The Empress's No.1 Lackey

Princess Wen Zhu's throat felt parched.

She wanted to say something but was again interrupted by Xu Zhenguan with a smile.

"It's okay, no need to explain. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with it. If it weren't for my talent in cultivation, having been recognized by the Taia Sword, and possessing a fairly strong cultivation, I wouldn't even compare to you, Aunt. You have played the role of a Princess very well…"

"When you were in the Western Regions, you used your identity as a Princess to become a bond between Yu Country and the Buddhist ancestral court, as well as with those major tribes of the Western Regions, thereby maintaining your status.

Now, you're doing the same thing as before, wanting to become the bond between me, the Empress, and the Eight Princes…

This is… heh, according to Zhao Douan's terms, it's 'path dependence.' He always comes up with some peculiar, yet apt words."

Xu Zhenguan's smile deepened a bit and said,

"But Yu Country and the Western Regions are ultimately different, Aunt. You've been outside for too long and perhaps have already forgotten the cruelty here. How could I want to stir up major conflict with my uncles?

It is just that the situation pushes people to act, it's inevitable, just like when Chen Jiuyan took a seat at the chess stall in Yellow Court Alley, wanting to leave has already become nearly impossible."

Princess Wen Zhu fell silent.

At this moment, her mind suddenly recalled what Mr. Lin had said to her not long ago at the mouth of a lane in East City.

Yu Country and the Western Regions are different.

Therefore, her approach to winning over the people, based on how she did it in the Western Regions, was wrong.

Therefore, her attempt to play the "middleman" and ease the tensions between the Empress and the Eight Princes, using the same methods as before, was also wrong.

She made the same mistake twice in one day.

They were pointed out by both Mr. Lin and her niece. From this perspective, the two were really well-matched.

And herself... seemed to have indeed thought too naively of the royal family's blood and gore.

"Alright, Aunt," Xu Zhenguan suddenly smiled again, pulling her up,

"I've said it, we won't talk about those things tonight. I'll take you to see the palace I've prepared for you."

Princess Wen Zhu gave a wry smile, "Actually..."

Xu Zhenguan pulled her outside, the white-robed Empress seemingly floating into the snow like a fairy,

"By the way, the date for the Buddhist debate has been set. It's in two days, just outside Divine Dragon Temple. Would you like to join me to watch the spectacle?

Heh, if it weren't for giving face to the Dharma King of the Western Regions, I wouldn't have allowed it. But for this debate, they shouldn't expect too many commoners to come and watch."

Princess Wen Zhu sighed softly, smiling as she said,

"I'd like to change into another dress first. I got quite muddy outside."

Xu Zhenguan released her hand with a smile, summoning a lady-in-waiting over,

"Take Princess Wen Zhu to change her clothes; she can wear mine for now."

Once everyone had left, Xu Zhenguan's smile slowly faded, and she turned to a familiar-looking eunuch waiting at the door asking,

"Mo Chou isn't here?"

The eunuch replied respectfully, "Mo Zhaorong went to look for the waiting chess adjudicator."

Xu Zhenguan nodded and commanded,

"Send an order to the Imperial Court, investigate that Lin Ke. Quietly, don't make it too obvious. Also, spread the news of the chess victory over the Western Regions people. Hmph, if those bald monks want fame, give them fame."

"Yes."

"Wait," Xu Zhenguan suddenly spoke again, hesitating slightly,

"Has Zhao Douan done anything these past few days?"

"The servant hasn't heard. Mr. Zhao has been recuperating at home these days and hasn't made an appearance."

"How is his chess skill?"

"This... the servant has no idea."

"Hmm..." Xu Zhenguan thought for a moment and said,

"When you go to the Imperial Court, find out if Mr. Zhao is at home today. If not, find out where he's gone, and whether anyone from Lihua Hall has gone out today… No need to make a big fuss about it, have Ma Yan quietly investigate."

The eunuch was surprised, "Your Majesty, could you suspect that the chess player who defeated the Western Regions person is..."

Xu Zhenguan said irritably, "I told you to go, don't prattle on."

"The servant understands, and will go immediately." The eunuch shrank his neck and scurried off.

The white-robed Empress stood in the corridor, her expression full of uncertainty as she murmured softly,

"You can't possibly be this astonishing at playing chess as well, can you? Surely not..."

Reason told her it was unlikely, but the memory of that fellow's many maneuvers made her somewhat unsure again.

In the backyard of Zhao Mansion.

A figure "swooshed" over the wall and then cautiously surveyed the surroundings with full alertness.

Dodging the gaze of the house servants and the several watchdogs guarding the estate, he stealthily crossed the rooftops, pushed open the room door, and rolled inside.

"Phew, finally back home."

Zhao Douan closed the door, glanced at the extinguished brazier in the room, and the chill within, and muttered,

"It looks like no one has been in here."

This morning he had instructed the servants in the mansion that he would be in closed-door cultivation and should not be disturbed.

Returning over the wall now was also to conceal his whereabouts as much as possible.

"Unfortunately, the incident got a bit out of hand, Zhenbao must have already heard something. Next, many people in the city will be looking for Lin Ke, who doesn't exist... At most I can hide it for a day or two, but in three days' time, I'm afraid my cover will be blown..."

Zhao Douan took off his outer garment, sat at the table, and murmured with resignation,

"It's not my fault, really. If things hadn't gotten out of control, no one would've made such a big fuss investigating me..."

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Zhao Douan pulled the storage scroll from his bosom with a flick of his wrist.

"Whoosh—"

Instantly, dozens of thick scriptures fell onto the round table, piling up into a small mountain.

He grabbed one at random, its touch cold to the fingers; on the cover were the large characters "The Karanda Gold Sutra."

Zhao Douan's mouth twitched almost as if grinding his teeth, "Zhang truly is 'thoughtful'."

The interception by Zhong Pan was not accidental.

After the encounter with the Little Heavenly Master, they had sat in a nearby shop, and Zhao Douan was not surprised at all that Jin Jian's "Senior Brother" could see through his disguise at a glance.

As for how he recognized the other person, he owed it to the portrait of Zhong Pan he had obtained from Jin Jian during a visit to the Heavenly Master Mansion that day.

That day, he hadn't been able to meet with Old Wang... no, Zhang... no, Old Heavenly Master Zhang Yan Yi.

Nor had he met Zhong Pan, but unexpectedly ran into him today.

Considering the intelligence that this fearsome Senior Brother had helped him during the battle at Yansuo Lake, Zhao Douan eagerly expressed his thanks.

He had intended to "arrange" a meeting with him and maybe listen to a tune in the Rouge Alley afterward, but Zhong Pan just smiled and said he was on orders from Zhang Yan Yi.

He had come to deliver a batch of scriptures to him and to inform him of the exact time of the Buddhist debat in two days.

"Although I'm not sure what my master intends for you to do with these texts, he said you might need them," Zhong Pan had said, smiling.

In the room.

Zhao Douan looked at the small mountain of scriptures and sighed softly,

"So you're the one who can divine and reason, huh?"

Obviously, Zhang Yan Yi, skilled at deduction and divination, had already anticipated that Zhao Douan might stir up trouble at the debating scripture event.

As the leader of the Heavenly Master Mansion, who was very keen to see the Buddhist sect embarrassed, Zhang Yan Yi was very proactive in assisting.

Zhao Douan then opened another book titled "Debating Scripture Intelligence," a corner of his mouth twitching.

Alright, this one was simply handwritten, detailing the upcoming theme of the debating scripture event, the likely course of arguments for both sides, and even references such as guides to the past works of the "Holy Monk," the Red Sect Mage.

"Old Zhang, you really think highly of me..."

Zhao Douan murmured softly, but his mouth began to curl into a slow smile.

To make a splash at this debating scripture event, or not? Yama Zhao, known for his eye-for-an-eye philosophy, had already intended to do so.

"So Bodhisattva Long Shu wants to pick a fight with me, huh? Da Jing Master, you dare to try assassinating me, huh? Red Sect Master, your Western Regions Ancestral Court is accepting Da Jing's pledge, huh? And that old nun Prajna... you want to bed me, is that it?"

"A gentleman's revenge, from dawn till dusk, you really think you can get away with an attempted assassination of me? I hadn't quite figured out how to handle it yet, but since you've provoked me, don't blame this official for being ruthless."