Chapter 763: Dark Plot

Bai Fei, who had maintained a relaxed expression, finally changed her demeanor. "I don't understand what you mean. The Prince of Wu is far away in Jibei Prefecture. Vassal kings cannot enter the capital without an imperial edict. How could I possibly be allied with him?"

"But I know he's been in the capital these days," Zu An said with a smile. "Today, at Xin Rui's house in the city outskirts, I was ambushed by the Shi clan's assassins and happened to encounter the Prince of Wu's consort there."

"The Shi clan's people tried to kill you?" Bai Fei furrowed her brow, then scoffed, "A bunch of fools."

Seeing that she didn't seem to be feigning ignorance, Zu An smiled. "You can't really blame the Shi clan. Huabao suddenly ran out and was caught by the Embroidered Uniform Guards. To save him, they exposed the casino owner who had been operating for years. To silence the casino owner, they then exposed Jiasili, the spiritual medium from Southern Xinjiang. The Embroidered Uniform Guards would eventually track them down, so they had no choice but to take a risk and try to pin everything on me..."

Bai Fei was somewhat surprised. "According to your description, the Shi clan's operation should have been a sure success. With the power they could muster, killing you should have been more than enough. How did you manage to survive?"

"Well, what can I say? I'm incredibly charming and have always been lucky. I always manage to escape death," Zu An said with a relaxed expression.

Bai Fei, however, gave him a deep look. "Lord Zu's composure is indeed extraordinary."

Zu An snorted. "Flattering me now is pointless."

Bai Fei smiled. "I'm not flattering you; I genuinely admire you. You've truly accomplished things that most people could never do."

She then changed her tone. "Of course, I admire you, but I don't approve of you slandering me like this. You should know that I am the Crown Prince's concubine. My interests are maximized only if the Crown Prince ascends the throne. Why would I cooperate with the Prince of Wu and his faction?"

Zu An replied, "The Prince of Wu's involvement in this matter clearly stems from his coveting the throne. This is easy to understand. The Crown Prince isn't particularly clever, and the Prince of Wu fancies himself a brilliant genius, so how could he not entertain the idea of replacing him? But simply removing the Crown Prince isn't enough; he also needs to eliminate the Prince of Qi, another strong contender for the throne. That's why he joined this plan, hoping to kill two birds with one stone, simultaneously eliminating the forces of both the Prince of Qi and the Crown Prince. At the very least, he could ensure they both suffer heavy losses, thus creating an opportunity for himself to rise."

"And you, being in the palace, are watched by countless eyes everywhere. You couldn't execute this plan alone; you had to rely on others to do certain things for you. For instance, killing Ouwu and faking his family's escape. And Huabao – truthfully, I don't believe such a good-for-nothing gambler could escape from the Shi clan's strict custody. Most likely, you sent someone to arrange that."

Bai Fei continued to sway on the swing, a beautiful, slight curve gracing the corner of her lips. "An interesting deduction. But as I said before, these are just your conjectures; you have no evidence. As for Ouwu, although I don't know what happened to him, it seems highly likely you won't be able to find him now."

"From your tone, it sounds like Ouwu has already been disposed of, body and all," Zu An said with a smile. "It doesn't matter if we can't find Ouwu; there's other evidence."

"Are you referring to Xin Rui?" Bai Fei sat on the swing, her slender calves gently swaying, indicating her excellent mood. "Since she's been on the run for so long, Lord Zu probably won't be able to find her either."

"Don't celebrate too soon, Your Highness," Zu An said, his gaze falling upon her flowing skirt. "Your Highness has forgotten about one more person. The Prince of Wu and his party likely haven't left the capital yet. All I need to do is send someone to apprehend them and question them casually, and everything will surely come to light."

Bai Fei's smile froze on her face as she said somewhat unnaturally, "Hmph, even if the Prince of Wu is here, he is a dignified prince. How can he simply be arrested and interrogated just like that?"

"It seems Bai Fei has a lot of confidence in the Prince of Wu?" Zu An remarked. "Don't overestimate the willpower of those who grew up with silver spoons in their mouths. They haven't experienced significant setbacks. As long as the Emperor issues an order, the Embroidered Uniform Guards can easily make him talk. Remember, a vassal king entering the capital without permission is a serious crime, punishable by at least the loss of his title. Do you think he'll expose you to save himself and gain favor then?"

Bai Fei's expression indeed changed, and she fell silent, even stopping her swing.

After a long silence, she finally spoke. "What is the meaning of you coming to tell me all this today? Is it to mock me, or have you secretly set up an ambush, waiting for me to reveal something before arresting me?"

As she spoke, she looked around, checking for anyone ambushed nearby.

Zu An said in a deep voice, "I only have one question for you. Logically, the Prince of Wu would absolutely want me dead. Why did you let me go back then? You could have easily manipulated the situation to release only the Crown Princess, allowing me to be captured by the palace guards, and still achieved your goal."

"So you know I was the one who let you go back then," Bai Fei scoffed, stepping down from the swing and walking towards him. "And this is how you repay my kindness, relentlessly pressuring me?"

Hearing her pathetic tone, Zu An couldn't help but chuckle. "Your Highness, are you perhaps trying to use a honey trap on me with such soft pleas?"

"And if I were to use a honey trap on you, would you like that?" Bai Fei gently removed a small white flower from her hair ornament. Her mature bun instantly came undone, and her long, waterfall-like hair spread out smoothly like silk. At this moment, she resembled a stunning maiden more than a mother.

Smelling the unique, faint fragrance on her, like a mix of a hundred flowers, Zu An's heart skipped a beat. This woman was truly intoxicating. How delightful it would be to hold her in his arms. What had that Crown Prince done to deserve a woman like this to bear his child?

In that very instant, Bai Fei, who had appeared meek and full of grievance, suddenly struck, aiming directly for a vital pressure point on his chest.

Her previously delicate, jade-like fingernails now gleamed with a dangerous cold light.

Zu An smiled faintly. "I've been on guard against you all along."

He wasn't the kind of man whose mind was clouded by beauty, stopping dead in his tracks at the sight of a pretty woman. Given their current relationship, how could he not be on his guard?

He raised his hand and pressed directly against her wrist, blocking her fierce killing move.

Bai Fei's expression remained unfazed as her other hand swiftly attacked.

Zu An's heart clenched. Bai Fei's arms were so slender, yet her attack was incredibly powerful?

If he hadn't just broken through to the eighth rank and been able to wield the power of heaven and earth, he might have struggled to parry her attacks head-on.

This woman was actually an eighth-rank master?

But how was that possible!

Chu Chuyan and Pei Mianman were recognized geniuses, yet before meeting Zu An, they were only at the sixth rank. Their advancement to the seventh rank later was thanks to Zu An's opportunities. But Bai Fei didn't seem much older than them; how could she already be an eighth-rank master?

However, he quickly realized that this was a cultivation world where one couldn't judge solely by appearance. Just like the Empress, who was significantly older than Zu An, yet her appearance was still like a blooming young woman, with every inch of her skin no different from that of a youthful female. Zu An had experienced this firsthand.

Similarly, though Bai Fei looked young, her actual age might be a full cycle older than Chu Chuyan and the others.

Tsk, tsk, tsk. He wondered if anyone in the imperial palace knew her true age. The Crown Princess and Crown Prince clearly didn't. Did the Emperor know?

His mind raced, but his hands were unwavering. In an instant, they exchanged twenty to thirty blows.

Bai Fei was also secretly alarmed. She had tried her best to overestimate Zu An, but she still found that she had underestimated him when they actually fought. If she had known this earlier, she would have...

She bit her red lip, her moves growing more ferocious. However, neither of them seemed to want to alert the Emperor. The power in their hands was restrained, ensuring its force only applied at the closest range.

Zu An also noticed that a rain of petals seemed to have quietly begun nearby. Glancing outwards, he couldn't make out the situation outside at all. Bai Fei must have used this to block the sight of the palace maids and nannies, preventing their actions from being seen.

Sensing her concern, Zu An chuckled. "Close-quarters combat? I'm good at that."

With that, he used the Feather Robe Entangling Silk Hand technique that Pei Mianman had taught him. A moment later, he firmly grasped both of Bai Fei's hands.

Zu An applied force to his hands, pulling her close. He intimately observed the struggling beauty before him. Her facial skin was truly as fine as snow, without a single blemish.

"Your Highness, do you have any more tricks up your sleeve?" Zu An was about to have a proper conversation with her.

At that moment, a charming smile suddenly appeared on Bai Fei's face. "Is that so?"

Simultaneously, a puff of pink mist emerged from her cherry lips, spraying directly onto Zu An's face. At such close range, even though Zu An immediately held his breath, he still inhaled some of it.