The Empress's No.1 Lackey

Zhao Douan is still alive!

And he has captured the rebel leader Zhuang Xiaocheng alive! The Empress ordered his execution soon!

On that day, this explosive news swept through the Capital's streets and alleys like the last cold wave of early spring, becoming the first major case of the new year.

For a moment, countless people were stunned, both shocked by the strangeness of the matter and overwhelmed with enormous disappointment.

Especially those literati who recently rushed to write poems of mourning in hopes of catching the Empress's eye, they were greatly disappointed, cursing that Zhao, whom they wished a thousand cuts, countless times in their hearts, yet to no avail.

Li Yanfu, after leaving the court, immediately convened a gathering within the Li Party to comfort the injured officials. It's unknown how many benefits he promised and how much effort he spent to suppress the internal dissatisfaction.

Immediately following, the matter of convicting Zhuang Xiaocheng proceeded rapidly amidst the roaring "machine" of the court.

The Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Punishment, and the Imperial Court of Supervision held a joint trial, completing the process at a terrifying speed, with the White Horse Hall responsible for creating momentum.

A few days later.

Zhuang Xiaocheng and a group of rebels were beheaded at Cai Market.

...

Imperial Prison.

In a cell, after a few days, Zhao Douan once again saw Zhuang Xiaocheng.

At this moment, Zhuang Xiaocheng, without any shackles on his body, was calmly sitting cross-legged in the deepest cell of the dungeon.

He wore a prison uniform, his grizzled hair disheveled, quietly staring at the beam of light shining through the ventilation.

Inside the cell, there were three tributes dressed as eunuchs from the Imperial Family, arranged as "bodyguards" to prevent any accident with the prisoner.

"Grand Tutor, see what I've brought you?"

Zhao Douan smiled, standing with his hands behind his back in the corridor, followed by a prison guard carrying a tray of sumptuous wine and meat.

He personally took the tray and, while the guard beside him was opening the cell door, said:

"Given our enmity, I had no intention of letting you have this last meal, but I heard you've been on a hunger strike these past few days. To prevent you from starving to death before being beheaded on the execution ground, I have shown great mercy by bringing you one last meal."

He stepped into the cell, placing the food and wine before Zhuang Xiaocheng.

Zhuang Xiaocheng's eyes shifted, focusing on his face. Perhaps because his life was nearing its end, this old man, who had experienced so much honor and disgrace, appeared unexpectedly spirited.

"I've been thinking these days, if I had killed you at the Earth God Temple that day, would things have been different."

Zhuang Xiaocheng sighed, fantasizing:

"Without you, the Kuangfu Society in the Capital might not have been eradicated, the New Policy might not have spread like today, and I wouldn't have had to take such risky moves, sacrificing myself to fight you... "

He kept rambling, and Zhao Douan stood before him without interrupting.

Witnessing this old man express his final words.

"... But there are no ifs, I even think, could your appearance be a sign that the heavens favor the Third Prince?"

Ha... are the words of a dying man always kind? Zhao Douan's lips curled upward:

"Grand Tutor, if you regret now, it's probably too late."

Zhuang Xiaocheng laughed at himself, his grizzled hair shimmering in a shaft of sunlight:

"Regret? No, you can kill me, but my sacrifice will only become yet another piece of evidence of the Fake Emperor's persecution of the loyal. After my death, the remaining Kuangfu Society Members will only grow angrier, continuing to fight against you... "

"Stubborn fool!"

Zhao Douan was tired of listening, and said coldly:

"Feed the Grand Tutor his last meal."

The two prison guards stepped forward immediately, one pried open Zhuang Xiaocheng's mouth, and the other stuffed food and wine in.

Zhao Douan turned and left the cell, waiting for a while until the prison guards emerged with the dishes.

Only Zhuang Xiaocheng was left kneeling in the cell, coughing, clutching his throat, making gasping sounds, his eyes wide open as he finally realized something was amiss.

Then from outside the bars, Zhao Douan's icy voice came:

"Don't worry, you won't die now; there's just some special 'silencing medicine' mixed with the wine to ensure you can't speak on the execution ground. Do you want to make a speech before a crowd and gain fame before dying? You've watched too many dramas."

Leaving these words, he brushed his sleeve and left under Zhuang Xiaocheng's furious gaze.

At the end of the corridor, Eunuch Hai, dressed in a bright red Python Robe, was waiting quietly, smiling:

"Shall we go together?"

He was personally responsible for escorting Zhuang Xiaocheng, preventing any mishaps.

Zhao Douan shook his head, smiling: "I found a better place to enjoy the view."

...

...

Cai Market is a heavily trafficked open space in the Capital.

It has also been the site for executing felons for over six hundred years.

Today, Cai Market was crowded with citizens eager to watch the spectacle.

Ma Yan personally led the Jinyi Colonel to maintain order.

At the southeast area of Cai Market, under an Observation Tower, Zhao Douan arrived quietly with only a few servants.

Today, he wasn't wearing the robes of the Junior Guardian or the Master, but rather the luxurious attire he wore on the first day he crossed worlds.

The followers behind him were also called from the White Horse Hall.

Today, he was not in any other identity but the White Horse Envoy.

"Creak."

"Creak."

Zhao Douan climbed the stairs alone, reaching the top pavilion of the Observation Tower.

From this angle, he could overlook the entirety of Cai Market.

At this moment, it was already noon, and a long line of prisoners came from the direction of the Imperial Court, escorted by the imperial guard, with Zhuang Xiaocheng leading.

Amid the whispers of the commoners, over a hundred prisoners were brought onto the execution ground.

On the Execution Platform were the Three Ministers led by the Minister of the Ministry of Justice.