The Empress's No.1 Lackey

As for Shen Wuji's words, he didn't refute them. Nonsense, the gap is a whole Great Realm apart. Unless cheating is involved, blocking him would be impossible.

But... I'm not stupid. With so many masters by my side, who's going to duel you alone... Zhao Douan smiled and pointed to his left and right: "This is Mr. Hai from the Imperial Palace, you must have heard of him. This is the Bodhi Bodhisattva from the Divine Dragon Temple, I'm sure you've heard of her too. So, are you sure you want to be a mantis trying to stop a chariot?"

The Bodhi Bodhisattva glanced at him and said softly, "This humble monk is an outsider and does not partake in court affairs."

She paused and added, "However, if Lord Zhao agrees to one of my requests, I might reluctantly step in."

"..." Zhao Douan took a deep breath, pointed at Lang Shiba and Ji Yue, and said again, "Are you sure you want to be a mantis trying to stop a chariot?"

Bodhi: "..."

Lang Shiba and Ji Yue, who had been absent-minded in the back, raised their heads in confusion, not expecting that they would be needed.

Shen Wuji frowned, not recognizing the two unremarkable masters suppressed in the Back Lake of the Capital. Flames danced in his eyes as he stared intently at Eunuch Hai and seriously said, "I've heard of Mr. Hai's name from the inner court since I was a child and have long wanted to ask for Mr. Hai's guidance. I didn't expect to fulfill that wish today. I hope Mr. Hai can teach me a trick or two."

The old eunuch in the Python Robe, with a head full of silver hair, looked sleepy as he raised his eyelids and mocked himself, "It seems I've disappeared for so long and aged too, now any junior dares to challenge me."

People climbing the mountain ridicule those descending... Zhao Douan suddenly remembered this saying. A century ago, Mr. Hai at his peak had fought to the death with the previous Qing City Lord, knocking him down from the Fake Heavenly Realm. Now, due to declining vitality, he has dropped to a level similar to Duan Shuiliu's.

And now, even someone like Shen Wuji dares to challenge him.

"Bold!"

Suddenly, the usually silent Tang Jinzhong took a strong step forward, emerging from the crowd. With a silent and rock-solid personality, the tributor stepped forward, with strands of Qi Mechanism rising around him, slowly coalescing into a two-meter-tall phantom of a heavily armored Floating Buddha General behind him.

Shen Wuji's pupils tightened, not expecting him to be another worldly master. Almost reflexively, he twisted his wrist, causing the green bricks beneath him to crack with a crunch, spider web patterns spreading out.

Waves of illusory flames circled the tip of the Yanyue Blade.

"Hold on!"

At the moment when both sides were about to clash, a crisp voice broke the tense atmosphere.

Zhao Douan curiously looked to see a maid with a walking posture indistinguishable from a court servant emerge from the depths of the garden, calmly saying, "The Old Dowager has requested Mr. Zhao to enter the courtyard."

Zhao Wuji reluctantly extinguished his flames.

Tang Jinzhong turned to look at Zhao Douan.

"Ha, put it away. Since she told us so, I must show respect for the elder, right?" Zhao Douan said with a smiling nod.

Tang Jinzhong retreated back into the team.

Zhao Douan glanced at the maid named "Miss Hong" from the information, the personal maid of the Grand Dowager Shen, and smiled: "Lead the way."

Miss Hong made a "please" gesture and turned gracefully to lead the way.

...

Delving into the garden, after walking for several minutes, Miss Hong led the group to the large courtyard where the Mourning Hall was located.

The courtyard was extremely spacious, but it was arranged to be bleak and dreary. In the center facing north stood an impressive mourning hall.

White silk hung down, and the columns bore couplets in black on white background. In the center of the hall was a black coffin crafted from top-quality wood.

Candles continued burning on the offering table inside.

In front of the mourning hall, a crowd of Shen family members filled the area, both men and women, with no children among them, all wearing white silk headbands.

The heads of the various branches had all returned for the funeral, showing Mr. Shen's position in the Old Dowager's heart.

As Zhao Douan and his group stepped into the courtyard, they saw the Shen family quietly waiting, turning to look at him.

In the center of the crowd stood two people. One was a tall, dignified, and elegant man around fifty years old.

He was none other than the head of the Shen family of this generation and the father of the deceased "Mr. Shen."

Beside this titular family head, the true core of the family was a much shorter elderly woman, only reaching up to the family head's shoulder.

The woman's face was furrowed and stern, devoid of kindness and only displaying cold fierceness.

Her full head of silver hair was styled simply, with no precious ornaments, only simple wooden hairpins securing it.

She wore pure black mourning clothes of excellent quality, and her right hand gripped a Dragon Head Walking Stick!

The smooth surface of the cane coiled with a dragon body, the top with a proud dragon head, awe-inspiring!

According to Yu Country's rites, only those outside the Royal family could use dragon symbols, except for "Imperial Seal Weapons"!

Emperors of successive generations would reward meritorious officials with "Imperial Seal Weapons," granting them the nominal power to "punish tyrant emperors above and traitors below."

The Grand Dowager Shen was awarded such, allowing her to wield the Dragon Head Walking Stick.

"Junior Guardian, White Horse Envoy, and Mr. Zhao arrive!" Qian Kerou felt that the aura could not be weak and deliberately raised her voice, serving as a human megaphone.

With this announcement, the Grand Dowager Shen's eyes deepened, "So it's Junior Guardian Zhao, to what do we owe this honor?"

Ke Rou, you've really made me proud today... If anyone says you don't understand social graces again, I'll get angry... Zhao Douan glanced appreciatively at his small secretary, receiving a sweet smile in return.

Zhao Douan smiled brightly, "Grand Dowager, I was greatly saddened to hear of the Second Young Master's unfortunate passing, so I took the liberty to visit and offer my condolences. Bring out the token gift I prepared!"

The little secretary, Qian Kerou, obediently picked up the cheapest paper flower basket Zhao Douan had casually bought for a few dozen coins on the way.

In the Shen family's murderous gaze, she held it with both hands and presented it to the Grand Dowager.

This was undoubtedly an insult.

However, the Grand Dowager with her head full of silver hair merely nodded.

Only then did the titular family head beside her accept the almost insulting cheap flower basket and place it to the side of the mourning hall.

The gray eyes of the Grand Dowager, holding the Dragon Head Walking Stick, lingered on Zhao Douan: "The Junior Guardian is thoughtful, and I shall accept this gift on my grandson's behalf."

Zhao Douan's smile was warm as he leaned slightly forward and said, "The Grand Dowager hasn't asked what gift I've given."

What gift? Naturally, it was a funeral gift... Inside the mourning hall, the Shen family, dozens of them, frowned.

Wondering why he would say this, the Grand Dowager also squinted: "Oh? What gift does the Junior Guardian offer?"

Zhao Douan beamed with a smile and gently uttered two words: "A congratulatory gift."

The Shen family members immediately changed colors.

...

Mistakes to be corrected later.