Inside Xian Wang Manor, the heavy atmosphere was suffocating.
Xiao Qi sat in the hardwood armchair in the study, his face as dark as ink.
Recalling the events of the day, he sensed something fishy—where there are anomalies, there must be a traitor. Had someone not suggested presenting the white deer to the Empress Dowager as a propitious omen yesterday, he never would have entertained the idea...
"Someone come! Go seize that white-robed retainer who went hunting with us yesterday!"
Steward Liu of the manor replied with trembling fear, "Your Highness, that white-robed retainer packed his bags early this morning, claiming he was setting off to wander the world. He has already left."
"Left?!" Xiao Qi sneered. "Such a coincidence in this world! What is his name, where is he from, and who introduced him to the manor?"
Steward Liu was at his wits' end. He had just sent men to investigate, only to discover that this man seemed to have materialized out of thin air; he was not registered in the manor's records, and when asked, not a single person in the hunting party knew him.
"You mean to tell me that someone I brought along was actually a complete stranger?" Xiao Qi slammed his fist on the table, sending the teacup flying to shatter on the floor.
"Investigate! Search this place from top to bottom for me—guests, retainers, maids, and errand boys. Leave no one out!"
***
Town-North Marquis Manor, study.
As soon as Bai Yu entered the room, he saw Feilian hanging upside down from the roof beam.
To top it off, Feilian was wearing white tonight, his sleeves fluttering in the air, which looked quite startling at first glance.
"...My lord, rest assured, I slipped away at dawn," Feilian fished a piece of silver from his tunic, grinning slyly. "I must say, the perks at Xian Wang Manor are quite good. Before I left, the steward even gave me two taels of silver for travel expenses!"
Just as the words left his mouth, a flash of silver cut through the air, and the coin landed in Huo Yanxing's palm.
"Ill-gotten gains. Confiscated."
"My lord..." Feilian made a mournful face.
If he had known, he wouldn't have taken it out...
Bai Yu gloated, "You'd better not wander around lately, lest Xian Wang's men catch you red-handed."
"My disguise arts are no joke! If they want to find me—hehe—they can look in their dreams!"
It turned out that the "white-robed retainer" Xian Wang was looking for was none other than Feilian.
Last night, he had happened to be at the military camp when Huo Yanxing gave him last-minute orders to disguise himself and infiltrate Xian Wang's hunting party.
Bai Yu reported, "That old man and his injured son have also been properly treated. The doctor said that although the injury will prevent him from having children in the future, it won't affect his normal mobility. They agreed to move to a new place to live once he recovers, and they won't remain in the Capital."
Huo Yanxing nodded slightly. Remembering Lu Qingyuan's instructions, he said, "Have your men keep a close eye on that father and son. Make sure everything is arranged thoroughly until they are safely escorted out of the region, and see that no one gives them any more trouble."
"Yes."
After both Bai Yu and Feilian withdrew, Huo Yanxing pulled something from his tunic.
Pink stationery with a peach blossom pattern.
One hand rested casually on the desk, while the other unconsciously stroked the peach blossom note.
After a moment, he brought the note close to the candle on the desk.
The flame licked the paper, which quickly curled, blackened, and finally turned to ash.
This scene was witnessed through the ajar casement window of the study by a freckled maid.
She was shorter and slighter than ordinary maids, and her movements were as light as a cat's.
A row of tall pines and cypresses grew where the study connected to the Inner Courtyard, casting shadows under the moonlight.
She crouched down cautiously; once she crossed this patch of shadow, she would reach the Inner Courtyard.
Five steps, four steps, just a few more steps and she would be there!
"Who's there!"
Suddenly, a stern shout rang out beside her ear. Her entire body stiffened, her blood seeming to freeze instantly.
It turned out that Bai Yu was dragging his feet under the tree to stall because he didn't want to report for night duty at Plum Blossom Cottage. Catching a movement in the tree shadows out of the corner of his eye, he walked over and grabbed an unfamiliar little maid.
"Halt!" he demanded sharply. "I've never seen you before! What is your name?"
The little maid was startled. Lowering her head, she stammered, "I... my name is Que'er. I—I came to the Marquis Manor with the Madam."
Hearing that she belonged to the Madam, Bai Yu softened his tone a fraction. "This is the Outer Courtyard study. You shouldn't be wandering around. Did the Madam send you here?"
Hearing this, Que'er did not dare to say more and nodded like a chicken pecking at grain.
Bai Yu released his grip and let her pass into the Inner Courtyard.
***
Lu Residence.
Que'er stammered out the account of seeing Huo Yanxing burn the peach blossom note.
She was timid by nature, and having been frightened by Bai Yu today, she was completely at her wits' end.
"...That's how it was, and the maidservant didn't clearly see what was written on that peach blossom note..."
Her voice grew softer and softer, and her eyes kept darting toward the window. "Madam, Second Young Miss, I've been sneaking out too frequently these past few days. I'm afraid..."
Lu Rongyue was already boiling with anger because of today's events. Seeing Que'er like this only added fuel to the fire; she grabbed a teacup from the table and hurled it at Que'er.
The cup still contained hot tea, and the scalding water splashed all over Que'er, yet she didn't dare to move a muscle.
"Useless thing!" Lu Rongyue gritted her teeth. "Don't forget your father knelt before me and begged me. As long as I let your father study in a private school, your cheap life is at my beck and call. If you don't help me gather information properly, I'll have your parents deal with you, and don't come crying to me for mercy then!"
Terrified to the extreme, Que'er kowtowed repeatedly.
"That's enough, you may go back," Lady Lin waved her hand. "From now on, I will send someone to the Marquis Manor to find you, so you don't need to come over here."
After Que'er left, only Lady Lin and her daughter remained in the room.
As Lady Lin applied ointment to her daughter's face, she asked, "What do you suppose that little wretch wrote on the peach blossom note? Huo Yanxing actually burned it."
Lu Rongyue gave a disdainful snort. "What else could it be? It must have been love poetry written by that wretch, telling him not to forget to enter the palace to express gratitude today. In my opinion, Huo Yanxing is merely putting on a show of a loving couple with her in public just to appease the palace. How could he possibly care for her? He probably finds anything she sends him bad luck!"
At that moment, her mind was entirely consumed by Xian Wang's intention to call off the engagement. Frantic with anxiety, she had no heart to dwell on the peach blossom note.
"Oh! Mother! You should worry about me instead! Brother Qi is going to break off the engagement with me!"
Whenever she thought about her past life—where Xiao Qi rose in rebellion and most likely became the new emperor, yet she failed to become Princess Xian, let alone Empress, all because of that wretch Lu Qingyuan—she was consumed by a ferocious rage.
"I don't care! In a few days, you must speak to the Empress Dowager and tell her that my face has already healed, and under no circumstances can the engagement be annulled! Otherwise... otherwise I will shear off my hair and become a nun!"
Having exhausted herself all day and throwing tantrums half the night, Lu Rongyue drifted off to sleep without realizing it.
Looking at her daughter's swollen, red face and the tear stains on the pillow, Lady Lin felt a mixture of heartache and guilt.
Thinking that tomorrow was Lu Qingyuan's homecoming day, a fierce glint flashed in her eyes.
*Little wretch, the palace may be shielding you for now, but once you return to the Lu family, won't I have ways to deal with you?*