Passing through wheat waves that reached their waists, the group arrived at the estate entrance. The estate had received news of the marquis’s visit, and steward Liu Song was already waiting at the gate with servants and maids to greet them. Xiao Du directed the servants to carry the luggage into the rooms, then pointed at Luo Yuan and said, “Arrange him in the farmhouse at the back.”
Seeing Xiao Du’s attitude, Liu Song knew this person wasn’t an honored guest and casually sent a servant to escort him. Luo Yuan didn’t mind, humbly bowing to Liu Song, “Then I’ll trouble Steward Liu.” As he passed by Yuanxi, his steps paused momentarily. He turned to smile politely at her, and Yuanxi nodded back in acknowledgment.
Xiao Du found this scene extremely irritating, so he grasped Yuanxi’s hand and pulled her along as they walked inside, saying, “Are you hungry, wife? Let’s go eat.”
Being suddenly grasped by the hand in front of so many people, Yuanxi immediately felt embarrassed. She quickened her pace, trying to discretely withdraw her hand, but received a fierce warning glare from him. She could only shrink her neck and obediently let him lead her.
Seeing this from behind, Xiao Zhixuan laughed happily and skipped along after them. Liu Song had already ordered a large table of food prepared in the courtyard. Though these were simple country dishes that couldn’t compare to the refinement of the marquis manor, everyone found them to have a distinctive charm.
After the meal, Xiao Zhixuan suggested going to the orchard to pick peaches. Yunniang hadn’t yet recovered from the boat’s motion and remained with a maid’s company, sitting dazedly under a tree in the courtyard. The others walked over and soon saw a lush orchard in the distance, emerald green mixed with rosy red, swaying in the wind in pastoral hues.
When Yuanxi was at the chancellor’s manor, she had never gone on outings with her sisters, so everything now seemed fresh and new to her. She was pulling interestedly at the leaves above her head when suddenly something flew through the air and landed heavily in her arms, startling her so that her hands went weak and she nearly dropped it. But she discovered what was in her arms was actually a large, red peach.
Looking up, she found Xiao Du standing under a peach tree not far away with his arms crossed, grinning mischievously at her. Sunlight fell in scattered fragments on him, making that smile appear particularly dazzling. Yuanxi didn’t know why she wanted to blush again, but fortunately Xiao Zhixuan had already bounced to her side, saying, “Big brother picked this especially for you—quick, taste how sweet it is!”
Yuanxi lowered her head and took a small bite, smiling with flushed cheeks, “It’s very sweet.”
Xiao Zhixuan giggled and pulled Xiao Du and the servants to pick more until they had filled an entire basket with peaches. Her playful mood rising, ignoring that her clothes were completely soaked with sweat, she clamored to catch fish in the stream. So the group passed through the orchard and came to a small brook. In the crystal-clear stream water, colorful fish swam happily about. Xiao Zhixuan excitedly called out, “Big brother, hurry! Let’s take sister-in-law fish-catching too.”
The two had the nearby servants stand guard outside. Xiao Zhixuan tucked up her skirt and rolled up her trouser legs, happily splashing about in the water. Xiao Du also rolled up his pants and stood in the shimmering stream, smiling as he extended his hand to her, “Come down. This water is very clear.”
Yuanxi said somewhat timidly, “I don’t know how.”
While happily splashing water, Xiao Zhixuan shouted, “Let big brother teach you—he’s really good at it!”
So Yuanxi also carefully rolled up her trouser legs, tucked up her skirt, and waded into the stream. But she soon discovered with frustration that although the fish were swimming right around her feet, she couldn’t catch any. She was frowning and wondering how to deal with these fish when suddenly she felt warmth near her ear as Xiao Du pressed close behind her, saying, “Let me teach you.”
Yuanxi was startled, slipped with her feet, and tumbled backward, but quickly fell into a warm chest. Those hands also seemed to encircle her waist intentionally or not. Yuanxi’s heart raced wildly as she hurriedly said, “I’m a bit tired. You two catch first—I’ll go rest on shore.”
After speaking, she fled to the bank as if escaping, gently wrung out her slightly damp trouser legs, then sat on the soft grass with her arms around her legs, letting the sun warm her body. Not far away, the Xiao siblings were scooping up fish after fish amid flying water droplets and tossing them into baskets, laughing and playing joyfully. A sense of happiness suddenly welled up in her heart, and she couldn’t help smiling along.
After a while, she saw Xiao Zhixuan suddenly approach Xiao Du’s side, saying something to him while smiling meaningfully in her direction. Yuanxi suddenly had an ominous premonition. Remembering the purpose of this trip, her heart immediately grew flustered. She quickly grabbed a peach and stuffed it in her mouth, pretending to focus on eating and not daring to look in that direction again.
But Xiao Du came ashore and sat beside her, looking her up and down before smiling, “Xuan’er just told me you want to share a room with me tonight.”
Yuanxi had a piece of peach in her mouth and didn’t know whether to swallow or spit it out. Her face turned red as she became speechless. Xiao Du scooted closer and asked roguishly, “Is it true?”
Yuanxi kept her head down coughing, her face completely flushed. But thinking of how Nanny Li had exhausted herself scheming and repeatedly instructed her, she finally steeled herself, closed her eyes, and nodded. Then she wished she could dig a hole and crawl into it from shame and indignation.
Xiao Du laughed even more happily, gently taking the half-eaten peach from her hand. He leaned close to her ear and said suggestively, “Good. I’ll definitely come tonight.”
Yuanxi felt as if something had lightly scratched her heart—both crispy and numb. Over there, Xiao Du had already put the peach she’d been eating into his own mouth and jumped back into the river to catch fish. But Yuanxi no longer had any mood for watching. Her heart was in turmoil, and she could only hope the sun would set more slowly.
This continued until the sun sank westward and evening clouds filled the sky. Only then did the two finish their enthusiastic fishing, having the servants pack up the fish along with several baskets of peaches before returning to the estate with their full harvest.
When Yuanxi and Xiao Zhixuan entered, several personal maids hurried forward to escort them inside to change clothes.
As Yuanxi passed by Yunniang, who was still sitting dazedly under the tree, she suddenly felt something was wrong. Turning her head sharply, she discovered Yunniang was staring fixedly at her with a pair of sharp eyes. Her heart jumped, but when she looked more carefully, Yunniang still had that blank expression gazing into the distance. She became puzzled—could it be that today’s fatigue had caused her to see things?
When Yuanxi emerged after changing clothes, Xiao Du had already changed into a dark green robe and was urging the kitchen to slaughter the live fish they’d caught today. Behind him, dusk was gathering with fading rosy clouds, and cooking smoke was rising from the village. Yuanxi suddenly felt a faint sense of contentment. If she and Xiao Du were just the most ordinary couple in this estate, living the most common life, far from the scheming calculations and defensive precautions of the marquis manor, wouldn’t they be happier? Then she felt somewhat amused—with her inability to bear burdens or do manual work, what right did she have to envy others?
Seeing the sky gradually darken, the servant women worked efficiently and soon had the meal on the table. Thinking about tonight’s events, Yuanxi didn’t dare look up at Xiao Du and only focused on eating with her head down. While eating, a thick piece of fish belly appeared in her bowl. Before she could react, Xiao Du’s mischievous smiling face was already close to her ear as he said, “Eat more—you’ll need strength tonight.”
Yuanxi knew he was deliberately teasing her, but she still blushed uncontrollably. Xiao Zhixuan on the side didn’t understand but was very pleased to see this, thinking she would achieve complete success today.
They finally finished this meal with difficulty, but then saw a figure approaching slowly in the twilight—blue robe with loose sash, composed bearing—it was Luo Yuan. He walked to the table and bowed to Xiao Du, “I have been waiting for Your Lordship all day. Could we speak privately?”
Xiao Du glanced at him impatiently and was about to refuse when he heard Yuanxi say softly, “I was just thinking of finding Steward Liu to ask about the estate’s harvest accounts. If Your Lordship has business, please attend to it first.”
Xiao Du felt even more displeased, but seeing Luo Yuan still standing there with apparent resolve, wanting to dispatch him first, he lifted his robe and stood, saying to Yuanxi, “Wait for me to return.”
The two walked all the way to the farmhouse behind the courtyard. The interior was quite simple but had been tidied very cleanly. A table in the middle held an unfinished chess game, adding some elegance to this rustic farmhouse. Xiao Du couldn’t help snorting softly, “You waited for me all day just to have me play chess?”
Luo Yuan smiled noncommittally, “I wonder if Your Lordship would do me the honor?”
Xiao Du glanced casually at the chessboard and said disdainfully, “Your black stones are already dead—what’s left to play?”
But Luo Yuan smiled and shook his head, “What if I said these black stones still have room for recovery?”
Xiao Du’s interest was immediately piqued, so he let Luo Yuan take black and began playing against him. They continued until the moon reached its zenith before Luo Yuan raised his head and said leisurely, “Your Lordship, you’ve lost.”
Xiao Du’s expression was very ugly. The black stones had clearly been surrounded with absolutely no way out—how could they have broken through and counterattacked to victory as the game progressed?
Luo Yuan seemed to see through his thoughts, setting down the last piece in his hand and staring at him, “The principle is actually very simple. As long as one maintains the conviction of certain victory, one can inevitably break through and survive.”
Xiao Du glanced at him and casually tossed down the piece in his hand, “What is Scholar Luo trying to say now?”
Luo Yuan stood up and said seriously, “I only want to tell Your Lordship that although the Xiao family army is constrained by both the Xia clan and imperial power, making every step difficult, Your Lordship cannot continue pretending. Only by fighting can there be hope for survival.”
“Audacious!” Xiao Du slammed the table and angrily rebuked, “Who permitted you to speak this way! Just for those treasonous words, killing you ten thousand times wouldn’t be excessive.”
But Luo Yuan still looked directly at him without fear, “My humble life is hardly worth mentioning, but would Your Lordship truly be willing to watch the Xiao family army be gradually devoured by the Xia family, or even let the tragedy of Pingdu Pass be repeated?”
“Enough!” Xiao Du angrily stood and walked to the door before tossing out, “As long as I live, the Xiao family army will never fall into the Xia family’s hands.” He turned back, resuming that expression of caring about nothing, and smiled, “Let’s pretend today’s words were never spoken. Scholar Luo, please also remember your proper place and don’t make things difficult for me. I must hurry back now—after all, I have a delicate wife waiting in the room.”
Luo Yuan watched the direction of his departure, thinking of that small figure, and a bitter smile played at the corner of his mouth.
Meanwhile, in Yuanxi’s room, An’he and Rong Qiao had both been instructed by Nanny Li beforehand. After helping her wash, they left early. Yuanxi was extremely nervous yet felt somewhat weary, so she simply lay on the bed fully clothed. Though her mind was full of concerns, somehow she felt her eyelids growing heavier and heavier, almost wanting to fall asleep like this.
Just then, rustling sounds came from the doorway. Yuanxi’s heart jumped, knowing what was supposed to come would eventually come. She quickly turned toward the inner side in panic. But after the door made noise for a while, no one entered. Yuanxi found this strange—could An’he and the others have accidentally locked it? So she sat up to investigate, but as soon as she sat up, she felt dizzy.
Then she discovered a pair of eyes pressed against the paper window—and those were not Xiao Du’s!