Chapter 1072: Worried Sick for the Princess

Kong Qing stared at him intently, then said with profound meaning, "Master Zu is indeed a remarkable young hero. No wonder, no wonder."

Zu An was utterly baffled. The man's gaze was peculiar; was this some kind of eye technique?

Yu Yanluo was also surprised. She knew Kong Qing was a notorious figure among the demon race. She had been worried that Zu An's recent words would provoke him into launching an attack. She had even braced herself to intervene, but to her surprise, the other party merely responded with a casual remark, and even seemed to be praising Zu An?

Jian Taiding, standing nearby, was overjoyed as if a savior had appeared. "Mr. Kong, you've arrived at just the right moment. These two know our secret. Quickly eliminate the one named Zu. My sister-in-law is the head of the Yu family, so eliminating her would have too great an impact. Just subdue her and keep her under house arrest."

Zu An couldn't help but chuckle. "Even at a time like this, you still can't forget your sister-in-law."

This caused even Yu Yanluo to blush furiously. She gave him an exasperated glare, clearly faulting him for his inappropriate comment. Yet, in Jian Taiding's eyes, that look seemed more like playful flirting. When had his sister-in-law ever looked at him with such an expression? The thought filled him with both jealousy and hatred for Zu An.

Jian Taiding's rage value +233, +233, +233...

Kong Qing then turned to Jian Taiding, shaking his head slightly. "Governor Jian, how did you end up in such a sorry state?" His tone carried sympathy, regret, and something else indescribable.

"Hmph, I was already injured and merely ambushed by a treacherous villain," Jian Taiding retorted, though regret filled his heart. He regretted losing his composure these past few days after seeing that impostor wandering around his residence, making him rush to confirm if his elder brother had truly been resurrected. This matter was highly confidential, and he couldn't let anyone else know, which was how Zu An had gained an advantage. Otherwise, with the multitude of skilled experts and powerful forces at his Governor's Mansion, he wouldn't even need to lift a finger to eliminate them.

"By the way, why are you suddenly here?" Jian Taiding asked, suddenly wary.

Kong Qing chuckled. "Didn't I hear that the Duke of Yunzhong suddenly reappeared? Everyone was speaking of it as if it were true, so my curiosity was piqued, and I naturally came to take a look. I never expected to witness such a remarkable scene."

Yu Yanluo's eyes narrowed. "You were also involved in the plot against Yanyou back then?"

"In that incident, Governor Jian did ask for my assistance, but their plans were so thorough that they had already handled everything before I even had to intervene," Kong Qing said, dismounting from the Azure Wolf King. He glanced at Jian Yanyou's ice sculpture nearby, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, but he quickly dismissed it. He continued, "I'm not saying this to make excuses for myself. You must understand that the Duke of Yunzhong was utterly out of touch with the times, and many wished him dead. Had it been necessary, I would have naturally acted without hesitation."

Zu An's voice dropped. "So, simply because the Duke of Yunzhong refused to collude with you, you eliminated him and replaced him with Jian Taiding to facilitate demon smuggling?"

Kong Qing glanced at him. "You know quite a bit, but do you truly believe Jian Yanyou was so innocent? He was the one who initially collaborated with us."

"What?!" This was news to Zu An. He had always assumed that Jian Yanyou had refused to cooperate with the demon race's smuggling operations, and that Jian Taiding, driven by his ambition and desire for Yu Yanluo, had readily joined forces with the demons to eliminate Jian Yanyou. But now he was hearing that Jian Yanyou and the demon race had actually been partners from the very beginning?

"Precisely. However, after accumulating vast wealth over the years and achieving prominence, he decided he wanted to retire," Kong Qing sneered. "There's no such easy escape in this world. Once you step onto this path, there's no turning back. If he wanted to turn back, we simply helped him take his head off."

"Why are you explaining all this to him? Just get rid of him quickly!" Jian Taiding exclaimed, clearly annoyed.

Even Yu Yanluo found it somewhat strange, sensing that Kong Qing's attitude towards Zu An seemed unusually cordial. Nevertheless, she felt compelled to explain on behalf of her nominal husband. "A'Zu, don't let him mislead you. I know a little about Yanyou's activities in previous years. He did have some dealings with the demon race back then, but it was confined to a strictly controlled scope. Many prominent families engage in illicit activities; if one were to truly investigate, something could be uncovered in almost any clan. It was just that the demon race's demands grew insatiable. The sheer volume of smuggled goods became alarming, and there were also vast quantities of military supplies involved. Yanyou, fearing a major disaster, then severed his cooperation with them."

Zu An frowned. Before he could comment, Kong Qing chuckled. "Master Zu, I imagine Madam Yu never told you any of this before, did she?"

Zu An's heart sank. She truly hadn't. He recalled specifically asking her about it, and at the time, Yu Yanluo had appeared genuinely surprised and shocked by the mention of collusion with the demon race. Now, in retrospect, her acting had been quite convincing.

Yu Yanluo parted her lips as if to explain, but ultimately said nothing. At that time, while their relationship was amicable, it wasn't intimate enough for her to share such highly confidential family matters. Moreover, he was an imperial envoy sent to Yunzhong Commandery to investigate these very cases; how could she possibly tell him? But now, explaining seemed futile. It would only lead to a misunderstanding anyway. She sighed faintly, a hint of sorrow clouding her brow.

Jian Taiding, who constantly watched her, keenly detected the shift in her emotions, and a furious wave of jealousy surged within him. When had his sister-in-law, the most beautiful woman in the world, ever been so conflicted over another man?

Jian Taiding's rage value +546, +546, +546...

She had never even shown him such an expression!

At this point, Zu An suddenly spoke. "Mr. Kong, are you trying to drive a wedge between us by telling me all this? It's not a very sophisticated tactic. Aside from the fact that Madam Yu and I were not particularly close back then, even now, I also have many secrets I haven't shared with her. So why would I blame her for this?"

Hearing his words, Yu Yanluo, whose brows had been furrowed in a slight melancholy, broke into a knowing smile. The beauty and grace of that moment seemed capable of melting the entire frigid ice cave. Not just the lovestruck Jian Taiding, but even Kong Qing was momentarily stunned, thinking to himself that this woman was breathtakingly beautiful. He wondered if the princess could even compete with her.

It was clear that Kong Qing had misinterpreted Zu An's relationship with Kong Nanwu, having noticed the peacock feather on him earlier. He couldn't be blamed for that; never before had he seen the princess bestow her personal token upon anyone, let alone a human man, and one so strikingly handsome and charming at that.

However, his self-control was strong, and he quickly regained his composure. "Then, Master Zu, are you aware that the person beside you also conducts business with our people?" *Sigh*, I'm truly breaking my heart over the princess. When I next see her, she really ought to thank me properly.

Zu An's heart fluttered, and he quickly looked at Yu Yanluo.

Yu Yanluo nodded slightly. "Yes, there have been some dealings, but only concerning daily necessities and medicines. The quantities were strictly controlled and never involved military supplies or similar items." While she might not have explained the previous matters, this was too significant to leave unaddressed.

At the same time, a slight irritation bubbled within her. What was Kong Qing's game? Why did it feel like he was constantly trying to undermine her? Was he attempting to drive a wedge between them?

Zu An fell silent. He couldn't understand why Yu Yanluo would be involved in smuggling with the demon race. Was it for money? But her primordial stone business alone was enough to make her one of the wealthiest in the world; there was no need for such a risky venture.

Seeing his silence, Jian Taiding immediately brightened. "Sister-in-law, you see? You and I should truly be on the same side. This fellow is merely a dog kept by the imperial court; how could he genuinely be devoted to you?"

Zu An couldn't help but retort, "Aren't you also an official of the imperial court? If you wish to be a dog, don't drag me into it." Turning away, he ignored Jian Taiding completely and declared in a clear voice, "Are human lives valuable, and demon lives not? As long as everyone's quality of life improves, who would wish to keep fighting? Not all demons are evil, and there are plenty of scoundrels among humans." He deliberately cast a glance at Jian Taiding as he spoke.

Jian Taiding was speechless. "Is that polite?"

Jian Taiding's rage value +110, +110, +110...

After all, Zu An was not a native of this world and had not experienced the centuries-long hatred between humans and demons, subconsciously believing that all beings were equal. Besides, Qiao Xueying, whom he knew, and... weren't they all demons?

Then he smiled at Yu Yanluo. "Though I don't know why you chose to do this, having spent so much time together, I am willing to believe you had compelling reasons."

Yu Yanluo covered her mouth in disbelief, her beautiful eyes shimmering with an unusual brilliance. She had expected him to turn hostile, or at least harbor resentment, even if he suppressed it for the greater good. Instead, she had heard such profoundly sincere words. Over the years, she had encountered all sorts of people and could discern sincerity from falsehood.

Kong Qing was also taken aback by the remark, thinking to himself, *No wonder the princess holds him in such high regard; this man is truly extraordinary.* However, he cleared his throat. "Do you realize that if these words of yours today get out, they will be considered treasonous, and you might find yourself without a place in human society if you're not careful?"