The Empress's No.1 Lackey
Chapter 580 - 580: 423. Zhao Douan mobilizes troops, the court's grand army tramples the Daoist sect (5,000).

"Magistrate Luan, take a closer look, who am I really?"

Inside the Golden Fortune Inn, as Zhao Douan removed his mask, revealing that handsome face.

Prefect Luan Cheng of the Marine Road was initially stunned, then his pupils shook, he staggered back two steps, nearly falling, instinctively raised his hand pointing at Zhao, who was smiling and stammered:

"Zhao...Junior Guardian Zhao?!"

Newly appointed Taizi Shaobao, third-rank official, favored minister of the Empress, Zhao Douan!

Luan Cheng had never seen him, but had often seen Zhao Douan's portraits.

The most recent being recorded in the residence report from the Capital sent some time ago, with the information of Zhao Douan being promoted to Junior Guardian. Seeing so many Imperial Court soldiers here, he already had a suspicion, and immediately recognized the identity.

"Seems your eyes aren't blind yet," Zhao Douan said blandly.

Luan Cheng's mind was in chaos, nearly freezing, as the prefect himself was unaware of the existence of this entourage, how could he not be shocked?

In his astonishment, his body reacted faster than his mind, he staggered forward a few steps, shook his robe sleeves, and made a bowing salute:

"Underling Luan Cheng, greets Junior Guardian Zhao."

Behind him, the arrest officer Zhang Jian who was clutching his chest painfully but without major harm came forward, also lowered his gaze in shock.

Those constables and government officers already trembling with fear, it was not clear who started, but they knelt down in unison, exclaiming:

"Junior Guardian!"

As if afraid of being slow, and getting remembered by this famously powerful yet vengeful figure who would find a pretext to deal with them.

Zhao Douan calmly swept his gaze over the group for a moment before saying nonchalantly:

"At ease."

Then he turned around to walk into the room, leaving behind a sentence:

"Magistrate Luan, let's talk inside, everyone else stays outside, until I come out, no one is allowed to leave."

"Understood!"

Members of Lihua Hall kept the deflated local government officers like deflated balls as if guarding prisoners.

Once the door to the inn's main hall was closed, Gongshu Tianyuan and the others gathered under the eaves, muttering quietly.

"What do you think is going on here?"

Gongshu Tianyuan started the topic with a curious look.

Lang Shiba and Ji Yue were silent background types, they take action but don't chatter, they didn't join in.

Jin Jian was dozing off;

The scholar and Hong Ye, being Shadow Guards, were unfamiliar with everyone, so didn't speak.

With a row of throwing knives hanging from her waist and a teardrop mole at the corner of her eye, Haitang crossed her arms, glanced at everyone:

"Didn't Junior Guardian Zhao just say it?"

Gongshu Tianyuan was surprised: "Young lady, are you saying Brother Zhao mentioned how cunning the enemy was?"

Young lady... Haitang's mouth twitched helplessly and she said:

"Isn't it obvious, but random guesses are meaningless, once he finishes interrogating that magistrate, everything will be clear."

About the time of a stick of incense later.

The door creaked open, Magistrate Luan Cheng, sweating profusely, escorted Zhao Douan out with a smile.

"Mr. Luan, we are colleagues, let's push these misunderstandings aside, take your men back to the county government. If there's something, I will call upon you." Zhao Douan said with a smile.

Luan Cheng barely forced a smile: "Rest assured, Junior Guardian Zhao, today's matter, I will order strict secrecy, nothing is to be leaked."

Zhao Douan chuckled, not saying much, with such a furor, saying anything about sealing news is already pointless.

In other words, after such a commotion, Zhao Douan's "micro-inspection" team was exposed to the sunlight just as they entered the city.

Once Prefect Luan Cheng led a group of government officers away sheepishly, Haitang finally looked at him, her heroic eyes filled with curiosity: "You just let him go? That's not like you."

Not... how bad is my image in your eyes... Zhao Douan thought to himself, shaking his head, gazing wistfully at the distant sky:

"We are colleagues, moreover, he was also being used. Luan Cheng, as a magistrate, naturally has long-standing duties to capture rebels.

Recently, there were outsiders in the prefecture's jurisdiction acting suspiciously, caught by the constables. After interrogation, they turned out to be peripheral members of Kuangfu Society, from whom false intelligence was obtained. That being, a group of rebels was said to appear at the Golden Fortune Inn.

Luan Cheng then brought a group of government officers and personally ran over here, ha, what a hands-on official."

Haitang frowned and said:

"Too coincidental, and the clues point too distinctly, could it be the rebels deliberately sent false news?"

Zhao Douan sighed and said:

"Seems like it, and with such a move, it's highly likely to be Zhuang Xiaocheng."

Zhang Han walked over, puzzled:

"But what's the purpose? What's the point of doing this? The rebels should know this will not cause us real damage."

Zhao Douan calmly said two words: "Provocation."

He paused, and then looked seriously at the gazes around him:

"That old rogue Zhuang Xiaocheng is intentionally declaring war, telling me he's already aware of my arrival.

Haha, originally I thought that we were in the dark and could use espionage to make Zhuang Xiaocheng expose himself, but now, with this move, it has become us in the light, him in the dark."

What is light, what is dark... The few straightforward martial artists and magicians listened perplexedly, it seemed profound, but they didn't want to reveal they didn't understand.

So they each nodded in agreement, pretending to be well-informed.

Zhang Han remained puzzled:

His meaning is, Zhuang Xiaocheng knew our whereabouts beforehand, so has he fled already? And just played a joke on us once?

Before Zhao Douan could respond, Haitang, who is skilled in solving cases, suddenly spoke:

"No, certainly not. Zhuang Xiaocheng is not that idle person, and from the intelligence provided by Luan Cheng, the false intelligence arrangement by the Kuangfu Society doesn't seem like a spontaneous decision, rather more like a well-planned approach.