Chapter 912: Red Sleeves Invitation

Zu'an appeared docile and obedient on the surface, but inwardly, he sneered, "You probably never imagined you'd fall into my hands."

The Emperor suddenly noticed Zu'an's strange expression and instinctively felt a surge of displeasure. "This fellow is truly irritating," he thought. "I must deal with him once he's no longer useful."

Keeping a calm facade, he continued, "It was decided at this morning's court session that Qin Zheng will lead the northern expedition to counter the demon tribes harassing our borders."

Zu'an was startled, unsure why the Emperor was sharing this with him. Nevertheless, he respectfully replied, "Duke Cheng is a renowned general, deeply admired by the army. His expedition is bound to be a success."

"'Deeply admired by the army?'" the Emperor sneered, but he didn't pursue the topic. Instead, he changed the subject. "Once Qin Zheng departs, King Qi will be like a man who has lost an arm. We must seize this opportune moment."

Zu'an's heart sank. The Emperor was indeed going to act against King Qi, just as Sang Hong and his daughter had predicted. First, they would clip his wings, then go straight for the jugular.

"'I hear you're quite a success in the pleasure quarters?'" the Emperor asked, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Zu'an looked utterly bewildered. *'Brother, can you stop jumping topics so wildly?'* he thought. He quickly straightened his face and declared, "Your humble servant is an upright man and has never frequented such unsavory places."

While visiting brothels wasn't illegal in this world, it was still considered disreputable. Unsure of the Emperor's intentions and fearing it might involve Qiu Honglei and others, Zu'an immediately denied it.

"'Heh heh, deceiving the Emperor is a capital offense,'" the Emperor's face darkened. "I hear that the courtesans at Immortal Abode in Mingyue City, and at the Imperial Music Bureau in the capital, are quite smitten with you."

Zu'an was speechless.

"'Perhaps your humble servant is simply naturally charming,'" Zu'an mumbled. His confusion deepened. Why was the Emperor bringing this up? Did he know about his connection to the Demonic Cult?

The Emperor gave him a penetrating look, then casually remarked, "Do you know Yu Nan, the Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat?"

"'I've heard a little about him,'" Zu'an replied, feeling whiplash from the abrupt topic change. *'First courtesans, now Yu Nan? What's going on?'* he wondered.

"'What's your opinion of him?'" the Emperor inquired.

Zu'an almost blurted out, "He's almost as handsome as me!" but quickly caught himself. "He comes from a distinguished family, a man of refined elegance..." he began.

He reasoned that since Yu Nan was the Emperor's brother-in-law, a bit of polite flattery was in order.

"'Speak plainly!'" the Emperor interjected, glaring at him with dissatisfaction.

"'Uh, he's rather extravagant and decadent,'" Zu'an quickly corrected himself. He realized that since the Yu family was aligned with King Qi, the Emperor wouldn't want to hear praise for Yu Nan.

He recalled his observations at King Qi's mansion, where Yu Nan had actually fed pigs human milk to make the pork more tender—a truly unsettling practice.

"'More than just extravagant and decadent,'" the Emperor snorted, clearly also displeased with Yu Nan. "I'm entrusting him to you. Within a month, I want him out of the imperial court."

Zu'an was stunned.

*'While I am indeed capable, is His Majesty's expectation of me perhaps too high?'* Zu'an thought. *'How could I possibly achieve something like this?'*

The Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat was a key official, and more importantly, he was the legitimate son of the Yu family and married to the Emperor's sister. With such a background, how could he simply be dismissed?

"'That's for you to figure out,'" the Emperor stated. "'Send that maid from King Qi's mansion to the palace, and then focus entirely on the Yu Nan matter.' The Emperor picked up his teacup again, a clear signal that the audience was over."

***

Emerging from the Imperial Study, Zu'an was still reeling.

If there were such a thing as regret medicine, he would never have reported the drowning case of King Qi's concubine so quickly. Alas, capitalists are indeed heartless. It seems a worker must learn to slack off.

"'Why the long face, Lord Zu?'" a soft voice asked just then from nearby.

Zu'an turned to see Consort Bai standing gracefully nearby, smiling at him. Today, she wore a white palace gown with a vibrant red cloak, which, compared to her usual delicate and gentle demeanor, added a touch of vivid allure.

"'Greetings, Consort Bai!'" Zu'an bowed. With palace maids and eunuchs watching, he knew he couldn't neglect proper etiquette.

"'Please, Lord Zu, there's no need for such formality,'" Consort Bai said with a sweet smile. "'You saved the Crown Prince and my sister, the Crown Princess, and I haven't had a chance to thank you properly.'"

That beautiful smile left Zu'an momentarily dazed. *'Is this woman truly a mother?'* he wondered. "Your Highness is too kind," he replied. "It was merely my duty; I wouldn't dare claim credit."

Consort Bai gestured for her attendants to remain where they were, then led the way towards a pavilion in the pond. Seeing this, Zu'an followed.

"'Lord Zu, you still haven't told me what's troubling you,'" Consort Bai said, her gentle smile evoking a sense of tranquil comfort, like returning home.

"'Just some work matters, nothing worth mentioning,'" Zu'an replied. He was still unsure of Consort Bai's exact relationship with the Emperor, so he naturally held back.

"'With your capabilities, Lord Zu, I'm sure you'll resolve it swiftly,'" Consort Bai said, her voice soft and soothing, as if massaging his ears. "'You haven't come to see me even once since emerging from the secret realm. Are you deliberately avoiding me?'"

Zu'an's expression became odd. "'Your Highness, speaking like that within the palace walls might lead to misunderstandings,'" he cautioned.

In the past, Zu'an wouldn't have hesitated to tease her, but knowing about her extremely close relationship with the Emperor before entering the secret realm made him wary of acting rashly now.

"'Lord Zu, where is your mind wandering?'" Consort Bai chuckled, extending a fair and delicate wrist towards him. "'I meant that you borrowed something from me and haven't returned it in so long, so I had no choice but to come and ask for it myself.'"

Zu'an finally understood. He retrieved a sachet from his robe and handed it over. "'Forgive my poor memory, Your Highness,'" he said.

To be honest, the item was incredibly useful, capable of concealing one's true cultivation. He was genuinely reluctant to return it.

Consort Bai took back the sachet, then couldn't help but glance at Zu'an in surprise. "'Lord Zu, your cultivation has improved remarkably quickly,'" she observed.

"'Thanks to Your Highness's good fortune,'" Zu'an replied evenly.

Consort Bai couldn't help but chuckle. "'Why do I feel you've changed since returning from the secret realm?'" she mused. "'You weren't so well-behaved before.'"

Zu'an couldn't help but retort, "'Does Your Highness wish me to treat you as I did before?'"

Both of them simultaneously recalled their encounter on the swing. An awkward silence suddenly fell over the pavilion.

Consort Bai's cheeks flushed slightly. She stood up and said, "'Lord Zu, you are busy with official duties, so I won't trouble you any further.'"

With that, she left behind a faint wisp of fragrance, her graceful figure disappearing towards the Imperial Garden.

Watching her depart, Zu'an fell into contemplation.

***

After parting ways with Consort Bai, Zu'an returned to Baisha Courtyard to change into his Gold Token Eleven attire, then headed straight for the Embroidered Tower.

As he entered his room, he saw Old Seven Dai, with his receding hairline, and Old Eight Chen, with his "Mediterranean" baldness, sitting idly in the courtyard, basking in the sun.

Seeing him, the two quickly stood up, their eyes filled with pleasant surprise. "'Boss!'" they exclaimed.

Since the previous case, they had been assigned as subordinates to Gold Token Eleven. However, with their superior absent for a long time, their department had become utterly idle, practically growing weeds from boredom.

Zu'an smiled and nodded at them, then got straight to the point: "I need all the information on Yu Nan, the Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat."

Both men were startled. They exchanged glances, then hesitated before advising, "'Sir Yu is not to be trifled with. He has the Grand Princess and the Yu family backing him...'"

"'Since when have Embroidered Uniform Guards been afraid of someone's background when investigating a case?'" a quiet voice remarked. It was Silver Token Embroidered Uniform Guard Xiao Jianren, sitting inside, surrounded by various documents on his desk. Seeing Zu'an enter, he quickly stood up and bowed.

Zu'an nodded approvingly. "'Jianren is right,'" he said.

*'Hmm, why does his name sound like an insult when I say it?'* Zu'an mused inwardly.

"'Yes, sir!'" Old Seven Dai and Old Eight Chen instantly understood their leader's resolve to investigate the case. Without another word of protest, they hurried off to gather all the available information on Yu Nan.

Zu'an's eyebrows twitched as he gazed at the stacks of files on the table. "'This much?'" he exclaimed.

Xiao Jianren, standing by, explained, "'The Yu family is one of the most prominent families in the Great Zhou Dynasty. Yu Nan is their eldest legitimate son, married to a princess, and holds the position of Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat. Naturally, there are many records related to him.'"

Zu'an frowned as he casually flipped through a few volumes. While they contained numerous minute details, none of them were what he was looking for.

"'What kind of information are you looking for, sir?'" Xiao Jianren asked quietly. "'Perhaps I can offer some suggestions.'"

Zu'an then remembered that Xiao Jianren was essentially a walking library for the Embroidered Tower's archives. He decided to be straightforward: "Information that could lead to his downfall."

Xiao Jianren's heart skipped a beat. *'They're going to take down a high-ranking official like Yu Nan?'* he thought.

However, being intelligent, he immediately deduced that Zu'an must have received direct orders from above. After a moment's thought, he said, "'From what I know, a new courtesan recently arrived at the Red Sleeve Brothel in the capital. She's unparalleled in both beauty and artistic skill, but she sells her art, not her body. She's attracted a swarm of young noblemen from the capital, and Yu Nan seems to be among them.'"

A flicker of understanding passed through Zu'an. He finally realized why the Emperor had asked him about courtesans earlier.