Chapter 1020: The Infiltrator

Pei Mianman couldn't help but say, "Yunzhong Commandery is over ten thousand li from the capital. The difficulty of sending a message there would be far greater than trying to contact Lady Yu or Gong Pan here in Yunzhong. Therefore, the second scenario is much more probable."

Zu An was well aware of this, especially considering Gong Pan's unwavering devotion to Yu Yanluo. As Yu Yanluo's enchanting smile flashed through his mind, he wondered if it was truly the case that the most beautiful women were the most deceitful. When Shen Zhou originally went to the capital to report, the message revealed by his lingering spirit after he was silenced clearly indicated that Jian Taiding was responsible for the Duke of Yunzhong's fate. Yet, Shen Zhou hadn't dared to contact Yu Yanluo or Gong Pan. Could it be that these two were also allied with Jian Taiding?

"Hmph, just look at you; it's obvious you're thinking about a woman," Pei Mianman snorted. "What, is that Yu Yanluo too beautiful for you to forget?"

Zu An snapped out of his thoughts, embraced her, and chuckled, "No matter how beautiful she is, she's still someone else's wife. In my heart, how could anyone compare to you?"

"Such a smooth talker." Although Pei Mianman knew he was deliberately flattering her, she couldn't help but feel a surge of happiness. "Now the trail has gone cold again. It's a shame we didn't find anything at Shen Zhou's house; I thought he would have left some kind of trace."

"It wasn't entirely fruitless. At the very least, we've confirmed Shen Zhou's identity and identified potential suspects, giving us a starting point for further investigation," Zu An said gravely. "What's more, from speaking with his wife, I learned that Shen Zhou was a man of few words. Such a reserved personality suggests he wasn't impulsive. He must have known that going to the capital would be incredibly perilous, so he surely would have made contingency plans, leaving clues through a discreet method."

"But his wife just said that Gong Pan and his men have already taken all his belongings," Pei Mianman countered, her brows furrowed.

Zu An shook his head. "If he made contingency plans, he would certainly have anticipated that someone would come to collect his belongings after his death. The items Gong Pan took were likely worthless."

"But we just searched his room ourselves and found nothing," Pei Mianman replied, recalling their earlier search. She couldn't possibly connect such ordinary items with any sort of clue. She had even asked his wife and Huzhi; Shen Zhou hadn't said anything significant to them before his departure, and the content of their discussions, which they had both analyzed, didn't seem to contain any hidden meanings.

"That's precisely the problem," Zu An said, rubbing his temples, a headache beginning to throb. "For now, all we can do is investigate the belongings Gong Pan collected and then inquire about Shen Zhou's acquaintances during his lifetime." He had just asked Shen Zhou's wife about this, but unfortunately, she was a typical housewife, dedicated solely to managing the household and hard work, with no knowledge of her husband's professional life. Furthermore, due to the sensitive nature of his position, Shen Zhou rarely discussed work matters with his family.

"You must be careful. Shen Zhou has already been silenced. If you uncover anything substantial, I'm concerned the person behind all this won't spare you either," Pei Mianman said, linking her arm through his, her face etched with worry.

Zu An chuckled. "Don't worry. No matter how perilous it is here, can it compare to the dangers of the Yin Ruins and those other secret realms? No matter how formidable the person behind this is, can they be more powerful than the Emperor? Besides, my cultivation has advanced by leaps and bounds..."

"Look how pleased with yourself you are," Pei Mianman chuckled, feeling somewhat reassured as she recalled their past adventures. "Oh, by the way, you still haven't told me what happened after we separated."

"It's freezing out here. Why don't we find an inn and talk through the night?" Zu An looked around. Yunzhong Commandery was a prosperous city, a hub for merchants from the northwest, so even on its outskirts, there were numerous inns.

Pei Mianman's face flushed; she naturally understood his intentions. Just as she was about to speak, she suddenly glanced up at the sky, and her expression changed slightly. "Oh no, it's almost dark."

"Hmm, the city gates are probably about to close," Zu An mused, finding the situation oddly familiar. In his previous life, hadn't college students often pulled similar stunts? They'd take their girlfriends out, deliberately prolong the outing until late, and then, with dorms closed and no way back, they'd have a legitimate excuse to find a hotel.

"No, I have to go back," Pei Mianman said, her urgency palpable.

Zu An was momentarily taken aback. "It's probably too late by now, isn't it? Weren't you always so carefree when you were out before?"

Pei Mianman bit her lip. "That was then. Now my home is right here, and if I don't return tonight, who knows what nasty rumors my stepmother might spread. I don't mind for myself, but I'm worried about tarnishing my mother's reputation."

Zu An immediately understood. If scandalous rumors were to spread, suggesting his mother-in-law had raised a promiscuous daughter, her reputation would suffer even in the afterlife.

"Don't worry, I'll take you back," Zu An said, swinging onto the horse. Forgoing any enjoyment for the moment, he pulled her into his arms and galloped towards the city gate. They eventually stopped at an inn just outside the city gate, entrusting the horse to the innkeeper's care.

Meeting Pei Mianman's questioning gaze, he explained, "The city gates are surely closed by now. We'll have to scale the wall to get in, and this horse definitely can't come with us. Given how cold it is, if we leave it out here, it will likely freeze to death."

Pei Mianman glanced back at the horse. While it was a respectable animal, it was far from a true thousand-li steed, merely a standard-issue government horse provided by local officials for the imperial envoy's delegation. She let out a soft sigh. "Though others say all sorts of bad things about you, only I truly know how gentle and kind you are at heart."

Zu An chuckled. "That auntie just gave me a 'good person card,' and now you're doing it too? I'm not as good as you imagine."

"I don't care. In my heart, you are the best," Pei Mianman said, taking his arm and happily snuggling against his shoulder.

The men in the inn stared openly, their eyes fixed on her. When had they ever seen such a captivating woman? Especially her ample bosom; tsk tsk, the man's arm seemed to be sinking into it. Despite the biting cold, the sight stirred a passionate heat in every man present. Yunzhong Commandery, situated in the rugged northwest and frequently plagued by demon incursions, boasted a fierce populace. Numerous ruthless bandits, accustomed to violence, also roamed the area. Thus, many in the inn harbored malicious thoughts.

The bolder ones swallowed hard and began to approach the couple. Zu An's brows furrowed, but at that moment, Pei Mianman raised a finger, and a wisp of black flame arced directly behind the men, instantly igniting the straw hats on their heads. The men cried out in alarm, hastily tearing off their burning hats and flinging them to the ground. Even so, most of their hair was singed away.

Pei Mianman's delightful laughter echoed from ahead.

"It's rare to see you show such restraint," Zu An remarked, a hint of surprise in his voice.

"Hmph, do you really think I'm such a ruthless person?" Pei Mianman chided playfully. "This young lady is in a good mood today, and I don't wish to see any blood." She did, however, keep one thought to herself: Zu An had previously mentioned that their children would be even more adorable, and she subconsciously wanted to avoid bloodshed to protect her good fortune.

As the couple gradually vanished into the wind and snow, the men in the inn were left with a profound sense of loss. That single display had made it abundantly clear that these two were not to be trifled with. However, they would likely never forget the woman's captivating allure. Who was that man? He was damn lucky with women!

Seeing the string of rage points he received in his system's backend, Zu An couldn't help but chuckle to himself. His old idea of earning rage points by strolling around with a beautiful confidante was indeed proving to be viable.

Undeterred by the minor incident, the two soon arrived outside the city wall. It was late, and the city gates were indeed closed. However, this didn't deter Zu An. He found a secluded spot, embraced Pei Mianman, and ascended the city wall with ease.

"Ah Zu, be careful. There are patrols all over the city wall after dark. It'll be big trouble if you trigger an alarm." In a major city like Yunzhong Commandery, once the city defenses were activated, even Grandmasters would find it extremely difficult, let alone them.

"No worries, I've already used a cat to distract the sentries up there." As he spoke, the two had already successfully leaped into the city. Sure enough, as the two landed, several soldiers on the city wall grumbled their way back.

Pei Mianman's expression was peculiar. "That was the Jade Cong's ability, wasn't it? Tsk, tsk, that thing truly is perfect for illicit rendezvous and seduction."

Zu An coughed awkwardly. "Am I that kind of person? I've only ever 'stolen' you from beginning to end."

As expected, the "fire" was now on her, and Pei Mianman indeed shifted her attention. "Bah, we are mutually in love. Why use such an ugly word as 'steal'?"

The two bantered playfully all the way back to her boudoir in the Pei Residence. Blushing, Pei Mianman took his hand. "Don't leave yet. I'll just go show my face, and I'll come back to you shortly."

"Don't I still need to tell you what happened after we separated? I wasn't planning on leaving anyway," Zu An said, smiling mischievously at her.

Pei Mianman's heart skipped a beat. She stood on tiptoe, kissed him on the cheek, and then quickly hurried away.

Meanwhile, Zu An wandered around her boudoir, realizing this was where his 'Big Mianman' had grown up. He couldn't help but smile at the sight of some childhood toys, an image of a delicate, doll-like little girl appearing in his mind. He had, after all, seen what a younger version of Pei Mianman looked like back in the Yin Shang secret realm.

Just as he was lost in thought, his expression suddenly changed. His body flashed, and he abruptly reached out to his side.