Chapter 453 If the Mountain Doesn't Come to Me, I'll Go to the Mountain (5k)
Zhao Duan stepped onto the last step with a smile in his eyes and calmly looked at the two stunned people in the room.
At this moment, most of the setting sun has sunk into the ground, and the sunlight shines through the windows of the red pavilion, casting half shadow and half brightness on the ground.
He stood right on the dividing line between light and darkness.
Behind him, the entire downstairs floor had been controlled by Eunuch Hai and his men. The Cao Gang's thugs were no match for the masters of the imperial palace.
"Governor Ning, what does this mean?!"
At the table, He Xiaolou's expression changed and he stared at Ning Zechen, subconsciously thinking that the young man who came up the stairs was the helper arranged by the latter.
But Ning Zechen's face also showed similar surprise and confusion. He stood up and looked at the person carefully. He felt that the face was quite familiar, but he didn't know where he had seen it before.
"It's not surprising that the Governor doesn't recognize Zhao. But you should at least know that Zhao will arrive in Jianning Prefecture in the near future." Zhao Duan walked slowly and smiled faintly.
A bolt from the blue!
At this moment, this powerful second-rank official who was in charge of Jianning Prefecture and commanded millions of grain transport workers was struck by lightning. A flash of inspiration flashed through his mind, and he blurted out:
"Zhao Shaobao of the capital?"
Zhao Duan nodded and corrected:
"I am here to serve the Saint. The Governor may address me as Envoy."
Zhao of White Horse!
The most favored minister in the capital, he has been extremely popular in the past year and is very likely to become a legendary figure who will become the future emperor's husband.
Ning Zechen opened his mouth and felt a strong sense of illusion for a moment. He didn't understand why this official from the capital would suddenly appear here.
No...what's even worse is that it happened at this occasion.
"Young Master Zhao... Envoy Zhao... Is it him?!"
He Xiaolou's pupils also suddenly contracted, and the knuckles of the fan in his hand turned white from being squeezed.
There was a thunderous sound in my heart, and I felt like I was struck by lightning. I showed an expression of disbelief, accompanied by intense fear!
A man's reputation is like the shadow of a tree.
With his identity, he had of course seen Zhao Duan's portrait and knew more about his methods and power.
At this moment, a thought that something bad had happened suddenly flashed through He Xiaolou's mind. He ran to the window, held onto the window frame and looked down.
"Boss He, there's no need to look. When I went upstairs, I had a small conflict with the people below. At least I taught them a lesson." Zhao Duan walked to the round table with a smile and said:
"Boss He, don't you mind?"
Beads of sweat appeared on He Xiaolou's forehead. Where was the calmness he had just now when he was strategizing and controlling the second-rank official?
He turned his head stiffly and forced out a smile as if his father had died:
"No...I don't mind."
"Haha," Zhao Duan laughed heartily, pulled out a chair, and sat down. He glanced at the sword thrown on the table among the sumptuous dishes and greeted calmly:
"What are you all standing for? Sit down and talk. Sit down and talk."
It seemed as if he was the host of this banquet.
Ning Zechen: ...
He Xiaolou: ...
The two remained silent, not knowing what was going on, so they had no choice but to sit down again. However, the atmosphere of negotiation just now was gone.
Zhao Duan smiled and waited for a while, then jokingly said:
"Why don't you continue? Just continue your conversation and pretend I'm not here."
The official and the bandit were both so angry that a thousand horses were running wildly in their hearts, thinking, who dares to pretend that you don’t exist?
Zhao Duan sighed softly and said helplessly:
"Since both of you remain silent, I'll have to speak for you. Haha, I went into the city today hoping to pay a visit to Governor Ning, but I came up empty-handed, so I had no choice but to come here."
The two remained silent.
Zhao Duan continued slowly:
"I have quite good hearing. Just now, outside, I vaguely heard the two people upstairs mention that Governor Ning's wife and daughter were kidnapped by pirates. Is this true?"
Ning Zechen had no choice but to speak up, and said with a stiff upper lip: "It is true..."
He Xiaolou also hurriedly said:
"Governor Ning is the breadwinner of our Cao Gang. Upon learning that his wife and daughter are missing, he asked the Cao Gang to find them..."
"Oh——" Zhao Duan dragged out the sound, looking at the two of them alternately with a smile, and said:
"So, Governor Ning came to ask Gang Leader He for help in rescuing someone tonight?"
Ning Zechen didn't know how to answer for a moment.
Zhao Duan continued:
"What a coincidence! On my way to Jianning Prefecture, I happened to run into a group of pirates who were intercepting a passing merchant ship. I intervened and rescued a mother and daughter on the ship. They also claimed to be the Governor's wife."
Ning Zechen suddenly looked up, stared at him in disbelief, and asked excitedly:
"Your Excellency, are you serious?!"
But immediately, he felt disbelief again:
If his wife and daughter had not fallen into the hands of the Cao Gang, why would He Xiaolou dare to negotiate with him?
Is there any misunderstanding?
He Xiaolou's eyebrows also twitched wildly, pretending to be surprised: "Is this really true?"
Zhao Duan laughed and said, "How could I be so bored as to make up such a joke? Someone come here."
He suddenly clapped his hands.
Soon, footsteps were heard down the stairs, and a master from the Imperial Palace came up with a square wooden box in his hands.
He placed it in front of He Xiaolou and then retreated.
He Xiaolou suddenly felt a strong sense of uneasiness in his heart, but under Zhao Duan's smiling gaze, he could only frown and tentatively use both hands to slowly open the lid of the black square wooden box.
"Bang."
When the wooden box was opened, a bloody smell mixed with cold air gushed out. Inside the box was a bloody human head, wrapped in ice to prevent it from rotting.
"vomit--"
He Xiaolou's face turned pale instantly and he began to retch violently. The folding fan in his hand fell to the ground with a "bang".
Governor Ning also saw the head in the box and was frightened.
Zhao Duan smiled and said:
“The man in the box is the leader of that bandit gang. He is quite fierce and a martial artist. Fortunately, I was accompanied by many followers, so I was able to capture him.
Speaking of which, before he died, this man called himself 'Zuo Rong' and even said with certainty that he was a disciple of Gang Leader He. I wonder if what he said was true or not?"
Zuo Rong? The Cao Gang thug? Governor Ning's heart skipped a beat; he knew who this person was.
After He Xiaolou retched, he reluctantly covered his pale lips with a handkerchief and slowly shook his head:
"I don't know this person... nor is he from our Cao Gang. I guess... this is a frame-up by some gangsters..."
Zhao Duan said "Oh" and said slowly:
"Frame-up? But, before he died, this man told me the code and method for contacting the Cao Gang. I was curious, so I passed the message to Gang Leader He according to his method. Didn't you receive it?"
He Xiaolou's face turned even paler, and he flatly denied it: "Your Excellency has misunderstood. I really haven't received any news."
"Really? Then why don't you summon your subordinate Zuo Rong and confront him face to face?"
"... Well, Zuo Rong went home to visit his family a few days ago and is not in Jianning Mansion anymore."
"Oh, what a coincidence that I have to go home at this time," Zhao Duan sighed softly, and suddenly picked up a pair of chopsticks on the table, and the smile on his face disappeared:
"It seems that you still don't understand my handling style."
He Xiaolou looked back blankly, and then saw Zhao Duan suddenly flick his wrist, and the two chopsticks in his hand shot out like flying knives.
"puff!"
"puff!"
Two blows pierced into the shoulder blades of the Cao Gang leader. The force was so great that He Xiaolou was pulled away from his seat and slammed against the screen behind him.
"ah!"
Amidst screams, He Xiaolou was nailed to the screen by two chopsticks!
Governor Ning's eyelids twitched wildly, and he looked at the empress's favorite minister, whom he had never met before, with a look full of surprise.
Zhao Duan slowly reached out and grabbed the sword on the table. He stood up, walked to He Xiaolou, and said calmly:
"I'm not interested in talking nonsense anymore. I'll give you three seconds to tell me who instructed you to do this."
He Xiaolou cried out in pain, "Envoy, I..."
"one."
The sword in Zhao Duan's hand flashed, and with a "puff", a big hole was poked in his leg.
He Xiaolou was in so much pain that he almost fainted: "It's not me..."
"two."
Zhao Duan turned the hilt of the sword, and the latter's other leg was also pierced, and blood flowed out.
Immediately, he drew out the blood-stained tip of his sword and pressed it between He Xiaolou's legs.
He Xiaolou was finally overwhelmed by fear and almost shouted:
"It was the Shen family! The Shen family forced me to do this!"
The Shen family?!
Zhao Duan and Ning Zechen felt something in their hearts at the same time, and both experienced unexpected emotions.
In Jianning Prefecture, the only ones with the motive and ability to commit this crime are Prince Jing's Mansion and the Shen family, who are the most suspected.
"It's absolutely true! The second master of the Shen family died a while ago. Governor Ning promoted new policies and took action against the Shen family. That's why they came to me..."
He Xiaolou told the whole story in great detail, how the other party found him, how he gave orders, and how he threatened him, as if he had recited it in his mind countless times.
Zhao Duan frowned slightly, slowly walked back to the table, casually threw the sword among the food, and said to the Governor of the Grand Canal with a smile:
"It seems that trying the case is not difficult."
"..." Ning Zechen took a deep breath, stood up, and bowed solemnly: "Today, your humble servant is..."
"No need to say more," Zhao Duan interrupted him with a warm smile. "The Governor is very brave to attend the banquet alone. I have long admired the reputation of Lord Ning in Beijing."
Is this... not going to be pursued? Ning Zechen's impression of this rumored favorite of the empress changed again.
Upon careful consideration, although his style of doing things is indeed as domineering and arrogant as the rumors say, it is certainly not completely disorganized. He is worthy of being Zhao Shaobao, who can solve major cases in succession and even arrest Zhuang Xiaocheng personally.
"Your Excellency is too kind. May I ask my wife and the others..."
"Don't worry, your wife and daughter are safe and sound, just a little frightened. They are now in the inn in the city. If the governor wants to see them, I will go with you to pick them up. How about that?" Zhao Duan asked with a smile.
Governor Ning took a deep breath and said, "I'm very happy to do so!"
"Okay," Zhao Duan laughed, called the palace masters upstairs, and casually ordered:
"Take He Xiaolou back. I still have use for him. As for those scumbags..."
Ning Zechen said:
"If you trust me, my Lord, you can send someone with my badge to the Canal Transport Office, and someone will take care of it properly."
Master Wen will deal with it, right? But he is also my man... Zhao Duan muttered in his heart, and smiled gently:
"OK."
…
…
Less than half an hour later, Zhao Duan and Governor Ning and his entourage returned to the inn where he was staying.
At this moment, the sky had completely darkened. When the group walked into the backyard of the inn, Madam Ning and the careful and outspoken girl who came out after hearing the news also saw Ning Zechen entering the yard.
"Husband—"
“Daddy——”
With a cry of surprise, the mother and daughter, who had been anxious for a long time, finally felt relieved and happily threw themselves into Governor Ning's arms.
Soon, there was the clichéd segment where the monks who had survived the disaster met each other, asked about their situations, and expressed their true feelings to each other.
"Master, if Lord Zhao had not come to our rescue in time, we would have been killed by the traitor." The elegant and quiet Madam Ning took the initiative to speak.
The girl also nodded like a chick pecking at rice:
"Master Zhao treated us very well. When I told my father that his son-in-law was doing a good job, my mother pinched me and stopped me from saying it. But Master Zhao didn't get angry at all. He even laughed loudly."
Ning Zechen and his wife: "..."
"Ahem," Zhao Duan, who was watching from a distance, coughed lightly, taking the initiative to break the awkward atmosphere. He first asked the two women to go back to the house, and then simply pulled this practical and capable minister to sit down in the courtyard and talk about business.
Governor Ning was eager to show off, and he quickly explained the current situation in detail:
"...Generally speaking, the implementation of the new policies faces enormous resistance. I originally wanted to tackle the Shen family first. As long as the Shen family agrees, it will be much easier to deal with the other noble families who are waiting on the sidelines. Unfortunately, this group of people is deeply entrenched, and I lack the people I can use. This is why I have repeatedly petitioned the court to appoint new officials."
Zhao Duan thought for a moment and asked, "What's the reaction from Prince Jing's Mansion?"
Governor Ning said, "He's hiding behind the scenes and doing evil things in secret."
Zhao Duan nodded as expected. As a member of the royal family, Prince Jing could not openly oppose the court's new policies before the relationship was completely broken off.
Therefore, it will only add fuel to the fire behind the scenes.
Zhao Duan said:
"I came here on the emperor's orders to suppress the arrogance of these local nobles in order to pave the way for the subsequent officials to take office. However, I didn't expect that as soon as I arrived, I almost gave the Shen family a blow."
He said coldly:
"They attacked, killed, and kidnapped the families of high-ranking officials. It seems these powerful families are used to being local tyrants, and their courage is no less than that of the traitors in the Kuangfu Society."
Governor Ning's heart skipped a beat, and he consoled him:
"Your Excellency, please calm down. The situation on Jiancheng Road is extremely complicated. We should proceed slowly and think twice before acting. I am not afraid of a little injustice. After all, nothing serious has happened."
At this moment, he remembered the past behavior of "King Zhao Yan" and suddenly felt a little panicked.
Zhao Duan smiled slightly, his expression warm:
"Don't worry, I'm not a reckless person. I know what's going on. So, please ask the Governor to send someone to pass on a message to the head of the Shen family, telling them I'm here."
Governor Ning was stunned for a moment and asked tentatively:
"Your Excellency, do you mean to force them to come to you on their own initiative?"
Zhao Duan smiled and said:
"With the Zhu Pavilion causing such a big uproar and He Xiaolou being arrested, the Shen family and even Prince Jing's Mansion must have heard the news by now. If the Shen family was the mastermind, they would definitely not be at peace.
You only said that I am here. Haha, with my status and reputation, it is normal for Prince Jing not to come, but the Shen family is the most prominent family in Jianning Prefecture, so it is reasonable for them to come and pay their respects to me in person, isn't it? "
Governor Ning nodded, guessing that Zhao Duan was taking this opportunity to pressure the Shen family. He didn't arrest them, but as long as they came to him... This was undoubtedly leaving room for maneuver...
Phew, luckily, this "King Zhao" isn't that crazy yet. He knows this is Jianning Prefecture. If he were in the capital, he would have led his troops to the Shen family to arrest them...
But here, I will definitely not act recklessly...
Governor Ning felt that he had figured out the style of this Beijing official.
…
…
After seeing off Governor Ning and his family, Zhao Duan, Eunuch Hai, Prajna Bodhisattva and others finally had a good meal.
After dinner.
Lang Shiba, Ji Yue and the Jinyi officers of Lihua Hall went to rest, while Eunuch Hai also took a group of servants to practice daily breathing exercises.
After a simple bath, Zhao Duan put on a single layer of clothes and sat in the room with a candle, reading the detailed information about Jianning Prefecture sent by "Master Wen".
I stayed there until late at night, but the Shen family still didn't show up.
After he rubbed his eyes, pulled his gaze away from the file, stretched, and pushed open the door, he found that the bright moon had risen to the zenith.
The night was cool as water, and the courtyard was quiet except for the chirping of insects.
In ancient times, the starry sky at night was extremely clear and bright. Endless stars merged into an unfamiliar Milky Way, flowing continuously in the universe.
"What are you looking at?" A soft female voice appeared beside him.
"Look at the stars." Zhao Duan answered casually, then he was stunned. He turned his head and saw the white Prajna Bodhisattva standing beside him.
The old nun, who was over fifty years old, was wearing a thin monk's robe. The night wind blew, and the monk's robe on her body swayed like water.
The thick, dense, black hair on the back of her head, coupled with her round, smooth, and moon-like face, reminded Zhao Duan of the so-called "peaceful and prosperous" appearance on the Internet in her previous life.
Prajna was not holding the jade bottle or the comb in her hands, but was standing lightly and gracefully beside him, looking at him with a smile through her strange translucent eyes.
Those pupils were extremely mysterious, as if if you looked at them for a while longer, your entire soul would be sucked in.
"What's so beautiful about the stars? Why not look at me?" Prajna Bodhisattva exhaled like orchid, with the corners of his mouth raised.
"..." Zhao Duan looked up at the sky again with an expressionless face and said:
“Bodhisattva, do you know that the starlight we see actually came from countless billions of years ago?
When those lights shone from the distant stars, perhaps this world was still in darkness, or even without life. But when these starlights traveled across countless epochs and now fall into our eyes, countless years have passed."
Prajna Bodhisattva looked at him curiously:
"Did those astronomical officials in charge of the calendar at the Imperial Observatory tell you these strange things? How could a bunch of mortals with low cultivation understand the great principles? They are nothing but nonsense."
Zhao Duan smiled and was too lazy to argue with her.
However, he soon had to speak:
"Buddha, please don't lean on me. This distance is a bit ambiguous. I'm telling you, His Majesty has said..."
Half of her body was almost pressed against Zhao Duan, and the two of them could clearly feel each other's warmth on their arms. The Buddhist female Bodhisattva smiled and said:
"I know that His Majesty will execute me, so there is no need for you to emphasize this, Lord Zhao."
I think you knowingly committed the crime... Zhao Duan was about to scold him harshly when he suddenly heard the voice of the female Bodhisattva:
"Speaking of which, how far have Lord Zhao and His Majesty progressed? They can't just be touching hands anymore, right?"
...Fuck, this is unbearable... Zhao Duan felt that he was being ridiculed. He seriously moved to the side, trying to distance himself, and sneered:
"I suddenly understand why His Majesty sent Princess Yunyang to Jizhao Temple."
Prajna Bodhisattva did not take it as an offense, but smiled softly, with a look of ridicule in his eyes as if he was looking at a young virgin, and said softly:
"It's a pity that Lord Zhao is so loyal, but Your Majesty still can't let go of his pride. I feel really sad when I see this."
None of your business... You're just an old woman who wants to drain my potential in advance... Zhao Duan turned away and turned to go back to the house:
"Now that it has been completed, the Bodhisattva can choose a day to leave on his own and go to the temple to handle matters."
Prajna Bodhisattva's white thighs twisted and suddenly wrapped around him, almost hanging heavily on him, and her lips pressed against Zhao Duan's ear, saying in a sweet voice:
"I want to help you too...husband..."
Zhao Duan got goose bumps, his face flushed red, and he yelled:
"Lao Hai!"
Whoosh——
Prajna Bodhisattva instantly let go of his hand, stepped back a few feet, and looked resentful.
Not far away upstairs, Eunuch Hai's annoyed voice came: "The Flesh Bodhisattva is shameless."
Prajna Bodhisattva sneered and turned back to his room: "The old eunuch doesn't understand romance."
Zhao Duan shook his head speechlessly, turned around and went back to the house, glanced at the sky, and confirmed that the Shen family would not come to his house tonight.
He sneered, "If the mountain doesn't come to me, I'll go to the mountain."
(End of this chapter)
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