Chapter 765: I'm at a loss now

"Hmph!" Concubine Bai spat, her face flushed. "I just don't want you to do something impulsive that none of us can undo."

Zu An stepped closer to her, glancing at the surrounding shower of petals. "Now that you've blocked their view, doesn't that mean whatever I do to you will remain unseen?"

Sensing his masculine presence, Concubine Bai unconsciously took a step back. "You... you mustn't misunderstand, that's not what I meant."

"Then what *did* you mean?" Zu An's fingers hooked her smooth chin, gently lifting her face. Her cheeks were truly as vibrant as peach blossoms, and her skin seemed to exude moisture. Her complexion surpassed even white jade inlaid with pearls, and her delicate beauty outshone the first dew on roses.

"If you... if you keep doing this, I'll... I'll drop the flower curtain around us." Concubine Bai raised her hand, feigning to dismiss the light barrier.

Zu An smiled faintly, leaning in to whisper in her ear, "Go on then."

The closer he got, the more distinct her scent became. It was rich and fragrant, yet not cloying at all, but rather fresh and natural. Could this woman be a reincarnated flower immortal?

"You... how can you be such a scoundrel?" Concubine Bai's voice carried a faint hint of a sob. Feeling the warmth of his breath, she was so nervous that fine goosebumps appeared on the skin of her neck.

Seeing her reaction, Zu An's expression became amused. "Your Ladyship truly doesn't seem like a mature woman who has borne children."

"And you don't act like a loyal subject either," Concubine Bai said resentfully.

Zu An looked into her eyes from up close. "Whose child is the Imperial Grandson, exactly?"

All along, his deliberate "improper advances" were primarily to probe this very question based on her reactions.

"Well, it's certainly not yours!" Concubine Bai broke free, somewhat flustered as she adjusted her clothes.

Zu An let out a helpless laugh. "I didn't even mess up your clothes, why are you adjusting them?"

Concubine Bai's face flushed. She felt that she had been overly flustered just now, and simply turned her face away, ignoring him.

Zu An continued, "Is he really the Crown Prince's child? I don't think he looks much like him. Even the Crown Princess has remained a virgin all this time since marrying the Crown Prince, so he probably lacks the ability or inclination."

"Could it be true, as the rumors say, that the child is the Emperor's? But if he were truly his offspring, how could a man of his temperament bear to bestow his own woman upon another man?" he asked, his gaze fixed intently on her, "Even if that man were his own son?"

Concubine Bai's breathing quickened, her chest heaving. "This matter has nothing to do with you. You needn't ask anymore; I won't say anything."

Zu An smiled. "Speaking of which, I have to admire the methods of your Demonic Cult. Not only did they enable you to infiltrate the palace and attain a high position, but you also became the Imperial Grandson's mother. This way, once the Imperial Grandson ascends the throne, the Demonic Cult's resurgence will begin."

"What, are you planning to expose us?" Concubine Bai scoffed. "But don't forget, we're in the same boat now. If I'm finished, you won't escape either."

"Don't be so nervous," Zu An smiled. "Given my relationship with Yun Jianyue and Qiu Honglei, how could I possibly expose you?"

Concubine Bai said resentfully, "So you still remember the Cult Master and Honglei, even after treating me like that just now!"

Zu An spread his hands. "You've already seen me naked. All I did was pinch your chin; that's hardly excessive, is it?"

Concubine Bai thought to herself, *Are you implying you want to see me naked in return?*

She secretly fumed, and turned her head away, ignoring him.

Zu An said, "Alright, it seems this is likely your Demonic Cult's biggest secret. If you don't want to tell me, I won't force you. Last question: Why did you ally with the Prince of Wu? You two are completely unrelated, so how did such an alliance come about?"

Concubine Bai hesitated for a moment, then finally said, "We had some contact in earlier years."

Seeing her speak vaguely, Zu An sighed. "Your Ladyship's evasiveness is hardly the attitude one takes with an ally."

"What do you mean?" Concubine Bai's delicate eyebrows furrowed; she seemed to sense a deeper meaning in his words.

Zu An said, "To do something that could lead to the extermination of nine generations of your family—if it were just an ordinary acquaintance, how could you dare to ally with him?"

Concubine Bai said calmly, "The Prince of Wu and I indeed have no close connection. If you don't believe me, I can swear an oath."

Zu An shook his head. "You and he may not have a close relationship, but your connection with the Princess Consort of Wu is quite unusual. If I'm not mistaken, the Princess Consort of Wu and your Cult Master are sisters, aren't they?"

At his words, Concubine Bai's pupils constricted slightly, and her heart rate quickened. However, she quickly regained her composure and said coldly, "I don't know what you're talking about, but I certainly admire your imagination."

"Oh really?" Zu An smiled. "But your reaction just now already told me the truth."

Concubine Bai remained silent.

Zu An continued, "You are the Demonic Cult's greatest and most mysterious secret agent planted within the palace. Even with my relationship with Honglei, and having saved Yun Jianyue and several other high-ranking members of the Demonic Cult, Yun Jianyue still didn't tell me about you. This shows that at most, only two or three people in the entire Demonic Cult know your identity."

"Under such circumstances, how could you dare expose your existence to the Prince of Wu? Even if the Prince of Wu allied with the Demonic Cult, he is, after all, an imperial prince, and you would never fully trust him. Furthermore, he covets the throne and has an inherent conflict with the Imperial Grandson. You couldn't possibly place such significant leverage in the Prince of Wu's hands."

"Yet your alliance is a fact. Thinking about it, there must be an intermediary. And the Princess Consort of Wu's involvement in this matter is extremely high. She knows the Shi family's affairs well, but the Shi family doesn't know hers. So, she must be that intermediary."

"And Yun Jianyue and the Princess Consort of Wu both happen to have the surname Yun. Normally, merely sharing a surname wouldn't mean much, but with so many coincidences combined, it's probably no longer a coincidence."

Zu An felt a hint of regret. This idea had only just emerged during his conversation with Concubine Bai. Before, he had only suspected her connection with the Demonic Cult. If he had realized it earlier, perhaps it would have been better to ask Yun Yuqing directly.

Concubine Bai took a few deep breaths and said calmly, "I can't stop you from thinking what you want, but don't expect to get any confirmation from me."

Zu An couldn't help but retort, "You people from the Demonic Cult are truly not straightforward. I've helped you through life-and-death situations so many times, yet you never tell me the truth. On the other hand, while the Crown Princess may appear fierce towards me, she's actually very good to me. I think it's necessary to consider which side would be more beneficial to lean towards in the future."

Concubine Bai immediately became nervous. "Hmph, the only reason the Crown Princess is good to you is because I stripped her naked and sent her to you, isn't it? How can you be so ungrateful?"

"In the adult world, let's not talk about such superficial things," Zu An wagged a finger. "I only value practical benefits in the future."

Concubine Bai sat back down on the swing. Suddenly, she smiled charmingly and patted the spot next to her. "Care for a swing together?"

Zu An said with a half-smile, "Are you trying to seduce me?"

"The reason you feel the Crown Princess treats you better is simply because you've had physical intimacy, isn't it?" On Concubine Bai's seemingly innocent face, a hint of allure, normally absent, suddenly appeared. "What the Crown Princess can give you, I can give you too."

"Alright." Without another word, Zu An sat down right beside her.

Concubine Bai was momentarily stunned. She hadn't expected him to agree so quickly, leaving her unsure how to proceed. By all accounts, shouldn't he have demurred slightly, allowing her to fully embrace her seductive nature and continuously tease him, thereby controlling the entire pace of their interaction?

But he just... threw me off completely!

While the swing was more than spacious enough for one person, it felt quite cramped with two sitting together, especially with his hand immediately wrapping around her waist. He truly didn't treat himself as an outsider.

In that instant, she had the feeling of having invited a wolf into her home. Annoyed, she said, "Big Brother, stop touching me. Let's just talk."