Chapter 565: The Most Outstanding Rich and Beautiful Woman in the Great Zhou Dynasty

Seeing the changing emotions on her face, Chu Chuyan thought Pei Mianman was embarrassed and couldn't help but sigh softly. "Manman, I haven't had many friends growing up. You could say you're my best friend."

Pei Mianman's pretty face flushed. "I'm sorry."

Although she could tell herself that they were already divorced and there was no legal problem whatsoever with her being with Zu An, she knew she couldn't fool herself. After all, their divorce was clearly out of necessity, and she had gotten involved before they even divorced.

Seeing Pei Mianman, who was usually passionate and generous, looking like a timid young bride, Chu Chuyan was dumbfounded and then chuckled. "Do you think I'm blaming you?"

"Are you... not bothered?" Pei Mianman was startled, noticing her tone.

"Normally, of course I would be," Chu Chuyan sighed. "But now, Ah Zu's future is uncertain, and he's living day to day. The fact that you're still willing to be with him proves that you two genuinely love each other. How could I possibly blame you?"

Pei Mianman also fell silent, her initial joy replaced by worry. It was clear that the person Zu An had offended this time was too powerful; it looked like a desperate situation no matter how you viewed it. "He kept insisting on going to the capital, saying that once there, he could completely resolve this matter. Do you perhaps have a solution?"

"He really said that?" Chu Chuyan was surprised. "What solution could I possibly have? To be honest, I had thought you two should simply flee far away after coming out of the secret realm. I didn't expect Zhu Xie Chixin to find you anyway."

Pei Mianman bit her lip. In fact, she had also thought that way herself. "I once suggested it, but he couldn't bear to leave you."

Chu Chuyan was stunned, her gaze falling on Zu An's figure, feeling a little dazed for a moment.

Pei Mianman said, "Is there really no other way? You could go beg your maternal grandfather. With your grandfather's status and position, things might not be without a turning point."

A hint of worry appeared between Chu Chuyan's brows. "You know about our family's relationship with my maternal grandfather's family. Grandpa never approved of my mother's decision back then, and they had officially severed ties... But never mind, I'll go beg him when the time comes. We can't give up any shred of hope."

Pei Mianman hummed in agreement. "I'll also go back to my family and try to pull some strings, though the hope isn't great. You know my awkward position in the family."

Chu Chuyan took her hand to comfort her. In a way, they shared a similar plight, which is why they became best friends back then. Although their personalities were completely different, they got along very well in many areas, yet they never expected to get along so well that they ended up liking the same man.

The warriors nearby glanced sideways. The imagined "shura field" did not appear; these two women were actually holding hands and looking harmonious. What the hell? Let alone two women of such extraordinary beauty, even two ordinary women wouldn't be this harmonious. What kind of magic did that fellow Zu An possess?

Zu An, seeing the constantly refreshing rage points in the background, couldn't help but look back and was also stunned by the sight of the two women holding hands.

Are these two women too open-minded, or do they not love me that much? How could they be so harmonious...

Everyone was weighed down by their thoughts. The group soon returned to a nearby inn. It turned out they hadn't traveled far from where they exited the secret realm.

Seeing him looking around, Chu Chuyan said, "The Sang family father and daughter, as well as Miss Zheng, have already been escorted back to the capital."

Zu An let out a hesitant "Oh," feeling a little guilty.

Chu Chuyan wanted to ask about him and Zheng Dan, but thinking of his uncertain fate, she lost the mood to reprimand him.

At this time, King Liang and Liu Yao also returned one after another. They had been casting a wide net to search for Zu An's whereabouts, and Zhu Xie Chixin immediately informed them as soon as he found the person.

Seeing Zu An captured, both King Liang and Liu Yao breathed a sigh of relief. Too many things had happened on this journey. Now everything else was handed over to Zhu Xie Chixin, and whatever happened next would be none of their concern.

Upon seeing Pei Mianman, King Liang stroked his beard and walked over. "Miss Pei, I received a letter from the Pei family two days ago. Here it is for you."

Pei Mianman was somewhat puzzled. She took the letter and opened it, and her expression instantly changed when she saw a certain token inside.

"What's wrong?" Zu An and Chu Chuyan both noticed her abnormality and hurriedly asked.

Pei Mianman bit her lip, clearly struggling. After a moment, she said dejectedly, "Ah Zu, I'm afraid I can't accompany you to the capital. I have an urgent matter that requires me to return to my hometown."

"What exactly happened?" Zu An was immensely worried. Ever since he had known her, she had always been cheerful and charming; he had hardly ever seen her like this.

"My mother sent me a message, but it's vague and unclear, so I don't know what's going on." Pei Mianman glanced at the people around her, took out the token from the envelope, and lowered her voice. "She and I agreed that we would only use this contact method in extreme emergencies, so I must go back and see what's happened to her."

Zu An said in a deep voice, "In that case, set off quickly. Also, please be extremely careful on your journey; you never know what unexpected things might happen."

Pei Mianman hesitated. "Ah Zu, with this separation, I'm afraid we won't have the chance to meet again." From here to her hometown, she might not make it back in time to go to the capital, and by then, it might be too late for him.

But Zu An smiled and rubbed her head. "What are you thinking? A scoundrel like me doesn't die so easily. I'll wait for you in the capital then. On the contrary, you must be careful to protect yourself. Don't let me get through this ordeal only for something to happen to you."

"Pah, jinx," Pei Mianman spat, blushing, then looked at Chu Chuyan. "Chuyan, I'll entrust Ah Zu to your care."

Chu Chuyan had a strange expression. "Manman, have you forgotten that Ah Zu is originally my husband? I'd take good care of him even if you didn't say anything."

Pei Mianman snorted. "You two are clearly divorced." After speaking, she directly threw herself into Zu An's arms, stood on tiptoe, and kissed him deeply.

Although Zu An spoke lightly, she really had no confidence in her heart. This time, the Emperor wanted his life. Who in the world could save him?

This separation might very well be a final farewell, so she kissed him with all her might. If it weren't inconvenient under everyone's gaze at that moment, she even intended to give herself completely to him.

Previously, in the secret realm, it was only a merging of souls; in reality, she was still a virgin. If this separation became a permanent one, she would feel quite regretful.

The surrounding guards and Embroidered Uniform Guards' eyes went wide. What kind of situation was this? Why did an imperial criminal who was about to die have such good romantic luck? And Miss Chu, aren't you going to do something about it?

Rage points from the warriors: 1024, 1024, 1024...

Chu Chuyan actually understood Pei Mianman's feelings at that moment. She was simply sighing with emotion, but being watched by so many people with strange looks, she felt completely uncomfortable. She felt like she should do something at this moment, but she didn't know what to do. That feeling of frustration was truly difficult to describe.

She could only turn her face away, choosing "out of sight, out of mind."

Mm, a vast expanse of lush green grassland, tender green branches in the distant forest, and even the birds were emerald green parrots... What a vibrant scene.

But why did it feel strange somehow?

After a long kiss, their lips parted. Pei Mianman's already charming face was now radiant with beauty. She gazed at her lover infatuatedly and transmitted her voice using vital energy: "Ah Zu, if anything unforeseen happens on this trip to the capital, I will come to accompany you."

Zu An was startled and hurriedly said, "Please don't do anything foolish. If you don't see my corpse with your own eyes, you can't assume I'm dead. No, even if you see my corpse, I might still be alive through some secret method. Don't end up dying for me when I'm not even dead; I wouldn't even be able to cry then. At the very least, wait ten or eight years to confirm I'm really dead before doing anything."

Pei Mianman knew he was intentionally cheering her up and didn't argue further. "Alright, I'll be sure to confirm everything before making a decision. But I still hope we can meet alive next time. My body in this lifetime... is still waiting for you to touch it."

Hearing these tender and intricate words, Zu An instantly felt his blood boil. He clearly realized that their previous intimate encounters in the secret realm were only soul-deep.

Sensing the change in his body, Pei Mianman smiled charmingly, blushed, and gracefully departed into the distance. "May you have a safe journey."

Zhu Xie Chixin, standing nearby, was somewhat surprised. "Miss Pei's cultivation seems to have improved significantly."

King Liang also nodded, aghast. "It looks like she's already at the peak of the sixth rank, possibly even touching the threshold of the seventh rank. How old is she?"

Liu Yao felt a pang of sympathy. "Indeed, every generation produces its own talents, with each one more... 'wild' than the last." He had lived a lifetime and was barely at the ninth rank. Was he even at the fifth rank at her age?

Zhu Xie Chixin and King Liang cast disdainful glances at him. This fellow was truly ignorant; was that how you used that phrase?

However, they also deeply resonated with the sentiment. Pei Mianman was at the peak of the sixth rank, and Chu Chuyan was already at the seventh. Both were only in their teens. This cultivation speed was truly astonishing.

But why did two such incredibly talented and beautiful women inexplicably fall for that guy Zu An?

Because Zu An had used the "Mirror Non-Platform" aura concealment, his displayed strength appeared to be only at the fifth rank. So, they both inexplicably felt that it was "a beautiful flower stuck in cow dung."

Uh, no, it was two beautiful flowers stuck in cow dung.

Rage points from Zhu Xie Chixin: 233!Rage points from King Liang Zhao Yi: 999!Rage points from Liu Yao: 999!

Zu An had no time to bother with the rage points received in the background. Watching the beautiful woman's whereabouts become distant and unclear, he felt completely lost and forlorn.

"Stop looking, she's already gone far." Chu Chuyan had unknowingly come to his side, her tone lacking its usual indifference.

Zu An chuckled. "Are you jealous?"

"Who's jealous of you?" Chu Chuyan snorted, then turned and walked away.

Zhu Xie Chixin walked over. "Prepare to depart for the capital. Also, bind him with the Soul-Snatching Chains."

Chu Chuyan, who had walked away, immediately floated back to stand in front of her husband. "Since he has willingly returned, he has no intention of running. Why would you use Soul-Snatching Chains?"

Zhu Xie Chixin frowned slightly. "Just in case. We can't keep an eye on him at all times."

Chu Chuyan insisted, "He's had so many opportunities to escape along the way if he wanted to. If you insist on binding him with Soul-Snatching Chains, we might as well break out together now. Anyway, it's certain death once we reach the capital, so dying here makes no difference."

Zhu Xie Chixin frowned deeply. King Liang then spoke, "Commander Zhu Xie, there are still many dangers on this journey. If we are all held back, and someone wants to kill him, it would be bad if he had no ability to resist."

He had suffered greatly from this before. Strictly speaking, it was better for Zu An to escape than to die at the hands of those assassins. If he escaped, there was still a chance to catch him back, but if he died, he was truly dead. Where would the Emperor find the "Phoenix Nirvana Scripture"?

Zhu Xie Chixin snorted coldly. "Since I'm personally here, such a situation won't occur."

Despite what he said, he didn't insist on binding Zu An.

Ultimately, Zu An was placed in a specially designed carriage. Although not as luxurious as Liu Yao's earlier one, it was much better than a prisoner cart. After so many assassination attempts, they naturally didn't dare to make him ride in an open prisoner cart. The walls of this carriage were carved with special magic formations that could block assassins' arrows.

Chu Chuyan also requested to be in the carriage, which Zhu Xie Chixin's first reaction was to refuse.

What kind of joke was that? An imperial criminal couldn't just be casually approached.

When Zhu Xie Chixin learned that King Liang and Liu Yao had put Zheng Dan and Zu An in the same carriage, he internally cursed them to death.

It was utterly preposterous! A man and a woman alone together, if anything happened inside, it would truly disgrace the court.

However, seeing Chu Chuyan's serene and cool demeanor, he wouldn't think in that way. But this was an imperial criminal specifically requested by the Emperor, so it was naturally better for him not to have contact with anyone.

Who knew that Zu An would directly shout, saying that if they weren't even allowed to be together as husband and wife for the last leg of the journey, he might as well fight to the death now rather than suffer in the capital.

Zhu Xie Chixin also felt a headache coming on; he finally understood the troubles King Liang and Liu Yao had faced earlier.

At this moment, Chu Chuyan also spoke. "I can protect him inside, serving as a final line of defense."

Zhu Xie Chixin thought for a moment and then agreed. Although he believed that the forces he brought this time were sufficient to suppress any situation, it's always better to be prepared for contingencies.

Moreover, there might be spies from other factions embedded within the team. If they found a loophole to kill Zu An, it would indeed be troublesome.

Others couldn't be fully trusted, but Chu Chuyan was absolutely incapable of colluding with other factions.

The group began its journey. The guards outside were all on high alert, scanning their surroundings, while the carriage interior was much quieter.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Chu Chuyan was made uncomfortable by Zu An's direct gaze and instinctively touched her face, thinking there was dirt on it.

"Wife, long time no see. You're getting prettier and prettier," Zu An said with a grin.

Chu Chuyan's face hardened. "Who's your wife? We're already divorced."

She hadn't been able to act out earlier with Pei Mianman present, but now that it was just the two of them, she had fewer reservations.

Zu An was unconcerned. "Although you speak harshly, you still care about me in your heart. You just strongly argued with Zhu Xie Chixin to spare me the suffering of being bound."

Chu Chuyan sighed softly in her heart, realizing that this was indeed not the time for jealousy. She directly transmitted her voice using vital energy: "The reason I argued was just to win you a chance. Find a suitable moment on this journey, and I'll cover your escape."

"But what about you then, and what about the Chu family?" Zu An looked at her.

Chu Chuyan was silent. After a long while, she said, "At this point, I can't worry about so much anymore. The Emperor, after all, couldn't possibly exterminate our family over this matter. And even if he intended to, our family actually has some connections. We didn't have time to use them in Brightmoon City, but this time, we won't surrender so easily."

Zu An shook his head. "There's no need for you and the Chu family to take risks. I'll just go directly to the capital; I might not necessarily die."

Chu Chuyan was curious. "What method do you have?"

Zu An shook his head. "I don't have much confidence myself. Saying it now would only lower the success rate."

"Then I won't ask," Chu Chuyan bit her lip. "After entering the capital, I'll go beg someone. If he's willing to step in, he might be able to save you from the Emperor."

Zu An was startled and quickly said, "Please don't do anything foolish. You are not allowed to sacrifice your innocence or reputation to save me."

Those idiotic TV dramas from his past life had left an indelible psychological shadow on him: the female lead goes to beg the villain to save the male lead, and the villain demands her body, which the female lead tearfully agrees to... Are the directors and screenwriters doing this because of their personal kinks or to get back at society?

Understanding his meaning, Chu Chuyan's fair, snow-like face instantly turned red. "Pah, what nonsense are you thinking? The person I'm going to beg is my maternal grandfather!"

Zu An was surprised. "Who is your maternal grandfather, and does he have such great power?"

He knew the Emperor was seeking him for the method of immortality, and he simply couldn't imagine anyone being able to dissuade him.

Chu Chuyan hesitated, then said, "At this point, there's no need to hide these things from you. My maternal grandfather's name is Qin Zheng, and he is the current Grand Commander of the Central Army; my second maternal grandfather's name is Qin Se, and he is the current Grand Protector of the Central Army."

Qin Zheng? Qin Se?

Zu An was about to complain that his second maternal grandfather's name was a bit dissonant when he suddenly remembered what Shang Liuyu had mentioned about these two positions back in Brightmoon Academy.

The Grand Commander of the Central Army commanded the Six Capital Armies. Nominally, all the most elite and direct forces of the central dynasty were under his command. That General Wei Liu Yao, who acted so cocky, he along with his two subordinate Left and Right Guards, were two of the Six Armies, under the jurisdiction of the Grand Commander.

The Grand Protector of the Central Army was responsible for the selection of all mid-to-high-ranking military officers and also commanded the troops in the capital's suburbs.

In the military hierarchy, the Grand General and Grand Marshal of Cavalry held the highest positions, but these were essentially honorary titles, more about prestige. In contrast, the Grand Commander of the Central Army and Grand Protector of the Central Army held actual military positions. In a sense, her two maternal grandfathers were the military's first and second most powerful figures.

Zu An was a little bewildered. "Your maternal grandfather's family is so powerful, why did so many people in Brightmoon City bully your Chu family before?"

Chu Chuyan sighed softly. "This is due to an old story from years ago. Back then, my maternal grandfather didn't approve of my mother marrying Dad and instead arranged another marriage for her. Then my mother resolutely chose to elope with my father, infuriating Grandpa, who immediately severed their father-daughter relationship."

"Both Grandpa and my mother have very strong personalities, and they never had any contact for all these years. It was only after Youzhao went to the capital a few years ago that there was a little contact, but that was only limited to caring for us younger generations."

"Grandpa hates my father to the bone. It would be good enough if he didn't make things worse for us; how could he possibly help the Chu family?"

Zu An laughed heartily and hugged her thigh. "Who would have thought, who would have thought, I unintentionally married the most amazing 'Bai Fumei' in the entire country, and she's also the most powerful third-generation official! I must hold onto such a thick thigh tightly."

Chu Chuyan tried several times but couldn't push him away, so she could only blush and let him. "What nonsense are you talking about? There are countless women in the capital whose family background is no less than mine, or even better. How can I be worthy of what you said? Besides, strictly speaking, I married you... And where are my thighs thick?"

Are they thicker than Manman's legs? She ultimately didn't dare to ask that aloud.

Only then did Zu An realize his status as a live-in son-in-law, but he didn't care at all. "Anyway, we're already divorced, what happened before doesn't count. Can't I just marry you again?"

Feeling his mischievous hands move upwards along her thigh, Chu Chuyan's usually cool and detached demeanor instantly crumbled. Her face instantly turned beet red. This guy was truly a complete scoundrel.