The Empress's No.1 Lackey-Chapter 262 - 230, promoted four levels, the Empress’s Imperial Sword

"Are we leaving already?"

Zhao Douan opened his mouth but did not voice the question.

He realized that he would not have the chance to meet with Heavenly Master Zhang today.

However, remembering that he had managed to handle both disciples of the master, he felt no regret.

He immediately stepped forward, blending in with the crowd of court servants, following the Empress as she left.

…

Deep within the courtyard.

The large banyan tree swayed in the wind, making a mysterious, distant rustling sound, as if each leaf bore the weight of the ages.

Zhang Yan Yi stood with his hands behind his back, gazing in the direction outside the courtyard, as if admiring the scenery.

Jin Jian, leaning on her cheek, sat on her little stool, her long hair cascading down her back, her gaze unfocused as she murmured:

"Master, I still don’t understand what Zhao Douan explained. What did Fifth Brother understand?"

The Old Heavenly Master, tall and draped in a soft, floor-length dark priest robe, replied indifferently:

"He understood what he needed to understand and said what he needed to say."

Jin Jian lifted her head and glanced at the old man, suddenly poking him in the rib:

"Master, are you also pretending not to understand, just to confuse me with profound statements?"

"..."

Zhang Yan Yi sighed and said in a solemn voice:

"You should learn from Zhao Douan how to speak with your elders."

The young girl, attacked for her low emotional intelligence, hugged herself and sulkily drew circles on the ground with one foot:

"I can’t learn that."

The Old Heavenly Master’s face showed helplessness as he thought about his disciples.

The older ones were somewhat better, but the younger ones were each more troublesome than the last.

Seeing the dispirited girl, he didn’t have the heart to scold her, and could only sigh:

"Never mind, go out and find your Fifth Brother."

Jin Jian looked up, puzzled: "Bring him here?"

"No," Zhang Yan Yi said indifferently:

"He’s been causing a ruckus. Order him to copy the Heavenly Book a hundred times, and he won’t get his monthly salary either."

Hmm, listening to one conversation exceeds countless lectures from the master…okay, very well.

"Oh."

Jin Jian quickly got up and floated out like a ghost, fearing she might also lose her wages.

…

Inside the royal carriage on the way back to the palace.

Zhao Douan once again had the opportunity to ride with the Empress.

For some reason, this time, the way the Empress looked at him made him uneasy.

"Your Majesty?"

Zhao Douan, feeling nervous, couldn’t help but call out softly:

"Did you summon me here to give me an order?"

Today, dressed as a Taoist nun, with bright red vermillion on her forehead and wearing a blue outer robe, her skin fair and radiant, the Empress with her aloof demeanor pursed her lips, her mind still replaying the earlier scene.

She was quite unfamiliar with the "knowledge" Zhao Douan had explained to her and didn’t really understand it.

But since Gongshu Tianyuan was so passionate about it, it must have some commendable aspects.

Initially, she was impressed that he could provide strategies for governing the country.

Now, to her surprise, he could also offer many insights in the realm of the Artisan God.

Xu Zhenguan wanted to ask how he managed that.

But after a moment’s thought, knowing that the answer would probably be something like random pondering, she found it uninteresting and attributed it to genius.

Such people were not uncommon in the long history.

Like herself, for instance.

But someone like Zhao Douan, with his "universal talents," was different.

Now, recalling their earlier meeting in the carriage, mentioning Gongshu Tianyuan,

she had said that man was difficult to approach, thinking this member of the Little Forbidden Army was daydreaming of affiliations.

Then, being suddenly called upon, she sharply snapped back to the present.

"Yes… I indeed have an issue I’d like to entrust to you."

Xu Zhenguan seemed to have made a decision.

"Please speak, Your Majesty. I am willing to die a thousand deaths for you," Zhao Douan quickly expressed his loyalty.

Xu Zhenguan slightly smiled, playing with a brocaded box in her hand, which contained a top-grade Green Pill crafted by the Heavenly Master Mansion.

However, this pill was meant for her level of cultivation, and Zhao Douan could not use it yet.

Her soft, fair hand brushed over the box as she spoke casually:

"That said, you’ve been gaining merits recently. Although I’ve rewarded you with some items, they’re but external belongings, while your official rank and status should also be adjusted."

Zhao Douan froze, caught off-guard by the sudden announcement, and asked in astonishment:

"Your Majesty, are you promoting me?"

"You’re unwilling?" Xu Zhenguan teased with a smile:

"I’ve heard that many in the Capital mention your mere sixth-rank position. In my view, promoting you to a Standard Fourth Rank Commander is quite fitting."

Standard Fourth Rank!

What concept was that?

He knew that local Magistrates were fourth-rank, the same as the Chief of the Imperial College.

Zhao Douan was dumbfounded. There were eighteen ranks in the Great Yu official system, including both major and minor ranks.

The Imperial Decree Department was a sixth-rank military position, and now leaping to Standard Fourth Rank meant crossing three levels—

No, to be precise, it was four levels!

What kind of promotion speed was this?

Usually, except in war, promotions among military officers were slow, step by step.

It had been just barely three months since Zhao Douan became a Master?

For anyone else, they wouldn’t even be settled in yet, but he was being promoted again.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Zhao Douan took a deep breath, but since it was inconvenient in the carriage, he could only clasp his fists in a salute.

Well... although he didn’t mind kneeling on one knee or something...

Xu Zhenguan’s lips curved slightly, her white fingers gliding over the brocade box, much like caressing a cat, yet blocking the flattering words that accompanied him:

"Less flattering appearance, I promote you, but it’s not for nothing."

Zhao Douan was stunned, then remembered that the Empress had promoted him to the position of "Commander Deputy."

Belonging to the same military officer rank, it was the deputy to the third-rank Commander.

A Commander typically had under him a regular troop of five thousand soldiers...

"Where does Your Majesty wish to assign me? I feel quite comfortable in the Imperial Decree Department..."

Zhao Douan tentatively said.

He thought, surely he wasn’t being promoted in place as Ma Yan’s deputy.

That seemed like there wouldn’t be any real change.

Xu Zhenguan glanced at this cunning fellow and said, somewhat amused:

"Rest assured, Lihua Hall is still yours, your position at the White Horse Hall remains, and this role as Commander Deputy is not actually for you to serve as a military officer... It’s just to facilitate a task."

The Great Yu Dynasty was not short of ordinary military officers, obviously Xu Zhenguan wouldn’t waste such a useful tool by having him manage military affairs.

Whew... that scared me, all the hard work I had established in the Imperial Decree Department… Zhao Douan thought in doubt:

"What does Your Majesty wish for me to handle?"

Xu Zhenguan looked serious, placing the box aside:

"Do you still remember the case of the firearm craftsmen?"

She sighed lightly:

"At that time, clues led to officials in the Privy Council suspected of allying with Prince Jing Mansion; I ordered Xue Shence to investigate, and I’m very dissatisfied with the results."

Zhao Douan perked up:

"Does Your Majesty want me to go to the Privy Council and root out the traitor allied with Prince Jing Mansion?"

Xu Zhenguan shook her head and said:

"The Privy Council has already been alerted, going there wouldn’t be meaningful. But the case of the firearm craftsmen couldn’t have been handled by just two or three people; I suspect there’s a whole nest of rats and snakes.

So, I plan to send you to the Divine Mechanism Camp to look for clues to see if anything can be discovered. It’s just right, you have many achievements, and being appointed as Commander Deputy, hanging a position in the military for a while is also fitting."

The Divine Mechanism Camp... the source of the firearm craftsmen’s disappearance case... also where Zhang Changji served... under the "Capital Camp," responsible for guarding the Capital... along with the Imperial Decree Department, both belong to the "imperial guard"...

Well, one annoying thing is.

After moving, the commuting distance definitely increased... probably even farther than from my old house to Capital Camp...

Zhao Douan’s mind flashed with relevant information, he exhaled silently and smiled:

"Your Majesty commands, I will do my utmost."

Well, it’s just a few days of grandstanding...

"Only... after so long, I fear any leads have already been lost." Zhao Douan frowned.

He hadn’t forgotten that the case of the firearm craftsmen had been investigated for a long time by Ma Yan leading the Imperial Decree Department, later Xue Shence continued for another two months.

The mole allied with Prince Jing Mansion, foolish as he was, would still likely have covered his tracks by now.

Two words:

Difficult task!

Xu Zhenguan’s delicate eyebrows also slightly furrowed, knowing the task was arduous.

It was also because Zhao Douan had been effective in catching the mole within the Imperial Decree Department that she held some hope now.

She earnestly said:

"I know this task is difficult, even more so than when I sent you to the Imperial Decree Department, as the military is highly exclusive. Even if you are from the imperial guard background, you might still be targeted.

Thus, I do not demand specific results from you, do as much as you can.

Furthermore, I give you the authority of an internal supervisor. If anyone obstructs you, you just need to report their name.

For those below Standard Fourth Rank, I will ask you no reasons; just report the name, and I will dismiss them from their office!"

Just write the name, and they’re dismissed!

No questions asked!

Zhao Douan’s eyes brightened, this was practically an Imperial Sword; he confirmed:

"Dismissing them requires no evidence?"

Xu Zhenguan looked at him smilingly, nodding in agreement:

"Below fourth-rank, no evidence is needed; for fourth-rank and above, if there is evidence, your actions will also be facilitated. Even if Xue Shence appeals directly to me, it will still be the same. How about that?"

Strangely, a chilling aura wafted through the carriage.

Zhao Douan suddenly realized that after consolidating her control over the court, the Empress was finally freeing up her hand to move against the military generals.

And he was undoubtedly that perfect spearhead.

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Zhao Douan felt a surge of vigor for no apparent reason; in his mind, he envisioned the scene of meeting glances with Xue Shence during the small imperial faction meeting.

"Your servant, acknowledges the decree!"

Zhao Douan exhaled and said, immediately following up:

"Your Majesty, may I ask when the appointment will be issued?"

Xu Zhenguan smiled faintly, a vision of radiant splendor, yet she did not reply.

...

...

Privy Council.

As Great Yu’s highest military institution, this government office had an aura starkly different from that of civilian bureaucracies.

From a distance, a solemn intent was evident.

In the main hall, a massive horizontal calligraphy banner splashed with ink depicted a scene of thousands of horses galloping and troops breaking through in a battlefield.

On all four sides, wooden racks held military tomes.

The desks were equipped with brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, all arranged in strict order.

Not a single item out of place.

The clerks inside knew well that their Secretariat Envoy lord was strict in military discipline, especially in the details.

At this moment, praised as "Great Yu’s Military God", with cultivation and official status both extraordinarily lofty.

Dressed in the bright red robe of a Second Rank military officer, his chest embroidered with a square "lion" pattern, his complexion fair, a short beard under his jaw.

Appearing about forty or fifty years of age, although no longer youthful, one could vaguely see the vigorous Xue Shence of his early days, sitting upright in a large chair, neatly perusing an official document.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps came from outside the door.

At the threshold, a pair of military boots stopped.