials and nobles gathered, and stopped under the gate with the golden characters “Zhao Mansion” written on the plaque.

She raised her hand and knocked on the door.

“Creak.”

The courtyard door opened a crack, and the old steward looked at the young Taoist nun who appeared outside the door with suspicion. Although unfamiliar, she had an extraordinary bearing:

“This Taoist priest, who are you looking for?”

Yu Xiu's eyebrows and eyes were as calm as spring water: “Is this the residence of Zhao Du'an?”

“It is, Taoist priest, are you looking for our young master? Do you have an appointment?”

Yu Xiu reached into her arms with two fingers, took out a token, and threw it to the old steward:

“If he is here, I will go to see him. If he is not here, I will wait here.”

The old steward subconsciously caught the thrown token with both hands, and after seeing the words “Celestial Master's Mansion”, he was slightly startled. When he raised his head again, he was surprised to find that Yu Xiu had disappeared.

Footsteps came from behind.

The old steward turned around and saw Taoist nun Yu Xiu with a green jade short sword hanging from her waist, floating into the backyard of the Zhao family like a wisp of light smoke.

“Could it be a friend of the young master?”

…

…

Imperial Study.

When Xu Zhenguan put down the slender brush in her hand, closed the last memorial that needed her personal imperial approval, and raised her head, she found that the sun had already set in the west.

The summer sunlight came in through the west window, and dust floated in the beam of light.

She pinched her eyebrows, thinking that so much time had passed, and that guy hadn't broken into the Imperial Study again this afternoon after all.

For some reason, she felt a little uncomfortable. Why didn't you come again?

There was no anger on her face, but she was indeed not in a good mood. At this time, the Empress calmed down and reflected on her reaction in the afternoon, which was somewhat “out of line.”

It's not her style… Xu Zhenguan, Xu Zhenguan, with your habits, how could you get angry because of such a trivial matter?

Just because it's him?

The Empress was quietly distracted, and two little people were fighting in her mind. One said it was about time, she should lower her posture and give both sides a step down.

One little person said, no way, I am the supreme ruler, if he doesn't come, wouldn't it be embarrassing to take the initiative to find him?

After struggling for a while, the rational little person finally won. Xu Zhenguan got up, dragging her long skirt, and walked outside.

She pushed open the door, the sun had already set in the west, and the palace servants in the corridor outside were busy saluting: “Your Majesty.”

The Empress “hmmed” and glanced down at the large bouquet of flowers that had fallen on the ground, which were a little wilted from the sun. The corners of her mouth raised almost imperceptibly, and she said:

“Where is Shao Bao Zhao?”

A female official said: “He should be at the Martial Arts Hall. Does Your Majesty want to summon him?”

“No need, I am tired and just want to go over and talk to Eunuch Hai.”

Xu Zhenguan was stubbornly trying to save face, resolutely refusing to admit that she felt that her previous anger was a little excessive, so she decided to take the initiative to lower her head and coax him.

After taking a few steps forward, she stopped again:

“Put the flowers on the ground in the study and keep them in a vase of water, don't waste them.”

“Yes.”

Watching the Empress leave, the female officials exchanged glances and covered their mouths to giggle.

Xu Zhenguan walked all the way to the Martial Arts Hall, the sun had sunk a few more points. When she stepped into the hall amidst a chorus of respectful greetings, she did not see Zhao Du'an.

“Lord Zhao is not here?” She raised her eyebrows.

Eunuch Hai, wearing a bright red python robe, slowly and mysteriously appeared, smiling:

“He was originally here, but someone from his family suddenly came to find him, saying that there was something important, so he had to go back first, and said when he left that he would come back after finishing the matter.”

Went home?

“What is the urgent matter in his family?” The Empress asked curiously.

Eunuch Hai folded his sleeves, looking like it was none of his business: “I don't know about that.”

The Empress pondered for a moment, feeling a little uneasy. Considering that they had already proposed marriage, there was no need to be strangers. She had an idea and turned around to order: “Prepare a carriage, travel light, I want to leave the palace.”

A woman's intuition told her that it was necessary to go to Zhao's residence.

…

…

When Zhao Du'an rode his horse back to the gate of the Zhao Mansion in a hurry from the palace, he saw the old steward guarding the gate in person.

Seeing him, his eyes lit up: “Young Master, you're back.”

The Shenji Camp's triumphant return was a grand event during the day, and the Zhao family also knew that Zhao Du'an had returned victoriously and was reporting back to the palace.

“Yes. What's the specific situation? The servant who went to the palace to report didn't explain clearly.” Zhao Du'an asked.

The old steward explained:

“A Taoist nun from the Celestial Master's Mansion came, saying she was here to find you. She doesn't look like a simple person. When asked who she was, she didn't answer. She's just sitting in the mansion. The Madam couldn't figure out where she came from, so she didn't dare to act rashly, for fear of interfering with Young Master's affairs, so she sent someone to the palace to find you.”

A Taoist nun from the Celestial Master's Mansion? A goddess official, right… Zhao Du'an was stunned, racking his brains to recall, but he couldn't think of knowing such a person.

The female goddess official from the Celestial Master's Mansion that he was familiar with was only Jin Jian.

But the visitor was obviously not her.

“I'll go in and take a look.” Zhao Du'an thought for a while and decided to meet her first.

He stepped into the courtyard, and soon, Zhao Du'an arrived at the hall in the inner courtyard used to entertain guests.

At this moment, the sun was setting in the west, and the summer temperature was hot, with the doors and windows open.

He saw at a glance that there were three women sitting in the inner hall.

Among them, one large and one small, were naturally You Jinhua and Zhao Pan.

The mother and daughter were sitting on the same side, and when they heard the sound, they turned their heads and their eyes lit up: “Young Master (Big Brother) is back!”

Yu Xiu noticed it earlier, but she slowly opened her eyes, looking at Zhao Du'an later than everyone else.

The two's gazes collided, each revealing curiosity and scrutiny.

The two had not met during the Battle of Hundred Flowers Village, so this was their first meeting.

Yu Xiu's eyes added a bit of brightness, and she was amazed by Zhao Du'an's appearance.

However, her focus quickly shifted to the level of cultivation, and she was surprised to find that this martial artist, who had clearly just broken through the Mortal Realm a few days ago, had a rather restrained aura and did not appear weak. Moreover, he faintly gave her a sense of threat.

It seemed that this “Mortal Realm newcomer” possessed the power to hurt her.

Even if it was only a threat at the level of minor injuries, it was enough to surprise this second disciple of the Celestial Master who had been in the world for a long time.

Zhao Du'an was also shocked in his heart. He was very sure that he had never seen the female Taoist in front of him, but a martial artist's intuition told him that the female Taoist in front of him, who looked no more than thirty years old, was extremely dangerous.

He had felt a similar feeling from Senior Brother Duan Shuiliu of Qingshan.

“You are that Zhao Du'an?” Yu Xiu stood up, her voice as calm as flowing water.

Hearing it in the ears, it gave people the illusion that they were not in the capital, but in a valley, in the clear wind.

“That's right.” Zhao Du'an cupped his hands, “Who are you?”

Yu Xiu calmly reported her family: “Second disciple of Zhang Tianshi, ‘Green Jade Sword’ Yu Xiu.”