Chapter 695: Chess Pieces and the Player

The Crown Prince of Qi opened his mouth, intending to cling to his father's leg and wail for revenge. However, he instantly recalled the oath he had made with Zu An, which prevented him from asking his father for help, so he forced himself to hold back. He also understood that, given his father's temperament, crying and complaining in front of him would likely be counterproductive.

Han Fengqiu, noticing his silence, thoughtfully stepped forward and said, "It's that Zu An fellow."

"Zu An?" The Prince of Qi frowned. "At best, he's only a rank six or seven cultivator. How could he possibly injure you so badly?"

The Crown Prince of Qi's face flushed crimson. This was, in fact, the very thing that utterly baffled him. He couldn't comprehend how he, a distinguished rank-eight cultivator, could have lost to that boy, let alone so completely.

At this point, Han Fengqiu interjected, "That boy's movement technique is rather peculiar; even I almost couldn't catch him. It's quite normal for the Crown Prince to have suffered a setback against him."

"Even you couldn't catch him?" The Prince of Qi was visibly surprised. While he might not have complete faith in his son's abilities, he was well aware of Han Fengqiu's strength; he lacked nothing in terms of cultivation or practical combat experience. If even Han Fengqiu couldn't catch Zu An, then how monstrously talented was this boy?

Han Fengqiu's weathered face flushed, and he quickly added, "It's mainly because aerial flight is restricted in the capital. Otherwise, no matter how fast he was, I would have found a way to subdue him. Even with that, I almost had him later, but unfortunately, Butler Fu, Lady Yu's attendant, intervened, so I had no choice but to bring the Crown Prince back."

"Lady Yu?" The Prince of Qi's breathing suddenly hitched. "Could it be Yu Yanluo?"

"Yes, it is she," Han Fengqiu replied.

The Crown Prince of Qi watched his father's momentary lapse of composure. He should have, by rights, felt indignation on his mother's behalf, but recalling his own captivating glimpse of Yu Yanluo years ago, he, as a man, understood his father's reaction perfectly.

"She's actually returned to the capital?" The Prince of Qi exclaimed, a flicker of excitement in his voice. He paced back and forth a few times in the room before finally stopping by the window, gazing in a certain direction towards the capital. The light in his eyes gradually subsided. "Alas, times have changed, and so have people. If it were ten years ago, I would have gone to see her again without hesitation, but now, I'm not in the mood."

Han Fengqiu, standing by, seized the opportunity to flatter him: "Your Royal Highness prioritizes the greater good, which is truly a blessing for us all."

The Prince of Qi's focus was now entirely on the imperial succession. His abstinence from indulging in women indeed gave his subordinates a reassuring sense of stability.

The Prince of Qi turned around. "Why would Yu Yanluo save Zu An?"

Han Fengqiu shook his head, still completely baffled by the matter.

At this moment, the Crown Prince of Qi spoke softly, "Perhaps Zu An saved them before..." He then proceeded to recount the incident where Zu An stopped the startled runaway horse.

The Prince of Qi nodded discreetly. "Your plan is quite good; it skillfully adhered to the principles of imperial law at every turn. It seems my years of cultivating you were not in vain."

Zhao Zhi's heart swelled with joy. "Thank you, Father!" It was well-known that the Prince of Qi had more than one son, and Zhao Zhi felt immense pressure. He naturally hoped to gain an absolute advantage over his siblings, preventing them from harboring any improper ambitions. This advantage, of course, would stem from his father's favor.

But at that moment, the Prince of Qi suddenly let out a cold snort. "Unfortunately, it wasn't perfectly executed. Since you were setting a trap, why didn't you personally arrange a carriage?"

Zhao Zhi argued, "I was worried it would seem too deliberate. The Liu, Meng, and Bi families in court would surely seize upon it and make a big deal. So I randomly found a passing carriage. We had clearly observed it; the carriage was perfectly ordinary. Who could have known it would turn out to be Yu Yanluo's personal carriage?"

"Hmph, this is what's called a slip in a hundred careful calculations," the Prince of Qi admonished. "So what if those people in court question it? By then, the evidence would have been irrefutable; at most, they would just bark a few times. But your hesitation caused the entire setup to fail completely – it's truly penny-wise and pound-foolish. Remember, from now on, you must clearly distinguish between the risks you can bear and those you cannot tolerate."

"Father is right to admonish me!" Zhao Zhi hurriedly tried to rise and bow, but the intense pain in his knees immediately caused beads of sweat to stream down his face.

"Knees shattered?" Only then did the Prince of Qi examine his injuries, his face as dark as murky water.

"Your son is incompetent and has disgraced Father," Zhao Zhi said. He knew his father detested excuses, so it was better to be sincere and admit his shortcomings.

As expected, hearing his words, the Prince of Qi's expression softened slightly. He reached out and gently placed his hand on Zhao Zhi's knee, and two clusters of white light emanated from his palm.

Zhao Zhi's face initially contorted in agony, but after a moment, his tightly furrowed brow gradually relaxed. "Thank you, Father!" he said.

Han Fengqiu, standing by, secretly marveled. His master's cultivation was truly unfathomable; such severe injuries could be healed with such ease. He recalled having personally examined the wounds earlier and realizing he was utterly powerless to help.

"This merely ensures your legs won't have lasting problems in the future," the Prince of Qi said coldly. "For a full recovery, I'll send for some imperial physicians later to treat you. Your injuries will take at least several months to heal completely. This is also good; it will allow you to reflect on your mistakes at home and prevent you from going out and making a spectacle of yourself."

A flicker of unwillingness crossed Zhao Zhi's eyes, but he still dared not retort. "Yes!" he said.

At this moment, his heart was filled with extreme hatred for Zu An. He vowed that once his injuries healed, he would surely tear Zu An to shreds.

"Alright, tell me the details of your fight with Zu An," the Prince of Qi said. He patted his robes and sat upright on a nearby stool.

His biggest worry now was Zu An's extraordinary combat power. Could it be a result of the Phoenix Nirvana Sutra? If it was truly that miraculous, then what if the Emperor were to cultivate it?

Zhao Zhi endured the pain and tried his best to sit upright while recounting the recent details to his father.

As the Prince of Qi listened, he analyzed, "Zu An's peculiar movement technique must be derived from Eunuch Mi's Sunflower Phantasm. Eunuch Mi was hiding in Brightmoon City all this time, so he must have been cultivating Zu An as his successor. However, while the Sunflower Phantasm has some merits, it shouldn't be this miraculous."

Han Fengqiu also added, "Your Royal Highness, now that you mention it, I do feel that boy's movement technique is very similar to the legendary Sunflower Phantasm. But there's also something different about it, though I can't quite pinpoint what."

The Prince of Qi hummed in acknowledgment and looked at his son, his tone laced with displeasure. "Even if the opponent's movement technique is a bit peculiar, you are, after all, a rank-eight cultivator. Why were you beaten so terribly?"

Zhao Zhi's face flushed hot again, and he quickly explained, "Originally, I had the upper hand. But his movement technique was too peculiar, and I grew tired of playing hide-and-seek with him. So I unleashed 'Overlord's Sacred Thunder', hoping to use a sea of lightning to force him out of hiding."

Han Fengqiu nodded discreetly. His own previous use of the 'Rain of Swords' technique had been for the same purpose; against such peculiar movement techniques, this kind of indiscriminate saturation attack was indeed necessary.

"And then?" The Prince of Qi asked impassively. Seeing his son's miserable state, he knew that move must have been a mistake.

Only then did Zhao Zhi speak, filled with both grief and indignation. "But out of nowhere, a giant water ball appeared and suddenly drenched me, causing all the thunderclouds in the sky to strike me! After I was paralyzed, that scoundrel Zu An then..." The thought of being trampled underfoot and having his knees broken filled him with such sorrow that his eyes uncontrollably welled up.

The Prince of Qi glanced at him. Seeing that he hadn't actually burst into tears, he nodded with satisfaction. "You've had it too easy these past years; this lesson is good for you."

Zhao Zhi dared not retort and could only respond with, "Yes!"

At this moment, Han Fengqiu quickly stepped forward to speak on behalf of the Crown Prince. "From the looks of it, there must have been a water-element expert ambushing nearby. They attacked the Crown Prince by surprise at a crucial moment; otherwise, the Crown Prince would have already subdued Zu An."

"Water-element expert?" The Prince of Qi pondered for a moment and then agreed with this explanation. After all, Zu An appeared to be an ice-element ability user, so he couldn't possibly use water-element combat techniques. There must have been a water-element expert lurking nearby. But who could it have been?

He mentally reviewed all the water-element experts in the capital. Anyone capable of ambushing Zhao Zhi so silently would have to be at least Han Fengqiu's level or higher. Several candidates surfaced in his mind, and he instinctively felt they were unlikely to do such a thing. But then, on second thought, he realized everyone had such motives, and his eyebrows furrowed tightly.

At this point, Zhao Zhi said spitefully, "Once my injuries are healed, I will surely flay and dismember that Zu fellow! Only then will my hatred be fully appeased."

After their analysis, he also realized that it wasn't because Zu An was so powerful, but merely because a water-element expert had secretly helped him. Zu An himself only relied on a ghostly movement technique; how could he possibly be a match for him in a real fight?

The Prince of Qi snorted heavily. "Haven't you brought enough shame upon yourself already? Stay home and recover peacefully. Don't go anywhere once you've healed, and don't forget you foolishly made an oath to the Heavenly Dao!"

Zhao Zhi grew anxious. "Can't I just avoid using the Prince's Estate's power? Next time, with precautions, I alone can easily eliminate that Zu fellow."

The Prince of Qi looked at him with a hint of disappointment. "Do you think you only represent yourself? Your father is now at a crucial juncture; a tall tree catches much wind. Countless eyes in court are watching me. I have always maintained a clean reputation, and they've never found anything to use against me. If you jump out now, aren't you just handing them a knife?"

Zhao Zhi finally understood his father's concerns, but he still felt a surge of resentment in his heart. "But can we just let this matter go? He publicly broke my legs! If we don't make him pay a heavy price, everyone will think our Prince of Qi's Estate is easy to bully, which would be even more troublesome. My loss of face is minor, but Your Royal Highness's loss of face is a major issue!"

The Prince of Qi let out a cold laugh. "Stop trying those little tricks on me. Did I say I would let him off?"

Zhao Zhi's eyes immediately lit up. "May I ask what brilliant strategy Father has in mind?"

The Prince of Qi grunted and stood up again, his entire being exuding an inexplicable aura. "Today, I'll teach you another lesson. Many times, when doing things, don't rush forward rashly. Even if you are as sharp and formidable as can be, you are merely a chess piece. You must step out of the chessboard and become a chess player."

"A chess player?" Zhao Zhi was startled and fell into contemplation.

The Prince of Qi smiled. "To deal with Zu An, why do you need to personally take action? There are others who desire his death more than you do. As long as you use that chess piece well, isn't it much better than you charging into battle yourself?"

Zhao Zhi's eyes lit up. "Are you referring to the Shi family?" He had cultivated to rank eight before the age of forty, which, while certainly aided by the vast resources of the Prince of Qi's Estate since childhood, also demonstrated his inherent intelligence; he was by no means foolish.

The Prince of Qi nodded. "A few days ago, Shi Kun died in the Eastern Palace; it was said the Crown Princess accidentally injured him. The Shi family is seething with suppressed anger. Even if the Crown Princess's actions were unintentional, or even if they were intentional, the Shi family can't retaliate directly against her. But not being able to retaliate against the Crown Princess doesn't mean they can't retaliate against others. The reason for Shi Kun's accident, fundamentally, was Zu An. The Shi family hasn't made a move yet either because they haven't realized this point or they have reservations. What you need to do is give them a push."

Zhao Zhi's spirits lifted. "Father is indeed brilliant! This move will not only send the Shi family after Zu An but also completely draw the semi-neutral Shi family into our camp. After all, Shi Kun was the Grand Marshal's most beloved son. He died at the Crown Princess's hands, so if the Crown Prince ascends the throne, the Grand Marshal is destined to be unable to avenge him. Only by cooperating with us will he have a chance to seek revenge."

A smile finally appeared on the Prince of Qi's face. "Excellent. My years of nurturing you have not been in vain."

Zhao Zhi remained humble in front of his father, but his eyes turned fierce. "Zu, let's see how you die this time!" At the same time, he secretly pondered, *'To truly get revenge on a man, there's nothing better than physically defeating him, then seizing his wife and daughters, and listening to their cries. Hmph, I'll find an opportunity to seize Chu Chuyan. Then, in front of Zu An, I'll embrace her and toy with her as I please, just to see what kind of expression that fellow will make!'*

"Achoo!" At this moment, Zu An, inside the carriage, sneezed and instinctively rubbed his nose. "Hmm," he mused, "seems like a lot of people are thinking of me."

Yu Yanluo, who was nearby, pursed her lips and smiled. "I'd say most of them want to kill you. Your ability to attract hatred is simply too strong."

Zu An spread his hands. "Who can blame me for being so excellent? As the saying goes, 'the tallest tree catches the most wind.'"

Yu Yanluo was speechless. How could this fellow be so shamelessly unconventional?

Zu An stopped smiling. "I just realized it was thanks to you, Madam, that the Emperor spared my life. I thank you heartily for that." A chill ran down his spine. He had thought it was all thanks to his 'Forgiveness Hat', but it turned out she had been helping him behind the scenes. No wonder the Emperor had said someone was interceding for him back then; he had thought it was Qin Wanru.

"You saved my life outside Brightmoon City that day; I am merely repaying that kindness," Yu Yanluo said with a faint, knowing smile. "I just hope I'm not misunderstood as being ungrateful again."

Zu An gave an awkward smile. It was indeed a bit embarrassing now, recalling how he had just been accusing her so vehemently. He quickly changed the subject. "By the way, you actually have such powerful bodyguards? Why then were you almost bullied by the Black Wind Fort bandits back in Brightmoon City?"

Yu Yanluo sighed softly, a hint of sadness, impossible to hide, flickering in her eyes. "Many things happened at that time..."

Zu An waited to hear the complicated story, but after a long pause, Yu Yanluo seemed to snap out of her thoughts. "I apologize," she said, "I lost my composure and made you laugh."

Zu An chuckled. "How many men in this world would wish to see Madam lose her composure but fail to achieve it? Even if I were to laugh, it would be a happy laugh. How could I mock you, Madam?"

"You certainly have a way with words," Yu Yanluo said, laughing helplessly.

"Although I don't know why you are troubled, Madam," Zu An said, looking at her with clear eyes, "there is nothing that cannot be overcome. And there are people who will naturally understand each other. Madam, you should try to be more open-minded."

"'Nothing that cannot be overcome'," Yu Yanluo murmured to herself, her eyes quickly brightening. "I thought you were only good at irritating people, but it turns out you're quite good at comforting them too. Are you referring to yourself when you speak of 'people who naturally understand each other'?"

Zu An shook his head. "I still know my place. Currently, I probably don't have the qualifications to truly know you, Madam. But who knows what the future holds?"

"You don't mind my age?" Yu Yanluo's lips curved slightly upwards, her eyes holding a faint, knowing smile.

Zu An's face flushed. "That was me lying to that foolish Zhao Zhi, Madam, please don't take it to heart. You are so beautiful that, judging by your appearance, you'd be considered too young even to be my sister."

Yu Yanluo's face reddened. Ordinarily, people would behave respectfully around her, fearful of leaving a bad impression. Yet this fellow could joke so casually and naturally, and strangely, it didn't annoy her.

She spat softly. "You're always making wild jokes. Give me back my jade pendant first, lest you go flaunting it around and deceiving people again."

Zu An took out the jade pendant and handed it to her. Compared to the jade pendant, her hand was actually softer and more beautiful.

Yu Yanluo was somewhat surprised. She had expected him to make excuses and cling to the pendant, refusing to return it, but he had given it up so easily. A hint of increased admiration appeared in her eyes. "You've offended the Crown Prince of Qi; what are your plans now?"

Zu An smiled faintly. "Don't worry, they won't be able to do anything to me for a while." From the moment the Prince of Qi sent assassins after him on his way to the capital, their paths were destined to diverge. The Emperor's mission and the friendship with the Eastern Palace had all sealed his break with the Prince of Qi. In other words, with these powerful forces backing him, it wouldn't be easy for the Prince of Qi to harm him.

Yu Yanluo said, "If anyone else told me this, I would certainly think they were arrogant. But you are different; ever since I met you, you seem to have been constantly creating miracles. I believe you will turn misfortunes into blessings. If you truly encounter an insurmountable situation, you can come to me. While I may not be able to fully protect you, I can still provide you with some assistance."

"Thank you, Madam!" Zu An was overjoyed. Her status and the resources at her disposal were far beyond what ordinary people could compare to; gaining a promise from her was like acquiring an extra immunity token.

The two chatted for a while longer, then Yu Yanluo bid him farewell. Her return to the capital was secret, and she didn't want to stay there for too long.

After Zu An emerged from the carriage, the gap-toothed coachman eyed him strangely for a moment, then leaned in and sniffed him. Only after detecting nothing peculiar did he relax. "You're a good kid," he chuckled, "I have high hopes for you, hahaha..." With that, he cracked his whip and drove the carriage away.

"That coachman is crazy, laughing so lewdly," Chu Youzhao said as she hurried over, clearly still annoyed about being held back outside. "Brother-in-law, are you okay? Were you, ahem, bothered by any enchantresses, ahem, anything happen?"

"What could possibly happen to me?" Zu An found her question a bit odd.

Chu Youzhao's face flushed slightly, and she quickly asked, "Who was the woman in the carriage?"

"A beautiful woman." Yu Yanluo's image appeared in his mind, and Zu An still marveled at how heaven could be so kind to one woman, bestowing all perfection upon her. *Hmm, this woman is a perfect match for me,* he thought.

Chu Youzhao, standing by, grew anxious when he stopped talking. "Tell me, who was she?"

Murong Qinghe also widened her eyes, filled with curiosity. What kind of woman could make such a top-tier master willingly serve as her coachman?

Zu An grew impatient. "What are children doing asking about such things? Her identity is confidential; how could I casually reveal it?"

"You can't even tell me?" Chu Youzhao muttered, feeling a bit annoyed.

Zu An rolled his eyes. "You're not my wife."

"You!" Chu Youzhao wished she could rush up and bite him fiercely.

Murong Qinghe looked puzzled. *Could this fellow be interested in men?* she wondered. *Hmph, my Brother Chu is so handsome; I must protect him!*

Just then, a rumbling sound reached them. The few people turned their heads to look and saw a troop of riders charging directly towards them.