Chapter 900: New Mission

She couldn't show any of her true feelings, instead forcing a smile and saying, "Thank you for your concern, Sir Zu. My body isn't seriously ill; with enough rest, I'll recover."

Rong Mo, the maidservant by her side, looked puzzled. "Oh, Crown Princess, you have more gray hairs again. If Sir Zu can cure it, tell him to hurry and do it..."

Before she could finish, Bi Linglong shot her a glare. "Silence!"

Rong Mo's face was sullen, but she dared not criticize the Crown Princess. She could only pout and glare at Zu An, muttering, "It's all his fault, only knowing how to say pretty platitudes, making me misunderstand and embarrass myself."

"How is the Crown Prince's health?" Zu An asked, feigning concern. After all, showing interest only in the Crown Princess in front of so many people might appear awkward.

"Thanks to your diligent protection, Sir Zu, the Crown Prince, although injured, is not in any life-threatening danger. He was merely startled in the secret realm and now occasionally has nightmares and talks in his sleep. The imperial physicians have prescribed some calming medicine, and he should recover after a period of recuperation," Bi Linglong replied formally. She also took the opportunity to praise Zu An's contributions. As expected, others looked at Zu An with envious eyes, and at that moment, she felt quite pleased.

"That's good to hear," Zu An said, not genuinely concerned about the Crown Prince. Recalling what he had heard upon entering the palace, he then asked, "I hear the demon race has invaded?"

"Indeed," Bi Linglong's expression turned serious. "News reached the capital last night that the demon race has breached the northern defenses and even massacred Mo'bei City, a crucial border town."

"Massacred the city?" Zu An's face darkened. Such words were something he had only read in history books, and he never expected to witness such an event firsthand.

"Yes, not even chickens or dogs were spared. The demon race is truly despicable!" A glint of hatred flashed in Bi Linglong's eyes.

"What does the court intend to do?" Zu An inquired.

Bi Linglong replied, "During the morning court session, the discussions were very heated, but most advocated for war. Since the founding of our Great Zhou, we have never suffered such a great loss; it is not in our nature to endure humiliation. Even students from the National Academy ran to the palace gates to petition, offering to go to the front lines to fight the demons. However, the court naturally disagreed; the students of the National Academy are the pillars of the nation's future, and we cannot let them sacrifice themselves on the front lines prematurely."

"I hear Duke Cheng might be chosen to lead the expedition this time?" Zu An sought confirmation.

Bi Linglong's expression subtly changed. She waved her hand, dismissing the others, but kept Rong Mo, the maidservant, by her side to maintain an appearance of propriety. "Yes, if nothing unexpected happens, it will indeed be Duke Cheng. In the entire court, considering both reputation and experience, there is no one more suitable than him."

Zu An probed, "Duke Cheng's deployment might not be a bad thing for the Eastern Palace either."

Bi Linglong shook her head, giving him a deep look. "It might have been a good thing before, but not necessarily now."

Zu An was momentarily stunned, then immediately understood. In the secret realm, they had experienced direct conflict with the Emperor, so it was now most advantageous for them if the Emperor and King Qi's faction remained in a state of mutual checks and balances.

Rong Mo, standing nearby, looked from Zu An to Bi Linglong, wondering if they were speaking in riddles, as she couldn't quite follow.

Each of the three had their own thoughts, and a strange silence fell upon the room.

A moment later, a maidservant suddenly came to report, "Crown Princess, a message has arrived from the Imperial Study. His Majesty has summoned Sir Zu."

Rong Mo couldn't help but say sourly, "Sir Zu is truly favored by the Emperor. His Majesty summons you every few days."

She had diligently served the Crown Princess in the palace for so many years, yet the Emperor had never summoned her alone.

Zu An replied, "There's nothing for it; with great power comes great responsibility."

Rong Mo was speechless.

She felt as though she had been offended.

Bi Linglong's face showed worry. Only she knew that this might not signify favor. She subtly sent a spiritual message, "Be careful."

Zu An smiled at her. "Don't worry, I still need to heal your injuries and help you recover. How could I possibly let something happen to me prematurely?"

Bi Linglong inwardly cursed him, *Scoundrel!*

Rong Mo, however, had a strange expression. She had also seen Zu An's inexplicable smile. Of course, she didn't believe Zu An would be so audacious as to flirt with the Crown Princess. Subconsciously, she thought he was teasing *her*, wondering if this fellow had designs on her beauty.

*Hmph, a toad wanting to eat swan meat.*

Zu An made his way to the Imperial Study. When he encountered Eunuch Wen, he nodded in greeting, and Eunuch Wen returned a smile. However, once Zu An entered the room, Eunuch Wen quietly shook his head.

Even Zhu Xie Chixin could sense the Emperor's shifting preferences; as the Emperor's confidant, how could Eunuch Wen not notice the change in His Majesty's attitude toward Zu An?

"Greetings, Your Majesty!" After entering the Imperial Study, Zu An noticed the Emperor's face was as if covered in a layer of ice, clearly indicating a poor mood.

"Sit!" the Emperor said, pointing to a stool nearby.

Zu An was instantly "flattered." This was the first time he had been granted a seat despite visiting the Imperial Study so many times.

However, he immediately snapped back to reality. An unusual occurrence often signals something sinister.

He had been Emperor for many years in the Yin Ruins secret realm and immediately recognized this as a common imperial tactic: lavish you with favors and show of grace to lull you into complacency, even when murderous intent is already present.

Zu An, however, was somewhat confused. Had the events in the secret realm been exposed?

No, that wasn't right. If those matters had been revealed, the Emperor would have torn him apart on the spot, not played these empty games.

It must be the Emperor's instinct, fearing exposure of the split soul issue and wanting no survivors from the secret realm to remain alive.

Yet, the Emperor still had a need for him, which explained this charade.

"Have your injuries healed?" the Emperor asked kindly.

Zu An replied, "Thanks to the care of the imperial physicians, although I haven't fully recovered, I can at least move about freely."

The Emperor's sudden affability made him quite uneasy; paradoxically, the previous threats and intimidation had felt more reassuring... *Hmm, that thought seems a bit masochistic.*

"That's good," the Emperor nodded. "As it happens, there's a task I need you to undertake."

*Just as I thought,* Zu An mused, but he showed no hint of his inner thoughts. "What kind of task, Your Majesty?"

The Emperor stated, "A few days ago, an incident occurred at King Qi's residence: his concubine drowned in the pond in the middle of the night. There are many suspicious circumstances surrounding this, so I want you to investigate thoroughly and bring justice to King Qi."

Zu An's expression became peculiar. *Bring justice to King Qi, my foot! When did the two of you become such affectionate brothers?*

If someone died in King Qi's residence, even if it wasn't an accident, it was surely related to King Qi. Investigating this case now was clearly targeting King Qi.

He said with some difficulty, "Shouldn't matters like this be handled by the Imperial Clan Court? King Qi's concubine is of noble status, and it's not very convenient for us Embroidered Uniform Guard to interfere."

He wanted the Emperor and King Qi to remain in mutual checks and balances and certainly didn't want to get caught in the middle.

The Emperor shook his head. "This time, you won't be investigating as Golden Badge Eleven; you'll use your original identity."

Zu An was baffled.

*What kind of joke is this?* He had just experienced the secret realm incident. Others might not know, but King Qi surely knew that all the experts he sent were annihilated, and Zu An, the sole survivor, was the prime suspect. King Qi might want to eliminate him immediately upon sight. Going to King Qi's residence to investigate now was like an an old man eating arsenic—begging for an early death.

The Emperor said faintly, "Earlier, I instructed you to give the fake 'Phoenix Nirvana Sutra' to King Qi. What progress have you made?"

Zu An said, rubbing his temple, "I haven't found a suitable opportunity to give him the fake manual yet."

The Emperor glanced at him. "Therefore, I'm giving you this opportunity now. When you investigate the case at King Qi's residence, you'll have many chances to interact with him. You must give him the fake manual as soon as possible and in a plausible manner."

Zu An fell silent. He understood why the Emperor was so eager. Previously, the Emperor wasn't in such a hurry because he was powerful enough to perfectly suppress King Qi. However, he had lost a split soul in the secret realm; although the exact extent was unknown, it clearly significantly weakened him. Perhaps he no longer had absolute confidence in suppressing King Qi, which was why he needed the fake manual for assistance.

No wonder he hadn't publicized King Qi's actions in the secret realm earlier. So, this was the fundamental reason.

Seeing him remain silent, the Emperor raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong? Is there a problem?"

Zu An looked up, a hint of a smile on his face. "No problem at all, I will do my utmost!"

This could work out well. It presented an opportunity to get close to King Qi. If he wanted to maintain checks and balances between the two, his leverage with King Qi was clearly insufficient. Perhaps this time, he could seize the chance to improve his relationship with King Qi.

The Emperor frowned, feeling that Zu An's smile was somewhat unsettling. It was the first time he found Zu An inscrutable.

He shook his head, thinking it must be an illusion. This scoundrel's life and death were within his command; how could he be so profound? "Very well, you may withdraw. Act quickly."