"Remarry?" Zu An's heart stirred, but he quickly sighed. "It's probably not suitable for now."
Lately, Chu Chuyan has been cultivating the troublesome 'Supreme Forgetfulness' technique. Even casual conversations affect her state of mind and cultivation. If they were to remarry now and be affectionate all day, how could she continue her practice?
Furthermore, discussing marriage with her now would certainly require consulting their elders. While it wouldn't be an issue on his side, Chu Chuyan is currently in White Jade Capital, so Yan Xuehen would undoubtedly be the one to decide on such matters. The mere thought of asking her about his marriage to Chu Chuyan...
The image was simply unthinkable.
Moreover, he also had other close female companions, such as Da Manman, Qiu Honglei, and Yu Yanluo...
It would have been different if he hadn't known them before his marriage. But now, given their relationships, marrying another woman would undoubtedly break their hearts.
Ah, the bliss of having many companions is truly difficult to manage.
Xie Daoyun, unaware of his thoughts, saw his hesitation and for some reason felt an inexplicable surge of happiness. "Brother Zu, don't fret. Things will work out in the end; fate is predetermined."
Zu An offered a slight smile. "Thank you for the kind words, Sister Ling'er."
Xie Daoyun, however, felt a pang of guilt, as if her recent thoughts had been those of a wicked woman.
Feeling uneasy and embarrassed, she made a few polite remarks, then rose to take her leave.
After escorting her back to her room, Zu An quietly changed into his Gold Medal Eleven attire and hurried towards the secret Embroidered Uniform Emissary stronghold in Yi Commandery under the cover of night.
Upon arriving at the stronghold, he immediately detected a strong scent of medicine. Xiao Jianren, usually so composed, was pacing anxiously outside, repeatedly glancing towards the inner room and appearing as if he wanted to speak but couldn't.
Dai Laoqi and Chen Laoba, on the other hand, were much bolder. "Miss Zhang, are you truly sure you don't want me to apply the medicine for you?"
"Miss Zhang, I'm experienced. Even the old sows at the village entrance who broke their legs fighting used to come to me; everyone said I did a good job."
"Get out!" came Zhang Zitong's voice from inside, clearly suppressing her anger.
"Oh~" The two grudgingly took several steps back, their receding hairlines, one resembling a Mediterranean map and the other an M-shape, reflecting each other comically.
Chen Laoba, still unwilling to give up, was about to say more when Xiao Jianren intervened. "Don't make Miss Zhang angry."
Dai Laoqi chuckled. "You don't get it. A woman doesn't necessarily like someone who makes her laugh, but she's more likely to like a man who makes her cry..."
Before he could finish, Xiao Jianren slapped him on the head. "Enough with the witty remarks; are you trying to become a Jinshi scholar?"
Just then, the inner door suddenly opened, and the tall Zhang Zitong emerged, fuming. As she was about to lash out, she suddenly spotted Zu An in the corner and quickly bowed. "Greetings, Lord Eleven!"
Xiao Jianren and the others were startled, turning around to discover Zu An's presence. They quickly bowed, silently exchanging glances while their heads were lowered.
*Lord Eleven is truly unfathomable; he got so close behind us, and we didn't notice him at all. If that had been an intruder just now, we would surely be beyond dead.*
*Oh no, did Lord Eleven hear our suggestive jokes? Will it lower his impression of us?*
Zu An ignored the group's dramatic internal musings, his gaze falling on the bandage on Zhang Zitong's leg. "Wounded by the Yan King's Estate guards?"
Zhang Zitong was inwardly shocked. No wonder Xiao Jianren often remarked that their Lord Eleven was unfathomable. He had seemingly disappeared for days, yet he already knew she had just escaped from the Yan King's Estate.
Xiao Jianren and the others, meanwhile, worriedly gazed at her long legs, unanimously wondering if there would be a scar. A blemish on such perfect legs would truly be a loss for all men.
"Yes, for the past few days, we've been investigating Mr. Huo, but he lives reclusively, making it difficult to obtain useful information. Eager to uncover the truth for Lord Seven, I decided to personally go to the estate to investigate..." The more Zhang Zitong spoke, the more her confidence waned.
"Nonsense!" Zu An angrily rebuked her. "Who do you think you are? The Yan King's Estate is filled with masters, and the Yan King himself is a Grandmaster. You, a mere Silver Medal Embroidered Uniform Emissary, dared to venture there?"
"I didn't rush in blindly. I had found out that the Yan King was hosting important guests today and would likely be preoccupied, so I seized that window to investigate..." Zhang Zitong's voice trailed off, her confidence wavering. She admitted she had been impulsive; if that person hadn't saved her that day, she likely would have perished in the Yan King's Estate.
Because she had entered in a private capacity, the Embroidered Uniform Emissaries couldn't seek justice for her. For one, Gold Medal Seven's death had left them without a clear leader. For another, Embroidered Uniform Emissaries were bound to uphold imperial law, and trespassing into a princely estate would make it perfectly justifiable for them to be killed.
"So, am I supposed to commend your cleverness?" Zu An sneered.
"This subordinate knows her mistake!" Zhang Zitong acknowledged, realizing she had been overly impulsive. Yet, a trace of resentment lingered. The young master who had saved her in the estate had been so gentle and handsome; compared to this Lord Eleven, he was like night and day.
At this point, Xiao Jianren and the others quickly stepped in to mediate. "Lord Eleven, Miss Zhang did manage to escape the Yan King's Estate without any lasting repercussions, which is a testament to her capabilities."
Zu An said coolly, "Do you believe she escaped on her own, or was someone there to rescue her?"
Zhang Zitong's heart jolted. How did he know?
But she quickly composed herself. Gold Medal Embroidered Uniform Emissaries were top-tier agents; it was perfectly normal for them to possess their own intelligence network.
"Yes, I encountered a young master at the estate..." Zhang Zitong recounted the situation, her face subtly flushing.
"Many distinguished guests attended the princely banquet tonight," Xiao Jianren analyzed, "but one matching your description, so young and handsome, could only be Lord Zu of the Eastern Palace."
Zhang Zitong's face reddened. *I don't recall mentioning 'young and handsome,' did I? Was my admiration that obvious?*
"Lord Zu? Why would he save me?" As a Silver Medal Emissary, she was naturally aware of Zu An, who had come to Yi Commandery with the Imperial Guards on imperial duty, though she hadn't recognized him previously. "It must have been for our sakes..." Xiao Jianren initially puffed out his chest proudly, but upon remembering Lord Eleven's presence, he quickly corrected himself. "It must have been out of consideration for Lord Eleven. We worked together for a period while handling a case in Yunzhong Commandery, so he likely remembered our past connection."
"I see." Zhang Zitong had harbored a lingering doubt: she hadn't been wearing a uniform, so how had Lord Zu known she was an Embroidered Uniform Emissary?
However, this doubt was quickly overshadowed by joy, as she finally knew the identity of her savior.
"So, did you discover anything during your visit?" Zu An asked.
"That Mr. Huo is indeed very skilled in mental attacks," Zhang Zitong stated in a low voice. "The pattern on his forehead forms something like a vertical eye. It's usually closed, but once it opens, it possesses immense power. Anyone who meets his gaze falls into an inescapable dream. I suspect Lord Seven fell victim to his illusion and then drowned while unconscious."
Zu An frowned, thought for a moment, then shook his head. "If even you could escape him, I don't believe Gold Medal Seven would have fallen to his illusion."
Zhang Zitong's cultivation was not weak; otherwise, she wouldn't have become a Silver Medal Embroidered Uniform Emissary at such a young age. However, she was still merely a Silver Medalist, and there was a considerable gap between her and Gold Medal Seven.
Zhang Zitong hastily explained, "Naturally, I couldn't have done it alone. When I went in to investigate, I prepared in advance by obtaining a mental-attack-deflecting artifact from the Embroidered Tower. Furthermore, by a stroke of luck years ago, I had acquired a similar treasure, which allowed me to regain my senses at the critical moment and successfully escape."
"Even with those, the artifact from the tower shattered almost instantly upon his attack, and my personal protective treasure also developed cracks. If it were to happen again, I most likely wouldn't be able to escape."
"Oh?" Zu An asked, "Then what do you believe is the extent of his cultivation?"
Although they had encountered him before, it was difficult to pinpoint his exact strength without a direct confrontation.
"The pressure was at least Grandmaster level," Zhang Zitong stated definitively, still feeling a chill when recalling the overwhelming sensation.
Zu An nodded discreetly. Embroidered Uniform Emissaries might not always possess high cultivation, but their perceptive abilities had to be exceptionally keen.
The group discussed various pieces of intelligence about Mr. Huo for a while, forming a much clearer picture of him than before.
However, there was no further detailed information. Seeing their perplexed expressions, Zu An said, "You don't need to concern yourselves with Mr. Huo any longer. I'll handle the investigation."
He was concerned they might act impulsively again, and he might not be so fortunate as to be able to save them a second time.
The group collectively sighed in relief. After all, a Grandmaster-level sorcerer was far too powerful for them to contend with.
Just then, Xiao Jianren suddenly slapped his forehead. "Oh, right, Boss! We have a lead on the women Lord Seven had contact with before his death, whom you asked us to investigate last time."
[1 minute from now] Chapter 1657: Like Entering an Uninhabited Realm
[3 minutes ago] Chapter 1656: Night Walk
[9 minutes ago] Chapter 1655: Questioning
[13 minutes ago] Chapter 1654: Magic Sword
[18 minutes ago] Chapter 1653: Semifinals
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