Chapter 617: True Splurge

Hearing the emperor's roar, Zu An found himself not afraid, but rather wanting to laugh. He had, moments earlier, entertained a similar thought, though his mind had pictured a public restroom instead of a vegetable market.

Speaking of which, how could the emperor have the nerve to scold others? While it was true the imperial guards were led by the nose this time, it was only because their enemies were too powerful. The number one assassin organization, Shadow Tower, and the Demonic Cult's elites were all deployed, even a Grandmaster. Yet, the emperor, the strongest presence in the palace, remained out of sight. What were the guards supposed to do?

What exactly had he been doing all this time?

Zu An hesitated, wondering whether to announce his arrival. Entering at this moment would likely mean incurring displeasure.

Just then, the eunuch outside the Imperial Study said to him, "The Emperor just announced that if Lord Eleven arrives, he is to enter directly."

Zu An was delighted. "Thank you, Eunuch."

He cautiously stepped inside, only to be astonished that the emperor was not physically present in the Imperial Study. Instead, there was a massive mirror displaying the emperor's image. It was very similar to the audio-visual mirror he had once used for video calls with Chu Chuyan, though considerably larger.

His heart skipped a beat. What was happening? He quickly glanced around, but the other individuals showed no surprise; they seemed to have been aware of this arrangement all along.

He secretly observed the others. Zhu Xie Chixin was an old acquaintance, typically arrogant and overbearing, with a haughty air. Now, however, he stood obediently to the side like a quail, completely unassuming, his demeanor as respectful as possible.

Another familiar face, General Liu Yao of the Imperial Guard, was also being reprimanded by the emperor.

He was bowing his head, humbly and incessantly begging for forgiveness, not a trace of his former haughty manner from Brightmoon City remaining.

Though he was the Empress's uncle and nominally an elder to the emperor, he dared not display even a hint of seniority in the emperor's presence.

He, too, felt quite dejected. Although, in theory, the Imperial Guard General was the supreme commander of the Forbidden Army within the palace, he typically resided at his mansion. The specific details of palace defense were jointly overseen by the Left and Right Imperial Guard Generals, the Cavalry General, the Valiant Cavalry General, Zhu Xie Chixin's Embroidered Uniform Emissaries, and a small contingent of imperial bodyguards under the Grand Master of Ceremonies.

He had left work to enjoy himself as soon as his duties were done. When the assassins stirred up trouble in the palace, it was nighttime, and he was still at home, indulging in drink and revelry; he had no time to react.

Zu An's gaze shifted again to the side. All were high-ranking officials of the imperial palace: Right Imperial Guard General Guo Zhi and Cavalry General Zhao Yuan, both of whom he had previously encountered at the Eastern Palace.

Hmm, he had recently exchanged blows with another bearded man; the man had been pursuing Qiu Honglei and was momentarily blocked by his own Flame Blade. That must have been Left Imperial Guard General Cheng Xiong.

The Valiant Cavalry General was nowhere to be seen; he wondered where he had gone.

Additionally, there was a lean, dignified old man whose bronze-colored skin gave his slender frame an inexplicable sense of explosive power.

Shang Liuyu had once given him an illustrated book at the academy that detailed the attire for important official positions within the court. This particular uniform seemed to resemble that of the Grand Master of Ceremonies.

Could he be the new Grand Master of Ceremonies, Murong Tong, the grandfather of young Murong Qinghe?

No wonder young Murong Qinghe had such a tan complexion; perhaps it was a family trait?

Compared to the other men's submissive postures, Murong Tong stood considerably straighter. He was in charge of the emperor's personal bodyguards, but with the emperor's cultivation now unparalleled, the role of the imperial bodyguards was practically nominal. Furthermore, he had originally been demoted to this leisurely office under the guise of a promotion, so today's assassin incident could not rightly be blamed on him.

*Hmph, it's all because of that brat Zu An, forcing this old man to suffer here alongside these fellows!*

Zu An registered a surge of "Rage Value from Murong Tong: 723!"

Seeing the rage value appear, Zu An was startled, initially thinking Murong Tong had recognized him. However, upon closer observation, Murong Tong was not looking his way. Zu An then surmised that he was likely frustrated about his transfer from the Imperial Inspectorate.

After the emperor's furious tirade, his temper seemed to calm considerably. He then declared, "Everyone present shall be demoted by one rank and have three years' salary confiscated. You will temporarily retain your current responsibilities and await opportunities to atone for your actions through meritorious service."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" The group bowed in unison, expressing their gratitude. For individuals of their status, a salary deduction was negligible, making this punishment feel like a heavy hand raised high only to deliver a gentle tap.

Only Zu An wore a crestfallen expression. He hadn't even received a single payment as this Golden Token Emissary, and now he was to have three years' salary confiscated?

*Unlike those others who had additional sources of income, was he expected to risk his life for the emperor and complete missions, only to be exploited for three years?*

*Even a donkey on a production team wouldn't be worked this hard!*

Unfortunately, having just witnessed the emperor's display of power, despite his internal grumbling, he dared not step forward and provoke trouble at that moment.

Observing the reactions of those present, the emperor nodded in satisfaction. He then continued, "Cheng Xiong, you are to take charge of apprehending the assassins involved in the attack on the Empress's palace, and simultaneously ascertain their identities and origins!"

"Guo Zhi, you are responsible for investigating the assassination attempt at the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace and eliminating all the escaped assassins."

"Liu Yao, Zhao Yuan, you two are to conduct a thorough search of the capital. Any suspicious individuals are to be arrested immediately; those who resist are to be killed without mercy!"

"Yes!" The group acknowledged the imperial decree.

Zu An secretly rejoiced, grateful that Qiao Xueying had decisively left that very day. Otherwise, had she delayed even by half a day, she and her clan might not have been able to leave tomorrow. She had endured so much hardship in the capital for years to successfully rescue her clan; it would have been truly tragic if all her efforts had come to naught.

In contrast, his greater concern now was for Qiu Honglei. Night had fallen, and the four city gates were tightly closed, making it impossible for her to leave the capital. He wondered if she could evade the search conducted by Liu Yao and Zhao Yuan.

At this point, the others accepted their orders and departed, leaving only Zu An and Zhu Xie Chixin in the Imperial Study.

The emperor looked at Zhu Xie Chixin. "Have you caught that woman?"

Zu An's heart leaped. He knew the emperor was referring to Qiu Honglei's master and quickly pricked up his ears.

Zhu Xie Chixin shook his head.

"Your humble servant is incompetent. I pursued her for a long time, but unfortunately, I have been unable to ascertain her whereabouts, nor am I even certain if she has left the palace."

This time, the emperor's tone was surprisingly gentle. "That woman is, after all, a Grandmaster. Though severely injured, she is not easily caught. However, with the city gates now closed, she certainly hasn't left the capital. You must still be responsible for finding her."

"Yes," Zhu Xie Chixin replied with a bow.

The emperor then inquired, "You are typically well-versed in all manner of intelligence from across the land, and you engaged that woman for the longest time. Do you know her origins?"

Zhu Xie Chixin replied, "Initially, that woman used a short sword and always displayed the cultivation of a Master, clearly trying to conceal her identity. However, when she faced Your Majesty's final strike, she was compelled to use her innate weapon, which allowed me to discern her true nature."

"The weapon she wielded was a Crescent Wheel, and she is also a light-element cultivator whose ultimate move has a time-slowing effect. The individual who fits all these criteria is Yun Jianyue, the Demonic Cult Master."

Zu An's heart pounded wildly. It was over. Since her identity had been revealed, Qiu Honglei's plan to frame Prince Qi would surely fall apart. Not only that, the imperial court would undoubtedly unleash swift and devastating retaliation against the Demonic Cult. They were in for serious trouble.

Yet, Qiu Honglei's master's name suited her entire aura. When he had seen her floating in the air at the Eastern Palace, she had exuded an ethereal quality, as transient and elusive as the moon amidst the clouds.

The emperor fell into deep thought. After a long silence, he asked, "Have you shared this information with anyone else?"

Zhu Xie Chixin hastily replied, "Your subordinate naturally understands the gravity of such matters; I have not mentioned this to anyone previously."

The emperor nodded. "That is good. Keep this matter to yourself; it is not to be spoken of again."

Though Zhu Xie Chixin harbored doubts, he did not voice them, merely responding softly, "Yes!"

Zu An, however, was utterly bewildered. What was happening? Was Qiu Honglei's master the emperor's former lover, which explained his leniency? No, that didn't make sense; if she were, he wouldn't have failed to recognize her during their recent confrontation.

"You may leave. Zu An, stay," the emperor's faint voice echoed from the mirror.

"Yes," Zhu Xie Chixin replied, giving Zu An a surprised glance as he departed. He said nothing further, quickly withdrawing and considerately closing the door behind him.

The emperor then turned his gaze to Zu An, his eyes suddenly sharp and piercing. "I hear you embraced the Crown Princess today?"

Even though he was only facing a mirror, the immense pressure in that instant caused cold sweat to drench Zu An's clothes. "Reporting to Your Majesty, the situation was critical at the time, and I was merely attempting to save the Crown Princess..."

He was interrupted before he could finish. The emperor looked at him coldly. "Which hand did you use to embrace her? Cut it off yourself."