The Empress's No.1 Lackey

The rain drizzled, and the old man fishing by the riverbank in a straw raincoat spoke in a deep, powerful voice.

Zhao Douan raised his eyebrows and smiled.

What a misunderstanding by the servant... It was hard to say that it wasn't an intentional attempt to intimidate.

Perhaps it was a way of expressing displeasure at Zhao Douan for arranging a meeting through his fourth daughter.

Or maybe, it was meant to warn, test, or something else.

Not important.

What was important was that he was standing here now, and the other party had given him a reasonably good way out.

And had he chosen to continue swallowing his pride, his treatment at this moment might have been quite different.

"I had heard that the Pei family from Huai River is strict in managing both family and home, and seeing it today, the reputation is indeed well-deserved," Zhao Douan exclaimed.

Pei Kaizhi seemed not to notice the sting in his words and said:

"The wind and rain are strong; Lord, why not change into a straw coat?"

Behind him, a servant stepped forward to help respectfully.

Once Zhao Douan had put on the straw coat and donned a hat, the Pei family's guards neatly retreated by three zhang.

Thus, whatever was discussed today would not be overheard by a third party.

"If you fear the wind and rain so, Vice Minister, why venture out in it?"

Zhao Douan sat down boldly on the bamboo chair that was offered:

"I have heard that the best time to fish is after a heavy rain."

From this angle, he could finally see Pei Kaizhi's face clearly.

He appeared to be over sixty, his hair and beard graying, not very tall, with a brow that carried the air of long-standing authority, faintly resembling Pei Siniang's appearance.

Ah, this move is indeed like reversing the Heavenly Gang.

Pei Kaizhi chuckled and said:

"Lord Zhao must not be adept at fishing, nor have lived in a place rich with lakes."

"How so?"

"I was born in the land of fish and rice in Jiangnan, and from a young age, I knew that if you wait until after the rain to start, the best spots would have already been taken."

Zhao Douan's eyes flashed, and he smiled:

"Is that so? I have indeed learned something."

Pei Kaizhi then asked, "Do you know why they say rainy days are good for fishing?"

Zhao Douan said, "Please enlighten me."

Pei Kaizhi gazed at the clear breeze above the river, where the water was calm.

He pointed with a gesture typical of an experienced fisherman:

"The fish underwater need to breathe and are very sensitive to water temperature. In different seasons, with different rain conditions, before, during, and after… all are different. When aquatic plants are lush, the water becomes warm and stuffy, making the fish uncomfortable, so they gather in open areas with no plants..."

Zhao Douan listened quietly, the scene undoubtedly odd.

One party came with the intention of setting a trap.

The other, not knowing specifics, responded cautiously with a hint of anger.

Yet, they only ended up discussing fishing techniques, and Zhao Douan seemed to relish it, showing no signs of impatience or unrest.

It was almost as if, unless Vice Minister Pei spoke up, he would not broach the subject himself.

Finally, perhaps due to old age and fragility, unable to endure the cold wind for long,

Pei Kaizhi coughed and changed the topic:

"Speaking of which, comparing the recent imperial court to this pool of water is quite apt."

Zhao Douan was intrigued: "Oh?"

Pei Kaizhi tightened his collar as if to ward off the chill and said:

"When the Saint is happy or angry, it is like the stormy rain or the warm sun. We, the official servants, are like the fish in the water. In stormy and windy conditions, the fish become panicky and vigilant, and it's uncertain which one, confused, might bite into a bait and end up in the pot."

The meaning of these words was clear:

Recently, Xu Zhenguan had been angered, causing the ministers to be terrified, the court unstable, and the officials could only avoid trouble by being extremely cautious.

Zhao Douan, unsure whether the other party had guessed something or was purposely deceiving him, cautiously did not follow up, saying:

"Thunder and dew are all the Emperor's grace; I don't understand complex matters, just that being loyal to Your Majesty is never wrong."

Thunder and dew are all the Emperor's grace…

Pei Kaizhi pondered these eight words repeatedly, his gaze towards Zhao Douan slightly surprised.

Not just this sentence.

From Zhao Douan's response today to the intimidation upon meeting him, to their current conversation, neither too humble nor arrogant, all differed from the rumors.

However, he didn't know that this was a deliberate performance by Zhao Douan.

Before setting out, Zhao Douan had thought about how he should present himself to the other party.

Maintain a haughty and arrogant antagonist persona?

If facing Pei Siniang, he might well do so.

But Zhao Douan didn't think his acting skills were enough to deceive a vice minister steeped in years of power.

Hence, adhering to the original character setup would have only made the other wary; he could only be his true self.

And appropriately hide his real motives behind a facade of falsehood.

"Now I know why you have won the Saint's favor; it indeed makes sense," Pei Kaizhi smiled.

No, you know nothing... I have many strengths, like maturity beyond my years... Zhao Douan internally critiqued, easing the pressure of being scrutinized by a powerful official.

Pei Kaizhi shifted the conversation:

"However, speaking of which, the current turbulence in the court also relates to you."

Pausing, his gray-brown eyes looked over:

"I have looked into your actions during this time; while there's been quite a bit of luck, you are far craftier than the wastrel the public perceives you to be."

The implication was clear: Stop pretending; I have thoroughly investigated you.

Vice Minister Pei hadn't seen me for a few days because he was secretly investigating... Zhao Douan was not surprised and said calmly,

"Mind games and manipulation... that term doesn't sound nice."

Pei Kaizhi raised an eyebrow, "Otherwise?"

Zhao Douan, with a righteous and unashamed plagiarization of Qi Ting's lines, said,

"I just want to progress too much."

Pei Kaizhi was stunned, then laughed heartily, his hair trembling under his conical hat, seemingly finding something amusing.

At that moment, he finally confirmed that the person before him was not a concern.

Yuann Li had been targeting him in secret, and Pei Kaizhi had sensed it early on.

Li Yanfu had earlier ordered members of the Li Party to keep their tails tight and not to cause any trouble at this juncture, so as not to give the Empress any leverage.

Therefore, faced with Zhao Douan's sudden request for a visit, Pei Kaizhi had to be careful.

He could, of course, choose not to meet him.

But since the other party had gone through the trouble to find his daughter, it likely meant he had something important to discuss with him.

Balancing the risk of missing out on something important and meeting with Zhao Douan, he chose the latter.

Before this, he had thoroughly investigated this little pretty boy favored by the Empress, surprisingly finding that the person was different from the rumors.

But that was it.

Yes, that was it!

Just as in the eyes of Xu Zhenguan and Yuann Li, Zhao Douan's earlier actions were merely trivial.

Besides accidentally involving Prince Jing Mansion, his other methods were really petty smarts that could not see the light of day.

The level he was dealing with was also limited to the likes of the Zhang brothers.

Even the key clue for solving the case was provided by a prostitute...

Coupled with the process of solving the case, blackmailing, leading Jinyi to break in for revenge, and such actions.

So, Pei Kaizhi's evaluation of him was merely "a little smart, manipulative greedy person."

But he was still not reassured.

Several probes did indeed reveal that Zhao Douan was more composed and determined than expected.

But the overall impression did not change.

Even if Zhao Douan had tolerated a body search by the guards, he would have thought more highly of him.

But Zhao Douan chose to act, which showed his weakness.

A young man who could not control his anger and emotions was almost incapable of deep disguise.

And a little pretty boy known for "progressing," who wildly bites and bullies others with power, greedy and lascivious, and of ill repute, naturally posed no threat to him.

Of course, if Pei Kaizhi knew that Zhao Douan had once shared a carriage with Yuann Li, his thoughts might greatly differ.

But unfortunately, Lu Liang, estranged in heart from his father-in-law and harboring grievance and betrayal, had not told anyone of this humiliating incident.

Pei Siniang, furthermore, would not disclose Zhao Douan's finding her and meeting Pei Kaizhi privately to Lu Liang.

What should have been shared intelligence within the family strangely had an "information gap."

Thus, in Pei Kaizhi's eyes, he significantly relaxed his vigilance towards Zhao Douan.

Little did he know, all this was within the calculations of the Empress's lapdog.

…

"What is the Vice Minister laughing at?" Zhao Douan asked curiously.

Pei Kaizhi restrained his smile, looking at him with a half-smile and said,

"I laugh because you and Lu Liang are essentially the same type of person."

Zhao Douan fell silent for a moment, not objecting, and said,

"It would be better if the Vice Minister spoke directly."

Believing he had seen through Zhao Douan, Pei Kaizhi too lost interest in conversing, turning his head to look at the river fishing rod and said calmly,

"Your purpose, Siniang has already informed me. Lu Liang offended you, and your desire for revenge is natural, but you should not have sought out Siniang, causing her displeasure. Her displeasure is also mine."

Zhao Douan exclaimed,

"So?"

Pei Kaizhi said indifferently,

"But as an old saying goes, it is better to resolve enmities than to deepen them. Since you are favored by Her Majesty, naturally I should show some courtesy. Besides, since you have come knocking, failing to provide you with an explanation would surely not please you."

He paused, as if pondering.

Finally, Pei Kaizhi declared almost judgmentally,

"Here's what we'll do. I will order Lu Liang to come and apologize to you.

Additionally, the teahouse you saw today when you arrived, and a batch of top-grade spiritual medicines from the Medicine Hall, all count as my son-in-law's reparations to appease you.

Hmm, the income of a high-class teahouse and herbs that could greatly benefit your martial arts cultivation - the terms are quite generous.

If you're still dissatisfied, wait a few more days. Once the court is stable, I can still help you secure a lucrative position.

Then, you should also consider my humble request, let bygones be bygones with Lu Liang. How about that?"

His tone was casual, almost as if giving alms.

But Pei Kaizhi was confident that the other party would agree.

Because he had provided sufficiently generous face and benefits.

On the contrary, the alternative was gaining nothing and provoking the wrath of a Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice.

Pei Kaizhi thought, no one would refuse.

However, Zhao Douan's expression seemed a bit odd.

Gradually, his mouth curled into a smile, showing his fangs and claws for the first time since their meeting today.

"Is that so? Indeed, very generous and seemingly unreasonable to refuse," Zhao Douan scoffed. "However..."

"What however?" Pei Kaizhi frowned.

Zhao Douan's mouth curled in a cold, haughty smile,

"However, what worth does your face have?!"