Chapter 401: Imperial Commissioner

Zuan stubbornly kept her on a video call for a while longer, until Chu Chuyan finally couldn't take it anymore. "You may have money," she told him, "but I don't have enough Yuan Stones here!" It would have been one thing if he were discussing important matters, but he was merely chatting about mundane things. Even though the Chu family had always been affluent, she still felt a deep pang of regret about the wasted resources.

Seeing Chu Chuyan truly flustered, Zuan chuckled, "Say 'good husband' for me, and I'll hang up."

"No, I can hang up myself."

"Can you truly bear to ignore your dear husband's affection?"

...

Ultimately, Chu Chuyan couldn't withstand his relentless coaxing. She finally whispered, "G-good husband."

Zuan's face was beaming. He deliberately leaned his ear closer. "What was that? Your voice is too soft, I can't hear you. A bit louder, please."

"Go to hell!"

Chu Chuyan's face flushed crimson. Unable to bear it any longer, she abruptly ended the call.

Zuan was momentarily speechless. Video calls were such a luxury in this world; life in his previous world was so much more convenient. However, individual martial power wasn't nearly as strong in that world. There's always a trade-off, he mused.

Lying in bed, Zuan began to ponder what would happen next.

He had been back for many days now. While it was understandable for others not to know the origin of the mysterious expert, the Wei family couldn't possibly be ignorant of it. Yet, there had been no movement from them these past few days. Were they perhaps planning something big?

He even felt a twinge of guilt, considering that Wei Dan was Wei Suo's adoptive grandfather. While Wei Dan didn't die by his hand, his death was indirectly connected to Zuan. What surprised him, however, was that when he saw Wei Suo at school earlier, there was no trace of sorrow on his face; it was almost as if he was completely oblivious to what had happened. Perhaps Wei Dan's identity was so clandestine that few in the Wei family were even aware of his presence.

And as for Sang Hong, despite his sworn oath, Zuan couldn't shake the feeling that the old fox wouldn't give up so easily. Ultimately, enhancing his own strength was paramount. It was a pity he hadn't awakened elemental abilities at Rank Five; a fire-elemental ability, in particular, would significantly boost his cultivation speed. Relying solely on earning rage points for upgrades was simply too slow. The only person he knew who wielded fire was Pei Mianman. Speaking of whom, he hadn't seen "Big Manman" in a long time. There was also Qiu Honglei. He had visited the Immortal Abode again recently, but there was still no news of her, as if she had vanished into thin air.

...

Suddenly, he felt a twinge of guilt. He glanced around furtively and mumbled to himself, "Wifey Chuyan, I wasn't thinking about other women, honest. It's just that your bedsheets smell so good, I can't help but get carried away."

...

Two days later, Chu Zhongtian finally returned.

The entire Chu family was adorned with lanterns and decorations, welcoming his return with an air of widespread joy.

As he disembarked from the carriage, Chu Zhongtian appeared noticeably thinner than before. Although his status likely protected him from physical torture in prison before his guilt was confirmed, it was evident that he had endured significant mental torment. After all, a single misstep this time could have led to the complete ruin of the Chu family, a worry that had constantly plagued him. Fortunately, his wife and Zuan had flawlessly resolved the matter at home together.

As he thought of Zuan, Chu Zhongtian's eyelids twitched. He recalled the conversation of some jailers drinking outside that night. Though they were far off, their chat could hardly escape the ears of an eighth-rank expert like himself.

"Do you know there was an internal conflict in the Chu family?"

"I heard that son-in-law, Zuan, or whatever his name is, actually got involved with Madam Chu, and then Second Master Chu caught them."

"Wasn't it said that the son-in-law attempted to molest Madam Chu?"

"You're too naive. The Chu family would certainly say that publicly. A maid mentioned that the two were close before. If Madam Chu hadn't given her consent, would that son-in-law have been so foolish as to attempt to molest her?"

"Brother, your analysis makes a lot of sense."

"It's not uncommon for such scandals to occur within these aristocratic families."

"Speaking of which, what I envy most is that guy named Zuan. I heard that Miss Chu is a peerless beauty, and now he's even involved with the alluring Madam Chu. Getting involved with both mother and daughter is truly quite a stroke of luck."

Had someone directly told Chu Zhongtian these things, he wouldn't have believed a single word. However, these were casual remarks made by a group of jailers while drinking, from a significant distance away. He had actively eavesdropped, and people often place greater trust in information they've "discovered" themselves. Consequently, he couldn't help but feel somewhat swayed. This, coupled with an old injury that had rendered him impotent, had always been a source of deep pain for him. He had always believed his wife incapable of such an act, but then he considered that she was also a mature woman, and after so many years, it was perhaps inevitable that she harbored some resentment...

Just then, Qin Wanru, her face beaming with joy, stepped forward to greet him. "My lord, you're back," she said.

Hearing his wife's tender address, a warmth spread through Chu Zhongtian's heart, and a faint smile appeared on his face. However, as he noted Qin Wanru's radiant face, exceptionally rosy and vibrant, his heart inexplicably sank.

Qin Wanru, oblivious to his thoughts, had even arranged a brazier at the main entrance. She led him towards it, saying, "My lord, step over the brazier to ward off any bad luck."

Chu Zhongtian snorted, "Why bother with such superstitious practices?" With that, he didn't step over the brazier but walked inside with a grim expression.

Zuan also stepped forward to greet him. "Greetings, Father-in-law," he said.

"Oh," Chu Zhongtian replied indifferently, then proceeded straight into the house.

Rage points from Chu Zhongtian +711!

Zuan paused, surprised by the message. What on earth? Chu Zhongtian had always been a good-natured man. At that time, everyone in the Chu family had been unfriendly towards Zuan, yet Chu Zhongtian alone had maintained a kind demeanor, rarely showing anger, let alone such a high rage value.

"Daddy, what's wrong?" Chu Hanzhao had taken leave from the academy today, specifically to welcome her father home safely.

"Nothing at all. Xiao Zhao is still the most obedient." Seeing his daughter, Chu Zhongtian's face softened into a knowing smile. It was a shame his daughter had grown up and couldn't be picked up and spun around like when she was little.

Qin Wanru walked over to Zuan's side and whispered, "A'Zu, don't you think your father-in-law is acting a little strange since he returned?"

Zuan nodded. "He is indeed a bit strange."

The conversation between the two did not escape Chu Zhongtian, who was walking ahead. He recalled how, before his imprisonment, his wife had always seemed to dislike Zuan. Now, they were surprisingly familiar and intimate. Could something truly improper have occurred between them?

Rage points from Chu Zhongtian +110, +110, +110...

The previous incident might have been an anomaly, but now Zuan couldn't dismiss it. Something was definitely wrong. His mind raced, and he suddenly realized that the rage points only spiked when Qin Wanru approached him. A sudden understanding dawned on him, and he quickly sent a private message to her.

After hearing his words, Qin Wanru's face instantly flushed crimson. So this was the source of her husband's distress. No wonder he was acting so unusually today. She quickly signaled for the planned welcome ceremony to be paused, then led Chu Zhongtian to the study for a private discussion.

"Hmph, your attitude towards Zuan has certainly changed quickly," Chu Zhongtian remarked sourly once they were in the study.

Qin Wanru scoffed, "You old fool, what kind of nonsense are you thinking? I brought you in here to tell you it's not what you imagine!" She then meticulously recounted the events of that night. Given Chu Zhongtian's inherently upright and kind nature, combined with the profound affection he shared with his wife over many years, his doubts quickly dissipated.

...

By the time they re-emerged, all misunderstandings had been cleared. Chu Zhongtian even specifically apologized to Zuan. "A'Zu," he said, "I truly owe you a lot for these past few days."

Zuan chuckled. "As long as Father-in-law doesn't blame me, that's all that matters."

Chu Zhongtian's old face flushed. "It was just my momentary confusion. Now that I think about it, that must have been Sang Hong's trick. He is indeed exceptionally cunning, making people fall into his traps without even realizing it."

Chu Hanzhao, standing nearby, was utterly confused. "What trap?" she asked.

"Nothing!" Chu Zhongtian and Qin Wanru exclaimed in unison.

"How strange," Chu Hanzhao mumbled, but quickly changed the subject. "Daddy, the family has specially prepared a welcome ceremony for you. Come quickly!"

For the next few days, the entire Chu family was immersed in joy.

However, the period of joy was short-lived. One day, a troop of cavalry clad in bright yellow armor suddenly charged directly into the Chu family estate.

"The Imperial Envoy has arrived!"