The Empress's No.1 Lackey

Zhang Douan's family situation was somewhat complex.

His natural father was a low-ranking military officer in the imperial guard, and he was born to his father's first wife. However, his mother passed away from illness when he was fifteen years old.

Mr. Zhao had been injured in his early years and had only one son.

Half a year after his wife's death, one of Mr. Zhao's close comrade-in-arms, who was like a brother to him, tragically died on a business trip away from the Capital, leaving behind a young and beautiful wife and daughter, all alone in the Capital.

In those days, with no man in the household and the loss of their financial support, one can imagine the dire straits the mother and daughter found themselves in.

Mr. Zhao generously opened his wallet to help.

One had lost a wife, the other a husband, and with matchmakers speaking for them, Mr. Zhao simply married his brother-in-law's widow.

Thus, at fifteen, Zhang Douan hadn't yet recovered from the sadness of his mother's death when he suddenly found himself with a "new aunt" and a young "half-sister."

Being a rebellious teenager, he was extremely resistant to his stepmother and stepsister.

Fortunately, the stepmother, named You Jinhua, treated him as if he were her own, and with his father mediating, the family managed to get by, at least superficially.

Several years later, Mr. Zhao suddenly fell ill and died, leaving the Zhao family without its pillar.

Zhang Douan, barely of age, had no choice but to take his father's place and join the imperial guard as an infantryman.

With no one to control him, he often mixed with his comrades and spent most of his time at the military camp.

He was unwilling to go home and interact with his aunt, making their relationship cold and distant.

Things were still manageable until a year ago, when Zhang Douan was appointed as an envoy. Rumors spread about his involvement with the Empress, and, finding himself suddenly in favor, his personality underwent a complete change.

Due to his change in status, he moved back to his family home, living under the same roof as his aunt and half-sister once more.

Thus, the ill-tempered and domineering Zhang Douan found the two women extremely irritating.

Furthermore, neighbors gossiping claimed that You Jinhua had lost both her husbands shortly after marrying them and was cursed to bring death to her spouses.

Zhang Douan immediately targeted the two, often berating and mocking them at home, even resorting to domestic violence.

Poor You Jinhua and her daughter, who changed her name to Zhao Pan, were the main house members, yet they lived with less dignity than the servants, constantly in fear.

Their relationship deteriorated further.

How to evaluate it… Well, Zhang Douan found it quite distressing…

This was also one of the reasons he hesitated to return home for the past three days since his transmigration.

He really hadn't figured out how to face his family with the personas he'd assumed.

So, when he heard Zhu Kui say, "There's trouble at home," he paused, taken aback:

"Which home are you referring to?"

The tanned face of the black-clothed official gasped for breath, clutching his riding crop, and said:

"Of course, your family home, your residence."

Zhang Douan frowned:

"Explain clearly, what happened?"

After catching his breath, Zhu Kui explained the situation in detail.

It turned out that after learning Zhang Douan was unharmed, Zhu Kui was overjoyed.

He first went home to reassure his family and also to have lunch.

Then he went to the White Horse Hall to report the good news and tried to find out the details, but couldn't. Worried, and guessing that Zhang Douan might have left the Imperial City, Zhu Kui decided to go pick him up himself.

On the way, he unexpectedly ran into someone he knew and received some "terrible news."

"Sir, my acquaintance said he saw Zhang Changji, that military man, riding a fast horse, leading several vicious servants toward your house!

I fear they may harm your family! With my meager martial skills, I knew I couldn't stop them, so I rushed to the palace to find you!" Zhu Kui explained.

Zhang Changji?

Who was that?

Zhang Douan was taken aback for a moment, then memories flashed through his mind, and he quickly understood.

Zhang Changji was Zhang Changshuo's younger brother.

Unlike his brother, who prided himself on being a scholar, this man disliked reading and had practiced martial arts since childhood. With the backing of resources, he became a Martial Artist of the Mortal Realm, one level higher than the original Zhang Douan, known as "Middle Grade Mortal Realm."

He held the position of Colonel in the Capital Camp.

It is worth noting that Great Yu's imperial guard was divided into two parts: one part guarded the Imperial City as the "Twelve Guards," the Emperor's personal troops.

The other part, named "Capital Camp," guarded the Capital City.

Zhang Changji was known for his brutality, but thanks to military discipline, he was not as infamous as Zhang Douan.

The two had nothing in common, however, Zhang Douan, because of the "Empress' Favoritism," had been resented by his colleague, Zhang Changshuo.

Because of this relationship, Zhang Changji harbored a deep animosity and had once ambushed Zhao Douan in secret, creating enmity between the two from then on.

"What the devil is he doing running to my house?"

A sense of foreboding sank in Zhao Douan's heart.

Without time to think further, he leaped to grab the horsewhip:

"Let's go! Let's go back and see!"

...

On the other hand, in the streets of the Capital.

"Clatter clatter..."

The sound of galloping hooves was urgent as several riders whizzed by, causing the common people along the way to scatter in panic.

At the forefront, Zhang Changji with one hand on the reins and the other wielding the whip, charged recklessly, looking arrogantly at the citizens retreating like the tide on either side.

His appearance was similar to Zhang Changshuo's, but much younger.

Trained in martial arts, his physique was even more robust, his loose training clothes open at the chest, revealing well-developed muscles.

"Young master, the alley up ahead is the Zhao residence!"

Beside him, an excited servant on horseback said, holding a baton.

Zhang Changji pulled on the reins, slowing down, and smiled:

"Good, follow me and charge in, let's trample the Zhao's place!"

Another older servant expressed his concerns:

"Young master...how Zhao Douan fares is still uncertain. If we go knocking on their door like this, might it not..."

Zhang Changji glared at him displeased and sneered coldly:

"The Zhao thief has lost his backing, and all over the Capital bureaucracy, who doesn't know? My elder brother told me yesterday that today Zhao thief will certainly fall from power, and he was absolutely confident that he could personally send him to prison, never to recover...

Hmph, Zhao thief used to strut around arrogantly, making countless enemies. Many want to retaliate against him, and what if someone else beats me to it if I'm too late?"

Unlike his circumspect elder brother, he had always been rash and impulsive, muscular, not very intelligent.

Upon hearing the widespread rumors yesterday that Zhao Douan was finished, he rushed to confirm with his brother.

At that time, Zhang Changshuo, holding the evidence, was confident of his victory and arrogantly showed off when his younger brother came to inquire.

Zhang Changji was reassured and spent the morning training in the military camp as usual.

Taking advantage of the lunch break, he took several vicious servants from his family and headed straight for the Zhao residence.

He was ready to kick them when they were down, avenging the past grievances with Zhao Douan.

He was unaware that not only was Zhao Douan fine, but he had also been promoted.

"But young master, even if the Zhao thief falls, he might be thrown into prison. If we go to his house, we can't really confront him, can we?" The servant hesitated.

Zhang Changji glanced at him but said nothing.

The previous servant laughed and explained:

"Who wants to confront him? That Mr. Zhao has been rising for a long time, he must have accumulated a lot of wealth. Since he dared to provoke the young master, it's only right we collect some interest."

The other servants holding batons suddenly understood.

...

During the conversation, the group had already rushed into the alley and stopped outside a large three-section residence.

The main door was tightly closed at the moment.

Zhang Changji led his men off their horses, not even bothering to knock, and with a burst of strength from his martial artist's force, he kicked the gate open with a loud "thud!".

The vicious servants streamed in.

Zhao family's maids and house servants, hearing the noise, came out asking:

"Who are you?"

Then they were beaten and screamed miserably, scrambling in terror.

The group used brute force to break into the central courtyard.

Zhang Changji, dressed in a casual fighting outfit, with his clothes slightly open at the chest, saw several people coming out from the inner house.

Leading them were a woman and a young girl.

You Jinhua, in her early thirties, well-maintained and an extremely charming beauty.

Coming from a wealthy family, well-educated and gentle by nature, she had never seen such a scene; now her pretty face turned pale, her brows and eyes filled with panic.

In contrast, the young girl Zhao Paner, fresh and beautiful at twenty-eight, seemed composed.

Only the slight trembling of her long eyelashes, above her autumn-water-like eyes, betrayed her inner tension and fear.

"What kind of people are you? How dare you barge into a residence under broad daylight?"

The young girl shouted, but her quivering tone revealed her inner timidity.