The Empress's First Running Dog

Chapter 81: The same year, the first conversation with the empress in the watchtower

Please ask me, the second brother, to serve the wine… Zhao Duan held the heavy black lacquered wine jar and knocked off the seal with his hand, and the aroma of wine immediately filled the air.

When the empress's sleeves just brushed past, an invisible force field spread around, shielding the cold wind out.

Then the "First Watchtower" became quiet.

The starry sky above is shining, and there are thousands of lights on the ground.

The empty and majestic rooftop of the "Emperor's Tower", the delicacies and fine wine, a single man and a single woman... Zhao Duan suddenly realized:

Today's event was so grand, with hundreds of palace servants present. Even though most of the people who knew about it kept their mouths shut, some rumors were bound to leak out.

Zhao Duan's late-night secret meeting with the empress...will undoubtedly greatly increase the authenticity of the "scandal" between the two.

Is this also your purpose, Zhenguan?
Zhao Duan's thoughts were wandering, and he had already come to the opposite side of the empress and started pouring wine.

My eyes couldn't help but wander around.

The empress is powerful and tall, but she is still half a head shorter than him, as anyone with experience knows.

The height difference doesn't need to be too big, just a little difference will allow the person on the higher place to have a clear view of the lower place.

What's more, sitting and standing at the same time.

Although the empress wore a high neckline and wrapped her chest tightly to show her majesty, which artificially compressed the size of her dress, people had no chance to see the scenery of the valley.

But the slender goose neck extends down, and the breathtaking arc makes people think about it.

"Wow..."

The clear wine surged out, almost filling the porcelain bowl in front of the empress.

Zhao Duan moved the wine jar away and sat down cross-legged.

When he raised his head nervously, he saw the clear eyes of the female emperor, quietly examining him.

Unexplained dry mouth... Zhao Duan was a little stunned.

This was the first time he looked at her face so carefully.

Both times when I was grinding ink and the last time I was visiting the garden, I was photographed in profile.

As for the last time they had lunch together, Zhao Duan was feeling uneasy and had no interest in appreciating the food. He was almost in the mood for a last meal before execution and did not look at it carefully.

Until this time, a circle of red lanterns was hung high on the huge rooftop, and exquisite coiled dragon candlesticks were placed on the table among the delicacies.

Xu Zhenguan's natural face, without a single flaw, had never been so clear.

Her dark eyebrows are like distant mountains, her jade-like bones are naturally formed, her pink cheeks are like piled snow, and her nose is particularly straight and upturned.

The royal majesty in her bones and the cold and detached nature of a female monk combined together made Xu Zhenguan a unique and extraordinary woman in the world with noble temperament.

"Drink." The empress said in a cold voice.

"Oh..." Zhao Duan also filled his own bowl and was about to raise his glass and say a toast, a skill he had acquired from his experience at the wine table in his previous life.

However, Xu Zhenguan had already picked up the wine bowl, raised his neck, and drank it all in one gulp!

Very heroic!

The clear wine overflowed from the corners of the mouth and sprinkled down the snow-white and tight neck.

Zhao Duan hurriedly accompanied with a bowl.

"Pour the wine."

"Pour it again."

Xu Zhenguan ate three bowls in one breath, and Zhao Duan also ate three bowls. He noticed that after the empress drank it, the smell of alcohol did not escape at all.

She was deliberately locking the pores all over her body, deliberately feeling the intoxication.

Soon, the empress said softly:

"Do you know why I came here to drink tonight?"

Zhao Duan blinked and said, "Tonight, the full moon is just right..."

He spoke slowly, seemingly organizing his words, but in fact he was observing people's expressions.

This is a little trick I learned in my previous life, a trick to guess what others are saying. I would say half a sentence first, and then adjust the second half according to the changes in my boss's expression.

This is similar to how a novelist makes adjustments based on reader feedback.

While observing the expressions of others, he said:
"But, although the moonlight is beautiful, it is always there, but happiness is rare."

In the "Retreat Records" written by a Song Dynasty scholar, it was recorded that Emperor Shenzong of Song wanted to execute a person, but was refuted by his ministers and failed to do so. In his indignation, Emperor Shenzong complained:
I can't do anything that pleases me!
When Zhao Duan read this story in his previous life, he was deeply moved and guessed that kings since ancient times had similar feelings.

Even a tyrant at the peak of autocracy must have been subject to checks and balances when he first ascended the throne as a child.

At the beginning of his journey, he had thought that the empress, who possessed powerful cultivation, would be different, but after observing her for some time, that was not the case.

Pei Kaizhi's concern is for his descendants, while Xu Zhenguan's concern is the continued stability of the Dayu Dynasty, or perhaps he also wants to prove that he is as good as the emperors of all dynasties.

If she had devoted herself to seeking the truth, she might have been able to live a free and easy life, but what she wanted was to create a prosperous world.

It is not enough to rely solely on force. Historical experience shows that rule maintained by violence is indeed feasible, but it can only be limited to a small area.

Once the ruling radius is too large, violence will fail systemically, and the logic behind it is simple.

The larger the number of people a tyrant rules, the more people there will be who are hostile to him, who oppose him, and who try to overthrow him.

The cultivation of the empress in the "pseudo-celestial realm" is not enough to fight against an entire celestial being. Even if she is promoted to "Valkyrie" and reaches the legendary human-immortal realm, she will be invincible in the world, but the country under the rule of a tyrant will not be prosperous.

Therefore, Zhao Duan felt that behind the glory of the Queen of Dayu, there were shackles all over her body, which locked up her cultivation.

She was not happy either.

"It's rare to have happy things...happy things..." Xu Zhenguan was stunned.

At this moment, the peerless empress seemed to be stabbed in the heart.

She stared at Zhao Duan in a daze, never expecting that he would reveal her thoughts in one sentence.

He understands me...

Once this thought came up, I couldn't stop it.

The empress's eyes softened as well. She suddenly smiled, stood up, and with the full moon above her head, she paced along the railing, overlooking half of the capital, and said in a clear voice:
"Well said! Cutting off one of Li's party members' arms today is a very satisfying thing, and it should be made clear."

She turned back and said with a smile:

"Then guess again, why do I only let you accompany me?"

She likes me... Zhao Duan quickly extinguished this wrong answer, thought for a moment, and said:

"It would be too lonely and boring to drink by myself. Perhaps my appearance is still quite impressive?"

Translated: It's so boring to go out drinking alone, why not ask a handsome guy to accompany you?
How can you be so shameless... Xu Zhenguan couldn't help laughing, shook his head and said:
"You're wrong this time."

Zhao Duan asked knowingly, "Why is that?"

Xu Zhenguan snorted, and in an instant, some feminine charm flashed across his face:
"At least there won't be any random rumors when I drink with you."

This was incomprehensible, but Zhao Duan understood it.

For those in high positions, every move will be interpreted and speculated by countless people.

If word spreads that you were drinking with any minister, it would trigger a series of uncontrollable risks.

But Zhao Duan is an exception.

The two of them already had a "scandal", and since he was a male concubine, it was natural for him to eat, drink, and sleep with her.

On the contrary, it will not cause court officials to make random speculations.

For some unknown reason, Zhao Duan suddenly felt that the woman in front of him was somewhat "pitiful".

"Your Majesty..." He opened his mouth, but the empress raised her hand to interrupt him: "Shut up and listen to me."

Zhao Duan was silent.

The empress frowned: "Did you hear that?"

Zhao Duan pointed to his tightly closed mouth and waved his hand to indicate:

Your Majesty, you told me to shut up.

"..."Xu Zhenguan was inexplicably angry, but he was in a good mood and didn't bother to argue with him.

She raised her hand and a jar of wine flew up on its own, the lid opened and was grabbed by his slender fingers. He raised his head and took a sip. After a moment, he exhaled a breath of wine, sighed softly, and said:
"You just guessed a little wrong. I came here in the past not to have fun, but mostly to relieve my sorrow."

Drowning your sorrows in alcohol, eh... Zhao Duan covered his mouth and said nothing.

Xu Zhenguan seemed to be lost in memory: "The first time was more than ten years ago."

More than a decade ago? Was it during the time of the Third Princess? Zhao Duan raised his eyebrows.

Xu Zhenguan said:

"At that time, I was still young, but I had already entered the royal school in the palace to study. The crown prince and my second brother were also there. The crown prince was kind and generous, but a little dull. Master Dong, who was teaching at the school at that time, commented that if the crown prince succeeded to the throne, he would be a benevolent monarch.

The second brother, on the contrary, was quite smart, and was good at both martial arts and studying. However, he had a passionate personality and only liked to make friends and travel, hang out with celebrities, military generals and nobles in the capital... He was not interested in studying.

Looking back now, I'm afraid that the second brother had the intention of cultivating his followers at that time, right? He was clearly still a teenager. "

It was the first time that Zhao Duan learned about the other two protagonists in the "Xuanmen Coup". He was fascinated by the vivid description.

Xu Zhenguan didn't continue speaking, but waited.

He seemed to think that no one was talking to him, so he seemed stupid to just talk to himself, so he waved his hand helplessly:

"I allow you to speak."

Zhao Duan smiled, looked at the empress's back, and said:
"I dare not interfere in such royal secrets."

"Just say it when I tell you to!" Xu Zhenguan was slightly tipsy, and his words and actions were very different from his usual dignity and calmness.

You asked me to say this... Zhao Duan muttered, and asked:

"Your Majesty should be very good at reading."

The corners of the empress's mouth curled up slightly:

"Of course. I was the best student in the whole school at that time."

After a pause, Xu Zhenguan suddenly felt disappointed and sighed:

"But his academic performance was the worst among all students in the Royal Academy."

Zhao Duan was stunned: "Why?"

(End of this chapter)