In the darkness, a man’s piercing scream startled the birds roosting in the treetops. They flapped their wings and swept over rows of glazed tile roofs before settling on pink walls, staring intently at the moonlit bluestone path below.

Soon, many footsteps began appearing on the road, lantern shadows constantly swaying, mixed with noisy discussions. The servants and maids drawn by the scream ran all the way to the lakeside, only to see Zhang Jin from the accounting office somehow fallen into the lake. At this moment, he was staring in terror, struggling hysterically in the water. The others found it strange – Zhang Jin normally wasn’t afraid of water, and since he was not far from shore, why couldn’t he swim back himself?

But just as they stood there in confusion, the bobbing head on the lake surface seemed to lose even the strength to struggle and began rolling his eyes back as he sank down. The others dared not delay any longer and rushed over in a panic to fish him out.

Zhang Jin was pulled ashore completely soaked, lying on the ground gasping heavily, his eyes wide open staring straight up, as if his entire soul had been drained. He wouldn’t answer anyone’s questions. At this moment, a stewardess walked forward. Zhang Jin caught sight of a pair of embroidered shoes standing beside him and was immediately frightened into screaming madly. He scrambled up, pushed through the crowd and ran wildly forward, as if evil spirits were pursuing him step by step…

The next day, two pieces of news spread throughout the Marquis’s mansion. The first was that Zhang Jin personally admitted he had an affair with Zhui’er, failed to frame the Second Young Master, and when Zhui’er came to discuss matters with him, he accidentally pushed her into the lake. The second was that Zhui’er had actually returned as a vengeful spirit to the mansion seeking revenge. Last night she had personally appeared, frightening Zhang Jin into madness, and in his extreme terror he fell into the lake water, where she entangled him so he couldn’t reach shore.

The previous mystery of ghostly faces appearing in the mansion remained unsolved, and now this matter of Zhui’er’s wronged spirit claiming lives was added. For a time, the servants in the mansion were in panic, wondering whether that vengeful spirit was still in the mansion seeking revenge and harming people. But constrained by their masters’ authority, no one dared discuss it openly. They secretly carried ghost-repelling and evil-avoiding talismans on their bodies, privately hoping they wouldn’t be so unlucky as to encounter it themselves.

The rumors quickly reached Yuanxi’s ears, but she didn’t take them to heart. In this world, so-called supernatural talk, when investigated, was mostly just people playing tricks and deceiving others. In the end, it was nothing more than people having ghosts in their own hearts. What she was most concerned about was Princess Qing arriving to stay at the mansion in three days. When a prince’s consort entered the capital, especially as the Princess’s close friend, if anything went wrong, it would be hard to explain to either the palace or her mother-in-law.

Fortunately, during her confinement, Concubine Cai had arranged all the construction matters for her, renovating Qixia Courtyard with flourishing flowers and trees, exquisite and luxurious, befitting the status of a prince’s consort.

She took advantage of her recovery time to study many classics and consulted with Zhou Jingyuan before arranging every detail of the welcoming ceremony, procession, and purchases for the Princess’s arrival. Only then did she slightly relax her tense nerves.

Just then, Xiao Du sent word that he wanted to take her to visit the farm. Thinking that her leg injury had healed and this would be a good time to clear her mind, Yuanxi gladly agreed.

On the day of departure, Yuanxi was waiting by the carriage with An’he and the others when she saw Xiao Du dressed in a bright red silk robe with butterfly patterns, golden belt plaques and rhinoceros horn golden hooks, wearing a mutton-fat jade crown and palace silk accessories at his waist that jingled as he walked.

Since their wedding day, Yuanxi had never seen him dressed so magnificently. She blinked, suspecting that the servant had misdelivered the message and today they weren’t going to the farm but attending some important banquet.

Seeing her standing there in a daze, Xiao Du couldn’t help but lean over and whisper to his attendant Xiao Chun beside him: “Are you sure she’ll like me dressed like this?”

Xiao Chun quickly approached with a smile: “My lord, please don’t worry. They say men love beauty, but don’t women love handsome men too? Your lordship is truly elegant and extraordinarily handsome in this outfit – no woman wouldn’t love it. I guarantee you’ll give Madam a surprise today.”

Xiao Du frowned slightly and muttered: “But her expression doesn’t look like surprise.”

Xiao Chun coughed lightly: “Madam is just being shy. Don’t worry, my lord – women always say the opposite of what they mean. They’re dying of love inside but can’t show it on their faces. Just listen to me and you can’t go wrong.”

Xiao Du looked at him suspiciously. He had only consulted him because he’d seen Xiao Chun frequently mingling with the maids, always attracting them to gather around him, so he’d swallowed his pride to ask for advice. He was proficient in military strategy and formations, but how to win a woman’s heart and make her willingly follow him was truly a difficult subject for him.

Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but feel annoyed with himself. When had he, the mighty Marquis Xuanyuan, ever been so unconfident? But he knew all too well that though she had made such vows to him, it was only because he was her husband. How much space he actually occupied in her heart, he could never be sure, leaving his heart constantly unsettled.

So he had carefully arranged this outing. Having finally waited for her leg to heal, he had to possess her completely to feel at peace. He knew she didn’t like the mansion and was always tense there, rarely smiling freely. Only that day at the farm, when she sat by the river watching them catch fish, had she smiled so contentedly, like a spring flower blooming freely in the wind.

Thinking that he had planned everything perfectly and was just waiting for tonight’s success, Xiao Du couldn’t help but smile secretly. He straightened his chest, curved his lips into the appropriate arc, and put on a dashing pose as he walked toward her. Yuanxi found it increasingly strange, feeling something was off about him today. While she was lost in thought, Xiao Du had already reached her. Yuanxi timidly curved her lips and asked softly: “Are we attending a banquet first today? Should I go change clothes?”

Xiao Du’s smile froze on his face as he glared fiercely at Xiao Chun behind him. With a stern expression, he shook his head, concealing his embarrassment, and quickly pulled Yuanxi’s hand to board the carriage.

The carriage clattered along. Yuanxi leaned against the silk cushions, constantly looking Xiao Du up and down. Feeling uncomfortable under her gaze, Xiao Du asked defensively: “What’s wrong? Don’t I look good dressed like this?”

“It’s not that you don’t look good.” Yuanxi fingered a string of his accessories curiously: “But you usually don’t like wearing these things. Is today some special occasion?”

Xiao Du immediately felt somewhat wronged and said plaintively: “Isn’t our rare outing together a special occasion?”

Only then did Yuanxi understand why he was dressed like a peacock showing off today. She couldn’t help but cover her mouth and laugh heartily. Xiao Du had gotten up early today, patiently letting Xiao Chun fuss over him from head to toe. Instead of seeing her amazed expression, he only got ridiculed. He cursed Xiao Chun thousands of times in his heart, vowing to assign him to clean the latrines when they returned.

After laughing for a while, seeing his face growing darker, Yuanxi knew his efforts were all for her sake. Warmth filled her heart as she leaned close to his ear and said with a blush: “You don’t need to dress up – you’re naturally the most handsome in my heart.”

Her voice was soft and sweet, gently scratching at his heart like a cat’s paw. Xiao Du felt his previous irritation completely swept away, unable to suppress the smile spreading across his face. Looking down to see her leaning shyly in his arms with a coquettish expression, his heart stirred. He pressed her down and kissed her fiercely.

But before he could savor the taste, the person in his arms began squirming uncomfortably. Yuanxi blushed and struggled up from his embrace, saying awkwardly: “Your jade… is poking me.” Xiao Du’s expression changed, wishing he could drag Xiao Chun in right now and give him dozens of lashes.

Meanwhile, Xiao Chun was sitting contentedly in another carriage, flirting with a maid. Suddenly, he sneezed several times and felt a cold wind blowing from ahead, making him shiver deeply.

When the carriage reached the riverbank, the group crossed by boat, planning to pass through the reed marsh to reach the farm. But the farm had been hit by a torrential rain yesterday, turning the reed marsh into a swamp. The muddy ground underfoot made walking extremely difficult. Xiao Du’s accessories kept getting caught on the horizontal reeds, his face already black with anger. Xiao Chun behind him was so frightened he didn’t dare breathe, nearly killed by Xiao Du’s glares.

After glaring fiercely at the instigator, Xiao Du turned to see Yuanxi lifting her skirt hem, struggling forward with An’he’s support, her soft shoes sinking deep into the mud with each step. He tied up his hem and reached out to her: “Come here, I’ll carry you.”

Yuanxi was about to refuse when she saw he had already crouched down with an non-negotiable attitude. The maids and servants carrying boxes deliberately turned their heads away, though their lips bore suppressed smiles. Yuanxi’s face reddened slightly, but she obediently took his hand and let him carry her.

Xiao Du straightened and walked forward. Yuanxi turned her face, leaning against his solid back as he carried her through the waist-high reeds. In the distance were high skies and broad clouds with geese flying in pairs.

The group finally reached the farm. The new steward Han Yun was quite startled to see them in such a disheveled state and quickly had the servant women bring hot water for the maids and servants to help the couple wash and change clothes.

After Xiao Du changed and came out, he didn’t see Yuanxi. Just as he was about to look around, he saw Xiao Chun approaching with a sly smile: “Madam went to the kitchen, saying she wants to personally cook a dish for you. Just wait here and prepare to taste Madam’s cooking.”

Xiao Du suppressed his excitement, glaring at him coldly: “Mind your own business! Stand aside properly – we’ll settle today’s accounts later.”

Knowing he had caused trouble, Xiao Chun had hoped to curry favor by reporting this news, but only earned another snub. He could only stand aside sullenly, waiting glumly for his punishment.

Cooking smoke rose from the small farmhouse as servant women bustled about. Dishes were quickly arranged on the table, with the final dish brought out by Nanny Li, who smiled: “This dish was specially made by Madam for the Marquis.”

Xiao Du looked up at Yuanxi standing behind, her face flushed red from the heat but nervously wringing her clothes. Warmth filled his heart as he smiled and asked: “What dish is this?”

Nanny Li turned to Yuanxi, winked at her, and began introducing: “This is a famous dish from my hometown called Fresh Fish Soup. It uses fish mouth and mutton leg, cooked with an ancestral method that perfectly removes both the gamey and fishy tastes, creating the character for ‘fresh.’ Madam secretly learned this from me for a long time and specially prepared it today.”

Speaking enthusiastically, she didn’t notice Xiao Du’s face had secretly changed. Xiao Chun behind him anxiously stepped forward: “But the Marquis he…”

Xiao Du interrupted him with a raised hand, still smiling at Yuanxi: “Since Madam specially made it, I naturally must taste it properly.”

Yuanxi stood anxiously to the side. Seeing him take a bite with a satisfied smile, she relaxed and sat down to eat with him. But after Xiao Du ate several bites, his expression became increasingly strained. After a while, he put down his chopsticks, said he was full, and hurried toward the back of the house.

Yuanxi found his behavior very strange. Xiao Chun came forward sympathetically: “Didn’t Madam know that the Marquis doesn’t eat red meat?”

Yuanxi was startled. Having been in the mansion less than a year with so many chaotic events, she had dined with Xiao Du only a handful of times. Only now did she remember that family banquets indeed had no red meat. But she had never been particular about food, thinking perhaps the mansion’s cooks simply didn’t like preparing red meat. Only today did she learn the reason. Feeling both anxious and ashamed, she immediately lifted her skirt and chased after him.