The Empress's No.1 Lackey

When the Pei family's guards hurried over at the sound, they only saw Zhao Douan leaving with his umbrella, exchanging glances in bewilderment, uncertain whether to stop him or not.

"Master, this..." the leading guard hesitated.

Pei Kaizhi remained expressionless and said,

"Send someone out to find the fifth young master and tell him I have questions for him."

Although he was already convinced, he still needed verification, and he had to find out exactly how many weaknesses his youngest son still had that others could exploit.

He couldn't fall into the same trap a second time.

As for abandoning Lv Liang, for him, although it was a pity, he did not hesitate too much.

Not just because the father-in-law and son-in-law relationship was solely based on exploitation.

Moreover, over the past two years, Lv Liang had become increasingly disobedient, cozying up with the Prime Minister and distancing his father-in-law, harboring intentions of finding another backer. The old Vice Minister had been dissatisfied for a long time.

But, since Lv Liang had done many things for him, whether to avoid discouraging his subordinates or to guard against Lv Liang turning against him,

the matter of "deposing Lv" needed careful handling. Pei Kaizhi's plan was as follows:

First, to take control of his son-in-law and show Zhao Douan, to put him at ease and stabilize this young wolf cub.

Then, to secretly send someone to appease his son-in-law, merely saying it was political rivals slandering him, and that he was in the midst of a rescue.

After that, citing the unstable political situation in the government, he intended to demote Lv Liang to a local position temporarily under the guise of lowering his profile, promising to bring him back after the storm had passed.

It would be equivalent to a "protective demotion."

Such maneuvers were not uncommon in the court, and even if Lv Liang was dissatisfied, he would accept it.

In this way, Lv Liang would not make trouble in the Capital.

Once he was demoted to a local position, without needing Zhao Douan, Pei Kaizhi would write a "family letter," ordering the Pei family by the Huai River to dispatch a Martial Artist to silence Lv Liang on his way to his new post, shifting the blame to the Kuangfu Society.

As for Zhao Douan...

"A petty man in high position," Pei Kaizhi's expression turned dark, having decided that once the right opportunity came, he would crush this thief.

Dared he threaten him with his relatives, would the old Vice Minister let it go?

...

...

After leaving the Jinjiang Embankment, the rain gradually began to lighten.

Zhao Douan, alone, rushed to White Horse Hall to report.

"Lord? I almost thought you wouldn't come today."

Inside the office, the ugly and dark-faced Zhu Kui was playing cards with several clerks.

The sound of cards slamming down was thunderous.

Seeing Zhao Douan's arrival, he was greatly surprised.

Incompetent officials love shirking their duties, but the real villains are always extra diligent, right?... Zhao Douan thought sarcastically, calling him over and whispering:

"There's an important matter for you to handle..."

After listening, Zhu Kui's face showed surprise, "Lord, you want to...?"

"Don't ask what you shouldn't, can you do it?" Zhao Douan crossed his legs.

The half-white, half-black, unscrupulously experienced old clerk indicated it was a basic task, smiling sinisterly,

"Guaranteed to handle it beautifully."

He then walked out.

Zhao Douan, holding a cup of hot tea, listened to the sound of rain hitting the plantains in the courtyard, and suddenly said:

"Old Zhu, in the future, you don't need to flatter by deliberately posing as so fierce and ugly, after all, I'm not such a bad person."

Zhu Kui's steps paused, he was silent for a moment, then without turning back, he laughed and said,

"The whole Capital knows that Lord is a paragon of virtue."

"Ha ha, that's what I like to hear, go on then."

Zhu Kui's figure with the broad and sturdy back entered into the rain curtain.

His decisive and savvy posture was nothing like that of an ordinary clerk.

...

...

Evening.

Although the skies over the Capital were still covered with dense clouds, the rain had stopped, and a slit tore open in the clouds toward the west, revealing a slightly crimson gleam of twilight.

Lv Liang left the Imperial Court of Supervision by carriage and returned home.

His face looked tired, his spirits not high, his usually righteous demeanor overshadowed by a sullen mood.

These days, he had not been enjoying himself.

Since being punished by Yuann Li, standing with his hands folded on the sweltering street until dark, the story had quickly spread like wildfire through the corridors of power.

First, he botched the impeachment he'd been assigned by the "Li Party," angering the Empress and then humiliated by the Imperial Censor.

"The Iron-Mouth Imperial Censor" walked in the street, feeling as if the eyes of all his colleagues were mocking him.

"Zhao Douan..."

Lv Liang silently mouthed this name, his face overflowing with indignation.

He found that ever since he had clashed with the Zhao thief, his fortunes had plummeted.

What he was even more reluctant to admit was the fear in his heart; Lv Liang had a premonition that the Zhao thief was lurking in the shadows, waiting for a chance to bite him.

The carriage stopped in front of his house.

Lv Liang stepped through the door, but the usual doorkeeper who would rush to greet him was nowhere to be seen.

The house was also exceptionally quiet.

"Where is everyone?" Lv Liang called out, "Master is home!"

At the same time, he stepped into the inner courtyard, feeling as though a hand was clasping his throat, his legs heavy as if filled with lead.

He saw that the maids and the gatekeeper of the house were all standing in a line under the eaves, their discipline strict.

In the courtyard.

A number of government officers wielding knives stood erect, and as soon as they saw him, they closed in:

"Imperial Censor Lv, the Ministry of Justice has an arrest warrant, please come with us," the leader said in a cold voice while producing a document.

Lv Liang's head buzzed, an instinctual fear followed by intense confusion:

"You're from the Ministry of Justice? What crime have I committed?"

If someone wanted to harm him, those who came to arrest should have been the Imperial Court Jinyi instead.

The Ministry of Justice officer shook his head:

"We are merely following orders to make the arrest, the details are not known to us."

After pausing, he added:

"It would be best for the Imperial Censor to come with us, otherwise, the place you might be going to next might not necessarily be the Ministry of Justice."

Lv Liang was stunned and his mind raced with possibilities:

Could it be that someone wanted to harm him?

His father-in-law, after learning the news, feared that he might fall into the hands of the Imperial Court or a government office, which would put him in a passive position.

So he commanded the Ministry of Justice to seize him first?

That was the most logical speculation.

"Fine, I'll go with you!"

Lv Liang's mental gymnastics helped him cooperate fully, reasoning that it was better to be in his own clan's prison first and ask questions later.

After the group left, the terrified servants looked at each other and talked in hushed tones.

A maid named "Mòhuà" walked along the corridor, pushed open the bedroom door, and whispered:

"Madam, Lv Liang has been taken away."

Inside by the window.

Pei Siniang, dressed in a long skirt with floral patterns and a woman's hair bun, her face as bright as the moon, had excited eyes and a smiling mouth, bursting with joy:

"Well caught, well caught indeed."

She wasn't worried about Lv Liang's troubles affecting her family.

Because it was the Ministry of Justice officer who came, which indicated that the man behind the scenes was Pei Kaizhi.

Her father would certainly be able to handle things well, she didn't need to worry.

"Madam, this was sent by the elders from your family," Mòhuà said, pulling out a document from her sleeve.

From my father?

Pei Siniang took it with curiosity and then was stunned.

It turned out to be two copies of a "divorce" contract, already stamped with the official seal of the government, Lv Liang's name signed, and even his fingerprints were on it... How was this possible?

Beyond belief.

Pei Siniang could not understand how.

But she knew that as soon as she signed her name, the marriage that was only a façade would officially be over.

She had once begged her father for this, in vain, but what Zhao Douan did in one day was now presented before her eyes.

"How... did he persuade my father?" Pei Siniang bit her finger, her beautiful eyes shining with excitement, and then she fell into deep thought.

"Madam?" Mòhuà asked, puzzled.

Pei Siniang's eyes suddenly became moist as she asked:

"What do you think would be appropriate to wear to the prison to do that?"

Mòhuà: ???

What scandalous words.

...

The Ministry of Justice's prison.

"Clang!"

After Lv Liang was locked up in a solitary cell, no one paid him any attention.

The scene he had imagined, where the Chief of the Ministry of Justice, or even his father-in-law, would come to explain things to him, did not happen.

Even the prison cell he was put in had no special treatment; not a single person was sent to deliver meals!

"Outrageous!"

Lv Liang furiously slapped the railing, trying to summon an officer from the Ministry of Justice, but though he shouted until he was dizzy and blurred, there was no response.

Lv Liang's forehead broke out in a cold sweat, sensing that there might be some changes to the situation.

Finally, there was the sound of chains opening at the end of the corridor accompanied by messy footsteps.

Lv Liang's spirits lifted as he climbed up from the cold ground and rushed to the railing, shouting:

"Lord Taishan, Lord Taishan, is that you?"

"Heh, not seeing for a few days, and the Vice Minister has developed a habit of mistaking people for his father-in-law?" a cold voice came through.

In the light of the fire.

There emerged Zhao Douan, clad in luxurious clothes, features as crisp as if chiseled, both handsome and noble-looking.

Looking at the "Iron-mouthed Imperial Censor" in the cell, anxious and disheveled, he curled his lips into a smirk:

"Unfortunately, I am not fortunate enough to have a daughter as plump and lovely as Mrs. Imperial Censor."

Lv Liang was as if struck by lightning, his body shaking:

"Zhao! Dou! An!?"