What impression did Zhao Douan leave in the Empress's heart?
It wasn't simply describable with the words "good" or "bad." A more accurate description would be:
Blurry.
Since her ascension to the throne, Xu Zhenguan had been preoccupied with the affairs of the world daily, and hadn't paid much attention to her casually thrown out "scandalous boyfriend."
Even occasional meetings were just like facing any other servant in the palace, treated without special regard.
As for Zhao Douan's bad reputation, although it spread in the Capital, the slight criticisms didn't reach the Empress's ears.
Thus, Xu Zhenguan had previously asked the female official about him.
Because she really hadn't cared before.
If one were to speak of a clear impression, it was still during the afternoon when Zhao Douan was grinding ink, his words revealing that this young servant was not as simple as he appeared.
Did he have grand ambitions? Perhaps not, but in the Empress's view, he still seemed somewhat clever.
Yet, if he wasn't foolish, why did he become arrogant and overbearing because of some vanishing rumors of a "scandal"?
This peculiar contradiction slightly piqued the Empress's interest. At that moment, she picked up a memorial, not immediately unraveling it but said with interest,
"Mo Chou, what do you think the White Horse Bureau Director will say?"
The tall female official, truly named "Mo Chou," responded without hesitating:
"It definitely won't be anything positive. I've heard that this Zhao Douan has been arrogant and troublesome over the past year, and he has indeed caused a lot of problems for him. Talking about it, it was initially thanks to the Supervisor's support that he got promoted, yet instead of being grateful, he stirred up trouble, which is truly despicable."
Her words strongly expressed her dislike for the notorious Zhao Douan.
"I see..." Xu Zhenguan's fingers flickered with radiance, the seal of the memorial broke, her beautiful eyes scanning the text before she suddenly smiled and teased,
"It seems this time, even my female chancellor has guessed wrong."
Mo Chou was startled, skeptically taking over the document and reading it thoroughly, her expression bewildered.
After a long moment, she coldly said, "The crime he committed this time can't be resolved with just a plea for forgiveness."
Dressed in white, the Empress Xu Zhenguan lightly moved, pushing open the window.
The cool breeze of the night rustled, her flowing hair brushing lightly, her gaze passing through the resplendent palace, landing nowhere specific.
"Yes. So… let's see how he performs."
…
…
In a remote alley.
Zhu Kui, leaning against the carriage, dozed off. His ears twitched, and he abruptly awoke, relaxing after seeing who it was:
"Master, you're back."
"Yes," Zhao Douan remained calm, "Did anyone follow me while I was away?"
The veteran official with a face marked by time grinned:
"I've been watching the whole time; no one followed."
He hesitated, then Zhu Kui tentatively asked:
"Master, it's getting late, shall I take you back to your residence?"
Home?
Leaning in the carriage, pinching the bridge of his nose, Zhao Douan paused before he remembered that the original owner did have a home in the Capital.
But of course, he couldn't go back now.
People around him might not clearly perceive his changes, but family who lived with him day and night would easily notice that he was not truly the original person.
At least… not until he had completely adapted to the new body.
"No," Zhao Douan rejected the suggestion, paused, then suddenly asked:
"Has that female thief woken up yet?"
Zhu Kui was dumbfounded for a few moments before realizing his superior was referring to the Grand Tutor Zhuang Xiaocheng's female disciple, who was now detained in the government office's jail:
"At this hour, she should be awake. Do you want to interrogate her overnight?"
"Yes, let's go see," Zhao Douan said.
On the side of Ning'an County, although the bait had been placed, it was still uncertain whether it would catch anything.
He had to grasp as many lifelines as possible in the limited time available.
All day, after endlessly revisiting his memories, he felt an oddness permeating the matter.
If he could obtain some clues from that girl called "Yun Niang," his chances of surviving this calamity would greatly increase.
"Yes," Zhu Kui, though full of doubts, did not inquire further and whipped his horse towards the City Government.
However, the two who left were unaware that not far down the street, atop a towering turret, stood a slender figure on the eaves.
The night wind blew, and the figure's warlock robe, black with gold outlines, fluttered. At the corner of the robe was an embroidered emblem of the "Heavenly Master Mansion."
The mysterious person watched the carriage drive away.
After a long while, stars suddenly flared around him, and like being erased by a rubber eraser, his figure vanished inch by inch.
...
City Government, dungeon.
Clang!
In the dark, Yun Xi was startled awake by a noise at the end of the corridor, prying her eyelids open, her eyes bloodshot.
Her internal organs ached faintly, her body feeble, her mind gradually clearing from confusion, her chaotic memories slowly sharpening.
She remembered the last scene before she passed out, facing off against the minions of the Empress in the bamboo forest Earth God Temple in the Southern Suburb.
Then, the Earth God statue unexpectedly cracked, a high-ranked magician performed a "Divine Descent," saving her teacher and throwing off a group of imperial guards with the residual waves of mana.
And she, mere inches away, was also hit by the blast, severely injured and knocked unconscious.
"So... was I captured by the court's minions?"
Yun Xi, using the torches in the corridor, gradually made out her surroundings.
This was a solitary cell, three walls around her, and in front, a barrier across the expansive corridor.
The air, damp and stagnant from lack of sunlight, caused her stomach to cramp and acid to rise, almost making her vomit.
Her short sword was gone, she was dressed in prisoner's garb, and bound standing to a wooden cross, her hands and feet shackled—this was the "special treatment" the court gave to those who had stepped into the realm of cultivation.
"Indeed..." Yun Xi felt her heart sink, already sensing the cruel fate that awaited her.
Being part of the rebellion, she was bound to face the brutal punishments of the Empress of Great Yu's ruthless officials; at her tender age, she was to be tortured and abused to death.
Was she afraid? Naturally, she was.
But she had no regrets!
Even now, imprisoned, recalling from her teacher the true nature of the Xuan Sect's political upheaval and the bleak outcome that awaited Great Yu under the Empress's rule, her blood still boiled with righteous indignation.
To save the common people from suffering, to unveil the hideous façade of the murderous Empress and to rescue Great Yu from imminent collapse,
she and those oppressed, hiding figures of righteousness across the land, had long been prepared to sacrifice their lives!
"To live is without joy, to die is without pain?"
Yun Xi's gaze was resolute, "If my life can ensure my teacher's successful escape, then it's worth it."
If only, after ten years of diligent sword training, she hadn't ended up dying at the hands of that villain Zhao Douan...
Ah, perhaps that villain was already dead.
As Yun Xi's frantic imagination ran wild, footsteps at the end of the corridor drew closer, and a fierce-looking prison guard carrying a torch opened the cell door.
He turned back, obsequiously and humbly:
"My lord, this woman thief is inside, just as you ordered, no one has interrogated her in the meantime."
"Very good." A male voice that Yun Xi detested to the core responded.
Then, Zhao Douan, dressed in lavish attire, his features chiseled and strikingly handsome, walked in.
Looking towards the prison where she was tied in a "big" shape on the wooden frame, her black hair unkempt, her face naturally pale and delicate features under her shirt where the character for "prisoner" protruded prominently, he raised an eyebrow:
"We meet again."
Tch, so young and yet so bold...
Yun Xi was initially startled, then her eyes blazed with fury:
"You cur! The Empress's lapdog! Despicable scoundrel!!"
...
(Thinking of adjusting the update time... How about noon and eight in the evening?)