Chapter 650: Tight Schedule

They deliberately chose an open courtyard for their discussion, fearing hidden rooms nearby could be used for eavesdropping.

The upstairs room wasn't too far from the courtyard, and normally, their conversation wouldn't escape the notice of those with advanced cultivation. However, as soon as Qin Guangyuan placed a strange stone on the table, the two upstairs found they couldn't hear anything.

"That's a sound-insulating stone from the Imperial Academy," Qiu Honglei, being well-informed, immediately explained. "It prevents sounds within a certain range from escaping."

"The Imperial Academy?" Zu An was momentarily surprised before realizing it was the highest educational institution in the Great Zhou Dynasty, similar to the Imperial College of ancient times.

The most talented students from prestigious provincial academies like Brightmoon Academy would be sent to the Imperial Academy in the capital for further study. After graduating, these students could then serve as officials in the imperial court.

In fact, students who gained admission to the Imperial Academy were already qualified to become officials. However, most preferred to cultivate themselves to a higher level within the academy, as a higher cultivation level meant a higher starting point in their careers and a brighter future. Therefore, no one chose to enter officialdom so early.

"What should we do if we can't hear their conversation? Should I ask Shuangyue to try and get closer?" Qiu Honglei asked, a little anxious.

"No need, I have a way." Zu An closed his eyes and began searching for small animals near the courtyard. Tiny insects were immediately dismissed. The most common creatures were rats, but unfortunately, they could easily be eliminated if they got too close.

In the end, he chose to control a tabby cat, which casually sauntered closer.

Surely, these people wouldn't mind such a cute cat.

As expected, the tabby cat was quickly noticed by the group. However, once they realized it was just a cat, they relaxed and paid it no further attention.

"Brother Cheng, what is the urgent matter you wished to discuss?" Qin Guangyuan asked, sitting upright, his demeanor remarkably composed.

Beside him, Qin Yongde was much more relaxed, lounging bonelessly in his chair.

As for Chu Youzhao, her jade-like cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were slightly unfocused, making her appear exceptionally alluring.

Cheng Gang surprisingly averted his gaze, thinking how truly beautiful this third young master of the Chu family was. If he were from an ordinary family, Cheng Gang swore he would get his hands on him for some fun.

Although he didn't consider himself interested in men, Chu Youzhao's beauty made him feel he could make an exception.

He cleared his throat, dismissing his lustful thoughts, and replied, "You all must already know that the assassins captured during the previous assassination attempt have confessed that King Qi was the mastermind."

"Clearly a frame-up!" Chu Youzhao slammed the table. After drinking, she was much more outspoken than usual.

Qin Yongde chuckled indifferently, "If even we can see it's a frame-up, how could His Majesty not see it?"

Qin Guangyuan frowned, "My fear is that His Majesty might pretend not to see it."

Qin Yongde's smile froze, and Chu Youzhao's brows furrowed as well; they clearly understood the high probability of that scenario.

Cheng Gang said, "First Young Master indeed has keen insight. My father also believes that His Majesty might use this assassination incident to target those connected to King Qi. Since my father is in a delicate position and finds it inconvenient to consult with Duke Cheng and Duke Wei directly, he asked me to contact you to exchange ideas."

Upstairs, Zu An secretly nodded. So, this guy had been frequenting the Brothel Bureau all this time to create a smokescreen.

Qin Guangyuan asked, "Has your esteemed father been able to discover the true identities of those assassins?"

Cheng Gang shook his head, "I don't know. All we know is that their leader is a young woman with long hair and the cultivation of a Grandmaster."

"A young woman, a Grandmaster?" Chu Youzhao's voice rose sharply. She had always resented not being born male, believing it would save the Chu family a lot of trouble.

But now, hearing that a young woman had actually become a Grandmaster, how could she not be astonished and impressed?

Qin Yongde laughed, "Youzhao, don't be fooled by appearances. Those with profound cultivation can maintain eternal youth. In your eyes, she might be a young woman, but she could actually be an old hag."

Zu An's expression was strange. If you have the guts, say that to Yun Jianyue's face; it would be a miracle if she didn't tear your dog's brains out.

By the way, how old exactly is Sister Sect Master?

At this moment, they heard Chu Youzhao continue, "A young woman with long hair, and a Grandmaster — logically, her identity should be easy to ascertain."

Qin Guangyuan shook his head, "It's not that simple. While Grandmasters aren't numerous across the land, almost all of them live reclusive lives, making it incredibly difficult for outsiders to uncover their information."

Qin Yongde, who had been lounging, straightened up. "Ordinary people might not know, but His Majesty should be able to guess who it is."

Qin Guangyuan let out a bitter laugh, "We're back to what we said at the start. His Majesty is likely to use this opportunity to target King Qi's faction."

Cheng Gang hummed in agreement. "My father also thinks so. As the Left Guard General, he's a key figure in King Qi's faction, commanding the imperial palace's forbidden army. He's very likely one of the people His Majesty wants to eliminate. That's why my father has been proactively attracting everyone's attention to a particular Embroidered Uniform Guard."

Zu An thought to himself, *No wonder that Cheng Xiong guy has been relentlessly hounding me like a mad dog. He was looking for a scapegoat.*

"An Embroidered Uniform Guard?" Qin Guangyuan nodded, "I've heard about it."

All the major families had their own informants within the imperial palace, so it was impossible for them not to know about the significant events of the past two days.

Cheng Gang said through clenched teeth, "The original plan was very thorough, but that Embroidered Uniform Guard is somewhat uncanny. He always manages to turn danger into safety, making my father's efforts fruitless. Now, my father's situation is becoming increasingly precarious."

"It's normal for a Gold-ranked Guard to be difficult to deal with." Qin Yongde's tone held considerable displeasure, feeling that Cheng Xiong had lost his mind to specifically target a Gold-ranked Embroidered Uniform Guard. Wasn't he just asking for trouble?

Cheng Gang said in a muffled voice, "My father chose him because he has no real background, and there are indeed many suspicious points about him; he might genuinely be connected to the assassins. As the investigation deepens, my father is now in a difficult position, caught between a rock and a hard place.

Having now completely offended the Embroidered Uniform Guard department, if we can't pin the crime on him, the future retaliation from the Embroidered Uniform Guards would be disastrous."

Qin Guangyuan nodded, "In that case, he's the only one left to choose. Does General Cheng have any messages you need us to relay to our grandfather?"

While they were excellent among their peers, such significant matters still required their family elders to handle; their role was merely to convey information.

"Of course," Cheng Gang replied. "We need the two Dukes to help investigate the background of that Gold-ranked Agent Eleven and see if any new weaknesses can be found."

The Qin family held significant influence in the military and also oversaw the appointment of officers at various ranks. Their connections were truly intricate, making them the only ones likely capable of uncovering this information.

Qin Guangyuan frowned, "The Embroidered Uniform Guards have always been mysterious, let alone a Gold-ranked Agent. Although the Qin family has many protégés and former subordinates, even we might not be able to uncover this."

Cheng Gang chuckled, "Even if you can't find anything, you can simply fabricate a charge of colluding with assassins against him. Compared to other matters, this shouldn't be difficult for the two Dukes."

Cheng Xiong found it inconvenient to handle this himself, so he had to rely on others.

Qin Guangyuan frowned but said nothing.

Chu Youzhao, however, couldn't help but ask, "Wouldn't that be framing an innocent person?"

Cheng Gang secretly sneered but remained silent.

Qin Yongde, seizing the opportunity, said, "Youzhao, you must remember that in politics, there is no such thing as innocent or not innocent; there is only gain or loss. If we don't do this, His Majesty will seize the chance to deal with King Qi. Is King Qi innocent, then?"

Chu Youzhao opened her mouth, but though she disagreed internally, she couldn't find a reason to refute him.

Qin Guangyuan said, "Leave this matter to our Qin family. We must resolve it swiftly and decisively."

Cheng Gang smiled, "First Young Master truly speaks his mind. Come, I'll toast you."

After concluding their serious discussion, they soon resumed drinking and summoned Shuangyue and the other maids to attend to them again.

Zu An's expression was grim. If he hadn't happened to come out, he probably wouldn't have known he was being plotted against.

These old foxes in the capital are more cunning and insidious than the last.

After listening to his explanation, Qiu Honglei also fumed, "These people are simply too shameless!"

Zu An gave a bitter smile, "The key is that they even managed to hit the mark by accident. What luck is that?"

Qiu Honglei's expression also grew strange, as Zu An was indeed colluding with those assassins.

Zu An thought for a moment and said, "There's something I need to ask of you..."

After hearing him out, Qiu Honglei's beautiful eyebrows furrowed deeply. "I am certainly willing to help you, but this matter is far too significant. It could potentially cost us the strength of our capital branch, which we've built up over decades. If I can't silence the dissenting voices among our followers, I won't be able to overrule everyone and agree to your request. Therefore, you must also promise us one thing."