Chapter 10

After escaping from the artificial rockery, Lingyue Shen became twice as cautious and finally returned to her seat without incident.

Lan Zhao was chatting with some familiar ladies at the table. Seeing Lingyue Shen sneak back furtively, the crease between her brows tightened uncontrollably, but she quickly raised her hand to smooth it away.

She turned her head, lips moving as if whispering, “Why did you take so long?”

Lingyue Shen remained expressionless. “The Duke’s residence is so vast. I was so busy admiring the garden that I almost got lost.”

Lan Zhao just relaxed, then her eyes dropped to Lingyue Shen’s earlobe, pausing. “Where is your earring?”

How did she lose one?

Lingyue Shen raised her hand to touch it, frowning slightly.

“Maybe it fell off accidentally. No wonder my ear was itchy earlier.”

She took off the remaining earring and placed it into the pouch tied at her waist, flashing Lan Zhao a carefree smile. “Ah, it’s not valuable anyway; if it’s lost, it’s lost.”

Lan Zhao thought about it—Lingyue Shen had worn a pair of pearl earrings that morning, the most common style. Even if someone picked them up, it wouldn’t matter.

She poked Lingyue Shen’s forehead with a resigned expression, her tone threatening, “Little ancestor, don’t cause trouble when you go out, okay?”

Lingyue Shen pretended to be aggrieved. “I’ve been behaving well lately. Where have I caused trouble?”

She took a few more bites of food and casually inquired, “I think I overheard someone from the Duke’s residence mention something was lost. Do you know anything about it?”

Lan Zhao looked around; the guests were chatting and eating as usual. She shook her head, indicating ignorance. “Even if something was lost, it’s their own business. You don’t need to worry about it.”

“Oh…”

Lingyue Shen continued eating; after all, her most important task today had been accomplished.

The Duke’s residence had put much effort into this banquet. The dishes were abundant, full of color, aroma, and flavor—especially the hand-shredded sour and spicy beef, tender yet chewy.

As she chewed, her thoughts wandered uncontrollably.

It was known that the Duke’s residence had lost something important, and the guards were searching everywhere.

She had hidden in the artificial rockery, but there was someone else inside.

She had gone to deliver a letter to Chunjun Zheng, so this person hiding in the rockery, who felt quite good to the touch, was most likely the thief brother?

It was pitch dark inside the cave; she hadn’t seen the other’s face clearly but could feel the fabric of his clothes was expensive, and a faint scent of lavender came from his body when they touched.

Lingyue Shen’s fingers twitched involuntarily, mimicking a grasping motion in the air.

He was so tall, and the feel was so good… no, his build was very solid!

So he definitely wasn’t an ordinary servant or attendant but rather a guest attending today’s banquet.

Lingyue Shen glanced across the lake, faintly hearing the boisterous merriment of the male guests clinking their cups.

When the banquet was nearly over, she went with Lan Zhao to the main gate, looking at the alleys clogged with carriages, sneaking glances at the male guests ahead, trying to find a familiar figure.

As the groom today, Yuan Gu was heavily intoxicated. He stood at the gate to see off the guests, face flushed, leaning on a servant to stay upright.

Suddenly, Qingchan tugged on her sleeve excitedly. “Miss, look! The one wearing the dark blue brocade robe in front is Master Pei—”

Lingyue Shen hurriedly stood on tiptoe to look. “Where?”

She had been here so many days but still didn’t know if her future husband was tall or short, slender or stout.

Following Qingchan’s direction, she saw a tall, slender figure like a bamboo stalk, dignified and solemn. Too far to see his features clearly, but the side profile was distinct—straight nose, face like a jade ornament, very outstanding.

Lingyue Shen curled her lips slightly. The Pei family men looked quite good.

Then Qingchan added, “…He’s the eldest son of Master Pei, the one Miss Zhou is going to marry.”

Pei Da?

The Pei Da that Yan Yi was to marry, Pei Jingyi?

Lingyue Shen’s eyes widened as if scanned by X-ray, scrutinizing him from head to toe.

Tsk, he was quite tall, but what use was height alone? A stick figure, probably a sickly person.

His face was so pale, lips so thin—he looked like a scoundrel who flirts everywhere…

See? He’s even talking to other girls and smiling at them!

Lingyue Shen clenched her teeth, disapproving of Pei Jingyi from head to toe.

—It’s decided. When I go back, I’ll find some incompatible foods for Yan Yi, to ensure she becomes a widow soon!

In the distance, Pei Jingyi was talking with his cousin when he suddenly sensed a murderous glare from behind.

He turned cautiously but saw only a group of female guests waiting beside his carriage; nothing unusual.

“What’s wrong, Jingyi?” his cousin asked, noticing his sudden turn. “Do you have something to do?”

Pei Jingyi withdrew his gaze and shook his head.

After seeing his cousin onto the carriage, he said softly, “Don’t worry about my brother-in-law. As long as he’s not involved in the military supplies embezzlement case, I won’t let him be implicated.”

His cousin nodded repeatedly. “Your brother-in-law is the most honest person and would only obey his superiors. He wouldn’t dare do such a thing.”

The carriage rolled forward, and Pei Jingyi planned to ride home on horseback. He glanced around, frowning slightly, and asked the guards, “Where is the Second Young Master?”

“The Second Young Master seemed to have eaten something bad and left early.”

Pei Jingyi’s brow furrowed deeper. After a moment of silence, he said, “Forget him, let’s go.”

*

Inside the bridal chamber, Chunjun Zheng sat listlessly until dusk. Then a servant from Gu Yuan’s side reported, “The Second Young Master is drunk and resting with the Second Madam.”

The maid sent the servant away, closing the door tightly, trembling with anger, “Miss, they are really bullying you!”

Indeed, Chunjun Zheng was nominally the first wife’s son’s wife, but Gu Yuan had said he would take a secondary wife. Even if he didn’t spend the night in the main house tonight, he should at least have come to lift the veil himself.

“No matter.”

Chunjun Zheng was not surprised by this answer. She lifted her veil with a calm smile and said to the maid, “Help me remove the makeup; this phoenix crown is so heavy.”

Finally removing the elaborate phoenix coronet and robe, she asked the maid to fetch some light, easy-to-digest food from the kitchen.

She hadn’t eaten all day and was nearly faint from hunger.

Taking advantage of this time, Chunjun Zheng went to wash up in the small room behind the folding screen.

She opened the wardrobe and took out a change of clothes, but a letter slipped out.

Who put this here?

Chunjun Zheng curiously opened the blank envelope and just after reading the first lines, her expression changed.

“Vast heavens above, mysterious earth below, I am the celestial fate goddess of the ninth heaven, observing your fate chart fraught with peril; your death is imminent—”

The maid returned with the food box. Seeing no one inside, she called twice, then went around the screen and found Chunjun Zheng standing blankly by the bath barrel, her expression dazed and bloodless.

“Miss, what’s wrong? Don’t scare me!”

Chunjun Zheng came back to herself, quickly folding the letter and clutching it tightly.

“I’m fine… set the table.”

That meal tasted like chewing on wax.

*

Late at night, Chunjun Zheng hid under the bed canopy, trembling as she held the letter, repeatedly reading the seemingly blood-stained prophecy, almost etched into her mind.

By dawn, she got up, dressed, and washed as if nothing had happened, then left to pay respects to the Duchess of Ling’s residence.

Soon, she would find out if the letter’s prophecy was true.

Upon entering, the Duchess held her hands, her kind face troubled.

“Chunjun, your mother wishes to discuss something with you.”

Chunjun Zheng feigned surprise. “Mother, you are too kind. What is it?”

The Duchess hesitated, then said, “This morning, Zheng Zheng had a nightmare. She dreamt of a faceless ghost chasing her. I recalled that the jade ruyi scepter given to you by the Imperial Noble Consort was blessed by a high monk at the Dacheng Temple. Why not send it to Zheng Zheng’s room to ward off evil spirits?”

The taut string in Chunjun Zheng’s mind snapped instantly.

…The letter had predicted it all!

On her wedding day, the jade ruyi scepter given by the palace was taken by Qin Zheng Zheng and never returned until her death.

Seeing Chunjun Zheng silent for a long while, the Duchess grew a little impatient and patiently said, “You are Zheng Zheng’s elder sister-in-law and always understanding. Can’t you lend her the jade ruyi for a few days?”

Chunjun Zheng slowly raised her lips and spoke deliberately.

“I will follow whatever you decide, Mother.”

*

“Now, Chunjun Zheng should believe it, right?”

As soon as she woke up, Lingyue Shen said something Qingchan couldn’t understand.

She put down the steaming copper basin and walked over with a towel. “Believe what?”

Lingyue Shen stretched and winked. “Believe that the Duke’s residence is a huge pit of fire.”

She and Yan Yi had repeatedly revised that letter, filling it with many insider details unknown to outsiders, pretending it was a divine revelation—warnings, advice, support, and encouragement.

She trusted that the granddaughter of the former Minister of Personnel, who had been personally raised by him, was no fool who accepted fate passively.

The weather was fine, and Lingyue Shen was in a good mood. After a lovely breakfast, she sat under the corridor, watching some little maids play shuttlecock in the courtyard.

Until Frost Fluff returned from outside, whispering in her ear, “There’s news from the eldest brother-in-law’s side.”

Lingyue Shen quickly invited her inside to explain.

Previously, Yuan Jia Shen had stayed at her mother’s home with her daughter for three days. Her eldest brother-in-law, Zhi Huan Han, had been eagerly pursuing her, accompanying his father-in-law for drinks and appreciating paintings, acting humble before her mother-in-law, repeatedly promising he would not take a concubine. That finally coaxed Yuan Jia Shen back to the Pingxi Duke’s residence.

“My second brother and some familiar street partners have been taking turns shadowing the eldest brother-in-law. At first, everything seemed normal. He simply went to the office to check in daily, returned home promptly, occasionally bought snacks for Sister Heng on the way, and on days off accompanied the young miss to the temple outside the city to burn incense.”

Lingyue Shen snorted coldly. “And then? After pretending for so many days, did the fox’s tail finally show?”

Frost Fluff nodded.

“Until a few days ago, my second brother heard from another carriage driver that the office where the eldest brother-in-law works has a hidden back alley door for convenient access to other government offices, unknown to most.”

Frost Fluff’s second brother watched that back alley for several days and found that Han Zhi Huan would sneak out every three to five days in the afternoon, only for about an hour, then return with a spring breeze on his face.

Lingyue Shen asked, “Did he go to the pleasure quarters? I’ll write an anonymous letter to report him!”

Frost Fluff shook her head. “The eldest brother-in-law went to Peach Blossom Lane. It seems he bought an outer residence there.”

Lingyue Shen slammed the table and stood up. “Prepare the carriage! Let’s go!”