The Empress's No.1 Lackey-Chapter 300 - 264, Zhao Douan dispatches troops! The court’s imperial guard horses stomp through the Capital.

Facing Zhao Douan's inquiry, none of the Jinyi officers in attendance responded at once, evidently intimidated by his icy glare.

In the end, it was Households Commander Zhou who explained:

"He left a while ago, but I had someone follow and keep an eye on him. It seems like the other party doesn't mind being tracked."

Indeed arrogant... Zhao Douan narrowed his eyes at him, "Which means you can pinpoint his location."

"...Yes," Households Commander Zhou said, hardening his scalp as he nodded.

In just a few months, the "official air" surrounding Zhao Douan had grown increasingly strong.

He himself was unaware, but in the eyes of others, when he became angry, it instinctively made people too nervous to breathe.

"Very well," Zhao Douan nodded.

Behind him, Haitang's eyebrows rose:

"Don't act recklessly... You, are not his match... Better wait for the Lord to return."

Zhao Douan turned to look at her, asking, "Has this person reached the Worldly Realm?"

"Uh... probably not, but... within the Divine Chapter Realm, very strong."

Haitang was startled by the look in his eyes and her voice softened subconsciously, not as aggressively as usual.

Zhao Douan continued, "What crime is there for assaulting a government officer?"

Zhang Han coughed for a while and said:

"Buddhist Tao conflicts, Jianghu people challenge... court experts, not the first time either, both being of Divine Chapter, under the guise of sparring... if outskilled and condemned, the court loses face... Such is the custom..."

According to his explanation, during the Buddhist Tao showdowns, challenges against government martial artists were considered an "unwritten rule" of the Great Yu Dynasty; if the official forces lost and sentenced the challenger, it would really disgrace the court...

Households Commander Zhou said bitterly:

"With the strength of our Imperial Office, if it were an ordinary Divine Chapter Warrior, it wouldn't be like this, but this direct disciple from Martial Emperor City..."

The implication was that this Chai Keqiao was too formidable, far surpassing a regular practitioner in the Divine Chapter Realm.

Zhao Douan sneered:

"So, by the rules, even the Lord returning wouldn't be able to use might to bully weakness? Then what are we waiting for the Lord for?

Condemning his crime brings disgrace? If our vast government office gets challenged by one person, does the Great Yu court have no face left?!

You all are really blockheads, idiots! He challenges alone, and you dumbly accept a one-on-one duel? Don't you know to join forces and beat him?!

Really acting like heroes of Jianghu? What's the use of ganging up if you don't, making a joke out of your Jinyi uniforms!"

Having been thoroughly scolded, the Masters who had just lost the battle were embarrassed to retort.

Zhao Douan flicked his sleeve, squinted his eyes, and said:

"What a disciple of Martial Emperor City, I would like to see whether he can really face a thousand troops or ten thousand horses.

Zhou Cang, keep a close watch on him for me, I need to know this person's whereabouts at all times.

Where is Lihua Hall?!"

From among the crowd,

Qian Kerou, Shen Juan, Hou Renmeng, and Zheng Laojiu, among others, stepped forward:

"At your service!"

Zhao Douan, expressionless, flicked his wrist and pulled out a string of waist cards from his storage Magic Artifact.

The cards were embossed with:

"Commander," "Master," "White Horse Governor," "Divine Mechanism Camp supervisor"... and other titles.

With a twist of the wrist, the waist cards scattered like thrown flowers, shooting out.

Zhao Douan's eyes gleamed with ferocity as he ordered in a stern voice:

"With my waist card, you all move out separately, go to the major imperial guard locations in the city to mobilize troops, say there is unrest in the city, and I am ordered to suppress it!

Bring out whatever military experts are in the forces! Anyone hiding anything, I will go to the Privy Council tomorrow to have Minister Xue deal with them!"

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His listeners' spirits lifted, and they responded:

"As you command!"

The four turned and sprinted into the mist of rain like arrows shot from a bow.

At that moment, the Jinyi officers standing in the various halls of the courtyard came to their senses, their expressions changing drastically.

Some were excited, some were exhilarated, some admired, and some worried and troubled, a mix of many emotions.

"Master Zhao, mobilizing troops on your own is... Besides, Martial Emperor City is also..." Zhou Cang was dumbfounded and blurted out in a panic.

Zhao Douan turned his head and glanced at him emotionlessly, saying:

"Whatever the consequences, I will bear them. Anything else?"

Zhou Cang faltered in his speech.

The crowd of Jinyi in the courtyard felt a sense of elation—though the Lord was not present, they still had Mr. Zhao to back them up.

Inside Governor Hall.

Eight Masters sat slumped around the meeting table with varying expressions, all inadvertently sharing the same thought:

The nickname "Little King Yan" was now truly deserved.

...

...

In the light drizzle, several horses dashed out from the Imperial Office.

Like arrows released from bows, they sped in different directions towards the various imperial guard posts.

At the government office location of Jin Wu, the autumn rain made it particularly quiet.

To maintain the order in the city, the mid and lower-rank military officers from the imperial guard had gone out to patrol with their soldiers.

Only a bunch of high-ranking military officers remained in the headquarters, idly passing the time.

"It's good when it rains. Fewer people go out in the rain, less trouble, and we can get some rest."

The Commander of Jin Wu reclined leisurely on a reclining bed in the government office, looking quite content.

He held a wooden stick in his hand, playing with the popular military game of 'shuanglu' chess.

"Isn't that the truth. With the Buddhist Tao showdown approaching, those Jianghu people flock in a swarm, always ready to fight at the slightest provocation. His Majesty wants to uphold the old traditions set during the Grand Ancestor Emperor's time, not allowing us to confiscate swords at the city gates, even allowing martial duels, we of the mighty imperial guard have become nothing more than county constables..."

Deputy General Ma brought over a stool, sat down on the floor, and joined the Commander in playing chess.

The Commander of Jin Wu let out a grunt:

"Chengguo, remember, these complaints shouldn't leave this room."

That night, Ma Chengguo, the Deputy General of Jin Wu who had encountered Zhao Douan, hastily tapped his own mouth lightly and said with a chuckle:

"Look at me, speaking without thinking."

Inside, they hummed: it's not like you don't grumble...

At a celebration feast, the Commander, who had once met Zhao Douan, smiled.

Just when he was about to speak, suddenly, there were urgent footsteps outside.

"Sir, a Jinyi from the Imperial Office Pear Blossom Hall has arrived and awaits your presence," said the soldier outside the door.

The two inside the room were stunned for a moment, their first reaction was to frown; how could a mere Jinyi be fit to see them...

But upon hearing the words "Pear Blossom Hall," both of them couldn't sit still.

"Please come in to talk."

"Yes."

In a short while, Qian Kerou, with his hair wet from the rain, stepped over the threshold, and saw two military generals sitting with strict propriety.

The secretary quickly repeated Zhao Douan's message.

The two generals looked at each other, puzzled.

Ma Chengguo hesitated, "Involving the movement of troops, isn't that..."

Next to him, the Commander said indifferently,

"If someone dares to cause trouble and defy the court's decree, it is right to suppress it. Please relay to Master Zhao that elite martial artists of the Jin Wu will follow you back immediately, temporarily under Master Zhao's command."

Smooth to the extreme.

...

Imperial Army.

"So, Master Zhao wants to borrow troops? To suppress the troublemakers in the city?"

At the celebration feast, a Commander of the Imperial Army examining a "waist card" spoke to his opposite, Shen Juan.

Shen Juan bowed and said,

"That martial artist is a direct disciple of the Martial Emperor City, a peak figure in the Divine Chapter Realm..."

"If it were the Worldly Realm, it would be more troubling, but a mere Divine Chapter... Send someone to gather a team of Magic Artifact crossbowmen for Master Zhao. No matter whose disciple they are, running wild in the Capital is an insult to our court's official army."

The Imperial Army Commander sneered.

With a grand gesture, he tossed the waist card to Shen Juan with a whoosh.

He mumbled in his heart:

Others are hitting your Imperial Office's experts, and yet we have to clean up the mess for you... But what can you do, that Zhao is not easy to provoke.

Let it be.

...

Thousand Cows Guard...

Imperial Army...

When the Jinyi from the Lihua Hall, carrying Zhao Douan's token and under the guise of "ensuring peace by imperial decree," entered the various imperial guard government offices.

It wasn't long before they returned, each followed by a team of grim and fully armored elite troops.

At the same time.

Zhou Cang, who was ordered to watch Chai Keqiao, passed his latest location to Zhao Douan.

...

The fine autumn rain, pitter-pattering, drenched the streets and eaves.

The pedestrians on the street were also fewer than usual, much quieter than normal.

On a deserted street, a straw sandal stepped on the ground, the sole picking up a piece of ginkgo leaf, sodden and pasted next to a puddle.

On this dark street, many ginkgo leaves were scattered about. When the autumn wind blew, they were dazzlingly brilliant.

But when wetted by the cold rain, they seemed much lonelier.

The owner of the straw sandals suddenly stopped. His foot, almost breaking through the heavily worn sandals, was reddened, the toes damp, a few stray hairs growing on the big toe.

Above that, because of walking too many mountain paths, were round and sturdy calves, and a hemp cloth robe worth only a handful of copper coins.

As well as a comparatively better raincoat.

Around the waist of the hemp robe was a hemp rope.

The axe that had easily overturned the Imperial Office not long ago was quietly stuffed into the gap between the hemp rope and the waist.

Chai Keqiao, whose rugged dark skin hinted at an inherently handsome appearance, looked up.

His gaze wandered beyond the brim of the woven hat on his head.

Quietly, admiringly, he looked at the large ginkgo tree stretching out from within the courtyard walls ahead.

At this moment, only half of the leaves remained on the tree.

When the cold wind and rain blew through, a particularly beautiful leaf on the paper suddenly fell off, spiraling down.

Chai Keqiao, unhurriedly, reached out his hand and precisely pinched it.

"Heh..."

This young man, secretly taken as a disciple by Wu Xiankui, while only in the Divine Chapter Realm, held immense potential. He slowly twisted the leaf by the stem with his rough fingers.

He looked up, allowing the wet ginkgo leaf to turn in his field of vision.

...

Across the street.

Inside a pancake shop, the owner was stoking the fire while his middle-aged wife kneaded dough, and a five or six-year-old child squatted under the eaves looking outside.

In this weather, there would be far fewer customers. The usually bustling street shops only occasionally had regulars stopping by.

"Dad, mom... look, that person across the street is so strange," said the child with braided pigtails, pointing outside.

"Don't point at people willy-nilly, you might lose that finger..." the accented woman scolded.

The middle-aged owner stoking the fire looked curiously and said,

"He seems like an out-of-towner."

Suddenly, ripples formed in the puddles on the ground as if a muffled thunder rolled from afar, drawing nearer.

On the street.

Faces peered out of the shops, gazing toward the end of the street.

At the far corner, a group of black dots surged out, rapidly closing in.

Amid the autumn rain that shrouded the Capital, two hundred Iron Cavalry gallantly made their way.

A martial figure in the lead, draped in heavy armor and wielding a huge spear, his face hidden beneath an iron mask, rode at the front. His long weapon dragged on the ground, his horse's hooves thunderous, reminiscent of a mountain collapsing.

...

Mistakes to be corrected later.