The moon ascended to its zenith, while stars descended from the sky, under the ink-black clouds, a carriage trotted along the cobblestone path. Inside the carriage, a faint scent of suhe incense filled the air, comforting to the senses. Wrapped in a large silk robe, Yuanxi gradually felt drowsy.
However, she was still preoccupied with something in her heart, unsure how to broach the subject. She glanced surreptitiously at Xiaodu, hoping to discern some clues from his expression. Xiaodu, finally relieved of a night’s tension, felt a bit fatigued. Sensing the constant glances from Yuanxi, he couldn’t help but smile and tease, “What’s wrong? Do you think your husband is particularly heroic and valiant today?”
Yuanxi chuckled softly, feeling a weight lifted off her chest. Summoning her courage, she began, “I wanted to say… I didn’t…” Her face flushed red, unable to continue. Xiaodu seemed to see through her worries and gently pulled her into his embrace, resting his chin on her head, “No need to say, I trust you.”
Yuanxi leaned against his warm embrace, feeling a hint of sourness in her nose. She had never been so grateful for his trust as she was at that moment. Xiaodu then lightly covered her eyes with his hand, “Stop overthinking, rest if you’re tired.” With Yuanxi enveloped in his warm embrace, she finally drifted off to sleep.
When she woke up again, the carriage had stopped not far from the Marquis Mansion. However, Xiaodu didn’t let her get off the carriage immediately. Instead, he sent a servant through the side door into the mansion. After a while, the servant returned with a small package, which turned out to be Yuanxi’s clothes. Grateful for Xiaodu’s thoughtfulness, she exchanged a glance of gratitude with him, feeling a warmth growing inside her.
After changing into her clothes, the carriage slowly approached the gates of the Marquis Mansion. Although it was late at night, the entire mansion was brightly lit, with many servants waiting in the courtyard. Although the Marquis, Princess, and two aunts weren’t personally waiting, they had sent trusted servants to await news. Seeing so many people waiting for her, Yuanxi felt a twinge of guilt. Xiaodu took her hand as they got off the carriage, ensuring her safe return. The anxious faces of the servants finally relaxed upon seeing her unharmed.
Just as everyone in the Marquis Mansion thought the storm had passed and retired to their rooms for the night, this tumultuous night had only just begun.
With the moon veiled by clouds, a woman stumbled out of the bushes, barefoot and disheveled, her face marked with blood and tears. Her tousled black hair flew in the wind, striking her face repeatedly. She ran as if chased by a wild beast, her eyes filled with fear and despair. She ran until she saw a faint light ahead, but just as she reached it, she abruptly stopped. Life drained from her eyes, and her white clothes stained with blood fell to the ground, like a night lotus blooming and fading in the darkness.
Meanwhile, in the room lit by the dim light, Yunniang suddenly sat up in bed, alertly looking out the window. She sensed something amiss and cautiously approached the door. Stepping outside, she immediately noticed an unusual smell. As she walked a few steps further, she stumbled upon something slimy and round. Bending down to examine it under the dim light, she recoiled in horror—it was a woman’s head, with bloodshot eyes and a protruding tongue, tangled hair trailing from her feet! Despite the shock, she recognized the face—it was Rongqiao, the maid from the new wife’s room!
With a loud crash, the lamp fell to the ground, and Yunniang, covering her mouth, took a few steps back before finally letting out a piercing scream.
The sharp screams reverberated through the compound of interconnected buildings, and soon, the once tranquil courtyard was bustling with flickering lights and moving shadows. Xiaodu, who had barely slept for an hour, stood amidst the crowd with a stern expression, staring at the grotesque head before him. Nearby lay a headless body, surrounded by splattered blood staining the flowers and grass, indicating where the gruesome deed had occurred.
On the other side, Yunniang sat on the steps, trembling with fear, her voice raised in a loud demand, “What on earth happened? And where is Xiqiao?”
Xiqiao, the maid attending to Yunniang, stood nearby, utterly petrified by the sight before her. When Xiaodu addressed her, she stuttered nervously, “I… I heard Lady Yun screaming, so I rushed out to see what happened. I… I saw this… dead body here, but I don’t know what happened.”
Xiaodu, growing impatient, pressed further, “Did you hear any strange noises? Screams or footsteps?”
Clutching her chest in fear, Xiqiao shook her head, “Perhaps… I might have heard some rustling noises, but they quickly disappeared. Then… I heard Lady Yun screaming, but when I came out, I only saw this… dead body, nothing else.”
Frowning, Xiaodu squatted down, examining the cleanly severed neck of Rongqiao’s head. He pondered intensely: If Rongqiao was indeed murdered in Yunniang’s quarters, how could someone skilled enough to execute such a silent and swift killing have infiltrated the mansion without alerting anyone? And if Rongqiao was killed elsewhere, how was her body moved without leaving a trace?
Feeling a headache coming on, Xiaodu instructed his men, “Search the mansion thoroughly for any suspicious individuals and check the courtyard for any bloodied clothing. And make sure not to alarm the Marquis and Madam.”
After a while, the servants reported back, having found nothing. Xiaodu’s expression darkened further. He knew that if the culprit couldn’t be found, Yunniang would undoubtedly be the prime suspect. And her fragile body wouldn’t withstand any interrogation. Glancing at Yunniang, who had now recovered from her shock and sat staring blankly ahead, Xiaodu cursed inwardly: Not only did someone want Rongqiao dead, but they also intended to make Yunniang a scapegoat. If he found them, they wouldn’t escape lightly.
Suddenly, Xiaodu felt a soft hand on his shoulder and turned to see Yuanxi standing pale-faced behind him. He snapped at her, “Didn’t I say not to disturb the Madam?”
Yuanxi quickly explained, “It’s not their fault. I couldn’t sleep well and found it strange that there were lights on in the courtyard, so I came out to see what was happening.” She approached Rongqiao’s head, her eyes filling with tears at the sight of the lifeless body of someone who had been close to her just yesterday.
Until today, Yuanxi had never imagined Rongqiao betraying her. Though Rongqiao hadn’t been with her since childhood, she had always been loyal and capable, always ensuring everything was arranged properly and considering her needs. Yuanxi remembered Rongqiao’s tearful apology when she collapsed, sensing that there must have been some unavoidable reason behind her actions. But now, whatever Rongqiao wanted to tell her was buried with her death.
Xiaodu gently took Yuanxi’s shoulder, saying, “You’re not fully recovered yet. Go back to your room and rest. I’ll handle this.”
But Yuanxi shook her head, her face showing determination. “She was a maid in my room. I won’t let her die like this.” She crouched down, carefully examining Rongqiao’s head. After a while, she took a deep breath and said, “There are deep ligature marks on her forehead, indicating she was blindfolded for a long time. Her eyes bulging and tongue protruding suggest she was strangled. The wound is clean, indicating a sharp weapon was used. And the blood splatters suggest she was still alive when her throat was cut.” Her voice was soft but precise, leaving the servants dumbfounded and prompting Xiaodu to urge them to take note.
Yet, Yuanxi’s gaze remained fixed on the headless body. A puzzled expression crossed her face as she remarked, “The position in which she fell is odd as if she was suddenly attacked while on the move.” Xiaodu stared at her in confusion, not understanding her meaning. Yuanxi, too, was puzzled, furrowing her brow. Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her forehead, her body swaying, almost falling to the ground.
At this moment, before she could react, she felt herself being lifted off her feet and spun around. When she regained her senses, she found herself cradled in Xiaodu’s arms, his voice resolute from above, “No matter what happened, you’re going back to rest!”
Feeling embarrassed being held like this in front of so many people, Yuanxi buried her face in the fabric of his shirt, attempting to struggle out of his grasp. Xiaodu, feeling ticklish from her movements, couldn’t help but lower his head and softly growl, “Don’t move.” Yuanxi dared not move any further, allowing herself to be carried back to her room by him.
Gently laying her on the bed, Xiaodu carefully adjusted the porcelain pillow for her and straightened the thin blanket. Just as he was about to leave, Yuanxi silently observed everything he had done for her throughout the night, and suddenly, a surge of emotions overwhelmed her. Summoning courage, she reached out and grabbed his hand.
Feeling her soft skin against his palm, Xiaodu cursed himself for allowing his thoughts to wander at such a time. He turned his head, forcing a smile, “Get some rest. Surely, you don’t expect me to help you change clothes as well.”
Blushing, Yuanxi lowered her head and whispered, “I just wanted to say thank you. It’s been a long time since anyone has taken care of me like this.” Xiaodu looked at her, her eyes shy and her flushed face buried in her clothes. Suddenly, he felt an urge to hold her tightly in his arms, even…
But at that moment, the door swung open with a loud bang, and Lao Ma came in carrying a basin of hot water. Cheerfully, she greeted, “Sir, you haven’t washed up yet, have you? Don’t worry, everything in the room is ready for you. If you need anything, just let me and Anhe know.” She seemed determined to keep him here tonight.
Glancing at each other, Yuanxi and Xiaodu felt a sudden awkwardness. Xiaodu cleared his throat and said, “No need, there are still some matters to attend to. You don’t have to trouble yourself, Lao Ma.” Lao Ma stood there, holding the water, unable to hide her disappointment. Xiaodu couldn’t help but smile wryly before turning to Yuanxi, “You rest well. I… I’ll come by in a couple of days.” Seeing Lao Ma’s beaming smile as she escorted Xiaodu out, Yuanxi couldn’t help but pull the blanket over her head, pretending to be asleep.
Although exhausted, Yuanxi slept fitfully that night. She dreamed of Rongqiao, sometimes tearful and speaking to her, sometimes with a bloodied head, eyes staring accusingly at her. Finally, as dawn approached, she groggily opened her eyes, only to hear someone urgently shouting outside the door, “Madam, are you awake? The Marquis wants you in the flower hall immediately. He says it’s urgent.”
Yuanxi’s heart skipped a beat. If Xiaodu had insisted she rests yesterday, the sudden urgency of his summons must mean something significant had happened. Ignoring her dizziness, she hastily called Lao Ma to help her freshen up and hurriedly made her way to the flower hall…