Chapter 898: Alliance

Zheng Dan didn't understand what wearing Chu Chuyan's clothes had to do with overcoming their current predicament, but at this point, she had no other choice. Her mind a complete jumble, she instinctively followed Zu An's instructions.

However, women's clothes in that era weren't easy to change and couldn't be done quickly. So, she simply hid behind the screen.

Zu An was thinking it would be best to keep Sang Hong and his daughter outside, preventing them from meeting anyone inside. After all, this trick was untested, and he wasn't sure how effective it would be.

Just as he reached the door, it was suddenly pushed open.

A graceful figure rushed in first. Zu An grabbed her, pressing her down, and said in a low voice, "What are you doing?"

The figure let out a startled cry, hastily recoiling with her arms crossed over her chest, blushing fiercely and glaring at him with a mix of shame and anger.

The young woman who had burst in was, of course, Miss Sang Qian of the Sang family. Zu An hadn't anticipated such a coincidence, having inadvertently touched her in an inappropriate place.

"What are you doing lurking behind the door like that!" Sang Qian was mortified, feeling as though she had thrown herself into his arms.

"Who told you to just burst in like that? I was about to open the door," Zu An retorted. He had intended to take the offensive, but his initial surprise had somewhat diminished his resolve.

"Cough, cough!" Sang Hong's voice then came from outside. "Please forgive her, Lord Zu. Qian'er is a bit impetuous and has offended you. I apologize on her behalf."

Sang Qian looked utterly wronged. Her daughter had clearly been taken advantage of, yet she was the one who had to apologize. The feeling was thoroughly unpleasant.

Zu An's expression was odd. He thought, 'If it were someone else known for being impetuous, I might believe it, but the always resourceful Sang Qian acting rashly?'

The old fox clearly intended for his daughter to lead the charge. This way, even if they had directly barged into the mansion, Zu An couldn't easily make a fuss.

"Master!" Several house guards, armed with sticks, then caught up, glaring at the pair. After all, allowing them to burst into the residence was a gross dereliction of duty.

"It's fine, they're old friends. You can go," Zu An said. Not wanting to escalate the situation, he simply gestured for the guards to leave.

He then looked at the father and daughter and said with a half-smile, "The two of you barged in so impetuously, anyone might think you were here to catch a tryst."

Behind the screen, Zheng Dan's heart leaped. This man truly dared to say anything. If they were actually discovered, she wondered how he would manage the fallout.

Sang Qian's face flushed, and she nervously averted her gaze.

Sang Hong, the old fox, clearly had a much thicker skin. He replied with a laugh, "Lord Zu still loves to joke. We heard you suffered quite a serious injury in the secret realm. Unfortunately, you were in the palace, so we couldn't see you. As soon as we learned you were out today, we came to visit. This girl, Qian'er, was simply too worried about you, which made her act rashly. We hope you don't mind."

"Dad~" Sang Qian stomped her foot in exasperation. Although she understood her father's intention to use her as a shield, a young girl's sensibilities were, after all, still delicate.

Sang Hong cleared his throat and pretended not to notice.

Zu An, his thoughts perfectly clear, said with a smile, "Oh, only the two of you came today? Why didn't I see Miss Zheng?"

Behind the screen, Zheng Dan's heart nearly hammered out of her chest. This man truly knew how to bring up the most sensitive topics; he was utterly playing with fire.

Sang Qian gradually composed herself. "My sister-in-law left early today. By the way, did she come here?"

As she spoke, she subtly glanced around the room.

Zu An chuckled, "Why would your sister-in-law come here?"

Sang Qian's expression held a hint of a smirk. "That's not necessarily true. After all, you and my sister-in-law are... good friends, aren't you?"

Behind the screen, Zheng Dan pressed a hand to her forehead. Her sister-in-law was far too clever; she felt as if Sang Qian already knew something.

Zu An chuckled loudly. "Of course. My sister-in-law and I were cellmates for many days on the journey to the capital. We've certainly shared hardships, so naturally, we're good friends. And Miss Sang, you and I are also good friends."

Behind the screen, Zheng Dan's cheeks flushed at his words, memories of their time together in the carriage flooding her mind. He truly was a little rascal.

Sang Qian scoffed inwardly, thinking, 'I certainly don't want that kind of "good friend" relationship with you.'

Sang Hong, who had seemed to be resting with his eyes closed, suddenly looked towards the screen. "Oh, Lord Zu has another guest in his room? I wonder who it could be."

Zheng Dan's heartbeat had been so noticeable in that instant that Sang Hong, with his cultivation, naturally detected it.

Sang Qian also snapped her gaze towards the screen, her expression suddenly becoming incredibly complex.

What if it truly was her sister-in-law in there? How would they deal with the aftermath?

Zheng Dan was so overwhelmed with nervousness that she was on the verge of fainting, her mind buzzing. Discovered by her father-in-law and sister-in-law — what was she going to do?

Although her marriage to Sang Qian had been a farce from beginning to end, essentially a marriage in name only, the crucial point was that it hadn't been officially dissolved. If she were caught, not only would her reputation be ruined, but the entire Zheng family's as well.

Zu An chuckled. "Indeed, I can't hide anything from Lord Sang. It's Chuyan in there. She just came to see me, and we were just getting intimate when you arrived. She's a bit shy."

Sang Qian inwardly scoffed, thinking, 'Who are you trying to fool? Miss Chu is in Mingyue City; there's no way she's here.'

Sang Hong's eyelid twitched. Of course, he didn't believe it was Chu Chuyan in there; it was far more likely his daughter-in-law, Zheng Dan.

While he didn't particularly object to their private interactions—his son was dead anyway—he thought it best to maximize his daughter-in-law's usefulness by letting her serve as a link between Zu An and the Sang family.

But none of this could be made public. For Zu An to brazenly state, right in front of him, that he and Zheng Dan had just been intimate—that was simply too much.

Seeing his expression shift, Zu An smiled and said, "How about I call Chuyan out to meet you? Everyone's familiar with each other anyway."

Sang Hong's expression changed, and he quickly said, "No, no need at all."

Sang Qian also quickly interjected, "I'm sorry to interrupt you. Perhaps we should come another day?"

As she spoke, she made to leave. If Zheng Dan were to appear in this situation, Sang Qian wouldn't know how to handle it.

Her father was old; if he saw this scene and had an apoplectic fit, it would be disastrous.

To her surprise, Zu An was unyielding. "Oh, no, of course you must meet her. Otherwise, you might think it's your sister-in-law in here."

As he spoke, he went behind the screen and pulled Zheng Dan out.

Zheng Dan's mind went blank with a buzzing sensation.

What is he doing?

Why is he making me meet the Sang father and daughter?

It's over, it's over, I'll never be able to face anyone again.

However, the angry scolding or mockery she had imagined never came. Instead, the entire room fell into a stunned silence.

After all, she had once been a gang leader in Mingyue City's underworld. Steeling her resolve, she thought that this matter would have to be resolved eventually, so why not take this opportunity?

But before she could speak, she saw Sang Hong and his daughter staring at her with expressions of utter shock. "So it truly is Miss Chu! My daughter and I were rude just now; please don't take offense."

Zheng Dan was utterly bewildered.

Zu An patted her hand. "We're all friends, no need to be so formal. Lord Sang, what exactly brings you here today?"

Zheng Dan, utterly bewildered, sat down beside him. Countless thoughts raced through her mind: Why were Sang Hong and his daughter calling her Miss Chu? Were they simply playing along with Zu An's words to avoid publicly escalating the conflict? Oh, this was utterly mortifying; she wished she could just sink into the floor.

"Mainly to visit you," Sang Hong said, calling to his daughter, "and to bring you some healing medicine."

Sang Qian then snapped out of her daze and quickly presented the prepared gift. "This bottle of Millennial Snow Toad Essence is a rare treasure my father accidentally obtained many years ago. It has miraculous effects for healing and nourishing the body. Brother Zu, please rest well."

She found it a bit strange that Miss Chu remained silent, and her expression seemed somewhat different from what she remembered.

Noticing the peculiar look in her eyes, Zu An chuckled, "Sister Qian'er, your fair wrist is even whiter than this Millennial Snow Toad Essence."

Sang Qian's face instantly flushed crimson, and her hand recoiled as if shocked. Her attention had indeed been diverted.

"What a dissolute fellow."

"Who's your 'Sister Qian'er'?"

"Do you think I'm as easily fooled as my sister-in-law?"

She continued muttering silently to herself.

Witnessing this, Sang Hong's expression grew strange. He thought, 'I've already given up one daughter-in-law; am I going to have to give my own daughter away too?'

He cleared his throat. "Ah Zu, do you know why the Emperor didn't publicly reprimand Prince Qi this time?"

He hesitated to call him "Lord Zu" again and feared offending him by using "worthy nephew," so he opted for the more familiar "Ah Zu" to foster a closer relationship.

Sang Qian clearly understood her father's intention, glanced at him, and then lowered her head again.

Zu An smiled. "Lord Sang, I don't understand what you mean. Why would the Emperor reprimand Prince Qi?"

Sang Hong smiled. "I know you have concerns, but you have shown immense kindness to our family. The Sang family is nothing but grateful to you and has been thinking of how to repay you. Moreover, in the capital, various forces are intricately intertwined. Those of us without strong backgrounds should naturally unite and help each other."

Although he didn't know exactly what had happened in the secret realm, it wasn't difficult to guess that Prince Qi had made his move there. The fact that Zu An, the Crown Prince, and the Crown Princess were the ones who emerged last proved that Prince Qi's scheme had failed.

Seeing that Sang Hong had laid his cards on the table, Zu An dropped his pretense. "Uncle Sang, please don't be offended. I am currently walking on thin ice in the capital, and every step I take must be extremely cautious."

Hearing him address Sang Hong as "uncle," Zheng Dan couldn't help but roll her eyes. Just a few months ago, these two sides had been bitter enemies fighting to the death; now they were acting like close family. The world truly was strange.

Sang Hong said, "We never had irreconcilable conflicts to begin with. On the contrary, there are many areas where we can unite. Therefore, we need to stand together more than ever."

He had always been single-mindedly a loyal and solitary minister to the emperor. But then, in an unforeseen turn of events, his only son died, ultimately because the emperor abandoned him without hesitation. He realized that continuing as a solitary minister was meaningless, which prompted his change of heart.

Unfortunately, in his years as a solitary minister, he had offended too many nobles. It could almost be said that the capital now had little room for him.

But Zu An was different. He was a rising star, with the Chu family supporting him, and his relationship with the Imperial Academy seemed strong. More importantly, they had shared hardships on the journey to the capital, establishing a relatively stable friendship. Therefore, Zu An was a very worthwhile investment.

Zheng Dan, standing nearby, was somewhat surprised. Sang Hong's stance was incredibly sincere; despite clearly seeing her, he was still playing along, tacitly acknowledging her relationship with Zu An. Her heart swelled with a mix of joy, gratitude, and guilt. She unconsciously looked at Zu An, her eyes filled with an unspoken plea, hoping that he would maintain a good relationship with the Sang family.

Zu An pondered for a moment, then also smiled. "Earlier, on the journey to the capital, I benefited greatly from your guidance on the political situation. I will certainly need your help much more in the future, Uncle."

Sang Hong, whose nerves had been tightly strung, secretly let out a breath. This meant Zu An had tacitly agreed to their alliance, which would make everything much easier.

At this point, Zu An no longer held back. "The question you just raised, Uncle, has also perplexed me. Logically, after years of conflict, this was a legitimate chance to eliminate Prince Qi. Why did the Emperor let such a good opportunity pass?"

As for Zhu Xie Chixin's threat, Zu An paid it no mind now.

In truth, he had his own theory: perhaps the emperor had lost a sub-soul, leading to a significant weakening of his power, and no longer possessed full confidence in defeating Prince Qi.

Unfortunately, this wasn't something he could discuss with Sang Hong.

Sang Hong said, "This is perfectly normal. Have you noticed how tense the situation in the capital has been recently? Various armies have been frequently mobilized in private. The entire capital is like a powder keg, and just one spark would ignite it."

"Prince Qi has been building his power for years, and his influence is immense. Half the court officials have been drawn into his faction. If the Emperor were to make a move now, others in Prince Qi's group, fearing implication, would have no choice but to fight desperately alongside him. That is a scenario the Emperor absolutely wishes to avoid."

Zu An hadn't realized that both sides had already begun mobilizing troops, preparing for a direct confrontation.

"But will it just end like this? Given the Emperor's personality, it's unlikely he'd tolerate such a significant loss, right?" Zu An asked.

Sang Hong merely smiled without answering, instead turning a testing gaze towards his daughter. "Qian'er, what's your take on this?"

Sang Qian paused, but then replied, "Of course, the Emperor won't just let it go. Unless something unexpected happens, he will avoid direct, large-scale conflict. Instead, he will adopt a strategy of 'pulling the firewood from under the cauldron'—first dismantling the main forces of Prince Qi's faction, and then settling accounts with Prince Qi later."

She glanced at Zheng Dan, then continued, "And the first to bear the brunt in Prince Qi's faction will be the Qin family. Their influence in the military is too deeply entrenched. The Emperor's current hesitation is largely due to the Qin family."

Zheng Dan was somewhat bewildered, thinking, 'Why are you looking at me when you talk about the Qin family? Do you genuinely believe I'm Chu Chuyan?'

Zu An quickly asked, "Then how do you think the Emperor will deal with the Qin family?"

The Qin family was, after all, Qin Wanru's original family, and they had always treated Chu Chuyan and Chu Youzhao well. If anything happened to them, those two would surely be heartbroken.

Sang Qian shook her head. "There's too little information to judge right now. However, what's certain is that the Emperor will target the Qin family first, and it won't be prolonged."

"Continue," Zu An said, sitting up straighter. It was clear that Sang Qian's analysis would be very useful for his future actions, and he couldn't treat it lightly.

"Next is the Yu family. If the Qin family represents military power, then the immensely wealthy Yu family represents Prince Qi's financial power," Sang Qian continued. "Of course, it could also be the Pei family, as they hold significant influence in court affairs."

The faces of Yu Yanluo and Pei Mianman flashed through Zu An's mind, and he couldn't help but feel a pang of frustration. Why were all the people he considered friends associated with Prince Qi's faction, when he himself had irreconcilable conflicts with Prince Qi and his son?

Sang Qian proceeded with a detailed analysis, which Zu An found incredibly insightful. He couldn't help but exclaim, "Sister Qian'er truly lives up to her reputation; you are indeed a female Zhuge Liang!"

"Who is Zhuge?" Sang Qian asked, startled. She had corrected him several times, but he still kept calling her "Sister Qian'er," so she had simply given up.

"Uh," Zu An mused for a moment before explaining, "A person of extraordinary, almost supernatural wisdom."

Sang Qian's pretty face flushed slightly, and she looked a little shy. "I'm not that amazing," she demurred.

"Sister Qian'er, you're being modest," Zu An said. He suddenly found teasing the young woman quite amusing. When discussing matters of state, she was incredibly mature, yet in everyday interactions, she was like a shy young girl.

Sang Hong cleared his throat, interrupting Zu An's teasing. "Ah Zu, my status is special. If I meet with you for too long, the Emperor will easily grow suspicious. So, in the future, you can consult Qian'er for anything. Her knowledge in all aspects is already on par with mine."

"Alright," Zu An said, smiling. Dealing with a beautiful young woman was certainly more interesting than an old man, wasn't it?

However, he felt a small hand pinch the flesh at his waist, and Zheng Dan's tart qi transmission whispered in his ear: "Tsk, tsk, tsk, they're creating opportunities for you two to meet in private."

At this moment, she was gradually understanding Sang Hong's intentions and felt a pang of discomfort. 'I was here first,' she thought.

Sang Hong hesitated for a moment, then spoke again: "By the way, the Zheng family has also developed some businesses in the capital. Zheng Dan has been busy with them, and it's not easy for her now that she's alone. Ah Zu, if you're willing, you could help look after her."

Sang Qian looked at her father in surprise. Although she had some suspicions, she hadn't expected him to actually say it out loud.

Though not explicitly stated, everyone present was intelligent enough to understand the implication.

Zheng Dan lowered her head even further, so embarrassed she wished she could disappear into a crack in the floor.

At the same time, a sense of joy also blossomed in her heart; the heavy burden that had weighed on her for so long could finally be lifted.

Zu An's expression was peculiar. "Uh, I will take care of her to the best of my ability."

Sang Hong nodded, then stood up and said, "Alright, we won't disturb your reunion as a couple."

"Please stay a bit longer, have dinner before you leave," Zu An offered with feigned politeness. The father and daughter, of course, saw through the act and knew they couldn't possibly stay.

After they left the room, Sang Qian quietly asked her father, "Dad, why did Miss Chu seem a little strange today?"

Sang Hong nodded. "Indeed, a little strange. She seemed almost afraid of us."

"Huh, what Miss Chu?" A puzzled voice suddenly came from nearby.

The father and daughter turned to see a red-lipped, white-toothed young man staring at them, accompanied by a beautiful young woman with long, slender legs and sun-kissed skin.

"Oh, it's Young Master Chu. We just visited Lord Zu and saw your elder sister inside," Sang Qian replied with a smile. There was no need to hide it; thanks to Zu An, they now extended their goodwill to the entire Chu family.

"My sister is in the capital?" Chu Youzhao's eyes lit up. He didn't even bother speaking to them further, rushing impetuously into the house.

Meanwhile, Zu An was holding Zheng Dan's hand. "Dan'er, your father-in-law just effectively gave you to me right in front of my face. You don't have to worry anymore, do you?"

Zheng Dan scoffed. "It's not that crude! He merely asked you to look after me. Don't get the wrong idea."

Despite her words, her heart was still pounding.

"By the way, I feel like this whole thing is strange. Why weren't they angry at all when they saw me? It was as if... as if I truly were Miss Chu," Zheng Dan said, her heart filled with doubt. The entire situation was too bizarre.

Zu An was about to answer when a hurried voice suddenly called from outside, "Sister? Sister?"