The Empress's First Running Dog

Chapter 653 Returning to the Capital (5k)

Outside the office of the Military Commander of the Border City.

A phantom moon slowly appeared, then opened up.

Zhao Du'an took Jin Jian's small hand and stepped out. His boots slammed on the solid bluestone pavement. He looked up at the two stone lions outside the yamen and the plaque hanging high above.

"Ah!" The soldiers guarding outside the government office were startled and instinctively drew their swords.

Upon recognizing "the Grand Commander and his friends," he breathed a sigh of relief, then immediately knelt on one knee and bowed deeply with great emotion.
"Meet the Governor!"

Hmm... Is that too polite?
"Am I really that popular in the border army?" Zhao Du'an was a little flattered.

He immediately realized that it was probably because his heroic charge outside the city walls not long ago had spread, which was why he had gained the respect of these border soldiers.

"Is General Zhao here?" Zhao Du'an grunted in response and asked.

A soldier looked up, his eyes burning with fervor, and said:
"The general and his wife, along with other officers, were taking prisoners outside the city..."

Then, Zhao Du'an listened to the soldier's account and was able to find out what happened after he left.

After Zhang Yanyi killed Poyun, many experts in the Liaoren army joined forces to resist. "Without other options," the Old Celestial Master had to take action and capture a group of experts.

Seeing this, Zhao Shixiong simply waved his hand and ordered the city gates to be opened, and the army inside the city rushed out to charge at the Liao people.

On one side, morale was at an all-time high; on the other, the commander and his top officers were either dead or captured. The outcome was a foregone conclusion.

After a fierce battle, the Liao people's army turned tail and fled, while Zhao Shixiong and his wife dealt with the aftermath.

After finishing his formal attire, Zhang Yanyi, amidst the admiring gazes of the crowd, went to rest in the government office.

"Alright, let's go see the Celestial Master first." Zhao Du'an exhaled and stepped inside.

Upon passing through the central courtyard and arriving at the backyard, one sees an elderly man in a black priest's soft robe leisurely admiring the ancient paintings on the wall in the inner hall with its doors wide open.

Hearing the noise, he turned his head to look.

"Master!"

Yu Xiu, Jin Jian, and Han Zhao hurriedly bowed and paid their respects.

Zhang Yan gave a perfunctory "hmm," his gaze falling on Tuoba Weizhi, a hint of admiration in his expression:
"You are……"

Tuoba Weizhi was carrying a large cloth bag containing the unconscious Xu Jianwen, his eyes filled with vigilance.

"Priest of the Wax Garden".

Zhao Du'an stepped forward, shielding the silent witch behind him, and emphasized:

"Now she is my maid."

Zhang Yan said irritably, "Do you think I would steal from you?"

Zhao Du'an turned his head and said to the people behind him:

"I have a private conversation with the Celestial Master."

The group of people were all sensible and left the hall, closing the doors behind them.

Once only the two of them were left, Zhao Du'an sat down in the chair, looked Old Zhang up and down, and clicked his tongue in amazement:
"It seems that the Celestial Master did not suffer any losses in Xinjiang."

Zhang Yan snorted and said quietly:
"You're not having an easy time, kid. While I was fighting to the death with the evil god, you not only picked up a beautiful maid, but you also became a hero."

Zhao Du'an chuckled.

Zhang Yan asked solemnly, "Tell me, have you found the key?"

Zhao Du'an grunted in agreement and didn't hide anything. He immediately recounted in detail how he sneaked into Layuan Garden that day, how he learned about Qiguo's secrets, and how he brought back Tuoba Weizhi.

After listening, the old Celestial Master's eyes lit up with admiration. He stroked his beard with one hand and sighed:
"So this is how things came about. The founding emperor was quite the man. In that case, the matter here is settled."

Zhao Du'an nodded and said with emotion:
"Not only was it resolved, but it was also unexpectedly smooth."

Originally, their only goal was to find the key, but they ended up bringing back a powerful bodyguard, and also used the Celestial Master's Mansion to resolve the invasion of the Liao people, and even captured Xu Jianwen.

The results of this operation can be described as "generous"!
Zhang Yanyi didn't care much about these mundane matters. He said:

"It went much more smoothly than I expected. In that case, we should return to the capital, rest for a while, and then go get the second key."

The old master clearly had a strong sense of urgency.

Zhao Du'an nodded:
"I still need to handle some follow-up matters in the city, but it shouldn't take long. We'll set off this afternoon or evening."

The two agreed on a plan.

Just then, footsteps came from outside, accompanied by shouts of "Has the Governor returned?"

Zhao Du'an stood up.

Zhang Yan smiled and said, "Go and do your thing."

“Yes,” Zhao Du’an nodded, pushed open the door to the inner hall, and saw Zhao Shixiong and his wife in military uniform striding in.

Seeing that Zhao Du'an was safe and sound, the couple breathed a sigh of relief and their faces lit up with smiles.

"Greetings, Commander!"

Zhao Du'an smiled and offered a perfunctory gesture of support, then inquired about the situation outside the city.

Zhao Shixiong hurriedly gave a report, which was similar to what the soldiers had said before: a group of experts from the Liao people had been captured, and the rest of the army had withdrawn.

"The Liao army is vast. With the limited manpower of the border troops, forcibly capturing them all would be difficult and would incur heavy losses. Therefore, I believe that the most urgent task is not to engage in a deadly battle," Zhao Shixiong analyzed.
"Even if the chieftain of the Liao people comes out to lead the troops next, the threat from the other side will be greatly reduced."

Zhao Du'an nodded in agreement:

"Don't pursue a desperate enemy. The main battlefield is Xiping Road now, so you just need to stabilize your territory. Next, I'll have to trouble you, General, to guard this area to prevent the enemy from attacking again."

Zhao Shixiong understood the implied meaning: "Is the Commander leaving?"

Zhao Du'an nodded, pointed to the cloth bag that Tuoba Weizhi was carrying under the eaves, and said in a deep voice:

"I have captured Jianwen and will return to the capital next."

Jianwen… Zhao Shixiong glanced at the cloth bag, his feelings a mix of emotions.

He sighed inwardly and nodded, saying:
"Rest assured, Commander. The Liao people have been severely weakened by today's battle. Even if they can summon the Great Laba again, I am confident that I can defeat them with the border army's formation."

Zhao Du'an nodded and smiled:
"I believe that. By the way, I will trouble the general to send someone to deliver a message to Song Zhi, the chief of the Liao people, in Dajiang. Tell him that I have captured Xu Jianwen alive. If he does not want Jianwen to die, he should stay quietly in Dajiang, or he will bear the consequences."

"Okay." Zhao Shixiong nodded, then said regretfully:

"It's a pity that the commander-in-chief was in a hurry to leave, otherwise he would have liked to hold a victory celebration. Today's battle has impressed the entire army with the commander-in-chief's heroic demeanor. Many of them want to toast the commander-in-chief in person."

Zhao Du'an smiled and said, "I'll definitely do it next time."

Next, he dealt with the aftermath in the border town, confirming that the Liao people had completely stopped making any moves.

Before sunset, Zhang Yan summoned a cloud of green, which carried Zhao Du'an and his party on the cloud, and they sped back to the capital.

The whole trip took no more than three days.

……

……

The next morning.

"Woo-"

Amidst the sound of wind breaking, Zhao Du'an squinted as he surveyed the city below. He stood atop a blue cloud, surrounded by Tuoba Weizhi, who was sitting cross-legged, and three divine officials.

Zhang Yan stood with his hands behind his back, exuding an air of otherworldly elegance, and said calmly:

"We are already in the capital. You may leave on your own later, young friend. My three disciples are tired, so I will take them back to rest."

Jin Jian rubbed her eyes and mumbled, "I'm not tired... Waaah..."

Han Zhao covered Jin Jian's mouth and chuckled:
"Master is right, we're tired, we can't hold on much longer. Right, Second Senior Sister?"

Yu Xiu: Ah, yes, yes, yes.

"..."

Zhao Du'an silently observed the three priests' rosy faces and energetic spirits, then glanced at Zhang Yan's pale and bluish complexion... clearly exhausted and swaying precariously. He thought to himself, "If you can't fly that fast, don't force it. Do you really have to put on this act?"

You have to accept getting old... You've been dealing with Da La Ba for so long, and you brought so many people back with you, it's understandable that you can't keep up...

He looked at him with agreement:
“That makes sense. We are very grateful for your help this time. Let’s part ways here and leave my servant and me inside the city gate.”

……

Russian qing.

On the bustling streets of the capital, Tuoba Weizhi looked up, watching the collapsing Qingyun Mountain sway and plummet towards the Celestial Master's Mansion. He tightened his grip on the cloth bag on his back and looked curiously at Zhao Du'an:
"Master, Zhang Tianshi seems to be a little exhausted..."

Zhao Du'an sighed, withdrew his gaze, and patted the girl's shoulder:

"Don't expose my hardships. Come on, follow me into the palace."

"kindness."

The master and servant walked along the bustling street. Tuoba Weizhi followed closely behind Zhao Du'an, but his eyes were very busy, sometimes looking at the buildings on both sides of the street, and sometimes being attracted by the pedestrians.

Clearly, everything here was new to her.

Six hundred years have passed.

Even if the Crown Prince of Qi were still alive, he would still lament that things have changed and people are no longer the same, let alone Tuoba Weizhi, who was just a blank sheet of paper.
Zhao Du'an deliberately slowed down, and as they walked, he quietly introduced her to the local customs and culture of the city. After walking halfway, he simply took her to a street stall for breakfast.

During the banquet.

You can also hear the customers in the shop discussing matters of state and national importance. "Have you heard? It seems the Liao people in the south are causing trouble."

"Where did you hear this news? Isn't the fighting only happening in Xiping?"

"My cousin's father-in-law's sister-in-law's neighbor's son is an official in the Privy Council... I guarantee it!"

Zhao Du'an frowned. Had the news already spread?

However, upon closer reflection, it's not entirely unexpected. The Liao people's invasion was known to all the people of Yunfu Road, and someone sent the news to the capital, so there was no way to stop it.

At this moment, some diners also turned their attention to the master and servant, but Zhao Du'an was disguised, so most people only looked at Tuoba Weizhi, thinking that this woman's appearance and attire were quite strange...

"Master, I'm full."

Tuoba Weizhi felt uncomfortable being stared at, so he picked up a large bowl of soup and drank it all down before saying...

"Aren't you choking...?" Zhao Du'an wanted to retort, but he held back, stood up, and took a string of copper coins from his sleeve and placed them on the corner of the table.
"Hey buddy, the money's here."

"Alright." The waiter walked over, picked up the copper coin with one hand, glanced at the two leaving master and servant, and suddenly froze.

"What are you standing there for?" the shopkeeper asked sternly as he walked over.

The waiter snapped back to reality and muttered:

"It's so similar, so similar! The young master's back and voice just now are so similar to Zhao Shaobao's."

There were neither many nor few people in the capital who knew Zhao Du'an, and the waiter was fortunate enough to have seen the Junior Guardian's true face.

……

Zhao Du'an did not go straight into the palace, but instead took a detour to the North Gate.

First, I went to the Xiuwen Hall to find out if there had been any incidents in the court in the past few days.

As soon as he entered the Xiuwen Academy, a scholar walked towards him, and his eyes lit up:
"Scholar Zhao, are you here to see the Grand Tutor? Please come in."

"Don't move from here, I'm going to take care of something." Zhao Du'an turned around and instructed Tuoba Weizhi, then stepped into Grand Tutor Dong's "office".

The moment they entered.

Grand Tutor Dong was wearing a loose-fitting Hanlin scholar's robe, frowning as he flipped through the official documents on the table.

Seeing him come in, his brows relaxed slightly:

"Please sit down. I haven't seen you for the past two days and was just thinking of sending someone to find you."

Only four days have passed since the Empress set out on her campaign.

Therefore, in the eyes of the court officials, Zhao Du'an had only been absent for four days.

Considering that cultivators often go into seclusion for ten days or half a month, almost no one noticed that Zhao Du'an had left the capital.

"What? Could it be related to the invasion of the Liao people?" Zhao Du'an smiled and sat down leisurely.

Grand Tutor Dong asked in surprise, "How did you guess that?"

Zhao Du'an casually said, "I've heard rumors starting to circulate in the streets."

"Has word already spread?" Grand Tutor Dong asked worriedly, putting down the official document in his hand and sighing.
"After you told me that day, I immediately dispatched the Privy Council to send an official document to Yunfu, ordering Zhao Shixiong to hold out to the death and hold back the Liao people."

The Privy Council is in complete chaos, and the court has been far less peaceful than before. The vassal kings have just been eliminated, and now they are attacked from both the west and the south. Some even suspect that Zhao Shixiong is behind it all, trying to maintain his own power by harboring a bandit…

Zhao Du listened quietly to the old Grand Tutor's rambling, his smile calm and undisturbed.

Grand Tutor Dong couldn't help but complain, "Are you listening?"

"Yes, I'm listening."

"So what are your thoughts?" Dong Xuan was a little suspicious, wondering if this kid had become a bit arrogant after killing Prince Jing.

Having won consecutive battles, do they no longer take foreign enemies seriously? This phenomenon is not uncommon.

Having spent his life navigating the ups and downs of officialdom and having served in the Ministry of War, Dong Xuan was no stranger to the mentality of many young officials and generals. Upon careful consideration, given Zhao Du'an's age and achievements, it was quite normal for him to underestimate the enemy.

This discovery, however, left Dong Xuan somewhat disappointed, and he sighed inwardly:
Still too young.

Young people, no matter how mature, skillful, or meticulous they may be, cannot escape the pitfalls of complacency, frivolity, and arrogance.

Dong Xuan was already pondering how to tactfully "advise" the other party.

Yes, advice.

After the Empress's western expedition, Zhao Du'an is now practically the de facto emperor. Even with his seniority, he has to be cautious when dealing with Zhao Du'an.

"Thoughts? Nothing much, I don't think there's any need to panic too much," Zhao Du'an said casually.

As expected, he's gotten too cocky... Grand Tutor Dong sighed inwardly, just about to utter the carefully crafted words, when he heard Zhao Du'an continue slowly:

"I also have some news that I need Grand Tutor's help to spread."

"what news?"

"It's nothing serious. I just took some time to go out these past four days. I asked Zhang Tianshi and a few officials from the Tianshi Mansion to come and help Yunfu Border City."

Yesterday, we decisively defeated the Liaoren army, killing their commander and capturing many tribal chiefs. Although we haven't completely eliminated the Liaoren, they shouldn't pose a threat to the Yu Kingdom for some time to come.

Zhao Du'an spoke slowly and deliberately.

The room had fallen silent at some point.

Grand Tutor Dong was momentarily dazed. He didn't know how he listened to Zhao Du'an's account, what he asked, or how the other man got up to take his leave and leave the room.

When the old Grand Tutor finally came to his senses, he saw that the room was empty.

He couldn't help but pinch his thigh and murmur:

"Could it be that he's still half asleep?"

At this moment, Scholar Han Zhou walked in through the open door, his face beaming with elation:

"Grand Tutor, is what Scholar Zhao said true? Have the Liao people truly been defeated?"

Dong Xuan was taken aback: "Zhao Du'an, he was here just now?"

Han Zhou: "...Yes, didn't you personally see him off at the door?"

It's real... not a dream... Dong Xuan felt dizzy, his expression a mixture of crying and laughing:

"Very well...Very well...Your Majesty, I have something to report..."

“No,” Grand Tutor Dong chuckled self-deprecatingly.
"His Majesty has gone on a western expedition, and I am getting senile."

Han Zhou shook his head and said:
"His Majesty seemed to have used a secret technique to 'return' again early this morning to pay respects to Master Sun. I don't know if he is still in the palace now."

However, Scholar Zhao had already gone there. Speaking of which, the woman accompanying Scholar Zhao was quite strange; she was carrying a large cloth bag on her back…”

……

……

at the same time.

Zhao Du'an, accompanied by Tuoba Weizhi, left the Xiuwen Hall and headed towards the Yangxin Hall.

After learning from Han Zhou that the Empress had returned that morning, he didn't dare to delay and rushed over immediately.

The Empress's true form is currently on her westward expedition, leaving only a puppet in the palace.

However, Zhao Du'an could not contact the Empress through a puppet, unlike if her true self were in the palace, where she could "call" her to a certain extent through the connection between her soul and her true self.

This means that unless the Empress happens to return, he will have to wait patiently.

Waiting for the Empress to "go online" again.

"Zhao Shaobao." In the Hall of Mental Cultivation, an elderly female official saw him approaching and hurriedly bowed.

Zhao Du'an hurriedly asked, "Is His Majesty here now?"

Having witnessed the Empress's previous secret trip to Binhai, the group of close female officials in the Hall of Mental Cultivation knew that Her Majesty possessed a puppet body.

"His Majesty is in the Imperial Study. Lord Zhao should see him quickly, as His Majesty might leave soon," said the older palace maid.

Zhao Du'an silently breathed a sigh of relief, gestured to Tuoba Weizhi behind him, and said:
“This is my attendant. You stay here and watch over her to prevent others from investigating her identity and causing misunderstandings.”

He then looked at the priestess and instructed her, "You..."

Tuoba Weizhi, holding a bulging black cloth bag, said earnestly:

"I will stay here. Don't worry, I won't run around and cause trouble for my master."

Good boy... He's even answering questions first now. How did Old Xu train him back then? Amazing... Zhao Du'an left satisfied.

The older female official was left staring blankly at the strangely dressed woman, her eyes filled with oddity.

Owner?

……

In the imperial study room.

Zhao Du'an knocked on the door with the back of his hand, and when he heard a clear, cold "Come in" coming from inside, like an ice cube hitting the side of a cup, he pushed the door open with both hands.

As we stepped into the room, bathed in sunlight, we saw a figure in white standing by the window, silently gazing at the lake in the palace.

Xu Zhenguan turned back, his exquisitely beautiful face gazing softly at him with gentle eyes, and forced a smile:

"You came."

(End of this chapter)