The Empress's No.1 Lackey

Zhao Douan scolded, "Speak up! Have you gone mute!?"

The old official, his face weathered by time, finally spoke with a sigh,

"Since Your Excellency has already discerned everything, what more can I say? Should I beg for mercy?"

Zhao Douan said,

"When Ma Yan captured Iron Ruler Pass, he was willing to give him a chance to explain himself, but he didn't cherish it. I can give you one too."

Zhu Kui shook his head, as if resigned to his fate, and suddenly let out a low laugh,

"Actually, I had anticipated this day coming, just a few days earlier or a few days later. In fact, over the last month alone, I have already been on the brink of death three times."

"Once was when the magician from Kuangfu Society nearly killed you.

That was unexpected, and indeed an accident. At the time, I thought if you died, I wouldn't be able to escape involvement either. I was thinking if you didn't wake up, I would just run away. But you woke up."

"Your Excellency entering the palace, facing the Saint's inquiry, that was the second time. For that incident, I even prepared for the aftermath, but you turned the situation around."

"Then, this time. The rebels still lost, but I have spent the luck of the latter half of my life, and ultimately fell into your hands.

Actually, having seen your methods during this period, I understood that I would sooner or later be seen through by you. This life lasting so long, I should be satisfied."

As the boat flowed downstream, there were sounds of birds chirping, resembling mournful music.

Zhao Douan said,

"What was the reason? What did the rebels promise you? Didn't you consider your family? Oh, right, you sent your two children away, but your first wife is still there, isn't she?"

Zhu Kui said,

"When I just attempted to escape, I had already sent someone to send a message to my home. My old wife, by now, must be packing up and trying to find a way out of the city. I thought, even if I was exposed, by drawing the troops to me, she could escape, but it seems now, she cannot escape either."

You all have the same style... Iron Ruler Pass was like this, and so are you, playing a pure love game with me? Anger rose in Zhao Douan's heart, and he asked again,

"What was the reason?"

On Zhu Kui's ugly face, a helpless smile finally appeared once more,

"I had no choice, Excellency, I had no choice."

Zhao Douan raised an eyebrow,

"Were you coerced? Because of the pair of children back home?"

Zhu Kui nodded and then said,

"But what is the use of saying these things? I have been mixed amongst the criminals in the government office for over twenty years, seeing too many prisoners in desperate straits, but they are rarely innocent, so my heart has long hardened.

Today, it has finally come to me, only to say that what goes around comes around."

After a pause, he put down the boat pole, giving up resistance,

"Take me back, Your Excellency, perhaps this is also a release."

However, Zhao Douan did not move, and suddenly said,

"Being captured would confirm your identity as a rebel. Your children are far away and might escape, but afterward, they must surely live in fear and under a false name, perhaps even unable to continue the 'Zhu' family name.

Your first wife has it worse, she absolutely cannot escape the city, becoming a slave is the best she could hope for."

After another pause, his voice cold,

"Of course, these matters are irrelevant to me. The most important thing is, if you are proven to be a rebel, it would also implicate my reputation."

Zhu Kui was stunned, not understanding his meaning.

A ludicrous thought arose,

"Your Excellency is willing to let me go?"

"Not possible," Zhao Douan relentlessly shattered his illusion.

Not to mention that the two had only known each other for just over a month, he would not risk the great crime of letting a rebel escape for a mere subordinate with whom he only had a work connection.

Besides, the other party had betrayed him!

Even if we put all that aside, such a major case would surely attract scrutiny from all sides, making it impossible to cover up.

Zhu Kui wasn't too disappointed, as he no longer harbored any illusions given his experience.

But then, he heard Zhao Douan say calmly,

"However... I can perhaps find you later."

Zhu Kui was puzzled, "Your Excellency means..."

Zhao Douan did not elaborate,

"With your intellect, you should understand. Remember, do not vainly think of escaping. Even if you jump into the river, my Flying Knife will reach you instantly."

After speaking, the boat slightly rocked as Zhao Douan leapt ashore.

Leaving Zhu Kui standing alone on the boat, silent for a long time.

At that moment, the boat was about to pass under a stone bridge.

Zhu Kui took a deep breath, sat cross-legged on the boat, reached into his bag, and drew out his sword.

The blade, as bright as a mirror, could almost reflect a person.

This old official, who had roamed the Capital for decades, held the hilt in a peculiar posture, and then quietly stared at the boat as it slowly moved into the shade beneath the stone bridge, adjusting the angle of his grip.

As the boat was about to disappear, he turned his head, casting a somewhat reluctant gaze in the direction of his hometown outside the city, and then with a hint of resolution appearing in his eyes, he murmured,

"Thank you, Your Excellency."

Then, he swung his sword fiercely!

"Clang!"

The steel blade struck the bridge pier at an odd angle, cleverly rebounding towards its wielder.

"Thud!"

A touch of red stained the water beneath the stone bridge, only to be washed away by the river.

On the shore.

Zhao Douan stood with his hands behind his back, quietly watching as the small boat slowly emerged from under the bridge.

Aboard the boat, Zhu Kui had fallen face up; blood gushed from his neck, and his eyes were wide open, life already departed.

The knife had fallen into the river. Even the most experienced coroners of the government office, if not examining carefully, would think based on the knife wound that it was a murder, not a suicide.

On both banks.

The commoners spotted the body in the river and let out continuous exclamations, creating a commotion.

Zhao Douan gently closed his eyes.

As long as Zhu Kui died ahead, it was impossible to prove his identity as a rebel.

Being a rebel who commits suicide out of fear of punishment is one explanation.

But being coerced by rebels to gather intelligence, fearing punishment, and therefore committing suicide is another explanation.

Yet, the nature of the two is entirely different.

As the chief officer of this case, Zhao Douan could legally interpret Zhu Kui's death in any plausible manner without fault.

Zhu Kui understood this and took it a step further by disguising his death as a homicide.

This allowed even greater room for interpretation.

Even, if Zhao Douan tried hard enough, he might be able to claim his death as "died on official duty."

As long as Zhu Kui was not labeled a "rebel," his wife and children would not be implicated, and the Kuangfu Society would not make unnecessary trouble after losing its value.

Including Zhao Douan himself, who could then avoid the troubles brought on by having a subordinate who was a rebel.

Zhu Kui paid with his life for a better outcome for everyone.

A mere low-level clerk, not even a government officer, would hardly attract the attention of important figures obsessing over the cause of his death.

It all seemed well.

But...

"Why do I feel a bit sad?"

Zhao Douan couldn't understand; clearly, there was no great affection between them, and the other party even indirectly harmed him.

An overflow of maternal compassion?

Zhao Douan didn't think so; it felt more like a rabbit mourning a dead fox.

The world is like a prison cage, and both he and Zhu Kui were trapped beasts within, their fates manipulated by others.

"I still have to play the game," Zhao Douan sighed.

He wanted to pull out his notebook and add a mark to "Zhuang Xiaocheng."

At that moment, government officers from the distant government office, hearing the commotion, swarmed over and were shocked to see the body in the river.

Zhao Douan composed himself, stepped forward, and took out his arrest warrant, shaking it:

"This officer was investigating the case here, yet a key person is dead. Did you see where the murderer went?"

The group of government officers, trembling, hurriedly saluted and stuttered,

"We just arrived after hearing the noise, sir, and didn't see the murderer."

Zhao Douan, with a stern face, commanded:

"Divide into one team to retrieve the body from the river and send it to the Imperial Office Pear Blossom Hall.

Another team, search along the river; the killer might have escaped into the water after the murder."

The government officers dared not disobey and immediately set about their tasks.

Soon after, Zhao Douan returned to the Tie family to find the people of Lihua Hall gathered and anxious.

Seeing his return, Hou Renmeng stood up to greet him:

"Sir, the Lord came looking for you. Seeing you were not here, he went back to the government office first and asked us to notify you that two inspectors from Pomegranate Hall and Peach Blossom Hall have been arrested and will be imprisoned in the Imperial Prison. The Lord will personally supervise."

Caught? Zhao Douan was not surprised.

"Sir, shall we return to the government office as well?" Qian Kerou asked:

"We've secured all suspicious items in the Tie family, captured everyone, and are ready to bring them all back for a thorough investigation."

Zhao Douan looked up at the sky; it was nearing noon.

He wiped the sweat from his forehead and said:

"You go back. Just leave a horse for me."

The four were puzzled, "Sir, are you going to..."

Zhao Douan sighed and raised an eyebrow:

"Since the Lord has said he will not leave and has detained or restricted other inspectors, the responsibility of reporting to His Majesty about the case can only be reluctantly taken on by me."