Chapter 1117: Life-and-Death Matter of Survival

Zu An had considered handing Han Fengqiu over to Sang Hong as a witness. However, after visiting Shen Zhou's wife and children's tomb and recalling the dozens of innocent lives lost in the village, he decisively abandoned the idea. He felt he had no right to forgive anyone on their behalf; his only role was to deliver the culprit and let them decide. As for dealing with King Qi, one more or one less Han Fengqiu would not make a significant difference.

After paying his respects, Zu An returned to the embassy and saw Imperial Guards constantly bringing in arrested individuals. Sang Hong was also busily engaged, interrogating prisoners and reviewing accounts and statistics. Zu An finally found an opportunity to speak with him. "Uncle, are there any issues with the ledger?"

"Some entries don't match up. King Qi's faction clearly tried to cover their tracks recently, but these discrepancies are easily identifiable upon closer inspection," Sang Hong said, a hint of a smile appearing on his face. "This time, King Qi will likely not escape justice. Oh, by the way, I heard there was a major battle at a courtyard in the city, and many assassins died there."

Zu An understood the implication and nodded. "Someone needs to be held accountable for those innocent villagers."

Sang Hong stopped there. "I'll instruct the yamen officials that since they were assassins, it was likely a vendetta among martial artists. They will close the case quickly."

A warmth spread through Zu An's heart; he knew Sang Hong was covering for him. "Thank you, Uncle."

"This has nothing to do with you; why are you thanking me?" Sang Hong replied with a wily smile.

The two then discussed specific details of King Qi's case. Afterward, Sang Hong continued interrogating those involved, while Zu An took the opportunity to visit the Pei residence.

He was already familiar with the guards and layout of the Pei residence. He easily made his way to Pei Manman's courtyard. Upon entering, he ran into Hong Zao, pinched her chubby cheeks, and handed her the snacks he had brought. Usually, her eyes would light up at the sight of snacks, and she would sweetly call him 'young master' repeatedly. This time, however, she simply snorted, turned her back, and continued what she was doing, as if she hadn't seen him at all.

Puzzled, Zu An went upstairs. He saw a graceful figure sitting by the window, playing the zither. Her fiery red dress made her appear even more captivating. She sat with a straight back, her posture serene and elegant. Unlike other young ladies from prominent families, however, she seemed to have rested her ample bosom on the table, perhaps to ease the burden on her body. The curves, pressed against the table, were breathtaking, making it impossible to look away.

Zu An did not disturb her. He quietly listened to the entire melody before praising, "The music is beautiful, but the person is even more so."

"Oh, I suppose our Young Master Zu uses such sweet talk to charm other girls as well," Pei Manman said, clearly aware of his presence. She gently stroked the zither strings without even turning around.

Her tone immediately made Zu An understand. He squeezed next to her and sat down, smiling. "What, still jealous?" No wonder Hong Zao had given him the cold shoulder; he had been so busy these past two days that he had almost forgotten the incident where Pei Manman saw him with Tang Tian'er clinging to his arm.

"How dare I?" she said. "With so many confidantes around you, I'd die of sourness if I got jealous of every one." Pei Manman still didn't look at him, seemingly engrossed in the zither strings.

Zu An explained, "The last time, I was genuinely investigating a case. It was through Miss Tang that I discovered the owner behind the Jade Pavilion was actually the Flying Horse Merchant Association. We raided them and found out they were connected to the Demonic Sect and King Yan… The deeper we investigated, the more complex things became. It turns out King Qi orchestrated everything…"

At first, hearing Tang Tian'er's name made Pei Manman let out a soft hmph, but as Zu An continued, her attention was quickly captured. After understanding the whole situation, her mouth hung open in surprise, completely forgetting her jealousy. "I can't believe King Yan colluded with the Demonic Sect! And King Qi is truly cunning, making fools of us all!"

Zu An sighed. "My greater concern now is you. King Qi's new representative in Yunzhong Commandery is your father. But the Emperor is determined to eliminate King Qi, and this imperial envoy mission has already uncovered sufficient evidence. King Qi's good days are numbered, and your father will be implicated then."

Pei Manman scoffed. "He loves to curry favor; let him be."

Zu An persuaded her, "He is your father, after all. And if he's punished, you'll certainly be implicated too."

"He's only my father in name," Pei Manman said, a frosty expression on her face, clearly harboring resentment. "How has he treated me like a real daughter all these years? And how did he treat my mother back then?"

Zu An knew well the treatment Pei Manman received in her early years. It was only later, when her beauty became exceptionally outstanding, that the Pei family began treating her slightly better, hoping to use her for future marriage alliances. Even then, they only assigned her a sickly, unwanted maid and allocated the most remote and dilapidated courtyard in the mansion to her. Her treatment was far below that of a City Lord's daughter, or even a young lady from an ordinary family.

"I'm not worried about his fate, but I am worried about you being collateral damage," Zu An said, taking her hand.

Feeling his concern, Pei Manman's lingering jealousy vanished. She naturally leaned into his embrace. "From what you just said, King Qi's other representative is Yu Xuansu, my stepmother's father. I know that woman's nature best; with that connection, my father wouldn't be able to withdraw even if he wanted to."

"I know you mean well for me, but informing him would put you in danger. After all, the Yu family, both father and daughter, and King Qi's side would be forewarned, and it might turn out badly for you."

Zu An chuckled. "They say girls are outwardly focused; it's true! My dear Manman truly cares more about her lover, me!"

"You scoundrel!" Pei Manman exclaimed, playfully biting his shoulder.

Hearing the playful sounds from upstairs, Hong Zao downstairs covered her ears and mumbled, "Miss is truly spineless, reconciling with young master so quickly." Her gaze then shifted to the box of pastries Zu An had brought, and she couldn't help but swallow. "It's not my fault. Even Miss has forgiven him, so what can a maid like me do?" After this little monologue, she seemed to shed her mental burden and quickly opened the box, beginning to feast with gusto. "Mmm, so delicious! Young master is the best!"

After spending a long, tender time with Pei Manman, Zu An still went to see Pei Shao. Though Pei Manman didn't voice it, Zu An knew she yearned for familial affection. Even if he couldn't stop Pei Shao's ambition, he could at least delay his commitment to King Qi.

"Lord Zu, what brings you here?" Pei Shao asked, surprised when he saw him. The critical point was that Zu An hadn't used the main entrance or given prior notice, indicating an unannounced visit. "Someone, bring tea!"

"No need. I have something I wish to discuss with the City Lord alone," Zu An interrupted.

"What advice does Lord Zu have for me?" Pei Shao naturally understood that Zu An wanted no one else present. He secretly felt a pang of alarm, wondering if Zu An had come to assassinate him. He had heard many rumors about Zu An lately and wasn't confident he could defeat him in a one-on-one fight.

"The City Lord must be aware that many people were arrested today, correct?" Zu An asked, getting straight to the point.

"Indeed, I've heard as much. Unfortunately, Lord Sang is keeping everything confidential, so I'm unaware of the crimes committed by these officials and merchants," Pei Shao replied.

"Is the City Lord truly unaware, or merely pretending to be?" Zu An said with a knowing smile.

Pei Shao's expression changed. "What do you mean, Lord Zu?"

Zu An smiled. "I heard the City Lord intends to arrange a marriage alliance with King Qi recently?"

Pei Shao chuckled awkwardly. "Lord Zu is jesting. How could we aspire to such a high connection with the Crown Prince of King Qi?"

Seeing him still trying to play coy even at this point, Zu An inwardly sneered. "The City Lord is a smart man; you must have guessed what those arrests signify. Given the Pei family's status and foundation, you could perfectly well wait and see how the situation develops before making a decision. Aligning too early with certain individuals means that if a major upheaval truly occurs, you won't be able to disassociate yourself."

Pei Shao's expression shifted several times. He had already been uneasy when he heard that those arrested today were all connected to King Qi. Now, hearing Zu An's words, he immediately considered various potential consequences. He asked in a deep voice, "Lord Zu, why are you telling me all this? Are you… acting as a lobbyist?"

Zu An chuckled. "The City Lord thinks too highly of himself. The Emperor is occupied with countless affairs and likely doesn't concern himself with matters at the City Lord's level."

Pei Shao's face fell, but he knew Zu An was speaking the truth. Zu An then sighed. "Mainly, Miss Pei helped me a great deal back in Brightmoon City, and I'm simply repaying a favor. The City Lord is an intelligent man; you should conduct yourself accordingly." Having said that, he didn't wait for Pei Shao to detain him and quickly vanished out the window.

Pei Shao hurriedly called for a servant. "Go summon my wife, and also inform my father-in-law that there's an urgent matter to discuss." However, just as the servant was about to leave, Pei Shao stopped him. "Never mind, don't call them." The subordinate looked at him, bewildered. Pei Shao pondered for a long time before ordering, "Tell everyone in the mansion to temporarily halt preparations for the dowry. I will inform you of the next steps later."

Over the next few days, Zu An kept an eye on the Pei residence's movements. When he learned that Pei Shao had indeed postponed dowry preparations and seemed to have had a big argument with his wife over it, he breathed a sigh of relief, knowing his words had had an effect. Pei Manman felt a huge weight lift from her heart upon learning she wouldn't have to marry King Qi's Crown Prince for now. Her affection for Zu An deepened, and she showered him with tenderness. Poor Hong Zao, however, suffered sleepless nights due to the sounds from upstairs, resulting in constant dark circles under her eyes.

After a few days of living a blissful life, Aide Xu Yu suddenly summoned all high-ranking officials in Yunzhong Commandery to the Prefect's mansion, stating there was a critical matter concerning the commandery's survival to discuss. Zu An and Sang Hong were puzzled; they couldn't find out what was happening through any channels, but since the summons was so solemn, they had no choice but to accept the invitation.

"Brother Shen!"

"Hm!"

As Shen Changqing walked, he encountered acquaintances, exchanging greetings or nods. Regardless of who it was, everyone's face was devoid of extra expression, as if they were indifferent to everything. Shen Changqing had grown accustomed to this.

This was the Demon Suppressing Division, an organization that maintained the stability of the Great Qin Dynasty. Its primary duty was to slay demons and monsters, though it had other auxiliary tasks as well. One could say that everyone in the Demon Suppressing Division had much blood on their hands. When a person becomes accustomed to life and death, they grow indifferent to many things. When he first arrived in this world, Shen Changqing was somewhat unaccustomed, but over time, he grew used to it.

The Demon Suppressing Division was vast. Those who could remain in the Demon Suppressing Division were either powerful experts or individuals with the potential to become experts. Shen Changqing belonged to the latter group. The Demon Suppressing Division had two main professions: Demon Suppressors and Demon Exterminators. Anyone entering the Demon Suppressing Division started as a low-level Demon Exterminator. They would then rise through the ranks, step by step, with the ultimate goal of becoming a Demon Suppressor. Shen Changqing's previous self had been a probationary Demon Exterminator, the lowest kind of Demon Exterminator. Possessing the memories of his predecessor, he was very familiar with the environment of the Demon Suppressing Division.

It didn't take long for Shen Changqing to stop in front of a pavilion. Unlike the other grim and austere places in the Demon Suppressing Division, this pavilion stood out like a crane among chickens, exuding a different kind of tranquility within the blood-soaked division. The pavilion's main gate was open, with people occasionally entering and exiting. Shen Changqing hesitated for only a moment before stepping inside.

Upon entering the pavilion, the environment abruptly changed. A faint smell of ink mixed with a subtle scent of blood assaulted his senses, causing his brow to instinctively furrow, but he quickly relaxed it. The scent of blood on everyone in the Demon Suppressing Division was almost impossible to wash away.