Chapter 798: What's Different?

Upon arriving at the Eastern Palace, Zu An found the Crown Princess inside, discussing matters with ministers. So he stayed outside, chatting idly and boasting with Pu Duandiao and Jiao Sigun.

"Huh, why do you two look so troubled?" Zu An asked curiously, noticing their low spirits.

Pu Duandiao cautiously glanced around. Seeing that no one was paying attention to them, he lowered his voice and said, "Not long ago, the Crown Princess informed us that we would be included in the Crown Prince's grand assessment this time. While it's our duty as Eastern Palace guards to share the Crown Prince's burdens, still... still..."

Jiao Sigun, standing nearby, snorted, "Stop being so coy. We're not outsiders, so why the formalities? The main thing is, we all know this assessment won't be simple. Prince Qi's faction definitely won't miss this opportunity. While we might not face certain death, it will definitely be fraught with danger. We're worried we might not return."

Zu An patted their shoulders. "You both have families, so it's natural to have these worries. There's no need to blame yourselves. By the way, has the format of the Crown Prince's grand assessment been decided?"

The Emperor had previously asked him to come up with ideas, but Zu An hadn't bothered with it lately. Ever since that night in Kuning Palace, he no longer felt the same trepidation towards the Emperor as before.

Furthermore, the Emperor hadn't pressed him during this time, seemingly having forgotten about the matter, so Zu An was naturally happy to play dumb.

"It has been decided, but we don't know the specific format," they replied, shaking their heads.

Just then, the ministers who had been discussing inside began to emerge one after another. A eunuch came to summon Zu An inside. Zu An patted their shoulders and said, "Don't worry, I'll protect you then."

Watching him leave, Pu Duandiao looked puzzled. He nudged his companion's shoulder and whispered, "Where does Brother Zu get such confidence?"

Jiao Sigun also said, "Indeed. Although his cultivation is good, Prince Qi will certainly send out all his experts this time. Who knows how many will have cultivation above his."

"Forget it, let's not deflate his confidence."

"Hmm, I think so too."

By this time, Zu An had arrived at the study. The Crown Prince wasn't in his study; the chubby fellow was outside playing games with eunuchs. However, the beautiful Crown Princess was there.

"It's been a few days, and the Crown Princess has grown even more beautiful," Zu An said with a smile.

Bi Linglong's face flushed slightly. "Lord Zu still speaks so casually. If others heard you, it would surely lead to more gossip."

Zu An looked nonchalant. "We have nothing to hide, so why should we fear gossip?"

"'Nothing to hide'?" The scene of them embracing naked involuntarily flashed through Bi Linglong's mind. She secretly cursed in her heart, thinking, *This guy really has the nerve to say that.*

"I heard the Crown Prince's grand assessment has been finalized?" Zu An asked.

Bi Linglong nodded. "That's right. In three days, the National Royal Academy will open its mountain secret realm. The Crown Prince will enter to slay the Sky-Measuring Azure Moon Flood Dragon to prove his capabilities."

"A Sky-Measuring Azure Moon Flood Dragon?" Zu An was startled. That name alone sounded like trouble.

"It's a seventh-grade fierce beast, significantly weaker than a true dragon, but much more powerful than ordinary fierce beasts," Bi Linglong explained, her face clouded with worry.

Zu An looked utterly bewildered. "Isn't that sending him to his death?"

He had been to secret realms several times, and almost every time he barely escaped with his life. Of course, those secret realms he visited involved unknown places and were different from the common ones in this world, but even the most common secret realms harbored considerable dangers.

The Crown Prince, to put it nicely, was naive; to put it bluntly, he was an imbecile who couldn't take care of himself. If he entered a secret realm, even doing nothing, he'd probably never get out, let alone being tasked to kill a seventh-grade fierce beast?

While seventh-grade wasn't particularly high, could the Crown Prince handle it? The Crown Prince would be more like a snack for it.

Bi Linglong said, "This was initially Prince Qi's faction's idea, and of course, we wouldn't agree to it. Someone suggested that the Crown Prince is a future monarch, not a general charging into battle, so his ability shouldn't be tested through solo combat. What's more important is his leadership capability. Therefore, we proposed forming a team for the Crown Prince to lead into the realm to complete the task."

"You're quite clever," Zu An couldn't help but chuckle. "But Prince Qi's faction surely wouldn't agree to that, otherwise you could just send top experts to protect him throughout, and the Crown Prince would naturally complete the task easily."

Bi Linglong nodded. "That's right, they said the same thing, arguing that it would defeat the purpose of testing the Crown Prince's abilities. So, after much verbal sparring, both sides reached a compromise. Prince Qi's faction agreed to let the Crown Prince bring others, but with restrictions on their cultivation levels: they must be below seventh-grade, and they cannot be highly trained Embroidered Uniform Guards or military personnel who understand coordinated formations."

Zu An nodded inwardly. "That seems reasonable enough."

It's important to know that the cultivation levels of fierce beasts and humans are not equivalent; a seventh-grade fierce beast is much more powerful than a seventh-grade human.

The Crown Prince's team members cannot exceed seventh-grade cultivation, but they have the advantage of numbers. They would surely select people with special skills, so hunting the Sky-Measuring Azure Moon Flood Dragon together, though dangerous, would still be within a controllable range.

No wonder the Crown Prince's faction agreed to this.

"But would Prince Qi be so kind?" Zu An couldn't help but wonder aloud. This assessment was crucial; if the Crown Prince successfully passed, Prince Qi's party would no longer have grounds to question his capabilities in the future.

From any perspective, Prince Qi's party wouldn't agree so readily to an assessment that seemed fair on the surface.

"Indeed," Bi Linglong said, her graceful brows furrowed. "We also believe they will definitely tamper with the secret realm, but we can't figure out how they would do it."

"This time, the Grand Preceptor will preside over the opening of the secret realm. He will only allow our people to enter according to the agreement, and the Emperor is also watching. Prince Qi's people won't be able to get in, so how could they possibly tamper with it?"

Zu An couldn't help but ask, "Could the Grand Preceptor be secretly colluding with Prince Qi?"

Bi Linglong shook her head. "No, you might not have been in the capital long, so you might not know the Grand Preceptor's transcendent status. He doesn't need to side with anyone; he's already on equal footing with both the Emperor and Prince Qi. Why would he take such a huge risk? Besides, the Emperor also trusts the Grand Preceptor. He wouldn't be mistaken."

Zu An thought to himself, *Even that suspicious old fox trusts the Grand Preceptor, so his stance must indeed be beyond doubt.* Then he said, "But Prince Qi will definitely not stand idly by during this assessment."

"That's right," Bi Linglong said, looking at Zu An. "That's why I need to bring as many trustworthy people as possible inside, and you... you're the best candidate."

"Me?" Zu An didn't have time to reflect on her trust in him. "But my current cultivation is beyond seventh-grade. I'm afraid I won't be able to enter the secret realm."

Bi Linglong bit her lip. "That is a bit troublesome, but you're only around seventh-grade; it's not a significant override. I'll think of a way to get you in."

Zu An thought to himself, *I'm quite a bit beyond that now. You probably won't be able to squeeze me in.*

Bi Linglong suddenly looked up, her beautiful eyes intently fixed on him. "Are you willing to help me?"

Zu An smiled faintly. "Don't worry, I'll help you."

Receiving his affirmative reply, Bi Linglong smiled sweetly. The worry and gloom vanished from her face, and the entire room seemed to blossom.

Even Zu An, accustomed to seeing various stunning beauties, found himself momentarily dazed.

Noticing his gaze, the Crown Princess's cheeks took on a hint of rosy color. She didn't scold him, and an ambiguous atmosphere settled in the room.

Just then, the knocking sound of the maidservant Rong Mo came from outside. "Crown Princess, His Majesty has summoned Zu... Lord Zu."

Bi Linglong snapped back to reality, subtly shifting her body to avoid his gaze. "The Emperor is looking for you. You should go quickly."

"Alright." Zu An stood up to leave.

"By the way, why does the Emperor summon you so often?" Bi Linglong suddenly asked, curious.

"Perhaps I'm just naturally popular," Zu An said with a smile, then disappeared beyond the door.

"That guy is truly shameless," Rong Mo said, walking over to Bi Linglong with a hint of displeasure.

Bi Linglong didn't respond to her, instead falling into contemplation. Based on her understanding of the Emperor, it made no sense for him to summon an official of Zu An's rank so frequently.

At this point, Rong Mo continued, "Your Highness, are you really choosing him to accompany you? I could go too; my cultivation isn't inferior to his."

"But you're already seventh-grade, which exceeds the limit for entering the secret realm."

"He also exceeds seventh-grade, doesn't he?"

"That's different."

"What's different about it?"

"For example... he's a man?"

Meanwhile, when Zu An arrived at the imperial study, Eunuch Wen gave him a significant look. Zu An's heart tightened. It seemed the Emperor was in a bad mood today.

Sure enough, no sooner had he entered and bowed than the Emperor gave him a stern dressing-down. "The task I assigned you a few days ago, have you not completed it?"

"I'm not sure which matter Your Majesty is referring to?" Zu An sneered inwardly. He had already seen through the Emperor's cunning imperial tactics. These might be effective against others in this world, but for someone who had no concept of imperial authority in his mind, once he chose to step outside the game, he wouldn't be affected by them at all.

"Naturally, it was about you finding a solution for the Crown Prince. Now that the Crown Prince's grand assessment has been finalized, do you admit your guilt?" The Emperor gazed at him sharply, a powerful aura pressing down, as if he had sensed Zu An's nonchalance.