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In the second year of Tianfeng, in the South Suburb of the Capital of Yu Country.
Black clouds pressed upon the city as if the heavenly river had burst its banks. Raindrops the size of beans poured down, striking the ground like war drums and raising a mist as low as smoke.
A bolt of lightning, shaped like a spider's web, tore through the dark sky, illuminating the bamboo forest of the South Suburb. At the edge of the lush green bamboo sea, two armored soldiers stood watch.
Hoofbeats thundered!
A three-horse carriage broke through the rain curtain, approaching from afar, its wheels churning up large swaths of mud as it finally halted outside a forest path.
The muddy dirt road was narrow, making it difficult for the carriage to proceed. The driver leapt down, set a small stool in place, unfurled an oil-paper umbrella, and stood beside the carriage.
The curtain of the carriage was lifted, and two attendants in green robes emerged in single file, each carrying a thick wooden board.
Zhao Douan lazily raised his eyes and bent slightly to step out of the spacious carriage without glancing to the sides, then descended.
The hem of his exquisite garment fell, the expensive cloud-patterned boots casually stepping toward the muddy ground, only for a wooden board to be placed precisely underfoot before hitting the dirt.
He walked confidently forward, the umbrella moving with him.
On either side, the two attendants crouched half-kneeling in the mud, their faces wet from the cold rain, moving the wooden boards alternately to lay out a clean and dry path.
"In ancient times, nobles used serving maids as human spittoons. I have my attendants pave the way, much less far."
As Zhao Douan was lost in thought, he suddenly saw two fierce soldiers from the army rushing towards him, cupping their hands in salute:
"The rebels are trapped in the forest, awaiting your orders, sir!"
Zhao Douan smiled and said, "It seems this great merit shall fall to me, lead the way!"
"Yes!"
…
The forest was covered with fallen leaves, and the old green bamboos reached straight into the sky.
Outside, wind and rain poured down, but upon entering the forest, it felt much warmer. With his entourage and guards, Zhao Douan hadn't walked far before seeing a dilapidated temple emerging from the rain curtain.
On the left and right columns were engraved couplets:
"Bearing virtue is like carrying the world."
"Life is endless."
An Earth God Temple!
Compared to the main site at the Heavenly Master's Mansion and the Divine Dragon Temple, the small temple before him was quite shabby, not to mention the courtyard; the single hall was also in ruins.
At this moment, the temple door was tightly shut, surrounded by more than ten imperial guards making it impenetrable.
Seeing Zhao Douan's arrival, a black-clad official eagerly sought credit:
"Sir, that old thief and his disciple have been injured by us, just awaiting your command to capture them!"
Zhao Douan nodded in satisfaction, praising, "Not bad."
If the subordinates captured first, the superiors would inevitably face some loss. Now, surrounding without killing meant the credit would be complete, a basic maneuver for savvy officials.
"In that case, I'll capture them myself," Zhao Douan continued. "Bring the sword."
The official was taken aback but hurriedly offered the sword with both hands.
Without lifting his eyelids, Zhao Douan grasped the hilt of the sword before him with one hand.
After a brief contemplation…
Clang!
The blade unsheathed with a shooting thrust of a Qi Mechanism, instantly shattering the rotten wooden temple door into pieces!!
As the wood chips flew, Zhao Douan had already stepped into the hall.
Inside the dilapidated temple.
A silver-haired old man in his sixties, draped in a Confucian robe, sat cross-legged facing him. His deeply wrinkled face remained calm, as though in despair, yet there was an inherent aura of a National Scholar.
Behind the old man, on the offering platform, stood a stone statue as mighty as a heavenly deity, with a fierce appearance, one hand holding a tablet, the other touching the ground, draped in cobwebs, long neglected.
"Sure enough, as the former Grand Tutor, even at the brink of death, you maintain composure," Zhao Douan leisurely smiled,
"But who would have thought that, as the member of the Second Prince's party, Mr. Zhuang would hide right here in the Capital, under the Saint's very eyes. Is this the so-called great hiding within the city?"
Respected as the "Grand Tutor," once an Emperor's Master, the elderly man named Zhuang Xiaocheng said coldly:
"I, who have been wise my whole life, did not expect to be found by a traitor like you, seeking glory, willing to become the Fake Emperor's gigolo."
"Insolent!"
The black-clad official behind him shouted angrily but was stopped by Zhao Douan raising his hand.
The capital widely acknowledged "gigolo" of the Empress, Zhao Douan's face, carved and well-defined, with handsome features, wiped off his smile, and he sighed softly:
"Grand Tutor, your words are mistaken. In the past, when the late Emperor passed, the Crown Prince was supposed to ascend the throne. However, the Second Prince was treasonous, conspiring with traitors to assassinate in the palace, initiating the Xuanmen Coup, intending to usurp the throne.
At that time, the Third Imperial Princess, with her perfected martial arts cultivation, heard the news and intervened to quell the rebellion, killing the traitors, but alas a step too late; the Crown Prince and other Princes were slaughtered.
Later, as the country couldn't be without a ruler for a day, she had no choice but to ascend as Empress, leading the Great Yu Dynasty. What fault is there?
But you, followers of the Second Prince's remaining party, like unquenchable wildfires... If you had switched sides sooner, you wouldn't have met this outcome?"
"Spit! A pack of lies from a dog thief!" suddenly, a clear female voice rang out.
It belonged to the girl standing next to the old man.
Dressed as a book-boy, holding a bloodstained unsheathed short sword, her hairpin had broken during the fight, black strands fell loose, her exquisite features, a pure white face raised, glaring at him, silver teeth tightly clenched:
"Clearly, it was the Fake Emperor who harmed my father and brothers. The Second Prince came to rescue the king; my master attempted to uphold the world but was vilified by scoundrels like you!"
"Yun Niang!" Zhuang Xiaocheng said sternly.
The sword-wielding girl's eyes filled with sorrow and despair, like a trapped and hopeless beast:
"Teacher, your disciple is useless, unable to protect you well. The grace of this life will be repaid in the next..."
Zhao Douan remained unfazed by this tragic drama before him; his gaze swept over the girl's face, meaningful:
"The Grand Tutor has a good taste, even on the run, not forgetting to bring such a pretty female disciple. Just a sharp tongue seems lacking in discipline. But rest assured, I'll take her back for good training."
The sword-wielding girl's eyes nearly split with rage, wishing to devour his flesh!
Zhuang Xiaocheng stared at him for a moment and suddenly shook his head:
"Arrogance from success, villainous nature; people like you won't be rampant for long."
"Ha?" Zhao Douan sneered, looking around:
"Am I a villain? Am I getting arrogant?"
Behind him, the officials, attendants, and armored with swords all shook their heads.
Zhao Douan's smile vanished as he gazed down on the two:
"You see, they all say no. Once into the gate, a Great Scholar will debate scriptures for me. The Grand Tutor, having mingled in officialdom for many years, wise to the world; isn't this evident without me saying? Besides, it's you literati who fabricate history. If I'm a villain, what are you?"
Draped in a Confucian robe, Zhuang Xiaocheng remained calm, seemingly never fearing:
"Do you truly believe you've caught the old me?"
For no reason.
At this moment, Zhao Douan felt a tightening in his heart.
The wind and rain in the bamboo forest were like mourning, and the light in the dilapidated temple dim; the pattering raindrops made the whole world silent.
It was clearly a situation of overwhelming advantage against a feeble enemy, yet now the momentum seemed reversed.
Zhao Douan barely forced a smile, retreating half a step without a trace:
"Do you truly think I'm easily scared? This is the Capital, after all, with an old man and an injured one—what do you have to compare with this group of armored imperial guards with me? Or do you mean, behind that Confucian robe hides a High Grade Martial Artist, or a Magician of formidable mana?"
His tone was mocking.
The silver-haired Zhuang Xiaocheng gently shook his head: "I am but a mere mortal."
He shifted the conversation: "However, there are still some friends willing to help."
Zhao Douan's pupils abruptly contracted as, in the same moment the old man uttered this sentence, behind him, the dust-covered offering platform's stone statue abruptly trembled!
Even the earth shook.
The ferocious deity's forehead cracked, emitting golden light, and the cracks soon spread over the body, the stone skin crumbling off to reveal a massive figure within, enveloped in golden light.
"Divine Descent!"
"Worldly magicians!"
"Sir, be careful—"
The crowd retreated in terror and chaos, but Zhao Douan appeared as if frozen, his legs as heavy as lead and unable to move, as the dilapidated temple was illuminated in every detail by the "Earth God's" golden light.
Ripples of gold, centered on the deity statue, spread in all directions. Outside the temple, soldiers exclaimed as they were flung away, black iron helmets landed heavily among the fallen leaves, splashing up pools of water.
"Go!" the old man commanded lowly.
Zhao Douan's face turned deathly pale, only able to see the figure within the golden light, cold and dignified, gazing down.
A great hand reached, pulling the Confucian-robed Grand Tutor into the light's ripples, then pointed at him.
Boom!
Zhao Douan's chest felt as if struck, akin to a cannonball, flung backward, crashing through the temple door, plowing several yards along the ground, life and death uncertain.
Inside the temple, the golden figure seemed to reach its limit, dragging the Grand Tutor into the earth, in the blink of an eye, all anomalies vanished.
As if nothing had ever happened.
Only the cold rain continued to fall.
Later, the rain also ceased.
…
…
Much later.
The imperial guards and others who had fainted gradually woke, the black-clad official was aghast, face pale, rushing to Zhao Douan's side, calling with force:
"Sir! Sir! Wake up!"
Finally.
"Zhao Douan" slowly regained consciousness, eyes blankly seeing himself lying in the arms of a burly, black-faced man, dressed in ancient attire.
"Sir! It's good you're alright!"
The black-clad official was overjoyed, thinking if anything happened to their master, they too would not escape alive.
However, in his joy, he did not notice the drastic change in Zhao Douan's demeanor compared to his earlier arrogance and frivolity; now calm and composed.
"I'm... not dead?"
Zhao Douan slowly opened his mouth, his speech not fluent, as if learning how to speak.
"Perhaps the magician cast spells from afar, consuming massive mana to snatch people away, and your protective gear blocked one layer."
The black-clad official pulled out a deformed Heart Protecting Mirror to show him.
Zhao Douan's gaze grew increasingly puzzled as he slowly sat up. Before him was the collapsed temple in the rain-soaked bamboo forest, his eyes lifted; in the distance, clouds broke apart, revealing rays of sunlight.
Vaguely visible was the corner of Xiong City, towering high into the clouds.
"Dong—dong—"
The sound of a bell rang out.
It was noon, the "day ban" was lifted.
"Where is this?" Zhao Douan suddenly asked, pausing to place a hand on his forehead, "My head is a bit muddled."
The black-clad official, suspecting nothing, only assuming he was dazed, ingratiatingly replied:
"South Suburb of the Capital. You received intelligence, using your Lord authority to gather a team of imperial guards, coming to capture Zhuang Xiaocheng. Annoyingly, that thief had a magician accomplice, who used spells to rescue him."
"Which year and month?"
"Er... the second year of Tianfeng, actually the third, delayed since the Xuanmen Coup the year before last winter."
"Wasn't it the Xuanwu Gate?"
"Sir jests, we dare not add words randomly to that affair."
Zhao Douan remained silent for a while, eyes devoid of awe. Through the brief conversation and vague clarity of unfamiliar memories in his mind, he realized what had transpired.
Great Yu Dynasty, coup, Empress, Martial Artist, Magician... A seemingly reality-resembling world.
As for himself...
The personal male lover of the Empress? Arrogant plaything of the Capital?
Hard to assess.
"Sir, this female thief didn't escape!"
Suddenly, a guard dragged out the unconscious Yun Niang from the collapsed temple, the elegant and unyielding girl's forehead bleeding, eyebrows furrowed in defiance and unwillingness.
The burly official, with full cheeks, nervously added:
"This rebel clue traced by the Imperial Court's secret agents was grabbed by our White Horse Hall. Now that the city ban is over, the Court agents will likely arrive soon...
If caught, it'd be a great merit. But now he escaped; this blame will likely fall on us. If those who disdain you in court sink their teeth into this, alleging aiding escape, conspiring with rebels... Even with your status, it'd be hard to withstand."
"For now, we can only trouble you to rush ahead and plead guilty before the Saint for a ray of hope," he swallowed, seeing no response, urging desperately:
"Sir, please say something!"
Zhao Douan silently withdrew his gaze, giving the other a glance, eyes as deep as a hidden pool, silencing everyone.
A hellish beginning...
After pondering briefly, he closed his eyes, then opened them again:
"Then... enter the palace, seek an audience with the Saint."
P.S.: I heard it's trending recently to have a "Brain Storage Place" at the beginning of a book. I'll include one here. This section's reply storage was successful~
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