Chapter 592 Zhao Duan: Lord Earl, won’t you explain?
Zhao Duan's expression under the mask became strange.
Was there something wrong with the voice of this domineering princess just now?
Did you hear it wrong?
“Bang!”
The second slap came.
Xu Xuelian, lying on the ground in a mess, felt a burning pain. Her face turned red from her neck as if blood was about to drip.
He felt his blood boiling, his whole body burning hot, and he felt weak. It seemed as if most of his martial arts skills had disappeared in an instant, and an incomprehensible sound came from his nose.
Good boy...you heard it right.
Zhao Duan was amazed and said with a teasing smile:
"No wonder you're so close to Yunyang. It turns out you're not a serious person either. It's also strange. Is your royal family so chaotic?"
One has a lot of lovers, the other is arrogant and domineering and doesn't treat the people as human beings, but only as livestock and slaves, but inwardly he is a person who deserves a beating.
Xu Xuelian was humiliated and for a moment forgot how she had just been defeated. She gritted her teeth, turned her head fiercely, and cursed with her eyes blazing:
"How dare you, lowly servant, be disrespectful to this princess? Come here..."
Zhao Duan's face turned cold.
He stepped forward, opened his big hand with five fingers, and pressed Xu Xuelian's head down again with a "bang". Then, to prevent her from struggling, he simply sat on her, opened his big hands left and right, and gave her "fifty lashes".
Beating and laughing:
"Hmph, I'll let you, a mayfly, see the blue sky! I'll let you see who is the sky."
Xu Xuelian:?
At this moment, Sun Lianying in the palace sneezed inexplicably.
It's strange to say, at this moment, without the suppression of the Dragon Girl, Xu Xuelian's martial arts skills can't be exerted to even 30% for some reason.
At first she roared like a tigress, but as the board fell again and again, she became weaker and weaker, and her struggles became less and less intense.
In the end, he simply lay there motionless on the ground, gasping for breath, tears welling up in his eyes.
"Haha, are you convinced?" Zhao Duan sneered:
"Do you think this is the Iron Gate Road? How dare you, a man of your stature, keep your tail between your legs when entering enemy territory? Today, I will enforce the family rules on behalf of King Yanshan."
Xu Xuelian was imprisoned on the ground, unable to move, but she was still sharp-tongued:
"You little dog slave...you want to die, you want to die...I want..."
Zhao Duan sarcastically said:
"You're going to report this to His Majesty? Like at noon? Ha, do you think His Majesty will believe it? Or... even if His Majesty knows, will he punish me for it?
Wake up! Your father has already rebelled. Do you really think you are a royal descendant? I really don't know why they sent a fool like you to negotiate peace.
Or, do you want to make the fact that I spanked you in the meditation room known to the public? To make a big fuss about it? Or does the princess just like to make her personal quirks known to the world?"
"..." Xu Xuelian choked and didn't know how to refute.
Such humiliating things must never be made public.
As for her fetish, she would never admit it even if she was beaten to death.
Xu Xuelian didn't know why, but she had a sadistic nature when she was very young. At first, she secretly ordered her maid to beat her. Later, when she found out that the maid had leaked the news, she executed her.
However, she unexpectedly discovered that she could get a similar experience by torturing others, so she gradually became more and more extreme and became a domineering princess who liked to whip her servants.
However, beating the servants was only a meal replacement after all. Although he really didn't want to admit it, he was furious after being beaten by this hateful military officer, but he also felt a strange excitement that he had never experienced before.
"What do you want?!" Xu Xuelian gritted her teeth.
Zhao Duan smiled and said:
"I heard that you demanded severe punishment for my subordinates in the Golden Palace? It's simple. I am a very kind person. As long as the princess gives up this idea and just pretends that the riots on the street during the day don't exist, that will be enough."
"Don't even think about it!" How could Xu Xuelian give in?
Zhao Duan snorted, raised his palm, and held it in the air:
"Princess, you don't want your secret to be known to the world, right?"
"..." Xu Xuelian gritted her teeth, almost breaking them.
There was a strong anger and unwillingness in his eyes, but he was defeated in the end and said coldly:
“There won’t be a next time.”
Zhao Duan laughed heartily, stood up from her back, looked down at this outwardly strong but inwardly weak heir of the Prince of Yanshan, and said coldly:
"Get up and follow me out."
He came here for two purposes, one was to resolve the issue of the princess holding Lihuatang accountable, and the other was to test this person up close.
Now the former has been basically resolved, as for the latter... Zhao Duan also has some ideas in his mind.
Xu Xuelian silently got up and began to tidy up her clothes. Then, with a gloomy face, she followed Zhao Duan out of the meditation room.
…
Outside.
A group of nuns were still hiding in the distance, with their backs turned and their ears covered, not wanting to get involved.
Princess Yunyang sat in a daze on the snow-covered steps.
The people from Lihua Hall had already tied up the hands of a group of sleeping guards, but due to lack of ropes, their legs had not yet been tied up.
"Sir." Chen Juan looked at Zhao Duan who walked out of the meditation room, and then after seeing the princess with a sullen face who followed obediently behind him, a group of men in brocade clothes couldn't help but look subtle.
They vaguely heard the sound of slapping in the house, and when they saw this scene, they couldn't help but be shocked:
Is my master so fierce?
Not only did he slap the eldest princess, but he also managed to subdue the domineering and arrogant Princess Yanshan in such a short time?
"That's enough. You will escort the princess back to the post station later."
Zhao Duan ordered calmly.
At the same time, the palace attendants who were sleeping on the ground woke up one after another and were shocked to find that their hands were tied.
Xu Xuelian's face looked as if she had eaten a dead rat, and she glanced at the group of guards indifferently:
"A bunch of trash, follow this princess back!"
The followers didn't know what was going on, but they didn't dare to say anything. Fortunately, although his hands were tied, he was still able to get up and walk.
Ordering his subordinates to drive the princess and others out, Zhao Duan was the last to leave. He turned his head to look at Yunyang, who was sitting on the steps with a bulging belly.
He said calmly, "When the baby is born, tell everyone that it's the prince consort's."
Princess Yunyang looked at him silently and said:
"Who are you?"
Zhao Duan didn't answer and just walked away.
At the entrance of the nunnery.
Zhao Duan walked out of the steps and looked at the princess and her entourage who were being "escorted" away. He narrowed his eyes slightly.
Whispering to oneself:
"I thought they were really domineering, but now it seems like they're mostly acting. They're both tough guys."
At this time, another rider came galloping from a distance.
A cavalryman in brocade robes dismounted, walked up to him, and bowed:
"Sir, Hou Jishi has sent his subordinates to report."
Hou Renmeng was in charge of keeping an eye on Xu Wenyan, the prince of Hejian. Sending someone over meant Xu Wenyan was also making moves.
"Speak." Zhao Duan ordered.
"Your Excellency, after returning to the post station from the palace, Prince Hejian did not leave. Instead, he sent servants to deliver visiting cards to the nobles in the city. Furthermore, we learned from the post station that Prince Hejian's motorcade was carrying many precious gifts."
Noble? Gift?
Zhao Duan raised his eyebrows, exhaled, and said softly:
"I see."
…
Post station.
In a tea room on the second floor, a charcoal brazier kept the room warm.
The obese and foolish prince Xu Wenyan and the distinguished guest Mr. Feng sat across from each other at a small tea table, on which were placed files of information about people in the capital.
Cotton curtains are hung from the four corners of the tea table, wrapping the square table. When people sit down, they tuck their feet under the table and their whole body will be warm.
“Knock, knock.”
There was a knock on the tea room door. Xu Wenyan said "Come in," and a confidant walked in.
"Your Highness, I just received news that Princess Yanshan encountered the Lihuatang police at Jizhao Temple and seems to have suffered a loss..."
After hearing the details, Xu Wenyan and Mr. Feng were both stunned, looking surprised.
"Investigate again and report back."
Mr. Feng spoke, dismissed his confidant, and then looked at His Royal Highness the Crown Prince:
"What do you think, Prince?"
Xu Wenyan thought for a moment and said with a smile:
"I guess he went to find out Xu Xuelian's background. It's not surprising that he suffered a loss. After all, this is someone else's territory.
"But that Lihuatang police officer, who I heard carries a sacrificial badge and has a mysterious identity, is Zhao Duan's agent in the capital? This prince would also like to meet him. I have no chance to meet Zhao Duan, but I can probably get a glimpse of him from his subordinates."
Mr. Feng said worriedly:
"Xu Xuelian was pushed out by us to be the first to suffer, and now she's suffered a loss. I wonder if she'll cause trouble and implicate us."
Xu Wenyan shook his head, his eyes showing no trace of stupidity at all, but rather shrewdness:
"My sister Xuelian is not a fool. Haha, it's true that she has a domineering and arrogant personality, but in my opinion, she is definitely not a fool."
Mr. Feng smiled and said:
"As the daughter of a rebel king, you came here to negotiate peace, yet you are so high-profile in the capital. Isn't that stupid?"
Xu Wenyan sighed softly, his eyes full of helplessness:
"What else can we do? Negotiating peace is a life-threatening matter. If it succeeds, that would be great, but if there's even a slight mistake, she and I will be the first victims. Naturally, we have to find a way to protect ourselves."
"This prince is pretending to be stupid. Isn't Xu Xuelian's arrogance and stupidity also a disguise?
The peace talks were a matter of life and death, a matter of vital importance to the future of the State of Yu. How could the details be disrupted by her slight arrogance? Would her arrogance lead to the collapse of the talks?
Oh, that's really underestimating the entire court, and underestimating the empress."
Mr. Feng sighed:
"Therefore, how His Highness and the Princess behave will not affect the peace talks. After all, the real negotiators are me and the eunuch of Yanshan Palace. On the contrary, if His Highness and the Princess display excessive cleverness and tact, it will be dangerous and easily make the Empress wary."
Xu Wenyan smiled helplessly:
"That's exactly what happened. But Xuelian and I can't just go through the motions. That would be hard to explain when we get back. So, we still have to do it, but it's best for her and I to play the role of a brainless person.
Oh, the first thing she did after leaving court was to visit Yunyang. Isn't that also a public show? For the royal family and nobles in the city to see?"
How to gain benefits in peace talks?
It's simple, just try to gain as many allies as possible.
The capital is not their territory, so if they go to negotiate alone, they will definitely suffer losses.
One of the plans is to win over a group of "allies" to help with lobbying.
The court had undergone several major purges, and all civil and military officials had submitted to the empress and could no longer be relied upon.
Therefore, Xu Wenyan and Xu Xuelian both set their sights on a group of nobles in the city who were neglected but whose power should not be underestimated.
It just so happens that, in a sense, the noble group may not necessarily want the empress to be autocratic and the various vassal kings to be overthrown.
"The gifts have already been prepared, and the visiting cards have been sent out," said Mr. Feng.
"However, I'm sure not all nobles are willing to wade into this muddy water. Especially Duke Chen, I'm afraid he won't easily meet Your Highness."
Duke Chen was the old nobleman who had eighteen jades on the purple gold belt bestowed by the emperor around his waist.
He has a very high reputation, but rarely interferes in state affairs. The last time he appeared was when Zhao Duan wanted to remove the military power of An Guogong Cao Mao.
At that time, Duke Chen stepped in and dealt a heavy blow to Cao Mao.
In that incident, Duke Chen stood on the side of the empress, but that does not mean he was a member of the imperial party.
Rather, it was Cao Mao's rebelliousness at that time that threatened the interests of the noble group and the stability of the State of Yu.
"No, then I will visit you a few more times."
Xu Wenyan said calmly:
"After all, we are all elders who are related by blood. This prince is visiting the Duke on behalf of the royal family. It is reasonable and proper. Even the Empress cannot find fault with it."
Mr. Feng said worriedly, "I hope everything goes well."
…
…
On this day, the arrival of the delegation added a turbulence to the capital, and countless people were secretly observing.
After Xu Xuelian returned to the inn, she stayed indoors and refused to leave. It was only said that the angry princess almost beat a servant to death with a whip that night.
The next day, dawn.
Zhao Duan walked out of his residence behind Lihua Hall early in the morning and waited for his subordinates to clock in for work.
He then said slowly:
"Xiaorou and Lao Zheng stay here today. Lao Hou and Lao Shen, you two take a few people and change into plain clothes and follow me out."
"Yes." The four nodded.
A moment later.
Zhao Duan led a group of plainclothes imperial guards out of the door. In order to keep a low profile, they did not ride horses but drove a car.
Zhao Duan got into the carriage, hugged the warm stove, and the marquis drove the carriage, while the rest of the imperial guards followed the carriage disguised as servants.
The purpose of our group today is to track the Prince of Hejian.
Someone was sent ahead to keep an eye on Xu Wenyan's every move, so Zhao Duan could receive news at any time.
"Sir, Xu Wenyan has indeed brought a cart full of gifts and started to visit the nobles." Chen Juan reported.
Zhao Duan half-lying and half-leaning in the car, said calmly:
"Follow, but don't follow too closely."
"yes."
The group's first stop was Earl Yuanshan's residence.
When Zhao Duan's carriage arrived, Prince Xu Wenyan had already left.
"Sir, Xu Wenyan entered the Earl of Yuanshan's mansion and stayed there for about three quarters of an hour. He has now left." Chen Juan reported.
Zhao Duan opened his eyes, dropped the stove in his arms, and slowly got out of the car. He squinted his eyes at the quiet Earl's Mansion in front of him and said:
"Let's go sit down too."
Then, he led a few people and walked straight to the gate of the Earl's Mansion. After knocking on the door, the Earl simply showed his badge, then pushed the door open arrogantly and walked in with Zhao Duan.
Inside the mansion.
Earl Yuanshan was a middle-aged man. He was sitting in the inner hall at this moment. The tea he and Xu Wenyan were drinking on the table was still warm.
Hearing the noise outside, he hurried out and saw Zhao Duan wearing a white mask and casual clothes in the courtyard.
"Bai Jisi!" Earl Yuanshan was shocked and recognized Zhao Duan's "identity".
Fine beads of cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
Zhao Duan said "yes", then looked at the earl with a smile, and cast his eyes on the several gift boxes placed in the inner hall, and said with a smile:
"Will you not explain, Lord Earl?"
(End of this chapter)
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