The Empress's No.1 Lackey

He leaned forward, staring at Zhao Douan, with a slow smile spreading across his lips:

"You want to depose me? Fine, but who do you plan to have take over my position? Do you believe that if I don't give the nod, no one in the entire Great Yu court can smoothly take control of the Northern Border Army?"

Finally, he personally revealed his greatest reliance.

It was also the source of his greatest confidence, that territory he had painstakingly cultivated over the years!

Who can take it over?

No one can!

What is meant by using troops to assert power? This is what it means to use troops for power!

This is also the point Cao Mao couldn't understand the most. Could it be the Empress was dizzy with success, truly thinking local military power can be transferred just with an imperial decree?

If Yu Country were not in turmoil, if the Crown Prince ascended smoothly, there might be a great possibility still.

But Xu Zhenguan is not the Crown Prince, and Yu Country today cannot withstand much turmoil.

How dare she?

Cao Mao laughed.

Zhao Douan laughed too.

The pity in his eyes was unconcealed, like sharp arrows about to pierce Duke Cao's heart.

Zhao Douan shook his head, laughing lightly, sighed once again, but not for himself. It was for the confused old man in front of him:

"Duke Cao, it seems you really underestimate His Majesty from the bottom of your heart, otherwise, why would you ask such a foolish question?"

He sneered, "Or do you think after His Majesty has laid the groundwork for public opinion, arranged a trial ready to judge you, dismissed the noble helpers you hoped for, that he would miss the most crucial step?"

Zhao Douan slowly withdrew his smile, finally losing the last of his patience. As he calmly uttered a few words, the smile on Cao Mao's face froze suddenly.

"Cao, the Lord is asking you, after he takes off the armor, who can succeed the military power?"

As the words fell.

In the room, Cao kedid, who had always remained silent as a background fixture, finally stepped forth slowly, walking from the side of his adopted father to Zhao Douan's side.

Then... he turned slowly, looking squarely and calmly at the Duke Cao above.

The Deputy General of Jubei City, accustomed to dark armor, with eyebrows thick and straight like knives, smiled and said: "Foster father, how about me?"

Boom!

At this moment, even though it was midwinter, Cao Mao felt as if he had heard a thunderclap in his mind.

He seemed struck by lightning; his face drained of color, eyes widened like copper bells, staring incredulously at the adopted son whose military reputation was second only to his own in Jubei City, stronger than his own sons, croaked: "You... betrayed... me?!"

But Cao kedid seriously shook his head and corrected: "Foster father... no, Duke Cao, you are wrong, I never betrayed you."

After a pause, seeing the latter's bewildered gaze, Cao kedid explained seriously: "Because from start to finish, I was never yours. Or rather, from the moment I entered Jubei City ten years ago as a low-level military officer, my mission was to gain your trust at all costs to gradually seize control of the border defense in Jubei City, in preparation for today."

Spy!

Not a traitor, but a spy!

Upon hearing this answer, surprisingly there was no anger in Cao Mao's heart, but rather a vast sense of bewilderment: "Ten years ago... impossible... back then she was just an Imperial Princess..."

"The Crown Prince," Cao kedid answered calmly, "Ten years ago, His Highness the Crown Prince arranged for me to enter Jubei City. At that time, His Highness had already seen that your long-standing presence in the North would become a hidden danger, so he planted a group of Shadow Guards in the North including me. However, His Highness did not foresee the changes today; after the Xuanmen Coup, the current Majesty took over the palace Shadow Guards and reestablished contact with us."

Cao kedid paused, somewhat emotionally: "Originally, the Crown Prince did not expect me to reach the position of Deputy General; in his estimation, the Duke, you would certainly gradually pass the military power onto several of your sons. I, as an outsider, even if adopted, would not reach high position. But unfortunately, your most hopeful son succumbed to his desires and died at the hands of Lang Shiba, and even after that, though you tried to support your other two sons, those two turned out to be utterly useless, forcing you to let me manage part of the military power... But you did not trust me, therefore, even coming to the Capital with me, instead of your two biological sons... You said it was to cultivate me, but how could I not see, you were worried that if you left me in the North, I would seize your power?"

Cao kedid shook his head and sighed: "But what difference does it make? Let me tell you plainly, whether you give up military power or not, His Majesty will not allow you to leave the Capital. I will return to Jubei City to take over the military power, and already Shadow Guards have infiltrated your two sons, who by now, unless something unexpected happens, are already under control, regarding their lives and deaths—it is up to you."

Having said all this in one breath, as a Shadow Guard who surprisingly reached the position of Deputy General, Cao kedid seemed to have vented all the words he kept pent up, and relaxedly turned his head, glanced at Zhao Douan, cupped his hands smilingly: "A few days ago, I offended many in the Ministry of Justice; I hope Mr. Zhao forgives me."

Zhao Douan laughed heartily: "Cao... no, from now on, you should revert to your own surname. Congratulations in advance, General Luo."

Luo kedie clasped his fists, wearing a smile.

Years of being a Shadow Guard finally paid off, rising straight to the top, how could he not be pleased?

The two bantered cheerfully, completely forgetting about Duke Cao sitting blankly as if his soul had left.

Zhao Douan turned back, glanced at Cao Mao, took out a blank memorandum from his sleeve, walked over, bent down, gently placed it before him, and thrust a pen into the hand of a man who seemed to have aged ten years overnight and lost all backbone, saying: "Duke Cao, we'll wait for you outside."

After that, he and Luo kedie left the room, closing the door behind them.

Standing under the eaves, gazing at the increasingly heavy snowfall, they waited in silence.

"Mr. Zhao, do you think he will voluntarily resign?" Luo kedie suddenly asked.

Zhao Douan smiled and looked at him: "Shouldn't you know better than I?"

Luo kedie shook his head, saying: "These ten years, I never could see through Cao Mao."

Zhao Douan reassuringly patted his shoulder and said: "People aren't that complicated; someone like this is just a coward."

Luo kedie was taken aback.

About a quarter of an hour later, Luo kedie pushed the door open, coming out with a petition requesting to lay down arms and return to the fields, his expression strange.

"What did I say? A selfish man like this wouldn't dare end all in mutual destruction." Zhao Douan tucked the petition into his sleeve, shook his bright red cloak, and laughed: "I'll leave it to General Luo to handle the follow-up while I go to the palace to report to His Majesty."

"Please."

Zhao Douan walked with a spring in his step, instructed the people from Lihua Hall to head back first, then left the Duke Mansion, mounted his horse, and rode straight to the Imperial Palace.

By this time, it was noon, and as the Astronomical Observatory predicted, the snow was growing heavier.

The streets were almost empty, the entire Capital City blanketed in white snow.

Zhao Douan entered the Imperial City.

He dismounted, walking alone through the snow-covered Meridian Gate Square, red cloak over his shoulders, heading toward the Empress's chambers.

Amidst the falling snow, engulfed by the deep red palace walls, a solitary figure.

Amidst the falling snow, bidding farewell to one.

...

Mistakes will be corrected.