The First Lackey Under The Empress

“Your reputation, what is it worth?”

Beside the Jinjiang levee, in the fine rain, Zhao Du'an's voice was cold, with violence lurking.

He had designed three response postures for this meeting.

One was humility, as the original owner was already known for flattering superiors and bullying subordinates, which wouldn't seem out of place.

Another was neither humble nor arrogant, focusing on stability.

The third, the most aggressive, was to display the original owner's rebellious and unruly persona.

After the other party delivered a preemptive strike, he decided on this strategy, as a parvenu shouldn't swallow his anger.

This was the most fitting approach for the persona.

As for whether Pei Kai would be angered, leading to the collapse of the negotiation?

He believed that, with the other party's sophistication, he shouldn't be easily provoked.

… …

“Do you know what you're saying?”

Raindrops battered the bamboo hat, Pei Kai's face suddenly turned gloomy, his eyes narrowed, and the aura of someone long in a high position permeated the air.

Zhao Du'an didn't retreat or evade, meeting him head-on:

“Are you old and can't hear clearly? Do you want me to say it again?”

Pei Kai said coldly:

“It has been many years since anyone dared to speak to me like this.”

Zhao Du'an said gloomily:

“You need to understand three things. First, in the White Horse Bureau, I only listen to the Saint's orders. You can show off your power in front of your subordinates, but not with me. I dare to offend Li Yanfu, let alone you?”

“Second, today's meeting is me coming to talk to you, not begging you. Put away your condescending attitude. Know that within ten steps, a martial artist's fist kills faster than a sword. If you push me, I'll send you to the river.”

“Third, the reason I wasted time talking nonsense with you was for the sake of your beautiful daughter. Now, I'll state my demands. Lü Liang's life, and those benefits you promised, a child would choose, I want them all!”

Swish—

The rain grew heavier, bubbles appeared on the river's surface, and schools of fish stirred.

The fishing rod and line trembled slightly, but Pei Kai had no time to pay attention to it.

This important figure in the "Li Faction", a powerful minister backed by the Huai River Pei clan, stared blankly at the threat so close at hand.

Realizing that he had misjudged one thing.

Perhaps he had been in the imperial court for too long, too far removed from the Jianghu underworld, and had forgotten that not everyone was a politician who deeply understood the exchange of interests.

Just like Lü Liang, didn't he also have a proud spirit back then?

The Empress's lackey before him hadn't suffered any major setbacks since his rise.

He was greedy, but still had vigor and a strong backbone.

"Carrot and stick" wasn't a panacea, and it was likely that the stick would be turned back on him, and the carrot would be snatched away.

Pei Kai was silent for a long time, then said: “Do you think this official will agree to you?”

Zhao Du'an smiled.

These words from the other party already indicated that the aging thief had lost the courage to overturn the table and act impulsively.

“You will agree,” Zhao Du'an said with a smile:

“I've heard that Lord Vice Minister dotes on his children, especially the youngest, indulging them greatly, like the Fourth Miss back then, and now the Fifth Master Pei.”

Pei Kai's heart skipped a beat, sensing something bad.

He had five children in his life, and Fifth Master Pei was born late in life, and was the most beloved.

Zhao Du'an sighed softly:

“It's a pity, after all, he failed to teach his children well, especially the Fifth Master, who is almost the age of a grandson. The Vice Minister has no energy to discipline him, and no one else dares to, resulting in an overbearing and dissolute nature.”

Pei Kai said with a sullen face: “What exactly do you want to say?”

Zhao Du'an smiled, got up, bent down, and snatched the old Vice Minister's fishing rod.

With a single arm raised, the expensive fishing rod bent like a bow, and the fishing line was taut.

The fish struggled underwater, stirring up waves, it must be a big one.

“There's a private gambling den in the north of the city. Not long ago, I met Fifth Master there, and we hit it off. He had bad luck, and lost so much that his eyes turned red, so he gave me an IOU…”

Zhao Du'an spoke slowly, recounting the events.

Pei Kai's heart sank little by little.

“So, you've come to collect a debt today,” Pei Kai's white beard trembled under his bamboo hat, “Where is the IOU?”

“Heh, does the Vice Minister think I would carry it on me?”

Zhao Du'an sneered:

“If you want to verify it, you can go back and interrogate Fifth Master, and you will know if what I said is true.”

Pei Kai was expressionless:

“Do you think you can threaten this old man with this little mistake?”

“I wouldn't dare,” Zhao Du'an slowly manipulated the fishing rod, tightening it sometimes, and loosening it at others, so that the fish would be exhausted without getting off the hook:

“This little matter, how could it threaten you? At most, it's just a reprimand for failing to teach your children well.”

After a pause, he smiled:

“But… Fifth Master won't get through this so easily. The dynasty strictly prohibits gambling, especially for officials and their children, and the punishment is even more severe.

If the late Emperor was in power, perhaps he would turn a blind eye and not be harsh, but now it's the Empress who is in power… The Vice Minister also knows that the imperial court is currently stormy and everyone is in danger, afraid of revealing their weaknesses…

If at this time, I hand over this note, with the fingerprint, location, time, and list of gambling funds, to Supervisor Ma.

Or simply hand it over to the Censorate… to a censor belonging to the Qingliu Party… Guess what will happen?”

Guess? There was no need to guess!

Those vicious wolves and dogs who racked their brains to show loyalty to the Empress would bite Fifth Master to death.

Using the laws set by the Taizu, they would try every means to severely punish him, making him unhappy, even inflicting the punishment of "hand amputation".

And Li Yanfu was also unlikely to mobilize the entire "Li Faction" to confront for a playboy of the Pei family.

Pei Kai's face twitched, and the struggling of the big fish underwater became more intense:

“If you make it public, then your gambling will also be made public.”

“Ha!”

Zhao Du'an laughed exaggeratedly, not caring much:

“Isn't it normal for a rotten person like me? I even survived losing Zhuang Xiaocheng, let alone this little thing?

Besides, I just received a reward from His Majesty a few days ago, how could the Qingliu Party target me?

Even if they impeach me, at worst they'll throw me into 'Dao Xiaolou' for ten days and a half, and I'll come out as a good man again, but Fifth Master won't have such good luck.”

After a pause, he smiled:

“Lord Vice Minister, you wouldn't want your most beloved youngest son to end up with amputated hands and feet, and be stripped of his official position and sent to forced labor, would you?”

Whoosh!

A spray of white waves burst open, Zhao Du'an raised his rod, and a fat red-tailed black carp was pulled out of the water, weakly wagging its tail, but it could no longer escape.

Pei Kai, leaning back in his bamboo chair, seemed to have been drained of his strength, slumped down, and no longer had his previous arrogance.

Zhao Du'an's words, like steel nails, were all stuck in his softest spot.

Everyone has weaknesses, and Pei Kai's weakness was his youngest son, unlike his first three children, whom he personally taught in his early years and who were quite talented.

Starting with the Fourth Miss, they were spoiled, and the Fifth Master was even more so.

And the old Vice Minister couldn't accept the option of giving up his youngest son, so he could only give up his son-in-law.

He closed his eyes, then opened them again.

Pei Kai said:

“First, Lü Liang cannot die, at least not in the capital. He can be demoted to a local position, and Fourth Miss will divorce him. After that, whether he lives or dies in the local area, this old man will not care.”

“Second, the matter of dealing with Lü Liang will be handled by the Ministry of Justice, and his official robe will be stripped off, but it will not implicate the Pei family.”

“Third, don't even think about the teahouse or the elixir shop. Young people's appetites are too big, be careful of choking to death. This is this official's bottom line.”

Sure enough, it's a plastic father-in-law and son-in-law relationship, trouble reveals true feelings… Zhao Du'an's lips curled up.

Picking up the fat old carp in his hand, he found that its lips were covered with scars, as if it had bitten the hook many times, but had escaped each time.

Old fish become精, but unfortunately, I have a newbie protection period.

Zhao Du'an laughed and said:

“I also have two requests. First, the Ministry of Justice can arrest people, but I want to participate to prevent you from playing tricks.”

Pei Kai closed his eyes: “Granted.”

“Second, the two servants who were waiting in the teahouse and pharmacy before, I don't like them. Go back and teach them a lesson for me, and teach them to respect people.”

A true villain who is petty and vindictive… Pei Kai sighed:

“Granted.”

Zhao Du'an dropped the fishing rod, feeling great: “In that case, I'll go back and wait for good news.”

“I won't see you off!”

Zhao Du'an turned and took two steps, then suddenly stopped and smacked his lips, saying:

“There's one more thing.”

Pei Kai's eyes were cold:

“Don't push your luck.”

Zhao Du'an smiled:

“Don't be nervous, I just want to say, fishing like this is too slow.”

After the words fell.

He suddenly delivered a punch across the air towards the gray and murky Hun River, and a faint glow flickered.

“Boom!!”

The river water exploded into huge waves, and countless water droplets fell, hitting Pei Kai's bamboo hat.

In mid-air, countless fish stunned by the force of the punch fell to the shore, and in the blink of an eye, their bellies were turned up.

Zhao Du'an tore up his raincoat, held up an umbrella and left, his eyes clear and sharp the moment he turned around.

At this point, the "knife" he had laid out to kill the other party had been delivered halfway, and victory was in sight.

The Jianghu is treacherous, Lord Vice Minister, please start over.

Thanks to: Yi Qi Jue Cheng for the 3000 coin reward support! Li Shipu for the hundred coin reward, Kong You Yanzhi You He Yong for the hundred coin reward, 20220618105405889 for the hundred coin reward!