The Empress's No.1 Lackey

"Is that really the case?" Inside the private room, two friends changed color, realizing the thorny nature of the problem.

At the start, when Feng Ju framed Li Yanfu, anyone with keen eyes could sense something was amiss.

With a bit more investigation, it wasn't difficult to guess Zhao Douan's role in it all—as the one pulling the strings behind the scenes.

However, the officials had instinctively thought this was just another minor skirmish between the Empress and the Prime Minister, and everyone saw through it without saying anything.

It wasn't surprising that Marquis Xiajiang had found out.

But no one had expected an issue long thought settled to be dug up again.

"Why would this happen? Could it be that Zhao Douan has offended Marquis Xiajiang?"

The slightly plump scholar wondered,

"I've not heard of any interaction between the two."

The middle-aged man with the headscarf said in a deep voice,

"Have you both forgotten about Princess Yunyang? Just before I came here at noon, I heard from a friend that this morning on Vermilion Bird Street, Zhao Douan's carriage was stopped by the Princess's palanquin, and Marquis Xiajiang also seemed to be there.

I first thought it was a rumor, but now it seems it might be true."

The plump scholar was startled,

"Chang Feng, are you suggesting that Marquis Xiajiang took action against Zhao Douan to curry favor with Princess Yunyang?

Right, Marquis Xiajiang has always prided himself as a noble, arrogant and ruthless. It's no secret he's not above dirty deeds, this really does seem like something he would do."

The man with the headscarf analyzed,

"Zhao Douan has gained merit recently and is favored by the Saint. It wouldn't be easy for Marquis Xiajiang to target him.

Accusing the Prime Minister, on the other hand, presents an opportunity. Just pressure Brother Zigu to bite back and appeal for a retrial. To the public, it would seem as if Zhao Douan had long plotted the false accusations. The 'Li Party' would certainly assist, especially as there's an existing grudge between them... this way, the evidence of guilt would be undeniable, even His Majesty wouldn't be able to openly take sides."

Feng Ju's face turned extremely unsightly, and he remained silent.

Clearly, he had also fully understood this layer of implication.

The plump scholar said,

"But once there's a retrial, setting aside whether Marquis Xiajiang will honor the deal and release her, Brother Zigu will simultaneously offend both the Saint and the Prime Minister. Not to mention Zhao Douan, who is known for his vengeful nature. With this, is there still a way out?"

A dead end!

The three of them were clever and had quickly deduced how dire the situation was.

If Feng Ju refused, his own daughter would be gone.

If he complied, he would become a pawn, doomed nonetheless.

That's the plight of the insignificant man, not even a chance to survive between the cracks.

Feng Ju, eyes reddened, spoke in a low voice,

"My mind is a mess right now; I don't know what to do. That's why I hurriedly sought a meeting with you two, to help me think of a solution…"

His two friends looked troubled; the three were close, but like Feng Ju, they were also of low status, powerless and with no powerful family behind them.

How could they stand against a hereditary Marquis?

Even if they wanted to use connections, to beg for mercy with gifts, they couldn't find a way!

The atmosphere fell silent for a moment.

The plump scholar pondered and then said,

"Since you've already sought the Imperial Faction's protection, why not seek the Saint's shelter?"

Feng Ju gave a bitter smile and shook his head,

"With our status, how can we even speak to Her Majesty? Moreover, I have no evidence of the kidnapping. I only know my daughter is missing, and Marquis Xiajiang merely sent a servant with a verbal message, how can that be proven?"

He left something unsaid:

Involving a hereditary Marquis and a Princess… Would any member of the Imperial Faction truly risk offending both for him?

Chances were slim that the message would even reach the palace before being discarded along the way.

The plump scholar was incensed,

"In my opinion, go directly to the government office, report it to the Ministry of Justice! A Sixth-rank officer is still a court-appointed official; an honorary noble without official status shouldn't be able to threaten so freely. Where is the court's dignity?"

The man with the headscarf chuckled bitterly,

"Don't speak out of anger, Brother Zigu. How can the government office dare to accept it? As for the Ministry of Justice, don't forget, the Minister of the Ministry of Justice is very close to the Prime Minister. If we have to find someone, there's still one person who might be able."

"Who?" Both asked simultaneously.

"Zhao Douan!"

The man with the headscarf uttered the name, looking at Feng Ju,

"Don't forget, Brother Zigu, in this case, you and he are tied together. If you appeal for a retrial, it will harm him too. Ultimately, this issue started because of him; it's only right that he should resolve it."

Feng Ju's eyes suddenly lit up!

Yes, if Zhao Douan was willing to help, with his connections, even just a word to Her Majesty would solve his predicament.

In his anxiety and confusion, he hadn't thought of this earlier.

Beside him, the plump scholar shook his head,

"But will that Zhao even help? He's known to be ruthless and unkind.

Even if you plead with him, once he learns of this, he might just prepare otherwise. He could even turn on you, throw Brother Zigu into the Imperial Prison, or deliver him to Marquis Xiajiang as a gesture of goodwill...

What wouldn't such a villain do? Instead, acting to save someone is a hassle, offers no benefits, and brings worries of Brother Zigu switching allegiances and causing trouble…"

Feng Ju's eyes dimmed once more.

Right, would a person like Zhao Douan lend a hand?

Or would he ruthlessly snuff out his life to prevent the risks of a retrial?

It's truly unpredictable.

It could only be said… Along with the benefits of being cast as the "villain," Zhao Douan inevitably carried the burden of being untrusted.

In the private room, the two friends argued their points, both of which made sense.

Feng Ju's expression shifted with indecision, but finally, he clenched his fist, struck the desk forcefully, and said:

"I will go to Zhao Douan!"

The desperate father, Feng Ju, could not afford any delay.

"Compared to the credibility of Marquis Xiajiang, I'd rather bet on Zhao Douan's mercy," he said.

Seeing his demeanor, the two friends fell silent, with the slightly plump scholar no longer speaking.

The middle-aged man with a headscarf then cautioned:

"If you go, remember not to threaten him with words like, 'We're in the same boat; if I'm doomed, you'll suffer too.'

Don't ask him to seek out Her Majesty; just clearly explain the situation and ask for his help.

Yes, it's best to meet privately or deliver a letter. Marquis Xiajiang must have people watching your every move. Be careful."

Feng Ju stood up and nodded solemnly:

"I understand."

With his intelligence, he wouldn't normally need such reminders.

But his emotions clouded his judgment, and that's why he needed advice from his two good friends.

...

...

In the afternoon, at Lihua Hall.

Zhao Douan didn't take a nap but instead went through Marquis Xiajiang's files from the government office.

'Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will never be defeated in a hundred battles.'

Compared to the Princess, who has no real power but knows how to manipulate men, he felt that this Marquis was a bigger threat.

"Tsk, tsk, impressive indeed."

After reviewing the files, Zhao Douan realized why this guy was so arrogant.

According to internal records, Marquis Xiajiang entered the Martial Arts Divine Chapter Realm ten years ago.

Although it's suspected that he was helped by a powerful figure to break through, making him a 'mediocre martial artist' as referred to by the Empress,

his realm was there for all to see, his foundation was solid, and he wasn't lacking in formidable martial arts.

"No wonder he dared to stop me in the street; he had the confidence," Zhao Douan murmured as he shook his head.

Additionally, the file mentioned that Marquis Xiajiang might control gang organizations in the Capital.

He seems to be the influential figure behind the Capital's largest gang, the Red Flower Society.

Where there's light, there's also darkness.

In his past life as a historian, Zhao Douan had been curious why gangs were so persistent and why historically famous ones like Cao Gang and Salt Gang existed—given their huge interests, that was understandable.

But even local, smaller gangs were innumerable.

He later understood that it was due to the feudal dynasty's weak control over grassroots levels, as the reach of the imperial power couldn't penetrate every street and alley.

Yet societal operation indeed required "governance" at the lower levels to maintain a certain order.

In rural areas, clan forces prevailed, and in populous cities, gangs had room to exist.

Although it seemed counterintuitive, the existence of gangs was driven not only by human nature and interests but also by the people's need for a gang to establish order.

Even bad order was preferable to chaos.

When a void appeared in the light, a king of darkness would inevitably emerge.

"Having a noble identity and henchmen… he presents himself as above the mortal fray, but behind the scenes, he's also a schemer," Zhao Douan internally scoffed.

He pondered quietly about whether he could take advantage of the Red Flower Society to trick Marquis Xiajiang.

Being constantly on the receiving end wasn't his style.

Anyone who's been in a brawl knows that if you crouch and cover your head, hoping your attackers lose interest and leave, you'll only be bullied to death.

The correct approach is either to involve others or to retaliate by taking down their leader; defeat the head, and the rest will scatter.

While Princess Yunyang's identity was special and not to be lightly touched,

a hereditary Marquis without real power should be manageable, right?

"It's a bit tricky. Feudal nobles accepting tributes from gangs and providing protection seems to be hard to escalate—it's kind of an unwritten rule… And such things can't be exposed unless there's a major problem…"

"Maybe create a major problem?"

Zhao Douan's mind darkened as he tried to brew ideas, but he couldn't find a starting point.

Suddenly, secretary Qian Kerou entered the hall:

"Chief, downstairs at our hall, a servant has brought a letter, allegedly from Feng Ju, the Chief of the Literary Bureau at the Ministry of Personnel, saying there's something extremely urgent to discuss with you."

Feng Ju?

Zhao Douan was taken aback, recalling the erudite-looking Chief he had deceived on the canopy boat when he first arrived in this world.

Hearing that Feng Ju had received the Empress's praise, he expected a rapid rise through the ranks, so he had stopped paying attention.

What did Feng Ju want with him?

Why didn't he come directly?

Instead, he went through the trouble of sending a letter by a servant.

Zhao Douan had a good impression of Feng Ju, despite the man having been deceived.

But it was precisely because of Feng's biting back that Zhao survived the case against Zhuang Xiaocheng and was able to turn the tables.

As someone who valued past loyalty, Zhao had even granted Zhu Kui a dignified end, despite his betrayal.

If Old Feng was in trouble, Zhao Douan wouldn't mind lending a hand.

He immediately took the sealed letter and tore it open to read.

Moments later.

His expression changed subtly, showing surprise at first and then a chill ran down his back.

"Overturning the case… Well played… If he actually succeeds, even if I don't get into serious trouble, I'll certainly be stripped to the bone."

Quickly thereafter, Zhao Douan thoughtfully flicked the envelope with his finger.

He realized that what he needed, the breakthrough to turn the tables on Marquis Xiajiang, seemed to be right in front of him.

"Kidnapping the family of a courtier… That's something even a Marquis can't withstand, right?"

...

Typo to be corrected later.