Yang Guo: I'm invincible in the opening battle against Aunt Guo!

After Guo Jing left, Yang Guo pondered for a while in the stone pavilion before returning to his study.

Inside the study, Wanyan Ping and Yelü Yan were talking in hushed tones. When they saw him return, they both looked over.

"Brother Yang, did Master Guo... make things difficult for you?" Wanyan Ping asked worriedly.

Yang Guo shook his head and walked up to them: "Uncle Guo is just concerned about Sister Fu. I've explained it to him."

Yelü Yan bit her lip: "Brother Yang, have we... caused you trouble? Or... should we leave once our injuries have healed..."

"Leave?" Yang Guo raised an eyebrow. "Where to?"

"Anywhere is fine," Wanyan Ping whispered. "We shouldn't ask for too much. We are already incredibly grateful to Brother Yang for saving our lives..."

Yang Guo reached out and took one of their hands in each: "Silly girls, I've said you're my people, so naturally I won't let you leave. As for Fu-mei... I'll handle it."

His palm was warm and strong, and both Wanyan Ping and Yelü Yan blushed, but did not pull their hands away.

"Brother Yang," Yelü Yan said softly, "when will my sister's injuries heal?"

"Soon." Yang Guo nodded. "Once your sister has recovered from her injuries, I will help you make great progress in your cultivation."

Yelü Yan's eyes flashed with anticipation: "Then...when will it be?"

Yang Guo smiled at her anxious expression: "So eager?"

Yelü Yan blushed even more: "I... I just want to improve my strength as soon as possible so I can help Brother Yang..."

Wanyan Ping watched from the side, a slight smile playing on her lips.

After Yang Guo escorted Wanyan Ping and Yelü Yan back to their rooms in the west courtyard, he...

He had just settled the two women in and told Yan Ping to take good care of herself.

He then gave Yelü Yan a few more instructions on the preparations before her treatment.

A servant rushed over and bowed at the courtyard gate to report: "Young Master Yang, Madam requests your presence in her room."

Yang Guo raised an eyebrow slightly: "Master wanted to see me? Did he say what it was about?"

The servant bowed his head and said, "Madam said she has something important to ask you, please go quickly."

"Understood." Yang Guo waved away the servants and said gently to the two women, "You two rest first, I'm leaving."

Wanyan Ping leaned against the headboard and said softly, "Brother Yang, go ahead. Don't keep Madam waiting."

Yelü Yan saw him to the door, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes.

The scene of Guo Jing talking to Yang Guo alone was still fresh in my mind, and now Huang Rong suddenly summoned him again, probably because of those entanglements.

Yang Guo saw through her thoughts and gently stroked her cheek: "Don't worry, it's alright."

After saying that, he turned and left the west courtyard, walked through the corridor, and headed towards Huang Rong's room.

On the way, I overheard some servants talking.

Everyone was discussing what happened between Yang Guo and Cheng Ying that morning.

Even the servants are talking about it; it seems everyone knows about it!

Shaking his head, Yang Guo continued walking.

Upon arrival, Yang Guo stopped outside the door, straightened his clothes, and then raised his hand to knock on the door.

"Come in," Huang Rong's voice came from inside.

Yang Guo pushed open the door and entered.

Inside the room, Huang Rong was sitting behind the large mahogany desk, holding a roll of account books in her hand. She seemed to be flipping through them, but Yang Guo could tell at a glance that her mind was not on the books.

Today she wore a light blue silk skirt with a moon-white cardigan over it. Her hair was styled in a high bun with a jade hairpin inserted at an angle. Her eyes and brows exuded the dignity and majesty of the matriarch of the household.

Upon closer inspection, one could see faint bluish shadows under her eyes, indicating that she had not slept well last night.

He probably talked with Guo Fu all night.

"Master," Yang Guo bowed, "I wonder what brings you here, Master?"

Huang Rong put down the account book, looked up at him, her gaze lingering on his face for a moment before she slowly spoke:

"Guo'er, do you know that Da Wu and Xiao Wu just came to see me?"

Yang Guo understood in his heart, but his face remained expressionless: "This disciple does not know. What business do they have with Master?"

"What is it?" Huang Rong's lips curled into a faint smile. "They say that today in the corridor, you behaved improperly towards Junior Sister Cheng, speaking frivolously and even forcing her against a pillar, touching her inappropriately—is that true?"

Her voice was calm, but with each sentence she spoke, her gaze sharpened.

Upon hearing this, Yang Guo's face immediately showed a look of both amusement and exasperation: "Master, this is truly a tremendous injustice!"

"Injustice?" Huang Rong raised an eyebrow. "Da Wu and Xiao Wu described it all so clearly, even detailing where you and Junior Sister Cheng stood, what you said, and what you did. Could they have fabricated it out of thin air?"

Yang Guo stepped forward and walked to the desk, his expression calm: "Master, you are wise. This morning, when I returned from outside, I met Uncle Cheng in the corridor."

A fallen leaf was stuck in her hair, and the disciple merely reached out to brush it away for her, nothing more.

As for the claim that he was forced to stand in front of the pillar and that he was physically assaulted—that's completely fabricated!

He paused, then continued, "If Master doesn't believe me, he can call Uncle Cheng to come and confront me. My relationship with Uncle Cheng is completely innocent, and I have never done anything out of line."

As for Da Wu and Xiao Wu, they spoke rudely to their disciples outside the city yesterday, and today they deliberately stirred up trouble and sowed discord in front of Fu Mei.

"I have already reprimanded them, but they have dared to falsely accuse me and come to Master to twist the truth!"

He spoke these words with righteous indignation and stern words, his expression filled with indignation and grievance at being falsely accused.

Huang Rong looked at him quietly, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes.

How could she not know the hostility that Da Wu and Xiao Wu harbored towards Yang Guo?

How could they not know the feelings these two boys had for Fu'er?

When Da Wu and Xiao Wu arrived earlier, their words were evasive and their eyes were shifty, which gave her a clue.

Hearing Yang Guo say this now, he understood even more.

only……

She recalled the scene in the room last night, and the burning heat of Yang Guo when he pinned her against the desk.

I remember that feeling of fullness in my skin...

A slight blush rose to her face.

This kid may be truly innocent towards Junior Sister Cheng, but towards himself... he's anything but innocent!

"Never mind." Huang Rong sighed softly, rubbing her temples. "I already know about this. I'll speak to Da Wu and Xiao Wu. You need to be careful in your actions in the future. After all, Junior Sister Cheng is your Martial Aunt, and you must maintain proper etiquette."

"Your disciple will remember this," Yang Guo said respectfully, but inwardly he chuckled—his master's words, though seemingly an admonition, actually indicated that he believed him.

He looked up at Huang Rong and saw the weariness in her brows and the obvious dark circles under her eyes, which stirred something in his heart.

"Did you not get enough rest last night, Master?" he asked in a softer voice.

Huang Rong was startled. Meeting his concerned gaze, her face flushed again, and she looked away.

"It's alright. It's mainly because of the trouble you caused. If it weren't for you, my daughter wouldn't have talked to me in the middle of the night. I was already annoyed because of the Xiangyang incident and the Beggars' Sect's office."

Yang Guo walked around the desk to her side and said in a low voice, "If Master is tired, I can give you a massage for a while to relax your muscles and relieve your fatigue."

He spoke very close, his warm breath brushing against Huang Rong's ear.

Huang Rong stiffened slightly, her heart racing as she recalled the events of the previous night.