AWB Chapter 238 Confrontation
Chapter 238 Confrontation
曹府
Soon Zheng Luoqi came into view.
The servants had sharp eyes and, upon seeing Zheng Luoqi return from afar, they all rushed forward to greet her as if facing a formidable enemy.
Their faces were plastered with obsequious smiles as they bowed and scraped, saying in unison, "Lord Zheng, you've finally returned! We've been waiting for you for a long time!"
Zheng Luoqi frowned slightly, seemingly unconcerned by these flattering words.
Zheng Luoqi waved his hand casually, glanced at everyone, and then asked bluntly, "Where is your master? I have important matters to discuss with him!"
Upon hearing this, one of the servants quickly replied, "Yes, sir! Please wait a moment, I will go and report this to my master right away!"
Having said that, the servant dared not delay in the slightest and turned to run away from the spot.
Before long, Zheng Luoqi, led by a servant, arrived at the door of Cao Yan's study.
The servant gently pushed open the door, gestured for the servant to come in, and then quietly withdrew.
Upon entering the study, Zheng Luoqi's eyes were immediately drawn to a large desk, upon which were neatly arranged the Four Treasures of the Study and some unfinished official documents.
The walls around the room are covered with calligraphy and paintings by famous people, showcasing the owner's refined taste.
Cao Yan was sitting upright in a grand chair behind his desk, leisurely fiddling with an exquisite purple clay teapot.
He looked up at Zheng Luoqi as she walked in, a faint smile on his face: "Lord Zheng, I heard from my subordinates that you have important matters to discuss with me? May I ask what they are?"
As he spoke, Cao Yan picked up a pot of freshly brewed hot tea and poured it into a teacup on the table, stopping only when the cup was eight-tenths full.
Cao Yan gently pushed the cup of steaming tea with his finger, and it slowly slid to Zheng Luoqi's side.
Zheng Luoqi didn't stand on ceremony. She reached out and picked up the teacup in front of her, first bringing it close to her nose to smell the aroma of the tea before taking a small sip.
At this moment, apart from the two of them, all the servants in the study had been dismissed by Cao Yan in advance, and the whole space was exceptionally quiet, as if you could hear a pin drop.
Zheng Luoqi had no intention of exchanging pleasantries with Cao Yan and asked directly, "Lord Cao, shouldn't you explain what's going on with those people?"
Faced with Zheng Luoqi's tough attitude, Cao Yan naturally knew that the other party must already know the ins and outs of the matter concerning Bai Ding.
Cao Yan decided to stop beating around the bush and playing tricks, and instead replied with a hint of probing, "Oh, Lord Zheng, I'm doing all this for our Prime Minister!"
"Think about it, we're short-handed right now. If we don't add more manpower, it won't be long before others notice something's wrong! And if that happens... and it delays the project, the consequences would be unimaginable!"
Cao Yan's words sounded grand and righteous, as if he were truly forced to do so, just as he claimed.
But what the truth really is, only he himself probably knows. Although he claims to be acting in the Prime Minister's best interests, who can guarantee that there isn't some personal ambition and scheming involved?
"Don't you realize the enormous hidden dangers that such actions will bring to the Prime Minister's residence?"
“Since the deed has already been done, it should be resolved thoroughly to leave no future troubles! Don’t you understand such a simple principle as ‘cutting the weeds and eliminating the roots’?” Zheng Luoqi’s eyes were cold as she stared straight at Cao Yan, as if trying to see through him.
Cao Yan was startled by the sharp gaze, and a layer of fine sweat instantly appeared on his forehead. He quickly bowed and replied tremblingly, "It's all because I wasn't thorough and meticulous enough in my work. Thank you for your timely reminder, Lord Zheng!"
Cao Yan expressed his gratitude verbally, but in reality, he had a different thought in his heart.
On the surface, Cao Yan was extremely respectful and obsequious, constantly flattering Zheng Luoqi. However, in his heart, he secretly cursed, "Hmph! He really is a ruthless person."
"However, since the Prime Minister has not yet held me accountable for what I did this time, it means that I can continue to do things without restraint in the future, but next time I must do them even more cleanly and efficiently."
Cao Yan quickly grasped the deeper meaning in Zheng Luoqi's words. Recalling how he was terrified when he first learned that the matter might be exposed, and even had the idea of killing Zheng Luoqi to silence her, he was now filled with dread.
Fortunately, things didn't escalate to an unmanageable state; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
Cao Yan's expression changed instantly, as swiftly as a face-changing act in Sichuan opera, and in the blink of an eye, he returned to his original respectful and submissive demeanor.
His hands were also busy; he skillfully picked up the teapot and carefully poured tea into the teacups, saying solicitously, "Come on, Lord Zheng, please have some tea, please have some tea!"
Then, Cao Yan slightly raised his head, his eyes flickering as if he hesitated, but finally couldn't help but ask, "Then... Lord Zheng, when do you think it would be more appropriate for us to make our move?"
As Cao Yan spoke, he secretly observed Zheng Luoqi's changing expressions, trying to guess what she was thinking.
Zheng Luoqi frowned, glancing impatiently at Cao Yan's obsequious expression, and said irritably, "First, prepare enough manpower. Two days later, under the cover of night, catch all those who slipped through the net, leave no one behind!"
"Remember, this operation must be carried out cleanly, leaving no trace!" With that, Zheng Luoqi slammed her hand on the table to emphasize the importance and seriousness of her order.
Upon hearing Zheng Luoqi's resolute words, Cao Yan hurriedly nodded and bowed repeatedly, his face plastered with a fawning smile, and hastily replied, "Yes, yes, yes! I understand! I understand! Everything is up to you, Lord Zheng. I will certainly do as you say and guarantee to complete the mission!"
"I hope Lord Zheng will put in a good word for you with the Prime Minister!"
After saying that, he didn't forget to refill Zheng Luoqi's cup with tea again, to show his obsequiousness and flattery towards Zheng Luoqi.
..........
Two days later
As night fell, Cao Yan stood solemnly in the courtyard, his gaze quickly sweeping over the guards who were on high alert.
"Let's go!" With Cao Yan's order, everyone sprang into action, rushing out of the city.
Along the way, apart from the occasional light footsteps, there were no other sounds.
Cao Yan originally wanted to invite Zheng Luoqi to go with him, but Zheng Luoqi said that she would wait for his good news at the mansion and did not want to take action herself, so Cao Yan had no choice but to give up.
To demonstrate his loyalty, Cao Yan personally led a team to capture them all.
Meanwhile, the scene inside the dilapidated temple located outside the city was quite different.