Chapter 1123: A Place to Stay

Xiao Yao caught his breath. "Not necessarily. Her exact age has always been a mystery, but she was already renowned as the most beautiful woman in the capital decades ago. So she definitely isn't in her teens or twenties. At the very least, she's from the same generation as Man Man's mother. Therefore, the poison Man Man's mother suffered from very likely originated from her."

Zu An said gravely, "From my interactions with her, although she's resourceful, she has a kind nature. She shouldn't be the type to maliciously harm others."

"How long have you known her? You only know a person's face, not their heart," Xiao Yao dismissed his words, instead looking at him and cautioning, "Young man, beware of beauty; it can be a dangerous trap. Don't be ensnared by it."

Zu An muttered inwardly, thinking, 'If you hadn't been captivated by Man Man's mother's beauty back then, how could you have fallen from a recognized prodigy to a disgraced drunkard everyone laments?' Aloud, he said, "Brother Xiao, you can doubt my judgment, but do you even disbelieve the Chancellor's discernment?"

Xiao Yao fell silent too. After a long pause, he said, "I will confirm with my teacher once I return to the capital. However, before that, she must be taken into custody to prevent her from causing harm."

Zu An: "..."

Seeing his resolute attitude, Zu An gave up on trying to persuade him. He simply said, "She is your fellow disciple, after all. Out of consideration for your shared mentorship, I hope you can ensure her safety before she arrives in the capital and prevent her from being taken advantage of by opportunistic individuals."

He was uneasy about Yu Yanluo being confined alone. Although Sang Hong's men were guarding her, he couldn't discern Xu Yu's intentions or objectives, which left a heavy weight on his mind. Moreover, Yu Yanluo was exceptionally beautiful. While she normally had the protection of family experts and her own cultivation, now that she was incapacitated and unable to defend herself, it was hard to guarantee that some individuals wouldn't harbor malicious thoughts.

Xiao Yao nodded. "Don't worry, with me here, no one will harm her."

Zu An naturally trusted Xiao Yao's character. Obtaining his assurance, he finally left with a relieved mind.

He quickly rushed to the Yu clan residence, only to find the entire place in chaos. The meticulously trimmed flowers and trees were disheveled, and many tables and chairs had been roughly overturned. The maids were weeping, while the guards and servants wore indignant expressions.

Zu An hurriedly found someone to ask what had happened. Because he frequently visited the Yu residence, many people were familiar with him. Upon seeing him, they tearfully pulled at him, as if they had committed some wrongdoing, pleading, "Lord Zu, please save our madam!"

"What exactly happened? Where are Gong Pan and the others?" Zu An's gaze swept around, but he didn't see the familiar guard leaders.

"They were all arrested!" a group of people exclaimed, all talking at once. It took a while for Zu An to finally understand what had happened. At the same time Yu Yanluo was invited to the Prefect's mansion, Xu Yu had dispatched troops to arrest all relevant members of the Yu clan. The official reason given was to investigate allegations of collusion and smuggling with the demon race within the Yu clan. Many individuals, led by Yu Xuansu, were taken away for investigation, including Gong Pan. Since Yu Yanluo was absent, the Yu clan was leaderless and dared not openly resist the imperial army. Coupled with the suddenness of the raid and Yu Xuansu's guilty conscience, the Yu clan's forces couldn't be fully mobilized. They could only helplessly watch as the people were taken away.

"Where is Xing Nu?" Zu An wondered, thinking how cunning and calculating Xu Yu was, leaving no opportunity for rescue. He quickly pressed for information, asking if she was among those taken away.

"Sister Xing Nu resisted and escaped. She even injured several soldiers. Will she be wanted by the imperial court?" a young maid asked timidly, clearly believing that openly resisting the imperial court was a tremendous calamity.

"Which direction did she escape in?" Zu An naturally had no interest in answering the young girl's questions and asked urgently.

"That way. Many soldiers went after her," the young maid pointed in a direction.

No sooner had she finished speaking than Zu An, with a light leap, vanished from sight.

A group of young maids looked at each other, discussing with some uncertainty:"Did Lord Zu go to save Sister Xing Nu?""He probably did.""But he's an imperial official.""But he has such a good relationship with Madam, I trust him."

Zu An sped all the way. A considerable amount of time had passed since Xing Nu's escape. He simultaneously released his spiritual sense and used his jade cong to summon nearby small animals to look for any traces.

A short while later, he found some traces of a struggle on the road and followed them. Finally, in the distance, he saw a squad of soldiers searching around. A thought stirred in his mind, and he quickly revealed himself to inquire.

"Lord Zu!" Zu An had become a well-known figure in Yunzhong Commandery these past days, and a military officer quickly recognized him.

"What are you doing?" Zu An asked, feigning ignorance.

"We are apprehending a fugitive," the soldier replied.

"Have you caught her?" Zu An kept looking around. He breathed a sigh of relief when he didn't see Xing Nu.

"No, that female bandit is extremely cunning, and her cultivation is quite unusual. We accidentally let her get away. However, the city gates are now sealed, and we are searching everywhere. She won't be able to hide for long," the soldier declared confidently.

Zu An was secretly delighted. He patted the soldier's shoulder. "Well done. Find that female bandit as soon as possible."

Feeling affirmed by the important figure, the soldier immediately perked up. 'One of the imperial envoys patted my shoulder. He must think highly of me! Isn't this the start of the peak of my life?'

Zu An naturally wasn't concerned with the soldiers' internal thoughts. As he walked down the street, he pondered: 'Yu Yanluo told me to contact Xing Nu, but now that Xing Nu has run off, what should I do? Yunzhong Commandery is so vast, where do I even begin to look?'

Suddenly, a thought struck him: 'If I were Xing Nu, where would I go at a time like this?' Most likely, she would go to a pre-arranged safe house or similar location. This would be a top family secret, only known by Yu Yanluo. However, Yu Yanluo's arrest was such a major event that news would likely spread throughout the city very quickly. Even if Xu Yu tried to conceal the true reason, Xing Nu would surely realize that the serpent clan's secret had been compromised as soon as she heard. Yu Yanluo trusted her so deeply that Xing Nu probably wouldn't hide in a safe house just for her own safety. Instead, she would try to find a way to rescue Yu Yanluo and their clan members. But her own strength wouldn't be enough, so she would need external help. So, who would she think of seeking help from first?

Zu An's first thought was himself, but he quickly dismissed this idea. Xing Nu might not know the true nature of his relationship with Yu Yanluo. Furthermore, he was a member of the imperial envoy delegation, and Yu Yanluo had been arrested by imperial officials, with soldiers searching for her everywhere. The risk of coming to see him would be far too great. So, who else could she turn to?

A thought stirred in Zu An's mind, and he quickly ran toward the Duke's mansion. Jian Yanyou was Yu Yanluo's husband. Although they didn't have marital relations, their relationship was good, and they had cooperated for many years. Xing Nu would certainly know this. Moreover, as a dignified Duke, Jian Yanyou also possessed the power to help Yu Yanluo.

Still some distance from the Duke's mansion, his keen spiritual sense allowed him to hear sounds of fighting coming from a secluded alley not far away. He hurried over to investigate and found Xing Nu being besieged by a squad of soldiers.

Xing Nu was covered in bloodstains, her heart seething with resentment. If she hadn't been severely wounded by those experts during the breakout from the Yu residence, she wouldn't be struggling against even these common soldiers now. Feeling her strength gradually drain away, she knew her fate was sealed. Despair filled her heart. At first, she had hoped things would be fine once her madam returned, but then she heard the news that her madam had also been captured. Clearly, the serpent clan's secret had been exposed. Not only could she not save her madam, but she also couldn't save her other clan members. Was Heaven truly intent on destroying their clan?

Just then, a black shadow flashed by, and the soldiers besieging her fell one after another. Startled, she was about to brace herself against an enemy when she heard a gentle voice say, "Don't be afraid, it's me. Madam sent me to rescue you."

"Young Master Zu!" Recognizing him, Xing Nu's heart filled with joy. As Yu Yanluo's personal maid, she naturally knew how special he was to her mistress. The reason she hadn't gone to the imperial envoy's residence to find him was her concern that it would be heavily guarded and she would walk straight into a trap. Now that he had come to rescue her voluntarily, Madam had indeed judged him correctly.

Due to excessive blood loss, as soon as her tension eased, her entire body went limp, swaying and almost collapsing. Zu An quickly supported her and gave her a Jade Marrow Rejuvenation Pill.

Feeling the medicinal power rapidly dissolving within her and even recovering a portion of her cultivation, Xing Nu was both joyful and surprised. "Young Master Zu, you're actually wasting such a precious spirit medicine on a mere maid like me!"

"You're too severely injured; ordinary healing medicine won't work. No matter how precious the spirit medicine, it's not as important as your life," Zu An said gravely. "Don't worry about the medicine now. Madam Yu instructed me to find you and tell you to contact Butler Fu. Together, you are to safely escort the clan members away."

Xing Nu stared blankly at him, a myriad of thoughts swirling in her mind. Having lived in human society for so many years, she naturally understood what humans thought of the demon race. Yet, Zu An, knowing their true identity, still came to their rescue and was even willing to use such precious spirit medicine on a mere maid. No wonder her madam regarded him so specially; this man was simply different from all the other men in the world.

Just then, a flurry of chaotic footsteps echoed from the distance. "Signal received! It seems the fugitive has been spotted! Everyone, hurry over!" From the sound of the footsteps, it was clear that many people were rushing over upon hearing the news. Xing Nu's face was filled with worry. She wasn't concerned that Zu An couldn't defeat them. Rather, as an imperial official, if Zu An were to engage these soldiers, so many eyes would surely make it impossible to conceal. Then, vast as the world might be, there would be no place for him to take refuge.