Chapter 11: Guarding Secrets

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Volume One: First Entry into Another World

Upon hearing his wife's words, Chu Zhongtian fell silent. The Great Zhou empire was founded by the Grand Ancestor Emperor. However, the Grand Ancestor's direct descendants all perished in the wars of unification. Consequently, the Grand Ancestor's younger brother adopted his second son, who is now the current King Qi, to succeed the Grand Ancestor.

In a brutal war, the Grand Ancestor died in battle alongside a powerful foreign expert. Because his adopted son was still young and the newly established empire was unstable, the Grand Ancestor, on his deathbed, passed the throne to his younger brother, Emperor Taizong.

Emperor Taizong inherited the Grand Ancestor's legacy, unifying the world. Unfortunately, due to numerous old wounds sustained in battle, he reached his life's end not many years later. However, he faced a dilemma when choosing his successor.

Logically, his throne originated from his brother's lineage. He had only taken over because King Qi was too young, and it was for the sake of the family and the nation's future. Now, the throne should rightfully be returned to the adult King Qi.

Yet, people are inherently selfish. Although King Qi was indeed his biological son, he had been adopted by the Grand Ancestor, making him part of a different lineage. Naturally, Taizong favored his own true eldest son, King Jin.

Therefore, he played a small trick: he decreed that whoever between the two first broke through to the Earth Immortal realm would inherit the throne.

At that time, King Jin was already much older than his younger brother, King Qi. Furthermore, as emperor, Taizong naturally commanded far greater resources, and he secretly aided King Jin. Consequently, King Jin was the first to break through to the Earth Immortal realm, smoothly inheriting the throne and becoming the current Emperor Gaozong.

However, many old ministers loyal to the Grand Ancestor's lineage still remained, and the Grand Ancestor's in-laws naturally supported King Qi. To placate these powerful factions, Taizong ambiguously suggested a succession where the elder brother would be succeeded by the younger, which finally quelled a period of unrest.

But a century passed, and Emperor Gaozong was nearing the end of his life. He appointed his own son as Crown Prince, which naturally provoked dissatisfaction from King Qi's faction. Moreover, the Crown Prince was of mediocre talent, far inferior to King Qi's astonishing brilliance, prompting many other court officials to also consider their options.

However, Gaozong had reigned as emperor for over a century, and his loyalist faction was sufficiently powerful. For years, the two groups had been openly and secretly contending.

The Chu family controlled both the salt and iron industries, making them incredibly wealthy, almost rivaling the nation's coffers. Such an influential clan was naturally courted by both sides. However, Chu Zhongtian was unwilling to get involved in the imperial succession dispute and had maintained neutrality. A few days prior, the imperial faction intended to propose a marriage alliance with the Chu family, to firmly tie them to their cause.

The Chu couple found themselves in a difficult predicament. The Chu family was unlike ordinary clans; they held a profound secret that could not be divulged to outsiders. Moreover, Chu Chuyan had, over the years, effectively managed half of the family's affairs. If she were to marry out, the entire Chu family would immediately face the risk of being absorbed by another power.

Chu Chuyan was well aware of all this. Therefore, she proactively suggested seeking a live-in son-in-law, finding the most useless man in the city to become their live-in spouse. They hastily held the wedding, completely thwarting the designs of both the Emperor's and King Qi's factions.

That was why Qin Wanru suspected that the destruction of the spiritual spring was orchestrated by either the Emperor's or King Qi's faction.

"No matter which side it is, our days ahead will not be easy," Chu Zhongtian said grimly. "Sang Hong is about to take over as Prefect of Linchuan Commandery." Bright Moon City is within the jurisdiction of Linchuan Commandery.

Qin Wanru's expression shifted slightly. "Sang Hong, the Assistant Minister of Agriculture!"

The Grand Minister of Agriculture is one of the Nine Ministers, responsible for national finances, and the Assistant Minister of Agriculture is his second-in-command. Sang Hong has always overseen salt and iron and is a close confidant of the Emperor. His assignment as Prefect of Linchuan Commandery this time clearly indicates he's targeting the Chu family.

"I've heard that this man is utterly ruthless and recognizes no kin. Over the years, countless noble families in the capital have been ruined by him. This time, our Chu family is likely in great danger," Qin Wanru said, her face filled with worry.

Seeing his usually strong wife show a rare hint of vulnerability, Chu Zhongtian pulled her into his embrace. "We'll face whatever comes our way. Our Chu family isn't easily bullied, and Sang Hong is merely an eighth-rank official. It's still unknown who will emerge victorious in the end."

Qin Wanru rolled her eyes at her husband. "Whether someone is difficult to deal with doesn't solely depend on their personal cultivation level. Chen Xuan, the notorious bandit from Dragon Hidden Mountain outside the city, is only a sixth-rank, yet you haven't managed to eliminate him all these years?"

Chu Zhongtian snorted. "That Chen Xuan is incredibly slippery, like a divine dragon seen only by its tail. Every time I get news and rush there, he's already vanished without a trace. So, I suspect he has an informant within the city tipping him off; otherwise, how could he have eluded capture for so many years!"

Qin Wanru's eyes lit up. "These bandits not only deal in contraband salt but also ambush and kill passing merchant caravans. Let's dump this problem onto Sang Hong. As Prefect, he surely can't just sit back and do nothing."

Chu Zhongtian's eyes brightened. "What an excellent idea, my dear! Oh, by the way, I heard the Jade family's caravan is coming to Bright Moon City soon. We should notify them to prevent Chen Xuan's gang from ambushing them... Ouch, ouch, ouch!"

Before he could finish, Qin Wanru pinched his ear. "I see you're worried about their mistress, Jade Yanluo, aren't you? With her jade-like beauty, she was the capital's foremost beauty back then, and you shamelessly pursued her. It's a pity she eventually married the Duke of Yunzhong. What, do you intend to seize this opportunity to rekindle your past affections?"

Chu Zhongtian hurriedly pleaded, "My dear, she's been married for so many years! How could I possibly have any other thoughts? Please don't speak nonsense!"

Qin Wanru didn't let go, and scoffed, "But as far as I know, the Duke of Yunzhong passed away unexpectedly a few days ago. Jade Yanluo is single now, you know."

Chu Zhongtian's eyes lit up. "Really?"

He immediately felt two murderous gazes from beside him and quickly changed his words: "My dear, I didn't even know that, which proves I've never paid attention to her! Besides, you know my situation; how could I possibly have any other intentions?"

Seeing his crestfallen expression, Qin Wanru quickly released his ear. "Husband, I'm sorry."

Chu Zhongtian shook his head. "No, I'm the one who's sorry to you."

Not wanting to see him in such a state, Qin Wanru quickly changed the subject. "By the way, where did Chuyan go?"

Chu Zhongtian replied, "She took the young miss of the Pei family out to tour the city."

Qin Wanru frowned. "She's from the Pei family, so she must be aligned with King Qi's faction, right? Her sudden enrollment at Bright Moon Academy this time makes me feel as though she has ulterior motives."

Chu Zhongtian laughed heartily. "Don't worry, your Chuyan is so clever, she knows what she's doing."

Qin Wanru snorted. "That Pei Mianman, despite her young age, looks like a seductive vixen who could charm anyone. Her 'peach blossom eyes' seem to be constantly enticing men. I don't like her."

Chu Zhongtian laughed in spite of himself. "Are you actually worried she'll try to steal Chuyan's husband?"

Thinking of Zu An's pathetic appearance, it was truly hard to imagine Pei Mianman taking an interest in him. Qin Wanru couldn't help but laugh. "If she really took that scoundrel off our hands, I'd be more than happy!"

Zu An sneezed violently, wondering which lady or young miss was thinking of him.

"Young Master-in-law, have you caught a chill? I'll fetch you a thick coat right away!" A startled voice rang out. Before Zu An could react, a figure already had a piece of clothing draped around him.

Zu An stared blankly at the young boy in front of him. He appeared to be around fourteen or fifteen, dressed in blue clothes, with two bun-like topknots on his head. His eyes were quite large, and his skin looked delicate and fair.

"Wait, who are you, kid?"

"Young Master-in-law, you flatter me! I am your study companion," the boy replied with a fawning smile.

"A study companion?" Zu An was momentarily stunned, then realized this must be related to the earlier mention of going to Bright Moon Academy. But it was just a private family academy; did he really need a dedicated study companion for that?

It seemed this ducal mansion was truly lavish. "Hmm, I like it," he thought.

"What did you call me earlier?"

"Young Master-in-law?"

"I didn't hear you clearly. A little louder?"

"YOUNG MASTER-IN-LAW!"

"Excellent, excellent. You've got a bright future, kid."

Zu An's face instantly broke into a wide grin. Ever since he arrived in this world, he hadn't encountered a single thing that pleased him. Although he was the son-in-law of the ducal mansion, who in this residence genuinely respected him? Let alone proactively called him 'Young Master-in-law.'

It was rare to find a young study companion so discerning. Zu An felt incredibly comfortable from head to toe.

"Oh, by the way, what's your name?"

The young study companion perked up, quickly replying, "Reporting to Young Master-in-law, my humble name is Cheng Shoubing."

"What kind of *bing*?" Zu An thought. Usually, study companions had simple, easy-to-remember names like Laifu or Wangcai, or at most Hua'an. Why did this guy's name sound so peculiar?

"Cheng Shoubing, as in the 'shoubing' from 'keeping one's mouth shut like a sealed bottle.' Master himself bestowed this name upon me back then!" As he spoke of this, the young study companion puffed out his chest, a proud look on his face.

"That's quite something, to be personally named by the master!" Although Zu An was unfamiliar with the customs of this world, he figured it was the same everywhere: a master bestowing a name was a great honor. Just like in his previous life, Zheng Chenggong was respectfully called 'Lord of the Imperial Surname' after the emperor granted him a new surname.

"Young Master-in-law, you flatter me! Back then, I worked closely with Master and was deeply favored by him. Later, I was transferred to the kitchen, and I thought I had displeased Master somehow. But now that I know I've been assigned to be your study companion, Young Master-in-law, I finally understand Master's painstaking efforts. Those past few years must have been to temper me, preparing me to receive a more important mission!" Cheng Shoubing's eyes gleamed as he spoke, his face filled with excitement.

"Hold on a minute..." Zu An felt that the more he listened, the stranger it became. He knew perfectly well what kind of 'young master-in-law' he was, yet this guy actually thought it was a wonderful assignment?

It seemed his intelligence wasn't particularly high.

And why was this fellow, who was initially working directly for Master Chu, banished to a place like the kitchen?

However, Zu An clearly didn't care much about those matters. He was more concerned with questions related to himself: "From what you just said, you must have been in the Chu family for a long time. You should know a lot, right?"

Cheng Shoubing patted his chest. "Of course! From Master and Madam down to the cooks and servants, there's nothing in this Chu mansion that I don't know."

Zu An was eager to gather information about the mansion. He had only been there for two days, and already so many people wanted him dead, yet he still didn't know where the problem lay, which gave him a tremendous sense of crisis.

He pondered for a moment, then asked, "Do you know why the Chu family chose me as their son-in-law?" This was his biggest mystery. Chu Chuyan was top-notch in terms of appearance, figure, and family background, while Zu An in this world was, from every perspective, a complete good-for-nothing. Normally, these two should never have crossed paths, let alone become husband and wife. It was simply too bizarre.

Hearing his question, Cheng Shoubing looked at him with a puzzled expression. "Isn't it because Young Master-in-law is as elegant as a jade tree and incredibly handsome?"

Zu An's eyes widened. This guy's talent for spouting serious nonsense truly captured a bit of his own essence. "Ahem, while I know what you're saying is the absolute truth, are there any other reasons?"

"No, that was it. The young miss simply chose you because you were handsome," Cheng Shoubing replied, thinking, 'Besides that, can you find any other redeeming qualities? Don't you have any self-awareness?' Of course, he didn't reveal these thoughts in the slightest; at that moment, his eyes and expression were as sincere as possible.

"Oh, you said the young miss personally chose me?" Zu An keenly picked up on the information revealed in his words.

"Yes, she did. At the time, Madam wasn't very pleased and even advised her to think twice," Cheng Shoubing answered.

Zu An immediately interrupted, "You don't need to say those unimportant things anymore."

He had initially suspected that Chu Chuyan was forced to marry him due to her parents' command, which bred resentment and murderous intent. However, based on Cheng Shoubing's account, this possibility could be directly ruled out.

But why would Chu Chuyan choose him as her husband? The girl's eyes were quite bright; she wasn't blind.

Pah, pah, pah! She must have been captivated by my handsome face and desired my body.

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