The Empress's No.1 Lackey-Chapter 92 - 89, Why are you, an outsider, pretending to be a royal relative (begging for first subscription!)

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"Those who step out of this door will die."

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In Lihua Hall, Zhao Douan’s voice was not loud.

But because the room was so quiet that a pin drop could be heard, it was clearly delivered into everyone’s ears.

His expression remained unchanged, his sitting posture unaltered, as if the sudden flying dagger and the explosion earlier had nothing to do with him.

In the courtyard, the lush pear tree swayed in the wind, making a rustling sound.

A gentle breeze brushed against Li Lang, and beads of cold sweat seeped out, chilling his spine.

It felt as if he was standing before the gates of hell, where one wrong move would lead to eternal damnation.

"You..." The spoiled young master swallowed hard, his body about to lean forward.

He only felt the blade against his brow sink in a little deeper, quickly retracting his leg, yet stood motionless, afraid to make any reckless move.

"Ah—"

Only at this moment did the other four wake from their shock.

The rookie female government officer Qian Kerou let out a short scream, stood frozen in place, hands and feet at a loss.

Under the clothes of the unruly Hou Renmeng, his muscles tensed and swelled, his right hand gripping the knife handle, staring hard at the trembling "Golden Crow Flying Dagger."

The martial artist’s instinctive sense of crisis made him take precautions, but his heart chilled a little.

Knowing that if this dagger had been aimed at him earlier, even if his head wasn’t severed, he would have been seriously injured.

No other reason, it was too fast!

In the world of martial arts, speed was the only unbreakable force.

The Golden Crow Flying Dagger was inherently light, and once Zhao Douan acquired it, he held it in his hand daily.

Not to say it moved like an extension of his arm now, but to quietly throw the dagger was within his ability.

"This dagger..."

A young man with dark circles, laid-back and lazy, known as Shen Juan, squinted at this supreme magic artifact, as if seeing something.

Even the old man Zheng, holding a large ceramic teapot and perusing the residence report, put away his casual demeanor.

He looked at Li Lang, then glanced at Zhao Douan.

Suddenly realizing, the judgment they made about the new master might have been mistaken.

Bullying the weak and flattering the strong?

No... maybe lawlessness was more accurate.

"Zhao... Zhao Douan, what do you intend to do?!"

After retracting his right leg, feeling the dagger no longer pressing, the pampered young master Li Lang finally realized what had happened.

A surge of anger burst forth.

More than anything, it was anger and disbelief at being challenged by an inferior.

In his eyes, the Empress’s kept lover was undoubtedly a Royal Family’s lapdog.

So, as a Royal Family descendant, he should naturally count as half a master.

Where in the world would a dog dare to bark madly at its master?

This was his reason for daring to defy Zhao Douan.

As for the hostility, it wasn’t entirely based on arrogance.

More so, it was the relationship between Zhao Douan and the Empress that reminded him of the wild men of his biological mother, Princess Yunyang.

As the son of a princess, he was supposed to have an esteemed status.

But if his mother was promiscuous and his father was silent in his rage,

Over time, the psychology would become somewhat extreme.

Added to that, a lapdog unexpectedly became a superior, asking him to greet them... dissatisfaction in his heart, which led to this intimidation.

Yet he didn’t expect the reaction of the other party to be far more intense than he anticipated.

"Remember your identity," Zhao Douan said calmly,

"Here, you are the subordinate, I am the master, and what I say, you must obey.

Otherwise, it would be seen as disobedience to your superior, and insubordination, which, as I understand it, is most objectionable to the military officers. The Imperial Court is also the Imperial Guard, and by military law, how should this be handled?"

The skillful application of authority suddenly made Li Lang feel disgusted as if he had swallowed a fly.

But after calming down, he also believed that Zhao Douan wouldn’t truly harm him, prompting him to angrily say,

"You lapdog, you’re the one insubordinate!"

His eyes landed on his hand, at the dead, dismembered precious bird in the half birdcage, causing his eyes to turn red,

"You dare to kill my bird! Selling your family wouldn’t cover the cost!"

In an agitated state, he shouted, "Seize Zhao immediately!"

Yet the four Jinyi Captains did not move, only observing coldly.

They were only colleagues collaborating, naturally without any emotional attachment.

Unwilling to offend Zhao Douan at this juncture.

Li Lang fumed, calling out names,

"Hou Renmeng! Didn’t you boast that you dared to sever a high official’s head? What are you waiting for? Kill him! If His Majesty blames us, I’ll bear it!"

Arms crossed, the fierce and thick-browed Hou Renmeng was too lazy to bother with him, showing more interest in the drama.

"Qian Kerou! Go call Ma Yan; if I’m injured, see how he explains to my mother!"

Li Lang switched targets to someone easier to bully.

The clear-eyed, foolish female government officer was at a loss, with a tearful face, afraid to offend Li Lang, yet fearful of the dagger.

"Enough, stop your whining, I’ve made it clear, today, I won’t sheath my dagger, and whoever dares to take a step, don’t blame me for being ruthless."

Zhao Douan said softly, "As for you..."

After a pause, he slowly stood up, a mocking smile on his face,

"I’m standing right behind you, if you have the guts, turn around."

Li Lang’s face flushed red, about to twist his body.

Yet as soon as he moved his head, the blade cut a bloody slit.

He tried to retreat, but the Golden Crow Flying Dagger clung to him like a maggot to rot, always pressed firmly against his brow, preventing him from moving.

"See, you’re anxious again."

Zhao Douan sighed lightly, with a tone of concern,

"I tell you to move, and you don’t dare, I tell you not to go, and you insist on going."

The spoiled young master turned blue, roaring,

"You have the guts, move this damn dagger, stop hiding behind people, fight me, Lang Ye, fairly."

Zhao Douan’s expression was bizarre, as if looking at a fool,

"I have the advantage, why should I fight you fairly? Are you worthy?"

Li Lang was speechless, cursing,

"Despicable scoundrel! If you dare harm me, once I report to His Majesty, I will have you..."

Zhao Douan shook his head, his gaze increasingly disappointed,

"I thought someone raised by a princess would at least have some limit to their stupidity, but you have indeed let me down."

Among the noble progenies, most were anything but simple.

Their skills and insights, force and intelligence, far exceeded those from small families.

Yet there were always exceptions, like Li Lang, who was clearly a wasteland.

No wonder he was dumped in Lihua Hall; probably except for his background, he had nothing to show for.

Just valued him wrongly, even thought he was a formidable figure... Zhao Douan shook his head.

Turning and raising his hand, he suddenly took a wooden stick from the weapon rack, both ends bound with wrought iron.

It seemed aged, like a "discipline ruler" used for punishment.

But it hadn’t been used in ages, covered in a thin layer of dust.

Zhao Douan, holding the stick with one hand, leisurely walked next to Li Lang, gazing at the courtyard’s pear tree, said,

"Earlier, you haven’t answered me, according to military law, how should insubordination be handled?"

Li Lang continued cursing without answering.

Zhao Douan went on as if talking to himself,

"It seems he’s a fool, can’t even remember military regulations, then let me tell you, according to ’Law Annotation’, insubordination and insulting a superior, depending on the severity, is punished lightly with seventy lashes, heavily with deportation."

After a pause, he continued,

"Of course, my tolerance is vast, won’t hold too much against you, deportation is spared, only seventy lashes, will you accept?"

The four Jinyi Captains gaped, stunned by the shameless demeanor of Zhao Douan.

And Li Lang was even more stunned, a strong unease rising in his heart,

"Zhao Douan, you dare..."

"Slap!"

A crisp sound suddenly echoed in everyone’s ears.

Immediately, Qian Kerou and others were shocked to find that the stick in Zhao Douan’s hand had hit the back of Li Lang’s right knee.

A slight cracking sound of bone.

This young master with tender skin, who had never suffered since childhood, turned pale instantly, fell "thump" on one knee!

He immediately let out a pig-like scream,

"Ah!!"

"Shut up, or it’s a hundred slaps for disrupting the court," Zhao Douan said casually, adding,

"This was just the first stroke, ninety-nine more to go, don’t rush."

As he spoke, the second stick struck like lightning.

"Thump!"

The left leg knelt as well.

Li Lang actually stopped screaming.

Not because of strong willpower, but because Zhao Douan hit the nerve this time, making him numb and temporarily voiceless.

Zhao Douan weighed the stick, turned back, stood in front of him, appearing to accept his supplication, and said condescendingly,

"A new officer takes office with three fires, you say, why bring fire upon yourself? Is being the offspring of a princess such an achievement? If you’re so capable, change your surname to Xu."

He pressed the stick against the opponent’s right shoulder, disdainfully murmuring,

"You’re not even a member of the Royal Family, why pretend to be a prince?"

...

...

Outside the main gate of the Imperial Court, on the carriage.

Mo Chou had been resting with closed eyes for a long while, yet no sound was heard, making her suspicious.

According to her estimation, Zhao Douan should have entered Lihua Hall by now.

And with Li Lang as the leader of the unruly, he would probably try to intimidate the new superior.

When the two confront each other, not to mention the others, based on Li Lang’s background, Zhao Douan, the type to fawn on the powerful, must be apprehensive.

"Could it be, Zhao has truly mingled with Li Lang? Birds of a feather? Fused with them? Thus, not needing me."

"But then, his position as the master would be nominal, what’s the point?"

Mo Chou’s face changed, uneasy, she pondered briefly and said,

"To the main gate of Lihua Hall."

The nine halls had side doors connecting them internally but also had independent exterior gateways.

The escort driving responded.

Soon, the carriage reached the Lihua Hall’s courtyard wall, yet before arriving at the gate, Mo Chou faintly heard, distressing cries.

"Did you hear anything?" The female chancellor asked the escort.

The escort said, "It’s from the courtyard, seems someone’s being punished and wailing."

Lihua Hall was far from the Imperial Prison, certainly not the Punishment Hall, how could it... Mo Chou was astonished, suddenly her face changed drastically, suspecting a possibility,

"Stop!"

...

"Slap!"

The third stick fell, Li Lang let out an increasingly shrill, heart-wrenching scream, almost prostrating on the ground.

The Golden Crow Flying Dagger circled Zhao Douan twice, retrieved into his sleeve.

By this time, even the four spectators were twitching their lips, secretly inhaling.

Qian Kerou looked away, unable to bear the sight, bowing her head, chanting,

I see nothing, I see nothing...

Shen Juan grimaced, shrinking his neck.

Zheng swallowed a gulp of saliva.

Only Hou Renmeng’s eyes shone, faintly excited.

Before Lihua Hall, those "escort officers" belonging to the Jinyi Captain also ran out from the office hearing the sound, gathering around.

They were carefully selected "elites" from the other eight halls, despite lacking background, they were rebellious.

Yesterday, upon learning the new master was infamous as the Empress’s gigolo, they disdained him in their hearts.

This moment, witnessing this brutal scene, they were taken aback.

Their gazes toward Zhao Douan were different, putting away their disdain.

This was exactly Zhao Douan’s purpose.

To establish oneself in a new place, the most effective method is to find the biggest troublemaker and set an example.

Feeling the gazes from outside, Li Lang, who was kneeling and wailing, blushed with shame.

At this moment, the pain from the lashes was less hurtful than the humiliation.

The plea for mercy, which was about to be spoken, was forcibly swallowed.

"Hmm, quite stubborn, seems you’re not convinced."

Zhao Douan marveled, placing the stick on his left shoulder,

"Still ninety-seven to go."

Li Lang was so frightened he almost fainted!

Just then, noise came from outside the crowd, like the sea splitting.

A "female chancellor" in official robes, wearing a wingless black hat, adorned with plum blossoms on her brow, led several escorts hurriedly forward.

Li Lang looked as if he’d seen a savior, excited to the point of near tears,

"Mo Zhaorong! Save me! Kill this insubordinate scoundrel!"

Mo Chou paused, dazed for a full three breaths.

Then, expressionless, she walked to the front of the hall, looking at the instigator with a strange look.

Zhao Douan raised an eyebrow, "How did you get in here?"

...

ps: Originally planned to write an emotional statement for the launch, but got delayed by something unexpected, and this book also marks my first book going on sale without a sentiment statement, also the first on-launch without bursting out more chapters... no stockpile, temporarily wrote a chapter, more updates during the day.

Asking for a guaranteed monthly ticket for May.

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