The Empress's No.1 Lackey-Chapter 364 - 309, I am pleased to report to Your Majesty, that I have fulfilled my mission honorably, and the Taicang case has now been clarified beyond doubt!

Eunuch Hai took a step forward and instantly disappeared from the spot.

Fog billowed up suddenly, like a ship breaking through ice, a raging fire burning through the night.

The old eunuch clad in a python robe almost left afterimages, speeding like a ghost; the war fog that could deeply ensnare Divine Chapter Cultivators seemed non-existent to him.

Soon, he approached a mountain peak and looked up to see a thick column of clouds rising continuously.

Underneath the cloud column, a short, fat, and ugly man was frantically waving a massive banner.

Sweat poured off him like rain!

Just like a flag bearer waving the banners high on a castle during a battle between two armies.

With every swing, immense amounts of fog poured out from the peculiarly patterned banner.

"Humph." Eunuch Hai, expressionless, stepped hard on the side of the mountain.

Pfft!

The magician waving the giant banner at the mountain's summit suddenly spat out blood, his eyes filled with terror, trying to flee.

But he felt powerless, collapsing like a lump of mud.

Eunuch Hai stepped onto the summit, his hand pressing down on the ugly face of the magician known as "Fog Ghost," who had also been rampant in the Jianghu for many years.

"Pop!"

Like an overripe tomato bursting open, the second body fell backward, dead!

Killing two men was as easy as drinking water.

"Jianghu ants, maybe in your next life, you'll learn to assassinate properly." Eunuch Hai took out a handkerchief, wiped his soiled palms, and was about to leave.

However, at that moment, a strong sense of crisis suddenly surged in his heart.

"Hai Chunlin."

A voice appeared out of nowhere in his mind.

The number one Tributor of the Royal Household, who decades ago had swept through the Jianghu, Eunuch Hai's pupils contracted, his hand-wiping motion pausing.

His gaze fixed on another mountain peak opposite to him, where stood a figure that seemed to have appeared out of thin air.

Between the mountains, the dense fog slowly dispersed, though it was still thick around, and the chasm between the two peaks filled like a sea of clouds.

Hai Chunlin saw a middle-aged man with a storage beard.

Storage beard and middle-aged... All these descriptors belonging to the same person.

This was a man in an unremarkable robe, with an ordinary face and a calm gaze, his slightly graying beard and long hair of the same color fluttering behind his head.

He stood with his hands behind his back, out of tune with his surroundings, neither dressed as a magician nor bearing the appearance of a martial artist.

"Magic God?" The old eunuch, whose real name was Hai Chunlin, squinted his eyes to probe the man's identity.

The man with the plain face did not deny but instead remarked with a sigh,

"The Empress has gone quite out of her way, sending you here to protect that young man. When you first left the Jianghu, I regretted not having the opportunity to learn from you, but I did not expect to encounter you here today."

Hai Chunlin sneered briefly at the head of the Magic God Sect, saying,

"Heh, you speak as if you are worthy to cross hands with me. Just a defeated dog with little cultivation, yet with an audaciously frightening tone, daring to call yourself 'Magic God.' Aren't you afraid the wind will slice your tongue? If you want to spar with me, come in your true form."

The leader of the Magic God Sect did not appear angered, smiling he said,

"Mr. Hai, first, catch my move."

As he spoke, this pinnacle figure among the Jianghu magicians waved his hand, and amid the rumbling sounds, the pervasive fog in the sky condensed into form, with a lofty, shrill cry echoing through the heavens.

Among the mountains.

A cloud-formed furious Jiao, almost a hundred zhang in size, circled the Magic God once, without any visible movement from the self-proclaimed "Magic God" magician.

The furious Jiao then opened its gaping maw, enveloping the force of nature, and crashed towards Eunuch Hai.

"Playing god and tricking ghosts!" The python-robed old eunuch spat and made a knife with his right hand, slicing through the air at a leisurely pace.

Rumble rumble rumble...

In the distance, on the official road.

"Sir, look over there!"

Qian Kerou's pretty face changed as she pointed in the direction of distant mountains.

By now, the surrounding fog had rapidly thinned, still present but allowing basic visibility.

Therefore, everyone could see clearly.

In the distant mountains, dense fog and white clouds settled, although what exactly was happening inside was unclear.

Only the faint sounds of roars, like dragons and tigers, could be heard, accompanied by a mushroom-shaped cloud slowly rising and then collapsing to the ground.

Until it dissipated without a trace.

"What's that sound, could it be fierce beasts in the mountains are fighting?"

Imperial Censor Chen Hong muttered, harboring a natural fear of wild beasts as an ordinary person.

Hou Renmeng crossed his arms, sheathed his sword, and glanced at the Imperial Censor, saying sarcastically,

"Imperial Censor Chen, why don't you guess if it's gods fighting instead?"

Zhao Douan glanced at the dissipating fog around him and the slowly flowing clouds in the distant mountains, his thoughts apparent.

A moment later, he turned and said,

"Keep moving!"

It seemed that the Magic God Sect's ambush was thwarted by a master... Strange, where did this master come from?

Zhao Douan's brows furrowed tightly and then relaxed; at this moment, he did not have the luxury to rush into the fray.

Sheathing his sword, he continued northward.

...

At the summit.

Eunuch Hai stood with his hands behind his back, in front of him lay the fog-formed Jiao split in half, slowly collapsing, and on the opposite mountain top remained but a husk of blood and bones.

"Magic God Sect..." Hai Chunlin murmured softly, his eyes heavy, and although he had destroyed the other's avatar...

This magician was unexpectedly formidable.

"I'm afraid he's not too far from the Heavenly Human Realm."

Eunuch Hai shook his head, turned around, ready to leave.

Only the hand held behind his back was seeping a pool of fresh blood.

...

...

After a minor episode, the rest of the journey went smoothly.

A few days later, another clear morning found Zhao Douan poking his head out of the carriage and gazing ahead where the towering gates of the Capital loomed close.

"We're back!"

Releasing a deep breath, a genuine smile spread across Zhao Douan's face.

He hadn't been away for long, yet there surged within him an eager impulse to socialize and meet up with acquaintances.

"Mr. Zhao, we're completely safe now," Qian Kerou and the others also revealed smiles.

Ever since the day they were ambushed, these people had been on tenterhooks.

Now, having fully entered the Capital's territory, a strong sense of security filled their hearts.

"What's there to fear? Any assassin would be out to kill me." Zhao Douan quipped.

Qian Kerou and the other Jinyi stuck out their tongues, thinking that anyone would have to step over their dead bodies first.

Yuan Xingjun and the accompanying Cavalry were exhausted from escorting them, so Zhao Douan immediately handed them a token, instructing them to rest at the nearby Divine Mechanism Camp before returning.

With the remaining distance, the Jinyi from Lihua Hall were sufficient to safely escort the two prison carts into the city.

At the city gate.

The soldiers on guard opened a small door to welcome Zhao Douan's return, avoiding the crush of the commoners entering the city.

Half a month had passed before he once again stepped onto the streets of the Capital, and Zhao Douan felt at ease, his only regret being that it was nearly mid-autumn and the city's scenery had lost some of its luster.

"Take the prisoners back to the Imperial Prison," Zhao Douan ordered as he walked through the city streets.

Qian Kerou was momentarily stunned, asking dimly,

"Aren't you going back to the government office first, Sir?"

Beside her, Shen Juan smiled slyly and said,

"Why ask? Such a big case – of course you must report to Her Majesty first."

You'd better mean a proper report... Zhao Douan smacked his lips.

The rest of the Jinyi Captains also showed knowing smiles—

In their eyes, their leader was none other than Her Majesty's bedside companion.

Having not seen him for so many days, a thorough report was certainly due.

Not bothering to explain to his subordinates, Zhao Douan approached the rear prison cart.

Ignoring Wang Chusheng, he peered through the cage's bars at Gao Lian, who had become worn and haggard after the journey, and spoke softly,

"Mr. Gao, we've arrived in the Capital."

Within the prison cart, the groggy Gao Lian opened his eyes, maintaining a seated position similar to a Buddha in meditation, looking out at the bustling streets and the distant towering bell tower.

His lips moved slightly, murmuring softly,

"The courts will clear my name."

Zhao Douan watched him for a moment, nodded, and replied with a forced smile,

"I look forward to that day."

...

After bidding farewell to the prison cart, Zhao Douan went alone by carriage, heading straight for the Imperial Palace.

Upon reaching the palace gate, the guards were surprised to see him:

"Mr. Zhao! You've returned?"

Zhao Douan smiled as he got down from the carriage, tossing the whip to the guard and stating,

"Please announce me; I have come to report back to Her Majesty."

Shortly after, a little eunuch hurriedly came out from the gate, brandishing his horsetail whisk and grinning from ear to ear,

"Her Majesty is in the inner court, I will take you there."

"Thank you for your troubles," Zhao Douan nodded.

Taking the familiar route through the palace gate, across Meridian Gate Square, and arriving at the garden known as the "inner court," he saw palace maids stationed around.

As the weather had turned cooler, the maids no longer wore boldly revealing thin gauze dresses but had switched to high-collared clothing, to Mr. Zhao's great disappointment.

It wasn't his first time at the inner court. Upon entering through the gate, he followed the winding stone paths, led by many attendants, to the deeper parts of the garden.

In the autumn, the royal garden looked desolate and somewhat decayed.

However, amidst the scenery of decay, he saw from afar a figure in a flowing white gown elegant as a celestial.

The Empress was practicing swordsmanship.

She stood in the garden, holding a wooden sword, without a hint of aura or mana upon her.

Nevertheless, as the cold sword moved through the chill air, it emitted hissing sounds, causing the grass and trees of the entire garden to sway.

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Xu Zhenguan looked as she always had, for she had sealed her own cultivation, and after practicing swordsmanship for a long time, delicate beads of sweat had formed on her tall, snowy nose.

Her forehead and cheeks were also faintly flushed.

Zhao Douan stood aside with his head bowed, admiring the Empress's sword dance. He felt as if the toil and dust of a journey of thousands of miles were cleansed away at this moment.

"Wu—"

With the final stroke, Xu Zhenguan's fair wrist gently turned, and the wooden sword went back into its scabbard.

She remained standing in place, slightly out of breath.

Zhao Douan acted quickly, taking a tray from the nearby palace maid's hand under her resentful gaze. He carried over the wooden tray, which held a clean towel and refreshing pear broth, and bowed before the Empress,

"Your Majesty..."

Xu Zhenguan had noticed his arrival early on but pretended only to see him then, her phoenix eyes quietly resting on him.

Then, her lips seemed to smile—not ostentatious, but a relieved smile after seeing him return safely after such a long absence.

Xu Zhenguan casually picked up the damp towel and wiped her face, cleaning off the sticky sweat. She also dried her hands, and then turned her head to ask with a smile,

"How did it go, Mr. Zhao?"

Zhao Douan took a deep breath, holding the tray and stated earnestly,

"To report to Your Majesty, I have completed my mission without dishonor. The case of Taicang has been thoroughly investigated and concluded!"

——

PS: Finally back in the Capital, writing familiar maps is so much more comfortable, the speed of typing has increased