That day, Zu An went to the Eastern Palace as usual to see Bi Linglong, but she still refused to meet him. With so many people watching in the Eastern Palace, he couldn't show any unusual behavior, and all his usual tricks to coax someone were useless. This left him feeling very frustrated.
Just then, a eunuch arrived to summon Zu An to the imperial study for an audience with the Emperor. At first, the people in the Eastern Palace were envious, but by now, they had grown accustomed to it; Zu An was indeed greatly favored by the Emperor.
Zu An's heart skipped a beat. He wondered if the Emperor had detected something amiss because he had been persistently visiting Bi Linglong every day.
Since he regarded the Emperor as a potential adversary, every summons to the imperial study made him feel as if he were facing a formidable enemy.
After Zu An departed, Rong Mo, who was in the room, noticed Bi Linglong's distracted look and asked, "Princess Consort, is something the matter?"
Bi Linglong snapped out of her thoughts. "Nothing," she replied.
"Hmph, I don't care if that man lives or dies."
***
When Zu An arrived at the imperial study, he saw Eunuch Wen smiling and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. While Eunuch Wen's expression wasn't a perfectly reliable indicator of the Emperor's mood, it usually offered some insight.
"Greetings, Your Majesty." Upon entering the room, Zu An quickly glanced at the Emperor. As expected, he wore his usual unreadable expression.
The Emperor put down his memorial. "Has Yu Nan bothered you recently?" he asked.
"Reporting to Your Majesty," Zu An replied, "there have been some minor clashes between the Yu and Bi families these past few days, but they haven't sought me out."
The Emperor smiled. "That's to be expected," he said. "A while ago, rumors were rampant throughout the capital, and even the Yu family couldn't suppress them using their official power. You don't possess that much influence yet, so naturally, they haven't been able to focus on you for the time being."
"It's all thanks to Your Majesty's wise and mighty leadership; otherwise, your humble servant would have been in grave trouble..." Zu An poured on the flattery.
The Emperor's expression softened considerably. "Are you wondering why I previously rejected Yu Xuanchong's resignation?"
"Forgive my ignorance, but I truly cannot comprehend it," Zu An stated frankly. He was curious why the Emperor would discuss this with him, as an Emperor typically wouldn't need to explain such matters to a subject.
The Emperor rose and walked to a nearby bookshelf, looking at the large map on the wall. "The Yu family controls most of the world's elemental stone business, and their protégés and former officials are pervasive throughout the government," he stated calmly. "While the Left Chief Minister of the Department of State Affairs is a high-ranking position, its presence or absence makes little difference to Yu Xuanchong."
Zu An nodded discreetly. The Yu family was immensely wealthy, comparable to a small nation. Even if Yu Xuanchong resigned, he could quickly regain his influence. This incident, after all, primarily concerned Yu Nan, and had it not caused such a public uproar, even Yu Nan would have been unharmed. Therefore, it was indeed difficult to use this against Yu Xuanchong.
The Emperor continued, "The Yu family has always been close to King Qi. My concern isn't merely about a Left Chief Minister; it's about the entire Yu family."
Zu An's heart sank. The Emperor had clearly begun to systematically dismantle King Qi's alliances. Once King Qi was isolated, the Emperor would make his move.
Furthermore, the Emperor's words seemed to suggest that he wasn't content with merely removing Yu family members from office; he intended to bring about the complete downfall of the entire Yu family.
A shiver ran down his spine at the thought. The Emperor before him was truly ruthless.
As expected, the Emperor's gaze landed on a northern territory on the map. "The Yu family of Yunzhong, as the name implies, has its stronghold in Yunzhong Commandery, which also happens to be where the imperial court's largest elemental stone mine is located," he stated. "They have held it for so many years; they've certainly enjoyed their prosperity long enough."
Zu An silently mourned for the Yu family, knowing their fate was sealed once the Emperor had set his sights on them.
Suddenly, a peerless face from inside a carriage flashed in his mind, and he couldn't help but ask, "Your Majesty, as far as I know, Lady Yu seems to be a close friend of yours."
Although he knew such a plea wouldn't likely make much difference, Yu Yanluo had helped him in the past, and he couldn't simply stand by and do nothing.
The Emperor turned back, looking at him with a half-smile. "Your relationship with her seems quite good as well," he remarked. "She even specifically interceded with me on your behalf back then."
Zu An's heart tightened, and he quickly explained, "It was merely because I accidentally saved her life in Brightmoon City years ago. I assume she was simply repaying that favor."
Heaven knew what the Emperor was thinking, so Zu An naturally couldn't admit to having a particularly close relationship with her.
Only then did the Emperor nod in relief. It was well known that Yu Yanluo had been peerlessly beautiful in her prime, and countless outstanding individuals had failed to capture her attention, so it seemed unlikely she would have developed feelings for this unremarkable young man. "Rest assured," the Emperor said, "Lady Yu is a good friend of mine. She will be properly accommodated when the time comes."
Zu An grumbled inwardly, thinking, *Your idea of "accommodation" likely means moving her into your imperial harem.*
Although the Emperor had abstained from women in recent years to prolong his life, he would probably make an exception for a peerless beauty like Yu Yanluo.
He had considered himself quite the philanderer with numerous female confidantes. Yet, compared to the powerful figures in the capital who could maintain a reputation for moderation even with twenty or thirty concubines, he felt as pure and innocent as a white flower.
Suddenly, his heart tightened. Why was the Emperor telling him all this? He suspected another difficult task was about to be assigned to him.
Sure enough, the Emperor spoke. "Prepare yourself," he said, "In a few days, you will make a trip to Yunzhong Commandery."
Zu An was speechless.
The Emperor disregarded his reaction and continued, "A few days ago, the local officials in Yunzhong Commandery submitted a joint memorial, stating that the Duke of Yunzhong has been missing for a long time and requesting the court to reconsider the matter of the ducal title."
"Heh," the Emperor sneered, "It seems some people are already impatient to assume power."
Zu An's heart skipped a beat. Wasn't the Duke of Yunzhong Yu Yanluo's husband?
That man was likely once the happiest man in the world; now, he was certainly the unluckiest.
He tentatively asked, "What exactly happened with the Duke of Yunzhong's disappearance?"
The Emperor replied, "About a year ago, the Duke of Yunzhong suddenly disappeared from his residence, and no one knows where he went. At first, everyone considered it normal, given his cultivation level made it easy for him to enter and leave the ducal mansion unnoticed. However, after a long time passed and he didn't return, people realized something was amiss."
"Did he leave on his own, or was there foul play involved?" Zu An quickly asked.
The Emperor shook his head. "After the incident, the local authorities sent people to investigate, and everything appeared normal; there were no signs of foul play. The imperial court, still uneasy, specifically dispatched provincial officials to investigate, yet they also found nothing."
Seeing the Emperor's composed expression, completely devoid of any sorrow for the loss of a Duke, Zu An thought to himself that it was already a blessing the Emperor wasn't secretly rejoicing over Yu Yanluo's husband being gone.
Nevertheless, based on the Emperor's answers, Zu An roughly concluded that the Duke of Yunzhong's disappearance was likely not orchestrated by the Emperor.
Then the Emperor continued, "You are to go to Yunzhong Commandery and swiftly uncover the truth behind the Duke of Yunzhong's disappearance. Furthermore, do not protect the Yu family because of Yu Yanluo; otherwise, I will show no mercy. Do you understand?"
Upon hearing this, Zu An immediately grasped the Emperor's intent: regardless of the true reason for that unfortunate man's disappearance, the Yu family would ultimately be held accountable. This would provide an opportune moment to dismantle the Yu family's power entirely.
So he respectfully replied, "Your humble servant is certainly willing to share Your Majesty's burdens. However, the injuries I sustained in the secret realm last time were too severe and have not fully recovered. Furthermore, investigating the drowning of King Qi's concubine and bringing down Yu Nan, all to accomplish Your Majesty's tasks quickly, truly exhausted my mental faculties. I am now extremely weak, and even thinking gives me a headache. My health is a minor concern, but if it were to impede Your Majesty's grand strategy, that would be a grave matter indeed. Therefore, I humbly request Your Majesty to assign this task to someone more capable."
What a joke! What does the Emperor take me for? In my previous life, even capitalists would pay adequately for a 996 schedule. Yet, he constantly threatens me. I'm no masochist; why should I simply accept this abuse?
Of course, he wasn't so headstrong as to provoke an immediate break with the Emperor. In his previous statement, he had subtly highlighted his considerable achievements of late, partly to demonstrate his diligent effort even if not explicitly credited, and partly to prove his unique value. As long as the Emperor still had needs, he knew he would be indispensable for the time being.
All of this was wisdom imparted by the old fox Sang Hong during his recent visits to the Sang family – essential skills for a seasoned politician.
Upon hearing this, the Emperor's eyes narrowed instantly, and a flicker of anger rose within him. How long had this scoundrel been in the capital, yet he was already learning to bargain with him like those seasoned old foxes in court!
He already disliked Zu An, and this only fueled his anger, making him feel constantly provoked.
Rage points from Zhao Hao: +444, +444, +444...
Seeing the continuous surge of rage points, Zu An felt extremely nervous. Although he was fairly confident the Emperor wouldn't openly turn hostile, given he was a seasoned ruler, there was always the fear of the unexpected. What if he simply lost his temper?
After a moment, the Emperor's calm voice resonated. "My dear subject, you have indeed toiled hard these past few days," he said. "Later, I will have Eunuch Wen visit the Imperial Hospital to select some calming and invigorating elixirs for you; you can recuperate gradually on your journey to Yunzhong Commandery. Additionally, I've noted that you seem less than pleased with your current viscount title. Once you have completed the task in Yunzhong Commandery, I shall elevate your peerage by one rank."
"Thank you, Your Majesty. Your humble servant will certainly do his utmost." In that era, a noble title was far more difficult to acquire than an official post. The Emperor's offer was undeniably generous. Zu An knew it was wise to accept gracefully; if he pushed his luck further, he might not leave the palace alive that day.
Besides, he genuinely wanted to shed the embarrassing "cuckold viscount" title.
[1 minute ago] Chapter 1652: Conditions
[6 minutes ago] Chapter 1651: Six Major Challenges
[15 minutes ago] Chapter 1650: Secret Chamber
[20 minutes ago] Chapter 1649: Absolute Haunted
[25 minutes ago] Chapter 1648: Military Deception
29643 · 0 · 95
26881 · 0 · 70