CHAPTER 835: CHAPTER 505: RETURNING TO THE CAPITAL TO REPORT

Tears flowed like a broken string as she spoke.

At this moment, this renowned "First Imperial Merchant," known for wielding power and influence, completely shed her exterior and revealed a softer side.

The fear and suffering of the past days were released at this moment.

Zhao Douan said nothing, calmly pulling over a chair and sitting down, giving Xiao Donger some time to process her emotions.

After a moment, Mrs. Xiao returned to her senses from joy, awkwardly wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, embarrassedly turning her head and whispering, "I couldn’t help but lose my composure in great joy and sorrow, causing Lord to laugh."

This widow, just over thirty, maintained herself well, and when she turned her head, the lines of her collarbone and neck were clearly visible.

She’s trying to seduce me... Zhao Douan, with a strange expression, keenly noticed her little scheme but didn’t expose it. Instead, he joked, "No matter, madam, being startled suddenly is human nature. But next time, when madam follows me back to the capital to see Your Majesty, it’s best not to act so."

"See Your Majesty?" Xiao Donger was stunned, looking at the man before her with astonishment, stammering, "Lord, what do you mean by this...?"

Zhao Douan smiled, "The court never mistreats its own. Although the Qingzhou rebel army has been defeated, the aftermath remains. The East Lake Xiao family has been rooted in Qingzhou for a hundred years with deep foundations. If the Xiao family assists the court officials in stabilizing the Qingzhou Road, what does madam think?"

"Lord... is this true?" Mrs. Xiao was shocked. Of course, she could hear the underlying meaning of his words.

With the current turbulent situation and the court short of manpower, wanting to quickly stabilize Qingzhou Road and completely uproot the remnants of Prince Heng’s base, cooperation with the Xiao family would be the safest.

And once the Xiao family gets involved, they can undoubtedly gain significant benefits, potentially even replacing Prince Heng’s influence and becoming the number one power of Qingzhou Road outside the court.

Zhao Douan smiled warmly, "I will recommend it to Your Majesty, but how it proceeds depends on His Majesty’s decision."

Mrs. Xiao’s eyes reddened again, but this time, in the ambitious woman’s eyes, there was a noticeable bright light, and her gaze toward Zhao Douan had changed.

It seemed, there was something more.

"Lord, your great kindness, I..."

"Ahem, Mrs. Xiao, do take care of yourself. I shall take my leave now. If you wish to repay, after entering the palace, remember to clarify to Your Majesty about Prince Heng’s slanderous words." Zhao Douan, slippery like an eel, stood up to take his leave.

The last sentence naturally referred to Prince Heng’s earlier slanderous rumors about him and Xiao Donger being involved.

Xu Heng was too cunning. Announcing so loudly in front of so many Divine Mechanism Camp soldiers, Zhao Douan felt that unless he silenced all those soldiers, it would be hard to keep the matter hidden... Moreover, even if the Divine Mechanism Camp soldiers weren’t speaking.

Could the Qingzhou Rebel Army also have such rumors? Most likely, yes.

He thought it safer to clear things up face to face with Zhenbao and proactively explain to avoid being passive.

"Rest assured, Lord, I would not dare to tarnish your reputation with my ordinary looks." Xiao Donger looked despondent.

You say this as if my reputation is very good... Zhao Douan smacked his lips, took his leave, and left.

...

Pulling aside the curtain, walking out of the main tent, Zhao Douan paused, his face immediately turning dark as soot: "What are you sneaking around doing here?"

Outside the main tent, the guards had been replaced without notice, with Chen Gui and Tang Ping sneakingly listening in their place.

Chen Huoshen and the Young Master, mumbling and heads spinning, turned unanimously, indicating a figure hidden behind a pillar outside the tent: "The Commander is back, we’ve come to report."

Where they pointed, burly and towering, Shi Meng walked out from behind the pillar, meeting Zhao Douan’s shadowy gaze, squeezing out a smile with great effort, showing a row of white teeth: "Military Governor, well, rest assured, I’ve already ordered those little brats below to seal their lips. Prince Heng’s slanderous nonsense will rot in our Divine Mechanism Camp and won’t leak out, especially not to reach His Majesty’s ears!"

"..." Zhao Douan’s face turned even darker, rigidly saying, "How did you... know..."

Shi Meng, uneasy, though a burly man like a small mountain, was shifty, dodging Zhao Douan’s gaze: "Those little brats we captured with you, they privately came to me to report... they were well-meaning, worried about too many people spreading it, so... but rest assured, Old Shi handles things well, the Military Governor is one of our own in the Divine Mechanism Camp, we naturally support you fully."

Beside him, Chen Gui and Tang Ping, one old and one young, a military technical supervisor and a mid-level officer, nodded vigorously, making faces, gesturing toward Mrs. Xiao in the tent, patting their chests to assure: "We’ll definitely keep quiet too!"

"..." Zhao Douan was almost choked with anger, his lips twitching: "I and the Family Head Xiao are completely innocent, never had..."

The three men nodded tacitly: "Ah, yes, yes, yes."

"..." Zhao Douan took a deep breath and asked sternly, "How loyal am I to His Majesty? Don’t you know? Besides, she is a widow! Which general would take interest in someone else’s wife or concubine... uh, I’m not surnamed Cao!"

The three men were taken aback, exchanging glances: A general with the surname Cao? What’s this allusion?

Chen Gui stroked his beard, looking at Shi Meng with the curiosity of a baby: "In our army, is there any comrade with the surname Cao who likes such things?"

Tang Ping also perked up his ears, casting a curious glance: "There do seem to be some in the Wujun Camp with the surname Cao. I wonder which one the lord is referring to?"

"..." Zhao Douan weakly waved his hand: "Get out, I’ll report this to His Majesty myself, as the saying goes, a gentleman is straightforward..."

The three looked disappointed: Clearly, the Military Governor did not trust them.

"Wait a moment," Zhao Douan saw the three were about to leave, suddenly remembered, and looked at Shi Meng: "I almost forgot, when did you return? Weren’t you pursuing Ning Xianzong’s troops?"

Shi Meng turned back, saying "Oh," with a harmlessly honest smile: "I brought Ning Xianzong back."

...

Shortly after.

In a tent, Zhao Douan saw Ning Xianzong being personally escorted in by Shi Meng and others.

"Kneel!" Shi Meng kneed him, pushing and knocking down the tightly bound Ning Xianzong, making him kneel before Zhao Douan.

Ning Xianzong, who had become a Commander in his thirties, was still clad in armor, hair disheveled, face bruised, and stained with blood, though not seriously injured.

Now bound, kneeling on the ground, with his head bent low, his gaze fixated on the ground, silent.

"Lift your head and speak." Zhao Douan leaned lazily on a Luohan bed, looking relaxed.

This Luohan bed was set up in Prince Heng’s tent, where the pampered prince, even when marching to war, never forgot to bring comfortable furnishings.

Ning Xianzong remained silent with his head bowed.

"The Military Governor told you to lift your head, are you deaf?" Tang Ping sneered, drawing his sword with a clang, using the blade to lift the latter’s chin.

Ever since the Duke returned to the capital and Sai Shang Yan Zhi Ma Tang Zhao sought out Zhao Douan and lost, Tang Ping had a newfound respect for Zhao Douan, evolving from an unruly young wolf to a loyal dog underling.

Ning Xianzong’s chin was lifted by the sword’s edge, his stubble reflecting on the snowy white blade. His calm, competent face showed no expression as he met Zhao Douan’s lazy gaze.

"I know another with the surname Ning, the Shipping Governor of Jiancheng Road, who looks very different from you, but has a similar gaze, a capable minister," Zhao Douan looked down, assessing the young general recommended by Yuann Li, and smiled: "However, what makes him stronger than you is that even when Prince Jing coerced and tempted him multiple times, even threatening him with his wife and daughter, he never betrayed the court, nor was he disloyal to His Majesty."

Ning Xianzong remained silent.

Zhao Douan stared deeply at him, speaking calmly: "Aren’t you going to say something?"

Ning Xianzong was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked: "Are the Divine Mechanism Camp’s firearms your doing?"

"Show some respect, or believe me, I’ll smack your mouth!" The Young Master raised the scabbard, threatening to strike.

Zhao Douan raised his hand, stopping him, smiled and looked down at the kneeling Ning Xianzong: "Yes, it was my doing, so what?"

Ning Xianzong thought seriously for a moment, then said: "Very strong. But if prepared, the Qingzhou Army would not have been defeated. Though I lost this battle to you, it is not a crime of war."

Not a crime of war... Zhao Douan’s eyelid twitched, the curve of his smile deepening: "You have spirit, better than Xu Heng and his son. I’m curious, when we bring you back to the capital and throw you into the Imperial Prison, will you still be so tough?"

He waved his hand: "Take him away. Order to leave the main forces here to clean up the battlefield and detain the captives; I’ll lead a select unit to escort the Qingzhou Rebel Army’s high officials..."

Zhao Douan patted his rear as he got up, stepping over the expressionless Ning Xianzong, heading out: "Return to the capital, to report in!"