CHAPTER 589: CHAPTER 568 SECOND UPDATE

After half a jar of wine, several people were already refreshed and began to chat more, lamenting the current situation and complaining about trivial matters of life.

"What can be done now? In the end, it’s the Wen Family." When one family dominates alone, there are bound to be problems.

Several men nodded in empathy, careful not to speak ill of The Emperor while eating his grain.

"Have you heard, many Aristocratic Families are about to make a move..." Times of chaos are always when Aristocratic Families take major actions. But before they could finish speaking, the door of the secluded courtyard suddenly burst open.

The group started, and turning around, were shocked to their core.

"Lord Ju, Lord Ju..."

Why had Lord Ju come? Were they being apprehended at this very moment?

Ju Nanyi’s eyes were bloodshot, and he looked at no one, his gaze fixed only on the two jars of wine on the table. He stumbled in without direction, not even knowing where he was going, drawn inadvertently by the scent of the wine.

He disliked wine, but now he wanted to intoxicate himself with something to avoid thinking, to stop the constant replaying of thoughts in his mind. He didn’t want to consider anything right now; he knew any decision he made in his current state would be absurd and irrational.

"Lord Ju, Lord Ju—" The men clattered to their knees, preparing to bow and beg for mercy, unaware that Ju Nanyi had stepped over them and picked up one of the unopened jars of wine from the table. He turned around, and then lifted the other jar too.

Without a word, when the stunned onlookers looked up again, Ju Nanyi was gone—his figure nowhere to be seen.

"Lord Ju?" Were they not to be punished?

"Lord Ju, truly a good man." After a while, a guard came to his senses; this was Ju giving them face. In this world, there were few with the generosity of Lord Ju.

With this realization, the group felt even more ashamed and returned to their respective posts.

Ju Nanyi poured the wine down his throat without hesitation; although he disliked it, he wasn’t incapable of drinking. Only that wine led to mistakes, and he had to keep his mind clear at all times.

But now, he wished not to think of anything. Since she was willing and so indifferent, wasn’t it all the more conducive to his initial purpose?

"Princely Heir—" In the dark, Gu Dao felt this was still inappropriate. They had hidden their tracks very well, not yet discovered by the enemy; why expose themselves willingly now?

Zong Yunqian thought differently. Their method of infiltrating Bu Er Temple was risky and might fail.

Zong Yunqian had completely revised his view of Ghoul Ravine. The ability to overthrow Qiandao Temple so swiftly and take its place evidenced the terrifying strength of their adversary.

It wasn’t that he was unwilling to take risks, but on this journey, he could not afford to fail; success was the only option. Otherwise, infiltrating Bu Er Temple would not be so easy next time.

That’s why, even now, they had not acted rashly, nor had they disturbed the meticulously guarded Empress. They were just outsiders who, by chance, encountered Ju Nanyi drinking here, and that’s what made Zong Yunqian change his mind.

"Princely Heir, what if Lord Ju does not cooperate with us? What then?" Xi Feng too was worried. After all, currently, the people of Ghoul Ravine were energetically hunting down the mages of Qiandao Temple, and outwardly, the Nanzheng Imperial Clan had already allied with Ghoul Ravine. Should the Royal Family seek to protect itself, or curry favor with Ghoul Ravine by revealing their whereabouts, what then?

Zong Yunqian took another glance at Ju Nanyi, who was sitting on the wall drinking, and shook his head.

"It won’t happen. If there truly were an alliance, he wouldn’t be sitting on the wall drinking." Saying so, Zong Yunqian leaped and landed right in front of Ju Nanyi.

Ju Nanyi had no interest in whoever appeared; especially people he did not wish to see.

Ju Nanyi turned his head away and continued drinking. What was it, afraid he’d live too long, daring to be in Nanzheng?

"Lord Ju."

Zong Yunqian was not in any hurry either and infrequently saw Ju Nanyi in such a desolate state, suspecting that his own affairs might go even more smoothly than expected. Taking a seat, Zong Yunqian directly picked up another jar of wine and began to drink as well.

Seeing this, Gu Dao and Xi Feng dared not take it lightly, standing guard a short distance away and quietly observing every rustle of the wind through the grass.

Ju Nanyi, too, remained silent. It would be better for Zheng Congyuan to see with his own eyes. Another had come, and even if Zheng Congyuan had this, it still wouldn’t be that.

Heh—

Hah— Hah— Hahaha—

"Heir Zong, this is not a place you should come to," Ju Nanyi regained some composure, his rationality returning slightly, and he was not as drunk, his eyes a bloodshot red, the corners flushed as if with rouge, turning to stare dead at Zong Yunqian. So, his arrival had only one purpose...

Ju Nanyi’s thoughts had just stirred.

"Lord Ju, the princely heir and you share the same purpose," Zong Yunqian declared his intent without any concealment and spoke directly.

Ju Nanyi’s gaze turned suspicious.

"Honestly, I am here for Master Huo Yi. I am sure that Master Huo Yi is among those at Bu Er Temple," said Zong Yunqian, looking towards Ju Nanyi.

Upon hearing these words, Ju Nanyi suddenly burst into laughter. What made him think that I would help him, who gave him the audacity?

"What are you laughing at?" said Zong Yunqian, though he was not actually worried that Ju Nanyi would reject him. The information he had gathered indicated that Young Master Yin He had control over the Nanzheng Imperial Clan, and he feared that they might be even more eager to eliminate Ghoul Ravine than he was.

To eliminate Ghoul Ravine, then Master Huo Yi would be the biggest ally.

"Just let my men blend into your group. Once we reach Bu Er Temple, we will quietly leave and search on our own, never exposing you," Zong Yunqian figured that this must be Lord Ju’s only concern at the moment.

Ju Nanyi turned his head, wanting to laugh, even finding the other party’s request ridiculously audacious.

"I have no intention of helping you. I won’t reject you, nor will I stop you; what you wish to do is none of my concern," said Ju Nanyi coldly, placing his hope in Zong Yunqian less than he would in finding Master Huo Yi himself.

Zong Yunqian’s brows furrowed upon realizing that Ju Nanyi’s rejection was so decisive, showing no interest in collaborating with him.

"Fine, I won’t insist on this matter, but there is one thing you need to tell me," Zong Yunqian said, holding back his irritation and continuing.

Ju Nanyi found him laughable. Why should he tell him anything?

"Where is Princess Chao Ren?" Zong Yuanqian asked. He had searched for many days and found no trace of Zheng Nianru, because there were few who knew of Princess Chao Ren, and even fewer who paid attention. But Ju Nanyi was indeed one of those few, and Zong Yunqian didn’t want to miss this chance.

At those words, Ju Nanyi turned to look at Zong Yuanqian, seeing the serious expression on his face, and suddenly felt the urge to laugh.

Look at that—nevermind Zheng Nianru’s indiscriminate nature, just find someone handsome enough and she might compromise. And now, someone’s actually eager to throw themselves at her. What should he say, kindly deliver the person to her?

"Since you know Zheng Nianru, you must also be aware that the ghoul’s young master once followed her. Now you ask me where she is—where do you think she is?" Ju Nanyi retorted.

Zong Yuanqian, hearing this, seemed to have had the answer in his heart all along, as if he had just confirmed his own speculation. Indeed, it must be so.

It must be Ghoul Ravine holding Zheng Nianru captive; no wonder he couldn’t find a trace of her anywhere.