Chapter 652: Beautiful Man Strategy

Despite his complaints, Zu An still said, "But how could those people listen to me? I can't actively reveal my connection to you." After what happened with Cheng Xiong, he knew there were too many clever people in the palace; even a small slip could lead to irreversible disaster.

Currently, Zhuxie Chixin was hunting for Yun Jianyue everywhere, and the Emperor was also very concerned about it. He didn't want to get into trouble. Furthermore, it wasn't convenient for him to meet the cult prisoners as an Embroidered Uniform Envoy. Only Yun Jianyue and her disciple Qiu Honglei knew his identity, and they were trustworthy. However, the other members of the cult were a mixed bag, and he dared not take the risk.

"You don't need to reveal our relationship," Yun Jianyue said after considering his concerns for a moment. "Just go there as yourself and tell them Honglei asked you to rescue them. They will believe you."

"Why?" Zu An was surprised.

Yun Jianyue explained, "Some of the captured people know you, like Huosan Ren. He even tried to capture you on your way to the capital."

"So it was him." Zu An immediately recalled the incident. He remembered how formidable the Eight Wandering Immortals of the Cult were when they came for him. Sadly, Bingsan Ren was later killed by Monk Mosquito, and now Huosan Ren was a prisoner. He wondered how the others were doing.

Yun Jianyue continued, "There's also someone else you might have seen in Brightmoon City, Honglei's senior martial brother Gu Yueyi. It seems he was also captured."

"That guy, yes, I remember him." Zu An recalled how Gu Yueyi had once impersonated Chen Xuan to commit crimes, only to encounter the real Chen Xuan and get beaten badly.

"He's also your disciple? Your judgment in choosing disciples isn't great." For some reason, Zu An felt a bit displeased. How could such a beautiful woman take male disciples?

"I have quite a few disciples like him," Yun Jianyue rolled her eyes. "Within the Cult, various factions vie for power. Naturally, I must cultivate my direct lineage to secure my position as Matriarch. Taking disciples is one of the simplest and most effective ways to do this, so why wouldn't I?"

Zu An couldn't help but sigh, "Your disciples are truly pitiful; they're used by you from the start. I feel sorry for my Honglei."

Yun Jianyue calmly replied, "For them to become my disciples, the resources they gain are vastly superior to what they had before. There's nothing to pity when everyone gets what they need. Besides, Honglei is different from the others; she's my true successor, and only she has received the authentic transmission of my cultivation method."

Zu An couldn't help but roll his eyes. "That old virgin cultivation method of yours, it's better not to pass it on to her." Suddenly, a thought struck him. The "Heavenly Demon Enchanting Sound" cultivation method Yun Jianyue practiced seemed to share a name with one of Daji's skills. Was it a coincidence or was there some connection? Well, since they were both charm-based techniques, they seemed similar enough.

"What-did-you-say!" Yun Jianyue's eyebrows twitched at the words "old virgin cultivation method."

Anger points from Yun Jianyue +999 +999 +999...

Clearly, those words were highly offensive to her.

Zu An quickly changed the subject. "By the way, when I rescued Honglei last time, I also saw one of your cult's masters captured by Cheng Xiong. It seemed to be the one who fought the Crown Prince's Grand Tutor in the Eastern Palace."

Hearing about serious matters, Yun Jianyue set aside her anger and replied, "He is Elder Sun Luzhen, an upright man who is fiercely loyal to me." As she spoke, a hint of melancholy appeared between her brows. Her direct lineage had suffered heavy losses during this assassination attempt in the palace.

"I can see that." Zu An recalled that Sun Luzhen had had a chance to escape safely but was ultimately captured because he tried to rescue Qiu Honglei. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but ask, "From what I know, your cult has countless masters. Why did so few people come this time?" He remembered Qiu Honglei mentioning that the cult also had a Vice Matriarch, Left and Right Envoys, various Dharma Kings, Elders, and the Eight Wandering Immortals. He felt he hadn't seen any Dharma Kings or Envoys during this palace assassination plot.

Yun Jianyue sighed. "I told you before that there are many factions within the cult. Although I am the Matriarch, I can't unilaterally decide many things. Many in the cult disagreed with this palace assassination attempt. Even though I used my authority as Matriarch to push it through, the other factions only went through the motions. I could only make them hold off the other forces in the imperial city, so I had to lead my direct lineage into the main battle myself."

Zu An couldn't help but quip, "I can't believe you're a Grandmaster, yet you still live so stifled."

Yun Jianyue retorted irritably, "Even the Emperor, the most powerful man in the world, has a mountain of grievances. How can anyone in this life do whatever they please?"

Zu An glanced at her with some concern. "According to you, your direct lineage suffered heavy losses in this palace assassination, and you yourself are severely injured. Will your position as Matriarch still be secure then?"

Yun Jianyue proudly declared, "As long as I am not dead, no one else in the cult can cause any trouble."

*You're just asking for trouble with those boasts,* Zu An thought. *What if you go back and get usurped by rebels and turned into some kind of warmachine? I wouldn't want that.* But on second thought, with her cultivation level, he was indeed worrying needlessly.

His attention returned to the matter at hand. "There's another problematic issue: all the captured assassins are currently in the hands of General Guo Zhi of the Right Guard. I might not be able to access them."

Yun Jianyue let out a soft snort. "Aren't you quite close with the Crown Princess? Use your charm on her. Cheng Xiong is Prince Qi's man, and you're not the only one who wants to get rid of him."

Zu An's heart stirred, and he couldn't help but laugh. "Matriarch Sister, with your intelligence, if anyone were to marry you, they probably wouldn't dare to even look at other women."

"Get lost, I need to heal," Yun Jianyue said sternly, shooing him away. If anyone had said such things to her before, she would have slapped them to death. Unfortunately, after spending these days together, she had gradually gotten used to his habit of making random jokes. However, for the time being, she couldn't bring herself to drop her facade as a senior master. Since she couldn't kill him, she simply drove him away.

Zu An left the small courtyard with a smile. He didn't go to the Crown Princess as Gold Token Eleven, as Yun Jianyue suggested, but instead changed into the attire of a Crown Prince's Chamberlain. He made his way to the new Eastern Palace. These days, the Crown Prince's Grand Tutor was injured and couldn't give lessons, so the chubby Crown Prince was happy playing games with the young eunuchs in the palace. Zu An glanced around, then went to find the Crown Princess.

After being announced, Zu An entered and found the Crown Princess resting her chin in her hand, staring blankly at the horizon outside the window. A gentle breeze from outside seemed to reveal the faint, fine down on her face, a characteristic sign of a young maiden. Zu An secretly sighed. With a husband like hers, this woman must be quite weary.

He lightly coughed to announce his presence. The Crown Princess snapped out of her daze, crossed her hands over her lower abdomen, straightened her back, and resumed her usual dignified and solemn demeanor. "Why are you looking for me?"

Zu An glanced uncomfortably at the surrounding palace maids and eunuchs. "Your subject has something important to discuss privately with Your Highness."

The Crown Princess's brows immediately furrowed. After scrutinizing him for a moment, she waved her hand, signaling the palace maids to leave. "If I find that you don't have something sufficiently important to say later, don't blame me for punishing you."

The palace maids and eunuchs withdrew, but the main door remained open. Clearly, palace rules would not allow the Crown Princess to be alone in a room with another man.

"I do indeed have something important to discuss with Your Highness..." Zu An, considering the confidential nature of the matter and fearing eavesdroppers, took a few steps forward to close the distance between them.

The Crown Princess's face showed some displeasure. "What are you doing? Just stand there and speak."

This woman was quite wary.

Only then did Zu An speak. "Does Your Highness know about the recent widely discussed Cheng Xiong case?"