Chapter 957: Our Role Models

Seeing her nervousness, Zu'an couldn't help but pull her into his embrace. "Haha, you really do care about me after all. You were so cold to me a while ago, it chilled me to the bone."

At the mention of it, Bi Linglong bristled again. "Who told you to treat me like that last time!"

"Well, that's only because you're too beautiful," Zu'an chuckled, leaning in to kiss her again.

Bi Linglong knew he was deliberately complimenting her to change the subject, but she was still very pleased and soon became lost in the passion of the kiss.

A moment later, she suddenly shivered and couldn't help but playfully hit him a few times with her fists. That rascal truly knew how to take advantage of the situation.

...

After an unknown amount of time, Bi Linglong lazily pushed the man beside her. "It's almost dawn; you should leave."

"No," Zu'an mumbled, burying his head against her chest.

"Stop messing around; the palace maids will be up soon." Though Bi Linglong was reluctant to see him go, she still maintained her composure.

With no other choice, Zu'an bid her farewell. "I'm leaving for Yunzhong Commandery today. I probably won't see you for several months."

Bi Linglong's eyes were full of tenderness. As she helped him straighten his clothes, she cautioned, "Be careful on your journey. It doesn't matter even if you can't uncover the truth of the case; your safety is paramount."

"Don't worry," Zu'an reassured her. "The Emperor has granted me an imperial decree. If there's a critical moment, I can call upon his power to intervene."

Hearing him say that, Bi Linglong finally breathed a sigh of relief. She, of course, knew how immensely powerful an imperial decree was, but she was somewhat surprised. Generally, the Emperor only entrusted imperial decrees to his trusted Embroidered Uniform Guards. Why would he give one to Zu'an?

However, on second thought, Zu'an had demonstrated sufficient ability in the previous academy secret realm and had helped the Crown Prince pass the imperial examination, earning the Emperor's trust. It made sense, then.

Zu'an looked down at her flushed, peach-like face, his own face full of smiles. "You sound just like a wife talking to her departing husband."

Bi Linglong spat playfully and quickly pushed him into a secret passage. Only then did she return to bed and lie down. Thinking of her status, she couldn't help but let out a soft sigh.

A moment later, there was a sound from outside. Rong Mo knocked on the door and whispered, "Your Highness, it's time to get up."

Bi Linglong instinctively pulled the blanket up to cover the hickey on her neck. Then she realized the other person couldn't see her, so she said languidly, "I'm a bit tired today; I need to sleep a little longer. Don't disturb me."

It was all that rascal's fault; he had worn her out for most of the night. At this moment, her whole body felt like it was falling apart. How could she possibly want to get up?

After all, she was the mistress of the Eastern Palace and didn't need to attend court like the Emperor, so she had this much freedom.

Rong Mo was a little surprised. She knew that the Crown Princess had always been very diligent over the years; the Crown Prince neglected his duties, and the Crown Princess handled all the official documents in the Eastern Palace. Thus, she was exceptionally strict with herself. What was different today?

But she didn't say much more. She figured it must be because the Crown Princess's lifespan had been damaged in the secret realm, and her mental energy was not as good as before.

It was all Zu'an's fault for not protecting the Crown Princess properly!

"Achoo!" On the other side, Zu'an sneezed loudly, wondering which girl was thinking of him now.

After leaving the Eastern Palace, he obviously had no time to sleep. He gathered his men in the imperial palace and left with a hundred Imperial Forest Guards.

The Imperial Forest Guards were a branch of the palace's imperial army. Each one was rigorously trained and typically possessed at least a fifth-rank cultivation level. While they might not be a match for some martial arts masters in one-on-one combat, they were skilled in formations and combined attack techniques. Against an equal number of martial artists of the same rank, they usually achieved a complete victory.

Even against masters far exceeding the fifth rank, they could put up a fight.

The number of guards was also sufficient. To deal with a hundred Imperial Forest Guards, one would need to dispatch several times that number in troops. But this time, they represented an imperial envoy, and attacking them would be tantamount to rebellion.

If the enemy was intent on rebellion, there would be no difference between a hundred Imperial Forest Guards and a thousand.

Soon after, they met up with Sang Hong's people at a dock outside the city. Although cultivation was highly developed in this world, and various runic formations greatly improved transportation convenience, it still couldn't compare to the planes and trains of his previous life's technological civilization.

After all, runic formations required the consumption of primeval stones, which was simply too expensive. Only a select few could afford them, and they became impractical with larger numbers of people.

Therefore, just like in ancient times of his previous life, traveling by water was definitely more convenient and efficient.

The Suidan River stretched for thousands of miles from north to south and passed right through the capital city.

Tributaries along the way had been dredged and expanded, forming a convenient waterway network. For a city as large as the capital, the consumption of bulk goods like grain, timber, and ore was astonishing, and these were primarily transported by water.

The envoy's team would travel north along the Suidan River, then disembark halfway to travel overland, heading west all the way to Yunzhong Commandery.

After all, the Suidan River did not pass through Yunzhong Commandery.

This time, Sang Hong was serving as the imperial envoy. Various officials came to see him off on behalf of the court. Even the Emperor sent an eunuch to read an imperial decree to enhance the grandeur of the occasion.

Zu'an yawned. Fortunately, Sang Hong was handling all of it. Otherwise, he would have been annoyed to death.

Suddenly, he noticed a few familiar figures in the crowd and was both surprised and delighted. "Why are you here?"

Two young men, looking dignified and imposing, clearly stood out from the surrounding crowd.

One of them had a square face and immediately gave off an impression of integrity and seriousness, exuding reliability.

The other was melancholic and handsome and looked like a troubled youth.

The two were none other than Gao Ying and Pei You.

Seeing him, a hint of a smile appeared on Gao Ying's usually serious face. "This trip to Yunzhong Commandery is a great opportunity for various prominent families to gain experience. Many people competed to come, and we were chosen largely thanks to you."

Pei You no longer maintained his aloof, handsome demeanor and whispered with a laugh, "I've long heard that northern girls are tall with long legs, and I've always yearned to see them. Now that I finally have the chance to experience it myself, how could I miss it?"

Zu'an's expression was strange. This guy acted like a reserved youth in front of outsiders, but was incredibly covertly wild in front of familiar friends. What was the word for it? Right, 'covertly wild'. Many of his classmates in his previous life were like this, making him feel a particular sense of familiarity.

"This trip to Yunzhong Commandery might not be smooth sailing," Zu'an couldn't speak plainly about many things now, so he could only hint.

Gao Ying replied, "Brother Zu, don't worry. We aren't dissolute young masters. We definitely won't be a burden to you, and we might even be able to help."

Zu'an thought the same. Both of them were peak sixth-rank masters, already outstanding for their age. Moreover, they had the Liu and Pei families backing them. From any perspective, they were powerful allies.

"Brother-in-law! Brother-in-law!" Just then, a clear voice of a young person came from nearby. An incomparably handsome youth was waving to Zu'an.

Zu'an smiled knowingly and hurried to meet him. "Youzhao, why are you here?"

Seeing Murong Qinghe beside him, he also smiled and nodded at her. "Hello, Qinghe."

"Hello, Brother Zu," Murong Qinghe responded gracefully, but her attention quickly returned to Chu Youzhao, thinking to herself that Brother Chu was truly handsome; no other man could compare.

Gao Ying secretly poked Pei You. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, you've been outshone."

"When Miss Chu first came to the capital, she attracted the admiration of countless princes and noble young masters. With such an exquisitely beautiful older sister, how could the younger brother be any less impressive?" Pei You said dismissively. "Besides, as true men, when do we ever rely on our looks to win?"

Gao Ying's face was sour. He thought to himself, "Of course you don't have these worries since you're handsome. It's us ordinary-looking people who have all the troubles."

However, he was also open-minded and quickly recovered from his negative emotions.

On the other side, Chu Youzhao's eyes curved like crescent moons. "Brother-in-law is going on a long journey, so of course I had to come see you off. Here, these are thick clothes I prepared for you. It's cold in the north, so wear more layers. These are pastries from Desheng Tower; eat them if you get hungry on the way. And these are..."

Watching her stuff various items into his hands, Zu'an felt a warmth spread through his heart. It really felt good to be cared for.

"Thank you, but this isn't quite like you, is it?" But Zu'an quickly realized something was off. Although Chu Youzhao was a girl, she had been raised like a boy since childhood. She was usually very carefree and certainly not this meticulous.

Chu Youzhao's expression became a little unnatural, and she eventually told the truth. "Many of these things were prepared with Qinghe's help, like the measurements for your clothes, and so on..."

Murong Qinghe, who was standing nearby, blushed. "I was just helping Brother Chu."

Zu'an was a little surprised. He hadn't expected this tomboy, Murong Qinghe, to have such a thoughtful side. It seemed girls were indeed girls. In comparison, Chu Youzhao was quite the simpleton.

"Anyway, thank you both. When I return from Yunzhong Commandery, I'll bring you back some interesting things from there." As soon as the words left his mouth, Zu'an wanted to slap himself. "Why does it feel like I'm jinxing myself? Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey! Children's words don't count, children's words don't count."

"Yay!" Chu Youzhao was overjoyed. Murong Qinghe didn't mind; if Brother Chu was happy, she was happy.

On the other side, Gao Ying was a little puzzled. "Didn't Old Master Murong lose his official position because of Brother Zu? Yet Miss Murong seems to have a very good relationship with Brother Zu."

"Brother Zu's charm is certainly extraordinary," Pei You said. "Even courtesans as stunning as Lady Nanxun, whose beauty fills the capital, favor him. Let alone a young girl from the Murong family." Pei You was filled with envy when he spoke of this. They had witnessed it firsthand back then, and the impact was simply too powerful.

"I think Murong Qinghe is quite pretty too," Gao Ying stroked his chin, commenting. "Although she's a bit tanned, she's clearly a beauty in the making. In a few years, she might not be any worse than Nanxun."

When do men most easily bond?Of course, when talking about women.

The two had faced life and death together in the secret realm and had visited places like the Red Sleeves Pavilion together several times. They were truly close friends now. In public, they would never speak like this, but in private, there was no need to maintain their usual image in front of each other.

"Huh?" Pei You rubbed his arm, looking disgusted. "I didn't expect you to be this kind of person."

Gao Ying was first startled, then furious. "Bastard, you know perfectly well I didn't mean that! I like women with big chests and shapely bottoms. We've been to Red Sleeves Pavilion together several times; don't you know my preferences by now!"

Pei You reminded him, "Lower your voice; if someone hears you, your reputation will be completely ruined."

Gao Ying looked around and indeed saw people looking their way, having heard the noise. He couldn't help but blush.

Just then, Pei You suddenly whistled. "Oh, a beauty?"

"Where?" Gao Ying also looked in the direction of his gaze and saw a woman in a green dress gracefully approaching from a distance. Her hair was styled in the most elegant and beautiful bun, and her entire being exuded a gentle, ethereal aura.

The beauty of a cultivated mind shines through!

For some reason, that phrase simultaneously popped into both their minds.

Her appearance was fine, though very beautiful. But as young masters from prominent families, they were accustomed to seeing beauties in the capital. What truly refreshed them was the lingering scholarly aura about her.

"A woman like this is truly suitable to marry and have as a virtuous wife at home," Pei You couldn't help but exclaim.

"Indeed," Gao Ying deeply agreed. While the women in brothels were charming and alluring and provided amusement, compared to this woman, they instantly seemed dull and uninteresting.

"I wonder which family's young lady she is." Both noticed that while her dress wasn't lavish, its quality was extraordinary. Combined with her unique temperament, she was clearly not a peasant girl.

"Why do I feel like she looks familiar?" Gao Ying asked, puzzled. "Have I seen her somewhere before?"

"I thought I was the only one who felt that way!" Pei You was somewhat surprised. "Huh, she's walking this way. Could it be that she's smitten by my exceptional aura today?"

After speaking, he deliberately straightened his posture and discreetly adjusted his uniform.

Today, for the official envoy trip, he was in his official attire, which made him look much more proper than usual.

Gao Ying thought to himself that this fellow certainly cleaned up well. Knowing full well that the woman couldn't be coming for him, he refused to admit defeat verbally. "You're really pushing it. If she's looking for anyone, it's Brother Zu."

Pei You raised an eyebrow, about to retort with something harsh, but in the next moment, his eyes went wide. Because the woman indeed walked straight towards Zu'an.

"Brother Zu~" The gentle woman softly called out Zu'an's name.

"Daoyun, why are you here?" Zu'an was both surprised and delighted. The person, of course, was Xie Daoyun.

Chu Youzhao, standing nearby, frowned. She felt no joy at seeing someone from her hometown. Instead, she felt a sense of crisis.

"Brother Zu is going on a long journey, so I specifically asked my teacher for half a day off to see you off," Xie Daoyun said. "My younger brother was originally going to come too, but he's reached a critical stage in his cultivation, and his teacher won't allow him to leave. So, on his behalf, I apologize and hope Brother Zu doesn't mind." Xie Daoyun's voice was like raindrops falling into a lake, instantly instilling a sense of peace in those who heard it.

"Why would I mind? Of course, cultivation is more important," Zu'an replied.

"Oh, right, winter has arrived, and the north is bitterly cold. I specifically..." As she spoke, she reached into her storage pouch. Then her gaze fell upon the clothes nearby, and her expression momentarily froze.

At this point, Chu Youzhao, standing nearby, exclaimed, "Oh, my sister prepared a lot of winter clothes for Brother-in-law. Could it be that Miss Xie also prepared clothes?"

Murong Qinghe, beside her, had a strange expression. Thinking to herself, "Is Brother Chu saying this deliberately because he thinks this Miss Xie and his brother-in-law might have something going on? Oh, it's like those family dramas with the first, second, and third wives fighting. How boring! But Brother Chu is doing it for his sister. Well, in that case, it's understandable."

"Of course not," Xie Daoyun quickly recovered. Her hand in the storage pouch changed direction, instead pulling out something else. "The north is bitterly cold, and Yunzhong Commandery's people are particularly fierce. This talisman will provide an extra layer of protection."

Zu'an recognized the talisman in her hand as the Line of Life Talisman he had seen before, and he was overjoyed. "Thank you, Sister Daoyun. That talisman saved my life in the secret realm last time. Now that I have it, I feel even more secure."

Hearing that she was giving him something for protection, Chu Youzhao's hostility towards her instantly diminished. On the contrary, the more she looked at Xie Daoyun, the more pleasing she found her.

Xie Daoyun, however, seemed a little apologetic. "Unfortunately, the conditions for creating this talisman are extremely demanding. With my current cultivation, I only barely managed to successfully create one during this time. Otherwise, I would have drawn a few more for Brother Zu."

"Sister Daoyun, please don't blame yourself," Zu'an said. "I am also a cultivator; naturally, I know how precious something that can almost grant an extra life is. How could it be easy to create? I'm already incredibly grateful to receive just one. I don't even know how to repay you." Zu'an originally wanted to flirt and jokingly offer himself in return, but in front of others, he worried it might offend her.

Xie Daoyun smiled faintly. "Brother Zu, you exaggerate. I really liked the poem and zither music you gave me last time."

Chu Youzhao, standing nearby, instantly bristled at these words. *Brother-in-law secretly sent love poems to other women? He never sent me a poem!*

Rage points from Chu Youzhao: +288 +288 +288...

Zu'an jumped in surprise, wondering what this little girl was getting so worked up about.

Just then, Xie Daoyun said softly, "I've been out long enough. I need to go back to my cultivation. Brother Zu, please take care on your journey."

There were too many people at the dock, and she wasn't quite accustomed to being so exposed in public.

"You too, Sister Daoyun; don't overwork yourself with cultivation." Zu'an waved goodbye.

Xie Daoyun's face flushed slightly, and after a slight nod towards him, she floated gracefully away.

"She's already walked so far away, and you're still watching," Chu Youzhao muttered sourly.

Zu'an was about to reply when a waft of fragrant air suddenly came from beside him, and a soft, enchanting voice spoke up. "That seemed to be Lord Xie's daughter, didn't it? Meeting an acquaintance in a foreign land, but what a pity there was no chance to chat."

Gao Ying and Pei You, who were staring from afar, had their eyes wide with surprise. "Why are there two more beauties?"

"Those seem to be people from the Sang family, don't they?" Gao Ying recalled that the two women had just come from Sang Hong's direction.

"It's always been rumored in the capital that the Sang family's daughter-in-law is stunningly beautiful," Pei You couldn't help but exclaim in admiration. "Because she became a widow shortly after marrying into the family, countless profligate young masters in the capital used to climb walls to peek at her. Seeing her today, she's even more beautiful than the rumors suggest." With his critical eye, it was difficult to find any flaw in Zheng Dan.

She possessed both the allure of a courtesan and the dignity of a respectable woman. It was truly unimaginable that someone could perfectly blend these two entirely different temperaments.

Finally, thinking of her background, he couldn't help but sigh. "To be widowed at such a young age is truly regrettable."

"I advise you not to have any ideas about her," Gao Ying whispered from beside him.

"I was merely expressing admiration for something beautiful," Pei You quickly defended himself, but he couldn't help but ask, "Why?"

"Haven't you noticed how radiant and stunning she looks?" Gao Ying said. "There's not a hint of sorrow or suffering typical of a widow. What's more, I heard that she and Brother Zu were escorted to the capital together back then. They even shared a carriage..." Gao Ying gave him a knowing look.

"Are you saying?" Pei You was startled.

"Just look at her eyes," Gao Ying gestured with his chin towards them. "When she speaks, her eyes are always smiling and fixed on Brother Zu."

Pei You looked closely and indeed saw that Zheng Dan's eyes held a smile when she spoke, and most of the time, they were looking at Zu'an. "You're right! Huh? Why does Miss Sang's gaze towards him look similar?"

Even Gao Ying was surprised now. He looked carefully and, sure enough, noticed that although Sang Qian was half-hidden behind Zheng Dan, she, too, frequently glanced at Zu'an, and there was something in her eyes.

"Miss Sang is also a great beauty," Pei You exclaimed. Unlike Zheng Dan, Sang Qian possessed a completely different kind of beauty.

If Zheng Dan represented the allure of a charming young woman, then Sang Qian represented youthful innocence. The reason they had discussed Zheng Dan more before was mainly because "trouble often brews at a widow's door."

His expression turned strange. "Are you saying Brother Zu has both the aunt and niece... Amazing!"

Even Gao Ying, who was always upright and proper, couldn't help but exclaim, "Brother Zu is truly a role model for our generation! On the rest of this journey, I must learn more from him."

Of course, neither of them actually believed Zu'an had any substantial relationship with the two women, but winning the affection of both women was astonishing enough.

However, the protagonist, whom they envied, was currently in a chaotic situation. Chu Youzhao was secretly pinching the flesh on his waist, while smiling and saying, "Brother-in-law certainly has many different 'sisters'!"

Zu'an felt a headache coming on. Fortunately, at that moment, Sang Hong's puzzled voice came from afar. "Hmm, where is Lord Gold Medal Eleven? Why hasn't he arrived yet?"