Chapter 1901: Taking Over

Everything had been meticulously planned. He had already found a way to send all the servants of Prince Jin's Residence far away, leaving only Princess Jin and her maids in the mourning hall. They would chat a bit, and once the medicine took effect on Princess Jin, he could stage a dramatic scene by her husband’s tomb, finally venting years of resentment over Prince Jin’s bullying.

But unexpectedly, members of the Embroidered Uniform Guard suddenly appeared to investigate some case! He grew extremely anxious. Calculating the time, the medicine in Princess Jin’s system would soon take effect. With the Embroidered Uniform Guard present, how could he possibly succeed? He was furious and determined to drive them away.

In Princess Jin's eyes, however, he was reasonably arguing, trying to get rid of those fierce-looking Embroidered Uniform Guards on her behalf. Her heart swelled with gratitude. She thought, "Prince Dai is truly a wonderful person."

Meanwhile, Old Dai Seven and Old Chen Eight were also anxious. If they didn't even examine the body and simply reported that Prince Jin died of fright, no one in the imperial court would believe them. So, the two men said in deep voices, "Please bear with us, Prince Dai. We will finish the examination very quickly."

"Get out!" Prince Dai was exceptionally irritated. These people were like flies, ruining his plans.

A flicker of anger crossed Old Dai Seven and Old Chen Eight's faces. When had the Embroidered Uniform Guard ever been treated with such disrespect while investigating a case? They all placed their hands on their weapons, ready to act.

At that moment, the old man by Prince Dai's side suddenly stepped forward, and a mighty aura surged through the room. The Embroidered Uniform Guards immediately felt as if a colossal mountain was pressing down on them, their bones creaking as if they would be crushed to their knees at any moment. Old Dai Seven and Old Chen Eight were greatly alarmed and quickly ordered their men to form a defensive formation. Only then were they barely able to hold their ground.

"With Zhu Xie Chixin dead, the Embroidered Uniform Guard has truly declined with each generation." The old man's face was filled with disdain; he clearly did not take the Embroidered Uniform Guards seriously.

Old Dai Seven and Old Chen Eight, along with the others, felt deeply humiliated. Yet, what the old man said was true: with the Emperor's demise and Zhu Xie Chixin's death, the deterrent power of the Embroidered Uniform Guard had significantly decreased. Furthermore, Prince Dai was a powerful prince, and the old man by his side was either a ninth-rank master or a grandmaster. Should a real conflict erupt, even if they combined their strength and formed a formation, they might be able to fight, but they would undoubtedly suffer heavy casualties. If the matter reached the imperial court, the opposing party was a prince, who would at most receive a minor reprimand. As for them, mere soldiers, if they died, they died. It was unthinkable for Prince Dai to be made to pay with his life for them.

With no other choice, the two men said, "Since Prince Dai is occupied here today, we will return another day to investigate." The two reasoned that Prince Dai couldn't possibly stay in the mourning hall every day; they could simply return to investigate after he had left.

Hearing that they were retreating, a hint of triumph flickered across Prince Dai's face. Displaying his valiant and powerful side in front of the beautiful princess was truly exhilarating. As expected, Princess Jin's gaze towards him was now filled with admiration and gratitude. Old Dai Seven, Old Chen Eight, and the rest of the Embroidered Uniform Guards, however, felt utterly deflated and could only walk out dejectedly.

Just then, a faint voice resonated, "When do the Embroidered Uniform Guards ever need to concede to anyone while on a case?"

Old Dai Seven, Old Chen Eight, and the others looked up, surprised and delighted, spotting the familiar golden glint. They cried out in unison, "Lord Eleven! No, Grand Commander!"

At these words, Prince Dai, the old man beside him, and even Princess Jin all turned their gazes in that direction. Had a major figure from the Embroidered Uniform Guard arrived?

The old man's heart first skipped a beat, but he secretly breathed a sigh of relief upon realizing that the newcomer was not Zhu Xie Chixin. Among the entire Embroidered Uniform Guard, Zhu Xie Chixin was the only one he couldn't defeat; no one else, not even a Gold-Badge Embroidered Guard, matched his cultivation. The Embroidered Uniform Guard had previously relied solely on the Emperor's intimidation, which ensured no one dared to resist, and they often used their numerical advantage to overwhelm opponents. In the current climate, however, who with genuine power would pay them any mind, especially with Prince Dai backing him?

Prince Dai was on the verge of exploding with frustration. He had been so close to driving these annoying people away and finally enjoying a private moment with Princess Jin. Who knew another person would arrive? Just a moment ago, these Embroidered Uniform Guards had called him "Lord Eleven," then "Grand Commander." What was going on? He had indeed heard of Gold-Badge Eleven—the Gold-Badge Embroidered Guard with the shallowest foundation and weakest cultivation. He wondered why this person had rapidly ascended to a Gold-Badge position, though rumors claimed it was due to his excellent flattery of the Emperor.

With this thought, Prince Dai gradually relaxed. Now that the Emperor had passed away, how could such a sycophant still flaunt his authority?

Old Dai Seven and Old Chen Eight approached Zuan, bowing their heads in shame. "Grand Commander, your humble subordinates were incompetent!" They had botched the first task assigned to them. While coming back another day to investigate wasn't a huge issue in itself, the Grand Commander had witnessed their failure. Well, their hopes of being promoted to Silver-Badge Embroidered Guard were likely dashed.

Zuan, however, did not blame them. Instead, he comforted them, "It's normal that you couldn't prevail against a prince accompanied by a grandmaster-level protector; there's no need to blame yourselves. However, I still want you to understand one thing: when the Embroidered Uniform Guard investigates a case, even if the opponent is a heavenly king, they must yield. There is no scenario where we yield to them."

Hearing his words, the Embroidered Uniform Guards immediately puffed out their chests, their previous despondency completely vanished. After Zhu Xie Chixin's death, they had worried that this new Grand Commander wouldn't be able to command respect, making it difficult for his subordinates to maintain their dignity outside. But now, it seemed the new Grand Commander had an even fiercer disposition than the previous one. This thought filled them with excitement; the more powerful their leader, the more prestige and benefits his subordinates would gain.

"What grand talk! Who do you think you are?" The old man sneered. Young people nowadays were growing increasingly arrogant, completely unaware of their own limitations.

"Were you the one who just released your aura to threaten the Embroidered Uniform Guards?" Zuan asked in a low voice.

"So what if it was? They dared to offend Prince Dai and Princess Jin. It was an act of extreme mercy that this old man didn't take their lives," the elder sneered.

"Very good." No sooner had Zuan spoken than he suddenly extended a hand and made a gesture toward the old man. The old man instantly felt a terrifying suction force pulling at him. Greatly alarmed, he hastily employed a weight-shifting technique to try and stabilize himself. Unfortunately, the suction was too immense, as if a black hole had opened nearby. He could distinctly feel his cultivation rapidly draining from his body. Draining cultivation from a distance? The old man was terrified. "No!" he gasped. Unable to maintain his balance, he was pulled forward like a deflated ball, directly in front of Zuan. He couldn't even stand, collapsing onto his knees, his head held firmly by Zuan's palm, his face contorted with horror and despair.

Zuan withdrew his hand, tossing the old man's lifeless body to Old Dai Seven and Old Chen Eight. "This elder seems to have some misunderstandings about our Embroidered Uniform Guard. Take him back to the Embroidered Tower for a proper introduction."

"Yes, sir!" Old Dai Seven, Old Chen Eight, and the other Embroidered Uniform Guards were ecstatic. They immediately bound the old man with soul-hooking ropes. They had just endured considerable disrespect from the old man. Once he was inside the Embroidered Tower, they would make him understand just how terribly wrong he had been and who truly held power in the capital! At the same time, they all looked at Zuan with awe, thinking how incredibly powerful the Grand Commander was. He seemed unassuming, yet he had instantly subdued a grandmaster-level expert—he even seemed more formidable than the former Grand Commander Zhu Xie.

Everything unfolded too quickly. Prince Dai stared in disbelief at the scene before him. His trusted protector, whom he had always relied on, had just been subdued in an instant? For a moment, he was overcome with both shock and fear. "Release Old Chen at once! Do you know who he is? He was once His Imperial Father's..."

"I don't care who he is," Zuan said coldly. "Daring to use force against the Embroidered Uniform Guard—this is the consequence."

Swept by Zuan's sharp gaze, Prince Dai instantly shivered. For a moment, it felt as if he were being targeted by a primordial beast. He had a sudden, chilling feeling that if he dared to offend Zuan, he would likely suffer the same fate as Old Chen.

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard is conducting an investigation," Zuan stated calmly. "All irrelevant individuals, withdraw at once."

"I..." Prince Dai wanted to say something, but meeting Zuan's menacing gaze, he was momentarily speechless. The situation was not in his favor today. He would return, discuss it with his princess, and then unite with her father and their allies to seek justice! Under Zuan's pressure, he didn't even dare to utter a harsh word. He could only sullenly flick his sleeve and depart.

What a pity for such a perfect opportunity today. He reluctantly glanced back at the timid Princess Jin. He wondered if it was an illusion, but her cheeks, which had been pale with grief from her husband's death, seemed to have gained some color. Against the white of her mourning robes, she looked like a red plum in winter, exceptionally delicate and alluring.

"Surely these Embroidered Uniform Guards won't get any improper ideas?" His heart gave a sudden lurch, but he immediately dismissed the thought. Although the Embroidered Uniform Guard had a notorious reputation, they had never been involved in any scandals concerning women. Besides, there were so many people present, and the woman was the dignified Princess Jin; he assumed they wouldn't dare act inappropriately. Furthermore, the Forget-Sorrow Rosemary merely amplified existing desires; it didn't conjure them from nothing. Princess Jin might potentially harbor feelings for him, but how could she possibly have such thoughts toward these fierce-looking Embroidered Uniform Guards?

With that thought, his heart gradually settled. He paused and said to Princess Jin, "Sister-in-law, there's no need to fear. If these people dare to bully you, your brother will swiftly find someone to help you seek justice."

Princess Jin gazed piteously at his departing figure, appearing like a fragile white flower trembling in the cold wind. For a moment, she felt as though the entire world had abandoned her, leaving her utterly weak and helpless.