Chapter 634: Battlefield

“My sister is completely infatuated with that guy; she has to go see him first thing in the morning,” the young man grumbled incessantly. He still couldn't understand why his usually aloof sister would act this way towards a man.

Naturally, this pair of siblings was Chu Chuyan and Chu Youzhao—though, more accurately, they were sisters.

“You didn’t get the address wrong, did you? Why is it taking so long to get there?” Chu Chuyan was a bit displeased.

Seeing her sister's impatient, almost lovestruck expression, Chu Youzhao was extremely unaccustomed to it. “I’ve already sent someone to check; his current Baron’s Manor used to be Lord Ding’s residence, it should be right around here.”

Chu Chuyan hummed in acknowledgment, and her steps unconsciously quickened. Chu Youzhao pouted but eventually trotted along after her.

They finally arrived in front of a courtyard. Chu Chuyan gazed at the large characters on the plaque above the main gate, which read “Phoenix Baron’s Manor.” For a moment, she was in a daze. Back in Brightmoon City, everyone said he was merely a son-in-law who relied on the Chu family. She never imagined he would now be a Baron.

Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount, Baron—although Baron is the lowest rank in the noble hierarchy, it's a significant threshold. Now he was officially a nobleman and could enjoy many privileges and social statuses unavailable to commoners.

She wondered how her father and mother would react once they learned he had become a Baron.

The corners of Chu Chuyan’s lips curved slightly upward, as if she had thought of something amusing.

Chu Youzhao, who had been observing her, couldn’t help but purse her lips. Just a mere baron, was there any need to be this happy about it?

At this point, Chu Chuyan, who had been so eager moments before, stopped moving and stood still at the entrance. She tidied her dress and hair and reverted to her usual aloof, ice-cold beauty persona. “You go knock on the door.”

Chu Youzhao rolled her eyes. She looked so impatient just now, but now she was putting on airs of a gentlewoman. *Did her sister think she didn’t care about appearances?* However, recalling the childhood fear of being bossed around by her sister, she still puffed out her cheeks and went to knock on the door. “Brother-in-law, brother-in-law, are you there? My sister and I have come to see you. Huh, the door doesn’t seem to be closed.”

Hearing her voice from a distance, the man and woman inside, who were engaged in an intimate act, immediately scattered in a panic.

Zu An instantly sat bolt upright. The sudden stimulation caused him to climax uncontrollably. His body twitched, and he felt like a volcano erupting.

Qiu Honglei, who had been teasing him with a charming smile, was caught off guard. She was completely stunned.

Zu An was also stunned. Brightmoon City was a first-class prosperous metropolis, bustling with merchants and wealthy magnates. Its inhabitants were accustomed to grand spectacles. Yet, even so, Qiu Honglei had captivated them during her year-plus stay at the Immortal Dwelling, driving everyone utterly infatuated. She made all the other previously renowned courtesans pale in comparison.

Although Qiu Honglei was extremely feminine in every gesture and usually carried herself with captivating charm, she was never seen truly close to anyone. This made people feel she possessed a unique sense of purity.

The perfect combination of these two styles was what made so many dignitaries and nobles in Brightmoon City flock to her. Some even believed she was a celestial maiden descended to the mortal world.

Her already alluring and beautiful face held a fatal attraction for men. Now, with these added embellishments, this scene was truly visually shocking. Far from merely a celestial maiden descending to the mortal world, she was a celestial maiden reveling in its earthly pleasures.

He instinctively pulled out a handkerchief and offered it to her. “Wipe it off.”

Qiu Honglei resentfully took the handkerchief and wiped her face. She also couldn't understand why she had been so infatuated as to help him with this. Logically, while she had a good impression of him, things shouldn't have progressed so quickly.

Could it be that he saved her when her life hung in the balance yesterday? And then he risked having his family executed to help save her master? And in her gratitude, she wanted to repay him?

But that wasn’t right. If it were any other man, she would have, at best, pledged to repay his kindness in a future life. There’s no way she would have actually fulfilled it in this lifetime.

It was all because that guy was too thick-skinned. She had only intended it as a casual joke. After all, having spent over a year in a place like the Immortal Dwelling, she had become accustomed to speaking lightly and jokingly. Who knew he would take it seriously?

She didn't know how, but she had become infatuated and allowed him to lead her hand. At first, she was overcome with shyness. But gradually, she became aroused as well, thinking only of how to please the man of her heart…

Just moments ago, the room had been filled with an ambiguous, rosy atmosphere. She hadn't felt anything amiss then. But now, suddenly startled by outsiders, she was so mortified she wished a crack in the ground would open up for her to crawl into. It wasn’t that she regretted it; her main concern was leaving a cheap impression on the other party.

“What do we do now?” Qiu Honglei asked, a hint of resentment in her voice. “This stuff won’t wipe clean no matter what I do.”

“Let’s hide inside for now,” Zu An quickly pointed to the screen in the inner room.

Qiu Honglei indeed did not want to be seen by outsiders in her current state. She hummed in acknowledgment and slipped away.

Zu An, meanwhile, quickly straightened his clothes and went out to greet them.

“So you were here all along! Why did it take you so long to come out and see us?” Upon seeing him, Chu Youzhao immediately expressed her displeasure. She had seen no one on the way in and thought they had come to the wrong place. Her sister would have surely strangled her!

“Haha, I was just lost in thought a moment ago, a bit distracted,” Zu An said guiltily. Then he looked at Chu Chuyan, who was standing nearby. “Chuyan, you’ve come too.”

“Yes, I came to see your new residence. I haven’t been here before.” Chu Chuyan smiled faintly. Suddenly, she fixed her gaze on his cheek. “Oh, why is your face so red?”

“Perhaps it’s too hot, haha,” Zu An casually fanned himself, brushing off the question.

“Is it really hot today?” Chu Youzhao, standing beside them, looked utterly confused.

Zu An ignored her. He was thinking it would be best not to let them enter the house, lest they discover Qiu Honglei later.

But how could he stop them? If he didn’t invite them in when they visited his home, it would look suspicious.

Ultimately, the two sisters entered the house. The moment Chu Chuyan stepped inside, her elegant eyebrows furrowed. Chu Youzhao, less observant, directly voiced her confusion. “Huh, what’s that smell?”

Zu An’s face stiffened. He gave a forced laugh. “I just moved into this house and haven’t had time to clean it yet. Perhaps there’s a bit of an odor.”

Chu Youzhao said “Oh” and accepted the explanation.

Chu Chuyan, however, had a strange expression. Her sister, an innocent maiden, naturally wouldn’t recognize that particular smell. But how could *she* not recognize it?

No wonder his face was so red just now, and his clothes were a bit disheveled. So he was indulging himself. Couldn't this guy contain himself? And he had just been with me…

Her cheeks flushed faintly as she recalled their own intimate moment had been suddenly interrupted by her sister; perhaps he hadn’t fully satisfied himself then, which was why he was so desperate now.

Thinking of that day’s scene, her face also burned intensely.

“Huh, Sister, why is your face red too? Is it really that hot today?” Chu Youzhao looked utterly bewildered. She felt around; it wasn’t hot at all. Besides, her sister cultivated the Snow Blossom Divine Sword technique; how could she possibly be afraid of heat?

Chu Chuyan glared at her sister. The perpetrator of her embarrassment still wore a clueless expression, truly asking for a beating. She lightly coughed and changed the subject. “When we came in, I noticed you don’t have any maids or servants here. Why is that?”

Zu An pointed in the direction of the imperial palace. “I was afraid of spies being planted, so I simply dismissed all the former servants. Anyway, I’m used to living alone.”

Chu Chuyan shook her head slightly. “How can you manage such a large house by yourself? If word gets out, the prominent families in the capital will laugh at you, thinking you’ve fallen so low that you can’t even afford servants.”

Zu An chuckled dismissively. “People have their own mouths; let them say what they want.”

Chu Youzhao, standing nearby, rolled her eyes and said with a look of disdain, “Leaving everything else aside, you need someone to manage and clean the house on a daily basis, otherwise the room will smell strange like this again.”

Zu An was speechless.

Seeing his expression, Chu Chuyan suppressed a smile. “How about this: I’ll help you find some servants. If you don’t trust people from the capital, I can have a few trustworthy ones transferred from Brightmoon City.”

“That would be a great help.” Zu An thought for a moment and agreed. This was nothing like the houses in his previous life; he’d be exhausted if he tried to manage it himself.

Chu Chuyan shot him a slightly displeased look, evidently finding his words too formal and distant. “By the way, I heard there was an assassin incident at the East Palace yesterday. You weren’t in any danger, were you?”

“I’m fine, no danger.” Zu An held her soft hand. He hadn’t yet had a chance to tell her about his identity as a Brocade-Clad Guard envoy. Every time, Chu Youzhao, that baggage, was right there. Although he trusted Chu Chuyan, he couldn’t trust that girl. Chu Youzhao clearly couldn’t keep a secret.

Moreover, the Qin family was a backbone of the Prince Qi faction. Telling Chuyan would only put her in an awkward position between two sides, adding to her worries.

At this moment, Chu Youzhao spoke up from the side. “Those damn assassins, who knows where they came from? They insisted on framing Prince Qi; it’s outrageous!”

Zu An gave her a sidelong glance. “How do you know it wasn’t Prince Qi who sent them?”

Chu Youzhao scoffed. “Of course not! Prince Qi is a famously virtuous prince; how could he do such a thing? It’s clearly a frame-up! Those assassins are truly despicable and shameless!”

Behind the screen, Qiu Honglei was rubbing her aching wrist. Hearing this, she couldn’t help but frown. To be cursed so directly was quite unsettling.

At this moment, Chu Chuyan suddenly turned her head. “Who’s there!”