Chapter 1024: Under the Skirt

After snowing all night, the wind and snow had finally ceased. Various vendors throughout the city had emerged to set up their stalls, and everyone had begun a new day of busy life. A layer of mist gradually permeated the streets of Cloudtop City.

Zu An sent a soldier to the inn outside the city to retrieve the horses he had left there, while he himself walked to the Yu Manor.

Although much of the snow on the ground had melted, it was clearly still not suitable for horseback riding.

He soon arrived at the Yu Manor. Having had previous experience, the guards at the entrance did not stop him this time.

After he entered, a beautiful maid quickly came forward to greet him. "Is this Young Master Zu?" she asked. "I am here on Madam's orders to welcome you. Madam is currently getting ready; please wait a moment, Young Master."

"No worries, I did arrive a bit too early," Zu An replied with a bow. He quickly sized her up: she was beautiful, well-proportioned, slightly older than a typical maid, and exuded a mature aura. "Are you Madam Yu's personal maid?" he inquired.

"Young Master, there's no need to be so formal; you can just call me Xingnu," the maid said with a faint smile. "I do serve by Madam's side."

"How come I didn't see you last time I visited?" Having nothing else to do, Zu An casually started a conversation, reasoning that it was always good to gather more information.

"Last time, Madam sent me to attend to some matters, so I didn't see Young Master," Xingnu replied.

"I see." Zu An wasn't so imprudent as to ask what matters she was attending to. He merely mused to himself that he hadn't seen her outside Brightmoon City, nor in the capital, suggesting her duties were different from those of a typical maid.

As the two walked towards the inner hall, many young maids along the way hid to the side, ostensibly doing household chores, but their eyes occasionally darted over to peek:

"Look, look! That’s the person Madam wants to see."

"How long has it been since Madam saw an outside man? And she’s breaking her rule to see him repeatedly."

"He’s really handsome, no wonder Madam let him in."

"Pfft, who do you think Madam is? She’s not a lovesick fool like you."

"Oh, you’re right. So, do you think Madam will arrange a maid to serve him later?"

"Do you want to go?"

"If it’s this Young Master, it wouldn’t be so bad."

Given Zu An's current cultivation level, even though the maids' voices were low, they couldn't escape his ears.

Hearing these whispers, he couldn't help but smile wryly. It seemed the Yu Manor was too dominated by feminine energy, with even the maids feeling the stirrings of romance.

At that moment, Xingnu, who was leading the way, had a faint blush appear on her neck. She then quietly glared at the chattering maids, startling them into immediate silence. They quickly resumed pretending to focus on their work.

Zu An's eyes narrowed slightly. To be able to hear such low voices, this Xingnu's cultivation level was clearly not low.

After a while, the two arrived at a courtyard. Xingnu stood at the entrance and bowed slightly inwards. "Madam, Young Master Zu has arrived," she announced.

"Let him in."

Yu Yanluo's unique voice rang out, soft, tender, and pleasing to the ear; her voice alone was enough to make one's imagination run wild.

"Please enter, Young Master. If you need anything, just call out," Xingnu said, bowing with her hands at her waist, before slowly retreating.

Zu An pushed open the door and entered, greeted by a familiar warmth.

"Are you feeling warm again?" A soft chuckle sounded, and Zu An looked in the direction of the voice.

He was initially a little disappointed to see she wasn't lying on the bed today. But soon, his eyes lit up. Yu Yanluo was wearing a snow-white top with a fire fox vest over her shoulders and a vibrant red skirt, all of which made her appear even more radiant and captivating.

Her beautiful hair was meticulously styled into a hanging cloud bun, adorned with a beautiful phoenix hairpin whose tassels swayed gently, enough to make any man's heart waver.

After all, Zu An had just spent a night with Pei Mianman and was still in a state of calm reflection. After a brief moment of distraction, he looked at her with clear eyes. "Greetings, Madam," he said.

Yu Yanluo had a hint of surprise in her eyes, as she had specifically dressed up today.

However, she was not offended. She said with a smile, "Coming so early, you probably haven't eaten yet. Shall we eat together?"

Only then did Zu An notice several small dishes, various local pastries, and two sets of bowls and chopsticks arranged on a nearby table.

"Thank you, Madam, I truly am a bit hungry." He didn't stand on ceremony and sat directly at the table, as a night of exertion had indeed expended a lot of his energy.

Seeing his natural demeanor and open conduct, Yu Yanluo's eyes showed a hint of appreciation.

She also came and slowly sat down opposite him. She reached out and smoothed her skirt forward, revealing the breathtaking curve of her hips.

"Young Master, there's no need to be so formal," Yu Yanluo said with a faint smile. "These are all the most authentic delicacies from Cloudtop Prefecture. Since you've come from afar, I can also fulfill my duties as a host."

"Oh, I haven't eaten these before." Looking at the dazzling array of delicacies before him, Zu An was momentarily unsure where to start.

Seeing this, Yu Yanluo began to introduce them to him: "This is called Aimanke; it's delicious when dipped in milk tea and broth. This is called Samusa; the outside is baked golden with flour and sesame, and the inside contains the tenderest lamb. This is called Rice Sausage… and this is called Western Regions Soul-Slicer."

"Western Regions Soul-Slicer?" Zu An paused, surprised, looking at the pastry wrapped with various nuts and candied fruits.

Yu Yanluo pursed her lips. "This wasn't its original name," she explained. "It’s just that despite its exquisite appearance, its actual weight is much heavier than it looks. Many people, even if they only cut a small piece, find the final price far exceeds their expectations. So everyone started calling it Western Regions Soul-Slicer, and over time, its original name was forgotten."

"Something like that exists?" Zu An's expression turned strange. He couldn't help but think of something similar from his previous life.

"Although the name is a bit impolite, it's quite delicious and combines various specialties from Cloudtop Prefecture. Try some," Yu Yanluo said, breaking off a piece and offering it to him. "People in Cloudtop Prefecture tend to eat with their hands a lot, so please don't mind if my hands are dirty."

Looking at her sparkling skin and nails painted a vibrant red with rouge, Zu An thought to himself, "What man in this world would mind your hands being dirty? Even if your hands were truly dirty, if you just said the word, countless men would line up to lick them clean for you; at least that Pei You fellow certainly would."

"Madam, you jest." He naturally wouldn't be so rude as to take it with his mouth. He took it with his hand and put it in his mouth, his eyes lighting up. "It's indeed delicious," he affirmed.

A hint of a smile appeared in Yu Yanluo's eyes. "If it's delicious, eat more," she said. "There are other various delicacies here too."

Zu An was truly hungry and didn't care about his image. He simply grabbed various delicacies and stuffed them into his mouth, a look of satisfaction soon appearing on his face.

"It truly has a unique flavor," Zu An exhaled. "Madam, why aren't you eating? You're not disgusted by my rough manners, are you?"

Yu Yanluo had only just moved her chopsticks, tasting a little and merely accompanying him for a few bites. Hearing his words, she shook her head. "Of course not," she said. "It's just that my appetite hasn't been good lately, and I've always eaten very little."

"Madam, you prepared so much for me despite having a poor appetite," Zu An said after thinking for a moment. "Another day, I'll go back and prepare something; perhaps it can improve your appetite."

"Thank you then," Yu Yanluo said with a faint smile, clearly not taking him seriously, wondering what could possibly improve her appetite.

"Is Madam going out today?" Zu An asked, looking at her exquisite and luxurious attire.

"Not really," Yu Yanluo shook her head. "After sleeping for a long time, one always needs to get up and move around. It was boring in the room, so I put on some makeup. And now you've arrived, so it wasn't a waste of effort."

Zu An was startled. Her words seemed to carry a hint of ambiguity. She seemed to have been teasing him since they started. Was she really using her beauty to turn the men around her into her loyal subordinates and then use them for her own purposes?

Thinking of this, he felt a bit displeased and no longer wished to make small talk. He went straight to the point, saying, "I came this time because there's something I wish to ask Madam."

"Young Master, please speak freely," Yu Yanluo said, a gentle smile always lingering on her face. "Whatever I know, I will naturally tell you frankly."

Zu An hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Madam, do you know of Wuyang Jade?"