The maid’s heart was pounding as Zu An held her in his embrace, so loudly that even Zu An could hear it.

“Xiao Tuo, why are you so nervous?” Zu An suddenly knew why people loved having authority. Harassing those beneath you while being in a superior position, holding all the cards in your hands… This really was a pretty good feeling.

“I’m not… I’m not nervous.” The maid said hurriedly, trying to explain her way out of it.

Zu An almost laughed out loud when he saw how anxious she was. It seems these people from the past were rather simple. Even specially-trained female spies can’t hide their thoughts. There was no way he would be able to see through the spies of later feudal dynasties so easily.

The maid gradually calmed down, finally realizing that she wouldn’t be able to get away from him, at least for some time. In that case, she would use this opportunity to complete the young master’s mission.

Zu An took this opportunity to ask about something else. “By the way, since Tuo State is to the east, do you know anything about the Eastern Barbarians?”

He knew that asking her about her real motives directly was a useless endeavor, so he decided to ask her some questions about things she couldn’t possibly lie about. With that, he would gradually lower her vigilance before coming around to the main matter.

“The Eastern Barbarians?” The maid was taken aback. She didn’t expect him to ask her about something completely unrelated. Shouldn’t he be asking about the Qiang Faction?

This incompetent ruler began to seem more and more enigmatic to her, but she replied nonetheless. “I know a bit about them. They excel at the use of the bow and arrow, and their customs are greatly different from the Shang State…”

Zu An nodded as he listened to her reply. He was able to learn a lot more about the Eastern Barbarians from her. “By the way, do you know who the princess of the Eastern Barbarian is? Do they have a jade badge as their national treasure?”

He recalled the promise he’d made with the young lady in the upper tomb, and how Ya Zhang also mentioned that Fu Hao was fond of this jade badge. The Eastern Barbarians were a part of this period after all.

“The Eastern Barbarian princess?” The maid thought for a bit and then replied, “There was a great battle between the Shang State and the Eastern Barbarians two years ago. Our Great Shang won a great victory, and princess Jiang was captured.”

“Where is she?” Zu An asked immediately.

The maid looked at him strangely. “She was offered up as a sacrifice already. Her head was even put into a bronze earthenware vessel and steamed.”

Zu An was momentarily at a loss for words.

Sigh, I really feel bad for Jiangjiang. I wanted to see if I could save her since I’m currently the king of the Shang State, but I guess there’s no way to change her tragic fate...

“What about the jade badge that belongs to the Eastern Barbarians?” asked Zu An. As matters stood, he could only do what he could to bring her spirit peace.

The maid hesitated, but eventually said, “According to the Eastern Barbarians, the jade badge has spiritual properties. That is why it is currently in the hands of the high priest, who uses it to strengthen the offering rituals.”

“The high priest?” Zu An recalled her hesitant expression and said, “Xiao Tuo, are you close to the high priest?”

The maid seemed flustered by this question. She quickly said, “My king has misunderstood me! The high priest is venerable, and this servant doesn’t dare to have any presumptuous thoughts. That was why I was hesitant in my reply.”

Zu An recalled that the high priests of this age were considered the emissaries of deities, and from a certain point of view, they could be considered of equal status as the  Shang monarch. Fu Shuo had mentioned seizing back the divine authority earlier on, probably because the current high priest wasn’t on their side.

“Tell me more about this high priest,” Zu An said. “What is his name?”

The maid’s expression grew stranger. How can you not know this? Are you possessed? But she still replied, “The High Priest’s name is Lian, my king, and he is your cousin…”

Zu An listened to her reply, asking further questions when necessary, and finally got an idea of who this high priest was. The high priest was the son of a previous Shang monarch, Xiao Xin. When Xiao Xin died, his son was still young, so he passed on the throne to his younger brother Xiao Yi, who was Wu Ding’s father.

This made the situation much clearer. Lian was definitely unhappy that Xiao Yi had passed on the throne to his own son. Given the usual way things worked, the throne should have belonged to him and his line. That was why he was disloyal.

He hadn’t watched all those dramas for nothing. It was easy enough for him to see through these relationships.

Objectively speaking, it wasn’t Lian’s fault for being unhappy. If such a thing had happened to him, Zu An would also want to find a way to seize back what he deemed to be his family’s throne.

Of course, Zu An was currently Wu Ding. Furthermore, Wu Ding was known to be an outstanding monarch who ruled for many decades. Knowing this, there was no way he would just abdicate the throne.

“My king, you seem to place a lot of trust in the Lord Prime Minister,” the maid suddenly said.

Zu An noticed that she had deliberately changed the subject. She clearly didn’t wish to talk more about Lian, as it wouldn’t do her any good.

“Fu Shuo is my friend, and he is an upright and capable man. I have reason to trust him,” Zu An explained with a smile.

Instead of refuting this statement, the maid proceeded to flatter him greatly. However, as their conversation continued, she tried to sow dissent between Fu Shuo and Wu Ding.

She actually did this quite skillfully, without blowing her cover. Unfortunately for her, Zu An was already on guard from the beginning, and her words had little effect on him.

With her mission complete, the maid tried to excuse herself again. She desperately wanted to leave, so that she could pass on the information that she had gained.

As she made to leave, however, Zu An grabbed hold of her. “Why are you leaving? I need you to keep me company as I sleep.”

The maid was completely speechless.

You have successfully trolled Xiao Tuo for 233… 233… 233…

This perverted ruler had asked her about so many things, but this was what he had been angling for all along!

Feeling deeply uncomfortable from the masculine aura surrounding her, she grew agitated and began to struggle subconsciously.

Zu An gasped in surprise. He had to give credit to the designer of this trial. After all, their bodies weren’t allowed in, only their souls. These people within it could be considered NPCs within a game, a game in which failure would result in the player’s death.

However, weren’t these NPCs just too realistic?

He could keenly sense the astonishing suppleness of her skin, asn well as the heat coming off it. As she struggled, she rubbed against him constantly, which made him go even crazier.

Zu An had only planned to scare her a little at first, but the more she struggled, the more he felt a flame begin to burn within him.

“Could it be that Xiao Tuo feels that I, a king, am not good enough for you?” Zu An said, letting displeasure creep into his voice as she continued to struggle.

“Xiao Tuo doesn’t dare.” The maid cursed inwardly. What else can I say? Can I really say that you aren’t? I’ll be chopped up into mincemeat!

By now, though, she realized that something was different with the king, and slowly ceased her struggle.

“Then do you already have a lover?” Zu An continued to probe.

“Xiao Tuo does not,” denied the maid. As she said this, though, the face of a man flashed across her mind. She sighed. It looked like the two of them were not fated to be together… The only thing she could do for him was to help him achieve his dream.

Zu An smiled when he sensed her reaction. Instead of exposing her lie, he carried her into the bed, wrapping a leg around her as though it was the most natural thing to do.

Feeling the tightness of his embrace and the weight of his body against her, the maid’s heart sank.

She knew that there was no way she would be able to escape. She could only sigh secretly. Big brother Lian, Xiao Tuo cannot remain pure for you…

Tears trickled out of the corners of her eyes.

Despite this, she understood what her mission was. She bit her lip. Since this was her fate, she would use her body and get on good terms with this incompetent ruler and earn his trust. She would ruin his relationship with his wife! That would help big brother Lian the most.

She was already mentally prepared to sacrifice herself. However, the man behind her did not take that final step.

In moments, the sound of snoring came from behind her.

The maid was stunned. He fell asleep?

She recalled what had gone on between this foolish king and Fu Hao earlier on. Her face reddened, and she sniffed disdainfully. It looks like not even a pervert like you has unlimited stamina!

How dare you have the nerve to take advantage of me?!

She twisted her body about in an attempt to leave, but the arms that were wrapped around her felt like iron clamps. No matter how she tried, she could not break free.

Afraid that she would him up, she had no choice but to give up her struggle. She lay there, thinking about her next move, while also disparaging the man holding her in her mind.

Suddenly, her face turned red. She could feel something prodding against her.