Chapter 768: Making Things Even

Translator: Pika

The two of them fought while almost pressing up against each other. However, no matter how Concubine Bai fought, she was entangled by the other party’s slippery, snake-like hands. At first, she could still switch up her attack methods to unleash an endless barrage of attacks, but as they continued to fight, the amount of space she had left to evade shrank and shrank. Eventually, even her hands were restricted and she was unable to move at all.

When had she ever been in such close contact with another man? She was ashamed and nervous. Since she couldn’t move her hands, she sent a kick at Zu An’s underbelly.

However, since the Feathersilk Entangling Art was a technique that specialized in close quarters combat, how could it not have any countermeasures for such an attack? Zu An raised his leg to block Concubine Bai, then kicked the crook of her leg. Then, he used that chance to push her legs apart.

Concubine Bai jerked from side to side. Her body was extremely flexible, her waist and body both twisting at inconceivable angles. However, she still couldn’t break free from Zu An’s control. On the contrary, her face was flushed from their bodies rubbing against each other so close together.

Zu An asked with a smile, “Your highness must be at your wit’s end now, right?” Just as he was about to negotiate with her, however, Concubine Bai suddenly smiled. Then, a pink mist sprayed out from her cherry lips, hitting Zu An in the face.

Zu An was completely caught off guard. An unnatural redness filled his face. Then, after rocking back and forth a few times, he fell weakly to the ground.

“Hmph!” Concubine Bai harrumphed after finally breaking free from his grasp. Then, she couldn’t help but add a kick. “Scoundrel!”

She looked resentful as she asked, “Weren’t you acting all cocky a moment ago? Why aren’t you moving now?” She had really suffered from that close quarters combat just then.

She picked up her skirt and squatted down by his side. A dagger emerged from who knew where, and she ran it across Zu An’s neck a few times. When she saw that there was no reaction, she finally relaxed. “He fainted after all. Hmph, I expect no less after being afflicted by my rose dew.”

But then, she seemed quite troubled. She muttered, “Say, should I kill you or not? If I don’t kill you, you’re just a bit too smart, so it’ll be dangerous for me in the palace. If I kill you, the sect master might get angry, right? There’s that junior Honglei as well. Sigh, this really is a headache.”

“If it’s such a headache, then perhaps you shouldn’t kill me?” came a man’s teasing voice by Concubine Bai’s ear.

Concubine Bai jumped in fright, and she quickly tried to press the dagger against Zu An’s neck. Unfortunately, she was still a step too late. Her chest went numb, and in an instant all of her acupoints were sealed up.

Zu An got up from the ground with a chuckle. He looked at the furious beauty in front of him and said, “Your highness gave me a kick just now. Say, how should I get my revenge for that?”

Concubine Bai was shocked as she asked, “Why aren’t you unconscious?”

They had been so close just now, and they had fought such an intense battle. His breathing should have been extremely rushed. That was why it was impossible for her poison to have not entered his system. Furthermore, her secret poison was enough to render him unconscious even if he only breathed in a tiny bit.

“I really am freaking lucky.” Zu An counted his blessings. Thankfully, he had already broken through to the third level of the Primordial Origin Sutra, so he was already immune to most poisons. Otherwise, he really would have been done in.

“What kind of poison is that?” he asked out of curiosity. Concubine Bai harrumphed and refused to pay attention to him.

“I can still make my guesses even if you don’t talk.” Zu An sensed the poison with his primordial ki. Even though it wasn’t a perfect analysis, he could still get a rough idea of its use.

“Huh? This poison actually isn’t harmful to the body at all. It only makes one fall unconscious and enter an illusion.” Zu An was shocked. “Why would you use a poison like this without any serious effects?”

“None of your business!” Concubine Bai felt angry and remorseful. If she had known it was going to be like this, she would have planted that dagger into his neck to begin with. Hmph, she really didn’t know where this kid got his guts from, not even flinching with a blade pressed against his neck. That was why she had thought he really had been affected by the poison.

You have successfully trolled Bai Rouxue for +233 +233 +233…

“His majesty has long been trying to figure out who the spy from the Devil Sect was. In the end, the one who was blamed was the Left Guard General Cheng Xiong and his son.” Zu An chuckled. “But I knew it wasn’t them. That was why I was always curious to find out who leaked information to the Devil Sect.

“This person’s status couldn’t be low, or else they wouldn’t have access to important secrets like the emperor’s whereabouts, the palace’s security, and other things of that nature. But if their status were too high, I wouldn’t understand why they would help the Devil Sect.” Zu An looked at Concubine Bai and said, “It turns out it was you in the end.”

He had pretended to be unconscious earlier because he wanted to use this chance to get some information. Sure enough, he had ended up receiving such a nice piece of information.

Concubine Bai was really feeling regretful now. Why the hell had she blabbed like that? However, she quickly calmed down. “Hmph, I’m not the only one who colluded with the Devil Sect in this imperial palace. Sir Zu, aren’t you one of them too? You even saved the Devil Sect Master and the saintess.”

Zu An wasn’t surprised. It was easy to deceive others, but such information wouldn’t escape the notice of a spy on this level. After all, Yun Jianyue had always stayed in his Embroidered Envoy residence, and he couldn’t always be there. These two had probably already been in contact then.

Indeed, Concubine Bai had awarded him with a bunch of stuff back then. Thinking back, Yun Jianyue’s reaction was a bit strange at the time. That was probably when they had first come into contact.

Zu An chuckled. “Your highness must think that I’ll let you go because of that kind of relationship. But as long as I kill you, no one will know about any of this. Won’t I be safer then?”

Concubine Bai gave him a look. A while later, she said, “There’s no need for you to scare me like that. How can anyone the sect master and the saintess favor be someone that despicable and shameless?”

Zu An felt a headache as he muttered, “Sigh, being rejected for being a nice guy really doesn’t feel too great.” He didn’t continue the pretense either, and unsealed Concubine Bai’s acupoints.

Concubine Bai subconsciously took a few steps back when she was freed. Then, she rubbed her chest. That area still ached a bit after being struck.

Zu An then remarked. “Since we’re now allies on the same ship, I believe there are some matters we can be more open about, no?”

“What do you want to know?” Concubine Bai returned to the swing. At the same time, she flung her sleeves outward and the flower petals gradually faded. The figures of the maids and wet nurses could vaguely be made out again.

“This technique of yours is quite impressive,” Zu An couldn’t help but say in praise.

“Nothing more than a smokescreen,” Concubine Bai replied indifferently.

Zu An nodded. Then he continued, “The ones who wanted to take me and the crown princess down were you and King Wu, right?”

After a bit of hesitation, Concubine Bai nodded and said, “Correct. Your analysis was already ninety percent there.”

“Where is Xin Rui?” Zu An asked.

“She returned after completing her mission,” Concubine Bai replied.

“Then her mother and little brother were both fake as well?” Zu An refused to believe that the Devil Sect would leave behind such a huge opening and let Xin Rui’s loved ones be controlled.

“Correct. They were both impersonations from the sect. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been easy to escape to a casino under the Shi clan’s monitoring, and he would be discovered by the Embroidered Envoy even if he had help,” Concubine Bai replied.

“Your arrangements really were well thought out.” Zu An gasped. The other party was so meticulous. This had definitely not been done on a momentary whim, but rather prepared several years in advance. But if this had started several years ago, then had they already planned to act against the crown princess at that time?

“We only made some preparations ahead of time. Then, the Shi clan’s people just happened to be roped in recently,” Concubine Bai explained.

Zu An felt relieved. He asked, “Why did you choose me and the crown princess?” He couldn’t help but feel that he had been thrown under the bus here.

“King Wu suggested it. He insisted on using you. He seems to carry extreme hatred for you.” Concubine Bai gave Zu An a look of surprise. “Just what did you do to him to make him hate you so much?”

Zu An began to think to himself. It seemed she didn’t know about his relationship with Yun Yuqing. It was probably better to keep some things a secret. He replied, “What can I say? I’m just too charming. Maybe King Wu felt jealous when I passed through North Order Commandery in the past.” Concubine Bai was speechless.

“As for the reason you let me go back then, apart from the reasons I stated… Is it also because I saved Yun Jianyue and the others?” Zu An asked out of curiosity.

“Indeed. For the sake of saving you and not rousing King Wu’s suspicion, I was left quite conflicted, you know?” Concubine Bai replied with a sigh.

Zu An laughed, annoyed. “What, then should I be thanking you for making me walk around the gates of hell a few times?”

“Aren’t you still fine?” Concubine Bai smiled. “The crown princess is a rare beauty, and not even the crown prince has touched her pure body, yet you ended up having her.”

“Did you take off our clothes back then?” Zu An’s expression darkened.

Concubine Bai recalled the past. She subconsciously glanced at his lower body, a blush appearing on her face. “What meaning is there in asking that?”

“Of course there’s meaning.” Zu An harrumphed. “You’ve already gotten to see me completely. At the very least, you have to return the favor that we’re even, right?”

Concubine Bai smiled sweetly. “So you want to see? Sure, I’m sitting right here. You can come over and remove my clothes. I promise I won’t resist.”

Zu An became annoyed and asked, “Woman, do you really think I wouldn’t dare?”

“Then why don’t you do it?” Concubine Bai raised her chin provocatively. At the same time, she gave the distant maids a look. So many people are watching. Would you dare?

Zu An’s eyes narrowed. He said, “Your highness, I have a friend; he really is my friend. This person really hates being provoked. If he gets provoked, he might just act on an impulse and not care about any consequences until he gets what he wants…”

Concubine Bai suddenly got up before he could finish and urgently said, “You can’t act rashly, or else both of us will be done for!”

Zu An would definitely be finished in front of so many people, but because she had been touched by a man, rumors would spread about her in the palace. Then, she would become an impure person in the eyes of the royal family. All of her efforts would then go down the drain.

“But that friend of mine really is angry, you know? Already, he can’t take it anymore.” Zu An laughed inwardly. He had never used the skill ‘I Have a Friend’ that he had pulled a while ago. He hadn’t expected its first use to be right here. Hmph, judging from Concubine Bai’s alarmed expression, she clearly believes that the friend I’m speaking of is myself. Looks like this skill is pretty good at confusing people.

Concubine Bai’s face turned red and pale. Why had she insisted on provoking this guy? She clenched her teeth, and then waved her sleeves. Flower petals began to fall again. She had to at least block their line of sight first. That way, even if something happened, she could still redeem the situation.

Zu An’s expression became extremely strange when he saw the flower petals. “Can I interpret this as your highness tacitly agreeing to what I’m about to do?”