Chapter 895: Unexpected Decision

After some playful banter, Zu An held her hand. "I need to leave the palace for a bit. Do you have a way?"

He actually held the identity of an embroidered uniform guard, so leaving the palace wasn't impossible. However, the Emperor was aware of all his identities, making it difficult to conceal his movements.

"No," the Empress replied without hesitation.

Zu An was annoyed. "You're the esteemed Empress! You can't even arrange for someone to leave the palace?"

"Even if I could, I wouldn't send you," the Empress scoffed. "The Emperor has made it clear he intends to keep you all confined to the palace to prevent information from leaking. If I were to help you leave, it would cause too much of a stir. My visit to you earlier today was already the most I could do as the Empress. If I help you further, the Emperor will definitely suspect our relationship."

Zu An realized she was right. For someone as suspicious as the Emperor, it would be counterproductive if he were to become suspicious because of this.

But he wouldn't admit it aloud. "Hmph, then what good are you as Empress?"

The Empress chuckled, gazing at him provocatively. "What do you think?"

The Empress now seemed like a ripe, sweet, and juicy peach.

In this situation, no man could resist such temptation, and Zu An was naturally no exception.

Outside the door, Eunuch Lu felt a mix of envy and jealousy. Young people certainly had impressive stamina.

***

The next day, Zu An woke up to find the beauty who had been in his bed already gone. Clearly, given her status, she couldn't stay here long and must have left in the latter half of the night.

He didn't feel any emptiness; for mature adults, this kind of mutual satisfaction was quite good.

"Knock, knock, knock!" Just then, a knock sounded from outside.

Zu An was momentarily stunned. His room was quite busy, it seemed.

"Come in!" He lay back down in bed, continuing to feign weakness.

Soon, the door opened, revealing a pair of long, shapely, and straight legs.

Normally, Zu An would have complimented them, but in his current state of post-coital calm, everything felt bland.

"Oh, it's Principal Jiang," Zu An said, surprised. It was Jiang Luofu, and he wondered why she was in the palace.

"What, do I seem unwelcome?" Jiang Luofu said with a smile.

Zu An replied, "Of course not, I just didn't expect you'd be able to enter the palace."

"My status is special; to some extent, I represent the National Academy and even the Grand Academician, so I wasn't stopped from entering the palace," Jiang Luofu explained. "I just visited the Crown Princess, and then came over to see you."

As she spoke, she turned back and said, somewhat curiously, "Crown Princess, why don't you come in?"

Zu An was startled and instinctively looked towards the door. Had Bi Linglong come as well?

A beautiful young woman stood gracefully at the doorway, but her face lacked its usual charming, feigned smile. Instead, it seemed veiled by a thin layer of frost.

Rage points from Bi Linglong +22+22+22...

Zu An was startled, wondering how he had offended her to incur such strong resentment so early in the morning.

"It might be inconvenient for me to come in, so I'll stay here," Bi Linglong replied flatly, without even glancing at Zu An.

Jiang Luofu didn't take it to heart. Given the Crown Princess's special status, she probably had some reservations about entering a male subordinate's room so early in the morning.

Zu An found it inconvenient to talk while lying down, so he climbed out of bed, intending to sit up and lean against the headboard.

Seeing his movement, Jiang Luofu quickly moved to help him, as in her eyes, he was still a seriously injured person.

Catching her scent, Zu An secretly compared it. Jiang Luofu was indeed a mature and elegant woman, but there was a clear distinction between her and the Empress.

The Empress's scent was rich and luxurious, while Jiang Luofu's was comparatively more subtle.

Just then, Jiang Luofu wrinkled her nose. "Hmm, what's that smell?"

Hearing this, Bi Linglong instinctively turned her head to look at him as well.

Zu An broke into a cold sweat. He had been intimate with the Empress all night and hadn't had a chance to tidy up.

If they found out, it would be disastrous.

Despite a moment of panic, he maintained a nonchalant facade. "Oh, it must be the smell of the medicine from the Imperial Hospital."

"Oh, that's a strange smell for medicine," Jiang Luofu said, a little confused. However, as she hadn't had such experiences, she couldn't quite tell the difference. She glanced at Zu An and couldn't help but say, "You really are gravely injured; your complexion looks terrible."

Hearing this, Bi Linglong also scrutinized him carefully. Zu An now had dark circles under his eyes, a pale complexion, and looked weak and frail.

"I'm fine, nothing serious. A bit more rest should help me recover," Zu An thought to himself. *Anyone who had battled the Empress all night and had so much vital essence drained by her would probably be a wreck.*

Speaking of which, the Empress, at the peak of a woman's maturity, had truly astonishing stamina; she was an absolute drainer of vitality.

Jiang Luofu harbored no suspicion, but Bi Linglong was utterly bewildered. She whispered telepathically, "What happened to you? You were fine yesterday, why are you like this today?"

Zu An quietly replied, "Yesterday, I was pretending to be unconscious, right? And the Emperor wanted to question me, so Zhuxie Chixin's people had the imperial physicians give me some potent medicine to stimulate me awake. This is probably a side effect."

He even admired his own quick thinking, having found such a plausible excuse so swiftly.

Bi Linglong felt a mix of heartache and anger. "Aren't you foolish? Can you just take any medicine?"

"Zhuxie Chixin was watching then, so I had no choice but to take it," Zu An explained. "Don't worry, it's nothing serious; I'll be fine after a few days of rest."

Bi Linglong felt a pang of guilt, thinking, *So this is why he became like this. He must have suffered terribly last night, and yet I was angry with him...*

At this thought, Bi Linglong's pretty face flushed, and she looked at Zu An apologetically.

Zu An was baffled, wondering why her attitude had changed so drastically. A young woman's mind was truly like June weather: sudden anger, sudden calm.

At that moment, Jiang Luofu's voice chimed in again. "Although your complexion isn't great, you're much better than we expected—at least there's no danger to your life. You wouldn't believe how worried that Chu boy was."

"Youzhao?" Zu An was surprised. "How did she get involved with you?"

After all, the two had been at odds previously.

Jiang Luofu smiled. "He was worried about your safety but couldn't enter the palace to visit you, so he could only get updates through me. Oh, and this is a gift he asked me to bring you."

As she spoke, she took a peace talisman from her robe and handed it to him. "This is a longevity talisman he specifically sought for you at a temple, to bless you with safety. Honestly, that Chu boy is really thoughtful; he's like a girl."

Zu An's heart skipped a beat. He thought, *I should find a chance to remind my sister-in-law. Although she has a magic artifact to disguise her appearance, many of her behaviors still give her away.*

He accepted the peace talisman, feeling a warmth in his heart, but quipped, "Couldn't he have sent something tasty? What good is this thing?"

Jiang Luofu rolled her eyes. "You're truly ungrateful for his kind gesture! Young Master Chu Three naturally sent more than just this talisman. He also prepared a huge amount of tonics and medicines, but unfortunately, it was inconvenient for me to bring them into the palace. I only managed to bring this thousand-year-old ginseng, which should help with your recovery."

Next, she took out another pill. "This is a Small Reversion Pill that Murong Qinghe asked me to bring you. It's truly a top-grade healing medicine."

At this point, Bi Linglong also spoke. "Since when did Master Zu have such a good relationship with Miss Murong? She even sent such a valuable pill."

Although she was smiling, a faint chill permeated her tone.

Zu An, with a strong will to survive, immediately said, "That little girl only has eyes for Chu Youzhao. This time, it's just 'love me, love my dog,' to please her Brother Chu."

Upon hearing this, Bi Linglong's expression immediately softened. "Really, she gave you such a valuable gift, and you still talk about her like that."

Zu An: "..."

You're the one who was angry, and now you're scolding me?

Ah, it's truly hard to be a man.

Wait, why am I feeling guilty in front of her?

Jiang Luofu also glanced at the two of them, finding their relationship a little strange. However, no matter how rich her imagination, she wouldn't have suspected anything between the Crown Princess and Zu An.

She then took out another sachet. "Oh, and this one is from Daoyun."

Seeing the distinctly feminine sachet, Bi Linglong's brows furrowed with coldness again.

Rage points from Bi Linglong +33+33+33...

Zu An took the sachet. It carried a faint, elegant fragrance. Each of these women had their unique scent, which seemed to complement their personalities.

"Why are you just staring at that?" Jiang Luofu waved a hand in front of him. "Daoyun's gift to you is inside."

Zu An was momentarily stunned. He opened the sachet and found another talisman inside. This one was different from the one Chu Youzhao had obtained from the temple; it was a talisman written by a true rune master.

Just holding it, he could feel a cool aura.

Jiang Luofu explained, "This is a Tranquility Talisman personally written by Xie Daoyun. If you carry it, it will help keep your mind calm and focused, whether you're recovering from injuries or cultivating, thus indirectly increasing the speed of your healing and cultivation. She was concerned that carrying the talisman openly might be inconvenient, so she put it in this sachet to prevent damage."

"Then please help me thank her, Principal Jiang," Zu An said, tucking the sachet into his robe. Unfortunately, he wasn't actually injured, and his cultivation was different from others, so the talisman was almost useless to him. However, the sentiment behind it was very kind, so he naturally put it away with due respect.

Seeing him put the sachet into his robe, Bi Linglong turned her face away. She didn't actually understand why she was angry. Logically, there was no future between them, yet she always felt an uncomfortable sensation, as if her own toy had been touched by someone else.

Jiang Luofu chuckled, pursing her lips. "You can thank her yourself when you're able to leave the palace in the future. I imagine she wouldn't want me to thank her on your behalf."

Bi Linglong's ears perked up. From the sound of it, there really seemed to be something between them.

This philanderer, how does he attract women so easily?

Seeing a string of small rage points in the background, Zu An quickly changed the subject. "Haha, everyone else has brought me so many gifts, Principal Jiang, aren't you going to offer something?"

"Isn't my visit a gift in itself?" Jiang Luofu chuckled. "Besides, their gifts have covered all bases. I really can't think of anything good to give, so I'll owe you one for now."

Zu An grunted. "What you said makes so much sense, I'm speechless."

Jiang Luofu stood up. "Alright, I've seen you, and delivered the regards. I won't disturb your rest any longer."

Zu An said, "Actually, it would be wonderful if you stayed a bit longer and chatted with me."

He was currently under house arrest in the palace and wasn't truly recovering from injuries; he was practically bored to death.

Jiang Luofu let out a wry laugh. "Your status is special now; technically, you can't receive outside visitors. I was only able to come thanks to the Crown Princess, and I shouldn't make things difficult for her. We can meet again when you've recovered."

With that, she waved at him and elegantly strode out with her long legs.

"Teacher Jiang, I'll see you out," Bi Linglong said, following her without so much as a glance at Zu An.

Zu An was a little dejected. Although he knew they shouldn't appear too intimate in front of others, he felt she was going a bit too far.

While Zu An was bored alone in his room, in the Imperial Study, the Emperor sat on a couch, playing chess against himself with his left and right hands. Zhuxie Chixin stood silently below him, not making a sound, for fear of disturbing him.

He secretly admired the Emperor. A few days ago, His Majesty had clearly been distraught, but recently, he had completely calmed down, regaining his former composure.

After a while, the Emperor finally spoke. "Who has Zu An been in contact with these past two days?"

Zhuxie Chixin replied, "He went to the Eastern Palace earlier, then after returning to the guards' quarters, Pu Duandiao and Jiao Sigun sought him out. After that, the Empress visited him."

"The Empress?" The Emperor's brows furrowed slightly, and the chess piece he was about to place froze in mid-air.

Zhuxie Chixin explained, "The Empress not only visited him, but also several other guards, bringing them some medicinal herbs and offering words of encouragement."

Only then did the Emperor nod. These individuals had saved the Crown Prince, and as the Crown Prince's maternal family, it was reasonable for her to express her gratitude.

Ultimately, he hadn't considered any other possibilities, as the Empress and Zu An appeared to have absolutely no connection on the surface.

Zhuxie Chixin continued, "This morning, Jiang Luofu of the National Academy entered the palace to visit the Crown Princess, who then took her to see Zu An."

"Jiang Luofu? The Jiang clan is considered semi-neutral, and she has the background of a Grand Academician, so her entering the palace isn't unusual," the Emperor said, a slight smile playing on his lips as if he recalled something amusing. "I remember Linglong used to have some issues with her. That's because Jiang Luofu was initially chosen as the Crown Princess, and only after she ran off was Linglong chosen. Linglong has always held a grudge about that, but now the two of them have actually come together."

Zhuxie Chixin said, "Those are old matters, after all. The Crown Princess is sensible; she wouldn't keep something like that on her mind indefinitely."

As the Emperor's confidant, he knew His Majesty was very pleased with his daughter-in-law, so naturally, he spoke words of praise.

The Emperor smiled and nodded. "Indeed, Linglong is increasingly developing the demeanor of a national mother. Her performance in this secret realm was also excellent."

Zhuxie Chixin's heart tightened. That was a very high commendation from the Emperor. He quickly offered a string of compliments in agreement.

After a while, the Emperor suddenly asked, "By the way, after Jiang Luofu met Zu An, did she inquire about what happened in the secret realm?"

Zhuxie Chixin replied, "No, it was just a friendly visit. She also brought him some gifts on behalf of Chu Youzhao, Murong Qinghe, and Xie Daoyun."

There were so many people accompanying them at the time, and naturally, he had his informants among them.

The Emperor was startled. "Zu An's popularity is surprisingly good; he's made connections with various factions. What exactly is he trying to do?"

By the end, his voice had turned ice-cold.

Seeing this, Zhuxie Chixin made a downward cutting motion with his hand. "Does Your Majesty wish for me to seize this opportunity...? In any case, he is gravely injured. We could publicly announce that his injuries have recurred, and no one should suspect anything."

Although they shared some superficial acquaintance, as the Emperor's trusted aide, Zhuxie Chixin had repeatedly sensed the Emperor's intent to kill Zu An recently. Naturally, he wanted to distance himself from Zu An to avoid implicating himself.

"Not for now," the Emperor raised a hand to stop him. "This fellow still has other uses."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Zhuxie Chixin bowed his head. He knew the Emperor too well; such a statement meant that Zu An would be eliminated the moment he lost his usefulness.

"Alright, you may withdraw," the Emperor waved his hand, then fell into deep thought, staring at the dense array of chess pieces on the table.

After Zhuxie Chixin left, a long silence was broken by the sound of a chess piece being placed. "I would rather wrong the world than let the world wrong me!"

Thus, a few more days passed, and Zu An, though not ill, was almost sick with boredom.

During this time, the Empress never came again. He wondered if that one time had completely satisfied her, or if she was worried about revealing her presence.

Zu An did try to go to the Eastern Palace to talk to Bi Linglong, but each time the secret passage mechanism was tightly locked, clearly bolted from the inside by her.

Helpless, he could only amuse himself by playing Pai Gow with Pu Duandiao and Jiao Sigun.

Until one day, news arrived: he was free to leave the palace.

"However, you must remember one thing," Zhuxie Chixin personally instructed them, "nothing that happened in the secret realm can be leaked to the outside world, especially concerning those masters from Prince Qi's manor."

"Why?" Pu Duandiao couldn't help but ask. Of all the guards present, only the two of them had survived; all the others had died at the hands of Prince Qi's loyal assassins. Naturally, they wanted to avenge their former comrades.

"You don't need to know why; just obey orders. You will still receive your due rewards, but!" Zhuxie Chixin said coldly, "If I hear any rumors outside, not only will you die, but your families will also be buried alongside you. The only reason your lives were spared was because of your meritorious service in protecting the Crown Prince and Crown Princess. Don't be ungrateful."

Pu Duandiao and Jiao Sigun exchanged glances, clearly feeling uneasy.

Zu An couldn't help but ask, "But what if it wasn't us who leaked it, but someone else learned it through other channels?"

Zhuxie Chixin stated flatly, "You will also die." With that, he turned and left.

Zu An and the others: "..."

Soon, the few of them understood why Zhuxie Chixin had given such stern instructions. News of various rewards and punishments was already spreading inside and outside the palace.

Zu An, for his outstanding meritorious service in protecting the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, was promoted from Baron to Viscount, granted revenue from three hundred additional households, and retained his position as Crown Prince's Chief Secretary while also serving as Commander of the Imperial Guard. He was rewarded with a thousand taels of gold and twenty chests of fine silk and satin.

Pu Duandiao and Jiao Sigun were each promoted three ranks, becoming Chief Guards of the Eastern Palace, and were rewarded with a thousand taels of silver and a quantity of fine silk and satin.

Gao Ying, Pei You, and others all received corresponding titles and rewards. Even Zhao Xi, Liu Xian, Meng Pan, and others who died in battle were posthumously honored.

The names of other fallen family scions and Eastern Palace guards were all recorded and commemorated with memorial tablets.

Shi Tong of the Shi clan infiltrated the secret realm expedition and conspired to harm the Crown Prince. Shi Miao, the patriarch of the Shi clan, knew of this but failed to report it, harboring resentment and engaging in seditious acts. The death-exemption decree previously granted to them was revoked, their family was directly confiscated and exterminated, and collateral relatives were exiled.

Gu Heng and Gu Xing, brothers from the Gu clan, betrayed their master for personal gain and conspired to harm the Crown Prince. The Gu clan was executed to the ninth degree of kinship.

***

However, to everyone's surprise, from beginning to end, the official announcement made no mention of Prince Qi or his loyal assassins, as if the numerous masters in the secret realm had never even appeared.

***

Two chapters combined.

Went to the hospital for a dental cleaning; that sharp, tingling sensation...

When you look in the mirror, whatever you do, don't look at the inside of your teeth, or you'll also be tempted to get them cleaned.