Chapter 562: Presenting the Empress with "Song of Water Melody"

Chapter 562: Presenting the Empress with "Song of Water Melody"

Chapter 562: Presenting the Empress with "Song of Water Melody"

The door was closed, and the empress, who maintained her majestic posture, also took off her "outer clothes". On her fair face, her slender eyebrows and eyes were curved like a crescent moon.

The corners of his mouth rose and he jokingly asked, "How long have you been waiting?"

Actually, I just arrived... Zhao Duan forced a nonchalant smile: "It's okay to wait a while."

Well, show your hard work appropriately - it's an instinctive habit to play the victim.

Xu Zhenguan waved his hand and asked him to sit down, then walked to the antique display cabinet and picked up a green jade box with his bare hands.

She opened the lid of the box, revealing golden dried chrysanthemums inside. The empress grasped a handful of them in her palm, then turned around and opened the teapot on the table, and poured the chrysanthemum tea, a specialty of the Yu State, into it.

After a while, the empress personally brewed tea and filled Zhao Duan's cup.

"Your Majesty..." Zhao Duan was flattered.

But she was held back by the empress's gaze. She slowly placed the dragon-patterned chrysanthemum tea in front of him and said softly:
"You are a hero today, I should serve you."

What kind of service? Can we change it to another one... Zhao Duan was distracted and pondered:

"How about I come back in the evening?"

"Huh?" Xu Zhenguan was stunned for a moment, unable to react for a moment. When she met his malicious gaze, she suddenly understood, her jade face flushed, and she habitually retorted:
"I don't have the habit of playing with puppets."

That's right... Although this body looks the same as an ordinary person, it lacks the necessary internal organs... Zhao Duan felt as if he had been poured a basin of cold water. He put aside his dirty thoughts and acted like a gentleman, frowning and saying:
"Your Majesty, what are you thinking about? The moon is full during the Mid-Autumn Festival, and I just want to accompany Your Majesty to enjoy the scenery."

You see whether I believe it or not... Xu Zhenguan snorted and looked at him with a playful look while he was talking nonsense. The emperor and his ministers made fun of him and finally got to the point:
"Okay, tell me the details of Zhao Shixiong's surrender."

Zhao Duan took a sip of the yellow tea and slowly recounted the whole incident.

The focus is on rescuing Zhao Ke'er and recruiting Zhao Shixiong.

Xu Zhenguan listened to the details, just like when he was a child listening to the palace maids telling stories.

The first step was to sow discord through letters, and the second step was to use Zhao Ke'er to force Xu Jingtang to take action.

The most exciting part is the operation of the three forces transporting goods across thousands of miles.

Even the most famous storyteller in the capital could not come up with such a plot.

"So, Zhao Shixiong knew that you were the one behind all this, but he still surrendered?" Xu Zhenguan couldn't help but ask after hearing this.

Zhao Duan nodded and said:

"My trick is actually to play the card that all parties have different intelligence and don't trust each other. After reviewing the situation, it is not difficult to see through it.

But after all this trouble, the two men no longer dared to gamble. In the final analysis, it was not because of how powerful my plan was, but because there was already a crisis of trust within the Yunfu rebels, and I simply took advantage of the opportunity.

Of course, helping the society to resolve misunderstandings is also an important factor.

If it weren't for Yun Xi from the Kuangfu Society, Zhao Shixiong might not have been so easy to keep the appointment. In that case, it would have been more likely to cause a split within the Yunfu Group, which would not be as bad as it is now."

After a pause, he took the initiative to plead guilty:
"In order to win over Zhao Shixiong, I rashly promised on behalf of Your Majesty in the name of the governor that he would not be held accountable for rebellion..."

Xu Zhenguan said indifferently: "Since I have given you the title of Grand Commander, it is only right that you make decisions on the battlefield... You should be honest!"

Her eyes widened.

Zhao Duan withdrew his hand from the empress's legs, thinking to himself, why be so stingy... It's not like I haven't touched it before...

Without waiting for the empress to get angry, he said sternly:
"What arrangements have been made in the court?"

Xu Zhenguan's chest rose and fell. He looked away and looked at the map of Yu State on the wall. He said softly:
"I have ordered the flying eagle to spread the news of Zhao Shixiong's rebellion to all regions.

Once the news spreads, it will definitely shake the situation in Xiping and Tieguan. Another imperial edict has been sent to the eastern front. I order Xue Shence to do his best to contain the Jiancheng rebels. The original plan has to change. Previously, I wanted you to contain the western front, and Xue Shence would lead the attack.

Now it's time to turn around and let him contain the enemy. It would be better to take this opportunity to pacify the western front."

Zhao Duan nodded, silently extended his hand again, and said righteously:

"It should be so. In Yongjia City, Yuan Feng is now in control of the situation. In order to show his position, Zhao Shixiong personally killed a new batch of military supervisors sent by Xu Jingtang, as well as the generals in Yongjia City who belonged to the royal palace.

Next, Zhao Shixiong and Yuan Feng will head south to try to wipe out another group of rebels led by Xu Jingtang."

Xu Zhenguan's eyes were dim.

I don't understand how this guy can do this, with his hands and feet being dishonest, and at the same time, discussing the situation with righteous words.

Next, the emperor and his minister had in-depth consultations on the detailed follow-up preparations.

Finally, the empress looked dangerously and asked, "Is that enough?"

Feeling that if he continued to tease her, she would get angry, Zhao Duan withdrew his hand, stood up and said:
"Today is Mid-Autumn Festival. I have to go home to reunite with my family. I will take my leave first."

After saying this, he walked out, but heard a cold voice behind him:

"Come to the palace tonight and I'll treat you to...a drink."

"According to the order."

Watching Zhao Duan leave, Xu Zhenguan silently adjusted her skirt, sat there blankly for a while, suddenly covered her face and gritted her teeth.

This guy... is so outrageous.

But who made him achieve such great success?
She was a little worried about how to reward him.
……

Zhao Duan put on the mask, left the palace in a good mood, and quietly returned to the Zhao Mansion.

Eugene Hua and Zhao Pan have returned home and sent the servants away. The three of them gather together secretly for a rare occasion.

During the meal, the mother and daughter were inevitably chattering and asking questions.

Zhao Duan also picked out what he could say and told them a few things, and explained that he would have to go to the palace in the evening.

The mother and daughter were a little disappointed, but at least they were together during the day.

Eugene Hua is very understanding and thinks that it is necessary to let her stepson and His Majesty be alone together during the Mid-Autumn Festival to promote their relationship.

After chatting.

Zhao Duan returned to his bedroom at home, threw himself on the bed, put his hands behind his head, and began to think about his next plan.

"Well, after today's commotion, once the news spreads, the comparisons between me and Xue Shence in the capital should come to an end."

"The military officers in the Privy Council are restless and their desire to gain power should be extinguished."

“As for the group of scholars in the Imperial College… well, when the storm is over, let Lao Hou and his men visit them one by one and have a heart-to-heart talk with them… We must not lose our vindictive personality. Sometimes, a bad personality can save a lot of trouble.

However, those people are probably still studying the poems of 'General Zhao'..."

Zhao Duan felt very happy. When he first learned about Dong Da's identity, he wanted to copy this song... Finally, he got his wish...

As for what’s next…

"Subjugating Zhao Shixiong is just the beginning. According to Zhenbao, the expectation of all the officials in the court is to at least beat Xu Jingtang back to Yunfu Road and take back half of the Huai River."

"After that, we can cooperate with Xue Shence to force Prince Jing Xu Wen to retreat..."

"But is it enough to just beat Xu Jingtang back? Such a good opportunity will rarely come again... If we can kill Xu Jingtang in one fell swoop, then we can truly solve the hidden danger."

Zhao Duan's eyes were sharp and his thoughts were wandering.

However, it is not easy to kill Xu Jingtang.

In order to control Zhao Shixiong, Xu Jingtang made great efforts to split up, divide and bribe the southwestern border troops.

Therefore, even if Zhao Shixiong and Yuan Feng worked together, they might not be able to wipe out the Yunfu rebels in one fell swoop.

"But killing people doesn't necessarily have to happen on the battlefield... Can we organize an elite team of practitioners to go around and attack Zhao Shixiong from the front?"

"However, although Xu Jingtang's public cultivation is not high, he should not be underestimated. Not to mention the masters raised in the palace, we must be wary of the White Clothes Sect's sorcerers and the possible assistance from the Shenlong Temple."

"If I want to ensure the success of the operation, it will not be enough to rely on just a few of my men... Perhaps I should find some help."

While Zhao Duan was thinking, the sun was setting outside the window, and then night fell.

When it was completely dark, he quietly slipped out of the house.

He avoided the servants and maids in the mansion, left the Zhao Mansion, and went to the palace alone to keep the appointment.

……

There is no curfew in Beijing tonight on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Because of the victory, the city was unusually filled with joy.

On the bustling streets, every shop is open for business, lanterns of all kinds decorate the streets, and pedestrians are everywhere.

There was no banquet for the officials in the palace tonight, as the empress allowed all officials to reunite with their families. However, Xu Zhenguan himself, with the palace servants, came to the "Emperor's Tower" again.

When Zhao Duan stepped on the wooden stairs, he once again reached the top floor of this tallest "watchtower".

On the wide platform, a long table was placed full of delicacies, jars of old wine had been opened, and the air was filled with the aroma of wine.

The empress was wearing a cool long dress, standing by the railing in a somewhat heroic manner, holding up a glass wine jar that was a circle larger than her fist in one hand.

The snow-white goose neck is raised, and the clear wine falls between the lips and teeth, spilling down the neck bit by bit.

"Your Majesty." Zhao Duan walked over and saluted.

Xu Zhenguan turned her head, the cool autumn wind blew up her white dress, her bright and elegant face, her eyes were drunken, she exhaled a breath of alcohol, and said with a smile:
"You came just in time. Come drink with me."

Zhao Duan looked at her, nodded, opened a small jar, and clinked glasses with her.

The empress had a little personal habit. Whenever something happy happened, she would hide away and have a drink or two.

This was a little habit that Zhao Duan learned about when he first arrived at the Tianzi Tower.

Since the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Daluo, Xu Zhenguan never drank alcohol again, nor did he ever feel truly happy.

Until today.

"Tons, tons, tons..."

Zhao Duan drank a jar of wine with her, and leaned on the railing with the empress. From this high place, they looked out at the bustling and lively festive night scene on Zhuque Street in the capital city below.

At the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, the capital city, which had been shrouded in the shadow of war, seemed to have returned to its former peaceful days.

"I am very happy today," the empress said softly, looking at the lights of thousands of homes.

Zhao Duan said somewhat disappointedly:

"Prince Jing is still here, Prince Mu is still here, but only Zhao Shixiong has rebelled. It's not time to be happy yet."

He is a little reluctant to open champagne at halftime.

The empress shook her head:

"It's already very good. Next, we just need to drive Xu Jingtang back to Yunfu, and then drive Xuwen back to Jiancheng. If the court takes back the Huai River, we can breathe a sigh of relief, at least survive this year. There is a saying in ancient books that after three years of the emperor's accession to the throne, good times will come."

Is what you hope for just to drive Xu Jingtang back?
Zhao Duan took a sip of wine, hesitated, and did not tell his plan to hunt down Xu Jingtang.

Of course, it was not because of distrust, but because of the precedent of assassinating Zhao Shixiong, he believed that the empress would not agree with his risky plan.

However, the general is away from home and may not be able to obey the orders of the king.

As the commander-in-chief of the rebellion suppression team, he can decide on his own how to fight on the front line.

"Then... I wish you good luck after bad luck." Zhao Duan said, and he and the empress looked up at the full moon behind the thin clouds in the night sky.

The cold light of the full moon shines down, and the lights in the city are not as bright as the moon.

As the two of them drank, more and more wine jars were placed on the floor upstairs. Finally, there was only one jar left, so they just took turns drinking.

The empress deliberately blocked her pores to lock in the smell of alcohol and enjoy a moment of intoxication. Only here could she temporarily put aside her responsibilities and gain a moment of relaxation.

Suddenly, Xu Zhenguan turned his head, stared at him with a smell of alcohol on his lips and teeth, and said:
"I saw the poem you wrote for Dong Jia Dalang. It's very good."

Zhao Duan looked at her doubtfully: "Huh?"

Because he is a puppet, he will not get drunk even if he drinks a lot.

Xu Zhenguan puffed up his cheeks and said sadly, "You haven't even written one for me."

In those drunken eyes, there seemed to be two words written: I want it!

Zhao Duan smiled, thought about it, and nodded, "Okay."

After saying that, he immediately walked over to the long table, sat cross-legged, and pushed the cups and plates on the table away, leaving a small area of ​​the table empty.

Then, he looked around and said helplessly: "Your Majesty, there is no writing brush..."

Xu Zhenguan was drunk and leaning on the railing. Hearing this, he waved his sleeves and a set of four treasures of the study fell down. He smiled foolishly and said:
"You...write..."

He was really drunk... Zhao Duan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He spread out the rice paper, ground the brush, and watched the empress dancing gently between the jade towers like a fairy under the bright moon.

Slightly absent-minded.

The wrist hangs low and the pen moves quickly.

……

Xu Zhenguan forgot when Zhao Duan left. He only vaguely remembered that before this guy left, he walked around a little while with his dirty hands, under the pretext of helping him sit down, before leaving with satisfaction.

"kindness……"

It was not until the midnight curfew bell rang that the drunken Xu Zhenguan woke up from his light sleep, his closed pores opened, and the strong smell of alcohol was forced out of his body...

In the blink of an eye, Xu Zhenguan's eyes became clear again, without any sign of drunkenness.

She sat in a daze on the Emperor's Tower. The people in the city had already dispersed and returned home, but the moon in the sky was still clear and cold.

"call--"

She took a deep breath and muttered:

"This guy runs really fast. Is he afraid that I will teach him a lesson..."

Xu Zhenguan was about to get up and return to the palace when she saw a crumpled piece of white paper on the table. She reached out to pick it up, spread it with both hands, and saw the words on it. She opened her red lips and read softly:

"When will the bright moon appear? I ask the sky with my wine...

...I want to ride on the wind to go back, but I am afraid that the jade buildings...are too high up and cold.

Dancing with shadows, it seems like I am not in the human world..."

Xu Zhenguan was stunned. In a trance, he felt that the world was as cold and quiet as the heavenly palace, and he himself was hanging high in the sky, with all sounds silent.

She continued to look down.

"Turning around the red pavilion, lowering the beautiful window, shining on the sleepless..."

"…May we live long and share the beauty of the moon, even though we are thousands of miles apart."

"Thousands of miles apart... we share the beauty of the moon..."

Xu Zhenguan clutched the paper, some emotion surging in his eyes, his sight seemed to cross thousands of miles, and was cast on the western front of Linfeng, and the real body of Zhao Duan.

……

……

at the same time.

Zhao Duan cursed as he fled from the Tianzi Tower as if he was escaping for his life.

"I know my puppet body is useless..."

"There's nothing underneath the skirt..."

"Vile, so vicious! Nothing is more vicious than a woman's heart!"

Zhao Duan only felt a ball of fire jumping, but he knew it was just an illusion and there was no corresponding organ in this body at all.

The brain reaction belongs to...

On the quiet streets of the capital, Zhao Duan walked around like a ghost, the cold wind blowing on his face, gradually calming his inner restlessness.

After an unknown amount of time, he stopped and saw the majestic buildings of Tianshi Mansion in front of him. The huge bell tower in the depths was extremely eye-catching under the moonlight.

Lights were still lit in the Tianshi Mansion.

There are fiery red lanterns hanging above the heads of the two stone lions at the entrance.

Zhao Duan stepped onto the steps, raised his hand, grabbed the door knocker and knocked.

"anyone there……"

Soon, the small door creaked open, and a neatly dressed Taoist night watchman came out. He saluted the masked Zhao Duan, swung his whisk, and said:

"The Heavenly Master invites you."

(End of this chapter)