The First Lackey Under The Empress

Biting off a piece of the Vice Minister?

Inside the carriage, Zhao Du'an's expression shifted slightly, moved by the other party's suggestion.

He finally realized Yuan Li's purpose in seeking him out today.

"Vice Minister Pei is also a member of Li's faction?" Although phrased as a question, it was delivered with a declarative tone.

"Yes," Yuan Li said calmly, "And a crucial one at that. His Majesty has been considering replacing him recently."

A bombshell.

Zhao Du'an took a deep breath:

"Lord Yuan presides over the Censorate, overseeing all officials. His Majesty wishes to deal with Vice Minister Pei but cannot act directly, requiring Lord Yuan to do it."

Yuan Li nodded:

"His Majesty and I have made preparations, but we need an opportunity, a legitimate reason."

The true motive revealed.

Zhao Du'an was silent for a moment:

"Lord Yuan believes that I can bite a gap in Vice Minister Pei's invulnerability, creating an opportunity? You overestimate me."

He gradually understood everything.

The Empress Dowager was continuously weakening Li's faction, but Li Yan's position was too high and powerful to touch, so she started with Vice Minister Pei, and Yuan Li took on this task.

It so happened that Zhao Du'an's report in the Imperial Garden demonstrated his ability to "implicate others," and Yuan Li was trying to bring him on board.

The series of conversations in the carriage earlier were a subtle examination.

The punishment of Lü Liang was a favor being sold.

Only this made sense.

"As I said, my judgment of people is very accurate," Yuan Li smiled:

"At your age and position, you understand self-deprecation and can deceive the entire world. This alone is extraordinary."

Ah, this… I'm saying this is a misunderstanding, would you believe it… Zhao Du'an hesitated, unable to explain.

He thought for a moment: "May I ask, is this His Majesty's intention?"

"His Majesty is unaware," Yuan Li shook his head:

"This was my spur-of-the-moment idea. Therefore, you should consider it carefully. If it's difficult, you don't have to refuse for fear of offending me."

The more you say that, the more afraid I am, okay… Zhao Du'an was speechless.

But he was indeed not afraid.

As Xu Zhenguan's loyal dog beneath her skirt, he had just been promoted to a court provisioner and had just received the Empress Dowager's favor. With Yuan Li's vision and demeanor, there was no reason, nor would he target him.

On the contrary, upon careful consideration, it might be a good thing for him.

Incidents like dealing with the Zhang brothers and unexpectedly involving Jing Wang's mansion were not the norm after all.

To achieve merit, instead of wasting energy on small officials similar to himself, it was better to bet on a big one.

Take a gamble, a bicycle turns into a motorcycle.

If it failed, there would be no loss.

Offend Vice Minister Pei?

Heh… From the moment he plotted to implicate Li Yan, he was not afraid of offending anyone except the Empress Dowager.

And this kind of gluttonous feast targeting a "Vice Minister," with his current status, if not for a chance encounter and being noticed by Yuan Li, he wouldn't even have a way to get to the table!

Even if he could only get a small piece when rewards were handed out, it would be enough to fill him up.

"What does Lord Yuan want me to do?" Zhao Du'an asked thoughtfully.

The Great Blue Robe shook his head:

"If I only wanted an infantryman to carry the flag and charge, there are plenty in the Censorate. If you want to join, you have to figure it out yourself and find a way to seize Vice Minister Pei's weakness."

After a pause, he added:

"It cannot be a false accusation; it must be solid evidence of a crime."

Zhao Du'an smiled wryly:

"Evidence of a crime of a Vice Minister… With my status, I'm afraid I can't even get through the door."

Yuan Li smiled and said: "Life is short, why not give it a try?"

Zhao Du'an was silent for a moment and said:

"What are the benefits? If I can pull it off, how much can I get?"

Yuan Li smiled:

"You are the only one in the past decade who has openly asked for benefits from me."

Zhao Du'an smiled:

"I am a petty man; the whole capital knows. Petty men don't care about face; they only want tangible benefits."

He was not worried about offending this Censor-in-Chief because of this.

Because the higher the stakes, the more reassuring it is to clearly express one's demands.

Sure enough, after hearing this, the refined and handsome Censor-in-Chief smiled casually and said:

"If you can pull it off, this official will personally recommend you to His Majesty. Not only that, but I will also give you an extra benefit. How about it?"

Zhao Du'an didn't ask what the benefit was, as that would make him seem too low. Upon hearing this, he said without hesitation:

"It's a deal!"

… …

To avoid suspicion, Zhao Du'an got out of the carriage halfway and walked away.

Watching him leave, the plain-looking servant with hidden energy outside the carriage asked curiously:

"My lord, do you think this person is really feasible? Vice Minister Pei is very cautious; we haven't found any flaws. Can he do it alone…"

Yuan Li sat relaxedly in the carriage, with incense smoke curling from the burner in front of him. Hearing this, he said indifferently:

"Why not try? Perhaps there will be a pleasant surprise."

In his words, he didn't seem to think that Zhao Du'an could really do it.

"A good chess player doesn't necessarily have to be step by step, with each move having a clear purpose. Sometimes, casually placing one or two idle pieces may be better."

Yuan Li said, picked up the incense burner, closed his eyes, and said:

"Let's go back."

To smoothly replace a third-rank official without paying too much of a price was not something that could be done with the Emperor's words alone.

It was a huge project that required too much preparation, arranged by him.

As for Zhao Du'an?

Just an idle piece.

… …

… …

After Zhao Du'an bid farewell to Yuan Li, he did not immediately return home, but instead patted the three thousand taels of silver notes he had extorted.

He went straight to the best rouge shop in the capital, and then to the place that sold martial arts wound medicine, purchasing a few items.

Preparing to bring them back to You Jinhua and Zhao Pan.

He didn't buy too much, after all, the persona had to be changed little by little, and besides…

"At this hour, the silk bestowed by the palace should have been delivered," Zhao Du'an thought, suddenly anticipating the expressions of the mother and daughter.

… …

Zhao Family, back residence.

When You Jinhua, wearing a dark green silk long skirt, plump and beautiful, with graceful curves, held the wound medicine and gently pushed open the door to her daughter's boudoir.

She saw Zhao Pan, wearing only her underclothes, flipping through the "martial arts secret book" that she treasured like a baby.

"Why did you get up so rashly? Quickly go back to bed and rest," You Jinhua's tone was scolding, but in reality, it was concern.

Zhao Pan turned her head, her lips moved, looking guilty:

"Mother…"

The girl's oval face, with disheveled temples, a high nose bridge, and autumn-like eyes, was even more outstanding than her mother when she was young.

"Lie down quickly, take off all your clothes, so I can apply the medicine."

You Jinhua put on a stern face, urging her daughter to lie on the bed:

"If a girl's body is scarred, what will become of her?"

Zhao Pan drooped her head and lay down. When You Jinhua saw the red marks all over her snow-white and slender back, waist, buttocks, and legs, she couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow and heartache:

"Does it hurt?"

It had been a day since Zhao Du'an beat his younger sister with a bamboo pole…

Yes, although so many things had happened, the timeline had only advanced by one day.

"It really doesn't hurt…"

Zhao Pan was full of energy, not pretending to comfort, but really not hurting.

Strangely, yesterday when Zhao Du'an whipped her, her whole body was indeed stinging and unbearable. After returning to her room and applying the wound medicine, she was also weak all over.

But after a night's sleep, Zhao Pan unexpectedly found that the pain was greatly relieved, and her body was lighter and more comfortable.

It was as if, being whipped by that bamboo pole, had opened up her Ren and Du meridians.

She had never felt her body so light and brisk.

"Mother, I suspect that I have succeeded in martial arts!" Zhao Pan said mysteriously and excitedly:

"Don't all the storybooks say that martial artists break through their realm after being injured in a great battle with others."

Of course, she would not have thought that the comfort of her body was the handiwork of the "Zhongshan wolf" who had bullied her and her mother since childhood.

She only thought that she had secretly practiced martial arts and had achieved something.

"What nonsense!"

You Jinhua did not agree with her daughter practicing martial arts.

What's more, this time it had attracted her stepson's beating. At this moment, she caught sight of the "secret book" on the table and became angry, threatening to tear it up.

Causing Zhao Pan to quickly snatch it, hugging the book to her chest, stubborn:

"Mother, men are the most unreliable. I want to learn martial arts, and when I become powerful, next time I encounter someone breaking in and bullying you, I will kill him!"

Her stabbing the scarecrow with a dagger that day was stimulated by Zhang Changji breaking into the door.

You Jinhua was both angry and moved:

"But how can a girl practice martial arts? If there are outsiders, there is also your elder brother…"

"Him?" Zhao Pan didn't believe it, "It would be a blessing if he didn't collude with outsiders to humiliate us."

You Jinhua was speechless.

After all, her stepson had beaten her daughter yesterday.

At this time, she fell silent, with red eyes, quietly applying wound medicine to her.

Because she had no money and couldn't afford good wound medicine, You Jinhua could only apply it thickly again and again.

At the same time, she was planning to take out the last bit of jewelry at the bottom of her box, exchange it for silver at the pawnshop, and buy martial arts wound medicine for her daughter.

Well, if she could sell extra money, she could also buy Zhao Pan a decent silk and make a new skirt.

Her daughter was just at the age of a hibiscus flower, how could she not have a good dress?

As for her… she could get by anyway.

Inside the room.

In the silence of the mother and daughter, time flowed quietly.

Suddenly, there was a noisy commotion outside, as if a large group of people were about to come in.

"What happened?"

You Jinhua and Zhao Pan became nervous, fearing that it was Zhao Du'an's enemies coming to their door again.

Thank you to 墨墨o for the 100 coin reward support~