The Empress's No.1 Lackey

Chapter 1060 - 586: Xu Jingtang Was Executed by Commander Zhao at the Foot of Zhengyang Mountain (Part 2)

Therefore, Yuan Feng, to be safe, still sealed off the Royal Mansion.

Prince Huaian had barely been able to sleep these past few days, fearing that if anything happened to Zhao Douan, the entire Huai Royal Mansion might be doomed.

"The Governor must be laughing at me," said Commandery Princess Xu Junling, who had recovered considerably. Although her eyes still couldn’t hide her joy, she maintained the grace of a commandery princess. "Upon learning of the Governor’s disappearance the other day, my father was almost sick with worry. Fortunately, the Governor returned safe and sound."

As she spoke, she quickly called to the servants, "Come, quickly prepare tea and snacks."

But Zhao Douan smiled and said, "No rush, is Lang Shiba at the mansion?"

Xu Junling nodded immediately and personally led Zhao Douan to a separate courtyard within the Royal Mansion.

As soon as they entered, a disheveled figure emerged from the courtyard pond. It was Ji Yue, the Socially Anxious Female Mage who was overjoyed to see Zhao Douan return. However, due to her social anxiety, she stammered, unable to speak.

Thinking for a moment, she turned her head and plunged back into the pond. Shortly after, Ji Yue resurfaced carrying a large door frame, leaving wet footprints behind as she walked over, placing the door frame in front of Zhao Douan with a pleased expression: "Door... Master... I watched over it well."

Zhao Douan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at this scene, reached out, and ruffled Ji Yue’s hair, smilingly saying, "You did well. I’ll go check on Shiba first."

Ji Yue, holding the door frame, froze, her face turning a swan red beneath her nearly obscuring black hair.

She felt everyone staring at her, wishing she could dive into the water immediately—an old case of social anxiety.

Pushing open the door, Zhao Douan finally saw Lang Shiba rising from the bed.

The air was filled with a faint aroma of medicine.

Lang Shiba, with a light stubble, sat bare-chested, with white bandages haphazardly wrapped around his body. A quilt covered his lower half, and beneath his messy hair, his weathered face showed a look of surprise as he tried to get up to salute:

"My lord... You’ve returned..."

But Zhao Douan hurriedly stepped forward to stop him, frowning at the weak aura emanating from Lang Shiba’s body, and asked with concern, "Lie down first. How are your injuries?"

Behind him, Xu Junling stepped over the threshold, and quickly said, "The Royal Mansion invited the best doctors in the city for treatment. The doctor said there’s no threat to life, but the Qi Sea meridians are injured, disrupting the essence. Although the Cultivation Realm remains, recovery to its prime will require a long period of rest."

These words were tactfully spoken; in fact, the injuries were more severe than described.

According to the physician, even with sufficient rare medicinal herbs, Lang Shiba’s life could be saved, but his cultivation might never recover.

"My lord," Lang Shiba smiled, seemingly complacent, "I have not let you down. As for my injuries, they are nothing worth mentioning. It’s just a pity that I will be unable to continue serving at your side."

Zhao Douan’s heart sank as he turned to Yu Xiu: "Priest, check his injuries. Does the Heavenly Master Mansion have any methods for healing?"

Yu Xiu came over, placed two fingers on Lang Shiba’s wrist, and after a brief sensing, opened her eyes and said somewhat hesitantly, "The meridians are too severed, and the Qi Sea is riddled with wounds. Although the Heavenly Master Mansion has magicians skilled in healing, they mainly focus on the Divine Soul, while healing the body is more within the Buddhist realm’s expertise. Considering his injuries... to be effective, a strong Buddhist of equal or higher level would need to intervene... I did think of someone who might have a good chance."

Zhao Douan’s heart stirred, and he asked, "Bodhisattva?"

He remembered that the old nun coveting his body was skilled in this art.

Yu Xiu nodded: "If the Bodhisattva intervenes, it would indeed be the safest."

Bodhi Bodhisattva... Before the Empress’s Sealing, the female Bodhisattva left Jianning Prefecture and went to the Buddhist temple within Jiancheng Road. Afterward, during the Eight Princes’ Rebellion, the Divine Dragon Temple was destroyed, and the Bodhi Bodhisattva never reappeared.

Now one wonders what her stance towards the court might be. If Yu Xiu hadn’t mentioned it, Zhao Douan would have almost forgotten the old nun.

"My lord... cough cough." Lang Shiba shook his head: "No need to trouble yourself on my behalf..."

Zhao Douan shook his head, gripping his hand firmly, and said solemnly, "For now, rest and recuperate here. The Huai Royal Mansion has abundant resources, and they will spare no effort in your treatment. Afterward, when I attack Jiancheng and capture Bodhisattva to help you reconnect the meridians and repair the Qi Sea."

Lang Shiba stared at him, suddenly smiled, and said, "I would not have expected such a commitment from you. My current cultivation is no longer important to you."

Zhao Douan replied calmly, "Those who follow me are never left behind."

After exchanging a few more words, Zhao Douan got up so as not to disturb Lang Shiba’s rest. Just as he was about to leave, Lang Shiba remembered something and asked, "My lord, Xu Jingtang, he..."

Zhao Douan paused at the threshold, and said flatly, "He’s dead."

Lang Shiba was stunned, then smiled.

Meanwhile, Xu Junling stood beside, dumbfounded.

...

When Zhao Douan returned from the separate courtyard, he joined Prince Huaian in the Royal Mansion’s central courtyard.

Suddenly, they heard the sound of hooves coming from outside the mansion, followed by a large group rushing in.

Glancing over, Zhao Douan smiled, recognizing familiar faces.

The leader, with a square face, was the Five Army Camp Commander Yuan Feng.

Following him was a man dressed in a Martial Artist’s robe, slightly short in stature but with eyes as sharp as lightning, someone to fear—the long-unseen Zhao Shixiong.

Beside him was a tall and voluptuous female general, Gongsun, with dual swords on her back.

The rest were also court generals.

"Governor!" Yuan Feng called out from a distance, smiling and excited, "When did the Governor return? Why didn’t you go to the camp or the county government? When I received the news, I couldn’t quite believe it."

The others also greeted excitedly, "Greetings to the Grand Governor!"

"This humble one salutes the Grand Governor!"

Amidst the chorus of greetings, Zhao Douan waved a hand, jokingly saying, "The way you’re acting, it’s as if I came back from the dead. What, you thought I wouldn’t return?"

Immediately, the group of generals felt exposed, awkwardly scuffing the ground with their toes.

They were indeed worried that something might happen to Zhao Douan.

Just then, Zhao Shixiong looked him over and smiled, "It seems we were worrying too much. It’s a pity I was a step late that night, only arriving in time to engage with a White Clothes Sect’s evil mage, but I didn’t see Xu Jingtang. Since the Governor has returned safely, it seems there is good news."

Brush—

The group’s eyes all turned to Zhao Douan, awaiting his words.

Everyone was dying of curiosity, wanting to know where Xu Jingtang was now and what had transpired in those days.

Zhao Douan, unhurried, smiled and said, "This isn’t the place for such discussions, let’s talk inside."

Quickly, a group of generals and Prince Huaian gathered in the hall, with Zhao Douan seated at the head. Seeing that everyone was present, he slowly recounted the assassination attempt himself and his team carried out that night.

He explained how, after leaving the Huai Royal Mansion, they were intercepted by two masters from the Divine Dragon Temple in the county seat.

He went on to describe how they were eliminated and how, in the Hundred Generations Garden, they encountered Xu Jingtang, who had colluded with an evil mage, even summoning a deity.

Chased by him, they had no choice but to flee towards Yunfu.

Even though Lang Shiba had hurried back and vaguely described the events during his brief consciousness before passing out due to his severe injuries, the people present didn’t know the details and only now understood the night’s peril. Each was startled, with their hearts pounding.

Even Zhao Shixiong felt a chill.

The advent of a deity meant certain death, even for him.

"So, did you, Governor, manage to shake off Xu Jingtang? Is that why you disappeared for three days?" Yuan Feng seemed to grasp the situation, showing a worried face: "Does this mean the threat of the Yunfu Rebel Army still exists, although the deity’s power shouldn’t last too long, right? Otherwise, Xu Jingtang could have single-handedly wiped us out."

Zhao Shixiong shook his head and said, "Conspiring with evil mages is inadmissible. Now that we have solid evidence, we could perhaps enlist the Heavenly Masters from the Heavenly Master Mansion to fight against the rebels."

He glanced at Yu Xiu and Jin Jian.

The other generals were also anxious, all subconsciously assuming that Zhao Douan and his group had been fleeing from Xu Jingtang, as the idea of counter-attacking and killing a deity seemed too unbelievable.

Only Xu Junling, with a strange look, looked at everyone in the hall, hesitating to speak, but ultimately couldn’t hold back and said, "It’s not just evasion. Xu Jingtang is already dead."

Faces all turned toward him in astonishment.

Xu Junling looked again at Zhao Douan, seated at the head, with infinite reverence, and said, "Xu Jingtang was slain by Governor Zhao at the foot of Zhengyang Mountain."

A quiet silence fell over, pin-drop silence.

...

The protagonist is going to lay low in the capital for a while...