Chapter 1293: Disguised as a Man

Although Xu Yu appeared to be asking Sang Hong, he wasn't actually seeking his opinion. Instead, he took the opportunity to directly confirm with Zhu Xie Chixin.

Sang Hong's heart skipped a beat. When Zu An had suddenly disappeared, he had desperately used an Embroidered Uniform Envoy mission as a cover, reasoning that Xiao Jianren and the others, being good friends with Zu An, wouldn't expose him. He never imagined Xu Yu would go straight to Zhu Xie Chixin.

However, after his initial panic, he quickly composed himself.

Zhu Xie Chixin was the Emperor's confidant; he would surely speak up for Zu An.

To his surprise, Zhu Xie Chixin exclaimed, "Is there such a thing? I haven't received any related intelligence from the Embroidered Uniform Envoys in the Cloud Central region. Of course, it's possible the situation was urgent, and they haven't had time to report it yet."

Sang Hong's eyes widened instantly. He had expected Zhu Xie Chixin to at least remain neutral if he couldn't help, but he never thought he would respond in such a manner.

He was the Grand Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Envoys, widely acknowledged as the supreme authority. His control over the Envoys was undeniably tight. If he claimed a report hadn't come in from his subordinates, who would believe it?

As expected, upon hearing his words, Prince Qi's faction erupted in an uproar. Various officials grew increasingly agitated, denouncing Zu An's alleged crimes, while some also impeached Sang Hong.

Having served as an "isolated official" for so many years, he had naturally made many enemies. His political adversaries wouldn't miss such a prime opportunity.

Bi Linglong, meanwhile, looked at the Emperor in disbelief. Without the Emperor's tacit approval, Zhu Xie Chixin wouldn't have dared to speak that way, not even if he had ten times the courage.

Zu An had rendered outstanding service to the Crown Prince. While others might be unaware, how could the Emperor not know?

Now, to think he was cooperating with Prince Qi's faction to condemn Zu An to death—wouldn't that discourage those loyal to the imperial family in the future?

At this moment, Sang Hong's ears were ringing. He had had a bad premonition when he first learned the Emperor had agreed to convene such an interrogation. He never imagined that the Emperor and Prince Qi would join forces on this matter; it was a situation where even gods couldn't intervene.

At this point, Pei Lian, the Grand Secretariat, stepped forward and said, "Fifth Brother, as the Lord of Cloud Central City, you are most familiar with what happened there. Why don't you explain the situation fully?"

The "Fifth Brother" he referred to was naturally Pei Shao. Both brothers were sons of Pei Zheng, the Duke of Linhai and Imperial Censor. The Duke of Linhai lineage of the Pei family was widely recognized as a cornerstone of Prince Qi's faction.

Pei You, standing nearby, had initially looked hopefully at his grandfather, Pei Ming, the Grand Imperial Secretary, expecting him to say a few words in Zu An's defense. After all, their lineage was relatively close to the Crown Prince's faction. However, from beginning to end, his grandfather showed no intention of speaking. Based on Pei You's understanding of him, it was clear he intended to stand by and watch.

Gao Ying also looked expectantly at General Wei Liu Yao. However, he knew well that during the trip to Bright Moon City, his uncle had lost significant face due to Zu An, and thus had always disliked him. Although Zu An had saved him in the secret realm, Gao Ying was merely a nephew, dependent on others, and therefore had little influence.

As expected, Liu Yao maintained an aloof, spectating demeanor throughout.

At this point, Pei Shao cleared his throat slightly. "To my knowledge," he began, "when Lord Xu imprisoned Yu Yanluo, the defenses were virtually impenetrable, with numerous overt and covert sentries. Yet, she was inexplicably rescued. Therefore, we suspect the rescuer must have known all these arrangements. This strongly suggests the person was an insider, and someone of a very high rank, otherwise they couldn't have had such precise information."

"Precisely," Xu Yu interjected, striking while the iron was hot. "When the demoness Yu Yanluo was first captured, Zu An attempted to rescue her, openly defying imperial laws to do so. All officials in Cloud Central Commandery can testify to this."

The surrounding officials readily agreed.

Xu Yu continued, "Furthermore, considering that Zu An disappeared shortly after Yu Yanluo was rescued, and Lord Sang fabricated various lies to cover for him, I believe all present lords have already reached their own conclusions about what truly happened."

Sang Hong retorted angrily, "According to your logic, am I also an accomplice of Lord Zu, colluding with the demon race to betray the nation?"

Xu Yu shook his head. "No, not exactly. I presume Lord Sang, being eager to nurture talent, subconsciously provided cover for Zu An, never imagining he would commit such an act of deception and defiance against the Emperor."

He knew that while Sang Hong was not well-liked in official circles, he was notoriously unyielding and fiercely loyal to the Emperor. Any attempt to implicate him in treason would be dismissed as unbelievable.

Sang Hong's expression flickered. He knew in his heart that today would likely not end well, and the only thing he could do was try to buy as much time as possible.

Just as he was about to speak, the Emperor interjected, "I recall some Embroidered Uniform Envoys also went on that mission. Bring them forward to speak."

Zhu Xie Chixin naturally knew which individuals had been dispatched this time. Soon, Xiao Jianren stepped forward and reported, "To Your Majesty, based on this humble official's observations throughout the journey, Lord Zu is an upright man who champions justice for the common people. Such a person could absolutely never collude with the demon race to betray our nation."

Sang Hong cast him a surprised glance. Embroidered Uniform Envoys were always reclusive and feared by court officials; he never expected Xiao Jianren to speak up for Zu An at such a critical juncture, risking his entire future.

In the imperial court, Bi Linglong's spirits lifted, and she was about to seize the moment to speak. However, Zhu Xie Chixin preemptively interrupted Xiao Jianren, saying, "The Emperor asked whether Zu An rescued Yu Yanluo, or where Zu An was when Yu Yanluo was rescued. Did you see him? Remember to answer the key points."

Bi Linglong's delicate brows furrowed, and she could no longer hold back. "Grand Commander," she interjected, "your words seem to be leading the witness."

Everyone looked at her in surprise. She was known for her impeccable demeanor, widely regarded as having the bearing of a queen. She rarely expressed her opinions directly, preferring to orchestrate her subordinates to speak on her behalf to achieve her goals. Yet, today she had personally stepped forward, indicating that Zu An held a truly unusual place in her heart.

Most people didn't harbor much suspicion. Although there had been past rumors involving Zu An and her, they had long since been debunked, and anyone who dared to bring them up now would simply be inviting trouble.

Her strong defense of Zu An was likely because she genuinely regarded him as a trusted confidant.

Officials from Prince Qi's faction looked on with a hint of schadenfreude. Zhu Xie Chixin, a pillar of the pro-Emperor faction, had clashed with the Crown Princess. They wondered how the two would ever cooperate in the future.

Only Prince Qi, seated at the head, subtly frowned. His desire to deal with Zu An was understandable, but why was the Emperor also targeting him?

Zu An was the Emperor's man, and sending him to Cloud Central Commandery had ruined years of Prince Qi's strategic planning there.

"Could they be conspiring and putting on a show for me?" Prince Qi was suddenly startled, losing all his previous composure.

At this point, Xiao Jianren began to answer. "I do not know who rescued Yu Yanluo. Furthermore, Lord Zu was in seclusion in his room at the time, recovering from injuries. The fact of his injury was well-known among officials in Cloud Central Commandery."

Xu Yu pressed him, "You claim he was in his room recuperating from injuries. Did you witness this personally?"

Xiao Jianren hesitated for a moment. However, as an Embroidered Uniform Envoy, he ultimately dared not lie in the presence of the Emperor and the Grand Commander. "No," he admitted.

Sang Hong stated gravely, "Since he was in seclusion to recuperate, he naturally couldn't be disturbed by outsiders. How can that be used as evidence?"

A chorus of whispers and murmurs immediately arose in the imperial court, clearly taking this as further proof of Zu An's suspicious behavior.

After this series of exchanges, Xu Yu was now confident of victory. "Lord Sang," he declared, "no matter how eloquently you speak, you cannot explain Zu An's current whereabouts. If he were truly innocent, why would he not appear when such a grave matter has arisen? Does he not know the severity of the charge of colluding with the demon race and betraying the nation? Or perhaps... he is currently among the demon race, and simply cannot return!"

"Who said he can't return?" A clear voice rang out at that moment, and a figure appeared in the doorway.

The expressions of everyone in the room changed. That distinct, eerie mask, the embroidered uniform radiating an intense aura, and most notably, the gold-threaded trim...

"Lord Eleven!" Xiao Jianren and a few others exclaimed in a mix of surprise and delight, though their shouts abruptly ceased halfway through. Xiao Jianren, in particular, instinctively rubbed his eyes. Unfortunately, having spent years reading in the archives, his eyesight was already poor, and no amount of rubbing helped him see clearly.

He subtly transmitted a message with his vital energy to Dai Laoqi and Chen Laoba beside him, asking, "Can you clearly see the chief? I feel like something's off."

"He does seem a bit strange," Dai Laoqi replied. "Perhaps it's been a while since we last saw him. I keep thinking he's lost weight recently, likely from too many worries."

"Really?" Chen Laoba wondered. "I actually thought the chief's chest muscles looked more developed than before."

At this moment, Sang Hong's heart also jolted. Gold Medallion Eleven had always remained in the shadows; his appearance now clearly indicated he intended to speak in Zu An's defense.

Yet, why did he feel that Gold Medallion Eleven seemed somewhat different this time?

In the imperial court, everyone's expressions varied. Bi Linglong gazed at the newcomer with a complex look. Gold Medallion Eleven had once rescued her, holding her in his arms, and at that moment, her heart had fluttered, a faint, indefinable feeling stirring within her. She simply hadn't expected to meet Zu An later.

But why, upon seeing him again, did she feel a sense of unfamiliarity?

Zhu Xie Chixin, meanwhile, looked utterly bewildered. He naturally knew who Gold Medallion Eleven was, but what was this bizarre turn of events? He instinctively glanced at the Emperor, only to see the Emperor also subtly frowning.

Only Pei Shao, from the Cloud Central City delegation, suddenly changed color. The feeling was all too familiar. He hurriedly transmitted a message with his vital energy, exclaiming, "Manman, what on earth are you playing at!"