Meanwhile, the inn was already teeming with Imperial Guards, including Prince Liang and Liu Yao, indicating that they had made contact with the reinforcements sent from the capital.

They were usually very carefree, after all, they were the most senior people in the room and relatives of the emperor and empress, so they were somewhat arrogant.

But now the two of them were somewhat restless, constantly stealing glances at the man's expression, as if trying to guess his mood.

It's no wonder they were so cautious. Although the guy in front of them was not as high-ranking as them, his strength was definitely not to be underestimated. He was just a confidant of the emperor and was going to be the head of the secret service, so he deliberately suppressed his official rank.

Over the years, countless princes and ministers in the capital had fallen at his hands, so the two dared not be negligent in the slightest.

This time, they were entrusted with the Emperor's important mission to capture Zu'an and bring him back to the capital, but Zu'an was lost, and ten Embroidered Uniform Guards were killed tragically.

If they had been able to capture the traitor Lu Sanyuan, they could have at least redeemed themselves to some extent. Unfortunately, Lu Sanyuan's cultivation was too high, and even with the two of them working together, they still couldn't defeat him. They were tricked and left.

No matter what the matter is, it's a matter of being dismissed and investigated. Although the two are relatives of the emperor, which gives them a slight advantage over ordinary officials, if Zhu Xie Chixin goes back to the emperor and speaks ill of them, they will definitely be in deep trouble.

At this moment, Zhu Xie Chixin's face was gloomy. He had obviously noticed the two's little actions, but he couldn't be bothered to pay them any attention.

Soon, embroidered messengers began to return from outside:

"Reporting to the Commander, we have not been able to find the whereabouts of Mosquito Taoist."

"Reporting to the commander, we have not been able to find Zu'an's whereabouts."

There was also no sign of Miss Pei.

...

Hearing the reports from the crowd, Zhu Xiechi's eyelids twitched, and he coldly looked at the beautiful and refined woman beside him: "Miss Chu, I'm afraid you need to give me a proper explanation."

"I don't understand what I need to explain," Chu Chuyan replied calmly.

Not far away, Liang Wang and Liu Yao thought to themselves that this little girl was truly ignorant and fearless. She had no idea how terrifying Zhu Xie Chixin was; in the capital, he was someone who could stop children from crying at night.

However, they also admired her. They had heard of the Chu family's eldest daughter before, but they had only seen her from afar. After all, they were not of the same generation, and even if Chu Chuyan went to the capital, they would not have any contact with her.

I saw her up close today, and she truly lived up to her reputation; she was like a celestial being descended to earth.

In fact, given their status, they had seen countless young and beautiful women, but one as clear-headed and refined as her was truly rare. What was even more commendable was her unique aloof and noble temperament.

Facing a powerful expert whose cultivation far surpassed hers, and a secret service leader who controlled the lives of countless people, she remained neither humble nor arrogant, her elegance as pure as snow.

That kind of arrogance easily makes men want to conquer her, but such a woman is clearly not someone that ordinary men can possess.

"A beautiful flower stuck in cow dung!"

The same thought popped into their minds simultaneously, as they both recalled the various antics Zu'an had caused along the way.

In their eyes, the only person worthy of Chu Chuyan should be a refined and elegant gentleman with a top-tier family background and a cultivation genius from a young age. But Zu An, no matter how you look at him, seems like a street thug. They don't know what Chu Chuyan saw in him.

They subconsciously glanced at Zheng Dan in the corner. The Sang family's daughter-in-law seemed to have treated him well along the way. He didn't really resist when Zu An bullied him, and it seemed like he was even addicted to it.

And that holy maiden of the demonic sect they just mentioned, Miss Pei, seems to have some ambiguous relationship with Zu'an.

Thinking about this, they were immediately puzzled. Is there really such a big difference between women's and men's aesthetic sense?

At this moment, Zhu Xie Chixin coldly snorted, interrupting their thoughts: "I remember Miss Chu promised me before that she would never secretly let Zu An go, and even swore on the Chu family's behalf. Now, is she trying to put the Chu family in danger for a man?"

Chu Chuyan remained calm: "I do indeed make such a guarantee, and I did not secretly let Zu An go."

"Then why did Zu'an leave before I arrived?" Zhu Xie Chixin stared coldly at her. Her stunning beauty had no effect on him whatsoever. As the leader of the Embroidered Robe Envoys and the emperor's most trusted confidant, he had long since become indifferent to women.

Chu Chuyan replied, "At that time, Mosquito Daoist wanted to kill Pei Mianman and Azu, and the people of the Demonic Sect also wanted to capture them. I was not able to protect them, so I let them leave first to avoid the storm. It was not that I deliberately let them go."

"Why would those members of the Demonic Sect join forces with you? And when I arrived earlier, you deliberately let them leave. Is it possible that the Chu family and the Demonic Sect have been colluding for some time?" Zhu Xie Chixin leaned forward, his eyes extremely oppressive, and his tone becoming increasingly stern.

Startled by his imposing presence, King Liang and Liu Yao instinctively sat up straight.

Sang Hong, his daughter, and Zheng Dan exchanged glances in the room, thinking that this charge was very serious. The emperor had originally intended to deal with the Chu family, and if this charge were proven, the Chu family would be finished.

Chu Chuyan clearly realized this as well, and her eyebrows furrowed: "Lord Zhu Xie, please don't exaggerate. Our Chu family has no connection with the Demonic Sect. The reason we joined forces with the Demonic Sect before was because that Mosquito Daoist was too powerful. No matter which side we were on, we were no match for him."

She paused and continued, "Lord Zhu Xie has personally experienced the power of Mosquito Taoist. Even you couldn't defeat her, so naturally I am no match for her. As for those people from the Demonic Sect who escaped in the chaos, I was too injured to stop them."

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!