Chapter 1544: Too Naive

Yi Chun had always doted on his son. Now, upon learning that most of the dispatched people were dead or injured, how could he not be anxious?

The attendant was startled by his movement and looked inquiringly at the Emperor. The Emperor nodded slightly, and only then did the attendant speak: "According to those who escaped, Chief Constable Wang and Young Master Yi were..."

"Were they what?" Seeing his hesitation, Yi Chun became anxious. "Were they injured? Is it serious? Where are they now? Quickly, take me there!"

He had heard about his son's misconducts over the years, but in his opinion, they were harmless. Ordinary commoners couldn't make trouble, and Yi Zhibing was quite astute, knowing whom he could afford to offend and whom he couldn't. Even if he accidentally provoked someone, the other party would often give him leniency out of respect for Yi Chun, and a proper lesson would be the end of it. So he thought, "I wonder who accidentally taught him a lesson this time."

The attendant looked troubled, discreetly pulling his hand away and stepping back before saying, "Young Master Yi was... killed."

"Killed? That's fine, I'll get some medicine..." Yi Chun suddenly fully processed the words. "What?!"

The entire court instantly erupted into a chaotic market. Yi Chun's official rank was not exceptionally high, but it was certainly not low. On normal days, everyone turned a blind eye to Yi Zhibing's actions out of respect for Yi Chun. Now, no one knew who had dealt with him. Even the Emperor was somewhat surprised. Someone dared to openly kill a government official in the capital? Could it be that members of the Demonic Cult had infiltrated again to cause trouble?

Yi Chun felt as if he had been struck by lightning, collapsing to the ground. Some nearby officials rushed to help him up, while others helped rub his chest to calm him down. It took a while before he fully recovered. Pushing away the surrounding officials, he glared at the attendant with a cannibalistic gaze. "Who is the murderer? How dare they be so depraved!"

The attendant hesitated, looking at the Emperor again. The Emperor was taken aback. Was there something that couldn't be said? However, considering Yi Chun's immense rage, he didn't want to discourage his minister. So he waved his hand, "Speak freely."

Only then did the attendant stammer, "According to the reports, the perpetrator seems to be... Sir Zu An."

"Zu An?" In the main hall, all eyes turned to Zu An. No one had expected it to be him.

"I'll kill you!" Yi Chun, like an enraged lion, lunged directly at Zu An.

Fury value from Yi Chun: 999,999,999...

He had already been frustrated by Zu An's glib tongue earlier, and now, upon learning that Zu An had killed his son, he could no longer hold back. Disregarding the fact that they were still in court, he lunged directly at Zu An. A powerful aura locked onto Zu An, and in his furious rage, Yi Chun held nothing back, intending to kill him with his bare hands and give no one a chance to intervene.

"Ah?" Bi Linglong stood up in agitation. She wanted to help, but was too far away. Even if she were closer, her cultivation was vastly inferior to Yi Chun's; she wouldn't be able to save him. She could only watch helplessly as Zu An, like a small boat in a raging sea, was about to be crushed by a giant tsunami.

Surprisingly, Zu An neither dodged nor retreated. He simply stood still, his face remarkably calm. At that moment, two figures suddenly appeared beside him, each striking a palm to stop Yi Chun.

Yi Chun staggered, then steadied himself and glared at the two men in front of him. "Sir Jiang, Sir Murong, what is the meaning of this?"

Jiang Boyang also looked with some surprise at the dark-faced old man beside him, not expecting Murong Tong to also intervene and save Zu An. Previously, a series of events caused by Zu An's arrival in the capital had led to Murong Tong being transferred from a crucial position like Commandant of the Capital to his current semi-honorary post as Grand Master of Ceremonies. Furthermore, the two sides had clashed multiple times. If anyone in the capital wished Zu An dead, Murong Tong should have been at the top of the list. So why was he saving Zu An now?

Murong Tong said with a dark expression, "There are many doubts surrounding this matter. It's not too late to investigate thoroughly before taking further action." He naturally didn't like Zu An, but he couldn't resist his obedient granddaughter, Murong Qinghe, who spoke of Zu An every time she returned home. It was no secret that Murong Qinghe liked Chu Youzhao, the heir of the Chu family. And Zu An was the Chu family's son-in-law, meaning he would be related by marriage in the future. So, even if he didn't particularly like him, he couldn't stand by and watch him die before his eyes.

Jiang Boyang also chimed in, "Indeed. Resorting to private vengeance in court would be a laughingstock if it got out." As Grand Minister of Justice, upholding the dignity of the law was indeed his duty.

Flames almost shot from Yi Chun's eyes. In his current state, he couldn't listen to anyone's advice. "This brat killed my beloved son! Today, whoever stops me, I will fight them to the death!" With that, he was about to charge forward again.

At that moment, Eunuch Wen's sharp voice cried out, "Silence!"

Yi Chun's movements halted just in time. Everyone in the capital knew that Eunuch Wen was the Emperor's confidant, and his words often represented the Emperor's will. Sure enough, Emperor Zhao Hao's face was as calm as water. "The entire court has turned into a marketplace. What a disgrace!"

The ministers all bowed, asking for forgiveness. "Your Majesty, we are terrified!" At the same time, many looked scornfully. Hadn't Yi Chun just declared he would fight to the death with anyone who stopped him? They thought, "Go on then, if you're so capable!"

Yi Chun dared not be presumptuous any longer. Instead, he dropped to his knees with a thud and, weeping bitterly, pleaded with the Emperor: "Your Majesty, my son was on an official mission, yet he was brutally murdered by that villain Zu An! I beg Your Majesty to bring me justice!"

The Emperor frowned. However, a minister's son had died, so he couldn't simply ignore it. He then looked at the other party involved. "Zu An, have you been to the Sang family residence before? Did you kill Yi Chun's son?"

King Qi frowned slightly. Logically, Zu An was part of the Emperor's faction, so the Emperor should protect him. But as a rival for many years, King Qi knew his cold-hearted brother better than anyone. He knew that the Emperor had already grown to detest Zu An, which was evident when he allowed various parties to attack him earlier. Had he changed his mind now? The question was clearly full of hints. As long as Zu An vehemently denied it, Yi Chun would have no basis for revenge, and after being stalled by various parties, Zu An would get through this ordeal.

Bi Linglong also looked at Zu An expectantly, thinking that this fellow was always smart and would surely understand the hint. However, to everyone's great surprise, Zu An simply nodded. "Before entering the palace, I did indeed visit the Sang family. And yes, I killed Yi Zhibing."

Upon hearing this, the entire court erupted in an uproar. Jiang Boyang and Murong Tong shook their heads slightly and retreated back into their ranks. Now, not even those from the Eastern Palace could help. Yi Chun was so enraged that his hair stood on end as he cursed vehemently. Had he not been mindful of the Emperor, he would have already attacked.

Fury value from Yi Chun: 444,444,444...

Emperor: "..."Bi Linglong: "..."

King Qi glanced at Zu An, somewhat surprised. Why was this young man still so calm? Killing a government official without authorization was akin to rebellion, especially with the aggrieved party present.

Bi Linglong was extremely anxious. Disregarding all else, she spoke directly: "Sir Zu, what exactly happened at the Sang family residence that made you resort to such a deadly hand?"

Many ministers in the court felt admiration. The Crown Princess was indeed intelligent, so easily finding an angle for defense. As expected, Zu An followed her lead: "When I learned that Sir Sang had met with trouble, I was extremely anxious. After returning to the capital, I went to the Sang family to check on the situation. I happened to catch Yi Zhibing, who was audacious enough to take advantage of the Sang family's misfortune and attempted to commit beastly acts against Miss Sang and the Sang family's daughter-in-law. It was out of righteous indignation that I acted."

The expressions of the gathered ministers were subtle. Being in the capital, everyone had long heard of Yi Zhibing's character, so few doubted Zu An's words. However, they were all old foxes in politics and naturally wouldn't easily act to uphold justice, especially if it meant offending a high-ranking court official.

King Qi, meanwhile, sneered inwardly. He had thought this young man had some trump card. Was this all it was? Young people were still too naive, too simple.

***

He took deep breaths of fresh air, his chest trembling. Confusion, bewilderment, and various emotions flooded his mind. Where was this? Then, Shi Yu subconsciously observed his surroundings, becoming even more bewildered. A single dorm room? Even if he had been successfully rescued, he should be in a hospital room now. And his body... how could it be completely uninjured?

Filled with doubt, Shi Yu's gaze quickly swept across the room, finally resting on a mirror at the head of the bed. The mirror reflected his current appearance: about seventeen or eighteen years old, and quite handsome. But the problem was, this wasn't him! His former self was a handsome young man in his twenties with an extraordinary demeanor, who had been working for some time. But now, this appearance looked like that of a high school student...

This change left Shi Yu in a daze for a long time. Don't tell him the surgery was a success... His body and appearance had both changed. This was no longer a matter of surgery; it was a magical art. He had completely transformed into another person! Could it be... that he had transmigrated?

Besides the mirror at the head of the bed, which was clearly placed in a poor feng shui position, Shi Yu also found three books nearby. Shi Yu picked them up and glanced at them, and the titles instantly silenced him.

"Manual for Novice Beast Keepers""Postpartum Care for Companion Beasts""Guide to Appreciating Beast-Eared Girls of Different Races"

Shi Yu: ???

The first two book titles seemed normal, but what was up with the last one? "Ahem." Shi Yu's gaze sharpened, and he reached out, but his arm quickly stiffened. Just as he was about to open the third book to see what it was, a sharp pain shot through his brain, and a flood of memories surged forth.

Icefield City.Companion Beast Breeding Base.Intern Companion Beast Breeder.Beast Tamer?