The Empress's No.1 Lackey

"Apologies? Seems more like bribery to me."

After a brief moment of astonishment, the Old Director with graying temples and sunken eyes spoke coldly.

The disappointment in his eyes deepened.

In his view, Zhao Douan's behavior was undoubtedly insincere. Knowing he had caused a significant disaster this time, he was trying to bribe him, a common practice within bureaucracy.

The once naive Little Forbidden Army had eventually been corrupted by the officialdom's dye vat, degraded to a desperate state, far from his original self.

"Take it away, as for these top-quality goods, I am far too unfortunate to enjoy them," the Old Director said as he waved his hand to dismiss the visitor.

However, what Zhao Douan said next truly surprised him.

"You misunderstand, this folding fan is the illicit item that I have come to submit," Zhao Douan declared, surprising everyone.

The Old Director furrowed his brows: "What do you mean?"

Zhao Douan explained calmly:

"Some days ago, an intermediary from Ning'an County approached me, promising a generous gift in exchange for my help in reducing the sentence of an official detained by the Ministry of Justice..."

He immediately recounted the whole incident truthfully.

This was why he had come to see the other party tonight.

In the memory of his predecessor, it was this old eunuch who was truly trusted by the Empress, having been directly involved since the time of the Third Imperial Princess.

After taking control of the White Horse Bureau, although very low-key and seemingly insignificant, he was indeed the eyes and ears the Empress had embedded within the government.

He strongly suspected that the old eunuch was one of the few who knew that he was not truly the "male favorite" of the Empress.

The appearance of Zhang Changshuo had introduced many uncertainties.

Zhao Douan could only react hastily, choosing to report what he intended to do earlier than planned.

In doing so, as long as he filed his report in advance, if Zhang Changshuo later wanted to exploit the issue, the impact would be significantly reduced.

You want to tattle on me?

Ha, I'll report myself first.

"...Because I have not responded to him for a long time, that Wang Xian invited me to meet and discuss today," Zhao Douan paused then said:

"I've agreed to the meeting."

In the room, the oil lamp burned quietly, its light fading.

The old eunuch in a wide cloak remained expressionless throughout the conversation:

"Do you plan to use this Wang Xian to draw out the person behind him?"

An old, clever person needs no superfluous words in conversation.

"Yes."

The Old Director sat up slightly, and Zhao Douan, quick to observe, immediately brightened the lamp for him.

The light revived.

...The Old Director looked at him and settled back into his armchair, saying:

"You want to atone for your crimes and counterbalance the disaster you've caused? To weather this censure?"

Before he could answer, the old man shook his head, saying with a hint of irony:

"It's too late. Not to mention the numerous enemies you've made in the past, but your status alone is enough to attract calamities."

His words were subtle, and if it were his predecessor's intelligence, he certainly wouldn't have understood the deeper meaning.

But Zhao Douan had already thought of this when he left the palace in the afternoon, bracing himself for the challenge.

For the true power players in the temple, they wouldn't envy a pretty boy who sells his appearance, just as Prime Minister Li Yanfu wouldn't even trouble himself to glance at him.

But that didn't mean they wouldn't target him.

Just as in the history he was familiar with, it was not uncommon for the literati to impeach the Emperor's concubines, influence his choice of heir, and elevate domestic affairs to matters of national security.

Was it out of personal enmity? Not necessarily.

It could also be a means to check imperial power.

The struggle between the ministers and the Empress often didn't come to an outright conflict, but rather took the form of using a pawn in their contest.

And Zhao Douan was quite suitable to be that pawn.

Powerful ministers like Li Yanfu didn't mind taking this opportunity to get rid of Zhao Douan; in doing so, it would be a minor victory in their contest.

The Old Director had long seen through this and therefore repeatedly warned his predecessor to remain low-profile.

But alas, wise advice fails to persuade a destined fool.

"I know," Zhao Douan said with a self-mocking smile, "but I've got to do something."

The Old Director looked at him, shaking his head:

"Even if you could make a difference and uncover those people, that little achievement wouldn't be enough. That they turned to you suggests that the people behind aren't that powerful."

That hit where it hurts...

Zhao Douan's expression darkened, and after a moment of silence, he said:

"Even so, I want to investigate further. Consider it a thank you for your care from before."

He managed a strained smile:

"After all, I am a part of the government office. Even if I can't change much or make great achievements, you, Sir, will have a share in it. I've caused a lot of trouble for the Bureau, so consider this a small repayment."

The Old Director was startled, slightly bewildered.

After Zhao Duan spoke, he turned and walked away, silently counting one two three in his heart.

"Wait."

Behind him came the old man's complex voice:

"Take the fan with you."

Zhao Duan didn't look back:

"It's hot, keep it with you to fan yourself."

Having said that, he disappeared into the darkness outside the door.

In the quiet room, only the aged old man was left, silently watching his departing figure. After a long while, he sighed softly:

"If you had been like this earlier, how could it have come to this day?"

Suddenly, he pushed aside a ledger on the table, revealing two folded documents hidden beneath.

The one on the left, sent from the palace, was the Saint inquiring about his assessment of Zhao Duan.

The one on the right was the report he had just finished composing, with eight characters written on it:

Arrogant and notorious.

After a moment of silence, the Old Director tore up the document and discarded it, then took out a blank report and wrote down a new eight-character evaluation:

"The prodigal son returns, perhaps he may be forgiven."

...

...

As night deepened, the imperial guards patrolled the walls surrounding the Imperial Palace.

The lights in Yangxin Hall, the dwelling of the Empress, were brightly lit.

In the corridor, a palace maid carrying a tray walked quickly, on the tray was a bowl of lotus seed soup prepared by the imperial kitchen. As she arrived outside the Imperial Study,

she saw a figure approaching from the opposite direction.

"This servant pays respect to Mo Zhaorong," the young palace maid stopped to greet.

The young female official, addressed with the honorific "Zhaorong" and in charge of the Six Palaces at the fifth rank, acknowledged with a nod, taking over the tray:

"I'll do it."

Having said this, the young official knocked on the door.

Inside the Imperial Study.

The Emperor of Great Yu, Xu Zhenguan, clad in white regular attire and exuding a refined elegance, was immersed in handling state affairs.

Beneath the candlelight, her skin glistened like ivory, emitting a warm jade-like glow.

Her slender eyebrows were faintly knit together, betraying a hint of fatigue that was hard to detect.

"Your Majesty," the young official placed the lotus seed soup on the desk, calling softly.

Xu Zhenguan then looked up, surprised:

"Why are you the one delivering this?"

"I happened to be passing by," the young official carefully stirred the soup, offering the spoon, and looking at the stacks of reports with concern, said:

"Your Majesty, why overwork yourself like this? After all, there's no end to these matters."

Xu Zhenguan brought the soup to her lips and drank for a while, feeling less fatigued.

Turning to look at her most trusted official, known in government and public circles as the 'Female Prime Minister', she smiled helplessly:

"How I wish I could rest! But don't you see, the whole world watches over me. Since the beginning of this year, disasters have struck the prefectures one after another, the mess my father Emperor and my second brother left behind also needs to be dealt with...

There's strife both within and without, and if one matter is mishandled, the blame will fall on me, a woman."

Outsiders only saw Xu Zhenguan's illustrious side as the victor of the "Xuan Sect coup," who ascended the throne.

But only those close to her knew of the immense pressure she had shouldered since her ascension, two years earlier.

The late Emperor left an empty National Treasury.

The Second Prince's coup had implicated a large number of officials, creating instability in government, with remnants still creating trouble in secret.

Princes with their fiefs across the Nine Roads and Eighteen Prefectures were watching greedily.

All the major cultivation powers were looking for opportunities to act...

The Empress of Great Yu looked around herself, seeing a seemingly prosperous dynasty actually fraught with danger.

And there were very few direct and trusted followers she could really count on.

"Let's not talk about this anymore," Xu Zhenguan swallowed the lotus seed soup, resisting the impulse to suck her slender fingers, putting down the porcelain bowl, and smilingly said:

"Coming here so late, it can't just be to advise me to rest."

The young official took out a folded document from her sleeve:

"The White Horse Bureau Director has just sent someone with this, it's an evaluation of Zhao Duan."

Ah, him... Xu Zhenguan's mind conjured up a handsome face. Putting aside personal character, Zhao Duan's appearance was indeed impeccable.

"What did the Director say?"

"This servant did not read it, please open it yourself, Your Majesty."

In that moment, as Xu Zhenguan looked at the report before her, she suddenly felt hesitant.