Chapter 25 The Demon Reappears: Lining? What lining?

As the generous rewards for the eastern expedition against Lü Bu were distributed, Guo Jia also received a considerable amount of good stuff.

Among them were several bolts of fine silk cloth, their colors as vibrant as the first rays of dawn, their textures smooth and delicate to the touch, far surpassing ordinary market goods.

Guo Jia fell in love with it at first sight and couldn't bear to exchange it for money to pay the school affairs office.

He squinted, holding the cloth, and started thinking of new and interesting ways to play.

"Come quickly, Yi!" He excitedly called to Deng Jie, who was arranging medicinal herbs, and led her into the room, closing the door to examine them closely.

"This fabric is really nice. Are you planning to exchange it for money or make new clothes?" Deng Jie liked it too and couldn't help but touch it a few more times.

"It would be such a waste to exchange it for money. How can such a fine item be allowed to go to Lu Hong? Making clothes... hehe, no rush."

His smile made Deng Jie feel uneasy; every time he smiled like that, it meant something bad was coming.

Guo Jia led Deng Jie to his side and unfurled a piece of crimson silk, its color as vibrant as peach blossoms. "Such beautiful fabric should naturally complement a beautiful woman..."

As he spoke, he began to loosen Deng Jie's belt, and once her clothes were loosened, he wrapped the cloth around her body without further ado.

"What are you doing!" Deng Jie was both ashamed and embarrassed. It was too late to hide. He wrapped her up tightly and loosely several times, leaving her feeling restricted and helpless.

Guo Jia, feeling playful, unfurled a light blue cloth and tossed it into the air. As it slowly fell, he loosened his own clothes and moved closer to Deng Jie, intending to kiss her, but Deng Jie raised her arm to block him.

The two laughed and frolicked amidst the colorful fabrics scattered throughout the room, as if they were in a beautiful dream.

Deng Jie's embarrassment and annoyance gradually turned into a helpless yet sweet smile, allowing Guo Jia to manipulate her.

At this chaotic yet beautiful moment, there was a knock on the study door.

"Master, I have something to report!" Lu Hong's deep voice rang out from outside the door.

The laughter inside the room stopped abruptly. Deng Jie froze instantly, his eyes wide open, covering his mouth, too afraid to utter a sound.

Guo Jia was also startled and pulled Deng Jie into the mess of cloth.

Seeing his disheveled appearance... he simply wrapped himself in the light blue silk cloth, peeked out, opened the door a crack, and peeked out, saying, "Hmm... go ahead and say it."

When Lu Hong saw Guo Jia open the door, he tried to pull it open a little more, but Guo Jia stopped him with one hand, saying, "Just say it like that."

Although he had doubts, he knew that the Grand Master of Ceremonies was always unrestrained, so he didn't dare to ask too much. He only whispered, "It's about the gentry of Xuzhou..."

Lu Hong knelt down and began to read the report carefully.

Guo Jia listened to mostly complaints from Xuzhou about Cao Cao, and he wasn't too happy to listen. So he started to distract himself and reached into the cloth to look for Deng Jie.

Deng Jie, covered by the cloth, dared not utter a sound, but Guo Jia's hands became increasingly restless. She was both ashamed and angry. She peeked at the small crack in the door, then hid under the cloth and scurried to Guo Jia's leg.

While Lu Hong was still questioning him carefully, Guo Jia suddenly shuddered and made a discordant sound, startling himself so much that his whole body felt hot.

"What's wrong with the Chief Priest?" Lu Hong asked, interrupted.

"No...no..." His thoughts were completely disrupted by Deng Jie's sudden stimulation, and he forcibly suppressed the muffled groan that almost escaped his lips.

"Cough...I...I understand, you can leave it for now...I'll...come find you later." Guo Jia endured the tingling sensation in his body and urged Lu Hong to leave.

Although Lu Hong sensed something was amiss, he dared not disobey and could only agree, placing the secret report slip under the door and bowing as he withdrew.

Guo Jia took the bamboo slips from his hand, threw them on the floor of the study, closed the door tightly, and secured it with a wooden strip.

He took a deep breath, slowly turned around, and stared intently at the motionless, soft mass on the ground.

"Come out."

His voice was low as he watched Deng Jie cautiously peek out from under the cloth, his eyes darting around: "Gone? Is everything alright now?"

"Everyone else is fine, but you're in trouble..."

Guo Jia approached step by step, panting heavily.

The sunlight streaming in from outside cast his shadow over Deng Jie, a half-smile playing on his lips. "What... were you doing just now?"

Deng Jie panicked, wrapped the cloth around his body tighter, and blinked his eyes innocently, "N-nothing!"

As she spoke, she pursed her lips and swiftly slid the cloth across her lips.

"Little vixen..." Guo Jia curled a helpless yet wicked smile, his eyes blazing with fury as he gritted his teeth and approached her. "Still dare to argue? Let's see how I deal with you!"

He suddenly bent down and pounced on his wife, who was wrapped in a cloth and still pretending to be dazed.

The colorful fabrics scattered throughout the room became the best battlefield and curtain, leaving behind only a scene of enchanting spring.

After playing with the fabrics for a few days, Guo Jia picked out his favorite piece of ice silk and went to find a tailor.

After repeatedly inquiring, he learned that the craftsman was discreet and skilled, so he entrusted him with the task: "Master craftsman, please use this fabric to make a... um, a casual dress for my wife, which she will only wear in the backyard."

The old tailor touched the unprecedentedly fine fabric, his eyes widening in amazement. He nodded repeatedly, "Rest assured, Your Excellency! I will use all my skills to make the most elegant and flowing dress for Madam!"

"Well, the styles..."

Guo Jia stroked his chin, his eyes gleaming. "It has to be as simple as possible. The blouse should be fitted... oh no, it should be loose, with a slightly lower neckline. The skirt should be long enough to flow in the wind..."

He gestured, trying to create a languid, ethereal atmosphere that seemed to conceal something.

The old tailor listened attentively and carefully noted down every requirement.

Finally, he respectfully asked, "Master, this outer garment is made of this ice silk, what kind of lining should be worn underneath? I will prepare it accordingly."

"Installation? What lining?" Guo Jia asked with a questioning expression that seemed unnecessary.

The old tailor was instantly filled with respect, and a hiss escaped his lips between his teeth.

As he looked at the thin, almost translucent ice silk, the image that flashed through his mind made his old face instantly turn red!

What's the difference between wearing this and not wearing anything at all?!

No, it's even more... alluring than being naked! No wonder they say you have to keep your mouth shut...

Guo Jia looked at the old tailor's thunderstruck and worldview-shattering expression and couldn't help but chuckle. He patted the old tailor on the shoulder and said, "Master, you have excellent skills and a keen eye."

This material is already of unparalleled beauty; to add a lining would be a terrible waste.

That's exactly what I'm looking for – 'natural and unadorned'!

Don't worry, I'll only wear it in my own backyard; no one outside will see!

"…………"

The old tailor held the priceless fabric, feeling his hands tremble.

He felt that his life as a tailor had encountered an unprecedented challenge and... shock.

Ultimately, under the coercion and enticement of the "respect for the chief priest" and the promise of "three times the market price," he solemnly accepted this arduous task.

A few days later, the old tailor delivered the finished product.

Guo Jia was examining the wonderful object in his study when Deng Jie came in carrying his medicine.

"You put it on, and I'll drink it all right away!" Even in this situation, Guo Jia never forgets to seize the initiative.

Deng Jie, blushing with anticipation, changed into the new clothes.

"Guo Fengxiao! Your lord asked me to bring this to you..."

Chen Qun strode into the courtyard and pushed open the study door aggressively. His pupils dilated in shock, and he forcibly shut up.

Deng Jie didn't even dare to turn around to see who it was. He rolled over and leaped out of the study window that opened wide towards the backyard.

Guo Jia and Chen Qun remained silent in the study.

"Guo Fengxiao!!!" Chen Qun's furious roar echoed inside the Guo residence, and he immediately tried to blind himself.

There are indeed no secrets that stay hidden forever.

Although the old tailor accepted the money and promised to keep it a secret, he couldn't bear the thought of never having made such an outrageous garment in his life. This experience was so unbearable to keep to himself.

After a few drinks, during a "technical exchange" with his old buddy, he finally couldn't hold back. With a hint of drunkenness and a touch of boastfulness, he mysteriously revealed: "You guys... hiccup... do you know what Chief Minister Guo... has been doing lately?"

He...he used rare, fine silk, even the palace had to make a dress for the lady...guess...how she wore it?"

"Straight...straight on! My God! That material...it's like mist! Wearing it...tsk tsk tsk...Master...truly...truly...you know how to have fun!!" The old tailor, his eyes glazed with drunkenness, gestured, his face full of "you wouldn't understand."

Although he didn't give specific details, the combination of keywords such as "ice silk", "straight through", and "Lady Guo, the chief minister" was enough to ignite the imagination of the people of Xudu.

The rumors spread like wildfire, instantly engulfing the entire city.

"A shocking secret! Chief Minister Guo used priceless treasures to make a 'naked' dress for his wife!"

"The Lady of the Imperial Academy is already as beautiful as a celestial being, and now she's wearing such 'celestial robes'... Hiss... Imperial Academy President Guo is so lucky!"

"The Grand Master actually obtained the secret manual for the Feather Robe from the previous dynasty. Wearing it allows one to ascend to immortality!"

But no matter how outrageous the rumors are, one fact has truly occurred.

Semi-transparent fabrics similar to or even remotely related to this ice silk were snapped up overnight, and their prices skyrocketed.

Not to mention the old tailor, even the few people who had drunk with the tailor had their orders flooded after hearing about this "straight-wearing style".

Countless socialites, noble ladies, concubines of the powerful, and even the powerful themselves have subtly expressed: "Give me one too... um... like the Grand Master's wife... that kind of 'style'!"

There's only one requirement: It has to be ethereal! It has to be floating! It has to be elusive!

This trend inevitably reached Cao Cao's ears as well.

After the military council concluded, he made a point of seeing Xun Yu off, then pulled Guo Jia aside and said, "Fengxiao, I've heard you've come up with some new tricks lately..."

Guo Jia understood and leaned closer with a chuckle, saying, "It's nothing more than bedroom fun."

"Not so! Fengxiao has a discerning eye and superior taste, which I cannot match!"

Then Cao Cao lowered his voice, rubbed his hands together, and looked up at him expectantly: "Look, I have many ladies in my household, Bian, Huan, Du, Yin... They are all different in figure and temperament, each with their own merits. Fengxiao, why don't you... help me make some plans?"

As fate would have it, just as Cao Cao was mentioning "figure and demeanor," Chen Qun happened to return. Seeing the lecherous looks on the two foxes, he immediately sensed something was wrong. Remembering what had happened in Guo Jia's study that day, his face instantly turned ashen, and he shouted, disregarding all decorum, "Guo Fengxiao! What are you teaching my lord?!"

"My lord! You bear the heavy responsibility of the court and the hopes of the people! Instead of striving to govern well and restore the Han Dynasty, you are here discussing with Guo Fengxiao... discussing such matters as women's clothing and makeup?!"

This...this is outrageous! This is outrageous!!!

"Brother Changwen is right! Jia, Jia, let's retreat first!"

Seeing the situation, Guo Jia made a hasty retreat; he couldn't very well really point fingers at his lord's wives!

On this day, Chen Qun and Xun Wei returned to their ancestral home for a visit, and the two of them drank tea and chatted with Xun Yu.

When the topic of Guo Jia came up, Xun Yu covered his face and chuckled to himself, "Ahem, Fengxiao has always been like this."

Inevitably, she also recounted what she had experienced before they arrived.

"How can my father-in-law spoil him like this! He's pushing my father-in-law into a fire pit!" Chen Qun was furious.

“Changwen is right… From now on, I will rely on Changwen to restore order to the social order!” Xun Yu nodded solemnly, suppressing a smile.

Xun Wei caught a glimpse of his father's thoughtful expression.

"Silver Bell Feather Robe... um..."

Hearing his wife's hesitation, Chen Qun's alarm bells rang: "Niange?!"