The prince's guards opened their mouths as if to speak, but seeing Liu Jinxin's horrific state, no one dared utter a sound. Eventually, no one knew who started it, but they all scrambled out, using both hands and feet, fleeing like a swarm.
Zu An was not a bloodthirsty man, and he didn't trouble these common soldiers. Seeing the mess and bloodstains, he couldn't help but frown. "My apologies," he said, "I've dirtied your courtyard." With a flick of his finger, a wisp of White Lotus True Fire shot onto the corpse, quickly burning it until not even a speck of ash remained.
Murong Qinghe's eyelids twitched as she watched. This man was so skilled at destroying bodies and evidence; she wondered how many times he had done it.
Chu Youzhao couldn't help but worry, "Brother-in-law, you've killed the commander of the Prince of Jin's guards. This is serious trouble."
At this, Murong Qinghe spoke up, "I'll take responsibility for what I've done. Tell them I killed him; we can't implicate Big Brother Zu. I'll leave the city immediately, and they won't be able to catch me."
Chu Youzhao couldn't help but grasp her hand. "You're alone now; it's far too dangerous out there."
"I really shouldn't have come back. I just couldn't bear to leave... I couldn't bear to leave Brother Chu; I wanted to see you one last time. I never expected to implicate you instead." Murong Qinghe's face was etched with apology and remorse.
"Do we really need to say such things between us?" Chu Youzhao held her hand tightly, refusing to let go, and tears welled up as she thought of them soon going their separate ways.
Seeing the two holding hands, their eyes tearful, Zu An found it somewhat amusing. "What tragic scenarios are you two imagining?" he said. "It's just a prince's guard. If he's killed, he's killed. What's the big deal?"
"He's not just any prince's guard; he's the captain of the Prince of Jin's guards. Aren't you openly slapping the Prince of Jin's face?" Chu Youzhao grew anxious. "The Prince of Jin won't let you off, and the imperial court won't stand idly by either."
Zu An thought to himself, *Is the Prince of Jin's face worth as much as the Crown Prince's backside? I even gave the Crown Prince a sound beating in the palace before, so why would I be afraid of some Prince of Jin?* He then said aloud, "Don't worry, leave the subsequent matters to me. If I say it's fine, then it's fine."
Hearing him say this, the two women finally felt a little relieved, though a hint of worry still lingered in their brows.
Zu An looked around. "However, this place isn't convenient for living anymore," he remarked. "Why don't you two come home with me?"
The Qin Manor was already dilapidated, drafts seeping in everywhere, and its safety could hardly be guaranteed.
Chu Youzhao's eyes lit up. *Wouldn't that mean I could live with Brother-in-law?*
"Yes!"
Murong Qinghe was also somewhat moved. This way, she could be under the same roof as Brother Chu again. Anticipation gleamed in her eyes as she imagined the happy life of living together.
"But I'm a wanted person now. Wouldn't this implicate Big Brother Zu?"
"It's fine. Protecting your safety shouldn't be a problem for me now."
Looking at his tall figure, Murong Qinghe's face flushed slightly. She thought, *Big Brother Zu truly gives one an inexplicable sense of security, and he's handsome too. If I hadn't grown up with Brother Chu as childhood sweethearts, perhaps I would have liked...*
Pah, pah, pah! *Murong Qinghe, how can you be so fickle? Brother Chu is clearly the best man in the world!*
Seeing Zu An about to take the two away, the Qin family guards looked crestfallen. "Lord Zu, what will become of us if you leave?" they wailed. "What if the Prince of Jin's people come knocking..."
"Just tell them the truth. If they're looking for someone, they can come directly for me." Zu An said, then after a moment of thought, added, "You all guard the Qin family's dependents well. I'll send more people later to assist you in protecting the Qin family's safety."
The Qin Manor's current dilapidated state really wouldn't do. It would be terrible if other thieves entered and plundered the Qin family, or harmed the women of the family.
The Qin family guards were immediately overjoyed. "Lord Zu is most righteous!" they exclaimed. "Thank you, Lord Zu!"
The Qin family patriarch had been arrested, and the young master too, leaving the entire family in a state of panic. Many people had fled, so the vast Qin Manor lacked enough personnel to defend itself. Now, with Lord Zu's help, they could at least restabilize the manor.
Zu An nodded, then led the two women away, heading towards his Marquisate residence.
"Brother-in-law, thank you so much." Chu Youzhao wiped her eyes. In recent days, the Qin family had suffered a sudden calamity, and she had spent her days exhausting herself with worry. Yet, the Qin Manor remained vulnerable everywhere. Now that Big Brother Zu had returned, all these problems seemed to resolve themselves.
"It's only right," Zu An said with a smile.
Chu Youzhao thought, *It's not 'only right' at all. My sister has already divorced you, and the Qin family has even less to do with you. Besides, the Qin family members weren't exactly good to you. Could it be that Brother-in-law is doing all this for me?* Thinking this, her cheeks immediately flushed hot.
Zu An then looked at Murong Qinghe. "Sister Qinghe," he asked, "weren't you in the military back then? How did you suddenly become a wanted criminal?"
Hearing this, Murong Qinghe's eyes immediately reddened, and she choked up. "Back then, something happened to the Emperor on Golden Summit. Later, the civil and military officials finally managed to break through the mountain-guarding array and ascended Golden Summit, only to find it a complete mess, clearly having undergone a fierce battle. There were bloodstains everywhere, and the Emperor was nowhere to be found."
"Later, everyone searched around Golden Summit for a month and found even Zhuxie Chixin's identity jade tablet dropped there, covered in fresh blood, indicating he was likely dead or severely injured. One after another, other guards' shattered weapons were found. The Emperor never appeared, and even the ministers who had most firmly believed the Emperor's cultivation was peerless and that nothing could happen to him began to waver."
"Everyone then began to review the entire incident, broadly guessing that King Qi had orchestrated a plot, inviting other masters to assassinate the Emperor here. As for the specific individuals involved, it's still unclear, but it's suspected that people from the Daoist sects participated."
"Next, they began investigating the whole matter. And my father, as the Guanglu Xun, bore the responsibility of guarding the Emperor's safety, so he was immediately held accountable and imprisoned."
Although she usually spent her time in military camps, developing a somewhat wild nature from a young age, she was still just a teenage girl. After experiencing such a major family upheaval, she could no longer hold back and had already started crying by this point.
Zu An frowned slightly. "That's preposterous!" he exclaimed. "Everyone knows the position of Guanglu Xun is now merely nominal, effectively existing in name only, just one of the Nine Ministers in title. What does that have to do with General Murong!"
In its early days, the Guanglu Xun indeed oversaw the imperial palace guards, bearing the responsibility of protecting the Emperor. It was a powerful and influential position, a prestigious official post envied by the common people. But over many years of development, the Guanglu Xun had gradually become a sinecure, its power dispersed into the hands of generals like the Left and Right Wei Generals. Transferring Murong Tong from Sili Xiaowei to Guanglu Xun was nominally a lateral transfer or even a promotion, but in reality, it was to move him to a sinecure and sideline him.
Murong Qinghe wiped away her tears. "Everyone knows that," she said, "but my grandfather was on King Qi's side, and this time, King Qi orchestrated the assassination of the Emperor. Since King Qi can't be found for now, someone has to take responsibility. My grandfather just happened to be the Guanglu Xun, and his straightforward nature had also offended many people over the years, so it was only natural that he became the scapegoat."
"Then why did you flee and become a wanted fugitive?" Zu An asked curiously.
Murong Qinghe pursed her lips. "When the soldiers came to arrest people, my grandfather knew the Murong family was doomed this time," she explained. "He didn't want me to fall into a tragic fate, so he found an opportunity to send me away."
Zu An nodded. Although Murong Tong had a fiery temper, he was intelligent. He knew that as a scapegoat, he would inevitably face a grim end. If Murong Qinghe were also imprisoned, not only would she endure various inhumane tortures and interrogations, but as a beautiful young girl, she would face other dangers. Most likely, her cultivation would be crippled, turning her into a cripple and sending her to the Imperial Entertainment Bureau, to live the rest of her life in endless suffering. He loved this granddaughter most dearly in his life, so how could he let her suffer such a fate? Thus, he found a way to help her break out and escape.
"You shouldn't have returned to the capital. You've wasted your grandfather's painstaking efforts," Zu An sighed.
Murong Qinghe wiped away her tears. "The entire Murong family is suffering," she said. "How could I, alone, live on with a clear conscience? The reason I returned to the capital was to see if there was any chance to save the Murong family members."
Seeing Murong Qinghe's torn clothes, her face stained with blood and dirt, looking utterly disheveled, Zu An sighed, realizing she must have endured a lot of hardship these past days. "With your cultivation," he said, "you likely won't be able to save them. You'll just sacrifice your life in vain."
"If I can't save them, then at worst, I'll die with them. No one in the Murong family, male or female, has ever been afraid of death." Although Murong Qinghe was young, there was a resolute look on her face.
Zu An couldn't help but feel a touch of admiration. This young girl possessed a unique heroic spirit.
At this moment, Chu Youzhao tugged at his sleeve. "Brother-in-law," she pleaded, "can you help Little Qinghe? She's so pitiful."
Hearing his address, Murong Qinghe's face flushed slightly. "Brother Chu," she said, "what happened to the Murong family this time is too big. Don't make things difficult for Big Brother Zu."
She was well aware that with the Emperor's assassination, an explanation would ultimately be due to the world. And her Murong family, lacking powerful backing or allies, was clearly the best candidate to take the fall. Regardless of whether it was the Emperor's faction or King Qi's faction, both sides intended to use the Murong family as a sacrifice to appease the realm. This was not something an individual's ability could change.
Zu An thought for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "Sister Qinghe, you don't need to worry too much. The situation might not be as bad as you think. Stay with me at my home for now, and I'll see if there's a way to save the Murong family."
"Is there really a way?" Murong Qinghe, who had been disheartened, instantly had her eyes burst forth with astonishing brilliance upon hearing this. She immediately knelt before him and bowed. "If Big Brother Zu can save the Murong family, then all members of the Murong family will forever be grateful. Murong Qinghe, in this life, even if I become an ox or a horse, a slave or a maid, will repay Big Brother's kindness."
Zu An couldn't help but tease, "For such a matter, shouldn't you typically offer yourself in marriage? Are you perhaps unwilling to leave my Youzhao?"
Murong Qinghe's face paled. She truly had deep feelings for Chu Youzhao, which was why she had unconsciously avoided that aspect and deliberately phrased her words that way. However, compared to the safety of her entire family, what did her personal happiness matter? So she immediately said, "If Big Brother Zu doesn't disdain my humble appearance, then in this life and world, I shall..." As she spoke, her heart ached, and her eyes welled up with tears.
Zu An was startled and hastily stopped her. "I was just joking with you! Why did you take it seriously? It's all my fault for my unrestrained mouth. Don't take it to heart."
At this moment, Chu Youzhao, who was standing nearby, said with a smile, "Little Qinghe, don't worry about it. Brother-in-law and I are family, and I wouldn't mind at all. We could even live together happily!"
[1 minute ago] Chapter 2192: Joining if You Can't Beat Them
[2 minutes ago] Chapter 244: Spirit War
[6 minutes ago] Chapter 2058: Injury
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