Chapter 354: Double Operation

This thing most likely belongs to Old Man Mi, not Wei Dan!

No wonder Old Man Mi always had a strange smell about him. It was faint, and at first, he thought it was just the smell of an old person, so he didn't pay it any mind.

Now that he thought about it, it was very similar to the smell in Wei Dan's room!

Old Man Mi likely wanted me to get close to the Wei family from the start because he intended to use me to inquire about Wei Dan's whereabouts.

Wei Dan must have only recently arrived in Mingyue City, and now it seems Old Man Mi is most likely his target.

Old Man Mi probably escaped from the imperial palace years ago due to some incident. To evade capture, he went into hiding, changed his name, and became a gardener in the Chu family.

But after all these years, people from the palace eventually found some clues, which led Wei Dan to Mingyue City.

However, Wei Dan probably hasn't pinpointed his exact location yet; otherwise, he would have likely made a move against Old Man Mi by now.

Recalling Wei Dan's peculiar expression when he looked at him, Zu An suddenly realized something. During the last family competition against the Yuan family, he had publicly displayed the Sunflower Phantasm. It was likely seen by someone observant then, and the information was passed on to Wei Dan.

The teachers at the academy, who frequently had dark circles under their eyes, might have been investigated by Wei Dan as he looked into people around Zu An.

Once his investigation at the academy was complete, the Chu family would probably be next.

The thought of Old Man Mi hiding his entire life only to have his whereabouts discovered because of Zu An filled him with a sudden pang of regret.

His first instinct was to warn Old Man Mi to be careful, but then he hesitated, considering how difficult it was to tell whether Old Man Mi was a friend or foe.

Forget it, he decided. He would just have to play it by ear.

"What's wrong?" Pei Mianman, seeing his fluctuating expression, couldn't help but ask with concern.

"Nothing," Zu An forced a smile. "It's just a pity I couldn't help you find the golden token this time."

"It was to be expected, really. Such an important item, he'd most likely carry it with him," Pei Mianman sighed.

Zu An was startled. "Don't do anything rash. If it's on him, you definitely can't get it."

Pei Mianman pursed her lips and smiled. "Don't worry, I'm not that foolish. I certainly won't take unnecessary risks."

Hearing that she still hadn't given up on finding the golden token, Zu An hesitated to speak further. He decided against it; she wouldn't be dissuaded, and with her intelligence, she wouldn't do anything suicidal.

Pei Mianman was about to say something when she suddenly noticed Zu An picking up the item from the grass again. Her stomach churned. "Why are you picking that up?"

"It might be useful later," Zu An smiled, carefully putting the 'treasure' into a box and then tucking it into his robe.

"Disgusting!" Pei Mianman exclaimed, unable to bear it any longer. With a light tap of her foot, she vanished into the night sky.

Zu An smiled faintly. There were many things he couldn't explain to her. Keeping this item might prove to be an important bargaining chip at a crucial moment; how could he just throw it away?

After returning to the Chu manor, night had already fallen. Zu An went to Qingyin Pavilion, but the lady was not there, making the spacious pavilion feel even colder and emptier.

"Ah..." Zu An let out a long sigh, greatly missing the feeling of sleeping with her fragrant body in his arms.

Chu Chuyan probably wouldn't be back anytime soon, so it looked like he'd have to live like a monk for quite a while.

Two uneventful days passed. On the third day, Zu An didn't go to the academy. Instead, he privately sought out Qin Wanru. "Madam, I need your help with something."

"What is it?" Qin Wanru was surprised. What was this man up to, being so mysterious?

Zu An said, "I've found the whereabouts of the previously hijacked salt vouchers."

"What!" Qin Wanru rose abruptly. The Chu family's current crisis stemmed entirely from those salt vouchers, so how could she not be excited? "Where are they? I'll assemble the troops immediately and get them back!"

Zu An: "..."

After a long pause, he finally said, "The reason I didn't tell you earlier, Madam, was precisely because I was worried you would make such a big fuss. If we were to gather troops, the commotion would have scared them away long ago, and then how would we find those salt vouchers?"

Qin Wanru frowned. "What do you mean?"

Zu An explained, "I have reliable information that the salt vouchers will appear at a certain location tonight. However, if the Chu family mobilizes troops, it will alert them, and finding them again next time won't be easy."

Qin Wanru's delicate brows furrowed. Prompted by his words, she also considered these points. "Then what do you suggest we do?"

Zu An replied, "We'll go lightly, just the two of us, and find an opportunity to snatch the salt vouchers without anyone knowing."

"Just the two of us?" Qin Wanru was taken aback.

Zu An hummed in affirmation. "Originally, I thought I could do it alone, but my cultivation is still a bit too low. So, it would be safer to have an expert by my side. After thinking it over, you, Madam, are the only one in the entire Chu manor I can truly trust."

Qin Wanru snorted. "If you didn't need me as a strong hand, I doubt you would have told me about the salt vouchers even now."

Zu An gave an awkward laugh. "Wasn't I just worried about alerting them?"

Only then did Qin Wanru say, "But will the two of us be enough?"

She knew that the force capable of seizing those salt vouchers was by no means ordinary. While her cultivation was good, it wasn't at a level where she could single-handedly intimidate the entire Mingyue City.

"Are you scared, Madam?" Zu An asked with a half-smile.

Qin Wanru retorted angrily, "What a joke! Why would I be scared?"

Rage value from Qin Wanru +111!

Zu An chuckled helplessly. This woman was truly impatient; just a little provocation, and she fell for it. "Madam, there's no need to worry. Too many people would alert them, but two is just right. Besides, I have other arrangements."

"Other arrangements?" Qin Wanru was surprised.

"I'll explain on the way. Let's set off first," Zu An said.

"Alright!" Qin Wanru rose to leave.

But Zu An stopped her. "Madam, that outfit might not be convenient for action."

Qin Wanru was currently dressed in the elaborate attire of a duchess, emphasizing grandeur and presence. In her current state, she would be the center of attention wherever she went; how could she participate in any clandestine operation?

"Wait for me," Qin Wanru said, and then hurried away.

Not long after, as Zu An was growing a little bored waiting, her voice came from behind him. "I'm ready."

Zu An turned around and was momentarily stunned. Qin Wanru had changed into a form-fitting combat suit, devoid of any jewelry. Even the phoenix hair ornament she usually wore was gone.

Her previously elaborate and elegant coiffure was now let down and casually tied.

She appeared simple and unadorned, but compared to her usual regal elegance, she now exuded a youthful radiance.

Moreover, the form-fitting suit perfectly accentuated her graceful figure.

Qin Wanru frowned. "What are you looking at!"

Zu An smiled faintly. "It's my first time seeing this side of Madam. An outsider would think you were Chuyan and Xiaozhao's older sister."

"Smooth talker. No wonder Chuyan was tricked by you!" Qin Wanru scoffed, though a faint hint of pleasure could be seen in her eyes. What woman didn't enjoy being praised for being young and beautiful, especially when the compliment sounded genuinely sincere?

To avoid drawing attention, they didn't leave through the main gate but instead climbed over a secluded courtyard wall.

Qin Wanru looked around, ensuring they hadn't been spotted, before turning back. "Where are we going now?"

"The River Defense Camp!" Zu An said gravely.

"The River Defense Camp?" Qin Wanru's expression changed. "Are the salt vouchers there?"

"Not exactly," Zu An shook his head. "Didn't you worry, Madam, that the two of us might not be enough? So, we need to borrow their strength."

Qin Wanru frowned. "You wouldn't let me mobilize the Red Robe Army before, but now you want to go to the River Defense Camp? Won't that also alert them? Besides, those good-for-nothings at the River Defense Camp are nowhere near as effective as the Chu family's Red Robe Army!"