Chapter 904: New Mission

She couldn't show the slightest hint of her true feelings. Instead, she could only smile and say, "Thank you for your concern, Lord Zu. My health isn't a major issue; more rest will see me recovered."

Rong Mo, the maid standing nearby, looked puzzled. "Huh, Crown Princess, you have more white hair again. If Lord Zu can cure it, you should let him do it quickly..."

Before she could finish, Bi Linglong shot her a glare and snapped, "Shut up!"

Rong Mo looked sullen but dared not blame the Crown Princess. She could only pout and glare at Zu An, muttering, "It's all his fault, spouting only pleasantries that made me misunderstand and embarrass myself."

"How is the Crown Prince's health?" Zu An asked, feigning concern. After all, showing interest solely in the Crown Princess in front of so many people might seem inappropriate.

"Thanks to Lord Zu's valiant protection, the Crown Prince sustained some injuries, but his life is not in danger. He was merely startled in the secret realm and now occasionally suffers from nightmares and talks in his sleep. The imperial physicians have prescribed some calming medicine, and he should recover after a period of recuperation." Bi Linglong replied formally, taking the opportunity to praise Zu An's contributions. As expected, others looked at Zu An with envy upon hearing this, and she felt quite pleased.

"That's good." Zu An, not genuinely concerned about the Crown Prince, recalled what he had heard upon entering the palace and then asked, "I heard the demon race has invaded?"

"Yes," Bi Linglong's expression grew solemn. "News reached the capital last night that the demon race has broken through our northern defenses and even massacred Mo Bei City, a crucial border town."

"Massacred a city?" Zu An's face darkened. He had only ever read such words in history books and never expected to encounter such a situation firsthand.

"Yes, not even a chicken or a dog was spared. The demon race is truly detestable!" A flicker of hatred flashed in Bi Linglong's eyes.

"What does the court plan to do?" Zu An inquired.

Bi Linglong replied, "During the morning court session, there was fierce debate, but most favored war. Our Great Zhou has never suffered such a significant loss since its founding, and enduring humiliation is not our way. Even students from the Imperial Academy petitioned at the palace gates, offering to fight on the front lines and kill the demons. The court, however, naturally refused; the Imperial Academy's students are the future pillars of our nation. How could we allow them to sacrifice themselves prematurely?"

"I heard the choice for this expedition is likely Duke Cheng?" Zu An sought confirmation.

Bi Linglong's expression subtly shifted. She waved her hand, dismissing the others but keeping Rong Mo, a maid, by her side to ensure propriety. "Yes, if all goes as expected, it will indeed be Duke Cheng. Throughout the entire court, considering reputation and seniority, there is no one more suitable."

Zu An tentatively asked, "Duke Cheng's deployment might not be a bad thing for the Eastern Palace."

Bi Linglong shook her head, looking at him deeply. "It might have been a good thing before, but that's not necessarily true now."

Zu An paused, then quickly understood. In the secret realm, they had been adversaries of the Emperor, so a mutual balance of power between the Emperor and Prince Qi's faction was now most beneficial to them.

Rong Mo, standing nearby, looked from Zu An to Bi Linglong and back, wondering, "Are they speaking in riddles? I can't quite understand what they mean."

Each of the three was lost in their own thoughts, and a strange silence settled over the room.

After a moment, a maid suddenly approached to report, "Crown Princess, a messenger from the Imperial Study has arrived with news: His Majesty has summoned Lord Zu."

Rong Mo couldn't help but say sourly, "Lord Zu truly enjoys deep imperial favor. His Majesty summons you every few days."

She had diligently served the Crown Princess in the palace for so many years, yet the Emperor had never summoned her alone.

Zu An replied, "There's no other way; with great power comes great responsibility."

Rong Mo was speechless.

She felt as if she had been offended.

Bi Linglong's face showed concern; only she knew this might not signify favor. She secretly transmitted a message using her qi: "Be careful."

Zu An smiled at her. "Don't worry, I still need to heal you and help you recover. How could I possibly let anything happen to me prematurely?"

Bi Linglong secretly spat in disdain. *Scoundrel!*

Rong Mo, standing nearby, wore a strange expression. She had also noticed Zu An's inexplicable smile. Of course, she wouldn't assume Zu An would dare to flirt so boldly with the Crown Princess. Subconsciously, she believed he was flirting with her, wondering, "Could this fellow be coveting my beauty?"

*Hmph, a toad desiring swan meat.*

Zu An arrived at the Imperial Study. When he met Eunuch Wen, he nodded in greeting, and Eunuch Wen returned a smile. However, after Zu An entered the room, Eunuch Wen quietly shook his head.

Even Zhu Xie Chixin could discern the Emperor's shifting preferences. As the Emperor's confidant, how could Eunuch Wen not perceive the change in His Majesty's attitude towards Zu An?

"Greetings, Your Majesty!" Upon entering the Imperial Study, Zu An noticed the Emperor's face was veiled in a layer of ice, clearly indicating a poor mood.

"Sit!" the Emperor commanded, gesturing to a nearby stool.

Zu An was momentarily "overwhelmed with favor." After so many visits to the Imperial Study, this was the first time he had been granted a seat.

He quickly became alert, remembering the adage: "Things that go against the norm are usually ominous."

Having been an Emperor himself for many years in the Yin Ruin secret realm, he immediately recognized this as a common imperial tactic: even when there's an intention to kill, the ruler might show immense favor to lull the target into a false sense of security.

Zu An, however, was somewhat confused. Had the secret realm incident been exposed?

No, if those matters were exposed, the Emperor would surely tear him apart on the spot, rather than resort to such pretense.

It must be the Emperor's instinct, fearing exposure of his separated soul and not wanting any survivors from the secret realm to remain alive.

And he currently had a need for Zu An, which explained his pretense.

"Are your injuries healed?" the Emperor asked amiably.

Zu An replied, "Thanks to the care of the imperial physicians, though I haven't fully recovered, I can move freely enough."

The Emperor's amiability made him feel quite uneasy; strangely, the previous threats and intimidation had been more reassuring... *Huh, that's a rather perverse thought.*

"That's good then," the Emperor nodded. "It just so happens there's a task I need you to undertake."

*Just as I thought,* Zu An mused, but showed no emotion. "What kind of task is it?"

The Emperor said, "A few days ago, an incident occurred at Prince Qi's residence: Prince Qi's concubine drowned in the pond in the middle of the night. There are many suspicious circumstances surrounding this matter. Go investigate and ensure justice for Prince Qi."

Zu An's expression became strange. *Give Prince Qi justice, indeed. When did you two become so fraternal?*

If she died within Prince Qi's residence, even if it wasn't an accident, it was surely connected to Prince Qi. Investigating this case now was clearly aimed at Prince Qi.

He said with some difficulty, "Shouldn't matters like this be handled by the Ministry of the Clan? Prince Qi's concubine holds a noble status, and it's not very convenient for us Embroidered Uniform Guard to intervene."

He wanted the Emperor and Prince Qi to mutually check each other and had no desire to be caught in the middle of their conflict.

The Emperor shook his head. "This time, you won't investigate as Gold Plaque Eleven. You will use your original identity."

Zu An was dumbfounded.

What a joke. After the secret realm incident, others might be oblivious, but Prince Qi surely knew that all the experts he dispatched had been annihilated. Zu An, the sole survivor, would be his prime suspect, and Prince Qi might even want him dead on sight. Going to Prince Qi's residence to investigate a case now would be like an old man eating arsenic—clearly, he was tired of living.

The Emperor said blandly, "Previously, I instructed you to give the fake 'Phoenix Nirvana Sutra' to Prince Qi. What is the progress on that?"

Zu An replied, rubbing his temples, "I haven't found a suitable opportunity to give him the fake manual yet."

The Emperor glanced at him. "Therefore, I am giving you this opportunity now. When you investigate the case at Prince Qi's residence, you will have ample chances to interact with him. At that time, you must give him the fake manual as soon as possible and in a plausible manner."

Zu An fell silent. He understood the Emperor's urgency. Previously, the Emperor hadn't been so anxious about this matter because he was powerful enough to completely suppress Prince Qi. However, in the secret realm, he had lost a separated soul. Though the exact extent was unknown, it clearly diminished his strength. Perhaps he no longer had full confidence in suppressing Prince Qi, which explained his need for the fake manual's assistance.

No wonder he hadn't publicized Prince Qi's actions in the secret realm before. So, this was the underlying reason.

Seeing Zu An's continued silence, the Emperor raised an eyebrow. "What, is there a problem?"

Zu An looked up, a faint smile on his face. "No problem. I will do my utmost!"

This was good; it presented an opportunity to approach Prince Qi. To ensure mutual checks and balances, his leverage with Prince Qi was clearly insufficient. This might be a chance to improve his relationship with Prince Qi.

The Emperor frowned, sensing something unsettling about Zu An's smile. For the first time, he found himself unable to read the young man.

He shook his head, dismissing it as an illusion. This mere hooligan's life and death were entirely in his hands; how could he be so profound? "Very well, you may withdraw. Act quickly."