The Empress's No.1 Lackey-Chapter 366 - 311, The Counterattack of the Li Party

Tomorrow's court assembly... Zhao Douan felt an ominous chill in his heart as he discerned the potential storm approaching from the few words spoken by the Empress.

"I understand," Zhao Douan said as he bowed to take his leave, walking backward a few steps. Suddenly, he stopped and hesitated before asking,

"Your Majesty, what crime do you think will ultimately be attributed to Gao Lian?"

Xu Zhenguan gave him an unexpected glance and calmly said,

"If we follow common reasoning, this crime is second only to rebellion and should warrant immediate execution."

Common reasoning... These three words implied that there could be exceptions to the norm.

The power struggles in the court often did not simply result in 'victory' or 'defeat'; instead, they involved various factions battling and ultimately reaching some form of compromise.

For instance, even though Gao Lian had committed crimes, no matter how hard the officials from the Li Party tried, reinstatement was out of the question. However, making the execution an easy task was equally unlikely.

Even if he had engaged in rape and abduction, using his power to harm the innocent, and his hands were stained with the blood of many.

"I understand," Zhao Douan nodded, then stepped towards the exit of the palace.

Xu Zhenguan quietly watched his retreating figure, wanting to say something but ultimately closing his mouth.

He just looked up, watching the dead leaves fluttering above the garden.

He thought to himself that by this time, the news of the Taicang Prefecture case must have spread.

...

At the Imperial Court of Supervision, in the backyard of the rear office.

An elegantly handsome Yuann Li finished reviewing the accumulated documents on his desk and stood up, a bit weary, to stretch his muscles.

Big Qingyi wandered casually in front of a Curio Shelf in the room, lifting a small jade cabbage tea pet to admire.

During this autumn period, the Imperial Court of Supervision enjoyed a rare moment of tranquility.

The turmoil caused by the conflicts between Buddhist and Taoist factions in the restless court subsided as the different families tacitly ceased their fighting and stored their weapons away.

After that, due to Zhao Douan's performance in these conflicts, the Royal Faction's influence grew once again, and for a time, there was an atmosphere within the official circles of the Capital that suggested the rise of the Imperial Faction, while the Li Party and the Reformist Faction ceased their drumming.

"Sir, sir!" Suddenly, an official came running in from outside the courtyard.

Yuann Li, startled by the voice, dropped the jade cabbage back onto the Curio Shelf with a tremble and turned around, displeased, glaring at the official who entered:

"I'm not so old as to be deaf. What has happened?"

The official timidly said, "Sir, Chen Hong, the Imperial Censor Chen has returned."

The lower-ranking official didn't dare call him "Mr. Yuan."

"Hm?" Yuann Li paused, and then his eyes brightened, "Quickly, call him over."

After a short while,

The dusty Imperial Censor Chen entered, bowing with a smile:

"Mr. Yuan, this official has returned."

Yuann Li beckoned him to take a seat with a smile:

"Returning so suddenly, was your trip to Taicang smooth? Did Zhao Douan not come with you?"

"Mr. Zhao entered the palace ahead of me," said the middle-aged Imperial Censor with silver teeth embedded in his smile.

Tsk... Young people, always so impatient... the refined and elegant Big Qingyi smiled.

Only to hear Chen Hong say, "The Taicang case has been cracked; the County Magistrate, Wang Chusheng, has been captured and taken into custody. However, there have been some complications, pulling in some other individuals."

"Who?" Yuann Li did not seem surprised.

"Gao Lian, the governor of Linfeng," Chen Hong revealed the name.

Yuann Li's smile slowly stiffened on his face, as if digesting the news. His expression grew serious:

"Is it truly... him? No mistake?"

Chen Hong said, "The County Magistrate himself accused him, and there is evidence..."

He swiftly recounted the pre-prepared account of the investigation.

Upon hearing this, Yuann Li couldn't help but stand and pace back and forth in the room, exhaling lightly and murmuring,

"How could it be him... Sigh."

He sighed with a headache. The court, which had been calm for a while, was about to stir up trouble again.

...

At the Prime Minister's Mansion.

A carriage hurriedly came to a stop at the entrance, and the "Young Master" with a high-bridged nose, around forty years old, leaped out before the carriage had fully halted.

Ignoring the house servants who were saluting him, he rushed directly toward the back courtyard, shouting, "Father! Father!"

But he found no one.

"Ying Long? The Old Minister is taking a nap; please don't shout." A beautiful woman came out, she was a concubine of Li Yanfu.

She gestured with her hands, attempting to stop him.

"There's been an incident, I need to see father!" Li Yinglong, anxious and with an air of resentment, pushed past the beautiful concubine and headed for the bedroom.

In a moment, he banged on the door loudly until a voice from inside invited him in.

Li Yinglong then pushed open the door to find, inside the room bathed in the autumn noon daylight,

The Prime Minister of Great Yu, Li Yanfu, leaning back on a reclining couch.

With hair bristled like a hedgehog's back and eyebrows sharp like amethyst, his disheveled beard connected with the hair on the sides of his head.

He was wearing a loose, dark red robe fastened with white jade buttons.

He slowly sat up, supporting himself with one hand on the couch, his gaze sharp as an eagle's.

"Father..." Li Yinglong trembled without reason under the Old Minister's piercing gaze.

Li Yanfu's face was expressionless, his voice slightly anxious as he said,

"Has that Zhao Douan returned?"

Li Yinglong was taken aback, unable to conceal his surprise, "Father, you already know?"

"I guessed as much." Li Yanfu slowly straightened up, Li Yinglong hurrying over to help him carefully.

"Tell me, what's the result?" Li Yanfu's aged voice had now become slow and drawn out.

Li Yinglong said anxiously,

"Our people saw that about an hour ago, Zhao Douan entered the city with two large prison carts, one carrying the County Magistrate Wang Chusheng, and the other... it's Gao Lian!"

Li Yanfu's hand, which was resting on the bed, wrinkled and with prominent veins, suddenly clenched tight!

"Father! Those prison carts have already been taken to the Imperial Prison, and our men can't get close to gather information. The exact situation is still unclear, but we can guess the gist of it—it seems this case has implicated Gao Lian!

That Zhao Douan truly is our arch nemesis! Your initial restraint has now become his growing momentum, and he's on the verge of consuming us completely!" Li Yinglong stated.

"Shut up!"

Li Yanfu scolded, his tiger-like glare making the Young Master shudder in fear:

"Do you still have the face to talk? Have you forgotten who cleaned up your mess last time?"

Li Yinglong's momentum deflated instantly, as he said urgently:

"Father, now is not the time to talk about that. Gao Lian is finished, and he... is deeply connected with us. If he talks nonsense in prison..."

"Hmph," Li Yanfu interrupted his unworthy son with a grave voice,

"Gao Lian isn't as foolish as you. He won't talk nonsense. If I'm not mistaken, from Taicang to the Capital, he probably didn't say much on the way."

The Old Minister sat cross-legged on the couch, his gaze flickering as if contemplating strategies.

Li Yinglong hesitated,

"I trust Governor Gao, but Zhao Douan is vicious. He might have set a trap... In short, my point is, we cannot sit idly by and await our doom.

Gao Lian's silence is also an expectation for us to rescue him. If we stand by again this time, it won't matter what Gao Lian says in jail. Once the hearts of the people scatter, that will be truly fatal."

In the past few times, whether it was Pei Kaizhi or Zhou Cheng, Li Yanfu had not made a full effort to intervene.

This had already caused displeasure among the Li Party officials and the powerful families of Jiangnan. However, due to the Prime Minister's imposing reputation, their complaints were limited to mumbling.

The situation was still manageable.

But Li Yinglong knew very well that if they continued to back down, neither the Jiangnan families nor the Li Party officials would accept it.

"Father! Today we cede five cities, tomorrow ten. You said to endure the beatings and let Your Majesty let off some steam. We all did as we were told, but Your Majesty is still unrelenting. If we again fail to act this time, the people's hearts will truly scatter!"

Li Yinglong nearly begged.

"Shut your mouth!" Li Yanfu, becoming irritated, genuinely angered, terrified the Young Master into trembling silence, not daring to utter another sound.

The room fell silent.

After a long time, Li Yanfu closed his eyes, exhaled a breath, and spoke in a hoarse voice,

"Gather everyone. We shall meet here at the mansion."

Li Yinglong's head shot up, his eyes suddenly alight with excitement, "Father, are you going to..."

"Go summon them," Li Yanfu waved his hand, his demeanor exceptionally calm as he opened his eyes; his grey pupils were like ancient wells,

"We can no longer retreat."

When pushed into a corner, even a sheep will bite.

Li Yanfu clenched his fists, raised his head, and appeared to gaze through the roof toward the direction of the Imperial Palace:

Your Majesty, why must you press people so relentlessly...

...

...

At the Zhao family estate.

After lunch, Zhao Pan carried a bowl of simmered hawthorn balls and knocked on the door of the master bedroom in the east wing.

"Mother, have some fruit."

The young girl crossed the doorway, and the sunlight behind her wrapped around her waist, clad in a simple dress, spreading across the smooth wooden floor.

The afternoon sun of autumn lit up the antique furniture piece by piece.

You Jinhua, dressed in a long robe, sat on a stool embroidering, holding a round bamboo frame in her left hand to tighten the silk cloth.

Her right hand's smooth fingers pinched a needle, with a jade thimble attached.

She was currently tilting her head to use her silver teeth to cut the thread. On the silk cloth in her hands, a pair of mandarin ducks took shape.

"Put it down," You Jinhua said, curiously looking at her daughter,

"Offering help when there's no need—what's the matter? Do you want to go shopping, or do you want your allowance?"

Zhao Pan puffed her cheeks, her face slightly plump with "autumn flesh," making her more rounded and lovely:

"Mother, I just wanted to ask about any news from elder brother, when he will be returning."

You Jinhua uttered an "Ah" sound and sighed softly, her eyes filled with worry and concern,

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"Your brother hasn't sent any letters back, how would I know? But when he left the Capital, he said it would be at most a month; he should be back soon."

"Oh." Zhao Pan sat down, disheartened and not in high spirits.

You Jinhua glanced at her daughter and, trying to lighten her mood, showed her the embroidered mandarin ducks,

"Look, this is for you."

"What's the point of embroidering mandarin ducks?" Zhao Pan frowned.

You Jinhua chuckled,

"After the new year, you'll be a year older; it will be time to look for a future husband. Now that our family's status has improved, and with your brother around, you can choose any young man in the Capital you like; Mother will..."

"I'm not listening, like a monk reciting sutras." Zhao Pan decisively turned around, showing her mother her back and covering her ears, resisting the marriage push and utterly refusing the idea,

"Why don't you go marry?"

"You child! Speaking such nonsense." You Jinhua, left with no choice, laughed and gave her a playful tap on the head.

At that moment, a house servant's excited voice came from outside the room:

"Young Master is back!"

Mother and daughter were taken aback, exchanged a glance, and rushed out of the room together.

In the courtyard, they saw Zhao Douan, carrying packages both big and small, smiling as he stepped through the gate, his eyes lighting up:

"Aunt, sister, I'm back."