In the night, a man’s desperate scream startled the birds resting in the treetops, causing them to flap their wings and fly over rows of tiled roofs before landing on the pink walls, staring fixedly at the moonlit cobblestone road.
Soon, footsteps began to appear on the road, and the shadows of lanterns swayed back and forth, accompanied by noisy discussions. Drawn by the desperate scream, servants and attendants rushed to the lakeside, only to see Zhang Jin, the accountant, falling into the lake, struggling frantically in the water. Others found it strange because Zhang Jin was not afraid of water, and the shore was not far away, so why didn’t he swim back on his own?
But at that moment of bewilderment, the person floating on the lake, seemingly devoid of strength to struggle, started to roll his eyes and sink. Alarmed, the others hurriedly rushed over and pulled him out of the water.
Zhang Jin, soaking wet, was helped onto the shore, lying on the ground gasping for breath, his eyes wide open, staring fixedly upward, as if his soul had been drained out of him and he couldn’t respond to anyone’s inquiries. At that moment, a stewardess approached, and Zhang Jin, catching sight of a pair of embroidered shoes beside him, screamed in terror, scrambling to his feet and running away from the crowd as if he were fleeing from a ghost.
The next day, two rumors spread within the Marquis’s Mansion. First, Zhang Jin confessed to having an affair with Zhuier, blaming the second young master for the incident. During their discussion by the lake, he accidentally pushed her into the water. Second, Zhuier’s vengeful spirit returned to the mansion seeking revenge. She appeared last night and frightened Zhang Jin into madness, causing him to fall into the lake in extreme fear, unable to climb ashore.
The suspicion of ghostly apparitions in the mansion remained unresolved, and now there was the added story of Zhuier’s vengeful spirit seeking revenge. For a while, the servants of the mansion were in a state of panic, fearing that the spirit might still be lingering in the mansion seeking vengeance. But constrained by the authority of their masters, no one dared to openly discuss it, only secretly carrying talismans for protection, hoping not to encounter such misfortune themselves.
These rumors quickly reached Yuanxi’s ears, but she didn’t take them to heart. The so-called ghosts and spirits in this world were mostly the creations of deceitful individuals. Ultimately, it was just people’s guilty conscience at work. What she was most concerned about was the impending visit of the Princess Consort Qingwang to the mansion. As the consort of a prince, and a close friend of the princess, any mishap during her stay would be difficult to explain to both the palace and her mother-in-law.
Fortunately, during her confinement, Cai Yiniang had already arranged all the construction matters for her, and the Qixia Courtyard was now beautifully adorned with flowers and greenery, exuding an exquisite and luxurious atmosphere befitting the status of a prince’s consort.
So, while she was recuperating, Yuanxi immersed herself in reading various books and discussing arrangements with Zhou Jingyuan. She ensured that everything was perfectly prepared for the princess consort’s arrival, relieving the tension in her nerves slightly.
At this time, Xiaodu sent someone to invite her to go out to the countryside for a leisurely outing. Yuanxi thought that her leg injury had healed, and it was a good opportunity to relax, so she readily agreed.
On the day of the outing, Yuanxi was waiting by the carriage with Anhe and the others when she saw Xiaodu dressed in a splendid red outfit, adorned with golden accessories, a jade crown on his head, and a sash with various ornaments around his waist, making a tinkling sound as he walked.
Since their wedding day, Yuanxi had never seen him dressed so extravagantly. She blinked her eyes, wondering if the servant had relayed the wrong message and if they were going to attend some important banquet today.
Seeing her standing there dumbfounded, Xiaodu couldn’t help but turn his head and whisper to his attendant Xiaochun, “Are you sure she’ll like me dressed like this?”
Xiaochun hurriedly stepped forward and smiled, “Master, rest assured. It’s said that men are fond of beauty, and what woman wouldn’t be captivated by such elegance? Your attire today exudes charm and extraordinary grace. It’s guaranteed to surprise Madam.”
Xiaodu raised an eyebrow suspiciously at him. He knew Xiaochun was often surrounded by maids and servant girls, and they always seemed to be fawning over him. While he was well-versed in military tactics, figuring out how to win a woman’s heart and make her willingly follow him was a daunting task.
Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but feel self-reproachful. As a Marquis, why was he lacking in confidence like this? But he knew deep down that although Yuanxi had pledged her loyalty to him, it was only because he was her husband. How much space he occupied in her heart was something he couldn’t quite grasp, and his heart remained unsettled.
So he meticulously arranged this outing, hoping to have her all to himself now that her leg was healed. He knew she didn’t like staying in the mansion, always on edge like a taut string. Only when they were in the countryside that day, sitting by the river watching them catch fish, did she smile so contentedly, like a spring flower blooming freely in the wind?
Thinking that everything had been arranged properly and only awaited success tonight, Xiaodu couldn’t help but smirk. So, he straightened his chest, curved his lips into a suitable arc, and walked toward her with a dashing posture. Yuanxi found it even more strange now, feeling that something was off about him today. Lost in thought, Xiaodu had already reached her. Yuanxi timidly curved her lips and softly asked, “Are we going to a banquet today? Do I need to change into different clothes?”
Xiaodu’s smile froze on his face, and he shot a fierce glare at Xiaochun behind him. He shook his head with a stiff expression, hiding his embarrassment, and quickly took Yuanxi’s hand, leading her onto the carriage.
As the carriage rattled along, Yuanxi leaned against the cushion, continuously scrutinizing Xiaodu beside her. Xiaodu felt uncomfortable under her gaze and nervously asked, “What’s wrong? Do I not look good dressed like this?”
“It’s not that.” Yuanxi tugged at the various accessories on his body curiously and said, “But you usually don’t like wearing these things. Is today a special occasion?”
Xiaodu suddenly felt a bit aggrieved and murmured, “Isn’t it a special occasion when we rarely go out together?”
Only then did Yuanxi understand why he was dressed like a peacock displaying its feathers today? Unable to hold back, she burst into laughter. Xiaodu had risen early today and patiently allowed Xiaochun to fuss over his appearance from head to toe. However, he didn’t receive the astonished reaction he had expected from her; instead, he became the subject of ridicule. He cursed Xiaochun a thousand times in his heart and vowed to send him to clean the latrines upon their return to the mansion.
After laughing for a while, Yuanxi saw his increasingly dark expression and knew that all his efforts were for her. Feeling a hint of sweetness in her heart, she leaned close to his ear, blushing, and said softly, “You don’t need to dress up. You’re naturally the most handsome in my heart.”
Her voice was soft and tender like a cat’s claws gently scratching at his heart. Xiaodu suddenly felt all the previous irritability dissipate, and he couldn’t help but curl up his lips even more. Lowering his head, he saw her leaning shyly against his chest, a charming and bashful look on her face. His heart couldn’t help but sway, and he pressed her down, fiercely kissing her.
Little did he know that before he could savor the taste, the person in his arms began to squirm uncomfortably. Yuanxi, her face red, struggled out of his embrace, embarrassedly saying, “Your jade… is poking me.” Xiaodu’s expression changed, wishing he could drag Xiaochun in right now and give him a good beating to vent his anger.
At that moment, Xiaochun was sitting smugly in another carriage, flirting and joking with a maid. Suddenly, he sneezed violently, feeling as though a cold wind was blowing from ahead. He shuddered deeply with a sense of foreboding.
As the carriage arrived at the riverside, the group boarded a boat to cross the river, preparing to walk through the reed marshes to reach the countryside estate. Little did they know that heavy rain the day before had turned the reed marshes into swamps, making it extremely difficult to walk. Xiaodu’s accessories kept getting caught on the overgrown reeds, and his face was already blackened. Xiaochun, behind him, was so scared that he didn’t dare to breathe, almost being killed by Xiaodu’s menacing gaze.
After Xiaodu finished glaring at the perpetrator, he turned his head and found Yuanxi struggling to walk forward with Anhe’s assistance. Her soft shoes were sinking into the muddy ground with every step. So, he lifted the hem of his robe and reached out to her, saying, “Come here, I’ll carry you.”
Yuanxi was about to refuse, but she saw him squatting down with an unyielding attitude. The maids and servants beside them deliberately turned their heads away, hiding their laughter. Yuanxi blushed slightly but obediently took his hand, allowing him to lift her onto his back.
Straightening up, Xiaodu walked forward, Yuanxi leaned against his broad back, and they made their way through the waist-high reeds together, with geese flying overhead against the vast sky.
Finally, the group arrived at the countryside estate. The new steward, Han Yun, was startled by their bedraggled appearance and quickly called for servants to fetch hot water. The maids and servants attended to the two of them, helping them wash and change.
After changing into a fresh set of clothes, Xiaodu came out but didn’t see Yuanxi. Just as he was about to look around, he saw Xiaochun sneaking over with a sly smile. “Madam has gone to the kitchen,” he said, “She said she wanted to personally cook a dish for you. Just wait here and get ready to taste Madam’s cooking.”
Xiaodu suppressed the excitement in his heart, glared at Xiaochun with a stern face, and said, “Mind your own business! Stand aside for now. We’ll settle our accounts later.”
Xiaochun knew he had caused trouble and thought he was being clever by delivering a message, but he ended up with no fun. He could only stand aside with a sullen face, waiting for his punishment.
In the small kitchen, servants bustled around amid the cooking smoke. Soon, the table was filled with dishes, and the final dish was brought out by Lǐ Mómo, who smiled and said, “This dish is specially made by Madam for Master.”
Xiaodu looked up at Yuanxi, who was standing nervously behind him, her face flushed and her clothes twisted in her hands. He felt a warm sensation in his heart and asked with a smile, “What dish is this?”
Lǐ Mómo turned to look at Yuanxi, winked at her, and began to introduce, “This is a famous dish from our hometown called Fresh Fish Soup. It’s made with fish lips and lamb leg meat, using our ancestral method to remove the fishy smell and create a fresh taste. Madam has secretly learned it from me for a long time and specially prepared it today.”
She spoke with enthusiasm, unaware that Xiaodu’s expression had changed subtly. Xiaochun, behind him, stepped forward anxiously and said, “But Master…”
At this moment, Xiaodu raised his hand to interrupt him, still smiling at Yuanxi, “Since Madam made it herself, I must taste it properly.”
Yuanxi stood nervously aside, watching him take a bite. A satisfied smile appeared on his face, which relieved her, so she sat down and began to eat with him. However, Xiaodu’s expression became more and more strained after a few bites. After a while, he put down his chopsticks, said he was full, and hurriedly walked towards the back of the house.
Yuanxi found his behavior very strange. Xiaochun, who was already worried, approached her and said, “Madam, don’t you know that Master doesn’t eat red meat?”
Yuanxi was startled. She had only been in the mansion for less than a year, and there had been so many chaotic events. She and Xiaodu rarely dined together, and she only now remembered that there was indeed no red meat at family banquets. But she wasn’t particular about food and assumed it was because the chefs in the mansion didn’t like cooking red meat. It wasn’t until today that she learned the reason, and she immediately felt anxious and ashamed. She quickly gathered her skirts and chased after him.