The Empress's No.1 Lackey-Chapter 1180 - 636: Empress’s Western Campaign (Part 2)
Coincidentally, the condition to open the remaining two doors is the "Heavenly Human Realm."
It all seems fated.
"Could it be that even Zhang Yan Yi’s actions were part of Xu’s plan?" At this moment, Zhao Douan felt a strong sense of destiny wash over him.
"Yes." Zhang Yan Yi nodded with pleasure.
Of the major Heavenly Humans of the current era, aside from the newly ascended Empress, the other three are all searching for hope to ascend to Human Immortal.
Wu Xiankui pins his hope on exploring the "Martial God’s Legacy."
Xuan Yin is up to some unknown scheme.
Zhang Yan Yi places his hope in the "prophecy" left behind by the previous Heavenly Master.
"Your Majesty, but you..." Zhao Douan hesitated to speak.
Xu Zhenguan suddenly smiled and said, "As for me, after a few more days of healing, I will personally lead a campaign to Xiping Road."
With a serious expression, she said, "As long as I don’t leave the borders of Yu Country, even if I’m injured, I’m not afraid of Xuan Yin, and the Western Regions Dharma King wouldn’t dare leave the Western Regions. I will not take action in Xiping Road, I will only oversee the campaign to boost morale and sweep away enemy forces."
After a pause, she looked at Zhao Douan with a heavy gaze: "If the catastrophe foretold by the Disaster Star is unavoidable, and in the end, someone must become a Human Immortal to turn the tide, I will be at the frontline, delaying as much as possible to give you time."
Zhao Douan was moved!
The Empress smiled and said, "Alright, there’s no rush to set out, let’s rest and prepare for a few more days."
Zhang Yan Yi cupped his hands and said, "I will calmly wait."
Moments later.
The two parties that had formed an alliance separated, and the Empress left the Heavenly Master Mansion with Zhao Douan.
In mid-air, Zhao Douan once again stood behind the Empress, massaging her small abdomen, stimulating the Dragon Essence within her, aiding her in healing: "Your Majesty, take the Dragon Essence with you, it might be a safeguard at a critical moment."
Even after doing it many times, Xu Zhenguan still felt uncomfortable with this shameful posture, her cheeks slightly red: "There’s no need. I also practiced your ’Dragon Taming Technique,’ but this ugly thing simply doesn’t listen, lying dead in my stomach. You should keep it with you, Zhang Yan Yi might not be entirely reliable, besides... finding the key might also require the Dragon Essence for guidance. Rest assured, if Xuan Yin has a grand scheme, he won’t easily come out fighting against me. Instead, he might hide in the Western Regions, unwilling to come out."
Zhao Douan thought about it and had to extract the Dragon Essence from the Empress’s body...
"Pop~"
...
Having just quelled the Eight Princes’ Rebellion, Xu Zhenguan was nonstop busy summoning ministers and preparing a series of arrangements for the campaign.
Zhao Douan found himself suddenly idle, wandering around the palace. He suddenly noticed a familiar figure missing, quickly grabbing a female official to ask:
"Why haven’t I seen Sun Master?"
He was referring to the Chief Eunuch, Sun Lianying.
The female official hurriedly replied, "Sun Master caught the spring cold in early spring, caught a chill, and has been resting these days."
Zhao Douan paused, vaguely remembering this matter, Sun Lianying indeed had been ill for quite some time.
Immediately, he left the palace, mounted a horse, and headed to the White Horse Hall.
...
Sun Lianying had an imperial-granted residence in the Capital, but since he was alone, he never lived there, instead treating the back office of the White Horse Hall as home.
After many days, Zhao Douan once again led his horse to the entrance of the White Horse Hall, looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar lintel under the spring light, feeling a sense of lament.
Two years ago, he was just a minor envoy here.
"Junior Guardian Zhao!" An envoy happened to come out of the government office, was startled to see him, and quickly ran over with small steps, leading his horse: "Lord, why have you come?"
Zhao Douan glanced at the man, finding him familiar, they were former colleagues, and he smiled, saying: "I hold a position at the White Horse Hall, why can’t I come?"
"That’s not what I meant..." the envoy stuttered in fright.
Zhao Douan laughed heartily, kindly saying: "I heard that Lord Supervisor is ill, I came to visit. Is Mr. Sun’s cold still not better?"
Upon hearing this, the envoy’s expression changed slightly, and he whispered: "This... Lord should go see for yourself."
As Zhao Douan entered the back office, from afar he could smell the strong scent of traditional medicine; next door, a kitchen servant had just finished brewing medicinal soup and was bringing it out.
"Mr. Zhao..."
"Hush, let me do it." Zhao Douan gestured for silence as he personally took the tray and pushed open the bedroom door.
The door creaked open.
Inside the bedroom, a strange odor lingered in the air, the doors and windows were tightly shut, the room was incredibly quiet, and an old man lay on the bed with his eyes closed.
Sun Lianying opened his eyes, saw it was him, and was slightly surprised, weakly squeezing out a smile: "What wind... cough cough, has blown you, an extremely busy person, here."
Zhao Douan was startled, put down the medicinal soup, and took a few steps to the bedside: "Lord Supervisor..."
It had only been a few months, but Sun Lianying seemed to have aged ten years!
His originally slightly white temples had turned completely white, and his once sturdy body had thinned significantly!
The flesh on his cheeks had withered considerably, his complexion no longer rosy, only showing the decline of someone in severe illness!
"How have you become so gravely ill? Wasn’t it said to be just a cold?" Zhao Douan clasped the old eunuch’s hand, sensing with Divine Sense, only to feel the old man’s energy and blood in decline, extremely weak, but unfortunately, he wasn’t a physician and couldn’t really understand it.
Sun Lianying smiled, trying with great effort to sit up, Zhao Douan hurriedly assisted, placing a pillow behind him.
"Age is catching up, haven’t you heard, ’A disease comes like a mountain falling, but leaves like silk being drawn away’?" The old director said gently.
Zhao Douan frowned, "What did the Imperial Physician say? Does His Majesty know?"
Sun Lianying smiled, "The Imperial Physician has been constantly tending to me. The palace has used all kinds of precious medicines lavishly and even summoned priests from the Heavenly Master Mansion; all have been diligent, but it requires quiet recuperation. As for His Majesty, I have instructed the people below not to inform him. You must also not tell His Majesty, as the nation’s affairs are busy, don’t let this little illness of mine distract him..."
Zhao Douan remained silent.
Indeed, these past days, the Empress had been with him at the Coastal area, only occasionally appearing through a puppet. There were too many trivial matters, and everyone busy had almost forgotten the elderly eunuch recuperating from illness.
At this moment, he recalled that the old official’s health had shown signs earlier on. After the Luoshan Sealing, when Sun Lianying painstakingly escaped back to the Capital from the south, he fell ill.
At such an age, to flee a thousand miles, traveling day and night, it’s remarkable he wasn’t completely worn out, testament to his strong constitution.
But ordinary people ultimately cannot compare to cultivators; as age progresses, the body becomes too weak to benefit from nourishment, whether from rare medicines or magic healing; they only overdraw an already fragile physique.
"I heard you and His Majesty executed Prince Jing?" Sun Lianying, seeing him distracted, proactively asked.
Zhao Douan was surprised, "You know?"
"Hehe," Sun Lianying weakly smiled, "This is White Horse Hall; though I’m bedridden, every little change in the Capital, cough cough... the people below report promptly."
After a pause, he smiled and said, "Good, very well done, truly good. I originally thought, the military pledge you made... was too tough... I didn’t expect, I underestimated you... Prince Jing is dead, Eight Princes’ Rebellion... is about to end... His Majesty can finally breathe... The world will be peaceful..."
The old official praised, muttering.
Zhao Douan listened quietly, not telling him about the Liao Clan possibly mobilizing and the significant plot involving Xuan Yin.
Seeing that he spoke a lot and started coughing again, Zhao Douan hurriedly stopped him, picked up the medicinal soup, and personally fed it to the old official.
After he finished drinking the bowl of medicine, Sun Lianying waved his hand, smiling: "Go be busy, you surely have a package of tasks, don’t chatter beside my useless body, interfering with my sleep."
Zhao Douan stood up, earnestly said, "I will be here in the Capital these days and will frequently visit you."
Sun Lianying waved his hand, saying: "Go be busy, don’t keep coming over to me, wasting this beautiful springtime."
Zhao Douan forced a smile: "Once you’re better, we’ll drink wine and eat meat again."
Sun Lianying smacked his lips, somewhat longingly said, "Having drunk medicinal soup for months, I indeed crave wine. Next time, bring some osmanthus wine from the palace, not from outside taverns."
"Alright." Zhao Douan promised, then took his leave.
As he exited the room, he turned his head to look at the tender green buds sprouting from the tree behind the government office, his heart heavy.
...
The Empress is about to personally lead an expedition!
Right after the news of Prince Jing’s execution spread, new explosive news followed suit.
Regarding this, no matter the court ministers or civilians, the sentiment was uniformly positive.
All believed that the Empress, bearing the prestige of quelling the Eight Princes’ Rebellion, personally leading an expedition, was a great boost to the troops’ morale.
Hence, this matter swiftly proceeded.
In the blink of an eye, it was the day of the expedition.
Early morning.
West City Gate.
Countless officials, ministers, and civilians lined up to bid farewell. Upon the city wall, Zhao Douan personally beat the drum, sending off the female emperor leading a team of palace guards to march west.
