After failing the imperial examination, he began to wield immense power after entering the palace!

Zhang Xuan straightened up and said seriously:

"We must naturally thank the Empress for her kindness, but we must not forget the Father-in-law's kindness either."

"If it weren't for your investigation of the Cao family mansion and the evidence obtained, and if you hadn't strongly advocated for me at the court meeting, I, Zhang Xuan, would have been a corpse long ago."

"Grandpa Gao, when are you free? I'd like to invite you to a meal to properly thank you."

Li Fan smiled and waved his hand, saying:

"There's no rush for food, but General Zhang, didn't His Majesty order you to go to Liaodong to reorganize the border troops?"

"Do you still have time to stay for dinner?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xuan smiled slightly.

"Unbeknownst to Eunuch Gao, the imperial court is about to transport a batch of grain and supplies to Liaodong."

"His Majesty instructed us to gather all the provisions and then transport them over. By this calculation, we can stay in the capital for at least another ten days to half a month."

"So I do have time to have a meal with my father-in-law."

Li Fan said "Oh," and then nodded:

"Alright, after I take up my post at the Eastern Depot in a couple of days and settle in, I'll have dinner with General Zhang."

Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up, and he clasped his hands in a fist salute, saying:

"Congratulations on your promotion, Eunuch Gao, to the position of Director of the Eastern Depot. This is a truly crucial position."

"My father-in-law is so young to have taken on such an important responsibility; his future is limitless."

Li Fan smiled faintly and didn't respond to the question.

Director of the Eastern Depot?

It sounds impressive, but it's actually a hot potato.

The Eastern Depot was staffed by Empress Yang's people. As a eunuch of Consort Xie, he was parachuted in. How could his subordinates not make things difficult for him?

But he had no choice.

Consort Xie needed a trustworthy person to plant a spy in the Eastern Depot, while he needed the Eastern Depot's power to pave the way for himself.

It's simply a matter of each getting what they need.

"General Zhang, we have a favor to ask Miss Zhang for help."

Zhang Miaozhen stood quietly behind her father, listening to the two talking.

Suddenly called out by name, she slightly raised her phoenix eyes and looked at Li Fan.

"Eunuch Gao, please tell me if there's anything I can help with. I'll do my best to help if it's within my power."

Her voice was clear and crisp, without the slightest hesitation.

Li Fan got straight to the point: "You've heard about my family going to work for the Eastern Depot."

"The Eastern Depot, from the chief to the agents, is basically staffed by Empress Yang."

"If our family is parachuted in, we're likely to face a lot of difficulties."

"So we would like to ask Miss Zhang to come and help us, to be our bodyguard, and to help us with some things."

"Of course, you won't work for free. Your compensation will be based on the standards for a commander of the Eastern Depot. What do you say?"

Zhang Miaozhen did not answer immediately.

Although she wasn't one of those pedantic scholars, she didn't have that deep-seated aversion to the Eastern Depot.

But they also knew what kind of place it was: fabricating charges, using torture to extract confessions, and monitoring officials—all shady dealings.

Zhang Miaozhen is upright and honest, and disdains associating with those lackeys and traitors.

But she swallowed the words back down her throat.

"Alright, Grandpa Gao, I promise you."

Ultimately, I owe this father-in-law too much; I can only repay his life-saving grace with boundless gratitude.

A hint of satisfaction flashed in Li Fan's eyes as he smiled:

"Miss Zhang is so kind. Once we've settled things in the Eastern Depot, we'll send someone to pick you up."

"it is good."

Li Fan exchanged a few more pleasantries with Zhang Xuan before taking his leave.

Zhang Xuan stood there watching the carriage disappear into the distance, the smile on his face slowly fading, replaced by a complex expression.

"Miaozhen".

"Father, what's wrong?" Zhang Miaozhen asked her father.

Zhang Xuan sighed: "I don't know whether relying on Consort Xie and following this Eunuch Gao is a blessing or a curse."

"But now that things have come to this, we have no other choice."

He turned around, his gaze falling on his daughter's face, his eyes filled with guilt and reluctance:

"Miaozhen, after I go to Liaodong, I will try my best to achieve more military merits."

"As long as your father continues to win battles outside, the Imperial Concubine will continue to protect you and your mother."

"While I'm away from the capital, you should stay close to this Eunuch Gao."

"This person... is not simple."

Zhang Xuan carefully considered his words and slowly said:

"He came from a humble background and was very young, yet he managed to establish himself in such a short time and even became the head of the Eastern Depot."

"I've never seen many people with such cunning and scheming in all my years in the court."

"It's a pity he was a eunuch. If he were a normal person, he would surely become a powerful minister in the future."

Zhang Miaozhen withdrew her gaze and nodded to her father:

"Father, go to Liaodong without worry. I'll take care of things at home."

Zhang Xuan reached out and patted his daughter's shoulder, his eyes filled with relief:

"Good, with you saying that, I can rest assured."

……

Chengqian Palace, sleeping quarters.

The flickering candlelight filled the entire hall with a warm and inviting atmosphere.

Li Fan knelt in the hall and recounted the entire story of the Ministry of Justice's prison case.

"Your Majesty, Cao Mo is dead, and His Highness the Prince of Wei has also received the decree and is obediently staying in prison, not daring to cause any more trouble."

Leng Shuangqiu stood aside, and after listening, her eyes were filled with a complex mix of emotions, as if a bottle of mixed feelings had been spilled.

He strangled a third-rank official, the Prefect of Jingzhao, and coerced a prince into giving false testimony.

Even if one is a peak fourth-rank martial artist, one would hesitate repeatedly before taking action in such a situation.

It's not a question of whether or not to kill, it's a question of whether or not we dare to kill.

Killing Cao Mo would be tantamount to completely severing ties with these forces, making it a fight to the death.

But this young eunuch, who had only been in the palace for five days, was killed without hesitation, without even blinking an eye.

Leng Shuangqiu suddenly couldn't understand this person anymore.

He was clearly just a poor, pedantic scholar whose future had been ruined by the imperial examinations, and his hands were stained with blood, yet he was calmer than any assassin she had ever seen.

This person has something much deeper hidden in his bones than she imagined.

Consort Xie leaned back on the soft couch, and after listening, a slight smile appeared on her lips.

Today she was wearing a moon-white nightgown, the fabric as thin as a cicada's wing, the neckline slightly open, revealing a section of her fair collarbone and a deep shadow.

She looked at Li Fan kneeling in the hall, her eyes filled with nothing but satisfaction.

"Gao Jin, your trip to the Eastern Depot won't go smoothly this time. The Empress's people will definitely make things difficult for you."

"Especially Feng Bao, the chief eunuch in charge of the Eastern Depot, he was no pushover."

"He operated in the Eastern Depot for many years. Although he didn't achieve anything remarkable, he had a deep foundation."

"It won't be easy for a parachuted-in admiral like you to gain a foothold in the Eastern Depot."

"I don't have many people in the Eastern Depot, so I can't help you much."

"If you have any ideas, or if you need my help, please feel free to speak up."

Li Fan felt a warmth in his heart.

Of course, he knew that this warmth came at a price.

Consort Xie is making an investment, betting on whether she can take control of the Eastern Depot on her behalf.

"Your Majesty, among the Imperial Guards who accompanied me on these two trips out of the palace, there were a few quite good soldiers."

"Especially that Chen Tie, he's bold and reliable."

"This servant wishes to request Your Highness to transfer them here to serve by my side."