The Empress's No.1 Lackey-Chapter 64 - 61. Acquire New Intelligence

The same night.

Jin Jian moved like a ghost, traversing the skies above the Capital, her robes half-transparent, unnoticed by anyone as she passed by.

Beneath the night sky, Heavenly Master Mansion was brightly lit, with its buildings arranged in a circular pattern around the signature bell tower.

In its deepest part, a serene courtyard seldom disturbed by others.

A lush banyan tree’s green leaves fluttered, faintly illuminated by a glowing light.

Jin Jian passed through the courtyard gate, raising her eyes to the rocking chair placed under the tree.

On the rocking chair lay the Old Heavenly Master, one of the few most powerful beings between heaven and earth, leisurely reclining.

Tall and erect, with long whiskers and eyebrows, his eyes narrow, his face gentle, the black priest robe hung softly down.

"You’ve returned?" Zhang Yan Yi asked lazily.

With an exuberant demeanor, Jin Jian performed a disciple’s salute:

"The problem that has troubled me for a long time has been solved."

"Oh?"

"If one’s Innate Divine Soul is strong enough, there is a possibility to resist Magic. Such people are extremely rare, but they do exist."

"Is that so... Is that Zhao Douan the sort of anomaly?"

Jin Jian was taken aback: "How did the master know the subject I was curious about was on him?"

Zhang Yan Yi smiled and said:

"Otherwise, how could I be your teacher and take charge of Heavenly Master Mansion?"

"Indeed..." Jin Jian was thoroughly convinced.

She had heard of Heavenly Master Zhang’s strength since she was very young, but even to this day, she still felt that her master’s Mana was like the deep sea, bottomless.

"Master, what are you looking at? Don’t you get bored lying here all the time?" Jin Jian asked with the curiosity of a child.

"Observing the heavens," Zhang Yan Yi replied.

Jin Jian looked up at the profound starry sky with the milky way hanging down, confused:

"But there’s nothing in the sky."

Zhang Yan Yi spoke warmly: "Does Jin Jianer remember the source of the power in Cultivation?"

Jin Jian replied as if reciting from a book:

"The introductory texts say that the beginning of Cultivation did not start with the blind adoration of gods by people in the ignorant ages, but with the first wise man’s initial look at the starry sky."

After saying that, the girl had a sudden realization:

"Is the master emulating the ancient sages? But master, your Mana has long surpassed those of the ancients by countless times."

"Learning is endless. Don’t underestimate the ancients," Zhang Yan Yi said.

Jin Jian muttered an "oh", not quite understanding.

She specialized in the Star Moon God, and was more than familiar with the night sky, yet she truly couldn’t discern any patterns.

After Jin Jian left, the banyan tree swayed, and a mysterious face appeared in the foliage:

"It’s still too early to tell her such things."

Some words must be understood only when one reaches a certain level. The development of the Cultivation theory has already been perfected.

Zhang Yan Yi said:

"Great Yu Grand Ancestor highly revered the ancient methods of Cultivation. I didn’t agree with him in the past, but in recent years, I have found some merit in them."

The great banyan tree didn’t pick up the thread, instead it asked:

"Is that Zhao Douan really just someone with a strong Innate Divine Soul?"

"It’s hard to say," Zhang Yan Yi said with rare hesitation.

The face in the banyan tree was shocked.

He wondered what in the world could be so obscure that even Heavenly Master Zhang could not see through it.

The Old Heavenly Master with long whiskers and eyebrows, his narrow eyes slowly relaxed, and he suddenly said:

"We must take a closer look."

Jin Jianer was right, sitting here all day indeed gets a bit stuffy. So then... perhaps it’s time to pay that interesting youngster a visit.

...

government office, prison.

Within a clean, isolated cell.

Yun Xi curled her legs, hugging her knees, sitting on a wooden bed, looking up at the only three ’品’-shaped ventilation holes in the wall.

The holes allowed a veil-like moonlight to stream through, shining upon her lovely face.

The girl’s mind replayed the day’s events; she was toured around before being brought back to the Prison Cage, ignorant to what had transpired with Lv Liang afterwards.

The more she thought about it, the more upset she became, and the more she felt she had lost out by backing down.

Suddenly, Yun Xi got up, walked to the bars, and began furiously banging:

"Somebody! Help!"

A prison guard was startled awake and came over, frowning: "What are you shouting for?"

Yun Xi glared at him: "I want to see Zhao Douan!"

The prison guard scoffed: "Lord Zhao is such a dignified person, do you think you can just see him whenever you wish?"

Yun Xi choked at his words, thought for a moment, and then said:

"If he won’t come, that’s fine. Just give me pen and paper, and I’ll write him a letter about case clues."

Case clues... The prison guard was shocked and didn’t dare to delay.

Knowing this female thief was involved with the Kuangfu Society and considering the chance to impress Zhao Douan, he immediately nodded and went to find paper, ink, and sealing wax.

Such life-threatening information was not something he dared to glimpse.

...

...

The next morning, at daybreak, White Horse Hall.

When Zhao Douan arrived at the government office, his colleagues welcomed him enthusiastically, all wearing wide smiles and offering him their congratulations.

The news of the Zhang family’s downfall had already spread throughout the Capital’s official circles the day before, drawing particular attention due to the involvement of "firearms."

On the surface, the case was cracked by the Imperial Court.

However, those with a keen interest needed only to probe a little to find that Zhao Douan was also involved.

Of course, the vast majority of people, based on their stereotypes,

simply assumed that it was Zhao Douan’s dumb luck that gave him a clue and allowed him to share in the spoils.

They did not know that the process of solving the case was also orchestrated by him.

As for this public opinion trend, Zhao Douan was happy to see it fulfilled.

"Let the reputation be yours while the benefits are mine." This was the signal Zhao Douan sent to Ma Yan.

Ma Yan readily agreed.

At the same time, Zhou Cang privately informed Zhao Douan that, out of gratitude to the Lord, special "care" was given to the Zhang brothers in the Imperial Prison.

If everything went as expected, they would not live to see their execution or exile in the fall; they would be tortured to death in the prison.

Besides, according to rumors, Secretariat Envoy Xue Shence entered the palace yesterday.

After coming out, he immediately began to rectify the Privy Council, including the Ministry of War, causing a great panic.

"You don’t seem to be in good spirits, my lord. Could it be that you are too exhausted from yesterday’s case? You should rest at home. If there’s anything to be done, just leave it to me."

Just after entering the office,

old clerk Zhu Kui, with a broad and greasy face, dark skin, and rough looks, came up with a sycophantic smile.

As an ordinary man, Zhu had not been able to participate in yesterday’s action.

He had almost lost his "lead horse and stumble" position to Zhou Cang, feeling an immediate sense of crisis, and was now more diligent than ever.

"How can I dare to complain of tiredness when alleviating His Majesty’s worries?"

Zhao Douan sat down in the hall, his demeanor full of righteousness.

In his heart, he was frantically complaining:

Last night, he crossed a desert within the Martial God Map and woke up feeling completely drained.

After the Great Yu Grand Ancestor mentioned the words "observing heaven," no matter how much he tried, he got no further response.

However, after imitating the meditation and observing heaven like the other, he vaguely felt his Divine Soul stirred, but seeing as he had only begun his Cultivation that day, the effects were not yet clear.

"I wonder how long I will have to walk in the desert... before I can master the second Martial Skill."

Zhao Douan pondered:

"Too much is as bad as not enough; biting off more than one can chew is unwise. The morning glow is far from covering my entire body, and I need to practice diligently...

If the Great Yu Grand Ancestor could truly be communicated with, perhaps establishing a dialogue with him to obtain information could be the greatest value of the Martial God Map."

Shaking his head, Zhao Douan put this matter aside and asked:

"What matters have been reported in my absence?"

He wanted to receive more information to find inspiration for dealing with Vice Minister Pei.

"There is!"

Zhu Kui brightened up and began to report his work.

It was all trivial matters until, at last, he produced a letter:

"Last night, the head jailer from the government office prison sent a letter, stating it was from that female thief for you, involving the case. I did not dare to open it lightly and await your review, my lord."

A clue from Yun Xi?

Zhao Douan was startled.

His first thought was, could it be that the female thief was moved by his rescue yesterday and decided to renounce her dark past and turn to the light, offering up information about the Kuangfu Society?

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He immediately dismissed the thought.

He was thinking too highly... Holding the letter sealed with wax and suspicion, he received it as Zhu Kui tactfully excused himself.

"Rip—"

Zhao Douan read the letter, his expression turning odd.

The letter was not about information related to the Kuangfu Society, but rather about a scandal concerning Imperial Censor Lv Liang:

Lv Liang was born in Jiangnan, showing talent from a young age, yet repeatedly failed the imperial examinations.

He learned during his disheartenment that it was because Vice Minister Pei’s fourth daughter had taken a fancy to him, but he had resolutely refused her, angering the Pei family, which led to the examiners suppressing him, ensuring his failure.

Vice Minister Pei’s fourth daughter did not give up on Lv Liang, sending a message that as long as he "nodded," she could help him soar to success.

Otherwise, even if he studied until his hair turned white, he would never pass the examination.

After failing several times, the once spirited scholar from Jiangnan went to the Pei household on a rainy night holding an umbrella, alone.

Not long after, Lv Liang got engaged to Pei Siniang, followed by his success in the examination as a third-rank scholar.

Lv Liang’s career thus took off, and he became the Iron-mouthed Imperial Censor.

But the story didn’t end there.

According to Yun Xi, although Lv Liang bowed and scraped, he detested his legitimate wife to the core.

Outwardly "henpecked," he had become utterly insignificant at home since getting married.

Having harbored resentment for a long time, he once indulged himself with a vulnerable woman "offered" by another and in excess of brutality, strangled the woman to death in bed.

The matter was later discovered by Pei Siniang.

The infamously aggressive wife from the Capital furiously sought her father, Vice Minister Pei, demanding a divorce.

However, by that time, Lv Liang had become useful to Vice Minister Pei, so his request was cruelly rejected.

At the same time, Lv Liang was also disciplined by his father-in-law.

Since then, the "loving" couple in the eyes of others had become entirely estranged.

...

In the office,

Zhao Douan finished reading the entire piece of information, internally exclaiming at the juicy details and satisfying his curiosity for gossip.

He believed in the authenticity of the letter about eighty percent.

The intelligence network of the Kuangfu Society must be quite remarkable, and Yun Xi was parade around by Lv Liang yesterday, wanting to use him to get revenge made total sense.

"When sleep beckons, a pillow arrives." Zhao Douan flicked the letter with his finger, a flash of insight in his eyes, and a slight curve formed at the corners of his mouth.

He had found the opening to bite into Vice Minister Pei’s golden body.