The Empress's No.1 Lackey

That night, because the hour was too late and he had to report to his superior, Zhao Douan didn't go home, but rather made do with an overnight stay at the White Horse Hall.

The next morning, when Zhao Douan forced his eyes open, the sky was already bright.

He washed up carefully, changed into his official robe in front of the mirror, and picked out a sandalwood fragrance sachet. Looking at the handsome features reflected in the bronze mirror, the corners of his lips curled up slightly:

"Done!"

One must pay attention to one's appearance when meeting the Empress.

"It's a pity that the fragrance of the sachet is mediocre. How was perfume invented in transmigration novels? The Empress should like it, right..."

With these miscellaneous thoughts swirling in his mind, he had a servant bring food and ate hastily.

When he walked out of the government office, he saw Zhou Cang, dressed in Jinyi garments, waiting beside the carriage.

"Lord, I have prepared the carriage," Zhou Cang said with a beaming smile.

Zhao Douan had deliberately stated last night "I don't care what comes out of the interrogation," implying that he was only interested in the part of the credit for solving the case and catching the criminals.

Leaving the Zhang brothers to Lord Ma, whatever information was dug up, would still be a feather in the cap of the Imperial Court.

A very "suitable" operation for gifting favors.

Ma Yan got the hint and responded in kind with a peach for a plum.

Thus, he wouldn't accompany Zhao Douan to the palace this time to avoid competing for credit, instead, he sent a hundred-household official to add a sense of involvement.

He himself went straight into the Imperial Court that very night to work on the Zhang brothers, and the prison guards at the Imperial Court heard incessant screams throughout the night.

Heh... I hope you can still dig up something, old Ma. Anyway, this piece of intelligence from the "Privy Council" is mine... Zhao Douan felt no shame for this intercepting action.

The two set off for the Imperial Palace, unhurried.

Xu Zhenguan kept a strict schedule; after the early court session, she would review memorials or have private conversations with ministers. Unless it was an urgent matter of great importance, she should not be disturbed.

When Zhao Douan arrived at the Imperial City, it was already late morning.

He had Zhou Cang wait outside and entered the depths of the palace alone, for the third time, guided by a eunuch.

He thought he would be arranged to wait in a side hall.

Yet, shortly after the general call was announced, a familiar, older female official came with a smiling face:

"My lord, Her Majesty invites you over."

His status had clearly risen; he didn't even need to queue to enter the server.

Zhao Douan was pleasantly surprised and thanked her, then immediately became curious:

"Is Her Majesty not busy at this hour? Am I going to the imperial study?"

The older female official smiled and said:

"Her Majesty is currently conversing with Mr. Yuan in the Imperial Garden. Since she has called for you, it should not be a delay."

Mr. Yuan?

Zhao Douan was taken aback and blurted out, "The current Imperial Censor?"

The older palace lady smiled sweetly, "Who else could it be in Great Yu besides Mr. Yuan?"

Yuann Li!

Zhao Douan was all too familiar with this name.

There were two opposing factions in the current imperial court: one led by Li Yanfu, backed by the Jiangnan gentry, who were also ministers from the era of the Old Emperor.

The other was the "Clean Stream Faction" headed by the Imperial Censor, Yuann Li of the Imperial Court of Supervision.

Based on officials, they attracted a large number of non-Jiangnan scholars.

He was a new giant of the court who had risen after the Emperor of Great Yu took the throne and was supported by her hand.

As the "faction leader" and a First-rank officer, Yuann Li was a major figure who could make the whole Great Yu Dynasty tremble with a mere stomp of his foot, just like Li Yanfu.

But unlike Li Yanfu, who was cunning and deeply entrenched in power, Yuann Li had a far better reputation, especially among scholars, where he was highly revered.

Having served multiple times as the chief examiner for the imperial examinations, his "students" were spread throughout the provinces and prefectures.

Zhao Douan remembered that "he" wanted to visit Mr. Yuan after gaining power, but when the visiting card was sent, it sank without a trace.

He had been indignant for a while, but now it seems like the original owner simply did not know his own standing, a screw loose in his head.

"Is Mr. Yuan also here today?"

Zhao Douan was surprised, a strong curiosity surging in his heart.

Yes, after all, if Li Yanfu was to be considered his enemy based on factional lines, then Yuann Li could not be considered an ally, but he was certainly someone worth courting.

Ptui, ptui, ptui... Why is my mind full of flattery? Where has the transmigrator's backbone gone... Zhao Douan straightened his spine.

As they spoke, they arrived at the Imperial Garden.

In the height of summer, the garden's pavilions and towers, flowing waters, and artificial mountains were lush with clusters of precious flowers and trees transplanted from all over the realm.

They were thriving.

The winding stone path stretched long, with a server standing every few dozen meters, floral fragrances wafted through the air, and birds chirped lightly.

As Zhao Douan walked down the path curiously, a cool pavilion soon appeared ahead.

Situated by a pond, the pavilion stood with palace ladies in attendance, their fair skin dazzling. Inside the pavilion, two figures were playing a game of chess.

The one on the left was the Emperor of Great Yu, Xu Zhenguan. Days had not seen her change; with her white garments and black hair, her appearance remained ethereal.

The man on the right was clothed in a sky-blue cross-collared robe and wore an official hat. He looked to be around fifty, scholarly and handsome with a refined elegance, his deep eyes harboring the vicissitudes that only years could etch.

Even as age took its toll on his appearance, there was something about him that resembled a fine aged wine, robust and mellow.

"Your Majesty..."

Just as the senior female attendant was about to speak, Zhao Douan suddenly raised his hand to interrupt her, shaking his head.

With the Empress's cultivation, there was no need for formal reporting; she would have certainly sensed his arrival early on.

"Hand it to me."

Zhao Douan caught sight of a palace maid approaching with a tea set. He extended his hand to receive it, placing a white towel in his palm, the precious purple-clay teapot just the right temperature.

Zhao Douan stepped into the pavilion, made his way to the side of the two players engaged in chess, and cautiously poured the tea, his movements gentle and skilled.

In his previous life, his superior had been quite fond of traditional culture—tea ceremony, calligraphy, Go, traditional Chinese painting... and so on.

Moreover, he loved reading history, often keeping a copy of "The Year of Wanli Fifteen" on his desk, not for show, but out of genuine interest.

Zhao Douan was ambitious, whether it was from passive exposure or deliberate study.

In any case, his years of experience had given him a broad, if not deep, understanding of these cultural areas.

Plus, as a "person from a later era," he had a more expansive worldview, and grandmaster chess manuals were readily available for consultation.

At this moment, catching a glimpse of the chess board and the intertwining state of the black and white pieces, he could tell that both players were skilled.

Unfortunately, in this era, people who played chess adhered to a "gentleman's style," upright and forthright.

Therefore, their study of chess strategy tended to focus on the grand schema, neglecting the intricacies of combat and victory.

So for Zhao Douan, who had been tormented by the AlphaGo, a glance at the board made him find it rather insipid.

If he were to play, he would have made sweeping moves by now.

"Clack."

Xu Zhenguan seemed not to notice his arrival, his gaze unwavering as he casually placed a piece down and said,

"So, does Mr. Yuan think that it's time to make a move regarding the salt and iron on Jiancheng Road this year?"

Oops, clearly, they were pretending to play chess but were actually discussing state affairs.

Prior to this, they must have covered some other subjects.

Zhao Douan, having entered in the middle of their exchange, found himself utterly confused without the context.

"Your Majesty has already made up her mind, why bother asking for my opinion?" Yuan Li said with a smile, pausing in thought before also placing a piece down.

Xu Zhenguan sighed and said,

"The matter of salt and iron is crucial; Jiancheng Road has historically been prosperous and known for its trade. The past two years have seen no natural disasters, yet the tax revenue submitted to the National Treasury has been less than satisfactory. If there were no meddling, I wouldn't believe it."

Isn't... this a big topic of discussion? Should I leave... Zhao Douan blinked.

But since the Empress had summoned him instead of having him wait, she probably didn't mind him overhearing these conversations.

Besides, the words "Jiancheng Road" had also caught his attention.

Yuan Li fell silent for a moment before saying, "Is Your Majesty still worried about Prince Jing?"

Xu Zhenguan's beautiful eyes dimmed as she said,

"How can I be at ease with a tiger lying by my couch? Just like this game of chess we are playing, my uncle seems harmless, always on defense, but in reality, it's just like your style of play, Mr. Yuan, turbulent and hidden."

The Green-robed Imperial Censor spoke up,

"But in the end, it is Your Majesty who holds the advantage. I can only exert myself to the fullest, strategizing over a few stones."

"A thousand-li dike is destroyed by an anthill; too many removed pieces, and the building will collapse," the Empress sighed.

"Yet, Your Majesty can't be too harsh, after all, surrounded by wolves. If we start fighting too early, I fear it will give those outside the game the chance to overturn the board. It is like a seriously ill person recovering; administering strong medicine too soon could be fatal. It must be treated slowly."

"Mr. Yuan speaks the truth, but in doing so, I have become the one on the defense," Xu Zhenguan looked dejected.

"Is Your Majesty still troubled by the matter of the firearms craftsmen?" Yuan Li asked hesitantly,

"Wasn't Ma Yan tasked with investigating it?"

Xu Zhenguan snorted disapprovingly,

"A mere formality. I have already sent back orders for him to investigate anew."

In their conversation, it seemed they had long guessed the connection with Prince Jing but lacked evidence.

Or rather, based on their recent exchange, the Empress didn't actually care whether there was evidence or not.

After all, her conflict with the Eight Princes was deep—sooner or later, a storm would be unavoidable. When the time came to act, finding a pretext would be simple, right?

What truly troubled her was not knowing who the "ant" hiding in the "thousand-li dike" of the court was, or where it lurked.

Yuan Li sighed softly,

"I'm afraid it will be difficult. Ma Yan has always been diligent in his duties. If he has found nothing thus far, he must have done his utmost. A further investigation is unlikely to uncover anything new."

Xu Zhenguan dropped the chess piece she was holding, her expression somber and bitter,

"How could I not understand this reasoning..."

At this point, Zhao Douan, who had been standing to the side playing the invisible man, could not hold back any longer.

He cleared his throat to draw the attention of the two dignitaries.

The Empress's pretty eyebrows knitted together, and she finally turned her head towards him,

"Speak if you have something to say."

Zhao Douan took a deep breath, first bowing to the two of them in turn before he said earnestly,

"Your Majesty, the case of the firearms craftsmen was cracked last night!"