The Empress's No.1 Lackey-Chapter 145 - 129. The Empress’s Task

In the Imperial Study.

When the Empress quietly voiced these words, Zhao Douan, though it was summer, felt as if a hint of autumn had crept upon him.

Mo Chou also realized that Her Majesty’s mind was made up, so she no longer attempted to dissuade her, respectfully saying,

"As Your servant obeys, I shall see to it at once."

Then she turned and left, swift as lightning, without the slightest hesitation.

Zhao Douan watched the scene silently, almost able to foresee the bloodbath that these four decrees would unleash once they were issued.

The entire Capital would trigger a massive "rebel purge storm," and in the Jianghu beyond the Capital, who knew how many heads would roll.

The Empress drew her sword once more, this time, her blade was aimed not at the court officials, but at the vermin lurking in the shadows.

"Zhao Douan."

When only the two of them remained in the Imperial Study, the Empress suddenly called out his name.

"I am here!"

Zhao Douan was on alert, yet he saw a figure in white drifting out of the room:

"Accompany Us for a walk."

...

Xu Zhenguan often seemed to have a habit of going out to calm down whenever she was angry.

Zhao Douan remembered that the last time he had reported on the "Capital Camp firearms case," which had angered the Empress, she had gone to the garden to decompress.

This time was no exception, although the garden they walked through was not the same as the last.

The sovereign and her subject turned a corner along the corridor adorned with carved beams and painted rafters.

A river appeared before them.

A small stream, known as the "Inner Imperial River," could be seen from the back window of the Imperial Study.

Xu Zhenguan walked along the bank of the river, the cool breeze on her face and the shade soothing her rage, which gradually subsided.

"Do I seem like a tyrant to you?" she asked suddenly after they had walked for a while.

Having learned from the previous experience, Zhao Douan did not linger too closely but followed two paces behind Zhenbao. Startled by her question, he replied without hesitation,

"If Your Majesty were a tyrant, then there would be no good people left in the world."

The Empress in white cracked a smile.

A breeze tousled her hair, causing some strands to flutter across her face and eyes, and with an ironic look, she rolled her eyes at him, self-deprecatingly saying,

"Sweet talker."

But she didn’t dwell on the matter, instead suddenly asking,

"Do you have anything more to say about the battle with Gao Li?"

Hissss... This deeply meaningful inquiry... Zhao Douan was unsure of what the Empress was thinking and ventured cautiously, "What does Your Majesty mean?"

Xu Zhenguan’s eyes gazed into the distance as she spoke indifferently,

"Though Gao Li’s path to martial arts was severed in the past, he was by no means weak in the Divine Chapter Realm, yet he was killed by a single Imperial Talisman…

That talisman might well possess the power of the ’World’ realm, such a level of magic, and within the city... Even if We were in the Golden Throne Hall at the time, by rights, We shouldn’t have failed to detect it."

Whew... You scared me there, I thought you realized the "Imperial Talisman" wasn’t given by Priest Jin Jian.

Zhao Douan let out a sigh of relief, his face showing admiration,

"Your Majesty’s insight cuts through deception, I was just about to report..."

With that, he reached into his chest and took out the Magic Artifact scroll, a palm-sized green jade rod with a silk cloth texture, and offered it with both hands.

Xu Zhenguan raised her hand to beckon, and the scroll flew into her grasp.

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As the Empress listened to his explanation and casually unrolled the scroll, realization dawned upon her face,

"The Void Illusion Scroll... So it was this thing that evaded My perception."

Zhao Douan curiously asked,

"Your Majesty knows of this artifact?"

Xu Zhenguan caressed the scroll, her eyes reflecting a complex emotion,

"Of course, I know. This object was originally one of the treasures of the palace’s arsenal. During a royal gathering years ago, it was gifted by the late Emperor to My second brother, and I haven’t seen it for many a year since then. Unexpectedly, it has now made its way back to the palace."

Second Prince’s possession?

Zhao Douan was taken aback and after a moment’s thought, he surmised,

It must have been that the Second Prince, in an attempt to curry favor and build connections, had passed it onto someone else.

After the "Xuan Sect coup," the Second Prince’s supporters fled and founded the Kuangfu Society; the one with this scroll was likely a "high-ranking" member of the society.

On this mission to the Capital, Gao Li, tasked with important duties, was bestowed this treasure to facilitate his actions.

Alternatively, it might have been personally gifted to Gao Li by the Second Prince himself—a generous offer that would have won Gao Li’s allegiance.

"Priest Jin Jian said that this object was sealed and could not be used by others," Zhao Douan ventured.

Xu Zhenguan glanced at him, already seeing through his precautions, and nodded,

"That’s correct. Such Suppressing Objects, housing space within, are exceedingly rare in the entire world.

Not to mention this kind, capable of trapping enemies and concealing fluctuations, is even rarer, and even if placed among the treasures of the Heavenly Master Mansion, Divine Dragon Temple, or even the Imperial Palace’s arsenal, it would rank highly in rarity.

This single object alone could be worth a small city."

That valuable?

Zhao Douan’s breathing tightened.

Xu Zhenguan also felt somewhat emotional:

"With Gao Li’s cultivation and status, he couldn’t possibly have owned it. There wouldn’t be many in the Kuangfu Society either."

Implicitly, someone like Zhao Douan, a small fry like him, is even less deserving of owning it.

Zhao Douan put on a pitiful look, squeezing out a smile:

"If it’s so precious, it should be collected back into the palace. Keeping it with your servant here is indeed inappropriate."

What a tease...

Xu Zhenguan found it slightly amusing, shook her head, and with a wave of her slender hand over the scroll, a faint glimmer of light flickered. She then casually tossed it to Zhao Douan, saying:

"I have already broken the seal. This item is precious and should not have ended up outside, but considering your merits in eliminating the rebels, let it... stay with you for the time being.

The method to use it can be inquired from Eunuch Hai, but if you do not leave the Capital, you probably won’t have a chance to use it. You may, however, use it as a storage Magic Artifact."

A storage Magic Artifact?

Isn’t that a staple for protagonists in transmigration novels... Zhao Douan was overjoyed:

"Your Majesty’s magnanimity is beyond my ability to repay."

Although it was "loaned" to him in name, he was familiar with the privatization of public resources.

The Empress glanced at him and suddenly added:

"Speaking of which, when you were doing the court’s work and encountered danger, you even needed the help of priest from the Heavenly Master Mansion... This is my oversight. Take this with you."

Her fair, delicate hand suddenly reached for her waist.

She took off a purple jade belt ornament, quite exquisite, in the style of a lady’s accessory, with a gold tassel hanging from it, and tossed it to him:

"This belt ornament, named ’Transmission Jade,’ was given to me for self-defense when I was an Imperial Princess by the Empress Dowager. If you face a life-threatening crisis, just crush it, and you’ll be able to teleport away...

However, with my current level of cultivation, it has long since been of no use to me; I’ve only kept it as a decorative piece. Today, I might as well give it to you for self-defense."

An unexpected windfall...

Zhao Douan subconsciously caught it, feeling the warmth of the purple jade and the faint scent of her body, and he was stunned.

At this moment, more than the "practical value" of the jade, he was focused on the meaning behind it.

Based on his past life experience, to receive a personal item from the Empress implied:

He, as of today, was truly considered among the favored few by the Empress’ side.

In his left hand, the "Void Illusion Scroll," and in his right, the "Transmission Jade."

He had obtained two treasures today that all cultivators around the world would go mad for,

Well, he couldn’t speak for Ma Yan, but at least the masters from the other nine hall mouths surely didn’t have such treatment.

"Your Majesty..."

Zhao Douan said with moved emotions:

"This... this is too precious. Such minor contributions from your servant are hardly enough to repay..."

He added to himself in his mind:

If this is really unacceptable, I might have only my body to offer.

Xu Zhenguan gave him a glance, suddenly spoke up:

"The treasure isn’t for you to take for free; I actually do have a task for you."

...I was touched for nothing... Zhao Douan seriously said:

"Whatever Your Majesty entrusts, I shall fulfill it at the cost of my life, without any hesitation."

Xu Zhenguan smiled and said:

"There’s no need for you to die; all I ask is that you thoroughly investigate someone and find sufficient evidence of their crimes."

Whew... biting someone, I’m good at that... Zhao Douan was curious:

"May I ask who the traitor is?"

The Empress calmly uttered a name:

"Minister of the Ministry of Justice, Zhou Cheng."

Zhao Douan was truly taken aback.

His first thought was, surely not Zhenbao... Although he had some unpleasantness with Old Zhou, it surely wasn’t enough to strip him of his official robe...

Even someone as petty as Zhao Douan felt that this was a bit too much of a "tit for tat."

But in the next second, he dismissed this obviously incorrect answer. His mind raced through numerous clues in a flash.

He suddenly asked:

"Isn’t the Minister of the Ministry of Justice on the same side as Your Majesty? Does Your Majesty want to replace him with someone more compliant?"

It wasn’t hard to guess, not to mention Zhou Cheng’s vague connection with the "Li Party," just the head-on clashes between him and the Imperial Court representing the Empress were evidence enough.

But Zhao Douan still felt something was off.

His instincts told him that the Empress’s sudden move against the Minister of the Ministry of Justice must have an even deeper reason behind it.

Xu Zhenguan remained silent for a moment, didn’t answer directly, but merely said:

"You just need to tell me, can you do it or not?"

How can a man say he can’t?

Zhao Douan weighed the scroll and jade in his hand, pondered for a moment, and said:

"I need time."

"Will one month be enough?"

"I need manpower."

"Ma Yan will fully support you. If you need anything else, tell Sun Lianying."

"In that case..." Zhao Douan took a deep breath and said with a smile:

"Your servant, accepts the decree!"