Chapter 1112: Life-and-Death Matter of Survival

Zuan had considered handing Han Fengqiu over to Sang Hong as a witness, but after visiting Shen Zhou's wife and children's graves and thinking of the dozens of innocent lives in the village, he decisively abandoned the idea.

He had no right to forgive anyone on their behalf. All he could do was send the person down and let them decide.

As for dealing with King Qi, having or not having Han Fengqiu wouldn't make much difference.

After the memorial service, Zuan returned to the envoy's residence, where he found the Imperial Forest Guards bustling about, having arrested quite a few people.

Sang Hong was also busily engaged, interrogating prisoners and reviewing financial accounts and statistics.

He finally found a chance to speak with him: "Uncle, is there something wrong with the ledger?"

"Some entries don't match up. King Qi's faction has clearly been working to cover their tracks recently, but with a thorough investigation, these deceptions will be easy to uncover," Sang Hong said, a faint smile on his face. "This time, King Qi will likely not escape. Oh, and I heard there was a fierce battle in a courtyard in the city, with many dead assassins."

Zuan knew what he was implying and nodded in response, "Someone always has to be held accountable for those innocent villagers."

Sang Hong hinted subtly, "I'll instruct the yamen officials that since they were assassins, it was likely a gang vendetta. They will close the case quickly."

Zuan felt a warmth in his heart, knowing Sang Hong was taking care of things for him. "Thank you, Uncle."

"This has nothing to do with you. Why thank me?" Sang Hong replied with a wily smile.

The two then discussed some specific details of King Qi's case. Afterward, Sang Hong continued interrogating and investigating the relevant individuals, while Zuan took advantage of the free time to visit the Pei Manor.

He was already very familiar with the Pei Manor's guards and layout.

He easily made his way to Pei Mianman's courtyard.

Upon entering, he encountered Hongzao, pinched her chubby cheeks, and handed her the snacks he had brought.

Usually, her eyes would light up at the sight of snacks, and she would sweetly call him "Brother-in-law." But this time, she merely grunted and turned away to continue her tasks, acting as if she hadn't seen him at all.

Perplexed, Zuan went upstairs. He saw a graceful figure sitting by the window, playing the zither. Her fiery red dress made her appear even more captivating and unparalleled.

Her back was straight, and her posture was serene and dignified. However, unlike other noble young ladies, she seemed to rest her ample bosom on the table, perhaps to relieve the burden on her body.

The curves, pressed against the table, were so striking that it was impossible to look away.

Zuan didn't disturb her. He listened quietly until the piece was finished, then praised,

"The music is beautiful, but you are even more so."

"Oh, I suppose our Young Master Zu uses such sweet talk to trick other girls daily," Pei Mianman said, evidently having known he was there all along. She gently strummed the zither strings without even turning around.

Zuan understood immediately from her tone. He squeezed in beside her, sat down, and said with a smile, "What, still jealous?"

No wonder Hongzao hadn't given him a pleasant look earlier. He had been so busy these past two days that he had almost forgotten the time Pei Mianman caught him with Tang Tian'er clinging to his arm.

"How dare I? You have so many female confidantes by your side; if I were to be jealous of each one, I'd die of bitterness," Pei Mianman replied, still not looking at him, seemingly focused on adjusting the zither strings.

Zuan explained, "Last time, I was genuinely investigating a case. It was through Miss Tang that I discovered the owner behind the Jade Pavilion was actually the Flying Horse Merchant Association. When we raided them, we found that the Flying Horse Merchant Association was connected to the Demonic Cult and King Yan... The deeper we investigated, the more complex things became. It turns out King Qi was orchestrating everything..."

At first, hearing Tang Tian'er's name, Pei Mianman merely hummed softly. But as Zuan continued, her attention was quickly captivated. After understanding the entire sequence of events, her mouth gaped open in astonishment, all jealousy forgotten. "I can't believe King Yan is colluding with the Demonic Cult, and King Qi is truly too cunning, making fools of all of us."

Zuan sighed, "What worries me more now is you. King Qi's new representative in Yunzhong Commandery is your father, but the Emperor is determined to eliminate King Qi. And this time, the imperial envoy mission has gathered enough evidence. King Qi's days are numbered, and your father will be implicated then."

Pei Mianman snorted, "He likes to curry favor; let him do as he pleases."

Zuan advised, "He is your father, after all. If he's punished, it will surely affect you too."

"He's only my father in name. Has he ever treated me like his own daughter these past years? And how did he treat my mother back then?" Pei Mianman's face was frosty, clearly harboring much resentment.

Zuan, of course, knew what kind of treatment Pei Mianman had received in her early years. It was only later, when her beauty became even more remarkable, that the Pei family began to treat her slightly better, hoping to use her for a future marriage alliance.

Yet, she was only assigned a sickly, unwanted maidservant and given the most remote and dilapidated courtyard in the manor. Even a young lady from an ordinary family would receive far better treatment, let alone the daughter of a City Lord.

"I'm not worried about his fate, but mainly about you getting caught in the crossfire," Zuan said, taking her hand.

Feeling his concern, Pei Mianman's jealousy had long since vanished. She naturally leaned into his embrace. "From what you just said, King Qi's other representative is Yu Xuansu, my stepmother's father. I know that woman's temperament best. With that connection, my father wouldn't be able to withdraw even if he wanted to."

"I know you mean well for me, but actually going to inform him would put you in danger. After all, the Yu family father and daughter, and King Qi's side, would be forewarned, which might be detrimental to you."

Zuan chuckled, "They say girls tend to favor their partners over family, and it's true! My great Mianman truly values me, her lover, more."

"You're truly a scoundrel!" Pei Mianman exclaimed, biting him hard on the shoulder in exasperation.

Hearing the playful sounds and laughter from upstairs, Hongzao downstairs covered her ears, muttering, "Miss is really spineless, making up with Brother-in-law so quickly."

Her gaze shifted to the snack box Zuan had brought. She couldn't help but swallow, "It's not my fault. Even Miss has forgiven Brother-in-law, so what can a maid like me do?"

After this self-reassurance, she seemed to shed her psychological burden and quickly opened the snack box, devouring its contents with gusto.

"Mm, so delicious! Brother-in-law is the best!"

After a long tender moment with Pei Mianman, Zuan still went to see Pei Shao.

Although Pei Mianman didn't say it, Zuan knew she secretly longed for familial affection.

Even if he couldn't stop Pei Shao's ambition, he could at least delay his alignment with King Qi.

"Lord Zu, what brings you here?" Pei Shao was surprised to see him, especially since Zuan hadn't used the main entrance or given prior notice, making it a sudden visit. "Someone, bring tea."

"No need. I have something I'd like to discuss with the City Lord privately," Zuan interjected.

"How may I help you, Lord Zu?" Pei Shao naturally understood that Zuan didn't want outsiders present. He felt a secret alarm, wondering if Zuan was here to assassinate him.

He had heard many rumors about Zuan recently and wasn't confident he could defeat him in a one-on-one fight.

"The City Lord must know that many people were arrested today, right?" Zuan asked directly.

"Indeed, I've heard as much. Unfortunately, Lord Sang keeps everything confidential, so I don't know what crimes these officials and merchants committed," Pei Shao replied.

"Is the City Lord truly unaware, or merely pretending to be?" Zuan said with a half-smile.

Pei Shao's expression changed. "What do you mean, Lord Zu?"

Zuan smiled. "I heard that the City Lord intends to form a marriage alliance with King Qi recently?"

Pei Shao chuckled awkwardly, "Lord Zu must be joking. The Crown Prince of Qi is such a prominent figure; how could we presume to associate with him?"

Seeing him still trying to play dumb at this point, Zuan inwardly sneered. "The City Lord is a smart man; you should be able to guess what those arrests signify. Given the Pei family's standing and foundation, you could certainly afford to observe the situation quietly and make a decision once things become clear. Aligning yourself too early with certain individuals means that if a major upheaval occurs, you won't be able to distance yourself."

Pei Shao's expression changed several times. In truth, when he heard that those arrested today were all personnel related to King Qi, he had already begun to feel uneasy. Now, hearing Zuan's words, he immediately thought of all the possible consequences.

He asked in a deep voice, "Lord Zu, why are you telling me all this? Are you acting as an envoy for... someone?"

Zuan smiled. "The City Lord thinks too highly of himself. The Emperor is occupied with countless affairs and likely wouldn't concern himself with someone at your level."

Pei Shao's face was grim, but he knew Zuan was speaking the truth.

At this point, Zuan sighed, "Mainly, Miss Pei helped me a great deal back in Clear Moon City, and I'm simply returning the favor. The City Lord is a smart man; act accordingly."

Without waiting for a reply or an attempt to detain him, he quickly vanished out the window.

Pei Shao hurriedly called for his servants. "Go summon my wife, and also inform my father-in-law that there's an urgent matter to discuss."

However, just as the servant was about to leave after receiving the order, Pei Shao called out to him, "Never mind, you don't need to call them."

His subordinate stared at him, bewildered.

Pei Shao pondered for a long time before ordering, "Tell everyone in the manor to postpone preparing the dowry. I will inform them of the next step."

Over the next few days, Zuan kept an eye on the Pei Manor's activities. Learning that Pei Shao had postponed dowry preparations and had apparently argued fiercely with his wife over it, Zuan felt relieved, knowing his words had taken effect.

When Pei Mianman learned that she wouldn't have to marry the Crown Prince of Qi for now, a great weight lifted from her heart. She became even more tender and affectionate towards Zuan, allowing him to revel in her gentle embrace.

The only one suffering was Hongzao, who, hearing their nightly frolics, would toss and turn, unable to sleep, and wake up every day with dark circles under her eyes.

After a few days of idyllic bliss, Chief Administrator Xu Yu suddenly summoned all high-ranking officials in Yunzhong Commandery to the Prefect's mansion, stating there was a critical matter concerning the very survival of Yunzhong Commandery that required discussion.

Zuan and Sang Hong were completely bewildered; despite all their efforts, they couldn't figure out what was happening. However, given the solemnity of the summons, they had no choice but to attend.