The Empress's No.1 Lackey-Chapter 437 - 360, Your Majesty, the victor of the Mei Garden meeting is Zhao Douan...

This was also why the big figures rented out the venues, prepared for a prolonged battle, and planned to dine at the tavern.

Meanwhile, being top power brokers made it inconvenient for them to show up personally, but all the dignitaries in the tavern sent their subordinates to Mei Garden, relaying the debate's progress every now and then.

But how long had it been? Just the time for two cups of tea, and they were already out?

"Something's not right."

Yuann Li frowned, "With Dong Xuan and Zhengyang's scholarship, this little time is only enough to initiate the topic, arguing back and forth a couple of times. Does the Prime Minister know the reason?"

Li Yanfu replied annoyed,

"How could I know if your spies weren't aware? Yet you ask me? But it seems, there must have been an accident, the debate couldn't proceed."

That was the only possibility, but what could have forced a halt to the debate?

With both of their power and intelligence networks, why were they completely clueless?

Not only them, but the entire tavern full of dignitaries waiting for news, all stood up, discussing in astonishment.

Some couldn't wait and went out to inquire.

"Thud, thud, thud..."

Before long, several figures dashed swiftly from the distant crowd, all household servants from various families.

Two servants from Yuan Mansion and the Prime Minister's Mansion almost ran up to the third floor simultaneously, bowing with clasped hands:

"Master, the result is out."

Li Yanfu squinted, gesturing "you ask first."

Yuann Li was not polite and immediately asked:

"What happened inside? Was there an accident? What was the result? Did Grandmaster Dong win? Or Mr. Zhengyang?"

The servant from Yuan Mansion had a peculiar expression and said, "There was no debate, as soon as Zhengyang took the stage, he directly admitted defeat."

Such a thing?!

Yuann Li was utterly surprised, and the astute Li Yanfu also paused for a moment, saying,

"So it's still Dong Xuan who won."

He cared about the result first, only afterward the process, no matter why Zhengyang conceded, the most important thing was the victory itself.

The Prime Minister's guard also looked peculiar, shaking his head, saying,

"To report, Prime Minister, it was not Grandmaster Dong who won this battle. The... The one Zhengyang conceded to, was... was Zhao Douan."

Silence.

The two party leaders by the table were expressionless, caught off guard by this extremely sudden news, stunned for a while without recovering.

Zhengyang admitted defeat, but the victor was Zhao Douan?

Does this make sense?

And after hearing the complete report from the two servants, Yuann Li and Li Yanfu fell into a long silence again.

The two old rivals exchanged a glance, both saw a hint of absurdity in each other's eyes.

"Zhao Douan..."

"Again him?!"

...

...

Jizhao Temple, inside the meditation room.

The Princely Heir of Prince Heng, in his early thirties yet meticulously tended to so that his lips were red and teeth white, smiled while conversing with Princess Yunyang.

Today, his nephew specifically came to visit his aunt.

Xu Zudi had come to Jizhao Temple several times these days in the capital.

Accompanying the elder Princess Yunyang, who was confined in this nunnery, eating vegetarian food and chanting Buddha to relieve boredom.

"…Unfortunately, nephew went to plead with Your Majesty, hoping to allow Aunt to leave this place, but was mercilessly refused."

Xu Zudi sighed, apologetic, "This princely heir's words are ultimately insufficient in weight."

Princess Yunyang sat cross-legged in the meditation room, tidied her appearance for this family visit, wearing a monk's robe, rare for once displaying the demeanor of an elder, said with a stern smile,

"Xu Zhen may not let me out so easily, your Imperial Sister has a very hard heart. She keeps her gigolo for enjoyment, when did she ever care for me, this aunt? You, this elder cousin? Even if your father came, he might still have to bend to her will."

Xu Zudi sighed, "Aunt has suffered."

Suddenly, Yunyang smiled, seemingly very happy:

"But as you say, today, that Zhengyang and Dong Xuan debated, with great odds of winning, after today, Xu Zhen will have a headache. Didn't you arrange someone to report? When will they come?"

The neurotic and wanton princess was filled with anticipation in her eyes.

Xu Zudi smiled,

"Perhaps the debate hasn't reached its midpoint, but ultimately, this court will surely lose, whether it's a small loss or a big loss, that's the only difference."

With no outsiders here, the aunt and nephew spoke without much caution.

Rejoicing at Xu Zhen's misfortune was welcome news.

At this moment, a clamor was heard outside the meditation room, the elder with arms over kneecaps guarding the door pushed in, saying:

"The two Highnesses, Monk Bian Ji passed by outside, brought in by the temple's nuns, seemingly asking about the Mei Garden debate."

"Has it finished so soon?"

Xu Zudi was taken aback for a moment, then laughed,

"It seems Mr. Zhengyang won more easily than I thought."

He knew about Monk Bian Ji also going to Mei Garden.

"Bring this Palace to have a look!"

Princess Yunyang delightfully ordered, and the three exited the meditation room, following the sound to the front courtyard of the nunnery.

There they saw, Monk Bian Ji in white surrounded by a group of nuns, inquiring about the situation.

Princess Yunyang's gaze fell on the clear and handsome face of Bian Ji, her eyes brightened, her stride and posture became more graceful.

"Mage, haha, your reputation precedes you."

Xu Zudi laughed heartily approaching, and the already composed Bian Ji greeted him warmly.

He nodded with a smile towards Princess Yunyang, clasping his hands in salute:

"This humble monk greets the Great Princess."

Yunyang beamed,

"No need for formalities, Mage, hearing that you returned from Mei Garden, this Palace came to see, has it ended there?"

Monk Bian Ji nodded, with an unfazed expression, said,

"There were some variations in the meeting at Mei Garden."

Then, he described the entire process in detail, to avoid being questioned, he spoke very thoroughly, even mentioning some parts of the Heart Learning.

Most nuns were just surprised.

Xu Zudi's smile froze, a hint of bewilderment in his eyes.

"Zhao Douan... Heart Learning? Defeated Zhengyang in advance? Even made Mr. Zhengyang call him 'master'?"

Prince Heng's Princely Heir's worldview was strongly overturned, his whole being stunned.

Princess Yunyang, who was gazing intently at Bian Ji with eyes drawn, was also stunned, her joyful expression suddenly turned grim.

Her ten fingers clenched, making a crackling sound from the joints.

One cheek inexplicably felt hot, recalling the terror of Zhao Douan marching into her room long ago, threatening to slap her.

"Again him... again him..."

Yunyang's eyes reddened, looking toward the direction of the Imperial Palace with jealousy.

Jealous of her niece, Xu Zhen, why was she so lucky?

She found just one gigolo, not only unusually handsome but repeatedly shielding her from disasters, unbeatable.

Yet, as an aunt, she found so many worthless gigolos...

Why… at this moment, her jealousy erupted.

"Bodhisattva is coming..."

Suddenly, the nuns shouted around.

They saw the Bodhi Bodhisattva, skin like snow, full-bodied, holding a Jade Purifying Bottle, appearing quietly.

This Great Cultivator of the Great Yu Buddhist Sect, under the Xuan Yin, famed alongside Long Shu Bodhisattva and Da Jing Master, was full of spirit, her nearly transparent, colorless glass-like eyes fixed on Bian Ji:

"You detail Zhao Douan's Heart Learning for us to hear?"

Bian Ji was stunned, a complex look in his eyes, bowed slightly:

"Yes."

...

...

In "Little Tea Studio," today, taking advantage of Xu Zudi being out, Mrs. Xiao was openly present, enjoying warmth and food, quietly roasting an orange.

Suddenly, footsteps approached from behind, and a Xiao family confidant came over:

"Family Head, the result at Mei Garden just came out."

"Oh? Tell me." Mrs. Xiao asked with curiosity.

"Yes."

A moment later, the widowed matriarch of the Xiao family managing East Lake was taken aback, not speaking for a long time.

Not even bothering as the orange on the stove turned to charred black.

"Mr. Zhao..."

...

...

Inside the Imperial Garden of the Imperial Palace.

Xu Zhen stood quietly alone in the autumn garden.

Originally, at this time, she should have been in the Imperial Study Room handling state affairs, but today... she truly didn't have the mood.

Suddenly, a figure appeared in the distance, it was Mo Chou who hurriedly returned, passing through the scattered palace maids in the garden.

Lifting her skirt, she breathlessly ran to the back of the Empress.

"Your Majesty... The Mei Garden there, it has concluded..."

Xu Zhen didn't turn back, still standing with her back toward Mo Chou, her face was slightly surprised, "So soon."

Then, her fairy-like face not belonging to this world, her brows that seemed like distant mountains slowly relaxed,

"Very well, sooner is better, how is Grandmaster Dong?"

Not in a hurry to ask the result, but first showing concern for the Grandmaster.

This was both because the Empress had already judged the outcome and as a means to win people's hearts.

Mo Chou had a complex expression, bit her lip, said, "The Grandmaster is fine, um, Grandmaster is very well."

"That's good," Xu Zhen sighed, barely managed to curl her lips, smiling:

"Send the prepared gifts to the Grandmaster Mansion later, Grandmaster Dong, at such an age, yet for me, for the Great Yu Dynasty, he didn't hesitate to tarnish his reputation, we must not disappoint this meritorious minister."

Without the coup, Grandmaster Dong could rank among the Great Scholars for centuries.

But the debate with Mr. Zhengyang today might very well ruin his lifelong reputation.

Mo Chou said with a bitter smile, "Your Majesty, to report, the Grandmaster perhaps won't need it anymore."

"Eh?" Xu Zhen finally sensed something was amiss, turned her head bafflingly to look at Mo Chou, couldn't quite believe, tentatively asked, "Could it be, the Grandmaster did not lose?"

Considering the possibility of a draw.

Mo Chou shook her head, still a trace of bewilderment on her face, said,

"Neither, but… ah, this matter is a bit complicated, roughly speaking... that Mr. Zhengyang, a few days ago, was secretly defeated by Zhao Douan with a set of 'Heart Learning', conceded on the spot.

And even appeared to gain enlightenment, abandoning Confucian orthodoxy, turning to Heart Learning, and calling Zhao Douan 'master'…"

Maybe the story was truly hard to tell, Mo Chou's mind was also a bit cluttered, narrating haltingly, but managed to relay the entire process.

At first Xu Zhen: "…?"

Followed by Xu Zhen: "…!"

Finally Xu Zhen: "…"

Long silence.

"Your Majesty?"

Mo Chou looked at the Empress standing silently in the garden, like a jade figure, without expression, softly called, "Did this servant say it clearly?"

Xu Zhen stared woodenly at her, suddenly asked, "Where is he?"

The Empress felt a little empty; in the past, that guy would eagerly rush into the palace, eagerly showing off his deeds before her, wouldn't he?

Mo Chou said,

"He left immediately on the spot, probably went home to avoid the spotlight... um, when this servant was returning, I saw many scholars outside Mei Garden, all clamoring Zhao Douan's name."

The battle of academic disagreements, in some sense, was no less intense than court political struggles.

If in the past, Zhao Douan's actions merely provoked local scholars in the capital and brought disgrace upon himself globally among scholars.

Then after today, burdened with the "crime" of challenging orthodox Confucianism, Zhao Douan, in the eyes of most scholars worldwide, gained yet another layer of notoriety.

Xu Zhen took a deep breath, said, "Summon him in…"

Paused, then the Empress changed her words: "First summon the Grandmaster and Ma Yan into the palace, and later, you prepare, I wish to see him."

"… Yes."

...

...

The Zhao family.

After leaving the Mei Garden, Zhao Douan took advantage of the outsiders not yet receiving news, quickly slipped back home.

"Young master is back!"

A house servant opened the gate, calling out, in the courtyard Zhao Pan hurriedly came over, eyes wide, "Big brother, you're back!"