After the bowing ceremony was complete, the newlyweds were led by the wedding attendants into the bridal tent.

The noble ladies, who had long been curious about this consort said to rival the legendary beauty Pan An, all found excuses to linger in the tent, eagerly awaiting the couple’s arrival.

When the newlyweds entered, no one paid much attention to the bride at all—instead, everyone’s eyes turned to the groom in his magnificent attire. At a glance, they all silently marveled: this new consort had strikingly handsome features, eyes so dark they seemed like a still, deep spring, a straight, firm nose bridge, and lips thin yet flushed and moist—every feature exquisitely refined.

Several of the women looking on even forgot to look away, marveling or sighing inwardly—no wonder Princess Kangping had set her heart on marrying a man so devastatingly handsome.

Yet though the consort cooperated fully with the wedding attendants and went through all the required rituals with Kangping in perfect form, his face showed none of the eagerness or joy typical of a new groom.

Pei Min and the others, watching this, couldn’t help but recall the scene at Qin Yao’s own wedding. Though the young lord of Prince Lan’s house had also been stern-faced and reserved, the joy in his eyes had been impossible to miss—a world apart from the utter blankness on Feng Boyu’s face now.

When it came time to recite the poem to lift the fan, Feng Boyu answered fluently, his literary talent on full display, stirring up the competitive spirit of the women present, who wished to test this top scholar a bit more thoroughly. But Princess Kangping herself couldn’t hold out—by the time Feng Boyu had recited the fourth poem, she hastily lowered her fan, as though afraid he might give up halfway. Everyone was first stunned, then burst into laughter.

Once the fan was lowered, Qin Yao, as the bride’s sister-in-law, offered her congratulations to the new couple with a smile, the usual blessings of lasting happiness and an early child.

Hearing this, Kangping naturally beamed with delight, but Feng Boyu remained unusually silent, only bowing his head toward Qin Yao to murmur his thanks, never once looking up at her.

After they finished the cup-sharing wine, Feng Boyu went to the front courtyard to attend to the male guests, while Qin Yao and the others stayed in the tent for a while watching performers entertain Kangping, then moved to the reception hall to help host the female guests.

Worried about Liu Bingyu, once most of the guests had dispersed, Qin Yao said to Wang Yingning and Pei Min, “Let’s go to Minister Liu’s residence to check on A’Yu.”

She also sent word ahead to Lin Xiao.

The three of them came out, and as Wang Yingning and Pei Min went to use the washroom, Qin Yao waited with Cai Ping and the others at the entrance to the inner courtyard. Suddenly she spotted a group of young gentlemen approaching from a distance, one of whom resembled her brother. She quickly sent Cai Ping to confirm.

It was indeed Qu Ziyu.

Seeing Qin Yao, Qu Ziyu said a few words to his companions, then walked over to her. “Why are you standing here? Are you heading home? Where’s the young lord?”

Qin Yao knew her brother had been busy all day helping host guests for Feng Boyu’s wedding. Noticing a slight flush of wine on his face, she said, “One of my classmates fell ill—it came on too suddenly, and I’m worried. I’m planning to go check on her shortly.”

Qu Ziyu paused, then asked hurriedly, “Which of your classmates is ill?”

Hearing the concern in her brother’s voice, Qin Yao thought it odd and said, “It’s—”

But her brother’s gaze had already fixed on something behind her.

She followed his line of sight and turned to see Wang Yingning and Pei Min just then walking out from inside. She felt a flicker of surprise, and the vague feeling she’d had earlier grew stronger.

The two women approached. Pei Min had seen Qu Ziyu several times before at the academy gates and recognized him as Qin Yao’s brother, so she greeted him politely. “Greetings, Brother Qu.”

Wang Yingning only gave a silent bow, saying nothing, a faint blush rising on her cheeks.

Qu Ziyu had already composed himself, returning the bow with lowered eyes. “Greetings to you both, ladies.”

His tone and manner were exactly as usual—still the same gentle, refined Young Master Qu.

Because she was paying closer attention, Qin Yao secretly observed her brother and noticed that although he was clearly trying to appear unaffected, his hand trembled slightly. The earlier suspicion solidified further in her mind; if Wang Yingning and Pei Min hadn’t been there, she would have liked nothing more than to press her brother for an explanation right then and there.

Just then, another voice called out, “Fourth Sister.”

Qin Yao looked over to see a man with a square, broad face, his skin unusually dark, his features otherwise regular—it was Wang Yingning’s older brother, Wang Yikun.

He was a close friend of her brother’s; back when Yaoniang had had her eyes gouged out and Wenniang had been falsely accused of being the culprit, he had later entered government service alongside her brother, and now they worked together at the Hanlin Academy.

Wang Yingning responded, “Second Brother.”

Wang Yikun also greeted Qin Yao politely. “Young Lady Consort.”

He used to call her “Sister Qu”; now the title had to change.

Qin Yao smiled. “Greetings, Brother Wang.”

Wang Yikun also greeted Pei Min, with the same thorough courtesy.

Qin Yao knew the Wang family had always maintained a clean, upright reputation. Whether it was Wang Yingning or Wang Yikun, both conducted themselves with proper restraint and warmth in their dealings with others, always considerate, entirely free of the haughty distance so common among the great noble clans.

Once the pleasantries were finished, Wang Yikun said to Wang Yingning with a smile, “Fourth Sister, it’s getting late. Let your second brother escort you and Miss Pei back to the academy.”

Wang Yingning said gently, “I’m going with A’Yao and the others to visit Sister Liu. Prince Lan’s carriage will take us back to the academy afterward, so don’t worry, Brother.”

Wang Yikun nodded, glancing at Qu Ziyu. “In that case, then, Wenyuan and I will escort you all to Minister Liu’s residence.”

The group came outside, where Lin Xiao was already waiting outside the gate. Having had quite a bit to drink at the banquet, his eyes were unusually bright, his face faintly flushed, though since he had always been a man of self-restraint, it wasn’t obvious.

Seeing his elder brother-in-law, Lin Xiao sobered up a bit, dismounted, and said, “Elder Brother.”

Seeing how attentive Lin Xiao was to his sister’s affairs—even accompanying her to visit a sick classmate—Qu Ziyu felt his spirits lift considerably.

The group arrived at the Liu residence, where Qu Ziyu and Wang Yikun took their leave.

Qin Yao was discussing with Wang Yingning and Pei Min about having a servant send word ahead to Liu Bingyu, when the Liu household’s servants, upon seeing Lin Xiao, immediately hurried off to inform Liu Zan.

Liu Zan was supposed to be at the consort’s residence that night celebrating the wedding, but because Liu Bingyu’s illness was so strangely severe, he had been too anxious to attend and had stayed home instead.

Hearing that Lin Xiao had arrived, Liu Zan immediately came out to greet him with several other gentlemen.

Qin Yao and the others were led by Madam Liu to Liu Bingyu’s bedchamber.

Along the way, Qin Yao asked Madam Liu carefully about Liu Bingyu’s condition. Madam Liu, brows knit with worry, said with tears welling up, “By the time her father and I got word, she’d already been sick at the academy for two days. We didn’t dare delay and brought her straight home. In the days since, her complexion has worsened day by day, her appetite poor, listless about eating—not at all like her usual self, always thinking about food. When we ask her what’s wrong, she can’t say. She just says she has no strength. We’ve had the imperial physicians examine her several times, and they all say it’s just a cold. We’ve given her several prescriptions, but nothing’s helped. Today she couldn’t even get out of bed.”

Qin Yao frowned and asked further whether there was any difference between Liu Bingyu’s condition during the day and at night. The moment she stepped into Liu Bingyu’s courtyard, she felt a wave of cold, malevolent energy wash over her—heavy enough that even Wang Yingning and Pei Min noticed it, both shivering at once.

Qin Yao opened her spiritual sight and scanned the area, finding the courtyard itself clean, with no demonic presence in sight—the cold, malevolent energy was emanating from a side room to the east.

Unaware of Qin Yao’s actions, Madam Liu simply led them toward the room, saying, “These past two nights she’s had nothing but nightmares, barely sleeping at all. She seems quiet right now—maybe she’s finally asleep.”

Before she finished speaking, the door to the room suddenly creaked open on its own.

The sound, coming so abruptly in the quiet night, was eerie enough to startle both Pei Min and Wang Yingning.

Just then, two maidservants came rushing out in a panic, their faces full of terror. Seeing Madam Liu, they were startled in turn, and cried out, “Madam, the young lady—the young lady’s complexion keeps getting more frightening, and there are strange noises in the room—could she be possessed by something evil?”

Madam Liu’s brows shot up in anger. “What nonsense is this? Instead of properly attending to the young lady, you spout this talk of ghosts and demons! Can’t you see we have guests? Go fetch tea at once!”

The two maids, trembling, hurried off to comply.

Qin Yao saw it clearly—behind the two maids, the malevolent energy inside the room had grown to its peak; just standing nearby, she felt a bone-deep chill.

She didn’t dare delay any further and followed quickly behind Madam Liu into the room.

Passing through the outer chamber, they entered the inner room, where Liu Bingyu, having already heard the commotion, was struggling to sit up in bed.

When Qin Yao and the others got a clear look at Liu Bingyu’s face, they were all shocked.

Liu Bingyu had always had a hearty appetite and slept well, her complexion the rosiest and most radiant of anyone’s, but now her face seemed coated in a dull gray pallor, her once-full cheeks sunken and hollow, with dark, blackish circles beneath her eyes that looked worse than a corpse’s, her lips dry and cracked yet strangely, unnaturally red—an indescribably eerie sight.

Liu Bingyu seemed to be carrying an immense weight on her shoulders, and it took her a long while before she managed to sit up in bed, forcing her eyes open to look ahead, barely managing to recognize the figure in front as Qin Yao. Weakly, she lifted her arm. “A’Yao, I’m going to die!”

Her tone could not have sounded more pitiful, though fortunately her mind still remained clear.

Qin Yao’s gaze fell on the face of a child of about three years old, pressed against Liu Bingyu’s cheek—the child’s thin arms, an ashen gray, draped over Liu Bingyu’s shoulders, its long red tongue extended, licking at her cheek. Seeing Qin Yao looking at it, it gave an innocently puzzled look back, apparently not expecting Qin Yao to be able to see it at all.

Qin Yao sneered coldly—just a night-wailing ghost, though one with no small amount of cultivation.

Liu Bingyu’s vital energy had already been drained more than halfway; within seven days, she would surely die.

A surge of killing intent rose in Qin Yao. Without another word, she flung out a talisman and shouted, “Die!”

The little ghost let out a low, chittering laugh, baring a mouth full of sharp teeth, and lunged straight at Qin Yao.