Chapter 416: Embroidered Uniform Messenger

Hearing his words, Zu An couldn't help but feel a little confused. His first thought was, "Is this guy trying to set me up?"

I haven't even been to the capital, let alone stolen anything from the emperor.

However, his expression suddenly changed as he recalled the previous conversation between Wei Dan and Old Man Mi. It seemed Old Man Mi had once received an imperial order to lead a group of people to search for the Phoenix Nirvana Sutra. After finding it, he became greedy, killed the remaining people, faked the complete annihilation of his forces, and then went into hiding under an assumed name.

Unfortunately, walls have ears, and the palace still tracked him down, sending Wei Dan to investigate.

But Wei Dan was already dead, and they hadn't known I had learned the Phoenix Nirvana Sutra before. Could he have used some method to inform the palace before his death? Or was it something else? For a moment, he wasn't entirely sure, only snapping back to reality when the soldiers drew near.

Sang Hong didn't resist, weighed down by the many concerns of his vast family and enterprises. Zu An, a transmigrator with no inherent concept of imperial authority, naturally wouldn't simply surrender at the sight of an imperial decree. When several soldiers approached with shackles to restrain him, he flickered out of the way.

The Prince of Liang's eyes narrowed. "How audacious! To dare defy an imperial decree! The Chu family truly has boundless audacity!"

Zu An, concerned about bringing trouble to the Chu family, said in a deep voice, "I am myself; the Chu family is the Chu family. Don't try to tarnish their reputation with your baseless accusations."

The Prince of Liang sneered, "You do have some backbone, but it's a pity you insist on being a rebellious traitor, defying imperial decrees!"

Just as he was about to give the order, Xie Daoyun rushed out. "Your Highness, isn't there some misunderstanding? As far as I know, Zu An has never left Brightmoon City in his entire life, much less traveled to the capital. How could he possibly be involved with the Emperor or steal His Majesty's possessions?"

In fact, everyone present shared similar doubts. Zu An was merely a live-in son-in-law who had only recently gained some prominence; before that, he was just a street ruffian. How could he possibly be capable of stealing from the Emperor? Even Sang Hong was completely baffled. He knew perfectly well how powerful the Emperor's cultivation was; not to mention Zu An, even he himself would find it utterly impossible to steal anything from him. He simply couldn't fathom why two such unrelated individuals would be connected.

Xie Daoyun was exceptionally beautiful, and her composed and elegant demeanor while speaking was remarkable. The Prince of Liang couldn't resist taking a few more glances. "And who might this young lady be?"

"This humble maiden is Xie Daoyun; my father is Xie Yi, the City Lord of Brightmoon City." Xie Daoyun bowed slowly, her posture dignified, prompting those around her to sigh in admiration that she was truly a noble young lady.

"Ah, so it's Miss Xie," the Prince of Liang's expression softened slightly. He evidently knew she had once been a candidate for Crown Princess. "What, is City Lord Xie also planning to align himself with this imperial fugitive?"

Xie Daoyun quickly replied, "Of course not. I'm merely voicing the doubts everyone present has. After all, the claim that Zu An stole something from the Emperor is truly preposterous and unlikely to convince anyone. I hope Your Highness can clarify what exactly he is accused of stealing."

Zu An secretly sighed in admiration. Miss Xie was truly good-hearted; they had only met a few times, yet she was speaking up for him at such a critical moment.

Zheng Dan, standing nearby, also cast a curious glance at Xie Daoyun. Although her best friend usually greeted everyone with a gentle smile, making them feel at ease, Zheng Dan was aware of her friend's inherent prudence and ability to assess situations. She couldn't imagine her taking such a risk for a man. However, at that moment, she couldn't concern herself with other matters and desperately wished more people would speak up for Zu An.

The Prince of Liang snorted. "I apologize, but this matter is confidential and cannot be disclosed to outsiders. Miss Xie, please step aside, or you will be treated as an accomplice to an imperial fugitive."

"Confidential?" Sang Hong's eyes narrowed, and he appeared lost in thought.

Xie Daoyun then looked at Zu An apologetically. "Ah Zu, I've done my best. My position is sensitive, and I cannot involve the Xie family."

Zu An smiled. "Miss Xie, what are you saying? I'm already deeply grateful that you spoke up for me." His previous experience with Zheng Dan had made him understand that women from these influential families had to consider many factors; every action could impact their clan, so they couldn't afford to act impulsively.

Seeing his smile, Xie Daoyun couldn't help but be momentarily stunned. On ordinary days, countless men around her would feign bravery, but when faced with real trouble, they would invariably reveal their true colors. Yet Zu An, now an imperial fugitive, could still be so magnanimous. His composure was truly admirable.

The Prince of Liang waved his hand. "Guards, seize him!" Mindful of his own status, he naturally wouldn't lower himself to personally attack such a junior.

However, the recent events made his soldiers extra cautious. Immediately, over a dozen soldiers surrounded Zu An from all directions. They were skilled in battle formations and combined attacks, which should be more than enough to apprehend an ordinary cultivator.

"Who dares harm our young master-in-law!" Just then, a contingent of red-robed soldiers burst in, surrounding Zu An and confronting the Prince of Liang's soldiers.

"The Red Robed Army?" The Prince of Liang immediately recognized their identity and sneered, "I've long heard of the Chu family's Red Robed Army's reputation. Seeing them today, they truly are extraordinary, daring to openly defy the imperial court."

A Red Robed Army captain approached Zu An and quietly asked, "Young master-in-law, what exactly is going on?" Their opponent was a prince, bearing an imperial decree, and the pressure he exerted was incomparable to what Liu Yao had managed previously. Furthermore, only a small contingent of the Red Robed Army had been brought this time, so if a conflict truly erupted, the situation could turn dire.

"I'm not too clear myself," Zu An said with a bitter smile. "You don't need to concern yourselves with me; otherwise, you'll drag the Chu family into this."

The captain replied, "Young master-in-law, there's no need to worry. Every man in the Red Robed Army is a brave warrior; none of us fears death."

Their conversation did not escape the Prince of Liang's ears. He couldn't help but sneer, "Excellent. Some say the Chu family harbors rebellious intentions, which I initially didn't believe. But now it seems the Red Robed Army truly intends to overthrow the heavens."

Zu An quickly interjected, "You do not need to interfere in this matter. Return at once to the Chu family and guard the master and madam. That is an order!" Zheng Dan and Xie Daoyun, as women, were unwilling to bring misfortune upon their families. How could he, a man, implicate others?

After speaking, he didn't wait for their reaction and immediately dashed outside, pushing off with his toes. While he didn't want to implicate the Chu family, he certainly wouldn't simply surrender!

The moment he moved, two pitch-black chains suddenly appeared before him. They swung incredibly fast, yet made not a single sound, which, with night falling, only added to their eerie, ghostly presence in the darkness. Startled, he quickly pushed off with his toes, forcibly changing his trajectory to dodge sideways. But before he could steady himself, two more chains silently swung over, wrapping directly around his feet. He dodged with an undignified roll, looking utterly disheveled.

Next, six more chains shot out from all directions, targeting his limbs, waist, and neck, effectively blocking every possible escape route. Seeing no way to dodge, Zu An quickly drew his Tai'a Sword and slashed at the six chains. Clang, clang, clang! As the sword met the chains, sparks burst forth. Despite the Tai'a Sword's sharpness, it failed to cut through the chains, merely producing flashes of light in the darkness. He felt his hands go numb, and the elemental energy within him churned.

Using this moment, he also got a clear look at his attackers. They were the ten warriors who had been accompanying the Prince of Liang. Their attire was distinctly different from that of ordinary soldiers, featuring a unicorn pattern embroidered on their sleeves, collars, and hems. He recalled from Shang Liuyu's class that this was the divine beast Xiezhi, rumored to possess the ability to discern loyalty from treachery, and good from evil. Each of these warriors held a pitch-black chain, which now swayed ominously, as if ready to strike again at any moment.

The Prince of Liang couldn't help but be surprised. "To be able to dodge the Embroidered Uniform Emissaries' Vajra Demonic Restraint Circle, that truly surprises this prince."

"Embroidered Uniform Emissaries?" Sang Qian, standing nearby, was also astonished and looked inquiringly at his father.

Sang Hong said in a deep voice, "The Embroidered Uniform Emissaries are the Emperor's secret warriors, each possessing exceptional skills and capable of acting on behalf of the Son of Heaven. Although they function as constables in some respects, they operate outside the court's traditional judicial system. The Emperor dispatched them with the Prince of Liang this time. I had thought they were here for my son and me, but it seems their target is someone else entirely."