“Remember not to mention this matter to anyone in the estate,” Zu An reminded him sternly.

Cheng Shouping thumped his own chest. “Young master, have you forgotten my name? I am the man who keeps secrets like a cork on a bottle, Cheng Shouping!”

Somehow, his confident assurances only stoked Zu An’s unease. He felt like he had just made a terrible mistake.

“I’ll leave you to look into the matter. I’m feeling a bit tired right now, so I think I’ll rest for a while. Ah right, get me a bucket of water to wash my face first.” Zu An dismissed Cheng Shouping with a wave of his hand. 

His plan was to wash his hands and face, then use the Rage points he had just earned from Plum Blossom Thirteen to draw the lottery. For now, his future looked very bright.

“Looks like you’re in a good mood,” an old, hoarse voice rasped in his ear.

Zu An leaped up in shock. He spun around and saw Old Mi standing behind him. With his heart still pounding, he yelled, “Why do you always walk around without making any sound? You’ll really scare me to death one of these days!”

Old Mi ignored Zu An’s remark and posed a question of his own. “You didn’t play truant today, right?”

“You’d already warned me beforehand, so how would I dare?” Looking deeply into the eyes that were hidden by layers of skin folds, Zu An felt subconsciously that he would have suffered the same fate as Plum Blossom Thirteen had he dared to play truant today.

“That’s good.” Old Mi laughed eerily. “Did you meet Wei Hongde?”

Old Mi’s smile caused Zu An to break out in goosebumps all over. 

“Not yet.” Old Mi’s forehead began to crease further in a frown, which prompted Zu An to add quickly, “However, I managed to become friends with his younger brother.”

“He has a younger brother?” Old Mi was confused.

“Yes, his name is Wei Suo…” Zu An briefly explained the situation.

“I didn’t think that he would have another son. Heh, it looks like he’s living quite a good life, hm?” Old Mi muttered under his breath.

Zu An was stunned for a moment. “What did you say?” 

“Nothing.” Old Mi shook his head. He tossed a pouch of silver taels to Zu An and said, “Take this money. Treat those two brothers to a meal and hang out with them more. I need you to get closer to them.”

Zu An probed a little. “May I know why? Can you let me in on whatever it is too so that I can prepare myself beforehand?” 

Another chillingly eerie smile split Old Mi’s face in two. “You’ll know in due time.” With that, he began to totter away.

Zu An was left puzzled. You can’t be trying to get me to steal some kind of secret treasure in the royal treasury, are you?

He quickly counted the money in the pouch he had just received from Old Mi. There were a hundred silver taels in total. He wondered how an old farmer inside the Chu Estate had managed to save up so much money.

With a deep sigh, Zu An decided to let the matter rest. He turned his attention to the Keyboard and checked his Rage points. After his spending spree that afternoon, he’d been left with 54 Rage points, but his balance had risen back up to 8,305.

It was just a short encounter, but Plum Blossom Thirteen had single handedly provided him with more than eight thousand Rage points!

Despite this outcome, Zu An was dissatisfied. Once again, the result had proven that it was much more efficient to farm using AOE skills rather than single target skills. He could only hope that more enemies like Plum Blossom Thirteen would appear.

He proceeded with his ritual of washing his hands and face with practiced movements, then turned his attention to the lottery. However, just as he was about to start, a servant rushed in. “Young master, Master and Madam are calling you over right now!”

Zu An widened his eyes in shock. It can’t be that they already know about me leading Chu Huanzhao astray, can it?

With a growing feeling of unease, he followed the servant around the estate. The servant led him from corridor to corridor, navigating an incredibly complicated route. Zu An grew suspicious that the servant was leading him into some sort of trap.

It was only when the two of them finally arrived before a hall with plenty of maids standing at the doorway that he finally heaved a sigh of relief. With so many people around, I doubt that my enemies would try to pull anything.

His eyes fell on one particular lass with a slender waist and a delicate ponytail, dressed in a green robe. He was a little alarmed by her appearance, but he maintained a brilliant smile on his face as he walked over and said, “Oh? It has only been a few days since we last met, Snow, but your waist has gotten even slimmer. Are you not eating well outside? Aw. Come, I’ll help you massage it a little.”

As he spoke, his hands darted forth to encircle her waist.

You have successfully trolled Qiao Xueying for 256 Rage points!

Zu An was surprised. He didn’t know that Snow wasn’t her real name. It was quite rare for maids to have a proper surname and name these days, and even rarer to possess such an eloquent one. It seems she has quite the mysterious background.

Even though he managed to infuriate Snow before, he hadn’t awakened the Rage system back then. This was the first time he was seeing her true name.

The young lass easily dodged his hands. She glared at him frostily. “It has been a few days, but you’re still as detestable as ever.”

Zu An’s face immediately turned grim. “You’re going a little overboard. Whatever the case, we did spend a night with one another. Are you going to shirk your responsibilities now that you’ve got your clothes back on?”

“You!!!” Snow’s face flushed red right away. 

The trauma she’d suffered by having her pure, maidenly body ravaged by this dirty scoundrel’s lecherous gaze would never go away.

You have successfully trolled Qiao Xueying for 999 Rage points!

“Are you angry? Hit me then. Hit me then~” Zu An taunted like a little rascal. Back when she had kicked him into the pond, he wasn’t a cultivator yet, so he wasn’t able to discern her level of strength. It was high time for him to check her out.

You have successfully trolled Qiao Xueying for 999 Rage points!

Snow’s rage was so strong that she was feeling faint. She never thought that such a shameless person could exist in the world. She seriously considered throwing propriety out the window and pummeling the man before her.

“Stop messing around and come in!” Chu Chuyan’s unique cold, melodious voice sounded from the hall.

Snow took a deep breath as she forced herself to calm down. Her voice was as chilly as her name. “Master and Madam are waiting for you inside. You should get going.”

Zu An shook his head in regret. He smoothed out his clothes and strode into the hall.

Chu Zhongtian, Qin Wanru, Chu Chuyan and Chu Huanzhao were seated at a round table filled with all sorts of exquisite dishes. Chu Huanzhao shot him a glance in silent warning.

This lass is still quite loyal after all. Looks like I didn’t dote on her for nothing.

“Zu An, how audacious of you to seduce a maid of the estate in our presence. What do you take Chuyan for? What do you take our Chu clan for?” Qin Wanru bellowed, her face a dark cloud of anger.

You have successfully trolled Qin Wanru for 447 Rage points!

Her anger was fully justified. She was already dissatisfied with having her precious daughter marry such a wastrel, and yet, he still went around seducing the maidservants of the estate. This was preposterous!

“I didn’t seduce her!” Zu An cried out as though wronged.

Qin Wanru snorted. “You still want to argue your way through this? Do you think that our ears are for decoration?”

You have successfully trolled Qin Wanru for 522 Rage points!

Beside her, Chu Zhongtian coughed softly and explained, “Zu An, you might not be aware because you aren’t a cultivator, but this bit of distance isn’t a problem for us. We can hear everything happening outside loud and clear.”

Zu An was touched by how good-hearted Chu Zhongtian was. “Father-in-law, I really am not lying. That’s because Snow is already my woman.”

A ripple of shock passed through everyone present. Even Chu Chuyan—who had been leisurely watching the drama unfold as if she had nothing to do with it—choked on her tea. She hurriedly took out her handkerchief and dabbed at the corners of her mouth.

Chu Zhongtian stared at Zu An in disbelief, although there seemed to be the slightest tinge of respect mixed in with his shock.

Qin Wanru’s mouth fell agape, as if her mind had somehow short-circuited.

Chu Huanzhao had been in the midst of sneaking some food into her mouth when Zu An made his pronouncement, and she secretly snuck him a thumbs up. Her brother-in-law really was quite the formidable figure. No wonder Plum Blossom Thirteen had gotten done in so badly.

“Zu An, how dare you spout such nonsense?!” Snow stood behind him, her face livid. 

Just as Chu Zhongtian and Qin Wanru could hear what was going on outside, Snow had pricked up her ears to follow the conversation going on inside.

The moment she heard Zu An claim that she was his woman, she nearly lost her mind.

You have successfully trolled Qiao Xueying for 999 Rage points!

*BAM!*

Qin Wanru slammed her palm onto the table. “Where have your manners gone? Get out!”

Snow looked at Qin Wanru indignantly, and she attempted to protest weakly, “Madam, I…”

Chu Chuyan interjected quietly, “Snow, you should leave the room for now.”

Left with no choice, Snow backed out of the room. She didn’t forget to glare viciously at Zu An as she left.

You have successfully trolled Qiao Xueying for 400 Rage points!

Watching the drama unfold, Zu An chuckled on the inside as he praised himself for his sharp wits. A single sentence from him was all it had taken to earn this huge sum of Rage points.

As soon as Snow left the room, Qin Wanru’s gaze turned so severe, she looked ready to strangle someone. “Zu An, you had better tell us what’s going on here. Do you know that we reserve the right to sentence a drafted son-in-law like yourself to death for seducing a maid in the estate?”

You have successfully trolled Qin Wanru for 587 Rage points!

In his mind, Zu An lamented the lack of basic human rights that plagued all drafted sons-in-law. Sighing softly, he took his time to explain himself. “I didn’t seduce Snow; Chuyan gave her to me. She personally ordered Snow to accompany me in bed.”

Qin Wanru frowned upon hearing those words. She turned to her daughter and asked, “Chuyan, is that true?” 

What’s wrong with my daughter? Did she really send a woman to bed her own husband? I thought that I’d set a good example for her to follow. All these years, have I ever allowed any woman to approach your father? 

Chu Chuyan’s face flushed red. She shot a furious glare at Zu An before answering, “Mother, I did say such words. However, it was intended to be no more than a joke. You need not listen to his nonsense.”

“Is that true?” Qin Wanru asked doubtfully.

“Of course!” 

Chu Chuyan shot a glance at Zu An and said, “Hurry up and take your seat. You should watch what you say in the future. If not, you wouldn’t even know who you have offended.”

Zu An lodged his protest immediately. “That won’t do! I’m relying on my mouth for a living!” 

How was he supposed to earn Rage points if he didn’t run his mouth off?

Chu Huanzhao laughed uproariously. “Didn’t you say that you made a living off of your face?”

Zu An betrayed hardly any embarrassment. “I’m going down both routes. It’s always better to diversify your talents so as to remain competitive in the market.”

“Enough! Stop spouting all that nonsense and eat!” 

For some reason, the friendly chatter between Zu An and her second daughter annoyed Qin Wanru.

Zu An slipped into his seat and took a discreet look at Chu Chuyan. Honestly, this woman did treat him fairly well. Despite what had just happened, she still didn’t reveal his impotence. That piece of information would have effectively dispelled any doubts that Qin Wanru harbored about the relationship between him and Snow.

“What are you looking at me for?” Chu Chuyan asked nonchalantly, without turning to look at Zu An. She idly picked up a piece of vegetable.

“You’re beautiful. I’ve read books in which women are described as being ‘so beautiful that one couldn’t resist feasting on her looks’. To be frank, I was quite skeptical about such a possibility, but I’m starting to see it for myself,” replied Zu An with a smile.

His wife’s side profile was truly perfect in every sense. Her smooth and delicate skin looked so inviting; it was such a pity that he couldn’t give her a kiss.

Chu Chuyan was a little surprised by his words. “It looks like you’re feeling much more optimistic than before.”

Zu An knew that she was referring to his impotence. He’d kicked up a huge fuss about it the last time. “I was still brooding over it earlier, but all of my frustrations seem to vanish in the face of your beauty.”