Chapter 1657: Conditions

After discussing some operational details with a few Silver Embroidered Guards, Zu'an left in a hurry.

However, instead of returning directly to Purple Mountain, he made a trip to the Prefect's Manor.

It must be said that this Prefect's Manor seemed much more heavily guarded than those in other places, perhaps due to Prince Yan's influence.

Of course, these guards were still significantly inferior to those at Prince Yan's Mansion. Coupled with Zu'an's extensive experience in such matters, he quickly made his way outside Prefect Zhang's bedroom.

"Who's there!" Zhang Jie, after all, was the Prefect of a commandery. Since Zu'an hadn't deliberately concealed his presence, Zhang Jie instantly sat up in alarm, gazing warily at the window.

Zu'an glanced at the seductive-looking young woman beside him and thought, *This guy certainly knows how to enjoy himself; it's a case of an old pear blossom with a young crabapple.*

Still, which regional magnate in this world didn't have several concubines?

So he didn't pay it much mind, stating in a deep voice, "Gold-Medallion Eleven!"

Zhang Jie was startled and quickly got up. "Please wait, Lord Eleven."

The concubine, who had initially been complaining softly about being woken in the middle of the night, immediately fell silent after a glare from him.

Zu'an did not enter, opting instead to stand in the courtyard, admiring the moon.

Fortunately, Zhang Jie didn't make him wait long and soon emerged, having hastily donned a robe.

"Lord Eleven, your late-night visit – does it bear an imperial decree?" Zhang Jie asked cautiously.

Zu'an didn't answer directly. Instead, he countered, "Prefect Zhang, what is your opinion of Prince Yan?"

Zhang Jie hesitated, then replied, "Prince Yan is loyal and devoted to the nation, guarding a region for the imperial court..."

Seeing him use a set of clichés to appease him, Zu'an sneered, "But according to my investigation, you and Prince Yan have been at odds for a long time. Doesn't that prove your disloyalty to the imperial court, even to the point of hindering Prince Yan, who is charged with guarding this region?"

Zhang Jie panicked a little. "I am terrified! In truth, Prince Yan is arrogant and overbearing, often overstepping his authority in this region. I am loyal to the Emperor and could not bear to see such things, which is why I often clashed with him."

Although his official rank was higher than Zu'an's, the Gold-Medallion Embroidered Guards often represented the Emperor's will, so he couldn't help but be afraid, which was why he referred to himself as "your humble subordinate."

"What specific instances of overstepping his authority are there? Tell me." Zu'an remained noncommittal.

Zhang Jie hesitated, then asked, "Lord Eleven, is the Emperor also planning to question Prince Yan?"

"Don't ask what you shouldn't ask," Zu'an retorted directly. Given the special status of an Embroidered Guard Envoy, explaining every little detail would have been inappropriate.

As expected, Zhang Jie was not overly surprised. He then respectfully recounted various instances of Prince Yan overstepping his authority over the years.

"Is there any evidence?" Zu'an asked.

Zhang Jie shook his head slightly. "There are some witnesses, but relying solely on these matters, it would likely be difficult to convict Prince Yan of any major crime. Instead, it would affect the relationship between the local government and Prince Yan's Mansion, making future work even more difficult."

Zu'an offered a wry smile. "It seems Prefect Zhang is very eager to see Prince Yan convicted of a major crime."

"I am terrified!" Zhang Jie exclaimed, wiping cold sweat from his brow in a hurry.

"Tomorrow, find an excuse to invite Prince Yan out, the further from his mansion, the better." After testing him for a while, Zu'an revealed his true purpose.

Zhang Jie was startled. An old fox like him could naturally guess what was implied. Could Lord Eleven intend to enter Prince Yan's Mansion?

However, having learned his lesson, he dared not ask further. He could only say with a worried expression, "Lord Eleven, I have been very much at odds with Prince Yan these past years; I might not be able to get him to come out."

Zu'an said indifferently, "As the head of a commandery, you've fought against Prince Yan for so many years and still stand. Don't tell me you have no way."

Zhang Jie once again pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the cold sweat from his temples. "I will try my best to find a way, try my best..."

Zu'an knew that an old fox like this implying he would try his best was tantamount to agreeing. He nodded and then vanished into the night sky.

Gazing in the direction he had left, Zhang Jie muttered to himself, "The Gold-Medallion Embroidered Guards are indeed unfathomable, and Lord Eleven even more so..."

After leaving the Prefect's Manor, Zu'an headed directly towards Purple Mountain.

He had handled too many matters that day. Even with his Wind-Fire Wheels speeding him along, it was already the dead of night when he returned to Purple Mountain.

He didn't return to his own residence. After a moment's hesitation, he went directly to the residence of Yan Xuehen and Chu Chuyan.

It wouldn't do to announce his presence directly in the middle of the night; gossip would inevitably spread if word got out.

So he quietly slipped inside.

The moment he opened the window, a gleaming, cold sword appeared before his neck, and a voice like ice rang out, "What audacity!"

Zu'an instinctively recoiled. The other party was clearly surprised by his swift reaction, and the sword thrust forward with the momentum.

"Sister Yan, it's me!" Zu'an announced softly, dodging backward.

Hearing his voice, the long sword paused. "It's you?"

Then the voice grew even colder: "Shameless!"

Rage value from Yan Xuehen: 777777777.

After the arena competition that day, Yan Xuehen felt quite unsettled, so she spent the entire night cultivating and meditating.

Just now, she had sensed someone peeking, and had assumed it was some audacious lecherous thief from one of the Nine Sects of the Daoist Gate committing a disgraceful act. She never in a million years expected it to be Zu'an.

This guy was sneaking around in the middle of the night to find Chu Chuyan, deliberately choosing the time just before dawn when people were in their deepest sleep. His intentions were obvious.

"You've misunderstood. I'm not here for Chu Chuyan; I'm specifically here for you." Zu'an looked at Yan Xuehen under the moonlight. The moonlight fell upon her white robes, as if enveloping her in a faint, hazy veil. It had to be said, even when angry, Sister Yan looked beautiful.

Hearing that he was specifically there for her, Yan Xuehen was momentarily stunned, then mortified and angered. "What do you want with me in the middle of the night? Get out!"

With that, she turned and walked towards the house.

Rage value from Yan Xuehen: 777777.

Seeing her act as if she was keeping him a thousand miles away, Zu'an grew anxious and quickly reached out to grab her. "I have something important to say to you."

"I have nothing to say to you," Yan Xuehen said coldly, shaking off his hand. "I imagine I've already made myself clear to you."

"This time, it's genuinely important," Zu'an said, momentarily unsure how to explain.

For some reason, both of them tacitly spoke in very low voices, as if afraid of being overheard by others.

Yan Xuehen glanced into the house, then hesitated. "Let's talk outside."

With that, she walked straight out.

Zu'an was overjoyed and quickly followed her.

They soon reached a bamboo grove outside the courtyard, where Yan Xuehen finally stopped. "Speak. What is so important that you had to come find me in the dead of night?"

Zu'an gave her an odd look. "You're not thinking I came in the middle of the night to assault you, are you?"

A blush flashed across Yan Xuehen's fair cheeks. "State your business, or I'm leaving."

"It's like this," Zu'an quickly said, "I need your help with something."

He then briefly explained to her that the magic array in Prince Yan's study needed to be unlocked by an expert in that field.

Compared to Xie Daoyun, Yan Xuehen was a more suitable candidate. After all, they had collaborated several times before and were as familiar with each other as could be. Moreover, both she and Yun Jianyue knew his identity as an Embroidered Guard Envoy.

"You're going against Prince Yan?" Yan Xuehen's delicate brows furrowed.

"It's not specifically against him. It's mainly because of the death of Gold-Medallion Seven this time; I need to investigate something," Zu'an said solemnly. "Gold-Medallion Seven helped me once. Although we weren't exactly friends, I can't just stand by when I learn he died under mysterious circumstances."

Yan Xuehen fell silent. "Prince Yan's status is special, and I am the White Jade Capital Abbatess. A slight oversight could trigger a major crisis."

Hearing her continuously cold tone, treating him no differently than she dismissed others, Zu'an couldn't help but feel a little disheartened. "In that case, I won't force you. I'll find another way."

With that, he turned and left.

Yan Xuehen said indifferently, "The magic array in Prince Yan's study is no ordinary matter. Where will you find a solution in such a rush?"

"You don't need to trouble yourself with that, Abbatess Yan," Zu'an said, waving his hand without pausing.

Feeling the calm in his tone, Yan Xuehen's heart trembled. She bit her lip, a look of internal struggle on her face. Finally, seeing him walk further and further away, she couldn't help but call out, "I never said I wouldn't help!"

*That brat, he couldn't even say a few nice words to beg me, and he just left like that.*

Rage value from Yan Xuehen: 222222222.

Zu'an paused, then turned around, somewhat disbelieving. "You're really willing to help?"

*If she's willing to help, why is she angrier than just now?*

Yan Xuehen snorted coldly. "I can help you, but I have one condition."

"Don't just say one condition, I'll agree to ten! You could even ask me to pledge myself to you," Zu'an exclaimed, overjoyed, and ran back to her.

"Dream on," Yan Xuehen scoffed dismissively, feeling her heart beat three times faster than usual. "How did you manage to get Pei Mianman to have consecutive byes today at the Golden Summit?"

Zu'an was startled. "That's your condition?"

"Is that not enough?" Yan Xuehen's delicate brows furrowed slightly as she recalled the scene. Her heart had been itching with curiosity since the afternoon, and she previously couldn't bring herself to ask.

Meanwhile, in the distance, Wang Wuxie shrank back behind a tree, his expression one of extreme shock. "How did those two end up together?"