The silk curtains were embroidered with mandarin ducks, the embroidered quilt was filled with incense, and the flickering flames on the dragon and phoenix candlesticks reflected a pair of gilded wedding cups on the table. Xia Yuanxi sat on the edge of the bed under a large red bridal canopy, feeling a blush creeping onto her cheeks at the thought of meeting her newlywed husband soon.
The sound of the hourglass urged on a long night, and a night breeze, seemingly from nowhere, blew over Yuanxi, sending a chill down her spine. She rubbed her stiff neck and began to feel that something was amiss: Tonight was supposed to be the grand wedding of the Marquis’ Mansion, with feasting and joyous celebrations, so why was it so quiet outside? Where had all the people of the Marquis’ Mansion gone?
Yuanxi involuntarily clenched the hem of her clothes, feeling increasingly anxious, and tried calling out to the people outside, but there was no response from the maids and servants who should have been outside the door. Yuanxi became even more restless, feeling increasingly uneasy. Just then, there was a click: the door opened.
Yuanxi’s heart raced wildly, forgetting all about the new bride’s restraint. She lifted the canopy cover and cautiously walked to the door to peer outside. However, the scene before her left her completely stunned: the courtyard was pitch black, the lanterns that should have been lit were swinging in the wind under the eaves, and there was no sign of any servants or guests. In the deep darkness, only the light from a room opposite could be seen.
Feeling anxious, Yuanxi hurriedly lifted her skirt and walked over to gently knock on the door. To her surprise, the door opened at the slightest touch. Peeking inside, she saw a woman sitting with her back to the door, dressed in bright red bridal attire, combing her hair in front of a bronze mirror. This scene was too eerie, and Yuanxi was frozen on the spot. When she looked at the mirror, she couldn’t help but gasp in horror… why couldn’t she see her face in the mirror?
At that moment, the woman seemed to chuckle softly, slowly putting down the peach wood comb in her hand. Yuanxi was so scared that her heart was about to leap out of her chest. She turned and ran outside desperately. When she finally rushed back into the room, she couldn’t help but shiver. This room was not the one she had been in before!
Then, she saw a pair of feet, adorned with large red embroidered shoes, enclosing delicate arches. These feet were exceptionally beautiful, but at this moment, they hung lifelessly in the air, swaying with the wind. Yuanxi dared not look up, trying hard to control her trembling body, and ran towards the door again. But no matter how many doors she pushed open, she could no longer leave this room, nor could she find her way back.
Finally, Yuanxi, exhausted, collapses on the ground, tears streaming down her face. But just as she’s about to lose hope, a glimmer of light appears before her. A figure clad in silver armor and a red cloak extends a hand towards her. She eagerly stands up, ready to take a step forward, only to find herself at the edge of an abyss.
Suddenly, she’s pushed from behind, falling backward. Her hair flies around her face and neck, making it hard to breathe. As she falls, she finally sees the person behind her. At that moment, she feels a chilling coldness throughout her body. She tries to call out a name, but no words come out.
Yuanxi sits up abruptly, her heart racing. She realizes she’s drenched in sweat. Her maid, Anhe, and Nanny Li rush in, alarmed by her cries. They help her change clothes and wipe her down. Anhe, unable to contain her emotions, exclaims angrily, “I can’t believe they’re marrying Miss Off to that infamous star from the capital! It’s no wonder she’s having nightmares.”
Nanny Li is startled and scolds Anhe, then cautiously looks out the window to make sure nobody’s listening. She reassures Yuanxi, “Don’t worry, Miss. It’s just a nightmare. Those rumors about the Marquis are exaggerated. He’s a hero, praised by the people.”
Anhe, still upset, holds Yuanxi’s hand and cries, “I’m just worried about Miss. She deserves better than this.” Nanny Li warns Anhe to watch her words and sends her out of the room. Then, she comforts Yuanxi, brushing her hair and speaking softly, “Don’t believe everything you hear, Miss. The Marquis is a good man. Those rumors are just lies.”
Since being betrothed, Yuanxi had heard this story countless times. She knew Nanny Li had gathered details to shield her from rumors and ease her mind about her impending marriage. Grateful but keeping a calm demeanor, she replied, “Whether it’s true or not, I’ll only know once I’m there. Nanny Li, don’t worry. There’s no use worrying about something that hasn’t happened yet. I understand that much.”
Nanny Li understood Yuanxi’s temperament well. Perhaps due to being neglected from a young age, Yuanxi rarely cared about outside matters. Nanny Li had initially thought if Yuanxi could marry a promising official and avoid palace intrigues, it might be for the best. But now, being unexpectedly bestowed as the mistress of the marquis’s mansion, she feared what lay ahead. Nanny Li sighed inwardly, uncertain if this was an honor or a misfortune for Yuanxi.
Unaware of Nanny Li’s thoughts, Yuanxi casually picked out an earring from her dressing table and asked, “What time is it now? My sisters invited me to Tingshang Court for tea yesterday. I can’t be late.”
At the mention of her sisters, Nanny Li couldn’t help but sneer, “Your sisters, they’ve never even spared you a glance before. Now that you’re the mistress of the marquis’s mansion, they suddenly want to get close to you.”
Yuanxi’s mood darkened briefly when she heard “father,” inexplicably reminded of the dream she had earlier. But she quickly recovered and said, “What’s the point of caring about what my sisters do? I’ll be leaving the mansion in a few days, and I might never see them again. If I have a chance to talk to them now, that’s good enough.” She frowned suddenly, feeling a bit disheartened. “But I rarely spend time with them. I don’t know what to say or do.”
Nanny Li still felt some resentment, but as a servant, she couldn’t openly criticize Yuanxi. She braided Yuanxi’s hair into double buns and adorned her with a white jade hairpin before accompanying her to Tingshang Court.
Tingshang Court was the residence of the noblewomen of the Prime Minister’s mansion. It had a lotus pond with flowing water from outside the walls, surrounded by flowers and willow trees. When the wind blew, the scent of flowers filled the air, and one could admire the clear stream in the pond. It was a favorite spot for the mansion’s young ladies to gather and chat over tea.
Yuanxi, being a daughter of a concubine and not favored by her father Xia Mingyuan, rarely spent time with these sisters and sisters-in-law. Sitting among them now, listening to conversations she couldn’t understand, she felt uncomfortable and out of place, her mind drifting, and her eyelids growing heavy.
At this moment, the group of girls gathered around to admire the jade bracelet on the wrist of the third miss, Yuan Ruo. Yuan Ruo had been engaged to the second son of the Duke of Dingguo since she was young, and the Duke’s residence often sent various jewelry items over. This bracelet was entirely flawless and green, clearly not an ordinary piece.
Yuan Ruo was beaming with pride, basking in the praise of the other girls. Suddenly, she caught sight of Yuan Xi sitting aside in a daze. She covered her mouth and chuckled, “It seems like Xi is even luckier. She’s about to become the Marquis’ wife.
Maybe she’ll give birth to a little marquis next year, and then she’ll only have to enjoy herself.” Yuan Xi was lost in thought, feeling everyone’s gaze on her, she suddenly felt extremely embarrassed. Without time to react, she could only bow her head slightly and softly respond with an “Um.”
The other girls thought she was just being coy. Yuan Qing, the second miss, glanced around and whispered, “But have you heard? The Marquis’ residence isn’t very clean. There have been many strange occurrences around Marquis Xuanyuan.” The girls gathered closer to listen as Yuan Qing continued, “One of my maids, Xuan’er, has a sister who served at the Marquis’ residence.
She witnessed Marquis Xuanyuan take in a concubine, who tragically died in the lake that very night. It’s said that she died horribly, with her tongue pulled out over a foot long as if she were killed by an evil spirit.” The girls gasped in shock, then collectively glanced at Yuan Xi, secretly anticipating her reaction. However, Yuan Xi didn’t show the fear they expected.
She furrowed her brows, pondered for a while, then said, “According to the books, the weight of a human tongue is about ten taels, with a length of seven inches. It can’t stretch to over a foot long. Unless the tongue was pulled out before death. But if it were pulled out and then thrown into the lake, the tongue would slip out of the mouth and float on the surface. So, I don’t think this story is credible.”
The girls exchanged puzzled glances. Out of the corner of their eyes, they saw crimson petals floating in the canal, for some reason, they found it difficult to continue eating the pastries on the table. Sensing the atmosphere had suddenly turned cold, Yuan Xi realized she might have said something wrong, so she lowered her head, not daring to say more.
The eldest sister-in-law, seeing the awkward situation, quickly chuckled and changed the subject, “I heard that Xi spends her days locked up in her room reading. I wonder what kind of books she reads.” Yuan Xi felt even more embarrassed, but she couldn’t remain silent. She whispered, “They’re not serious books, just some idle books about autopsies and investigations.”
The second miss pursed her lips, her tone tinged with mockery, “Xi’s interests are indeed extraordinary. I wonder what those books talk about. Why don’t you tell us and broaden our horizons, sisters?”
Seeing everyone’s attention on her, Yuan Xi finally found a topic she was good at. She began to describe in detail a case she had read about the previous day: how a vendor bled from all seven orifices and died a bloody death in the street, and how his skull was cut open to determine the cause of death. Perhaps she described it too vividly, as several of the sheltered young ladies were scared pale, and feeling nauseous. Unable to continue eating, they hastily dispersed.
Watching the sisters fleeing in disarray, Yuan Xi couldn’t help but sigh deeply, “I don’t know how to get along with people. I shouldn’t have stayed locked up in my room all day. What will happen when I enter the Marquis’ residence in the future?”
As she was deeply lost in thought, Yuan Xi suddenly saw a figure rushing towards her. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Baozhu, the maid beside her seventh aunt. Baozhu, panting heavily, grabbed her arm and said, “Miss, please come and help. Seventh aunt and the master are arguing, it seems to be about your marriage.” Yuan Xi was startled. She had lost her mother at a young age, and her father was very indifferent to her. Apart from her nanny and maids, the only person she was close to in the mansion was this seventh aunt.
The seventh aunt was originally from the servant quarters and had once given birth to a son who unfortunately died young. Since then, she has treated Yuan Xi as her own. If not for this aunt, Yuan Xi’s days in the Duke’s residence would have been even harder. But the seventh aunt had a humble background and no family to rely on. If she offended her father for this matter, she might lose her place in the mansion even more after she got married. Thinking of this, she quickly lifted her skirt and ran towards the main courtyard where her father was.
Perhaps because of her anxiety, as soon as she reached outside the study, Yuan Xi tripped over the root of a silver maple tree and fell to the ground. A piercing pain shot through her calf, making her sit by the window for a long time without being able to get up. At this moment, she heard the faint cries of the seventh aunt from inside the room, “She is your daughter after all, how could you bear to…”
“Slap!” A heavy slap interrupted the seventh aunt’s crying, followed by her father’s angry voice, “Remember your identity! You should know what to say and what not to say without me teaching you!”
Yuan Xi quickly got up and leaned against the tree trunk to look into the window, only to see the seventh aunt covering her face and crying incessantly, while her father glared at her with anger. She had never seen her father so furious before, and she became even more worried for the seventh aunt. She wished she could rush in and persuade her to stop confronting her father, especially since the decree from the emperor had been issued. However, her leg wound was still bleeding, and Yuan Xi found it unbearable to move forward. At this moment, the seventh aunt pushed open the door and rushed out. Hindered by her leg injury, Yuan Xi couldn’t catch up, so she reluctantly turned her head to look into the room, hesitating whether she should go in and plead with her father for the seventh aunt.
Suddenly, she was surprised to see another person walking out from behind the screen. The person was wrapped in a jade-colored silk cloak from head to toe, seemingly not wanting to reveal their true appearance. Yuan Xi could tell that the person had a slender waist and narrow hips, indicating a woman’s figure. She also noticed a pair of fair and tender hands emerging from the wide sleeves, suggesting that the owner of these hands must have been well-cared-for and paid attention to skin care. Upon closer inspection, she noticed faint indentations on the fingers, presumably marks left by wearing armor.
Yuan Xi was puzzled. Why would such a woman hide in her father’s room? Her demeanor and status indicated that she was not a newly taken-in concubine. Watching the two people inside talking in low voices, Yuan Xi leaned closer to the window but couldn’t hear clearly. She only felt that her father seemed to be treating the person with some respect. After a while, her father escorted the person out, and Yuan Xi quickly squatted down and hid in the bushes, trying hard to get a clear look at the woman’s face. However, at that moment, her father suddenly turned around and shouted, “Who’s there?!”