Chapter 501: The Most Shameless Person

Meanwhile, back at the inn, imperial guards had already completely garrisoned the premises. Prince Liang and Liu Yao were conspicuously present, evidently having already connected with the reinforcement team dispatched from the capital.

Ordinarily, they were quite unreserved, being the highest-ranking individuals present and relatives of both the Emperor and Empress, which made them somewhat arrogant. But now, both men were visibly restless, constantly stealing glances at the man beside them, seemingly trying to gauge his current mood.

Their caution was understandable; despite his lower official rank, the man before them possessed undeniable power. He was the Emperor's trusted confidant, destined to lead the intelligence agency, which was why his official rank had been deliberately suppressed. Over the years, countless princes, dukes, and ministers in the capital had fallen victim to him, so neither of them dared to show the slightest slackness.

This time, they had been entrusted by the Emperor with the critical task of apprehending Zu An and returning him to the capital. Instead, Zu An had escaped, and a full ten Embroidered Uniform Guards had tragically perished. They might have somewhat redeemed themselves by capturing the rebel Lu Sanyuan, but unfortunately, his cultivation was too profound. Even their combined efforts couldn't subdue him; instead, he toyed with them before making a triumphant departure.

Either incident was serious enough for dismissal and investigation. While their status as imperial relatives might offer a slight buffer compared to ordinary officials, if Zhu Xie Chixin were to speak ill of them to the Emperor, they would undoubtedly face severe repercussions.

At this moment, Zhu Xie Chixin's face was grim. He had clearly noticed their furtive glances but couldn't be bothered to acknowledge them.

Soon, Embroidered Uniform Guards began returning from outside, one by one:

"Reporting to the Commander, we have not found any trace of Daoist Mosquito."

"Reporting to the Commander, we have not found any trace of Zu An."

"Nor any sign of Miss Pei."

Listening to the reports, Zhu Xie Chixin's eyelids twitched. He coldly fixed his gaze on the exceptionally beautiful woman standing nearby. "Miss Chu," he said, "I'm afraid you'll need to offer a thorough explanation."

"I don't understand what explanation you require," Chu Chuyan replied calmly.

Not far off, Prince Liang and Liu Yao thought to themselves, *This young lady truly embodies the fearlessness of the ignorant. She has no concept of Zhu Xie Chixin's terrifying reputation; in the capital, he is known as a figure who can make children stop crying at night.*

Yet, they also felt a surge of admiration. They had heard of the Chu family's eldest daughter before, but at most, they had only glimpsed her from afar. Being of different generations, even if Chu Chuyan had visited the capital, they wouldn't have had any significant interaction. Now, having seen her up close, she truly lived up to her reputation, appearing like a celestial maiden descended to the mortal world.

Given their status, they had encountered countless young and beautiful women, but someone as uniquely pure and ethereal as her was truly rare. Even more striking was her distinctive aura of cold arrogance and noble bearing. Facing an opponent whose cultivation far surpassed her own, an intelligence chief who held countless lives in his hands, she remained poised and undaunted, as serene and elegant as snow. That air of pride easily ignited a desire for conquest in men, yet such a woman was clearly beyond the reach of any ordinary man.

"A beautiful flower wasted on a pile of dung!"

This thought popped into both their minds simultaneously, as they recalled Zu An's various outrageous behaviors throughout their journey. In their estimation, someone worthy of Chu Chuyan ought to be a gentle and refined young nobleman from a top-tier family, a cultivation prodigy from childhood. Yet, Zu An, from every perspective, resembled nothing more than a street ruffian. They simply couldn't fathom what Chu Chuyan saw in him.

They subconsciously glanced at Zheng Dan in the corner. Along the way, the Sang family's daughter-in-law seemed quite fond of Zu An, barely resisting his teasing; it was almost as if she enjoyed it. And even the Demonic Cult Saintess they had just mentioned, Miss Pei, seemed to share an ambiguous relationship with Zu An. This led them to a state of utter bewilderment: could there truly be such a vast difference between men's and women's aesthetic tastes?

At that moment, Zhu Xie Chixin let out a cold snort, interrupting their thoughts. "I recall, Miss Chu," he said, "that you previously guaranteed me you would not secretly release Zu An, even swearing upon the Chu family. Are you now willing to jeopardize the Chu family for the sake of one man?"

Chu Chuyan's expression remained serene. "I did indeed give such a guarantee," she stated, "and I did not secretly release Zu An."

"Then why had Zu An already departed by the time I arrived?" Zhu Xie Chixin asked, his gaze fixed coldly on her. Her stunning beauty had no effect on him whatsoever; as the head of the Embroidered Uniform Guards and the Emperor's most trusted confidant, he had long since disciplined himself against being swayed by female charm.

Chu Chuyan replied, "At that moment, Daoist Mosquito intended to kill Pei Mianman and Azu, while the Demonic Cult members also sought to capture them. I had no means to protect them, so I allowed them to leave first to escape the immediate danger. It was not a deliberate release."

"Why did those Demonic Cult members join forces with you?" Zhu Xie Chixin pressed, leaning forward, his gaze intensely coercive and his tone growing increasingly stern. "And when I arrived earlier, you deliberately allowed them to leave. Is it possible the Chu family has been colluding with the Demonic Cult all along?"

Startled by his imposing aura, Prince Liang and Liu Yao instinctively straightened their postures. Inside the room, Sang Hong, his daughter, and Zheng Dan exchanged worried glances, thinking, *This accusation is incredibly serious. The Emperor already seeks to undermine the Chu family; if this charge is proven, the Chu family will truly be ruined.*

Chu Chuyan clearly realized this and frowned slightly. "Sir Zhu Xie," she stated, "please do not be alarmist. Our Chu family has never had any connection with the Demonic Cult. The sole reason we temporarily allied with the Demonic Cult members earlier was that Daoist Mosquito was simply too formidable; neither of our sides could defeat her alone." She paused, then continued, "Sir Zhu Xie, you have personally experienced Daoist Mosquito's power; even you couldn't capture her, so naturally, I am even less her match. As for the Demonic Cult members who escaped amidst the chaos, I was gravely injured and utterly unable to stop them."

Zhu Xie Chixin's breath caught. This woman had turned the tables on him, for ultimately, Daoist Mosquito had escaped from his grasp. If the matter were truly investigated, he would bear the primary responsibility. He was frustrated as well. Daoist Mosquito was a notoriously dangerous individual; her skills were incredibly potent, and years of being hunted had honed her evasion techniques to perfection. Despite having superior numbers and every advantage, he had still allowed her to escape. As for those fiends from the Demonic Cult, they, too, had escaped during the confusion.

Although the Demonic Cult Saintess had led her subordinates in the very direction Chu Chuyan was guarding, it was clear she had deliberately allowed them to pass. Unfortunately, her explanation was logical, and he had no counter-evidence.

His expression was fluctuating with uncertainty when someone suddenly entered to report: "Report! Something has been discovered in the back courtyard."

He paused, then quickly stood up to investigate. The others, their curiosity piqued, followed him out.

Upon reaching the back courtyard, they saw a crude tombstone, and the grave beneath it had been dug open, revealing a dozen or so bodies laid out.

"Who are these people? Are they members of the Demonic Cult?" Zhu Xie Chixin asked, his brow furrowed.

At that moment, a trembling voice replied, "No, they are warriors from our Sang family."

Zhu Xie Chixin looked at Sang Qian. "Why are your people dead here?" he demanded. "Their attire suggests they were disguised as inn staff. What exactly were you trying to achieve?"

"I merely received intelligence that someone intended to harm my father, so I was worried and brought people to protect him along the way..." Sang Qian explained the general course of events. To avoid trouble, she omitted their initial plan to rescue Zu An, instead fabricating that they had accidentally encountered Demonic Cult members bringing Zu An to stay at the inn.

"These Demonic Cult members are truly ruthless," Zhu Xie Chixin remarked, then suddenly found himself puzzled. "But then, who buried these people? Demonic Cult members wouldn't be so kind as to bury them and even erect a tombstone, would they?"

Although these people lacked elaborate coffins, it was evident they had been carefully buried. Each person's appearance and clothes had been tidied, and they were thoughtfully wrapped in mats to serve as makeshift coffins.

"It must have been Zu An who buried them," Chu Chuyan remarked at that moment. She looked at the handwriting on the tombstone, a slight blush rising on her cheeks. "Such ugly yet distinctive handwriting... there's no one else but him."

At that moment, someone else found the broken half of the tombstone that had accidentally snapped during excavation. It indeed bore the large characters "Erected by Zu An."

"Zu An..." Gazing at the crooked characters "Tomb of the Righteous Warriors" on the crude tombstone, Sang Qian felt a momentary daze, her eyes welling up. She suddenly understood why her sister-in-law had fallen for that man.

"Achoo!" Elsewhere, Zu An let out a loud sneeze and muttered to himself, "I wonder which girl is thinking of me again."

Pei Mianman, beside him, snorted. "You," she said, "are truly the most shameless person I've ever met."