This son-in-law is wicked in a good way!

"Hehe, if I'm not mistaken, Brother Chu must be a member of the royal family, and of a very high status."

Zhang Pingan leaned back in his chair, a confident smile on his face.

"Oh, how noble is it?" The Empress's voice unconsciously deepened.

Just as Mo Yu thought, if Zhang Ping'an had already guessed her identity but still dared to be disrespectful to her, then Zhang Ping'an should be executed!

Zhang Ping'an suddenly leaned forward, covering his mouth with one hand, and said mysteriously, "Brother Chu must be the heir of some prince!"

The Empress felt relieved and asked with a smile, "Why does Young Master Li make this guess?"

"That's easy. The late emperor had no sons. Given Brother Chu's age, he certainly isn't a prince. Since he's not a prince, only the title of heir apparent to a prince is worthy of him."

Zhang Ping'an was very certain of his guess.

"Young Master Li's insights are indeed unique! Come, let me toast you!" The Empress neither admitted nor denied, letting Zhang Ping'an guess.

"Cheers!" Zhang Ping'an raised his glass, their understanding unspoken.

Mo Yu secretly pursed her lips, thinking to herself: This idiot, he guessed wrong and is still smug, thinking he's so smart!

If you find out His Majesty's true identity in the future, you'll be scared to death!

"By the way, Brother Chu, could you introduce me to Princess Zhaoyang?" Zhang Ping'an remembered his business and immediately lowered his head.

"What are you doing seeing Princess Zhaoyang?"

Zhang Ping'an thought about it and decided that it was best to reveal his identity.

Moreover, Chu Tian was able to recommend him to the princess to join the Night's Watch and even warned Zhang Xuanling on his behalf, so he must have already found out his true identity.

They're not pointing it out because they're saving face for me, waiting for me to bring it up myself!

"Brother Chu, let me apologize first. Actually, my real name is Zhang Ping'an. I was originally the fourth son of Zhang Xuanling, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. I used the pseudonym Li Du to sell my poetry."

"I suspect Brother Chu already knew my true identity!"

The Empress smiled slightly: "Young Master Zhang, there's no need to apologize. Everyone has their own privacy. Didn't I also conceal my identity?"

Zhang Ping'an clasped his hands in a fist salute: "Brother Chu is magnanimous."

"You still haven't stated why you wish to see the princess?"

Zhang Ping'an sighed, his face full of sorrow: "For certain reasons, I have severed ties with the Zhang family. But back when I was with the Zhang family, I served three years in prison for taking the blame for my elder brother Zhang Qi."

"This morning, Zhang Xuanling used this as a pretext to demand that the night watchmen drive me away."

"According to the Great Law, I can only remain with the Night's Watch if I can find a member of the royal family to vouch for me."

The Empress was somewhat displeased: "Zhang Xuanling is still targeting you?"

"More than that! Not long ago, Zhang Wu also stole the silver notes you gave me and hasn't returned them yet," Zhang Ping'an tattled.

boom!

The Empress slammed her hand on the table and stood up.

"This is outrageous!"

"Young Master Zhang took the blame for his elder brother, yet Zhang Xuanling not only fails to repay the debt but also maliciously targets you because of this!"

"You don't need to worry about this. I will find someone to vouch for you."

"Xiaoyu, let's go back."

Looking at the furious Empress, Mo Yu was startled, knowing that Her Majesty was truly angry.

"Here you are."

"Young Master Zhang, let's talk another day."

The Empress clasped her hands in a fist salute, then turned and left.

"I'll see Brother Chu off."

After the Empress left, Zhang Ping'an grinned and said, "Zhang Xuanling, you old bastard, you're just waiting to be in trouble!"

"Prince Heir, this is a very powerful and influential figure. You're in for a world of trouble."

On the street, Mo Yu caught up with the Empress and whispered, "Your Majesty, didn't you come to ask Young Master Zhang about methods to control the floods?"

The Empress paused, angrily saying, "It's all Zhang Xuanling's fault! He made me so angry that I forgot about important matters."

"Never mind, I'll ask again next time!"

"Immediately convey my decree that Zhang Xuanling should kneel outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation."

"Here you go!"

……

Zhang Mansion.

Zhang Xuanling had just returned to his residence with Zhang Qi.

Zhang Wu rushed over: "Father, elder brother, how is it?"

Zhang Qi smiled smugly: "Don't worry, Third Brother, that good-for-nothing Zhang Ping'an won't be able to keep up this for long."

Zhang Wu burst into laughter: "Haha, that bastard Zhang Ping'an, without his Night Watchman status, let's see how arrogant he can be now!"

"He swallowed a thousand taels of silver from me and humiliated me in public. I demand he pay back tenfold, a hundredfold!"

Ever since losing to Zhang Ping'an at the Jiaofangsi, Zhang Wu has been plotting revenge.

To his surprise, Zhang Wu learned from his father that Zhang Ping'an had joined the Night Watch, which made him hesitant to act rashly.

Fortunately, his father used a clever trick to drive Zhang Ping'an out of the night watch.

Without his status as a Night Watchman, Zhang Ping'an was nothing more than an ant that he could crush with a flick of his finger.

At this moment, a young eunuch dressed in a red robe came to deliver the imperial decree.

Zhang Xuanling immediately led the Zhang family members to kneel down and receive the imperial decree.

"His Majesty has decreed that Zhang Xuanling, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, must come to the palace for an audience!"

Zhang Xuanling immediately frowned.

Now, he gets goosebumps whenever he hears that His Majesty has summoned him.

As the eunuch delivering the imperial decree turned to leave, he hurriedly stepped forward, grasped the young eunuch's hand, and quietly handed him a money pouch.

"My lord, may I ask why His Majesty has summoned me?"

The young eunuch felt the heavy weight of the money bag and immediately beamed with joy: "Lord Zhang, His Majesty didn't mention this."

He lowered his voice and said, "His Majesty has not yet returned from outside. He only sent Miss Mo to summon Lord Zhang to kneel outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation."

Geek!

Zhang Xuanling's heart skipped a beat.

He immediately recalled the fear of being dominated by the Empress on previous occasions.

It's started again!

Again!

Is this ever going to end?!

But he dared not not go.

Could it be that Zhang Ping'an, that little beast, hasn't lost the Emperor's favor?

"Listen up, you lot, none of you are to mess with Zhang Ping'an until I get back."

"Did you remember?" Zhang Xuanling asked in a very serious tone.

The lady and her two sons were startled; they had never seen Zhang Xuanling give such a solemn instruction before.

"I've got it."

Zhang Xuanling straightened his clothes.

"Prepare the car! I'm going to the palace to meet the Emperor!"

In front of the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

With a helpless expression, Eunuch Xi looked at his old acquaintance Zhang Xuanling, noticing that this Vice Minister Zhang had been kneeling here longer than he had been lately.

"Lord Zhang, what have you done to anger His Majesty this time?"

Zhang Xuanling gritted his teeth, pressed his aching knees, and gave a bitter smile.

"I don't know either!"

"It's not that we're criticizing you, but coming here to kneel for hours every few days, Lord Zhang, shouldn't you be more mindful of yourself?"

"Thanks to His Majesty's patience, otherwise Lord Zhang would probably have been dragged to the execution ground and beheaded long ago."

Even Eunuch Xi was speechless, wondering how this Vice Minister of Revenue had managed to get promoted.

Every time Zhang Xuanling was punished by kneeling, he would stand with him as well.

This time, Zhang Xuanling knelt for even longer, until he fainted, before the Empress summoned him.

In front of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Zhang Xuanling opened his eyes and kowtowed with the help of Eunuch Xi.

"Your subject, Zhang Xuanling, pays respects to Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor!"

The Empress held a memorial in her hand, her face expressionless.

Suddenly, with a crash, the Empress threw the memorial in her hand at Zhang Xuanling's face.

"Lord Zhang, is this the strategy you wrote for pacifying the Northern Barbarians?"

"Even a random scholar you find outside has more opinions than you!"

Zhang Xuanling was taken aback: Not because of Zhang Ping'an? Sigh...

For some reason, he felt a sense of relief.