Chapter 1090: Purple Frost Divine Milk

"My heart harbors no evil thoughts; Heaven and Earth can attest to that. Please, madam, do not misunderstand," Zu An said seriously.

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

(An unsaid thought: "Wasn't it you who... who propped her up with a sword?")

Of course, she was too embarrassed to say that out loud.

Zu An also realized something, and said awkwardly, "My heart is pure and upright, but some of my body's reactions are instinctive and truly beyond my control. I sincerely apologize for offending you, madam."

Yu Yanluo's cheeks flushed. How was she supposed to respond to such a brazen man?

She simply decided not to say anything.

Fortunately, his actions were still proper; his hands and feet weren't moving erratically, but were simply channeling energy to heal her injuries.

Both remained silent in a tacit understanding, and a hint of warmth entered the cold ice cavern.

However, Yu Yanluo's expression soon changed as a familiar tremor ran through her body. Gritting her teeth, she softly hummed, "Are you intentionally teasing me?"

Zu An paused, "Teasing you? About what?"

Seeing that his expression didn't seem feigned, Yu Yanluo pursed her lips. "Your vital energy always gives me a very strange sensation."

Zu An immediately understood. "Ah, I don't know why that happens either. I've only just started using this method to heal people recently..."

Yu Yanluo directly interrupted him, "You've used this method to heal other girls before?"

Several figures popped into Zu An's mind, but healing Chu Yan, for example, wasn't attributed to the fourth level of the Primordial Chaos Sutra. Strictly speaking, only Tang Tian'er had been treated this way, and she seemed to have had a similar reaction.

However, at a moment like this, only a clueless dullard would speak the truth. He immediately said, "Madam, you are naturally the first, which is why I don't know why this is happening. Could it be that your constitution is particularly special and sensitive?"

Hearing that she was the first, Yu Yanluo's eyes curved, and a hint of a smile appeared.

But upon hearing the latter part, she blushed and let out a soft "Ah." For a moment, she wasn't sure if it was due to her own constitution, as it was indeed quite special.

The sensation within her body grew increasingly strange. Not wanting a repeat of what had happened under the pond earlier, she quickly changed the subject. "I truly didn't expect the mastermind behind all of this to be the Striped Black-Eyed Bee. If not for his instigation and schemes, Jian Taiding would not have been so audacious."

Zu An sighed, "It seems both you, as his sister-in-law, and the Duke, as his elder brother, may have spoiled him excessively. That's why he became increasingly lawless. Blindly indulging and pampering him didn't do him good; it harmed him."

"That's true," Yu Yanluo sighed faintly, a hint of self-pity, like a beauty who brings disaster, in her voice. "But I still feel very guilty. If not for my appearance, the two brothers wouldn't have come to this."

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

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

"Actually, his fate was sealed the moment the Striped Black-Eyed Bee targeted him," Zu An remarked with a sigh. "The Golden Silkworm Divine Art is indeed miraculous, but it happened to encounter the Parasitic Bee clan, which is its perfect counter. But how should we conclude this whole affair? Should the full truth be revealed to the public?"

Yu Yanluo also fell into thought. After a long while, she shook her head. "Much of what was recorded in the audio-visual mirror is not suitable for public disclosure. Let's ultimately place the blame on the Striped Black-Eyed Bee. We can say he bewitched Jian Taiding and tried to assassinate the Duke. Anyway, with the imperial decree authorizing action against him, no one will doubt his identity."

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

Yu Yanluo replied, "His miserable death could be considered his retribution. More importantly, over the past two years, he has promoted many of his confidants to key positions in the Governor's Mansion. If we declare him the sole culprit, his subordinates will certainly feel insecure, and if a group of desperate people do something reckless, the situation could spiral out of control."

Zu An secretly nodded upon hearing this. After Dong Zhuo's execution back then, 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, you truly possess keen foresight; your wisdom is admirable," Zu An said, deeply moved. Although this woman usually seemed not to meddle much in affairs, she was, after all, the head of a clan. If she were merely a pretty face, she would have long been devoured by hungry wolves, leaving nothing behind.

At this moment, 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 great, making it difficult to manage the aftermath. With Yanyou's name, the entire Yunzhong Commandery can stabilize quickly. And..."

She trailed off, glancing back at Zu An as she spoke.

"And what?" Zu An asked curiously, as it seemed to involve him.

"If we announce that Yanyou was killed by the two of them long ago, then what about the Duke who has been at the manor these past days? I personally declared that I wouldn't mistake my own husband, and Liu Ji and others also vouched for you," Yu Yanluo took a deep breath. "I would be fine; my identity is independent, and no one can trouble me. But what about Liu Ji, Chu Ji, and even Zhang Ji? Everyone would know they had been with a fake Duke, their innocence lost. How would they live their lives afterward?"

"This..." Zu An sighed, "I'm sorry to them."

"It's *us* who are sorry to them," Yu Yanluo added. "So, you will need to remain at the Duke's mansion as the Duke for a period, until the situation stabilizes."

Zu An frowned. "It's my duty to help them with the aftermath, but I am, after all, an imperial envoy and must return to the capital eventually. I can't stay here for too long."

He had his own identity and his own life. It was impossible for him to remain as the Duke here indefinitely; 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 stabilizes a bit, you can publicly announce that you're entering seclusion to recover from injuries, so you won't have to meet people constantly. After another period, when key departments are filled with our confidantes and the situation is under control, you can then announce that the Duke's injuries have relapsed and he has passed away. By then, everything will have settled, and there will be no impact."

"This period will also be sufficient to make proper arrangements for Liu Ji and the others."

"Alright, I'll do my best," Zu An nodded.

He was also contemplating something else: he had provoked the Emperor, and a break was inevitable sooner or later. By then, Yunzhong Commandery might even provide him with a base and resources, so laying some groundwork in advance wouldn't be a bad idea.

"That's good... Mmm..." Yu Yanluo's murmur was truly soft and mellow. As soon as the sound escaped her lips, her skin 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 fell.

Zu An was startled and rushed to support her.

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

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

"How dare you even ask!" Yu Yanluo glared at him, mortified and annoyed. "Never mind, I don't want your treatment anymore. Your vital energy is simply too strange."

"But your injuries haven't healed yet," Zu An said, concerned.

"Your treatment just now has already helped me recover somewhat. I'll go back and recuperate on my own for the rest." Yu Yanluo seemed to have lingering fears, clearly unwilling to let him touch her again.

"Alright." Hearing her say this, Zu An found it difficult to insist further, lest it appear 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 intensely rich spiritual energy suddenly permeated the entire ice cavern. Breathing it in felt incredibly sweet, as if every pore on their bodies was cheering.

Zu An and Yu Yanluo exchanged a look. "Purple Frost Divine Nectar!"