Chapter 1543: Crisis Approaches

Turning around, he saw a court lady slowly approaching. A vermilion beauty mark adorned the center of her forehead, and her intricately styled hair was embellished with delicate pearl flowers strung on silk threads and a variety of exquisite hair ornaments. The tassels on her golden step-shaker swayed gently with her steps, seemingly swaying into one's very soul. Her exceptionally opulent and refined makeup somehow also exuded an air of nobility and elegance—only Bi Linglong could perfectly embody and merge these two temperaments.

“Greetings, Crown Princess!” Zu’an bowed. With many eunuchs and palace maids around, proper etiquette could not be overlooked.

“I wouldn’t dare accept that,” Bi Linglong said, turning slightly. “Oh, right, it’s no longer Lord Zu, but Marquis Shen now, isn’t it?”

Rage points from Bi Linglong +55+55+55...

Zu’an was a bit puzzled, wondering if he had offended her in some way.

If she keeps throwing a tantrum, he thought, he’d show her exactly what “Marquis Shen” meant.

“Crown Princess, you jest,” Zu’an said with a slight smile. “Even if I were to become a duke or a king, I would still be under the Crown Princess... and the Crown Prince.”

“Hmph, Lord Zu, your ambition isn’t small at all,” she scoffed. Though she said this, Bi Linglong’s anger had considerably lessened.

At the same time, her face flushed slightly as she thought, “Why is this fellow mentioning being ‘under my patronage’ while staring at my skirt?”

“You haven’t come to the East Palace to pay your respects for so long after the court session,” Bi Linglong continued, still somewhat displeased. “Do you not regard me... or the Crown Prince?”

“After the court session, His Majesty summoned me to the Imperial Study for questioning,” Zu’an explained. “I just came out not long ago, so I hadn’t had time yet. I hope the Crown Princess will forgive me.” Looking at Bi Linglong, who resembled a pouting young girl, Zu’an didn’t mind; instead, he found her somewhat charming. Ah, such is a world that judges by appearances.

In truth, Bi Linglong already knew the reason, which was why she had come to this vicinity.

“So it was His Majesty who summoned you...” Bi Linglong casually conversed with him about official matters while signaling her attendants not to follow.

Soon, the two arrived at a distant pavilion. From there, their attendants could still see them, thus avoiding suspicion, yet their conversation wouldn’t be overheard.

“What did His Majesty ask you just now?” Bi Linglong asked, maintaining a normal conversation while secretly transmitting her voice with vital energy.

“He asked about how the Demon Emperor died and some details about the Land of the Unknown,” Zu’an replied. There was nothing worth concealing about that.

“He didn’t make things difficult for you, did he?” Bi Linglong asked nervously. After all, back in the Western Dog Mound secret realm, they had confronted Zhao Hao’s soul clone face-to-face, so she instinctively worried about him.

Seeing the worry in her eyes, Zu’an felt a warmth in his heart. “Don’t worry,” he said, “I’m perfectly fine, aren’t I?”

Only then did Bi Linglong sigh in relief, before asking suspiciously, “The Demon Emperor’s death... it wouldn’t have anything to do with you, would it?”

“Do you think I have that kind of ability?” Zu’an had no intention of letting others know what had truly happened in the secret realm. That specific environment could not be replicated, making it almost impossible to kill an Earth Immortal again. Revealing it would be meaningless and could lead his companions to become overly optimistic. Moreover, if Zhao Hao accidentally found out, everything would be ruined.

“Others certainly couldn’t, but with you, it’s hard to say,” Bi Linglong replied, looking at Zu’an with a hint of admiration. After all, in the Western Dog Mound secret realm, she had personally witnessed him deal with Zhao Hao’s soul clone. Before that, she had considered Zhao Hao utterly invincible, incapable even of provoking a thought of opposition. But after that secret realm experience, she realized Zhao Hao was also human and could be defeated.

“When you have time, tell me all the details about what happened in the secret realm.” Bi Linglong was quite excited; only Zhao Hao was originally privy to those secrets, but given her relationship with Zu’an, she naturally expected to know as well.

“Okay,” Zu’an nodded, wondering when he would get a chance to be alone with her. He could enter her palace through the secret passage, but Zhao Hao was no longer in seclusion. Stealing his daughter-in-law right under an Earth Immortal’s nose would be too dismissive of their power. “By the way, what did Eunuch Lü want with you?” Bi Linglong asked, looking in the direction Lü Qi had left, clearly having seen the two of them together.

“Nothing much, he just asked me to pay my respects to the Empress when I have time; she probably wants to know some details about the Land of the Unknown,” Zu’an replied, naturally not telling her the real reason. Bi Linglong nodded slightly. “She is the Empress, so you have to go when she summons you. But you’d best stay away from that woman.”

“That woman?” Zu’an noted her choice of words with a sensitive ear. “Why?”

“No reason,” Bi Linglong stated, her face stern. “She doesn’t like me, and I don’t like her. I don’t want you to have anything to do with her, is that a problem?”

“Alright, alright,” Zu’an conceded. He mused that mother-in-law and daughter-in-law conflicts existed even in the cultivation world, especially since the Empress wasn’t even the Crown Prince’s birth mother, but merely his aunt.

“You mustn’t lie to me,” Bi Linglong warned, staring at him nervously. “That woman is very alluring; don’t let her charm you.”

Zu’an gave an awkward laugh. “How could I? Am I tired of living that I’d dare touch her?”

He silently groaned, “How am I supposed to answer a question like that? Should I admit right now that I’ve already gotten involved with the Empress?”

“You even dared to touch me, so who knows what you’re capable of,” Bi Linglong mumbled softly, her cheeks slightly flushed. However, she was quite pleased to hear him agree. “If I find out you’ve deceived me, you will definitely regret it.”

Seeing the momentarily dangerous smile on her face, images of famous yandere characters from his previous life suddenly flashed through Zu’an’s mind, making his scalp tingle. But there was nothing for it now but to be vague. Ah, he sighed, back when he was an online keyboard warrior and shut-in, he used to fantasize about having a woman on each arm. Only after experiencing it did he realize that the “bliss of having multiple wives” wasn’t so easy to enjoy.

Fortunately, being in the palace, Bi Linglong couldn’t stay with him for too long. After a few more words, she departed, surrounded by palace maids and eunuchs.

Zu’an found a secluded spot to change his attire and then headed to the Embroidery Building. He had specifically asked the Emperor about Sang Hong earlier, but unfortunately, the Emperor was more concerned with the Demon Emperor’s death and had answered vaguely. It was better to investigate himself.

Upon arriving at the Embroidery Building, Zu’an went straight to his designated office. Each Gold Badge agent had a specific “office,” and if he were to interfere by questioning the subordinates of other Gold Badge Embroidery Uniforms, they might not cooperate. As he entered, he saw a bald middle-aged man and another man with a receding hairline playing cards. Zu’an couldn’t help but frown. Though he was often absent, he wondered if these fellows weren’t a bit too lax.

“Boss!” Old Seven Dai and Old Eight Chen saw him and immediately threw down their cards, scurrying over with fawning smiles to offer tea and water. “You’re finally back!” Even Xiao Jianren rushed out upon hearing the news, only recognizing Zu’an when he got close. Compared to the other two, he was much more reserved. “Lord Eleven!” It was clear that with their leader absent during this period, their department had become a leisurely office. Zu’an wasted no words and got straight to the point: “Why weren’t you following Lord Sang?”

Xiao Jianren replied with a bitter expression, “We wanted to stay with Lord Sang, but for a while, he kept delaying, and the court sent people to inquire multiple times. We also received notifications from the Embroidery Building to return and explain the situation. At the time, we couldn’t contact Lord Eleven, so we had no choice but to return to the capital first.”

“What exactly happened in Silkworm City?” Zu’an knew they had been helpless in these matters and had no intention of blaming them.

Earlier, in Silkworm City, he had found that all information was sealed, and witnesses and evidence had been brought to the capital by the Embroidery Uniform agents, so he hadn’t uncovered anything. Old Seven Dai and Old Eight Chen exchanged glances; their rank was too low, and they knew nothing. Fortunately, Xiao Jianren was reliable. “I guessed that you would be concerned about this, so I’ve been secretly investigating during this time. To my knowledge, that night, Lord Sang and his subordinates encountered a major fire at the inn. Many assassins appeared in the middle of the night, slaughtering the rest of the mission’s staff. Of course, Silkworm City’s official statement is that the fire caused the mission’s demise...”

After listening to his account, Zu’an said gravely, “Besides the inn manager, the Prefect of Silkworm City must also be involved. He was the one who separated Lord Sang from the Feathered Forest Guards.”

“Lord Eleven indeed has keen insight,” Xiao Jianren flattered lightly before continuing, “The Prefect of Silkworm City was arrested, but he died mysteriously before he could even be interrogated.”

Zu’an frowned. “A mysterious death is a clue in itself.”

“Exactly,” Xiao Jianren nodded. “People in the building found that agents from the Shadow Pavilion were very likely involved.”

“Shadow Pavilion?” Zu’an’s brow furrowed. He had dealt with Shadow Pavilion assassins before, many of whom were dark elves. He had initially thought it was an organization established by the demon race, but based on his experiences among the demons, it seemed to have no connection to them.

“Some colleagues have already examined the evidence from the scene,” Xiao Jianren explained. “They did find some incriminating evidence in Lord Sang’s room, but it’s very likely a deliberate frame-up by the culprits. They clearly reported it, but there’s been no follow-up.” Zu’an wondered, the Emperor surely knew Sang Hong was innocent, so why didn’t he defend him? Instead, he allowed Prince Qi’s faction to maliciously slander him, and Sang’s female relatives were almost humiliated.

“Is Lord Sang dead or not?” he continued to ask.

“I don’t know,” Xiao Jianren shook his head. “According to the information I’ve gathered, Lord Sang likely escaped the inn at the time. However, the situation was critical, and although no body was found afterward, it’s probably grim news.”

Hearing this, Zu’an’s heart sank. Although he and Sang Hong had initially been adversaries, they had come together for various reasons later on. Sang Hong was one of the few allies he could rely on, and he was like both an elder and a friend. Zu’an didn’t want anything to happen to him, whether in their official dealings or personal relationship.

However, that night, Shadow Pavilion assassins were everywhere, and the Prefect of Silkworm City was their man, making the outlook far from optimistic. Just then, Xiao Jianren said, “However, I personally think Lord Sang might still be alive.”

“Oh, what makes you say that?” Zu’an eagerly pressed.

Only then did Xiao Jianren explain, “Afterward, our entire Embroidery Uniform agency mobilized completely, yet despite our best efforts, we couldn’t uncover any information about Lord Sang’s whereabouts. If he had truly died, his body would most likely have been found by us. It’s now very probable that he was captured by the Shadow Pavilion, though it’s also possible he was rescued.” His voice grew much softer towards the end, as the latter possibility was quite remote.

Zu’an, however, was overjoyed. As long as he wasn’t dead, there was a chance!

Meanwhile, in the Imperial Study, Eunuch Wen bowed respectfully. “What are your orders, Your Majesty?”

“Investigate Zu’an and the Crown Princess,” Zhao Hao commanded. The overly concerned look in Bi Linglong’s eyes when she learned of Zu’an’s trouble in court earlier flashed in his mind, filling him with an inexplicable irritation.