The Empress's No.1 Lackey

"Bite a piece of meat off the Vice Minister?"

Inside the carriage, Zhao Douan's expression subtly changed, moved by the suggestion of the other party.

He finally realized the purpose of Yuan Li's meeting today.

"Is Vice Minister Pei also a member of the Li Party?" Although it was a question, he used a declarative tone.

"Yes," Yuan Li calmly said, "and a crucial one at that. Her Majesty has been thinking about replacing him recently."

Astounding news.

Zhao Douan took a deep breath,

"Mr. Yuan runs the Imperial Court of Supervision, overseeing all officials. Her Majesty wants to deal with Vice Minister Pei but cannot act directly; she needs Mr. Yuan to do it."

Yuan Li nodded,

"Her Majesty and I are prepared, but we need an opportunity, a legitimate reason."

The dagger shows when the map ends.

Zhao Douan fell silent for a moment,

"Mr. Yuan thinks I can bite out a notch in Vice Minister Pei's golden armor, creating an opportunity? You think too highly of me."

He gradually understood everything.

The Empress continued to weaken the Li Party. Since Li Yanfu held a high and influential position, she started with Vice Minister Pei, and Yuan Li took on this task.

Coinciding with Zhao Douan reporting in the Imperial Garden, displaying his ability in "climbing and biting," Yuan Li attempted to pull him in.

The series of dialogues in the carriage earlier were an untraceable examination.

The punishment of Lv Liang was like selling a favor.

This made sense.

"I've said before, my judgment of people is very accurate," Yuan Li smiled,

"At your young age and status, you know how to sully yourself and can deceive the entire world—that alone is extraordinary."

Ah, this... I say this is a beautiful misunderstanding, do you believe it?... Zhao Douan wanted to speak but stopped, unable to explain.

He thought for a moment, "May I ask, is this Her Majesty's intention?"

"Her Majesty doesn't know," Yuan Li shook his head,

"This was a spur-of-the-moment idea of mine. So, think it over carefully. If it's difficult, don't feel compelled to accept out of fear of offending me."

The more you say that, the more scared I get... Zhao Douan felt powerless to complain.

But he indeed wasn't afraid.

Being a loyal hound under Xu Zhenguan, recently promoted to Tributor and just rewarded by the Empress, Yuan Li, with his vision and magnanimity, had no reason or intention to target him.

On the contrary, upon careful consideration, it could be beneficial for him.

Similar to dealing with the Zhang brothers incidentally involving the Prince Jing Mansion, such situations weren't normal.

If he wanted to achieve merit, rather than expending energy on minor officials like himself, he might as well gamble big.

Go big or go home.

If he failed, there was nothing to lose.

Offend Vice Minister Pei?

Heh... From the moment he schemed to climb on Li Yanfu, he wasn't afraid of offending anyone other than the Empress.

And this kind of feast targeting a "Vice Minister," with his caliber, would not have been possible if Yuan Li hadn't seen the opportunity and chosen him to join the table!

Even if at the end during the reward distribution he only got a small piece, it would still be enough to satiate him.

"Mr. Yuan, what do you want me to do?" Zhao Douan asked thoughtfully.

Big Qingyi shook his head,

"If I just needed a flag bearer to lead a charge, there are plenty in the Imperial Court of Supervision. If you want to join, you need to figure it out for yourself, find a way to catch Vice Minister Pei's Achilles heel."

He paused, then added,

"It can't be libel; it must be concrete evidence."

Zhao Douan smiled wryly,

"Evidence against a Vice Minister... with my status, I probably can't even get through the door."

Yuan Li smiled slyly, "Life is short, why not give it a try?"

Zhao Douan was silent for a moment, then said,

"What's in it for me? If I can do it, how much can I get?"

Yuan Li chuckled,

"You're the only one in the last ten years to ask for benefits upfront."

Zhao Douan laughed,

"I'm a small man, everyone in the Capital knows it. A small man doesn't care about face, only concrete benefits."

He wasn't worried about offending this Imperial Censor.

The higher the stakes of the game, the more reassuring it is to express one's demands clearly.

Sure enough, hearing this, the refined and handsome Imperial Censor chuckled and said,

"If you can do it, I will personally recommend you to Her Majesty for a reward. Not just that, I'll also give you an extra benefit, how about that?"

Zhao Douan didn't ask what the benefit was, as it would make him look too low. Hearing the offer, he agreed without hesitation,

"It's a deal!"

…

To avoid suspicion, Zhao Douan got off the carriage midway and walked away.

Watching him leave, a servant with common features and concealed energy by the carriage curiously asked,

"Sir, do you really think he can do it? Vice Minister Pei is very cautious, and we haven't found any loopholes; relying on him alone..."

Relaxed in his posture inside the carriage, Yuan Li sat with incense smoke curling before him, and responded with a mild tone:

"Trying it won't hurt, there might be a pleasant surprise."

In his words, he seemed not to really believe that Zhao Douan could actually achieve it.

"A good chess player doesn't need to plan every move meticulously, having a specific purpose for every move. Sometimes, placing a few idle pieces at random might be better."

Yuan Li said, lifting the incense burner and closing his eyes:

"Go back."

Wanting to smoothly replace a Third-Rank Official without paying too high a price was not something the Emperor could achieve with just a word.

It was a vast project, needing much preparation, arranged by him.

As for Zhao Douan?

Just an idle piece.

…

After saying goodbye to Yuan Li, Zhao Douan did not head home immediately, but felt the three thousand silver notes he had extorted in his pocket.

He went directly to the Capital's best rouge store and then to a place that sold medicinal herbs for Martial Artists, purchasing a few things.

He prepared to bring them back for You Jinhua and Zhao Pan.

He didn't buy too much; after all, his persona needed to be changed gradually, besides...

"At this hour, the silk awarded by the palace should have been delivered by now," Zhao Douan thought, suddenly looking forward to seeing the expressions on the faces of mother and daughter.

…

Zhao family, inner estate.

When You Jinhua, dressed in a dark green silk dress, gently pushed open the door to her daughter's boudoir holding the medicine.

She saw at the table, Zhao Pan wearing only a slip, flipping through the "martial arts secrets" book she treasured.

"Why are you up rashly? Get back to bed and rest," You Jinhua's tone was reproachful but caring.

Zhao Pan turned her head, her lips muttering hesitantly, looking guilty:

"Mother..."

Beside the young girl's oval face, her messy hair, prominent nose, and eyes like autumn water, she was even more stunning than her mother had been in her youth.

"Lie down quickly, take off all your clothes, so I can apply the medicine."

You Jinhua said sternly, urging her daughter to lie on the bed:

"How would it look if a young girl's body were scarred?"

Zhao Pan lay down dejectedly, and as You Jinhua saw the multiple red marks covering her snow-white slender back, waist, buttocks, and legs, she couldn't help her eyes welling up with tears, feeling immense heartache:

"Does it hurt?"

It had been a day since Zhao Douan had beaten his sister with a bamboo stick...

Indeed, despite everything that had happened, only one day had passed.

"It really doesn't hurt..."

Zhao Pan was full of vigor, not just falsely comforting, but truly not in pain.

Strangely, although being whipped by Zhao Douan yesterday had caused unbearable, prickling pain, and she felt weak after applying medicine in her room,

after a good night's sleep, she unexpectedly found the pain significantly alleviated, and her body felt lighter and more comfortable.

It was as if the beating with the bamboo stick had opened her "Governor and Conception Vessels."

She had never felt so light and agile.

"Mother, I suspect I have made progress in martial arts!" Zhao Pan said mysteriously and excitedly:

"Don't the stories say that Martial Artists breakthrough boundaries after being injured in a major battle?"

Of course, she couldn't imagine that her physical comfort was the handiwork of the "Zhongshan Wolf," who had tormented her and her mother since childhood.

She thought it was because, of her secret martial arts training, she had achieved some success.

"Nonsense!"

You Jinhua disagreed with her daughter training in martial arts.

Especially when this had incited her stepson to beat her, and now seeing the "secret book" on the table, she grew angry and made a move to tear it up.

This caused Zhao Pan to quickly grab the book, hugging it to her chest, defiantly saying:

"Mother, men are the least reliable; I must learn martial arts. When I become stronger, if someone ever breaks in and bullies you again, I'll kill them!"

Her stabbing a straw dummy the previous day had been provoked by Zhang Changji bursting into the room.

You Jinhua was both angry and moved:

"But where is there a girl who practices martial arts? If any outsider comes, there's still your older brother..."

"Him?" Zhao Pan didn't believe it, "If he's not conspiring with outsiders to torment us, we should be thankful."

You Jinhua was at a loss for words.

After all, her stepson had just beaten her daughter the day before.

Then she fell silent, her eyes reddening, silently applying the medicine.

Because they couldn't afford good medicine, You Jinhua had to apply it thickly.

She was also thinking about taking out the last bit of jewelry she had kept hidden away, pawn it for silver, and buy specialized medicinal herbs for Martial Artists for her daughter.

Yes, if she could get some extra money, she might also buy a decent piece of silk to make a new dress for Zhao Pan.

A young girl's age was like a blooming hibiscus; how could she not have a decent dress?

As for herself... she could get by no matter what.

Inside the room.

In the silence between mother and daughter, time quietly flowed.

Suddenly, a noisy commotion came from outside, as if a large group of people were about to enter.

"What's happening?"

You Jinhua and Zhao Pan tensed up, fearing it was Zhao Douan's enemies coming again.