The Empress's No.1 Lackey
Chapter 565 - 565: 418, 'Prime Minister, are you questioning me?' (5k)

Duke An, Cao Mao, has retired to the countryside.

This news spread through the Yu Country's officialdom like a whirlwind that afternoon, drawing countless curious eyes.

Many intricate details prompted eager inquiries, but with the key figures tacitly keeping silent, outsiders found it difficult to grasp the specifics, turning this affair into yet another strange chapter in the "Empress's Secret History" penned by unofficial historians.

A particularly striking episode was when someone witnessed Zhao Douan ride into the palace amidst heavy snowfall.

In the following days, Zhao Douan controlled public opinion to wrap up the matter, with the case of Lang Shiba unfolding smoothly according to the planned script.

Luo kedie returned to Jubei City with Cao Mao's personal letter of military power transition, completing the transfer of power.

Meanwhile, time finally reached the end of the year.

...

Morning, in the Zhao family guest room.

Zhao Douan was awakened by the successive sounds of firecrackers.

He opened his eyes, staring idly at the top of the window curtain for a few seconds before turning to sit on the edge of the bed, yawning and rubbing his drowsy eyes.

"Knock knock knock, Dalang, are you awake?" Footsteps approached from outside, followed by the earnest call of his stepmother.

"Come in." Zhao Douan glanced at his complete sleepwear and responded casually.

The door was pushed open, and the bright daylight streamed into the room. Dressed in a new dress, You Jinhua stepped in with a smile, followed by three maids, each holding either clothes or a basin. Without needing instructions once inside, they adeptly assisted the household's "master" with his grooming routine.

Well, because Mr. Zhao passed away early, Zhao Douan, as the only man of the house, automatically became the "master" in the mouths of the servants.

"I can do it myself..." Zhao Douan expressed resistance, but ultimately couldn't withstand the tugging of the four women. The mighty "Yama Zhao" was dressed up like a doll one after another.

A moment later, Zhao Douan in the mirror had finished washing up and was brimming with energy, dressed from head to toe in a new brightly-colored outfit.

Today being New Year's Eve, ordinary folks would wait until the first day of the New Year to don new clothes due to financial constraints.

But the Zhao family, which had already joined the ranks of the Capital's new elite, wasn't short of a few garments.

As per You Jinhua's statement: "During the Spring Festival, Dalang will be in the officialdom receiving guests, and it's customary to have a new set of robes every day."

Alright then...

Zhao Douan, while wishing to refuse, had spent less than a year time-traveling and had been successfully assimilated into feudal society.

In front of the room mirror, You Jinhua stood beside him, meticulously adjusting the edges and corners of his garments, happily stating: "Is the Grand Banquet Ceremony in the evening?"

"I must head out early in the afternoon." Zhao Douan explained casually.

On New Year's Eve night, the Empress was hosting a grand banquet at the Imperial Palace for the ministers, known as the "Grand Banquet Ceremony," and Zhao Douan was invited to attend.

You Jinhua, admiring the handsome and tall stepson before her, gleefully said: "They say you can't eat or drink freely at the palace banquet; be sure to eat more at home at noon."

"Got it." Zhao Douan replied perfunctorily.

After leaving the room, the entire Zhao Mansion was adorned with a festive atmosphere. Bright red lanterns hung from every corner of the eaves, and the windows were decorated with papercuts of all shapes and forms.

The servants of the mansion had also changed into new clothes, received their bonuses, and were busily moving New Year's goods or repeatedly cleaning the tidy courtyard.

"Pop pop pop..."

Outside the mansion gates, Zhao Pan led the maids, personally lighting firecrackers under the anxious watch of the house servants.

The firecrackers went off in succession, resounding continuously, with the red shredded paper laying prettily in the snow on the street outside.

The Pekingese dog was so frightened by the firecracker noise that it trembled under the table in the inner hall.

"Big brother!" Zhao Pan looked at Zhao Douan approaching and waved with a smile on her face.

The girl was dressed today in a brightly colored jacket with white fur trimming the edges, tightly wrapped around her neck, accentuating her fair face which resembled a New Year's painting wealth-giving girl all grown up.

In her hand, she held a yellow incense stick with a crimson tip, enthusiastically offering it to him: "Want to join?"

"Aren't you now a renowned 'Miss Zhao' in the Capital? Pay attention to your image." Zhao Douan couldn't help but sigh.

Zhao Pan puffed up her cheeks, deliberately acting cute: "I can't learn to be a refined lady..."

"Alright, alright, as you wish." Zhao Douan waved his hand but felt comfortable inside. Though women of this era were indeed good, pursuing gentleness and virtue, seeing too much could become wearisome.

Girls like Zhao Pan, who grew up in a Martial Artist family, lacked many formalities and instead felt more "modern."

Zhao Douan reluctantly set off a string of firecrackers and got pulled by Zhao Pan to go indoors and write Spring Festival couplets.

The young lady eagerly laid out red paper on the study table, personally grinding the ink, embodying the essence of "Red Sleeves Adding Fragrance." Zhao Douan held a yellow pear-wood brush, dipped it in ink, contemplated briefly, and wrote the couplet.

"Spring breeze, spring rain, spring colors; New year, new scenes, new home."

Zhao Pan looked at the couplet, unsure of its quality, and laughed: "It matches the occasion well, new spring and new home... But our family moved months ago; this phrase seems a bit late."

"What would you know? This couplet is by Wang Xizhi."

Zhao Douan placed the brush on the white porcelain brush rest, chuckled, and his gaze turned complex.

In this world, perhaps only he understood the true meaning of "new home." A year had passed, and unknowingly, he had taken root in this world, gaining new family and identity.

"Who is Wang Xizhi? I've never heard of him..." Zhao Pan muttered but quickly set the question aside, personally bringing out a bowl of hot paste.

As she walked, she used her scallion-like pinky to scoop up a bit of paste, tasted it by her lips, and her eyes curved into crescents.