The Empress's No.1 Lackey

Sure, here is the translation:

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A matter of life and death!

At this moment, Zhao Douan, who was sitting upright inside the carriage, even felt curious and wanted to know how Lv Liang would respond.

Although the other party had the backing of Li Yanfu, any error in response to a direct superior's questioning could result in catastrophic consequences.

After a brief silence,

the middle-aged Imperial Censor with a goatee raised his head and declared with great righteousness:

"To report to Mr. Yuan, since I am a Green-robed Imperial Censor, responsible for visiting the common people and assisting the Emperor, I naturally have the authority and responsibility to supervise the misconduct of officials...

Now I have found that the White Horse Envoy, Zhao Douan, harbored rebels and is suspected of sheltering this woman, which is very suspicious. I personally believe that it is absolutely intolerable to turn a blind eye!

Moreover, the government officers were coerced by Zhao Douan, so I dared to interrogate the female rebel on my own... The matter was urgent, and I have not yet reported to Mr. Yuan. I am willing to accept punishment!"

Having said this, Lv Liang made an exaggerated bow, his acting was flawless.

His eloquent words, even if his actions were indeed inappropriate, made it difficult for Yuann Li to investigate further.

He truly was an official who advanced by talking... Quick-thinking, occupying the moral high ground almost became instinct... Zhao Douan sighed.

If one didn't know the truth, it would be easy to believe his rhetoric.

Unfortunately, he was not facing "deceived" Yuann Li, but one who just fifteen minutes ago, had listened to the details of the case from Zhao Douan's own mouth.

"Is that so?" Yuann Li's tone was calm, without a hint of emotion,

"But why did I receive information from His Majesty that the case of Zhuang Xiaocheng had been assigned to Zhao Douan? Since this rebel is his apprentice, it should be under his investigation...

I am curious, which official of the Ministry of Justice is so resolute, willing to defy the Emperor's appointment for a mere young woman? Where is the paperwork?"

Lv Liang was at a loss for words!

This was just a tiger skin he had concocted, a personal action—there was no Ministry of Justice paperwork!

He stood outside the carriage, still maintaining a bowing gesture, with his face slightly flushed under his raised hands.

Forcibly changing the topic, he suddenly raised his voice:

"Mr. Yuan, if I may! As far as I know, Zhao Douan had interrogated this woman late at night, accompanied by frivolous actions, also instructing the prison guard to take good care of this rebel... Such conduct far exceeded the scope of investigation!

I believe it should be supervised!"

As his voice spread, in an instant, the onlooking citizens' attention was drawn.

Mr. Yuan... Zhao Douan... frivolous... The keywords were truly captivating.

The distant crowd was initially curious about who the Imperial Censor was answering to, but upon hearing the words "Mr. Yuan," speculation arose.

Yet, what they were more concerned about was the story of "Zhao Douan being frivolous with the female rebel."

The Empress's male favorite hiding a concubine in a "golden house"... no, a black house? Frolicking in the prison? And she's a rebel? The information was overwhelming, the Capital citizens' worldview was shattered.

Inside the prison carriage.

Yun Xi, her legs trembling, her black hair disheveled, suddenly froze in defiance.

She slowly turned her head from outside the carriage towards Lv Liang, utterly bewildered.

Realizing the ambiguous and complex glances from the onlookers, she almost passed out, her eyes blazing with fury, and she struggled violently while muffled cries escaped her lips.

This wretched official, not only stepping on her for fame but also smearing her reputation from nothing!

"Look, she's anxious, it must be true."

"Not necessarily, if the pretty boy surnamed Zhao behaved like this, would the Saint still tolerate him?"

The onlookers immediately divided into two factions, launching a heated debate on whether the infamous Zhao Gou was indeed guilty.

...

Inside the carriage.

Hearing the sudden increase in noise outside, Zhao Douan's expression was peculiar.

He didn't care much about scandals, considering he had already reported the details to Xu Zhenguan, what concerned him was:

Lv Liang dared to use public opinion to pressure Yuann Li?

Such decisiveness suggested this wasn't the first time.

But upon further thought, as a loyal dog inserted by Li Yanfu within the Imperial Court of Supervision, perhaps this was Lv Liang's survival path.

Since ancient times, those who were unclear about their allegiances and proactive hadn't ended well.

"Mr. Yuan, I..." Zhao Douan softly began, intending to explain.

Yet the leisurely and casually seated First-rank official merely waved his hand, indicating it was unnecessary.

Immediately, his gaze turned deep as he looked outside the carriage, saying meaningfully:

"Are you sure? But what I've heard is not this narrative."

Lv Liang was stunned, surprised that his superior seemed unconcerned with public opinion and wanted to get to the bottom.

Puzzled why the high-ranking Imperial Censor would know so much about this minor case.

In the end, Zhao Douan's status was too low; if it weren't for connections to the Kuangfu Society, his actions would never have reached the desks of high officials.

Could he be testing me? It's irrelevant.

Since his loud declaration, there was no retreat, Lv Liang responded with righteousness and conviction:

"I am naturally certain, even if Zhao Douan is here, I dare to confront him."

No... the last time you and I confronted, you lost embarrassingly, didn't you?

Again?

Inside the carriage.

Zhao Douan remained expressionless; were it not for the situation, he would have liked to get off immediately to see how wonderfully the other man's face twisted.

But considering his terrible reputation, he could only imagine it.

Yet the next second, Yuann Li seemed to catch his thoughts, smiling faintly, suddenly he stated:

"In that case, then it's fine."

Zhao Douan: ??

Then he saw the expensive long jade ruyi in the Big Qingyi's hand gently passing out, poking at the curtain hanging on the side of the carriage.

Gently lifting it.

...

Outside the carriage.

Lv Liang was still maintaining the bowing posture, hearing the words "then it's fine," he was first baffled, then overwhelmed with intense unease.

An unthinkable, almost crazy thought sprouted in his mind, spreading rapidly.

Yet because it was too absurd, he was unwilling to believe.

His body, however, honestly raised up, looking upwards at the window lifted by the jade ruyi.

A fleeting glimpse.

At this moment, Lv Liang clearly saw two figures seated inside the carriage, one being the current Imperial Censor, a figure with a reputation that resounded across the land.

The other... dressed in exquisite attire, attractively handsome, at this moment overlooking him with a cold demeanor.

"Zhao... Zhao Douan?!!"

Lv Liang's body straightened abruptly, as if struck by lightning, disbelief in the scene before him.

Why was the notorious figure, despised and scorned by common people, the Empress's gigolo, appearing inside Yuann Li's carriage?

And his posture suggested an equal conversation?

This exceeded his imagination.

Not just due to the chasm-like gap in their statuses, but also because, judging by his own perspective, Lv Liang was sure that someone like Yuann Li, as the Pure Stream Party Leader, should have distanced himself from Zhao Douan.

Otherwise, wouldn't it tarnish his reputation?

...

In the distance.

Because the curtain was small and the angle tricky, the onlooking crowd outside saw almost nothing, except Lv Liang.

But Yun Xi was an exception.

Trapped inside the prison carriage, she naturally was at the highest point among the crowd.

Further compelled by Lv Liang's slander, at that moment she happened to see the fluttering curtain and inside the carriage, that damn face she once hated immensely and recently somewhat missed.

"Zhao... thief?!"

Yun Xi murmured, almost thinking she was seeing things due to heatstroke.

The Martial Artist's intuition within the carriage allowed Zhao Douan to sense Yun Xi's gaze; he looked up, glancing at her from afar through the crowd.

"Nice to see you again, rebel girl."

She seemed to understand the look in Zhao's eyes.

But just for a moment, Zhao Douan's gaze lowered again, no longer looking at her, instead calmly overlooking outside at the bowing, iron-mouthed Imperial Censor.

"You said, you wanted to confront me about what?" Zhao Douan seemed as if he hadn't heard clearly.

Lv Liang, in a trance, felt as if the entire world was shaking.