Chapter 580: Companions in the Same Path

"Oh," Zu An said. Having stayed in dormitory-style classrooms at Mingyue Academy before, he was familiar with such door restrictions. He easily opened the door to find a sizable courtyard with several rooms. The overall layout and environment were quite elegant, though privacy and security were clearly prioritized—likely an occupational habit of the Embroidered Envoys.

"Where are the other Embroidered Envoys?" Zu An asked curiously.

Zhuxie Chixin replied, "This place is just for you. Why would there be other Embroidered Envoys?"

"I'll be living alone?" Zu An was stunned. Such good benefits? He had expected to share a crowded dormitory.

Zhuxie Chixin gave him a strange look. "Of course, you live alone. Embroidered Envoys often have mysterious identities. They wear masks in public, and some of their identities are unknown even to me, let alone to anyone other than the Emperor. Naturally, they can't live together."

Zu An asked curiously, "Then where do they live?"

Zhuxie Chixin replied, "They are scattered in various locations throughout the palace, in courtyards much like yours. However, very few Embroidered Envoys are qualified to reside within the palace... In any case, if outsiders come here in the future, you must never show your true face. You must wear a mask. The masks and uniforms are all inside the house; you can check them yourself later."

Zu An gasped. "It's all ready so quickly? It seems the Emperor planned this arrangement from the start."

Zhuxie Chixin bowed towards the direction of the Imperial Study. "We, as subordinates, cannot presume to guess the Emperor's thoughts."

Zu An pursed his lips. *You're sucking up so much, but the Emperor can't even hear you.*

"By the way, where are the courtyards of the other Embroidered Envoys? I'd like to visit them sometime, just to avoid any future misunderstandings," Zu An asked.

Zhuxie Chixin frowned. "Embroidered Envoys usually maintain their independence. It's best not to form private connections. Besides, they are mostly out investigating cases; they spend very little time in the palace throughout the year."

"Very little time in the palace?" Zu An was surprised but quickly realized that investigating cases was probably secondary. The main reason was the sheer number of restrictions within the palace. You couldn't go here or there, and spending every day in this small courtyard would be like being in prison.

It would be even worse to accidentally offend an imperial concubine or princess; that was a capital crime punishable by the execution of one's entire family.

So, which normal Embroidered Envoy would want to live in the palace? Only someone like Zu An would be excited about it.

Zhuxie Chixin grew impatient. "Are you done looking? If so, let's leave the palace. I'll show you your residence outside."

"There's one outside the palace too?" Zu An felt a little embarrassed. Not only was he getting a job, but also houses – two of them! One inside the palace and another outside. If he had two such properties before he transmigrated, he would have been rich.

"Of course. Embroidered Envoys often need other identities for their work. Besides, you're also serving as the Crown Prince's Retainer now, and you have no relatives in the capital. We can't just leave you to sleep on the streets, can we?" Zhuxie Chixin said.

Zu An feigned a look of immense gratitude. "The Emperor truly takes great care of me. Even if I died ten thousand times, it wouldn't be enough to repay his kindness."

"It's good that you feel that way; it shows the Emperor's high regard for you is not misplaced," Zhuxie Chixin's expression softened slightly.

*Zhuxie Chixin is indeed a staunch loyalist of the Emperor,* Zu An thought. *My previous lack of information led me to be somewhat suspicious of him.*

The two quickly started walking out. On the way, they encountered a beautiful woman in palace attire. Zhuxie Chixin immediately pulled Zu An to the side, pushing him to bow his head in greeting.

While Zhuxie Chixin was respectful, Zu An wasn't as honest. He secretly lifted his head and saw a beautiful woman in palace attire approaching, surrounded by a group of palace maids and eunuchs.

The woman in palace attire had a graceful, alluring figure, swaying elegantly as she walked. Yet, strangely, there was no hint of lewdness about her; instead, she possessed a gentle and elegant aura.

"Oh, it's her."

He had seen this woman not long ago; she was none other than Consort Bai.

The woman in palace attire had been strolling idly. Seeing the distant guards bowing to the side, she paid them no mind; such occurrences were commonplace over the years.

However, she soon noticed that one of them was audacious enough to steal a glance at her, which surprised her slightly. Was this young guard ignorant of the rules, or simply incredibly bold?

As she was always kind to others, she didn't want to make a fuss and potentially ruin someone's bright future.

Just as she was about to pretend not to notice and walk away, she suddenly let out a soft "Oh?" as she recognized Zu An's appearance. "It's you?"

Her voice was gentle and captivating, like pearls rolling in water.

"I didn't expect to see you again so soon," Zu An said with a faint smile.

Hearing his words, a faint blush appeared on the beautiful woman's fair cheeks.

Zhuxie Chixin, standing by, frowned. He had just reminded Zu An not to offend any imperial consorts, yet trouble arose in an instant, and right in front of him. *Wait, why do his words sound like flirtation?*

He quickly interjected to salvage the situation, "Reporting to Consort Bai, this gentleman has just been bestowed the title of 'Phoenix Man' by His Majesty and is also the Crown Prince's Retainer. Your subordinate was just about to escort him out of the palace."

Consort Bai, Bai Rou Xue, now had eyes truly filled with surprise. She had heard about Zu An's situation and had thought he was doomed, but now he had actually been granted a noble title and become the Crown Prince's Retainer. How had he managed that?

However, she quickly suppressed her doubts and smiled sweetly. "This young master is truly a fortunate person. I hope you will take good care of the Crown Prince's affairs in the future."

As the Crown Prince's secondary consort, it was only natural for her to say such words.

Zu An replied, "Of course. The Crown Prince and I got along splendidly from our first meeting. I'm sure we'll be kindred spirits."

"Thank you for your efforts," Bai Rou Xue said. She felt his words sounded a little odd but didn't dwell on it. She gave a slight nod and then gracefully departed with her palace maids and eunuchs, clearly not wishing to converse much with other men.

Smelling the faint lingering fragrance in the air, Zu An suddenly felt that this assignment wasn't as bad as he had imagined.

After Consort Bai left, Zhuxie Chixin frowned. "I specifically reminded you earlier, so why did you take the initiative to greet an imperial consort? It's fortunate that I was here today; otherwise, if word reached someone with ill intentions, they could easily report you, and you'd be in deep trouble."

*The Emperor still needs me to deal with King Qi; he wouldn't make trouble for me over such a small matter,* Zu An thought, but still replied, "I was almost punished by the Crown Princess earlier, and Consort Bai came to my rescue, so I wanted to express my gratitude to her."

Zhuxie Chixin nodded, having heard about Zu An's encounter with the Crown Prince and Crown Princess in the palace earlier. "Let's overlook it this time, but don't do it again. When you work in the Eastern Palace in the future, you must be careful. The Crown Prince's other consorts are fine, but you absolutely must not offend the Crown Princess or Consort Bai."

Zu An was dumbfounded. *That chubby idiot, looking so simple-minded, actually has so many consorts.*

*Who said I was a philanderer? Compared to these princes and nobles in this world, I'm practically monogamous!*

He asked curiously, "I can understand why I need to be careful with the Crown Princess, but Consort Bai is only a secondary consort. Why should I be so cautious with her?"

Zhuxie Chixin hesitated, then, considering they were now colleagues, he quietly reminded him, "Consort Bai was personally bestowed upon the Crown Prince by His Majesty, and she bore the Crown Prince's only child. Her status is naturally extraordinary."

Zu An, feeling a bit gossipy, asked a string of questions: "I heard Consort Bai used to be an imperial concubine? Did the Emperor favor her? And the Crown Prince and her..."

Zhuxie Chixin's eyelids twitched. "Shut up! Those are not questions you should be asking."

All Embroidered Envoys throughout history had been taciturn, men of action rather than words. Yet, this fellow was completely the opposite, making Zhuxie Chixin question the Emperor's arrangements for the first time.

With a gloomy expression, Zhuxie Chixin led Zu An out of the palace and stopped at a courtyard within the imperial city. "This will be your future residence."

Zu An looked at the "Ding Residence" plaque on the gate, then peered inside through the main doors. He said with some hesitation, "But there are still people living here."

"Not for long," Zhuxie Chixin said with a wave of his hand. Several masked Embroidered Envoys appeared from seemingly nowhere, storming in like wolves. Cries of distress soon erupted from inside, then quickly subsided.

Only then did Zhuxie Chixin say, "From now on, this is your house."

Zu An: "..."