The night was cool as water, the moonlight streaming down from behind the clouds, illuminating the chilly streets.
At the entrance of the Golden Fortune Inn, the magistrate and others listened blankly to the narration of the Jinyi from Lihua Hall, their expressions varied.
The scholar and Hong Ye silently breathed a sigh of relief, their lips curling into a smile: it finally matched their impression of Junior Guardian Zhao.
The methods were bizarre, the mind meticulous, power needed no explanation.
Prefect Luan Cheng's expression was dazed, his mind blank:
The Zixiao Palace has been destroyed?!
In just two to three hours? Lu Zhengchun captured? This Daoist temple, renowned throughout the Green Forest Martial World of the Coastal Marine Road, was wiped out by that man?!
The magistrate raised his hand as if to grasp something, but the Jinyi paid him no mind, turning his horse around to leave again.
"Lord Prefect, you'll have to ask Junior Guardian Zhao yourself when he returns." The scholar smiled.
Luan Cheng nodded silently, but remained still, standing at the entrance waiting. Moments later, torches approached from afar.
A large group of cavalry could be seen at the front, pulling ropes, each tied to the hands of shabby-clothed Daoists with nearly worn-out shoes.
Behind them were carts carrying corpses and large chests—Zixiao Palace had amassed considerable wealth over the years.
Zhao Douan only took a portion of the highest value and brought it back to the city, leaving a small team of soldiers to guard the temple.
Further back were carriages with shaking curtains, revealing a group of female Daoists, crying like pear blossoms in the rain, shivering in fear.
The core figures of Zhao Douan's group were at the rear of the procession.
"Magistrate Luan, you're just in time," Zhao Douan rode up on horseback, arrived at the inn doorway in the torchlight, dismounted, and said:
"These Daoists all participated in attacking and killing government troops. As for how to handle them specifically, that's up to you as the magistrate.
As for the chests on the carts behind, part of them are assets confiscated from rebels and the accounts of Zixiao Palace, which must be sealed with official seals.
Once the matters here are understood, the looted goods must be sent to the Capital to enter the national treasury. As for those women...
According to my investigation, they were forced or lured by Lu Zhengchun over the years, tricked into the palace for indulgence and pleasure. They too should be investigated, and if unrelated to rebels, sent back to their original places or allowed to remain at Zixiao Palace to choose for themselves.
Ah, that Daoist temple was bestowed by the late Emperor. Removing Lu Zhengchun is needed, but there's no need to destroy the temple. With some modifications, a court-run Daoist site might be just fine."
Luan Cheng listened dumbfounded, nodding instinctively, his eyes searching the large troop of official soldiers:
"And Lu Zhengchun..."
A talisman stuck on his forehead, the unconscious Lu Zhengchun was tossed to the ground by Gongshu Tianyuan.
Luan Cheng gasped, finally confirming he wasn't dreaming, then quickly pursued details, and upon understanding the process, his expression turned extraordinarily complicated.
"Junior Guardian Zhao... good methods."
This statement, however, was sincere and heartfelt.
No matter how crude or reckless these methods seem, isn't the result favorable...
"I'll arrange it immediately." Luan Cheng showed a hint of excitement after the shock, being a magistrate of the region, of course, he didn't favor the influence of Zixiao Palace, and now that it was eradicated, he was naturally pleased.
"Wait, there's another matter," Zhao Douan suddenly stopped him, and in the latter's bewildered gaze, he smiled and said:
"Please have Magistrate Luan use your position to post an official government notice in the city, listing the crimes of Zixiao Palace's accumulating wealth, abducting women, and colluding with rebels, and to announce that Lu Zhengchun and his disciples will be publicly executed in seven days.
Ah, remember, spread this news as widely and as publicly as possible."
Magistrate Luan hesitated for a moment, instinctively wanting to say:
Officials, without court reporting, aren't qualified to execute death sentences.
Zhao Douan seemed to see through his thoughts, stuffing the imperial gold plaque given by the Empress into the magistrate's hand, patting his shoulder, and smiling:
"Just follow orders."
On the road, he had tried to pry open Lu Zhengchun's mouth for information on Zhuang Xiaocheng but failed.
Even Gongshu Tianyuan's "fox fairy" couldn't handle a high-grade Purple Rob Taoist in the world.
"Lu Zhengchun, Lu Zhengchun, you think just by staying silent, I have no way of using you to lure out that old dog Zhuang Xiaocheng?"
Zhao Douan clasped his hands behind him, gazing at the starry night sky:
"Zhuang Xiaocheng, it's rude not to reciprocate, you sent me a gift, how could I be stingy and not return the favor?"
Forbidden Mountain Villa.
In the pavilions built atop the cliffside, Zhuang Xiaocheng, exuding the demeanor of a National Scholar, sat cross-legged, wrapped in a thick blanket, brewing wine.
Lanterns hung at the four corners of the pavilion, with lights twinkling throughout the distant villa.
An atmosphere of tranquility.
Zhuang Xiaocheng grasped a pair of iron tongs, stirring the scarlet embers in the copper basin, watching the boiling rice wine, he said:
"Zhao Douan has entered the city, and Magistrate Luan Cheng foolishly bumped into him. We received word from our people in Feng City that during the day, he mobilized troops into the city, then left again, heading toward the Zixiao Palace."
In the pavilion, across from the Grand Tutor sat a figure cloaked in a large black robe, the hood obscuring the face.
A well-manicured white hand emerged from the black robe, picking up a wine vessel, pouring out a bowl of wine, took a sip, and in a hoarse voice said:
"Has Lu Zhengchun been exposed?"
Zhuang Xiaocheng shook his head:
"If exposed, would Zhao Douan have acted after entering the city? Most likely he went to test him. But given Lu Zhengchun's character, he would undoubtedly engage him. With the foundation of Zixiao Palace, it should probe how many cards Zhao Douan holds...