The Empress's No.1 Lackey-Chapter 486 - 385, Your Majesty, Mr. Zhao is dying! (Two in one)_3

"Mr. Zhao, return to the heavens."

The stern-faced middle-aged monk spoke slowly, his gold-painted right hand pressing toward Mr. Zhao's chest.

Behind the monk, surging mana condensed into a giant Buddha, looming above.

"Thud!"

Zhao Douan, powerless to resist, like a kite with its string cut, spat out blood and leaped high into the air, slamming hard into the distant barren grassy hills like a sandbag.

He had dodged the assassination at Hu Ting, but on his way back, when everyone had let their guard down, he encountered a full-fledged strike from a Worldly Great Perfection.

Sudden.

Decisive.

Ferocious.

With no chance to fight back.

Zhao Douan felt intense pain, his shattered qi chaotically surging inside his body, instantly causing blood to spurt from every pore, and the bones in his chest emitted a cracking sound.

His vision plunged into darkness.

However.

Inside his thick cotton outfit, the "Heart Protecting Mirror" within the Six Talismans Treasure Armor on his upper body suddenly caved in, and a purple jade belt forced apart with a "crack,"

It was the "Transmission Jade," a gift from the Empress long ago.

In times of danger, by crushing it, one could activate a transmission back to the Great Yu Imperial Palace.

As Zhao Douan was flung backward, his body suddenly covered in a blur of light, like ripples on water.

With a bang, he crashed into the barren grass, and the instant he fell into the bushes, Zhao Douan's figure rapidly faded and disappeared.

Transmission!

Just as the Da Jing Master landed his strike and was about to follow up, he abruptly sensed a surge of murderous intent behind him.

His sandaled feet spun in place, and his gold-painted hands clapped together with a "bang."

They caught the swooping Cold Frost Sword enveloped in deep blue radiance!

On the deck of a waterborne official boat, Eunuch Hai thrust out his sword, stomping heavily on the deck, nearly tilting the massive vessel with his formidable force.

The near-legendary old tributor's headdress fell off, his white hair scattering in the biting cold wind, Eunuch Hai's face ferocious as he lunged at the Da Jing Master.

Blocked by the near-divine giant Buddha behind him, in the collision, a fierce wind rampaged, the resulting airwave knocking down everyone on the dock.

Accompanied by exclamations, Lang Shiba and Ji Yue, who were recuperating in the cabin, also shot out like cannonballs.

Circling the fierce battle at the dock, they both lunged toward the barren hill, only to blankly see a pool of blood in human shape on the ground.

"Mr. Zhao... turned into a blood mist?!"

Lang Shiba and Ji Yue's minds buzzed simultaneously, as if struck by a heavy blow.

...

...

Capital.

Today, early in the morning, clouds gathered over the Capital, the piercing north wind as sharp as knives, thinning the stream of people in the bustling streets and alleys of the vast Capital,

Inside the Xiuwen Pavilion in the north of the Capital.

After hearing the reports from a number of scholars, Xu Zhenguan nodded:

"Let's stop here for today."

Han Congee and the other scholars stood and bowed: "We bid farewell to Your Majesty."

Grandmaster Dong was absent today, ultimately because of his old age, his vitality clearly not as it was in summer, especially since Zhao Douan last stirred up "Heart Learning."

Lately, Grandmaster Dong had been a bit crazed, also caught up in scholarly debates, fortunately, Xiuwen Pavilion was well accustomed to court affairs, no longer depending on Dong Xuan's management.

Xu Zhenguan stood up, left the Xiuwen Pavilion, and took the royal carriage back to the royal study.

Mo Chou was waiting there, her official robe thicker for the winter, making her appear much rounder. This contrasted with Xu Zhenguan, who was accustomed to both winter and summer, wearing little change in attire.

"Your Majesty, here is a memorandum from Mr. Yuan about preventing cold and snow disasters..."

Mo Chou followed the Empress into the room, feeling the warmth from the charcoal fire in the brazier, her slightly trembling voice settled down.

"Yes, put it down," Xu Zhenguan nodded, noticing the chill on the lady-in-waiting, smilingly teased:

"You were always asked to work hard in cultivation, but you refused. Do you understand the severity of winter now?"

Mo Chou's face showed her grievances:

"This servant also wants to, but alas, my talent is lacking. To cultivate to the point of being impervious to cold and heat is not easy."

Xu Zhenguan chuckled and teased:

"Once Zhao Douan is back, you can ask him. He always has tricky ideas and often comes up with fresh innovations. Perhaps he might have a way to resist the cold.

For instance, I heard that last time he returned from Taicang, he gave Gongshu Tianyuan a design of a water pump for mines, and now some progress has been made."

Mo Chou pouted and said:

"This servant hasn't been focusing on that, I'll ask at the Heavenly Master Mansion later."

She glanced at the white-robed Empress, somewhat resentfully said:

"Your Majesty is talking about him again."

Xu Zhenguan didn't catch the slight resentful tone in her maid's voice. Her fair, delicate face turned toward the south-facing window. She moved an incense burner closer to herself, softly speaking:

"According to the timetable, he should be returning soon. It's not that I'm dwelling on him, I'm just concerned about reopening trade."

Mo Chou kept silent, puffing her cheeks, inwardly skeptical.

She had served the Empress for many years and was the person most familiar with how much truth and falsehood lay in the Empress's words.

Interested in the results of trade? Of course, but to say there wasn't a bit of personal concern, she wouldn't believe it to her death.

She couldn't help but compare inwardly, wondering if His Majesty would also miss her if she were sent on an assignment.

...

Meridian Gate Square.

A group of maidservants, chatting in low voices, carrying newly allotted coal, moved toward their quarters. freewebnøvel.coɱ

Suddenly, when one of the maids turned her head to look across the vast square, she froze, seeing mysterious ripples spreading across the sky, as if tearing open a portal.

She gasped, attracting the attention of the other maidservants. Subsequently, they saw a figure drenched in bloodAppear suddenly from the sky, crashing onto the winter square.

"Ah!"

The maidservants exclaimed in shock. Some immediately ran to find the Imperial Guard while a few braver ones carefully approached.

One elder lady-in-waiting took a closer look, her face changed, and she exclaimed in horror:

"Mr. Zhao?!"

"Quick, go inform His Majesty!"

—

The title of the next chapter, I've already thought of it, it will be called ["The Emperor's Wrath"].