"I can't wait any longer. The person behind this knows I'm not dead, and they definitely won't let this go. I don't even dare to go back to the Sang residence, for fear of bringing Xiaoqian and the others to their deaths. If I hadn't been unconscious when Miss Chu brought me here, I actually wouldn't have agreed to come here."

“Uncle, you’re being too polite. Why would I be afraid of such things?” Zu’an frowned. “By the way, who is this person behind the scenes you mentioned?”

Sang Hong glanced at the others discreetly but did not speak.

Murong Qinghe realized and said, "I'll excuse myself for a moment."

Chu Youzhao hurriedly pulled her aside: "Qinghe is one of us, I can trust her."

Hearing Brother Chu speak up for him like that, Murong Qinghe's eyes were full of smiles.

“It’s not that I don’t trust you, but this matter is of utmost importance. If I knew, it would only bring you death. I can’t let you be harmed,” Sang Hong explained.

Zuan knew he had a point: "Alright, I'll send you to the palace right away."

“You’d better change your attire and create a diversion,” Sang Hong advised. “I suspect there are people watching you around your house, after all, everyone knows about our relationship.”

"It's alright, we'll just go directly," Zu'an replied casually, his tone carrying an inexplicable confidence.

Chu Chuyan, however, was still worried: "I'll escort you for a while."

Zuan didn't want to worry her, and after being apart for so long, he didn't want to be separated again, so he agreed.

Chu Youzhao also insisted on going together, but Chu Chuyan refused, saying, "You guys wait here for news, that way there'll be someone to meet you."

Hearing the unquestionable tone in her sister's voice, Chu Youzhao had no choice but to agree, even though she was unwilling.

Soon, Zu'an arranged a carriage, helped Sang Hong inside, and sat down next to him with Chu Chuyan.

The carriage headed directly towards the palace. Now that he was a marquis and a favorite in the Eastern Palace, his carriage rarely caused trouble in the capital.

During the journey, Zu'an asked, "Uncle, is the person you're talking about behind the scenes the Prince of Qi?"

“So you already knew.” Sang Hong wasn’t very surprised. “That’s right. He probably doesn’t want the news about Yunzhong County to get back to the capital. I have evidence of his treachery, so I suppose he’s planning to destroy the evidence.”

“It’s not hard to guess,” Zuan said in a deep voice. “The clue I got from that toy wooden sword, which you later investigated and found out the details of, must have had a great impact on King Qi. I never expected him to be so audacious as to take such a risk.”

“King Qi is now suffering defeat after defeat. If I make the evidence of Yunzhong County public in the court, his goal, which he has painstakingly built up over decades, will become increasingly hopeless. No wonder he is desperate.” Sang Hong said, looking at Chu Chuyan. “Miss Chu was indeed very clever just now. She actually arranged for your brother to monitor Miss Murong, so that she could not pass on messages.”

It is no secret that the Murong family is descended from the Prince of Qi.

Chu Chuyan nodded slightly, but did not reply.

Zu An laughed and put his arm around Chu Chuyan's shoulder: "Of course my wife is smart."

However, he immediately realized that Sang Hong was another father-in-law, and it seemed inappropriate for him to show affection to another woman like this.

Chu Chuyan's cheeks flushed slightly, and she secretly pinched him. She wasn't used to being so affectionate in front of others.

Just as Zu An was about to say something, his expression suddenly changed.

Just then, the carriage wall suddenly cracked open, and dozens of crossbow bolts, gleaming with cold light, riddled the carriage with arrows.