The Maid

That's how it is at the moment.

Xu Yuan's words carried a hint of melancholy. "In a choice between two options, anyone who isn't a fool would choose the sect, since there's no risk of usurping the Flame Sect there."

"."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chen's face turned ashen, and he neither replied nor dared to speak.

Is it something you can just casually utter like "usurping the flames"?

Especially if the Prime Minister's Estate truly has the power to usurp power.

Seeing this, Xu Yuan didn't say much, and sighed:

"However, I think that Li Zhaoyuan, as a member of the royal family, is fundamentally unwilling to make peace with the sects."

The world is not a binary opposition.

Although they didn't spend much time together, Xu Yuan could see that Li Zhaoyuan was doing his best in his own way.

Whether it was his fearless journey to the border town or his previous attempt to win over Xu Mengxi, it all demonstrates that he was striving to gain the support of those who remained neutral.

He worked hard to close the gap between himself and the Crown Prince.

Li Zhaoyuan should have clearly seen through the true nature of sects.

The sect is slowly and irreversibly undermining the foundation of the Great Yan Dynasty.

When his father, Li Yaoxuan, ascended the throne, many sects had already begun to interfere in local finances.

Moreover, local officials often held local government positions, and many important officials in local government offices had connections to religious sects.

If Li Yaoxuan and Xu Yinhe had not emerged in this generation of the Great Yan, at least two or three Jiazi (60-75 years) later, at most five or six Jiazi later, the Emperor of the Great Yan Dynasty would have become the "Emperor of Zhou" of Xu Yuan's previous life.

Zhou Chen still didn't respond, this time because he couldn't find a response.

He has always been very clear about his own role: a high-level henchman kept by the Prime Minister's Estate.

The more you know, the faster you die.

Therefore, he had previously deliberately avoided the winding paths and intricacies of these top-floor buildings.

Xu Yuan waved his hand, exhaling a puff of white breath in the snowy night:

"Alright, tonight's events are all just our speculation and shouldn't be taken seriously. We still have to question whether the Second Prince is the mastermind behind it all."

As he spoke, Xu Yuan glanced up at the direction of the warehouse, where the fire had already died down, his tone tinged with curiosity:

"However, I am very curious about what methods the person who made the move tonight used."

Zhou Chen pondered for a moment:

"It must be an inside agent? Bribed or coerced, plus a high-level cultivator secretly infiltrating."

Xu Yuan was speechless upon hearing this.

Zhou Chen's description was pretty accurate, because Xu Yuan's methods for arranging the Black Scale Guard to destroy the sect's warehouses were basically limited to these few methods.

No matter how much you add, you can't really come up with anything fancy.

The problem is that the sect has too many warehouses in Beifeng City. Even if the Black Scale Guard risk exposing themselves, they can only take care of about half of them at most, and there is still a risk of being blocked.

Tonight, the sect's warehouses in Beifeng City were completely wiped out, leaving almost nothing behind.

Compared to the Black Scale Guard under the Prime Minister's Estate, the Black Scale Guard's warehouses have always been a key point of defense. The array defenses are extremely strict and are activated around the clock. Even if there are few high-level cultivators in the city, a fourth-grade Body Fusion expert will be stationed there day and night to monitor the surroundings using the Sky-Gazing Array. As long as someone forces their way into the area, the array can kill a third-grade cultivator, block a second-grade cultivator, and detect a first-grade expert.

As he pondered, a thoughtful look appeared in Xu Yuan's eyes.

Under such precautions, simultaneously detonating all the city's warehouses is a frighteningly large undertaking.

As they were talking,

The two had already braved the wind and snow to enter Li Qingyan's secluded courtyard in the back hall.

Seeing this, Xu Yuan didn't say anything more, looked at Zhou Chen, and whispered:

"With such a heavy snowstorm, Mr. Zhou, are you really going to stand guard for me?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chen perked up, cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, and spoke with a sincere and earnest tone:

"The Third Young Master has shown me immense kindness, and it is my duty to drive the carriage and guard the gate."

Seeing this, Xu Yuan did not refuse.

A coachman for a Grandmaster of the Third Rank, that's certainly quite impressive.

With a cupped-hand salute, Xu Yuan smiled and said:

"Then I'll trouble you, Mr. Zhou."

"Third Young Master"

Before Xu Yuan could finish speaking, Zhou Chen suddenly frowned and asked, "I remember that Prince Wu Yuan has never needed maids to serve him?"

Li Qingyan grew up in the army and did not have the delicate air of a lady from a wealthy family. She took care of everything herself, including putting on her armor, washing, and styling her hair.

Xu Yuan looked on in surprise, following Zhou Chen's gaze into the courtyard:

"Yes, what's wrong?"

Zhou Chen hesitated slightly:

"That must be the maid that His Highness Wu Yuan arranged for you, Third Young Master."

"."

Xu Yuan's eye twitched.

What kind of maid is that?

Li Qingyan arranged for maids to serve him so late at night, is that Yan Yuzilu?

Thinking it over, Xu Yuan extended his Will Soul to investigate the courtyard.

As Innate Dao Body, after entering the fifth-grade Soul Condensation Realm, and with the addition of Secret Method, Xu Yuan's Will Soul was able to cover an area of fifty feet in radius.

But when his Will Soul probed into the courtyard, he found it empty.

Upon seeing this, Xu Yuan frowned slightly.

Zhou Chen could sense it, but he couldn't. In other words, the so-called "maid" inside should be a fourth-rank Body Fusion, or even higher.

If it wasn't Li Qingyan, then it must have been sent by the Second Prince or Lou Ji?

But if it were them, they would have informed him beforehand.

Upon seeing Xu Yuan's expression, Zhou Chen's expression hardened, and he raised his hand to grasp the hilt of the sword he was carrying on his back.

Xu Yuan raised his hand to signal that they shouldn't move, and then pushed open the courtyard gate.

The courtyard was pitch black, with only a few Bright Pattern Lamp shining from beneath the snow-covered lawn. Looking along the stone path, one could vaguely see a slender silhouette tidying up something in Li Qingyan's room through the window lattice.

Is this someone making a bed?

The scene was somewhat eerie in the snowy night. He had only been out for about fifteen minutes; the bed was probably still warm, yet someone had entered his room and made it up?

Xu Yuan frowned, quietly took a step back, and gestured with his lips towards Zhou Chen.

The meaning is very simple.

Go up and check it out. If everything's okay, I'll come over.

Zhou Chen's lips twitched upon seeing this, but he still whispered:

"Third Young Master, please rest assured, if a battle breaks out within the government office, the government office's grand formation will be activated immediately."

As he spoke, Zhou Chen drew his gleaming sword from his back with a "whoosh" and instantly appeared outside the door.

Xu Yuan also took out the Clear Speech Sword from his Sumeru Ring, ready to use the Void-Stepping Slash to escape at any time.

At this time,

The "maid" inside seemed to have finally noticed the intruders, and a light voice rang out:

"Lord Xu?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chen immediately stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Xu Yuan.

The voice sounded familiar, but he couldn't quite place it.

However, since it's someone he recognizes, it's unlikely to be an enemy.

Xu Yuan, who was standing at the gate of the courtyard, heard this voice and his expression became very strange.

He suddenly understood why those sect warehouses could be bombed simultaneously.

Upon seeing this expression, Zhou Chen grinned:

"Know?"

Xu Yuan stepped forward and sheathed the Clear Speech Sword:

"Mr. Zhou, you should also know him; he's an old acquaintance of ours from Jingjiang Prefecture."

Zhou Chen was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, then sheathed his sword, smiled knowingly, and bowed respectfully.

"Third Young Master, please take care of yourself. I, Zhou, will be waiting at the courtyard gate."

After saying that, he walked out of the courtyard.

Xu Yuan chuckled and shook his head, then suddenly transmitted his voice as they passed each other:

"If I remain silent for half an hour, barge in."

Having said that,

Xu Yuan walked alone to the door of the side room, pushed it open, and entered.