Chapter 1555: Taking a Risk

"What!" Zu An exclaimed, a mix of surprise and joy, as he grabbed her arm. "Where is Sang Hong?"

Everyone had been looking for him recently, and Sang Qian was so worried she could barely eat or sleep. Zu An himself also considered Sang Hong a close friend despite their age difference and feared he had met with an accident. Naturally, he was overjoyed to hear news of him now.

Chu Chuyan looked at him strangely and glanced towards the house. "He's right in your home. You're never home, so of course you wouldn't know."

Zu An's eyes widened in confusion.

His first thought was that she was joking, but seeing her earnest expression, he immediately rushed inside.

Chu Chuyan followed him. "After leaving White Jade Capital, I initially intended to go to the demon realm to find you. But I figured, given your personality, you wouldn't stay there long and would surely return to the capital. I was worried we might miss each other on the way and end up separated again, so I came straight back to the capital to wait for you."

"When I passed through Can City, I happened upon Sang Hong being chased by a group of black-clad men. I intervened and rescued him. It's a pity I arrived too late and couldn't save the rest of the envoy delegation."

Zu An suddenly understood. No wonder the Embroidered Uniform Guard's records mentioned the local situation that night felt unusually cold; it must have been due to her use of the Snowfall Divine Sword. He should have realized it sooner.

Chu Chuyan led Zu An to a secluded, unused house, typically used for storing miscellaneous items, where even the household staff rarely ventured. "I hid him here because the destruction of the imperial envoy delegation surely implicates many people. I was worried the news would leak, so I didn't even let your household staff know. I've been waiting for you to return, but who knew you wouldn't come back all night!"

Hearing the hint of complaint in her voice, Zu An smiled wryly to himself. She had likely sneaked in secretly at night to maintain secrecy, but by then, he had already gone to the Sang Manor.

Soon, the door opened, and he saw Sang Hong, unconscious and hidden in the shadows. He was in poor condition, covered in bandages from head to toe, indicating severe injuries from the battle that night. His face was extremely pale, clearly a symptom of excessive blood loss.

Zu An rushed over to check on him. Fortunately, Sang Hong had received proper treatment; although his injuries were severe, his life was no longer in danger.

"Chuyan, I really must thank you this time. If it weren't for you, he might not have survived." Zu An gave Sang Hong a healing elixir he had obtained from the Demon Royal Court, then looked at Chu Chuyan with gratitude.

"We're family; why thank me?" Chu Chuyan couldn't help but smile. "If I recall correctly, we were sworn enemies with him back in Brightmoon City, and now we're going to such lengths to save him. Truly, circumstances change unexpectedly."

"That trip to Brightmoon City was a complete failure for me, save for meeting all of you, which was the greatest gain." At that moment, Sang Hong slowly regained consciousness. Having overheard their discussion, he couldn't help but sigh with emotion.

"Uncle, you're awake?" Zu An went to help him sit up.

Sang Hong gave him a slight nod. "If it weren't for Miss Chu, I fear my old life would have ended in Can City."

"What exactly happened in Can City? The rumors outside say you colluded with the demon race," Chu Youzhao asked curiously. Sensing the gazes of the others, she quickly added, "Of course, I don't believe that." Murong Qinghe also widened her eyes, clearly very curious as well. The complete annihilation of the envoy delegation had been the primary topic of discussion among the capital's noble families in recent days.

Sang Hong glanced at the two girls. Having spent many years in the capital, he recognized them. After a moment's thought, he replied, "That night, I encountered assassins from the Phantom Shadow Tower..."

He then recounted the events of that night in detail: being woken by a fire in the middle of the night, escaping only to be systematically ambushed by a group of black-clad killers, fighting desperately to break through, suffering severe injuries, being unable to shake off his pursuers, and finally, in despair, being saved by Chu Chuyan.

Chu Youzhao and Murong Qinghe gasped repeatedly as they listened. Although born into influential families and having some experience, they had never encountered such a perilous situation.

Even Zu An, who had long lived on the edge of life and death, showed a changed expression. He thought to himself that Sang Hong's survival was an extremely low probability event and couldn't help but say with some guilt, "It's because I wasn't with the delegation that you nearly died."

He was, after all, the guard general assigned by the court to the delegation, in charge of the accompanying Feathered Forest Imperial Guards. His absence in the demon realm on personal matters had significantly reduced Sang Hong's protective detail.

Sang Hong shook his head. "It has nothing to do with you. Since they intended to target me, they must have meticulously planned it, even bribing local officials. Even if you had been there, they would have factored you in and sent more experts. You would have been in danger too, and facing even more assassins, I might not have been so lucky to escape alive."

Although he hadn't seen the Embroidered Uniform Guard's report, as an old fox in politics, he immediately suspected problems with the local officials that night in Can City.

Zu An simply smiled slightly, offering no further argument.

At this point, Chu Youzhao couldn't help but interject, "What's the origin of this Phantom Shadow Tower? How dare they assassinate an imperial envoy? Isn't that rebellion?"

Murong Qinghe, who was beside her, said, "I've heard rumors that even the Embroidered Uniform Guard can't trace the Phantom Shadow Tower's true mastermind, only some mid-level leaders at best."

Zu An thought to himself that it wasn't just a rumor; the Embroidered Uniform Guard genuinely didn't know who the Phantom Shadow Tower's boss was. Of course, it was also possible that only the Emperor and Zhu Xie Chixin knew, as this information wasn't accessible to those with a golden token.

Then Sang Hong said, "Ah Zu, I need to have an audience with the Emperor."

Zu An frowned slightly. "Your injuries are still so severe. Let's wait until you've recovered a bit more."

Indeed, it was not advisable for someone with such severe injuries to move carelessly.

"I can't wait. The mastermind knows I'm not dead and surely won't give up. I don't even dare return to the Sang Manor, fearing I'd bring disaster upon Xiao Qian and the others. If I hadn't been unconscious when Miss Chu brought me here, I wouldn't have agreed to come at all."

"Uncle, you're treating me like a stranger. Why would I be afraid of such things?" Zu An frowned. "By the way, who is this mastermind you speak of?"

Sang Hong discreetly glanced at the others present but remained silent.

Murong Qinghe understood and said, "I'll excuse myself for a moment."

Chu Youzhao quickly pulled her back. "Sister Qinghe is one of us; she can be trusted."

Hearing "Brother Chu" speak up for her like that, Murong Qinghe's eyes sparkled with a smile.

"It's not that I don't trust you, but this matter is too significant. Knowing about it could bring mortal danger upon you, and I cannot put you at risk," Sang Hong explained.

Zu An knew he had a point. "Alright, I'll take you to the palace immediately."

"It would be best to change our attire and create a diversion," Sang Hong advised. "I suspect there might be spies near your residence, given that everyone knows our relationship."

"No need. We'll go directly," Zu An replied calmly, with a strange confidence in his tone.

Chu Chuyan, however, was not at ease. "I'll escort you for a while."

Zu An didn't want her to worry, and after being apart for so long, he didn't want to separate again, so he agreed.

Chu Youzhao also clamored to go along, but Chu Chuyan refused. "You two wait here for news. That way, there will be someone to meet us."

Hearing the undeniable tone in her sister's voice, Chu Youzhao, though reluctant, could only agree.

Soon, Zu An arranged for a carriage, helped Sang Hong inside, and then he and Chu Chuyan sat beside him.

The carriage headed directly towards the Imperial Palace. As a marquis and a favored figure in the Eastern Palace, his carriage rarely encountered trouble in the capital.

Along the way, Zu An spoke up, "Uncle, is the mastermind you mentioned King Qi?"

"You already know, indeed." Sang Hong was not very surprised. "That's right. He likely doesn't want the events in Yunzhong Commandery to reach the capital. I have evidence of his treacherous schemes, and he must be planning to destroy all traces."

"It's not hard to guess," Zu An said grimly. "The clues I found in that toy wooden sword, which you later investigated in detail, must have had a significant impact on King Qi. I can't believe he was so audacious as to take such a desperate risk."

"King Qi is already suffering repeated defeats. If I publicly reveal the evidence from Yunzhong Commandery in court, his decades-long efforts will become increasingly futile, so it's no wonder he's resorted to desperate measures." Sang Hong then looked at Chu Chuyan. "Miss Chu, you truly are intelligent. You even arranged for your brother to monitor Miss Murong, preventing her from relaying any messages."

It was no secret that the Murong clan was affiliated with King Qi's faction.

Chu Chuyan simply nodded slightly, offering no reply.

Zu An chuckled, reaching out to put his arm around Chu Chuyan's shoulder. "Of course my wife is smart."

However, he immediately realized that Sang Hong was his other father-in-law, and openly showing affection to another woman in his presence seemed somewhat inappropriate.

Chu Chuyan's cheeks flushed slightly, and she discreetly pinched him. Her nature wasn't accustomed to such displays of intimacy in front of others.

Just as Zu An was about to say something, his expression suddenly changed.

At that very moment, the carriage wall suddenly splintered, and dozens of military crossbow bolts, glinting coldly, pierced the carriage, turning it into a porcupine.