Chapter 1859: Red Sleeves Add Fragrance

“Killed?” Zu An’s expression changed, somewhat incredulous. “The Duke of Cheng and the Duke of Wei have always been highly respected and loyal to the emperor and the country. Why kill them?”

Bi Qi hesitated, then explained, “A’Zu, because of your relationship with Linglong, you’re not an outsider. This is a good opportunity to teach you a few things.”

“The reason for their downfall is precisely their high prestige. Previously, the Emperor kept them in check. Now that the Crown Prince has ascended, his authority and power are not yet strong enough to command universal respect. Who would be able to control them then?”

Zu An explained, “Although the two dukes were close to Prince Qi before, they weren’t the type to rebel against the court for his sake. They always prioritized the court and the country. After the Crown Prince takes the throne, I believe they will remain loyal to him.”

Bi Qi listened, shaking his head repeatedly. “This is why the Qin family is said to be naive. They should have either fully committed to Prince Qi’s faction from the beginning, sending troops to help him ascend the throne, or completely severed ties with Prince Qi and led the charge in pledging allegiance to the Emperor.”

“Instead, they did neither. They supported Prince Qi but couldn’t abandon their notions of loyalty to the emperor and patriotism. It’s like trying to be a harlot and still uphold a reputation for chastity.”

Zu An nodded subtly, acknowledging that Bi Qi was right. Qin Zheng was indeed too upright. He supported Prince Qi but was unwilling to lead troops to install him, and now he had fallen between two stools.

“And you just said the Qin family would continue to be loyal to the emperor and the country,” Bi Qi sneered. “But who can guarantee such a thing? Who would dare to believe it?”

“Surely the Duke of Cheng’s character over the years has been evident to all,” Zu An argued, even though he understood the logic, he couldn't help defending Qin Zheng.

Bi Qi shook his head.

“In the imperial court, no one trusts character or vague assurances. The Qin family belongs to Prince Qi’s faction and is destined to be purged. Furthermore, their prestige is too high, posing a threat to the new emperor. This is a perfect opportunity to strip them of their military power, and it’s the consensus of all parties in the court.”

Zu An fell silent, pondering how to save the Qin family. He also wondered about Chu Youzhao, who was living with them.

At this, Bi Qi remarked mockingly, “If the Qin family had truly dared to rebel, like Prince Qi’s heir, perhaps people would have been hesitant to act against them. As it stands, they are merely lambs to the slaughter.”

Zu An couldn’t help but sigh, finding it ironic that Qin Zheng’s integrity and dedication to the country made him seem like an idiot in the eyes of these old political foxes.

“What happened to Prince Qi’s heir?”

Bi Qi replied, “Prince Qi must have made arrangements before the uprising. He had trusted aides take his heir back to the Qi feudal territory. Upon learning of the rebellion’s failure, the heir immediately fortified himself with troops. For now, the court is reluctant to apprehend him, fearing it might incite widespread chaos.”

With the Emperor’s fate unknown and no new emperor yet enthroned, a multitude of officials dared not make the decision to send troops to suppress him.

Fortunately, the Qin family was cooperative and did not side with Prince Qi’s heir.

“Oh, and besides the Qin family, the Murong family is also finished,” Bi Qi said, sounding somewhat gleeful as he spoke of these matters.

Zu An was startled and quickly asked what had happened. He pictured Murong Tong’s sullen face, as if everyone owed him money, and at the same time, the tall, graceful figure of Murong Qinghe.

“What else could it be? Firstly, the Murong family was close to Prince Qi back then. Secondly, as the Grand Master of Ceremonies, he was originally responsible for the Emperor’s safety. With such a major incident befalling the Emperor, he naturally has to be held accountable.” Bi Qi chuckled. Murong Tong’s temper had been as stubborn and unpleasant as a stone in an outhouse, vexing him multiple times. Now, he was finally getting his comeuppance.

“Murong Tong has been thrown into the Sky Prison; at the very least, he’s awaiting execution.”

Zu An heard him speak so lightly, yet it signified the collapse of several top families, leaving him deeply alarmed. Compared to these inhuman old political foxes, he was still too sentimental.

“What about the Duke of Linhai?” Zu An quickly asked.

Pei Mianman’s grandfather, Pei Zheng, the Duke of Linhai, held the crucial position of Grand Counselor and was a key figure in Prince Qi’s faction. This time, it was unlikely he would escape unscathed.

“Pei Zheng will naturally fall, but there’s no final decision yet on how to deal with him,” Bi Qi scoffed. They had been old rivals, battling each other for so many years that genuine animosity had developed between them.

Zu An was speechless.

For a moment, he felt a sense of absurdity. Why were all the fallen families those of his female confidantes?

How exactly did he end up becoming enemies with Prince Qi in the first place?

“What about the Yu family and the Jiang family?” Zu An asked again.

“The Yu family was previously dealt with by the Emperor. Although Yu Xuanchong was ousted, the Yu family ironically managed to escape disaster because of it,” Bi Qi replied. “As for the Jiang family, they have marital ties with the Pei family, so they’ll likely be implicated.”

“However, Jiang Boyang, that old fox, has formed marital ties with various powerful families over the years. I imagine someone will certainly protect them in the end, so it shouldn’t be a major issue.”

Zu An breathed a sigh of relief, finally hearing some good news.

At this, Bi Qi patted Zu An’s shoulder. “A’Zu, the reason I’ve told you all this is because I want to work closely with you. The Liu and Meng families have now allied and are seizing power in the court, placing their own people into the vacant positions left by Prince Qi’s fallen faction. Although I’ve sent Zi’ang back to the capital to help his sister, they can’t manage on their own. I suspect the Liu family will ultimately control the capital.”

The Queen’s alluring image flashed in Zu An’s mind, giving him a headache. Both sides were dear to him. *You’re such a philanderer, now you know true pain,* he thought.

Aloud, however, he replied, “Don’t worry, Senior Bi. The Crown Princess has been very good to me, entrusting me with the most precious things in the Eastern Palace. I naturally keep it in mind.”

Bi Qi found his words a bit odd, but merely assumed he meant that Bi Linglong valued him and had promoted him to the most favored person in the Eastern Palace. He then burst out laughing. “A’Zu, it’s good that you feel this way. With you assisting Linglong and this old man lending support in court, even if the Liu family tries to control everything, there’s no need to fear them.”

Zu An was somewhat puzzled. “As far as I know, Liu Guang and Liu Yao are rather... mediocre. How can such individuals control the entire court?”

“Liu Guang and Liu Yao are indeed nothing to worry about, but the Liu family, as the maternal relatives of the Empress, possess formidable power,” Bi Qi said with a grave expression. “The most capable person in the Liu family is actually the Empress. In her early years, she was incredibly brilliant, with some even saying her talent was no less than the Emperor’s. Unfortunately, she was at her peak when an accident left her injured, turning her into an ordinary person.”

“However, for some unknown reason, her cultivation recently recovered, and not long ago, she directly broke through to Grandmaster level. The Liu family also has an old ancestor who is a Grandmaster. Furthermore, with the alliance between the Meng and Liu families, Meng Yi’s father, one of the Eight Dukes of the court, is also a Grandmaster. With these individuals working together, coupled with the Empress’s inherent legitimacy, the military power controlled by the Liu family, and the resources of the Meng family, they have enough to seize control of the court at this opportune moment.”

Towards the end, he sounded somewhat vexed. “I always thought the Empress was crippled, so I never guarded against the Liu family. I have no idea how she recovered; I heard she took some miraculous elixir. I don’t know what kind of medicine could be so effective, but I’ll have Linglong try some then to see if it can boost her strength.”

Zu An’s expression was peculiar. He thought to himself that the Empress’s two mouths had certainly consumed a lot back then, and even the Crown Princess had eaten some...

He quickly dismissed these fanciful thoughts, instead feeling shocked that the Empress’s cultivation had once been Grandmaster level. It was completely undetectable now.

At this, Bi Qi stood up and brushed off his clothes. “Alright, I came to speak with you to give you some insight, so we can work together more easily in the future. As for Prince Yan and Zhao Yuan, you don’t need to worry. With me here, they won’t dare touch you.”

“Thank you, Senior Bi!” Zu An politely saw him off, then sat back down at the table and began to ponder.

He actually had no interest in these power struggles. In a cultivation world, engaging in political battles felt like a complete waste of time.

However, he definitely had to return to the capital. Too many people needed his help.

He unfolded a blank piece of paper and wrote down a few crucial names.

As he pondered, his heart suddenly stirred. A graceful figure in a red top and black skirt leaped in through the window.

His eyes couldn’t help but follow the sway of her body.

“Manman!”

“A’Zu!”

A wisp of fragrant air wafted over, and a warm, captivating body flung itself directly into his embrace.

“What’s wrong?” Zu An was a little surprised, feeling Pei Mianman hugging him with unusual force.

“I have to leave,” Pei Mianman said, a little aggrieved. “The sect leader and my master want to take me back. The incident at Purple Mountain was too significant; our Azure Palace doesn’t want to get involved, so we’ll be closing our doors for a while. They say we’re able to leave without trouble because of you; they didn’t dare make things difficult for us.”

Zu An was speechless.

Was this a case of lifting a rock only to drop it on his own feet?

“Can you not go?”

“No, I can’t. The sect leader and master are very firm this time. And after this incident, they plan to teach me more profound cultivation techniques from our sect. I also need to go into seclusion to thoroughly comprehend the ‘Riverbank Butterfly Charm’ I obtained in the secret realm.”

Pei Mianman’s eyes held deep reluctance, but she quickly reminded herself that A’Zu was surrounded by more and more powerful female confidantes. If her own cultivation didn’t advance, it would regress, and she wouldn’t be able to fight back if she were bullied in the future.

Besides, A’Zu could now even defeat the Emperor; the gap between them was too vast. Perhaps A’Zu didn’t think much of it now, but as his strength grew, the distance between them would only increase...

Sensing her resolve, Zu An couldn’t delay her cultivation. “When are you leaving then?”

“Tonight!”

“Why so soon?”

“Master and the sect leader feel this place is unlucky and don’t want to stay here for another moment.”

“So I specially came to say goodbye to you, and incidentally, give you a gift.”

Zu An was startled to hear this. “What gift?”

Pei Mianman suddenly gave him a seductive smile and leaned close to his ear. “Are you writing? Let me grind the ink for you.”

With that, her body slowly lowered.

Pei Mianman’s cheeks flushed, as she offered her most tender and delicate self to “add fragrance to his sleeve.”

*Hmph,* she thought. *I’m leaving soon, so I can’t let those other little vixenettes have an easy time.*

Zu An raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”