The Empress's No.1 Lackey

The Old Emperor was overjoyed beyond expectation, immediately bestowed a generous reward, and earnestly requested him to stay in the Capital, by his side, and for this, also conferred the title "State Preceptor of Great Yu Kingdom."

That title, as soon as it was announced, suddenly thrust the hitherto unknown State Preceptor into the eye of the storm.

Zhang Yan Yi naturally didn't care about these things, couldn't be bothered to deal with them, but inside the Heavenly Master Mansion, there were those who did not accept him, believing that a foreign Demon Path practitioner, to dare call himself State Preceptor upon arrival, was simply too arrogant.

They did not believe that someone could truly reverse one's lifespan, decidedly thinking it must be the Demon Path using some crooked trickery.

But no matter how much they investigated, they could not find anything wrong with the Old Emperor.

Upon seeing this, Bian Ji of the Divine Dragon Temple had also made contact and, after a conversation, stated directly that the State Preceptor was no ordinary man and indeed had unique talents.

For a time, the State Preceptor of Great Yu Kingdom's influence surged, becoming the guest of honor among the renowned figures in the Capital, with countless people taking pride in inviting the State Preceptor to be their guest.

Zhao Douan vaguely remembered, at that time, the Second Prince Xu Jianwen was particularly close to the State Preceptor, often inviting him as a guest... yes, the Second Prince always liked to make acquaintances with talented and extraordinary individuals; it was not surprising that he had gathered the core members of the Kuangfu Society.

Moreover, according to rumors, during the Xuan Sect coup, the Second Prince stormed the palace, and the State Preceptor of Great Yu Kingdom was in the collapsing Old Emperor's bed chamber—summoned in urgency to extend the late Emperor's life.

However, it's worth mentioning that, although the State Preceptor had extraordinary methods, he was famously known for not being adept at fighting and brawling.

Thus, during the Xuan Sect coup, he died amidst the chaotic troops... his body pierced by arrows like a porcupine, even his head had been severed.

After the Empress quelled the rebel army, in the publicly disclosed list of rebels, the State Preceptor of Great Yu Kingdom was also notably included, implying that, at that time, he was also a member under the Second Prince's command.

However, it's a bit of a slap in the face that the State Preceptor, favored and handsomely rewarded by the late Emperor, turned out also to be a rebel...

And because he had died during the coup, it wasn't long before people stopped mentioning his name.

As a result, three years had passed, and the person of the State Preceptor of Great Yu Kingdom had almost vanished from people's memories, considered to be a "historical figure" that was already dead.

But today.

The already dead State Preceptor of Great Yu Kingdom has actually returned?

"Lord Ma, is what Zhang Han said true? How is that possible?"

Zhao Douan exclaimed in shock, truly surprised, and also understanding why there was a strange atmosphere on the way to the government office, "All based on a single sentence, a seal?"

He now remembered, the pattern on that seal was indeed the private seal of the State Preceptor of Great Yu Kingdom.

"This thing, you give me a carrot, I can forge it too." Zhao Douan spread his hands, feeling it was too far-fetched.

However, Ma Yan's expression remained serious as he shook his head and said:

"It's not forgeable. The Demon Path practitioner's seal is exceptionally unique, there's a special method to verify it. After I received it, I compared it with some documents stamped with his seal kept in the government office storage, it indeed comes from the same person's hand, involving the realm of Magic, including the handwriting being the same.

Of course, putting the seal aside for now, maybe it indeed could be forged, but the main point is, we had suspected from the start that this Demon Path practitioner had never truly died! On the day of the Xuan Sect coup, the one who died in the palace was likely not his real body!"

Shocking news!

Zhao Douan suddenly sat upright, the information was beyond the reach of his former status as an unknown soldier.

He muttered:

"I remember, the State Preceptor... bah, after this Demon Path practitioner died, there indeed was a rumor in the Capital markets, saying he had escaped, and the body in the palace wasn't his, there were also rumors that the Old Emperor's sudden death was the black hand of this Demon Path practitioner...

But these theories were just among the common folk, one of many rumors, and I've always listened to it as if they were just hearsay, stories."

Ma Yan shook his head and said:

"Indeed, most rumors spread among the populace are made up, they love discussing matters of the palace, they relish in the bizarre, no surprise there. But the possibility that this Demon Path practitioner might not have truly died is also real... that was the Empress's judgment back then.

However, these past two or three years, there have been no traces whatsoever of this Demon Path practitioner appearing, including within the Kuangfu Society, that's why we thought that he indeed died, but..."

At this point, as one of the Tributors who fought bloodily and battled fiercely during the Xuan Sect coup, Ma Yan stared at the invitation on the table, without uttering a word.

But Zhao Douan's heart had already completed the next sentence for him: "But he has returned."

Indeed.

A ghost that should have died within the palace three years ago had come back once more.

Is someone impersonating him? Or had he truly not died back then and escaped the Capital? Lying in hiding?

No one knew.

But Zhao Douan was very clear that the return of someone who once stirred trouble in the Capital and was part of the Second Prince Xu Jianwen's rebel faction, was definitely not good news.

Moreover, he announced his return so openly, clearly trying to tell everyone about his comeback.

"Has Your Majesty been informed?" Zhao Douan's heart sank as he asked a rhetorical question.

At the same time, he bitterly chastised himself, thinking he had really jinxed things, "why did that have to happen..."

"After I received the invitation, I immediately went to the palace, and on the way, I learned that other government offices had also received one, all submitted to the palace, so I returned first."

Lord Ma said calmly.

As a government office specifically dealing with rebels, the State Preceptor's return was naturally within the scope of Imperial Court affairs.

Hence, there was this early morning meeting.

Zhao Douan also understood, their next objective was to await the Empress's next directive, and in the meantime, Lord Ma had already dispatched people to search for the State Preceptor's whereabouts.

But he also knew, it was destined to be in vain.

"Lord Ma, Her Majesty commands!" Just then, a small eunuch hastily entered, announcing, "Her Majesty summons you to the palace for a meeting, bring Mr. Zhao."

It seems the situation was serious... Zhao Douan stood up, looking at the eunuch, and asked, "Did Her Majesty only summon us?"

"Oh, Mr. Zhao is here?" The eunuch greeted him first before saying:

"If others asked, our household wouldn't dare to say, but since Mr. Zhao inquires, naturally I will not hide it, Her Majesty has summoned quite a few of the Imperial Faction members to the palace, plus ordered someone to go to the Heavenly Master Mansion. You two mustn't delay, the matter is urgent, depart immediately!"

Zhao Douan and Lord Ma exchanged a glance, their hearts sinking simultaneously.