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

Fifteen minutes later, in Huang Rong's room.

She stood alone in the room.

Looking around, the brocade quilt on the bed was scattered haphazardly, still bearing traces of last night's passionate encounter.

The bronze mirror on the dressing table reflected her slightly flushed face.

The air was filled with the sweet scent of peach blossom perfume, which blended with her natural body fragrance to create a unique and ambiguous aroma.

This is probably what Guo Fu smelled this morning.

Huang Rong bit her lip and began to act.

She first opened the wardrobe and took out all the dresses, undergarments, and bodices inside, then ordered her trusted maid to secretly send them to be washed.

The maid's name was Qingxing. She was brought by Huang Rong from Peach Blossom Island and was extremely loyal. No matter what she saw, she would only tell Huang Rong.

"Miss, do you want all of these washed?" Qingxing asked, somewhat surprised, looking at the mountain of clothes.

"Not bad," Huang Rong said calmly. "Wash it three times with plum blossom dew, then burn it with sandalwood incense."

"Yes."

Next came the mattress.

Huang Rong personally removed the brocade quilt, sheets, and pillowcases, and handed them to Qingxing as well.

"Take these too, and bring brand new ones. The pillow stuffing should be buckwheat, and the quilt cover should be plain, not these bright red and purple patterns."

"That incense..."

"Replace everything." Huang Rong pointed to the incense burner in the corner of the room. "Remove the peach blossom balm and replace it with a cool plum blossom scent. Also, replace the rouge and powder on the dressing table with a new set."

Qingxing wrote them all down; she knew why these things needed to be changed.

Miss and Young Master Yang...

After Qingxing left with her clothes and bedding, Huang Rong closed the door and walked to the bathtub behind the screen.

Hot water was prepared in the bucket, and a layer of freshly picked plum blossom petals floated on the surface.

This was her special instruction—the fragrance of plum blossoms is cool and refreshing, quite different from the sweetness of peach blossoms, and best able to cover up one's original body scent.

She took off her clothes and stepped into the water.

The warm water enveloped my whole body, washing away the fatigue of the night and also washing away those traces that shouldn't exist.

Huang Rong closed her eyes and submerged herself underwater until all the air in her lungs was gone, then suddenly surfaced.

Water droplets slid down her long hair, neck, and shoulders.

She took the plum blossom fragrance dew, poured it into her palm, and carefully applied it to every inch of her skin.

The fragrance was cool and subtle, quickly overpowering the sweetness of the peach blossom balm.

After bathing, Huang Rong changed into a brand new undergarment—plain white silk, without any fragrance.

Her outer garment was also light blue, made of ordinary material, a stark contrast to her usual luxurious attire.

She sat in front of her dressing table, looking at herself in the bronze mirror.

A woman in her thirties is at the peak of her charm.

Her skin remained smooth and firm, but her eyes and brows now held a touch of mature womanly charm.

Especially after her breakthrough last night, her eyes shone with inner light, her complexion was rosy, and she looked at least five years younger.

No wonder I am like this...

Huang Rong shook her head, shaking off those inappropriate thoughts.

She picked up a comb, loosely tied up her long hair, and secured it with only an ordinary wooden hairpin.

She wore no makeup, her face was bare.

Finally, she looked around the newly renovated room.

The bed was fitted with plain-colored bedding, a brand-new rouge box sat on the dressing table, and the incense burner emitted a cool, refreshing fragrance of plum blossoms. Even the flowers in the vase by the window had been changed from peach blossoms to winter plum blossoms.

All traces have been erased.

Huang Rong breathed a sigh of relief and was about to sit down to rest when Guo Fu's voice came from outside the door:

"Mother, are you there?"

coming.

Huang Rong straightened her clothes and put on a calm smile: "Yes, come in."

The door opened, and Guo Fu poked half her head in.

She had finished washing and dressing, changed into a pale yellow dress, styled her hair into pretty double buns, her cheeks were rosy, and her eyes were filled with sweetness.

However, his eyes subtly scanned the surroundings after he entered the room.

Huang Rong found it amusing, but remained outwardly composed: "Why is Fu'er here? Aren't you going to keep Guo'er company?"

Guo Fu blushed, walked in, and closed the door: "Brother Yang went to see Wanyan Ping. I... I came to pay my respects to Mother."

As she spoke, her eyes darted toward the bed, the dressing table, and the incense burner.

"Oh?" Huang Rong pulled her to sit down at the table. "Perfect timing, Mother also has something to tell you."

She personally poured a cup of tea and handed it to Guo Fu, saying casually, "Look at my room, isn't it much tidier now?"

Guo Fu was taken aback, and only then did she notice the changes in the room.

It's definitely different now.

The bedding, incense, decorations... everything was changed.

"Mother...why all of a sudden..." she asked hesitantly.

In her heart, she was assessing whether her mother already knew and was doing it on purpose.

"I've been busy with military affairs lately and feeling quite down, so I had my room thoroughly cleaned."

Huang Rong sighed softly, "Those bright reds and purples are too irritating to look at; something simpler is better. I've also changed the incense; the peach blossom scent is too sweet and cloying, while the plum blossom scent is more elegant."

As she spoke, she got up and walked to the window, pointing to the winter plum blossoms in the vase: "Look at these plum blossoms, defying snow and frost, what fine qualities they possess. They are far superior to those delicate peach blossoms."

Guo Fu followed her gaze. Although she had her doubts, she thought that since the other person was her mother, Brother Yang would definitely not...

Therefore, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

The peach blossom scent on Brother Yang... it must have been from standing too close during yesterday's meeting, and he accidentally picked it up.

Thinking this, a relieved smile appeared on her face: "Mother is right, plum blossoms are indeed better than peach blossoms."

Huang Rong turned around and looked at her daughter's innocent smiling face, feeling both guilty and relieved.

"Fu'er," she said gently, pulling Guo Fu back to sit down, "now that you and Guo'er are married, there are some things I need to tell you."

Guo Fu blushed again: "Mother..."

"The relationship between husband and wife is a natural one," Huang Rong said solemnly. "But you must remember that Guo'er is no ordinary man. He is highly skilled in martial arts and exceptionally intelligent, and there will inevitably be other women who are attracted to him. You must learn to be tolerant and magnanimous."

Guo Fu bit her lip: "But Mother, I still feel sad."

"It's normal to feel bad." Huang Rong gently stroked her hair. "But you must believe in Guo'er. He has you in his heart. As long as he doesn't betray you, you can't betray him. As for the other women... as long as they behave themselves, treat them as sisters and get along with them."

Guo Fu lowered her head and remained silent.

She actually understood all of these words.

But understanding it is one thing, putting it into practice is another.

"Also," Huang Rong lowered her voice, "the method of dual cultivation is good, but it must be practiced in moderation. You are still young, and your body has not fully developed yet, so you must not indulge in too much desire. I have a health-preserving exercise manual here. Take it and practice it; it will benefit both you and Guo'er."

She took a thin booklet from her bosom and put it into Guo Fu's hand.

Guo Fu opened the book and saw that it contained some methods for regulating breathing and nourishing qi, as well as several illustrations depicting the postures and internal energy circulation routes of men and women during dual cultivation.

Her face flushed crimson: "Mother! How could you...?"

"Silly child, what's there to be ashamed of?" Huang Rong laughed. "It's good for couples to be loving, but they also need to know how to maintain their health. If you practice this, it will be good for your body and for your future offspring."

Guo Fu clutched the booklet tightly and lowered her head even further.

The mother and daughter chatted intimately for a while before Guo Fu took her leave.

As she reached the door, she suddenly turned back and called out, "Mother."

"Um?"

"Have you been working too hard lately?" Guo Fu asked with concern, looking at her mother's simple attire. "Should I have the kitchen prepare some nourishing food and send it over?"

Huang Rong felt a warmth in her heart and said softly, "Mother is alright, Fu'er is so kind."

The door closed.

Huang Rong stood alone in the room, the smile on her face gradually fading.

She walked to the dressing table, looked at herself in the bronze mirror, and remained silent for a long time.

The woman in the mirror still had the same eyebrows and eyes, but her temperament was different.

Deep within those eyes lay a secret known only to her.

"Huang Rong, oh Huang Rong," she murmured to herself, "you're playing with fire."

But once that fire is lit, it can never be extinguished.

She recalled the ultimate pleasure of their dual cultivation the previous night, the exhilarating breakthrough in her inner strength, and the words Yang Guo had whispered in her ear…

My cheeks started to feel hot again.

Huang Rong took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down.

Don't get addicted.

At the very least, one cannot indulge in such behavior openly.