On the colorful opera stage, the curtain had just fallen, the lingering melody still echoing, with festive atmosphere remaining in the air.

The large red happiness character pasted on the side room door was lifted by the wind at one corner, continuously making rustling sounds. Through the wide open door, one could see a red wood carved flower bed, on which lay a beautiful woman dressed as a maid. Unfortunately, her large almond eyes stared lifelessly, her exquisite dress torn to tatters, her face and body covered with wounds, bright red blood flowing from the back of her head, staining the brocade quilt beneath her red as well.

Xiao Du’s expression was very ugly. Anyone discovering a murder in their mansion during their wedding night would not look pleased. When he discovered that the disheveled, bewildered person sitting beside the corpse was actually his cousin, General Zheng Long of the Xiao family army’s martial guard, his face darkened several shades more.

At this moment, a chaotic crowd surrounded the doorway—some covering their eyes in alarm, some boldly peering in, some shouting to report to the authorities. Xiao Du clenched his fists tightly, nails digging deep into his palms, finally calming himself. He quickly found Chief Steward Zhou Jingyuan in the crowd and demanded: “Have all the guests in the front courtyard left?”

Zhou Jingyuan hurriedly replied: “Upon hearing of this matter, Concubine Wang immediately arranged for them to leave gradually. Even some guests who should have stayed overnight were all invited by Concubine Wang to the farthest Lixiang Court.”

Xiao Du breathed a slight sigh of relief. This concubine of his had always handled such matters properly. He looked around and discovered that all those gathered here watching the excitement were servants and attendants from the mansion, so he coldly shouted: “Who was it that screamed about murder just now?” The surroundings immediately quieted down. Everyone looked at each other, and for a long while no one responded. Seeing no one dared to admit it, Xiao Du became more irritated and impatiently waved his hand dismissively: “All of you get lost!”

When the master spoke, the servants dared not disobey. The crowd finally slowly dispersed. But Xiao Du narrowed his eyes and spotted his new bride in the crowd—someone who should have been obediently waiting in the bridal chamber for his return.

He saw Yuanxi standing at the back of the crowd, staring fixedly at the corpse with unwavering eyes. Xiao Du tried hard to find fear or disgust on her face, but only saw her delicate brows knitted together, as if she were concentrating on pondering something. Moreover, that focused expression tinged with excitement—how was it so similar to when she had been staring at his body earlier!

Xiao Du quickly shook his head, dismissing this strange thought, while finding it increasingly intriguing: why would a Chancellor’s mansion daughter, who should have been raised in the inner chambers, show such an expression when faced with a horrifically dead corpse?

Yuanxi stared on her own for a long time, until her sleeve was nearly torn by the terrified little maid An’he, before she thoughtfully raised her head, only to inadvertently meet another probing gaze. She was immediately startled, her heart jumping, and shamedly lowered her head. Being caught red-handed watching the excitement as a new bride was truly not a glorious thing. She quickly put on an innocent passerby act, covering her face and hurrying back to her room. Xiao Du’s gaze lingered on her retreating figure for a while before he finally turned and glared fiercely at Zheng Long inside the room!

Only then did Zheng Long react, quickly jumping up from the bed and running over to grab his arm, shouting loudly: “My Lord, I didn’t do anything!”

Xiao Du’s face was livid as he shook off his hand and strode to the corpse, carefully examining the body. He saw that beneath the torn and disheveled skirts, a pair of bare white thighs was exposed. The once fair and tender skin was covered with wounds and stained with white sticky filth. Xiao Du turned back, grinding his teeth: “Didn’t do anything? Hmm?”

Zheng Long shamefully lowered his head, mumbling: “I did… with her, but I really didn’t kill her!” Before he finished speaking, a heavy slap landed on his face. Xiao Du angrily pointed at his nose and shouted: “I’m asking you, were you drunk just now! Do you still remember what you did?”

Zheng Long covered his face, feeling very wronged: “I did drink too much. This girl helped me into the room and kept flirting with me intentionally or unintentionally. I couldn’t control myself for a moment and just went with the flow. Later… later I fell asleep… but I really didn’t kill her!”

Xiao Du struggled to suppress the urge to beat him severely, saying coldly: “Three years ago at Little Ping Mountain, you were also dead drunk and dragged a village girl from the roadside into your tent. When the village girl desperately struggled, you still forced yourself on her. If I hadn’t discovered it early, who knows what you would have done! Dare you say you really didn’t do anything this time!”

Zheng Long was stunned by his shouting, only feeling his head splitting with pain but unable to remember what exactly had happened. He could only wear a bitter expression and say tearfully: “It really was this girl who seduced me first. I really didn’t kill her. You have to believe me.”

Xiao Du was so angry his chest hurt. Just as he was thinking of giving him a good beating first, he suddenly smelled a mixture of sandalwood and herbal medicine from outside the door. His expression changed abruptly as he quickly looked outside.

He saw a delicate and beautiful woman standing at the doorway, wearing a aloes-colored cloud gauze crossed-collar shirt, being supported by a nanny while gasping for breath. Upon seeing the person on the bed, her face turned deathly pale as she covered her chest. Fortunately, she was supported by the nanny beside her, preventing her from falling to the ground.

Xiao Du quickly walked over, took her hand, and said gently: “Mother, how did you come here!” Then he shouted at the nanny beside her: “Nanny Yu, you’re also an old servant at mother’s side. How can you be so thoughtless? Knowing mother’s poor health, yet bringing her here so late at night.”

But Madam Zhao merely waved her hand, her voice weak yet cold: “My maid is dead—how can I not come to see?” Xiao Du was rendered speechless by his mother and, wanting to say something but not daring to speak, could only stand aside awkwardly.

Madam Zhao caught her breath slightly, then fixed her gaze firmly on Zheng Long and sternly asked: “So you’re the one who killed Ping’er?” Even though Zheng Long had fought in battles for many years, he was still frightened into a shudder by this glance and quickly said with a bitter face: “Aunt, you must believe me—I really didn’t do it!”

“Shut up!” Xiao Du glared at him fiercely, then took off his outer garment to drape over his mother’s shoulders, saying gently: “The wind is strong at night—mother, please take care of your health. I’ll handle this matter and give you an answer by tomorrow morning.”

Madam Zhao’s expression softened slightly as she said softly: “Ping’er served me for so many years. Today was your wedding day, so I lent her to help out, who would have known…” Tears welled up in her eyes and her throat choked up. Nanny Yu quickly took out a handkerchief and handed it over. Madam Zhao wiped her tears and covered her mouth, coughing lightly a few times before staring at Xiao Du: “I know he’s your cousin and beloved general. Mother won’t force you to do anything, but this matter must have a proper resolution. I cannot let Ping’er die unjustly.” After speaking, she had Nanny Yu lead her away.

Watching his mother’s departing figure, Xiao Du felt the situation tonight was becoming increasingly complicated. At this moment, Zhou Jingyuan hurried over again, saying: “My Lord, the old master requests you both come quickly.” Xiao Du raised an eyebrow, knowing this matter ultimately couldn’t be hidden from his father, so he quickly brought Zheng Long to the Fenghe Court where the old marquis resided.

Since Old Marquis Xiao Yunjing had relinquished his title, he spent his days in the courtyard tending flowers and plants, reading and practicing calligraphy, and had even carved out a small bamboo garden behind his study. It was now past the third watch, and the scattered bamboo shadows reflected starlight in the Qiutang Pool like an inverted Milky Way, extremely elegant. Xiao Du and Zheng Long had no interest in admiring the night scenery and only hurried through the covered walkway into Xiao Yunjing’s study.

Turning around a colorfully painted bird and flower screen, Xiao Yunjing sat properly behind a rosewood ruyi-patterned desk. Beside him was a pot of freshly brewed clear tea, and the person sitting beside him serving tea had a powdered face with delicate makeup, cloud-like hair with golden hairpins, wearing a smoke-colored narrow-sleeved crossed-collar shirt. Though fine lines showed at the corners of her eyes, her charm was not diminished in the slightest. Xiao Du glanced this way and understood the general situation, bowing to both: “Father, Concubine Wang.”

Seeing him enter, Concubine Wang quickly stood up, walked forward to take his hands and said: “Tonight is your joyous day—how could such a thing happen!” As she spoke, her eyes moistened, constantly sighing with a face full of worry. Zheng Long beside them felt increasingly uncomfortable, wishing he could slap himself hard twice.

“Enough,” Xiao Yunjing said to Concubine Wang from behind the desk: “Bingqin, you should return to your room first. You’ve worked hard these days for Du’er’s wedding—go back and rest early.”

Concubine Wang quickly shook her head: “What’s this talk of hard work among family? Should I send someone to inform my brother? In case this matter escalates, it would be good to have support on his side.”

“No need,” Xiao Du said flatly: “It’s just a dead maid—not worth troubling Minister Wang.” Concubine Wang looked back at Xiao Yunjing’s expression, then smiled: “Then I’m being meddlesome. Well then, you discuss this properly—I’ll return to my room first.” After speaking, she curtsied and withdrew.

Seeing Concubine Wang close the door and dismiss the servants waiting outside, Xiao Yunjing asked Xiao Du: “Who died?”

“A personal maid from mother’s room, apparently called Ping’er.”

Xiao Yunjing lifted his tea cup for a light sip and asked with lowered eyes: “What do you plan to do?”

Xiao Du frowned: “If it were normal times, we could barely suppress it, but it happened to be today with too many guests in the mansion. With so many people and loose tongues, I don’t know if we can keep it hidden. Now we can only suppress it for as long as possible. I’ve already ordered that no one is allowed near that room—we’ll make plans when daylight comes.”

Xiao Yunjing sighed and turned his gaze to Zheng Long. Zheng Long immediately knelt down with a thud, saying tearfully: “Second Uncle, I was wrong, but I really didn’t kill anyone!”

Xiao Yunjing shook his head and sighed: “Do you know that as the martial guard general of the Xiao family army, how many eyes have been watching you since your return to the capital? If this matter is used by those with ulterior motives, it won’t affect just you alone.”

Only then did Zheng Long come to his senses—could there be someone manipulating this matter behind the scenes? He immediately felt a chill down his spine, filled with both hatred and regret, no longer daring to argue anything.

Not wanting his father to worry too much, Xiao Du quickly stepped forward: “Father, rest assured. I’ll find a way to investigate this matter clearly and definitely won’t let the Xiao family army be implicated.”

Xiao Yunjing lightly closed his eyes, seeming extremely weary: “It’s good that you understand. Go back first—this matter must be properly resolved.” He suddenly remembered something else and instructed: “Also, tonight should have been your joyous day. Remember to properly comfort your wife—don’t frighten her.” Xiao Du recalled Yuanxi’s expression when she saw the corpse earlier and thought this wouldn’t be difficult, so he nodded in agreement and left with Zheng Long after bowing.

Zheng Long followed behind Xiao Du, hesitated for a while, and finally mustered courage to catch up and ask: “My Lord, should we still return to the bridal chamber?”

“Bridal chamber my ass!” Xiao Du’s anger flared up and he couldn’t help but kick him again. But no one noticed that in the bamboo grove behind them, a black shadow waited for them to leave before quietly heading east, disappearing into the night in the blink of an eye.

The fourth watch drum sounded with “dong dong,” and outside the incident room it was cold and desolate, emanating waves of eeriness. Suddenly, two black shadows appeared under the gauze lanterns outside the door, peering into the room by moonlight.

After a while, a timid female voice trembled: “Miss, let’s go back quickly. It would be bad if we were discovered.” This person was none other than Yuanxi’s dowry maid An’he.

Yuanxi quickly made a silencing gesture to her. She was also terrified inside, but she knew that if they waited until daylight when outsiders entered the room, many things might never be verifiable again. So when she learned that Xiao Du wouldn’t return to the room tonight, she could no longer restrain herself. Taking advantage of Nanny Li’s sleep, she brought An’he to sneak outside this room.

She tentatively pushed against the door and discovered it wasn’t actually locked, immediately saying happily to An’he in a low voice: “You stay here and keep watch. Call me quickly if there’s any movement.” Seeing An’he was already so frightened she was about to cry, she comforted her: “Don’t worry. The people in the marquis mansion have been bustling all night—there shouldn’t be anyone else coming to this dead person’s room.”

An’he nodded with a bitter expression, hugging her chest and shrinking her neck as she stood guard at the door. Yuanxi carefully lifted her skirts and entered the room, taking out a candle from her chest to light it. By the weak light, she carefully looked toward the bed.

Just then, a voice came from the doorway: “Wife is not waiting in the room for your husband, but has come here to do what?”

Yuanxi was so startled she nearly cried out. The candle in her hand fell to the ground, and the room was immediately plunged into darkness again…