Chapter 712: Reward

Zu An sighed, "Ultimately, Crown Princess, you were too clever for your own good. Insisting on adding that you were a virgin was simply too deliberate."

"Initially, my impression of you was that of a noble and naturally superior individual. Even your unreserved undressing in front of me aligned with your usual demeanor. But then you emphasized that you and the Crown Prince had no marital relations, suddenly transforming into an innocent young girl in love. It felt jarring, and I couldn't help but overthink it."

The Crown Princess's face cycled between pale and flushed. "I've gone to such lengths, and you're still analyzing everything so calmly! Are you even a man?"

Zu An smiled faintly. "Haven't you already seen whether I'm a man or not?"

The Crown Princess's expression instantly became unnatural as she recalled the scene she'd witnessed upon waking up.

This man was truly like an ox. If he wasn't a man, then no one else could be.

Zu An continued, "I became wary when you killed those Embroidered Uniform Guards to silence them. Those individuals didn't even know your identity; there was just a tiny chance they might reveal something about you, and yet you killed them all. So how could you possibly trust me, who directly experienced everything?"

"Therefore, the kinder and gentler you were to me, the more concerned I became." Zu An chuckled. "Of course, the main reason I was slightly fooled was that my charm is indeed quite potent. Beautiful women invariably fall for me the moment they see me, and I thought you were no exception."

The Crown Princess was speechless.

This man's shamelessness was truly beyond imagination.

"Woman, how should I deal with you?" Zu An reached out, pinching her chin, intending to lift her head.

Unfortunately, the Crown Princess stubbornly turned her head away, her heart clearly filled with indignation and fury.

Rage points from Bi Linglong +233,233,233...

Zu An's expression hardened. With a forceful twist of his hand, he roughly turned her head back. "Woman, you don't seem to realize your current predicament?"

The Crown Princess sneered, "What? Do you dare to kill me?"

Zu An frowned. It was indeed a difficult situation; her identity was too special.

Sensing his hesitation, the Crown Princess's lips curled into a sneer of contempt. "I knew you wouldn't dare. Release me immediately. It's best if we both pretend nothing happened. My previous promises to you still stand; I will promote you greatly in the future, ensuring your swift rise."

Zu An sighed. "True, I can't kill you right now. But if you provoke me like this, do you know there's something else I can do to you?"

"What?" The Crown Princess's heart skipped a beat, a sense of foreboding already creeping in.

Zu An gave a wicked grin, gently caressing her neck. "What if I just sleep with you right here, on the Crown Prince's bed, in the Eastern Palace? What could you do?"

"You wouldn't dare!" The Crown Princess's face turned ashen. This man was indeed as lustful as she suspected.

Rage points from Bi Linglong +444,444,444...

Zu An shrugged. "Why wouldn't I dare? After all, only you and I would know. Given your character, even if I did something to you, for the sake of your position as Crown Princess, for the Bi family, and for your own ambitions, you wouldn't expose it, would you? Am I wrong?"

The Crown Princess's expression fluctuated. Though she was unwilling to admit it, most of what he said was true. Could she really risk everything and expose him?

If she did, she would be ruined, and the Bi family would be ruined as well.

Seeing her expression constantly changing, Zu An smiled. He directly lifted her chin and kissed her deeply.

"Mmmph..." The Crown Princess struggled desperately.

It was one thing to cooperate with him earlier to evade Zhu Xiechixin, but now that they were alone, how could she possibly bring herself to agree to such a thing?

Zu An released her lips and said with a smile, "This is your punishment for trying to kill me just now. The next time you entertain such a thought, I won't be so lenient."

The Crown Princess collapsed onto the bed, sobbing. "I woke up to find you and me naked in the same bed, and you had touched and kissed me. If you were in my shoes, what would you choose? I bear the honor of my family; if anything went wrong, it would endanger the lives and fortunes of thousands of people in the Bi family. How could I dare to gamble? Of course, silencing you was the safest option!"

Since earlier, she had experienced more dangers today than in the past decade combined. Her emotions were like a rollercoaster, wildly fluctuating, and now her composure finally broke.

Zu An remained silent. He knew that most people in her position would have made the same choice; that was human nature. Moreover, he had indeed taken significant advantage of her today, which was why he wasn't overly angry.

However, he certainly wouldn't admit it aloud. "You touched and kissed me too, didn't you? Is my innocence not innocence? There's no need to act as if your life is over."

The Crown Princess was so flustered by his words that she didn't even know how to cry. After a long moment, she let out a heavy sigh. "You truly are shameless!"

Just then, a commotion suddenly erupted outside. "Who are you people, daring to trespass into the Eastern Palace!"

Shi Xun's voice came through. "We received a report from the guards that the Crown Princess was abducted by a man, so we came specifically to check on her safety."

Zu An and the Crown Princess exchanged glances. "They couldn't catch us in the act over there, so now they've come to the Eastern Palace to confirm your disappearance."

"That bitch Concubine Bai truly wants me dead!" the Crown Princess said bitterly.

"Nonsense! Is the Crown Princess's bedchamber a place you can just barge into?" The voices of Pu Duan Diao and Jiao Si Gun could be heard, clearly trying to block their entry.

"Hmph, as an official responsible for overseeing palace affairs, I naturally have the right to investigate all illicit matters. Are you obstructing us because you have something to hide?" Shi Xun's arrogant voice rang out. Coming from a prestigious family and holding a high position himself, he naturally didn't pay any mind to these two minor guard captains.

"Lord Shi's supervision is typically for external officials, isn't it? Since when did it become Lord Shi's turn to manage the palace women?" A female voice spoke. The Crown Princess's eyes lit up; it was her personal maid, Rong Mo. It seemed the girl wasn't foolish; not finding her in the Hundred Flowers Palace, she knew to return early to stabilize the situation.

Just then, another sweet, laughing voice drifted over. "Lord Shi is also concerned for the Crown Princess's safety. It would be best for us to confirm. Don't you even trust me, the Imperial Concubine?"

The Crown Princess's expression changed slightly, and she whispered, "It's the Emperor's Consort Shu. Quick, leave through the secret passage."

If anyone caught Zu An in her bedchamber, all their previous efforts would be in vain.

"Alright!" Zu An didn't dare to delay, hurrying to run towards the secret passage under the bed.

"Wait a moment," the Crown Princess urgently pulled him back. "First, unseal their acupuncture points, but you absolutely mustn't let them see you."

Zu An secretly admired her meticulousness. He nodded, his figure blurring into a phantom as he unsealed the acupuncture points of the few maids, then leaped into the secret passage beneath the bedboards.

The Crown Princess quickly leaned over to seal the secret passage opening, but Zu An suddenly reappeared, sticking his head out to give her a quick kiss. "Consider this your payment for saving you this time!"

With that, he laughed and left.

The Crown Princess covered her mouth, her eyes filled with both shame and urgency. That man! She really wanted to bite him hard!

But she couldn't afford to be angry now. She quickly tidied the bedding on the bed, ensuring no one would see the secret passage.

Just as she finished, the door was burst open. Clearly, servants like Rong Mo, Pu Duan Diao, and Jiao Si Gun couldn't stop a combination like Consort Shu and Shi Xun.

Originally, there was also the Crown Prince, but unfortunately, he was useless. Not only did he not stop them, but he even followed along with an excited expression, as if he were watching a show.

The Crown Princess noticed his expression, and a surge of anger flared within her. No matter how much of a scoundrel Zu An was, he was at least more reliable than this man in a critical moment.

Consort Shu and Shi Xun had burst in with triumphant expressions, but when they saw the Crown Princess sitting on the bed, they were utterly dumbfounded. "You... why are you here?"

The Crown Princess said coldly, "What? Am I not allowed to be in my own bedchamber?"

Meanwhile, Zu An emerged from the secret passage. Feeling the numerous shadows flitting about the palace, he knew that all the imperial guards were now mobilized, searching everywhere for suspicious individuals. Moreover, night had fallen and the palace gates were closed, so he abandoned his plan to leave the palace.

He found a secluded spot, took out the Embroidered Uniform Guard's outfit, and put it on, transforming back into Gold Medallion Eleven.

He mused, what would the Crown Princess's reaction be if she knew he was Gold Medallion Eleven in the future?

Feeling the lingering sweet scent on his lips, the corners of his mouth turned slightly upwards. Although today had been somewhat perilous, all things considered, it hadn't been bad at all.

He walked towards his residence, White Sand Courtyard, deciding to sleep there and lie low.

However, just as he reached the vicinity of White Sand Courtyard, he suddenly stopped, realizing that quite a few people were lying in ambush nearby.