The First Lackey Under The Empress

"Explain carefully!" Inside the carriage, Zhao Du'an's eyes changed slightly.

Zhu Kui explained:

"As per your instructions, sir, this humble servant led men to hide in the distance and monitor this side, but unexpectedly discovered a familiar face.

At first, I thought I had mistaken him, but after careful identification, I confirmed that it was Zhang Changshuo's trusted aide. This person was acting suspiciously, hiding in the inn opposite Ding Feng Restaurant, leaning on the window, and looking towards your direction."

After a pause, he added:

"This humble servant dared not make a move rashly, only vaguely glimpsed a faint magical light, seemingly from the use of a recording scroll."

Recording scroll… Zhao Du'an was taken aback. In the original owner's memory, it belonged to the expendable "magical artifact" category, produced by the Celestial Master's Mansion, capable of recording images and possessing the ability to "penetrate".

The method of use is as follows:

The person holding the scroll can briefly possess "clairvoyance" and convert the scene seen into a picture on the scroll… accompanied by sound…

Zhao Du'an felt that the warlock who invented this magical artifact was somewhat improper.

Because even ordinary people can use it, and it has a wide range of applications, the selling price is high.

It was not surprising that Zhang Changshuo had the ability to obtain it, but the fact that he sent someone to follow him and secretly record him was worthy of pondering.

Connecting the cause and effect, how could Zhao Du'an not guess the other party's intention?

"When a wall falls, everyone pushes…" Zhao Du'an frowned.

In the past, merely meeting with Wang Xian in private would not have constituted a threat.

But now, it was different.

The other party was willing to pay a high price to secretly film him, clearly intending to make a big deal out of it.

And with the "fishing" plan just starting, if Zhang Changshuo couldn't wait and reported this matter, then Zhao Du'an's "self-rescue" plan might be forced to abort.

Something had to be done…

"Sir," Zhu Kui, the loyal dog with a face full of橫肉, observed Zhao Du'an's expression and raised his hand, making a "kill" gesture, "Should this subordinate snatch the thing back?"

Zhao Du'an glanced at him: "Do you want me to die so badly?"

Not to mention that attacking a colleague would play right into the other party's hands, but also, Zhang Changshuo would not have acted without any preparation.

Rushing to snatch it would likely push the situation into an even worse state.

What he feared most now was risk.

"Ignore it, just pretend you didn't see anything."

While Zhao Du'an's mind was racing, he already had an idea:

"Return to the yamen, immediately, right now!"

… …

… …

On the other side.

Inside a tea house private room.

Zhang Changshuo, with handsome features and a neatly trimmed mustache, stood beside the table.

A spread-out scroll lay flat on the table, with a dynamic picture slowly appearing in the center, and subtle conversations echoing.

"Good!"

Zhang Changshuo laughed heartily, his face radiant:

"I finally managed to catch you red-handed."

Beside him, a trusted clerk chimed in:

"This Zhao thief has always been arrogant and rampant. At this critical juncture, he doesn't know how to restrain himself and dares to attack the son of Ning'an County. He is truly courting death."

Zhang Changshuo was in a great mood, shaking his head and saying:

"Emperor Taizu said, 'When Heaven wants to destroy someone, it first makes them mad'… This thief relies on His Majesty's slight favor and acts recklessly. How foolish!

I originally thought that after committing such a big mistake, he would restrain himself a little, but I didn't expect him to be even more arrogant. He probably vented the anger he suffered during the day on this County son.

He doesn't even know that his actions have already fallen into this official's eyes."

Thinking that Zhao Du'an was still in the dark, completely unaware of his methods, Zhang Changshuo couldn't help but feel a surge of intellectual superiority.

"Sir, when will this scroll be submitted?" The trusted aide asked.

"Not in a hurry, let's wait a little longer," Zhang Changshuo pondered for a moment, then said:

"These alone are not enough. We need to wait until the Zhao thief actually fulfills his promise and interferes with the Ministry of Justice before we have solid evidence."

He planned to personally present the evidence to the palace at that time, stepping on Zhao Du'an's pretty boy face to rise to the top in front of the Empress.

… …

… …

"Stop here."

When the carriage turned into a cold, quiet street, Zhao Du'an woke up from his nap and said.

Zhu Kui, who was acting as the coachman, was stunned:

"Sir, there are still two streets to the yamen."

"I know," Zhao Du'an said calmly:

"You guys wait here, don't move around. I'm going to buy… I'll be right back."

After speaking, he jumped out of the carriage, his black robe disappearing into the dim alleyway.

Zhu Kui, holding the horsewhip, leaned against the carriage and spaced out, murmuring softly.

For some reason, he always felt that his master was a little different.

… …

In the distance.

Zhao Du'an, alone, walked two streets, and after confirming that no one was following him, came to the back side wall of the White Horse Bureau.

Avoiding the front and back main entrances, he looked at the ten-foot-high gray brick wall, a burst of energy flowing from his dantian, suddenly sinking into his legs, and with a leap, he flew into the courtyard.

"This light work, if filmed in later generations, could be a kung fu star… Well, more likely, he would be without connections and be a stunt double…"

Zhao Du'an landed lightly, feeling quite fresh about the martial arts of this world.

However, now was not the time to explore cultivation, he could only try to survive this calamity first.

Under the night, the yamen was cold and quiet.

Zhao Du'an, familiar with the road, arrived at the back yamen, the residence of the highest leader of the White Horse Bureau, the "Director".

The back yamen was the residence allocated to the Director. At this moment, the back hall was brightly lit, and through the window paper, one could see the owner of the room sitting upright at his desk, seemingly processing official documents.

Zhao Du'an took a deep breath, straightened his clothes, and then gently knocked on the door.

"Enter."

A slightly old voice came out. Unlike the stereotype of "eunuchs" in TV dramas, the voice was not sharp.

Zhao Du'an pushed open the door, and candlelight escaped from the crack in the door.

The room was simply furnished, with a table in the center piled with scattered books and documents.

An oil lamp flickered like a bean.

Behind it, an old eunuch with graying temples, deep eye sockets, and a loose robe put down his brush. The moment he saw the visitor, he frowned:

"It's you… What's the matter?"

The tone was cold and the attitude distant.

The relationship between the old Director and Zhao Du'an was not ideal.

On the one hand, this stemmed from the original owner's excessively bad "persona", disliked by everyone, and on the other hand, it was the accumulation of disappointment from long-term interactions.

In fact, in the beginning, when the original owner had not yet had rumors with the Empress, his character was not bad, even very good.

Therefore, the old Director also took care of the original owner, and the two had a harmonious relationship.

Even, the reason why the original owner was able to enter the Empress's eyes was also due to the old Director's help.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that he had the grace of promotion.

However, after the original owner gained power, the relationship between the two gradually deteriorated.

They had never confronted each other, but the old Director had repeatedly advised the original owner to restrain his arrogance, which made the original owner quite disgusted.

Later, the original owner offended more people outside, and some dignitaries came to the Bureau to demand justice.

The old Director repeatedly came forward to help the original owner resolve the situation, asking him to apologize and bow his head, so that the matter could be lightly dismissed, but what he received in return was not gratitude.

But a sentence: "Why should I bow my head? Why do you have to meddle in my business?"

Thus, the old eunuch, who had experienced half a lifetime of ups and downs in the court, gradually became disappointed with the original owner, and later, they became almost like strangers.

If Zhang Changshuo was an enemy, then the old Director was purely a friendly unit ruined by the original owner himself.

"Can't I come to visit you if there's nothing wrong?" Zhao Du'an smiled.

The old Director "heh"ed in his heart and said with a hint of sarcasm:

"Only after causing trouble do you know to come to this old servant to clean up the mess? My mere fifth-rank official robe has no ability to help you withstand the knives of the entire court of civil and military officials. You can leave."

He presumed that Zhao Du'an was asking him to say good words about the matter of letting go of the rebellious party.

But as soon as he said this, he regretted it.

Because he had said similar words many times, and each time, he would only receive Zhao Du'an's rebellious cold words in return.

However, this time Zhao Du'an was only stunned, and then smiled and said:

"I'm not asking you to intercede."

He walked to the opposite side of the desk, gently pushed the ivory dragon-patterned carved folding fan, which the son of Ning'an County had compensated him with, in front of the old eunuch, and bowed sincerely:

"I'm here to apologize to you."

The old Director was stunned.