Chapter 1531: Ambush

"What's wrong?" Zu An's heart skipped a beat. Had she discovered what he had just done with the Demon Empress? He wondered if it was the scent of her perfume on him or something else.

"Why is there no vital energy fluctuation from you at all? You look no different from an ordinary person," Yu Yanluo said, looking at him with concern.

Zu An couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed. She was so worried about him, yet his mind had been on such inappropriate thoughts. "Don't worry, I'm fine. It's just that my cultivation method is a bit special..."

After listening to his explanation, Yu Yanluo still felt uneasy. She even checked his pulse to confirm that his body was indeed fine before she finally relaxed. "Your cultivation method is truly miraculous. If anyone underestimates you in the future, they'll likely suffer a great loss."

Zu An chuckled, "You've made me want to play the pig to eat the tiger."

After they chatted for a while, Yu Yanluo's attention returned to the manor. "I just went to where you were before to look for you. I heard the Demon Empress granted you a new Regent's Manor, so I came to check it out. I didn't expect you to actually be here. The Demon Empress is really good to you."

Zu An thought to himself, *More than just good, we're as intimate as can be. She knows my every strength and weakness, and I hers.*

"But the little prince was entirely supported by your efforts, so this is what you deserve," Yu Yanluo said with a sigh. She reminisced that previously, it wouldn't have been difficult for her to give Zu An such a manor, as she was considered the wealthiest person in the world. Unfortunately, after the incident with the Yu family, it was probably not so easy now.

"Alright, don't think about that anymore. Come on, pick a courtyard you like." Zu An took her hand and began to stroll through the manor.

"Oh, we're not related by blood or marriage, so isn't this a bit inappropriate..." Although she said this, Yu Yanluo couldn't help but follow him, her beautiful eyes surveying their surroundings. Women have an innate desire to decorate a new home.

"How can our relationship be called 'not related'?" Zu An said, embracing her slender waist. "Not long ago, the Great Elf King came to me to discuss Xue'er's marriage, and I told him I would marry you both."

"Ah?" Yu Yanluo was both surprised and shy. However, having been the head of the Yu family for so many years, she quickly realized that the Great Elf King would certainly be displeased with such an answer, especially given her unique status...

She sighed softly and said with a complicated expression, "There's no need for me. After all, I still hold the status of the Duchess of Yunzhong Commandery. It wouldn't be appropriate for me to marry into your family. You and Miss Qiao marrying will be enough."

Zu An held her hand. "Don't worry. When the time comes, it will be the Regent and the Medusa Queen getting married. What does that have to do with Madam Yu of Yunzhong Commandery? You don't need to worry too much about anything else."

Yu Yanluo was somewhat swayed by his words, but she remained rational and shook her head slightly. "Although the demon race and human race are far apart, there are many merchant caravans traveling between them. It won't take long for news to get back, and it won't escape the notice of those who pay attention."

"As far as the world knows, the Duke of Yunzhong Commandery is still alive. If needed, you can still use the resources there under his identity. As the Duchess, I have a natural and righteous claim, and I can assist you with certain matters. The world may seem peaceful now, but in reality, undercurrents are surging. The foundation we have in Yunzhong Commandery cannot simply be abandoned."

"That's too much of a sacrifice for you," Zu An said, frowning.

"It's not a sacrifice at all. I don't want to be completely tied to the demon race either, and I still hope to return to the Yu family one day. I think this arrangement is quite good," Yu Yanluo reassured him. "Oh, stop thinking about all that. Just take me to choose a room."

"In that case, let's not get married for now, and we can discuss it once the situation becomes clearer in the future." Zu An felt Yu Yanluo's thoughtful consideration and thought to himself that he must have accumulated incredible fortune to be so blessed.

Yu Yanluo was a little worried. "But wouldn't that mean the Elf Princess..."

"Don't worry, Xue'er isn't in a hurry either; she's still young," Zu An said, pulling her inside to choose a room.

Seeing the exquisite and serene rooms inside, the worry on Yu Yanluo's brow gradually dissipated.

***

While some rejoiced, others despaired. Sang Hong, for one, was deeply troubled.

To buy time for Zu An's return, he had racked his brains on the journey, doing everything he could to slow down the envoy's return to the capital. He had encountered mountain bandits and brigands, and even played the role of an upright official, hearing grievances and judging cases for the common people in passing prefectures.

Eventually, the capital grew impatient. The Emperor, in a fit of rage, sent someone to reprimand him and ordered him to return to the capital immediately. Recalling the barely contained fury in the imperial edict, Sang Hong smiled bitterly to himself, wondering what punishment awaited him upon his return.

However, his own predicament was a minor issue; Zu An's continued absence was the real problem. What a crime it was to conspire with the demon race!

The only piece of good news recently was a message from his manor stating that his daughter-in-law, Zheng Dan, was pregnant. Previously, Yunzhong Commandery was too far away, and the major forces there were in chaos. On top of that, there were disruptions from the Demonic Cult and rebels along the way, causing family letters to be lost several times. He knew, of course, that it wasn't Zheng Dan who was pregnant, but Qian'er. This arrangement for communication was made to avoid prying eyes and to make it easier to outwardly claim it was Sang Qian's posthumous child.

"I finally haven't become a sinner of the Sang family." Tears streamed down Sang Hong's face. He felt that all his efforts during this period had been worth it, and that his audacious gamble hadn't been in vain.

"It's a shame I can't reach Ah Zu." He had previously tried to contact him via the video mirror, but for some reason, he had been unable to connect. Now that the Emperor had sent special escorts to supervise his swift return to the capital, it wasn't convenient to use the video mirror within the envoy group, lest the Emperor's spies learn that Ah Zu was with the demon race.

"Lord Sang, that's Can City ahead," a guard reported soon after, pointing to the distant city walls.

Sang Hong frowned. *Silkworms eat mulberry leaves*, he thought. *This city name isn't very auspicious.* However, he soon chuckled wryly. The city was named for its proficiency in silkworm breeding and silk production. Besides, it wasn't far from the capital; what could possibly go wrong right under the Emperor's nose?

Soon, Can City's local official hurried to welcome the imperial envoy delegation, explaining that the city was small and couldn't accommodate so many people at once. Sang Hong expressed his understanding, as similar situations had occurred along the way. He had the accompanying Imperial Forest Guards set up camp outside the city, while he himself entered the city with a few dozen attendants.

Gao Ying remained in Yunzhong Commandery to continue serving as county magistrate, maintaining the local balance of power. Pei You, worried that Gao Ying alone couldn't handle the various factions in Yunzhong Commandery, also stayed behind to help. Of course, Sang Hong was highly skeptical. That fellow was probably lingering in the brothel life of Yunzhong Commandery, reluctant to return, especially since the family controls were strict in the capital, making such a carefree lifestyle impossible. Xiao Jianren, Old Seven Dai, and Old Eight Chen, from the Embroidered Uniform Guard, had also returned earlier to report for duty. They belonged to the Embroidered Tower and couldn't simply wander around with the main contingent.

After a warm reception dinner, Sang Hong, slightly tipsy, returned to his residence. He was usually a cautious person and wouldn't drink so much normally. But today, upon hearing the news of his daughter's pregnancy, the heavy burden that had weighed on his heart was finally lifted. In his heightened spirits, he drank a few extra cups.

He was drifting off to sleep in the middle of the night when he was suddenly awakened by noise outside. He looked out the window and saw flickering flames, and the air was filled with the smell of smoke.

"Fire!" He immediately reacted, hastily threw on some clothes, and rushed out.

Soon, members of the envoy group came rushing out one after another. Many were still asleep, so others hurried inside to wake them. The inn staff frantically fought the fire, and the entire scene was chaotic.

Looking at the raging inferno, Sang Hong sobered up considerably. Such a fierce blaze could not have been natural! As an expert in schemes and stratagems, his hair stood on end.

"Let's go, get out of the city!" he urgently called to his subordinates, urging them to force their way out. They would be safe once they met up with the army outside the city. To deal with a few hundred elite Imperial Forest Guards would require mobilizing a large army, but being so close to the capital, how could that be possible?

Just then, a large group of masked archers and crossbowmen emerged around the inn. A hail of arrows rained down, and many people on the scene immediately fell.

As Sang Hong was about to attack the archers, a black void suddenly opened diagonally behind him. A slender, jet-black sword, like a venomous snake, shot towards his vital spot beneath the ribs, moving with lightning speed!