The Empress's No.1 Lackey-Chapter 363 - 308, Magic God Sect’s Ambush, Empress’s Arrangement

The Commandery Princess left as quietly as she came.

Due to being busy handling the case's aftermath, Taicang Prefecture had no time for farewells.

That day, with the assistance of two hundred Iron Cavalry, Governor Sun stabilized the situation and came to seek Zhao Douan for a deep discussion about the future that evening.

The next day, as the weather cleared, Zhao Douan, under the complex gazes of the local officials, stood up to begin his journey back.

He had arrived with four carriages and was returning to the Capital in the same manner.

The only difference was, the Commandery Princess was no longer with him, replaced instead by two prisoner carts that confined the former governor Gao Lian and County Magistrate Wang Chusheng.

"Clatter clatter…"

At the city gate, he watched the imperial envoy team leave Taicang Prefecture under the escort of the cavalry, heading north back to the Capital.

The officials, led by Sun Xiaozhun, simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief.

"From here, who knows how His Majesty will decree the punishment."

Liu the Inspector, not yet reinstated, wore a worried frown, fearful that the Empress, in a rage, might directly order his punishment for oversight.

Fortuitously benefiting from trouble and recognizing achievements, the worst-case for Sun Xiaozhun, who made amends, was having his merits offset his demerits. He humphed and said,

"Mr. Liu, you are already of advanced age. If I were you, I would early draft a memorial to Her Majesty to resign, to retreat as a way to advance and save your late career."

Resignation… Liu Ji tugged at his beard, silently contemplating.

Sun Xiaozhun couldn't be bothered with him, instead, on an autumn morning, he stood with his sleeves draped, watching the departing carriages, his eyes filled with worry:

Will Gao Lian really be successfully prosecuted once he enters the Capital?

"Let's return to the city."

Governor Sun shook his head, ceasing his thoughts, and turned to step into the towering gateway.

…

…

On the southern official road.

The Commandery Princess and her entourage had left the jurisdiction of Taicang Prefecture, heading forward on the clear path to the Huai River.

"Giddyup." Dressed in a plain robe, Lv Qingfeng himself acted as the coachman, the carriage gently swaying.

Maid Lv Shui, hugging her arms, her little head leaned against a corner of the carriage, dozing off sleepily.

Xu Junling, however, could neither sleep nor rest, thinking:

"At this time, Mr. Zhao should be setting off too."

Having left home for a long while, with many experiences in the Capital and a stay in Taicang Prefecture, many of his gains were surprisingly related to the Empress's rumored boyfriend.

"Telling father and brother once I get back, father might waver once again."

Shaking his head, Xu Junling cleared away his mixed thoughts.

Opening a bundle packed with books, intending to read to ease his boredom, he randomly picked up the "Taicang Geographical Records."

"… Who gives this as a gift…"

Xu Junling couldn't help critiquing a second time but then flipped it open, only to be startled.

Between the pages, hidden was a piece of paper.

Xu Junling's delicate fingertips picked up the ink-written white paper, and then froze; it was a poem.

Was this poem written by that man? So, giving the book was false, while presenting poetry as a farewell was true?

The Commandery Princess, considering herself not inferior to present-day scholars, sat up straight, and read in a low voice.

"Mountain Journey"

Upon a slanting stone path up the cold mountain, deep in the white clouds, there's a home.

Stop the cart to love amidst the maple woods at dusk, where frosty leaves are redder than February flowers.

The carriage "clattered" along the official road, outside the window were rolling mountains, and the autumn morning's mist lingered on the high mountains, faintly revealing the winding stony path entering the clouds.

With an autumn breeze passing, the crimson maples across the mountains fell like a downpour, halting the horses to make… Eh?

Xu Junling's fingers holding the poem trembled, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes:

"This character must be wrong…"

Then realizing the likely meaning, his cheeks suddenly blushed.

"Commandery Princess?" Lv Shui rubbed her sleepy eyes, her expression puzzled.

Xu Junling crumpled up the paper, grinding his teeth:

"When I get back, I'll tell the Empress…"

…

…

Those who often traveled knew well.

The same journey, the departure and the return, gave a very different sense of time.

Leaving for the Capital felt slow, absorbing the scenery.

Returning to the Capital, however, seemed much quicker.

With the Commandery Princess no longer there to chat and jest, Zhao Douan suddenly found it tasteless, spent most days secluded in the carriage, devoting most of his time to meditation.

"… Working surely delays cultivation, once I report back, I have to make up for the missed lessons…"

"It's strange, I have been promoted to Divine Chapter for some time now, yet I still can't see what exactly is in the second 'Nine Chapter Diagram'... Indeed, the higher the realm, the harder the cultivation becomes…"

"Sigh, I should remain calm. For the important things in life, one shouldn't rush, but consider cycles of 'three years', 'five years', 'ten years'... This is the correct mindset and method for approaching tasks. As they say, if you want to harvest a tree in ten years, plant it now…"

"Eh, another day missing Dual Cultivation... Zhenbao, I don't want to try anymore…"

Inside the carriage.

Zhao Douan let out a long sigh, ending his meditation for the day, and massaged his face, already missing the Capital although he hadn't left it long ago.

Really...

"My lord, something's not right!" Suddenly outside the carriage curtain, Qian Kerou's voice sounded somewhat anxious.

At the same time, the carriage began to slow, and noises of disturbance arose outside.

Zhao Douan withdrew his thoughts and used his sword scabbard to lift the curtain, half-sticking out:

"What is it…"

Before he could finish, he froze.

In the middle of the wilderness, between heaven and earth, a dense fog had suddenly arisen!

The fog appeared from nowhere, initially just forming, but within a few breaths, it visibly thickened.

The caravan had originally been traveling on the long official road, but within moments, thick fog had swallowed everything around it.

Visibility sharply decreased.

"Hiss, hiss..."

The surrounding escort horses, troubled, stamped their hooves, letting out low neighs, seemingly restless.

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"Alert! Form a circular formation!"

Deputy General Yuan Xingjun shouted loudly from atop his horse, having already drawn his sword from its sheath, pointing to the sky, and loudly commanding.

A group of fierce soldiers quickly surrounded a few of the carriages in the team, dismounted, drew their swords one after another, and formed a defensive formation, vigilantly staring at the rolling white fog.

Inside the prison carriage, Gao Lian was also awakened.

He looked around uncertainly, the shackles on his body clanking loudly, seemingly very surprised.

"Mr. Zhao, something is not right. At this hour, how could there be such dense fog?"

Imperial Censor Chen Hong's expression was grave as he came closer.

Hou Renmeng gripped the handle of his sword, tense as if facing a great enemy,

"Magic! This is not a normal weather phenomenon; only magic could accomplish this!"

Zhao Douan jumped down from the carriage, a heavy heart upon hearing this,

"Are you saying there is a magician nearby? Can you discern anything?"

Shen Juan also "zipped" drew his sword, facing away from them, vigilantly looking outside, and quickly said,

"There are complex types of magic in the world. It's hard to identify, but to set up such dense fog quickly in the outskirts, the government office had a similar record. In the archives of that case, it was just like today!

The practitioner was a Divine Chapter Mage from the Magic God Sect, known in Jianghu as 'Fog Ghost', who had a Suppressing Object that could create a war fog, purportedly worshipping the deity 'Fog Master'..."

Qian Kerou's complexion slightly changed,

"I've also read that archive. It's said that the fog spread by the Magic God Sect's Fog Ghost, like a maze, once trapped inside, one must keep to their original place and avoid venturing out separately to search for a way, otherwise they will fall into 'cognitive barrier,' unable to find their way back.

However, it's said that Fog Ghost is not skilled in killing, only trapping enemies. Thus, each time he moves, he works along with another Magic God Sect magician who can control the heavily troublesome Vine Armor Men!"

Magic God Sect?

The largest group of magicians in Jianghu?

Zhao Douan's brows furrowed tightly, his hand already on the Cold Frost Sword at his waist, rapidly analyzing in his mind, guessing whether the target was himself or Gao Lian.

Kuangfu Society? Or Eight Princes? Or some aristocratic family?

"Shh, shh, shh..."

Before he could think it through, a rustling sound suddenly rang near everyone's ears, accompanied by an exclamation,

"Vines! There are vines coming through the fog!"

Zhao Douan steadied his gaze to see, from the center of the caravan, in all directions, countless vines spreading like tidal waters from within the fog.

Soon after, vague humanoid shadows gradually emerged from the fog.

There were more than ten, coming from different directions.

Once their true appearances became visible, it involuntarily made people gasp in shock—they were "strange people" entirely covered in vine armor.

They held swords and were a size bigger than ordinary people.

"Vine Armor Men! It's the Magic God Sect coming to intercept us!" Shen Juan exclaimed.

I knew it... A trip out of the capital wouldn't be peaceful... Why did these people wait for my return journey to appear?

Was it just in time, or because I had guards from the Royal Mansion with me earlier?

Zhao Douan took a deep breath, a thin layer of frost covering his wrist, about to order a counterattack.

However, just at that critical moment.

Suddenly, all the Vine Armor Men simultaneously stopped, standing still.

Then they let out sharp, angry, and panic-mixed sounds.

Soon after, under the astonished gazes of everyone, the Vine Armor Men about to launch an attack turned around and swiftly fled into the fog.

The vines sprawling across the ground also "rustled" and rapidly retracted.

"What's going on?"

Imperial Censor Chen Hong cowered inside the carriage, this time poking his head out, "Does the archive record what kind of attack this is?"

Shen Juan's expression froze, and he shook his head, indicating there was no record.

Qian Kerou analyzed,

"Could this be luring the enemy deep? Maybe they want to trick us into chasing after them to investigate, thus splitting us up. Don't forget, getting trapped in this fog, we would lose our way back!"

Hmm, the naive secretary is quite responsive at crucial times... As a "Divine Chapter" realm, Zhao Douan, with keen perception, clearly sensed the hostility swiftly disappearing...

"Do not pursue, wait a bit."

He spoke gravely, choosing caution over risk.

...

...

Meanwhile.

Within the fog, about a mile away from the caravan, in a certain mountain hollow,

An emaciated, dressed in a wild Taoist robe, an old man, sat cross-legged, hands suspended in front of him, with fingers hanging down thin lines of blue smoke.

Each line connected to a palm-sized Vine Armor Man on the ground.

At that moment, the old Taoist's eyes were filled with fear, feeling the faint but present killing intent all around, crazily manipulating_the Vine Armor Men to fall back, frantically running towards him from afar.

"Crack." However, the next second, a crisp sound of stepping on vines sounded behind the old Taoist.

Immediately, before he could react, a palm gently pressed on top of the Magic God Sect assassin's head.

The old Taoist's skull burst open instantly, with red and white splattering out, dropping straight down in the hollow, the emerald vines spreading across the ground instantly withered.

Those frantically retreating Vine Armor Men also suddenly stiffened, lost life, and disintegrated into sand.

"Hmph, a bunch of weaklings, how dare they act rashly."

The owner of the hand sneered, slowly retracting it.

That was a person clad in a cloak, slightly hunched, with a black hood covering his head.

At that moment, the mysterious person slowly adjusted the hood, revealing a face full of wrinkles, yet with eyes as clear as a child's.

Eunuch Hai, across the thick fog, glanced in Zhao Douan's direction, muttering,

"She really calculated it right for Her Majesty."

Then, the old eunuch turned around, narrowed his eyes, gauging the direction with martial artist's intuition, and slowly stepped forward:

"Hehe, no one shall escape."