The Empress's First Running Dog

Chapter 56 Yuan Li's Bewitching

"No... no... I..."

At this moment, Lu Liang, who is famous for his "mouth cannon", was incoherent for a moment.

The scene before my eyes was simply too magical.

The recent high spirits and fantasies of revenge on Zhao Duan seemed to be ruthlessly shattered by the protruding jade ruyi.

On a deeper level, there was a sudden surge of fear.

Ironically, when Zhao Duan became the empress's lover, Lu Liang was not afraid at all.

It was a rule established during the time of Taizu that those who spoke out directly would not be punished. Therefore, no matter how he criticized Zhao Du'an, as long as he was "reasoning", he would not be punished.

Especially since Xu Zhenguan had just ascended the throne and was surrounded by wolves, the empress did not dare to punish the censors at will.

But when he found out that Zhao Duan’s new identity was “Mr. Yuan’s guest of honor”, ​​he felt fear instead.

The empress would not execute officials who spoke out, but the censors could.

Especially when he did something wrong and was caught by the other party, like now.

"Why is Censor Lu speaking so incoherently?"

Zhao Duan said calmly:
"Just now I heard you mention that I had an affair with that female thief and had threatened the police. I am curious where these rumors came from. Why don't you bring the relevant people here now and confront them openly?"

Beside him, Yuan Li smiled leisurely:
"I am just here to bear witness."

Confrontation? How can that be possible!

Lu Liang shuddered. The arrest document was fake, and the affair was just made up by his imagination. There was no way to cover it up.

He immediately realized that it was meaningless to argue and resist, and immediately knelt down and said:
"Since Lord Zhao said so, I am sure that I have believed the rumors and caused misunderstanding."

After saying this, before the two could react, Lu Liang turned around angrily and gave orders to the officer next to the prisoner car:
"Send the prisoner back to the government office immediately, and proceed with everything as usual without any delay!"

The change in tone was so fast, like a tornado, it dazzled the group of officials...

They were standing far away and could not hear the conversation next to the car.

I only saw Censor Lu being called in for questioning, and after a few words, the order was reversed.

"Lord Lu, didn't you say that you wanted to give the female thief to Zhao..." The official who had just been flattering hesitated.

Lu Liang's face darkened and he said loudly:
"I was deceived by rumors and almost wrongly accused Envoy Zhao of being a person. Now that the truth has been clarified, why don't you send him back?!"

He was scolding loudly one second and slapping you in the face the next.

The people around couldn't keep up with Lu Liang's pace and looked at each other in confusion.

The officers did not dare to disobey and immediately turned the prison van around.

Yunxi was stunned for a few breaths before she understood what had happened.

It seems that after this dog official was scolded by the thief Zhao, he... is fine?

She felt a mixture of emotions: relief, joy, self-blame, anger, and disappointment... Yunxi suddenly realized that she wasn't that brave after all.

Fear of death, living a miserable life.

And with Zhao Duan's care, her weight was getting heavier.

A strong sense of shame surged in her heart. Yunxi stood on tiptoe and tried to shout out the lines that she had practiced countless times in prison to refute Zhao Duan's point of view.

“Wu…Wuwu!!”

Yunxi was stunned for a moment, her eyes red with anger. She even forgot that there was a ball gag in her mouth.

Zhao Duan KOs Yunxi in the second round.

……

The prison van drove away, accompanied by the girl's unwilling sobs.

Lu Liang bowed and ran back to the car, looking ashamed:
"Please punish me, Lord Yuan."

However, the man in blue holding the jade ruyi looked at Zhao Duan and said:
"You decide how to punish him."

Zhao Duan said calmly: "It's all up to Lord Yuan."

What a joke! I actually wanted to strip him of his official robe, but you would definitely disagree... Zhao Duan complained in his heart.

He knew that this small mistake was not enough to do anything to the other party, and Lu Liang's response was perfect.

Yuan Li smiled and casually ordered:
"Because of your fault, the people suffered under the scorching sun. I punish you to stand until sunset. Do you accept this?"

Lu Liang took a deep breath:

"I… am convinced!"

Yuan Li laughed, lowered the curtains, and the four carriages set off again, as if all this was really just a coincidence.

Only the prison carts that were moving away and the people who were about to disperse were left.

And the iron-tongued censor who stood like a nail in the scorching sun, his hands in a gesture of apology, motionless.

It is conceivable that after today, Luliang's reputation will be greatly damaged.

And all this was just due to a casual remark made by the Imperial Censor.

…………

In the carriage, when the bustle faded away.

Zhao Duan finally couldn't help but speak:
"Mr. Yuan, what happened today was not accidental."

He really couldn't accept that the other party was so fond of his script just because they met once in the Imperial Garden.

Unless the other party is a homosexual... Thinking of this possibility, Zhao Duan shuddered, sat further away silently, and looked alert to protect his anus.

Yuan Li: "..."

Zhao Duan: "..."

a long time.

Yuan Li finally left Yu Ruyi in a bad mood:

"If I wanted to harm you, would I have to go to such great lengths?"

That may not be the case... Zhao Du is a very complacent person and is highly wary of any unprovoked kindness.

His face was filled with relief, and he said worriedly:
"I am just worried that today's incident will affect your reputation if it gets out."

The elegant and easy-going powerful minister is domineering:

“Who will spread it?”

He had said this once at the gate of the imperial city, and this was the second time.

When I first listened to it, I didn't understand the meaning of the song, but when I listened to it again, I had become the person in the song. It seemed that in his eyes, Lu Liang would never dare to gossip about him.

After a pause, Yuan Li added calmly:

"Besides, I have never pursued or cared about so-called fame. This was the case when I was young, and it is still the case today. Those who pursue a good reputation will be burdened by it and eventually lose it. Those who do practical things, even if they are not understood by outsiders for the time being, will be praised and praised by the world when they really benefit from it. Why seek it from outsiders?"

Zhao Duan said sincerely:

"Mr. Yuan's state of mind is far inferior to mine."

Yuan Li suddenly laughed and said:
"With your bad reputation today, if you turn back, it will be much easier for you to gain a good reputation than Lu Liang."

I know that all a bad guy needs to do to become a Buddha is to put down his butcher knife... Zhao Duan said with a smile:

"I think a bad reputation is sometimes more useful."

The reason why he maintained his original character to the outside world was largely because he saw the advantages of the bad guy character.

Yuan Li smiled, and the two looked at each other and smiled.

The two people with different identities and opposite reputations actually developed a kind of mutual identification because they both didn't care about the word "reputation".

Just like sniffing out one's own kind in a crowd, it has nothing to do with external things such as identity. Lu Liang will never understand this in his life.

Just laugh.

Yuan Li suddenly asked: "Do you think that my punishment for Lu Liang is too light?"

Zhao Duan shook his head seriously:
"Mr. Yuan and I have no relationship, but I am grateful for your help and protection."

Yuan Li smiled and said:

"So, you are still not satisfied. You want to deal with him? Just like you brought down the Zhang family?"

Zhao Duan nodded calmly: "I want to."

When the whole court was impeaching him, Lu Liang was the vanguard. Now they are trying to trap him. Even a clay Buddha would be angry, let alone Zhao Duan.

"How are you going to do it?"

"I haven't thought of it yet. Let's catch him doing something wrong first."

"Lu Liang is a man who values ​​his reputation very much. He made some minor mistakes, but they are insignificant. It's difficult to dig out some dirty laundry from him." Yuan Li shook her head.

Zhao Duan blinked: "What advice do you have for me, Mr. Yuan?"

The man in blue clothes said calmly, "If you want to cut off the twigs, you can cut off the main trunk."

Zhao Duan smiled bitterly:
"You must be joking. Behind Lu Liang is the entire Li Party. I can't chew it with my teeth."

Yuan Li shook his head and said:
"I'm not asking you to deal with Li Yanfu. Do you know why Lu Liang can do things under the banner of the Ministry of Justice? It's because his wife is the fourth daughter of Pei Shilang of the Ministry of Justice."

Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice!

The third-rank official is one step above the Shangshu.

Although she is not as powerful as Yuan Li, for Zhao Duan, she is already a powerful figure whom he dare not offend.

"What you mean is..." Zhao Duan's breathing became slightly tight.

Yuan Li smiled and said:
"Since you want to make a contribution, why don't you try to take a big chance instead of focusing on the small fish and shrimp?"

After a pause, he said leisurely:

"Bite off a piece of the minister's flesh. Do you... dare to do it?"

(End of this chapter)