Chapter 1094: Purple Frost Divine Milk

"My heart is pure; heaven and earth can attest to it. Madam, please don't misunderstand," Zu An said gravely.

Yu Yanluo scoffed, "Aren't you afraid of being struck by lightning when you say things like that?"

*Who was holding... holding a sword against her?* Of course, she was too embarrassed to say that out loud.

Zu An also seemed to realize something, saying awkwardly, "My heart is pure and righteous, but some bodily reactions are instinctive and truly uncontrollable. I apologize for offending you, Madam."

Yu Yanluo's cheeks burned. This scoundrel was so shameless; how could she respond? She simply said nothing. Fortunately, his movements were still respectful; his hands and feet weren't wandering, he was simply channeling energy to heal her injuries. Both fell silent, a warmth spreading through the cold ice cave.

However, Yu Yanluo's expression quickly changed as a familiar tremor ran through her body. She gritted her teeth and hummed softly, "Are you doing this on purpose to tease me?"

Zu An was taken aback. "Tease you about what?"

Seeing that he didn't seem to be faking it, Yu Yanluo pursed her lips. "Your vital energy always gives me a very strange sensation."

Zu An immediately understood. "Ah, I don't know what's going on either. I've only just started using this method to heal people..."

Yu Yanluo cut him off directly. "You've used this method to heal other girls before?"

Several figures popped into Zu An's mind. However, cases like Chu Yan didn't count as achievements of the fourth level of the Primordial Chaos Sutra. Strictly speaking, only Tang Tian'er had been treated this way, and she seemed to have a similar reaction. At a time like this, only an insensitive dolt would tell the truth. He immediately said, "Of course, Madam, you are the first. That's why I don't know why this is happening. Could it be that your physique is particularly special or sensitive?"

Hearing that she was the first, Yu Yanluo's eyes curved into a slight smile. But upon hearing the latter part, she blushed and let out a small gasp. For a moment, she wasn't sure if it was her own doing, as her physique was indeed quite unique.

The sensation inside her grew stranger and stranger. Not wanting a repeat of what happened in the pool earlier, she quickly changed the subject. "I truly didn't expect the mastermind behind all this to be the Dark-Eyed Striped Bee. If not for his instigation and schemes, Jian Taiding wouldn't have been so audacious."

Zu An sighed. "It feels like both you, as his sister-in-law, and the Duke, as his elder brother, may have spoiled him excessively. That's what made him increasingly lawless. Blindly satisfying and doting on him wasn't doing him any good; it was actually harming him."

"That's true, but I still feel very guilty. If not for my appearance, the two brothers wouldn't have fallen out like this," Yu Yanluo sighed softly, a hint of self-pity, like a beauty blamed for misfortune.

"Human desires are endless," Zu An advised. "Even without you, given Jian Taiding's nature, he would eventually have wanted to replace Jian Yanyou. What's more, with Uncle Ming, that schemer, egging him on, the outcome wouldn't have changed whether you were involved or not."

"I know you're comforting me, but thank you anyway," Yu Yanluo said softly. However, as she looked at the pile of ashes in the distance, endless sadness emerged in her eyes. "It's a pity Yanyou still died in the end, and so tragically."

"Actually, his fate was sealed the moment the Dark-Eyed Striped Bee targeted him," Zu An mused with deep emotion. "The Golden Silkworm Divine Art is indeed marvelous, but it just happened to encounter the Parasitic Bee clan, a complete natural counter." He continued, "But how should we wrap things up afterwards? Should the full truth of the matter be revealed to the public?"

Yu Yanluo also fell into thought. After a long moment, she shook her head. "Much of what was recorded in the projection mirror earlier isn't suitable for public release. Let's ultimately pin the blame on that Dark-Eyed Striped Bee. We can say he bewitched Jian Taiding and attempted to assassinate the Duke. Anyway, with an imperial edict targeting him, no one will doubt his identity."

"But wouldn't that let Jian Taiding off too easily?" Zu An frowned slightly.

Yu Yanluo replied, "He died so miserably, so it can be considered his retribution. More importantly, in the past two years, he has promoted many of his confidants to important positions in the Governor's Mansion. If we name him as the sole culprit, his subordinates will definitely feel insecure, and if a group of desperate people do something reckless, the situation could deteriorate rapidly."

Zu An nodded silently. He recalled how, after Dong Zhuo's execution, if Wang Yun hadn't relentlessly pursued Dong Zhuo's subordinates, the Xiliang army wouldn't have returned to the capital, leading to the complete collapse of the Eastern Han dynasty's situation.

"Madam truly has keen foresight; I admire your wisdom," Zu An remarked with genuine emotion. Though she appeared to take little part in daily affairs, she was, after all, the head of a clan. If she were merely a pretty face, she would have been devoured long ago by those hungry wolves, leaving not even a speck.

At this point, Yu Yanluo hummed in her throat, but quickly changed the subject. "So, we cannot announce the Duke's death. Otherwise, Jian Taiding's crimes would still be too severe, making it difficult to manage the aftermath. With Yanyou's name, the entire Yunzhong Commandery can stabilize quickly. And besides..." As she spoke, she glanced back at Zu An but didn't finish her sentence.

"And what?" Zu An asked curiously, sensing it might involve him.

"If we announce that Yanyou was killed by those two a long time ago, then what about the Duke who's been at the mansion these past few days?" Yu Yanluo took a deep breath. "I personally declared that I wouldn't mistake my own husband, and Lady Liu and others vouched for you. I'm fine; my status is independent, and no one can trouble me. But what about Lady Liu, Lady Chu, and even Lady Zhang? Everyone will know they were with a fake Duke; their reputations would be ruined. How could they live with themselves afterwards?"

"This..." Zu An sighed. "I have wronged them."

"It's *we* who have wronged them," Yu Yanluo corrected. "So, you still need to stay at the Duke's mansion as the Duke for a while, until the situation stabilizes."

Zu An frowned. "It's my duty to help them deal with the aftermath, of course, but I am an imperial envoy, and I must return to the capital eventually. I can't stay here too long." He had his own identity and his own life; he couldn't remain here indefinitely as the Duke. He had only done so before out of necessity to solve the case.

Yu Yanluo explained, "Don't worry, it won't be for too long. Once the situation is somewhat stable, you can announce that you're going into seclusion to recover from your injuries, so you won't have to meet people for a long time. After another period, once key departments are staffed with our confidants and the situation is under control, you can then announce that the Duke's injuries recurred and he passed away. By then, everything will have settled, and there won't be much impact. This period will also be enough to make proper arrangements for Lady Liu and the others."

"Alright, I'll do my best," Zu An nodded. He was also thinking about something else: he had offended the Emperor and would clash with him sooner or later. At that time, Yunzhong Commandery might even provide him with a base and resources, so setting up some arrangements in advance wouldn't hurt.

"That's good... Mmm..." Yu Yanluo's murmur was truly soft and languid. The moment the sound escaped her lips, her entire body felt as if it were on fire, and she swiftly leaped out of his embrace. Perhaps due to her severe injuries and weakness, her body swayed, and she almost stumbled.

Zu An was startled and hurried to steady her.

Yu Yanluo quickly stepped back, simultaneously stopping him. "Don't come closer!"

Zu An looked puzzled. "Madam, what's wrong?"

"How dare you ask!" Yu Yanluo glared at him, embarrassed and annoyed. "Forget it, I don't want you to treat me anymore. Your vital energy is simply too strange."

"But your injuries aren't healed yet," Zu An said worriedly.

"Your treatment just now has already helped me recover somewhat. I'll go back and recuperate the rest myself," Yu Yanluo said with lingering fear, clearly not daring to let him touch her again.

"Alright," Zu An conceded. Hearing her say that, he couldn't insist further, or it would look like he had ulterior motives and was trying to take advantage of her.

Yu Yanluo breathed a sigh of relief when he didn't press the issue.

Just then, an incredibly rich surge of spiritual energy suddenly permeated the entire ice cave. Breathing it in, it felt wonderfully sweet, as if every pore on their bodies was cheering.

Zu An and Yu Yanluo exchanged a glance. "Violet Frost Divine Milk!"