Chapter 899: Unexpected Decision

After a brief playful scuffle, Zu An held her hand down and said, “I want to leave the palace for a bit. Can you help me?”

He could, in fact, leave the palace using his identity as an Embroidered Envoy, but the Emperor was aware of all his identities, making it difficult to slip out unnoticed.

“No,” the Empress replied without hesitation.

Zu An was annoyed. “You’re the mighty Empress! You can’t even arrange for someone to leave the palace?”

“Even if I could, I wouldn’t send you,” the Empress scoffed. “The Emperor clearly intends to keep you all in the palace to prevent information leaks, and my helping you leave would cause too much of a stir. My visit to you earlier today was the most I could do as the Empress. If I help you further, the Emperor will certainly suspect our relationship.”

Zu An realized she had a point. Given how suspicious the Emperor was, it would be counterproductive if he became suspicious because of this.

Still, he wouldn't admit it aloud. “Hmph, what good is an Empress then?”

The Empress chuckled softly, gazing at him provocatively. “What do you think?”

The Empress, at that moment, was like a perfectly ripe peach, both sweet and succulent.

In this situation, no man could have resisted the temptation, and Zu An was certainly no exception.

Outside the door, Eunuch Lu felt both envy and jealousy. Young people truly had boundless energy.

The next morning, when Zu An woke up, the beauty who had been in his bed was gone. Evidently, her status didn't allow her to stay there long, and she had left in the latter half of the night.

He didn't feel particularly empty. For mature adults, mutually satisfying needs like this was quite good.

“Knock, knock, knock!” Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

Zu An was startled. His place was certainly popular.

“Come in!” He lay back down on the bed, resuming his weak facade.

Soon, the door opened, revealing a pair of long, shapely legs.

Normally, Zu An would have complimented them, but currently in his ‘sage mode,’ everything seemed bland.

“Oh, it’s Headmistress Jiang,” Zu An said, surprised. He hadn't expected Jiang Luofu to be the visitor; how had she gotten into the palace?

“What’s wrong? You don’t seem very welcoming,” Jiang Luofu said with a smile.

Zu An replied, “Of course not. I just didn’t expect you to be able to enter the palace.”

“My status is special; to some extent, I represent the National Academy and even the Libationer, so my entry into the palace wasn't obstructed,” Jiang Luofu explained. “I just visited the Crown Princess, and came to see you on my way.”

As she spoke, she turned around, and asked, somewhat puzzled, “Crown Princess, why don’t you come in?”

Zu An froze, subconsciously looking towards the door. Had Bi Linglong come too?

A beautiful young woman stood gracefully at the doorway, but her face lacked its usual charming, feigned smile. Instead, it seemed to be covered by a thin layer of frost.

Enraged by Bi Linglong: 222222...

Zu An was startled, wondering what he had done to offend her, to cause such resentment so early in the morning.

“It might be inconvenient for me to come in, so I’ll stay here,” Bi Linglong replied coolly, without even glancing at Zu An.

Jiang Luofu didn't think much of it. Given the Crown Princess's special status, visiting a male subordinate's room early in the morning might indeed raise some concerns.

Zu An felt it was awkward to talk while lying down, so he climbed out of the covers, intending to sit up and lean against the bed.

Seeing him move, Jiang Luofu quickly went to help him, as, in her eyes, he was still gravely injured.

Catching a whiff of her scent, Zu An secretly compared it. Jiang Luofu was indeed a mature, sophisticated woman, but distinct from the Empress.

The Empress’s scent was rich and opulent, while Jiang Luofu’s was comparatively more subtle.

Just then, Jiang Luofu wrinkled her nose. “Hmm, what’s that smell?”

Hearing this, Bi Linglong instinctively turned her head to look at him as well.

Zu An broke into a cold sweat. He had been ‘fighting’ the Empress all night and hadn't had a chance to clean up.

If they found out, it would be disastrous.

Though he panicked for a moment internally, he maintained a calm exterior. “Oh, it’s probably the smell of the medicine from the Imperial Hospital.”

“Oh, that medicine has a strange smell,” Jiang Luofu said, puzzled. However, having no such experience herself, she couldn't immediately distinguish it. She glanced at Zu An and couldn't help but add, “You truly are badly injured. Your complexion is terrible.”

Upon hearing this, Bi Linglong also scrutinized him carefully. She saw Zu An with heavy dark circles under his eyes, a pale complexion, and a weak, sickly appearance.

“I’m alright, nothing serious. I should recover after some rest,” Zu An thought to himself. *Anyone who ‘battled’ the Empress all night and had their vitality significantly drained would probably end up as a wreck.*

Truth be told, the Empress, at the peak of her maturity, had astonishing ‘combat power,’ truly like a ‘juice extractor.’

Jiang Luofu had no suspicions, but Bi Linglong was utterly perplexed. She secretly sent a spiritual message: “What happened to you? You were fine yesterday, but now you look like this?”

Zu An whispered back, “Yesterday, I was pretending to be unconscious, right? The Emperor wanted to question me, so Zhu Xie Chixin had the imperial physicians force-feed me some potent stimulants to wake me up. This must be the after-effect.”

He admired his own quick thinking, having come up with such a plausible excuse so swiftly.

Bi Linglong felt both a pang of sympathy and a surge of anger. “Are you foolish? How could you just take those potent medicines carelessly?”

“Zhu Xie Chixin was right there watching; I had no choice but to take them,” Zu An explained. “Don't worry, it’s nothing serious. I’ll be fine after a few days of rest.”

Bi Linglong felt a twinge of guilt. She realized this was why he looked this way; he must have been in extreme pain last night. Yet, she had been angry with him because...

At this thought, Bi Linglong's pretty face flushed, and she looked at Zu An with apology.

Zu An was baffled, unsure why her attitude had changed so dramatically. A young girl's mood truly was like June weather—suddenly angry, suddenly calm.

At this moment, Jiang Luofu's voice rang out again. “Although your complexion isn't great, you're much better than we expected. At least your life isn't in danger. You have no idea how worried that Chu family boy was.”

“Youzhao?” Zu An was surprised. “How did she get involved with you?”

He knew the two of them hadn't gotten along previously.

Jiang Luofu smiled. “He was worried about your safety but couldn't enter the palace to see you, so he had to rely on me to get updates. Oh, and this is a gift he asked me to bring for you.”

As she spoke, she pulled a protective talisman from her sleeve and handed it to him. “This is a longevity talisman he specifically sought for you at a temple, to bless your safety and peace. Speaking of which, that Chu family boy is truly thoughtful, almost like a girl.”

Zu An’s heart skipped a beat. He thought he should find an opportunity to remind his sister-in-law. Although she used a magical artifact to disguise her appearance, many of her actions still revealed flaws.

He took the talisman, feeling a warmth in his heart, but he said aloud, “Why didn't he send some good food? What good is this thing?”

Jiang Luofu rolled her eyes. “You scoundrel, you're completely wasting his good intentions. Young Master Chu naturally didn't just send you this talisman; he also prepared a large amount of tonics and medicines. Unfortunately, it was inconvenient for me to bring them into the palace. I only brought this millennium ginseng, which should help with your recovery.”

Then she took out another pill. “This is a Minor Restoration Pill that Murong Qinghe entrusted me to bring to you. It's truly a top-grade healing medicine.”

At this, Bi Linglong spoke up. “Since when did Master Zu become so close to Young Miss Murong? She's even sending such a valuable pill.”

Though she was smiling, her tone subtly carried a hint of coldness.

Zu An, with a strong instinct for self-preservation, immediately said, “That young girl is completely devoted to Chu Youzhao. This time, it’s just a case of loving the house and its crow, trying to please her ‘Brother Chu.’”

Upon hearing this, Bi Linglong’s expression immediately softened. “Honestly, she sent you such a valuable gift, and you still talk about her like that.”

Zu An: “...”

*You were angry, and now you’re scolding me?*

*Ah, men really have it hard.*

*Wait, why do I feel guilty in front of her?*

Jiang Luofu also looked at the two of them somewhat strangely, sensing that their relationship was a bit odd. However, no matter how rich her imagination, she would never have suspected anything between the Crown Princess and Zu An.

She then took out another sachet. “Oh, and this is from Dao Yun.”

Seeing the distinctly feminine sachet, Bi Linglong's expression turned cold again.

Enraged by Bi Linglong: 333333...

Zu An took the sachet. It carried a faint, elegant fragrance. Each of these women had their unique scent, which complemented their personalities well.

“Why are you just staring at that?” Jiang Luofu waved her hand in front of him. “Dao Yun’s gift to you is inside.”

Zu An was surprised. Opening the sachet, he found another talisman inside. This talisman was different from the one Chu Youzhao had sought at the temple; it was a genuine talisman written by a true runemaster.

Just holding it, he could feel a cool aura.

Jiang Luofu explained, “This is a Calming and Concentrating Talisman personally written by Xie Daoyun. Carrying it will help keep your mind peaceful and focused, whether you're recovering from injuries or cultivating, indirectly boosting your recovery and cultivation speed. She worried it might be inconvenient for you to carry it daily, so she placed it in this sachet to prevent damage.”

“Then please thank her for me, Headmistress Jiang,” Zu An said, tucking the sachet into his robe. Unfortunately, he wasn't injured, and his cultivation method was different from others, making the talisman almost useless to him. However, her intentions were excellent, so he naturally put it away with respect.

Seeing him put the sachet into his robe, Bi Linglong turned her face away. She didn't really understand why she felt angry. Logically, there was no future for them, yet she always had an uncomfortable feeling, as if her own toy had been touched by someone else.

Jiang Luofu chuckled, pursing her lips. “You can thank her yourself once you're able to leave the palace. I doubt she'd want me to thank her on your behalf.”

Bi Linglong's ears perked up instantly. From the sound of it, there seemed to be something truly going on between them.

*This philanderer, how does he manage to attract women so easily?*

Seeing a string of small ‘enraged’ notifications in his background, Zu An quickly changed the subject. “Haha, everyone else brought me so many gifts. Aren’t you going to offer something, Headmistress?”

“Is my visit not a gift?” Jiang Luofu chuckled. “Besides, the gifts they brought covered all bases. I couldn't think of anything good, so I’ll owe you one for now.”

Zu An grunted. “You make a very good point; I have no retort.”

Jiang Luofu stood up. “Alright, I’ve seen you, and I’ve delivered the messages. I won't disturb your rest any longer.”

Zu An said, “Actually, it would be great if you could stay a bit longer and chat with me.”

He was virtually under house arrest in the palace and wasn't truly recovering from injuries; he was bored to tears.

Jiang Luofu let out a wry laugh. “Your status is special right now; you're not supposed to receive outside guests. I only got in thanks to the Crown Princess, and I shouldn't make things difficult for her. We'll find another chance to meet once you've recovered.”

With that, she waved at him, and gracefully walked out with her long strides.

“Teacher Jiang, I’ll see you out,” Bi Linglong said, following her. She didn't even spare Zu An a glance.

Zu An felt a little dejected. He knew they couldn't be too intimate in front of others, but she was taking it a bit too far.

While Zu An was bored to tears in his room, in the Imperial Study, the Emperor was sitting on a couch, playing chess against himself with both hands. Zhu Xie Chixin stood silently below him, not making a sound, afraid of disturbing him.

He secretly admired the Emperor. A few days ago, the Emperor had clearly been distraught, but recently he had completely calmed down, restoring his former composure.

After a while, the Emperor finally spoke. “Who has Zu An interacted with these past two days?”

Zhu Xie Chixin replied, “He went to the Eastern Palace earlier, then after returning to the Imperial Guard’s quarters, Piao Duandiao and Jiao Sigun visited him, and then the Empress went to see him.”

“The Empress?” The Emperor frowned slightly, and the chess piece he was about to place froze in mid-air.

Zhu Xie Chixin explained, “The Empress not only saw him, but also visited several other guards, gave them some medicinal herbs, and encouraged them.”

Only then did the Emperor nod. These people had saved the Crown Prince, and as a member of the Crown Prince’s maternal family, it was reasonable for her to express her gratitude.

Ultimately, he hadn't considered any other possibilities, as the Empress and Zu An outwardly had no discernible connection.

Zhu Xie Chixin continued, “This morning, Jiang Luofu from the National Academy entered the palace to visit the Crown Princess, who then took her to see Zu An.”

“Jiang Luofu? The Jiang family is considered semi-neutral, and she has the Libationer's backing, so her entering the palace isn't unusual,” the Emperor said, a slight smile playing on his lips as if he recalled something amusing. “I remember Linglong didn’t get along with her back then, because Jiang Luofu was initially chosen as the Crown Princess, and Linglong was only chosen after Jiang Luofu ran away. Linglong had always held a grudge about that, but now the two of them seem to have come together.”

Zhu Xie Chixin said, “After all, those are old matters. The Crown Princess is sensible; she wouldn't dwell on such things.”

As the Emperor’s confidant, he knew the Emperor was very satisfied with his daughter-in-law, so he naturally spoke in a way that pleased him.