Chapter 448: Chapter 448: The Gift of the Cloak
The journey to the mansion city was a day and a halfâs journey away, but by the afternoon, the sky darkened, and a fierce snowstorm halted everyoneâs progress.
Mounted on her horse and enveloped in wind and snow, Su Luo quickly arrived at Ah Jiuâs carriage to report, "My lord, the snowstorm is too severe. Iâm afraid it wonât stop any time soon. Moreover, ten miles ahead lies Twin Tiger Mountain. Crossing the mountain could be problematic."
"Is there a place to take shelter from the wind?" Ah Jiu glanced at the world blanketed in white and frowned as she asked.
"Thereâs a rundown temple at the foot of the mountain," Su Luo delivered the news she had scouted.
Ah Jiu stepped out of the carriage and approached Wufuâs carriage, shared the situation with her, and decided to take shelter in the dilapidated temple for the night.
The snowstorm didnât let up. The two horse carriages proceeded one after the other, and by the time they reached the temple, dusk was nearing completion, and light flickered through the templeâs doors.
"Miss," Hongyu was the first to jump off the carriage, shivering as she reached out her hand.
"Silly girl, no need for your help, quickly get inside the temple." Wufu leaped down agilely, the snowstorm was too fierce, and the temperature had dropped considerably, Hongyuâs lips were even turning purple from the cold.
Upon entering the dilapidated temple, warmth embraced them, it turned out that Su Luo had taken people ahead of them and had already started a fire and tidied up the temple.
Wufu approached the fire, stretched her hands out towards it to warm them, and as she heard footsteps turn, she saw Ah Jiu enter draped in a large purple marten cloak, her figure covered in snowflakes.
"Come over here and dry yourself," Wufu made room for her.
Ah Jiu, however, noticed she was only wearing a thick jacket skirt, rather thinly dressed, and didnât even have a cloak or anything like it, and she couldnât help furrowing her brow, "Youâre wearing something so thin?"
Before Wufu could reply, she turned to Hongyu, "Your mistress doesnât have a cloak."
"Clâcloak? What is that? The mistress has a cape," Hongyu stuttered in reply.
Ah Jiu seemed somewhat dissatisfied, glanced at Hongyu, and seeing her young age, still a child-like figure, then shifted her gaze towards Liu Jin, following behind her, all children, incapable of accomplishing much.
"Xiao Li," Ah Jiu instructed her own servant, "go fetch the white fox fur cape."
Xiao Li responded and quickly returned from outside, draping over him a white cape, embroidered with auspicious clouds in gold and silver thread, and the hood trimmed with rabbit fur, looking immensely luxurious.
Wufu stared as if she saw a ghost as Xiao Li walked up to her, unfolding the cape, then looked at Ah Jiu and blinked.
Ah Jiu took her blinking as disdain and said, "Just make do and put it on for now. When we arrive at the mansion city, weâll buy a few womenâs pieces. The people around you are not very useful; how come they didnât prepare these clothes properly for you?"
Hongyu and Liu Jin, who had followed behind, burned with embarrassment. The cape Liu Jin was holding seemed especially flimsy compared to the one Xiao Li had brought in.
"Iâm not cold," Wufu said, watching Xiao Li hand the cape to Hongyu, signaling her to put it on her, hastily spoken.
While still outside she could bear it, but now, close to the fire, it was even warmer.
Ah Jiuâs face showed displeasure.
"Miss, just put it on. The snowstorm is going to last a while, and this broken temple doesnât even have doors. The snow will blow in, and it will still be quite cold," Su Luo said, not sure when he had gone out and returned again, followed by someone carrying a large bundle of firewood.
"Miss," Hongyu cautiously looked at Ah Jiu and lifted the cape, that Ninth Masterâs gaze was terrifying, as if she would scold someone if the Miss didnât put it on.
Wufu had no choice but to take it and drape it over herself, she then said to Ah Jiu, "Thank you."
Ah Jiuâs expression finally relaxed, and she found a place to sit down.
Seeing this, Wufu felt even more odd inside, that feeling was just inexplicable.