Chapter 696: The Crown Princess's Troubles

Chu Youzhao rushed to Zu An's side, exclaiming, "Brother-in-law, be careful!" She thought the Prince Qi's Mansion's people had returned so quickly for revenge. However, Murong Qinghe, who saw clearly, whispered, "It's people from the East Palace."

Chu Youzhao was stunned. At that moment, the cavalry troop charged directly towards them, surrounding the group.

Immediately afterward, a carriage appeared behind them. A eunuch lifted the curtain beside it, and a woman in magnificent attire slowly emerged. The gold hairpins and jade ornaments on her head glittered under the sunlight, making her appear exceptionally opulent and noble.

"Greetings, Crown Princess!" Both Chu Youzhao and Murong Qinghe, having lived in the capital for a long time, naturally recognized Bi Linglong. Though they belonged to different factions, they had to admit that the woman was indeed very beautiful. What was even rarer was her inherent nobility; the elaborate formal attire that might seem overly complex on others only served to accentuate her beauty.

The Crown Princess subtly nodded towards them. As they were from Prince Qi's faction, there was no need for her to be overly enthusiastic; maintaining basic politeness was sufficient.

She then walked towards Zu An, her phoenix-like eyes scanning him up and down. Only after seeing no obvious injuries on him did she secretly breathe a sigh of relief. "I heard something happened to Sir Zu. I happened to be passing by. They didn't do anything to you, did they?" As she spoke, she stared at Chu Youzhao and Murong Qinghe with a puzzled look. *'Prince Qi sent just these two to deal with Zu An? Isn't that a bit too careless?'* she thought.

Zu An quickly explained, "Crown Princess, you've misunderstood. They are my friends."

"Friends?" The Crown Princess raised an elegant eyebrow. *'This fellow is actually friends with people from Prince Qi's faction? How interesting.'*

Murong Qinghe breathed a sigh of relief. "We have matters to attend to at home, so we shall take our leave."

The Murong family had always opposed the Crown Prince, making her presence here quite uncomfortable. At the same time, she pulled Chu Youzhao away. Chu Youzhao was somewhat reluctant at first, but knowing the Crown Princess was there, she couldn't interject. Furthermore, due to her long-term residence with the Qin family, her relationship with the East Palace was inherently poor, making her uncomfortable being surrounded by their people. So she left with Murong Qinghe, casting a wistful glance at Zu An as she departed.

The Crown Princess, of course, did not try to stop them. Watching their retreating figures, she couldn't help but remark, "It seems you and that young relative of yours are still quite close." Chu Youzhao's glance upon leaving did not escape her notice. She was curious: Hadn't the Chu family expelled him at a critical juncture? How could they still maintain such a good relationship?

Zu An chuckled and said, "Besides being handsome, I have another advantage: I'm very approachable. Normal people who spend enough time with me can't help but like me."

The Crown Princess was left speechless. *'Why does seeing this guy's smiling face make me want to punch him?'*

"If you're alright, let's return to the East Palace together." She snorted, lifted her skirt, and returned to the carriage.

"Okay." Zu An thought to himself: *'Although the Crown Princess speaks bluntly, she's actually quite kind to me. She rushed here as soon as she knew I was in danger. Even though she's clearly annoyed, she's still worried about me being retaliated against by Prince Qi's Mansion and is bringing me to the palace.'*

The journey was silent. With so many people present, no matter how eloquent Zu An was, he couldn't openly go to the carriage and speak with her.

Soon, they returned to the East Palace. Zu An was astonished to find Pu Duandiao and Jiao Sigun kneeling by the entrance, being punished. He exclaimed in surprise, "What are you two doing? Who dares to treat the East Palace guards like this? This is outrageous!"

"I punished them." At that moment, the Crown Princess walked up from behind. Pu Duandiao and Jiao Sigun offered Zu An a wry smile, then continued to kneel with their heads bowed.

Zu An couldn't help but ask, "Crown Princess, why did you punish them?"

The Crown Princess glanced at the two indifferently. "They dragged you to spend the night at the pleasure quarters, and afterward, they didn't return with you, causing you to be alone and fall into Prince Qi's trap. Fortunately, you escaped unharmed; otherwise, their punishment would not have stopped here."

Pu Duandiao and Jiao Sigun, standing nearby, looked resentful. *'It was clearly Zu An who took them to the pleasure quarters, so how did it become them taking Zu An there?'* they thought. However, since Zu An had just treated them and also encountered danger, they were too embarrassed to contradict her.

Zu An was startled, not expecting her to care about him so much.

Feeling his intense gaze, the Crown Princess was momentarily surprised, then her face instantly flushed. "Don't overthink it. I would do my utmost to rescue anyone from the East Palace targeted by Prince Qi's Mansion, not just you."

Zu An smiled. "Thank you, Crown Princess. Your subordinate will henceforth serve you with utmost devotion until death."

Pu Duandiao and Jiao Sigun, standing by, immediately stared wide-eyed. *'Look how elegantly he flatters her! Big Brother truly lives up to his name.'*

The Crown Princess's eyes also lit up. She hadn't expected him to utter such a classic phrase. Her gaze towards him held a hint more admiration. *'He truly is someone who has repeatedly made Prince Qi and his son suffer setbacks. But isn't this fellow a bit too bold? He's staring at me without blinking? Hmph, if I avert my gaze, won't it seem like I'm afraid of him? How will I control him in the future? Ridiculous!'*

So she persisted in not averting her gaze, waiting for him to tactfully look away first. Who knew Zu An was too thick-skinned and had no intention of looking away at all? The two continued to stare at each other. Gradually, the Crown Princess couldn't take it anymore, and a faint blush spread across her fair neck.

The people nearby all wore strange expressions. *'Why does it look like the Crown Princess and Sir Zu are gazing at each other with deep affection? But how could that be possible?'*

Just then, a chubby head suddenly popped in, asking, "What's the pleasure quarters?"

The Crown Princess finally snapped back to reality and, taking the opportunity, withdrew her gaze. She glared at the Crown Prince irritably, and said with slight annoyance, "It's a filthy place. You absolutely must not go there."

"Oh," the corpulent Crown Prince flinched back in fright, his entire body jiggling, clearly somewhat afraid of his wife.

The Crown Princess then quickly departed. She felt her cheeks burning. *'What's wrong with me today, to make such a mistake? I need to find an opportunity to properly reprimand Zu An!'*

*However, according to the intelligence reports, he could even deal with Prince Qi's Heir, making him a truly rare talent. The East Palace had been in decline for a long time and desperately needed such a formidable general to contend with Prince Qi's Mansion. What can I use to win him over? This guy seems quite fond of women. A honey trap should be most suitable. But his wife is a famous beauty; ordinary looks probably won't impress him... Hmm... I can't possibly do it myself, can I?'*

While the Crown Princess was caught in her dilemma, Zu An was already in the Imperial Study. The Emperor, his eyes calmly conveying authority without anger, glanced at him indifferently. "I previously ordered you to infiltrate the Demonic Cult. Have you found any trace of the Cult Master, Yun Jianyue?"