The Dark Moonlight returns to the capital, and the mad prince is accused of forcing love.

Xu Qianhui glared at him.

That person is absolutely wicked.

After passing through a narrow alley, cheers came from the front yard in the distance.

Lin Zuo'an led her away from the crowds and along the path towards the gate.

Xu Qianhui suddenly remembered something: "By the way, is Rulan still unwell?"

"Why did you ask about her?"

"It's only early autumn, but I just saw her using a hand warmer. Has the household properly summoned a doctor to take a look?"

"I've seen the doctor. He said my second sister was weak from the start, and my aunt had a difficult childbirth, so she can only be kept healthy with medicine. My third sister has been married for two years now, but she's still unmarried. My brother said the family has arranged several marriages for her, but none of them worked out."

Xu Qianhui nodded.

The eldest daughter of the Fu family has been raised in seclusion and remains unmarried to this day.

Lin Zuoqing proposed marriage to the Marquis of Wu'an.

The second wife returned to Beijing and no longer hid in a corner.

The old lady's condition worsened.

The Duke's Mansion will surely prosper in the future, with different excitements every day.

Seeing that she didn't speak, Lin Zuo'an lowered his head and asked, "Are you tired?"

Xu Qianhui said, "Some."

Lin Zuo'an immediately slowed down.

"Then I'll have Qingyi make you some hot flower tea when we get back."

Xu Qianhui laughed and said, "Now you're actually ordering my maid around."

Lin Zuo'an patted her head: "What's yours is mine."

His ears turned red as soon as he said it.

Xu Qianhui raised her sleeve to cover her lower lip: "You're saying that in the Duke's mansion?"

Lin Zuo'an coughed softly: "Sooner or later."

The two walked around in a big circle before finally reaching the gate of the Duke's mansion.

When the gatekeeper saw Lin Zuo'an come out, he hurriedly stepped forward and bowed.

Lin Zuo'an said, "Go and tell the driver to hitch up the carriage."

Just as the doorman was about to agree, someone came chasing after them.

"Second Young Master! Second Young Master, please wait!"

The servant ran so fast that he bent down and panted a few times when he got there.

Lin Zuo'an frowned: "What is it?"

"Second Master has urgent business and requests that Second Young Master come over."

"Is Father feeling unwell?"

"Reporting to the Second Young Master, the Second Master only said that the matter was urgent and could not be delayed."

Lin Zuo'an turned to look at Xu Qianhui: "I'll take you back, and then you can come back to see your father."

The servant hurriedly stepped forward: "Second Young Master, the Second Master has ordered you to come immediately. Please don't make things difficult for me."

Xu Qianhui gently tugged at his sleeve.

"Go ahead, the driver will take me back to the west of the city, nothing will happen."

As she spoke, she moved closer and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Second Master was just injured, and now he specifically asked you to come over. Perhaps it really is urgent. In any case, don't give the second branch of the family any reason to gossip."

Lin Zuo'an pursed his lips and nodded after a long while.

"Then when you get back, have someone send a message that I'll go home as soon as I've finished my business."

Xu Qianhui agreed.

Lin Zuo'an raised his hand and tapped her knuckles: "Be a good girl and wait for me."

"Then bring me a big dog when you come back, one that can guard the house." Xu Qianhui smiled and looked up. "It should have good teeth, and preferably bark at strangers."

Lin Zuo'an was amused by her and readily agreed before hurriedly leaving with his servant.

Xu Qianhui stood inside the door, watching Lin Zuoan's figure disappear at the end of the alley.

Before getting into the carriage, she looked around the familiar Duke's mansion and murmured to herself.

"Madam, you'd better hurry up, don't keep me waiting..."

......

That night, Lin Zuo'an did not return to the small courtyard in the west of the city. Xu Qianhui assumed that he was held up and went to bed early after washing up.

The next day, he still didn't return. He sent a message saying that the Second Master was unable to handle his official duties and needed his help.

The old lady, on the other hand, has good news.

She was summoned to the manor immediately.

After tidying up properly, Xu Qianhui instructed Qingyi to guard the gate before going to the Rongguo Duke's Mansion alone.

Granny Fang personally came to the side gate to meet her, and she arrived at Ci'an Hall without any announcement.

Outside Ci'an Hall, most of the maids and servants were gone.

The curtains in the inner room were drawn, and the stove was burning brightly.

The old lady sat on the edge of the couch, leaning against a soft cushion, her face extremely somber.

Xu Qianhui entered and kowtowed, saying, "Ahui greets the old lady."

The old lady did not wake up.

Xu Qianhui knelt upright, her knees touching the floor tiles beneath her skirt, a chill creeping up her body little by little.

After a long pause, the old lady finally spoke.

How did you find out about this?

Xu Qianhui lowered her eyes: "Ahui is dull-witted and doesn't understand what the old lady is saying."

Granny Fang's gloomy voice came from behind: "Miss Xu, stop pretending to be stupid. Yesterday, you were the one who reminded the old lady that there was a demon in the Duke's mansion."

"Granny, please be careful with your words. Ah Hui only said something because she saw that the old lady was not in good spirits."

Granny Fang was so angry all night that she had no time to mince words with her.

"After Miss Xu left yesterday, the Old Madam ordered me to thoroughly investigate Ci'an Hall. That very night, I found Frost Grass in the prayer cushions of the small Buddhist hall. Frost Grass originates from beyond the Great Wall; it's rare to find even in the Great Xia Dynasty, let alone the capital. Miss Xu is merely the daughter of a down-on-her-luck merchant; if she hadn't stumbled upon it, how could she have known that the Old Madam's health was being ruined by this herb?"

Xu Qianhui visibly trembled upon hearing the name "Frost Grass," and after a long pause, she said, "Didn't the Old Madam suspect A-Hui?"

"You?" The old lady glanced at her. "The doctor said that dirty thing is rare, it must have been sitting in the prayer mat for at least four years. Four years ago, you were always with Lin Zuoqing, your mind was full of romantic love, you had no intention of harming an old woman like me."

"The old lady is very perceptive." Xu Qianhui smiled bitterly, "It's just that there are some things that Ahui really can't say more about."

The old lady looked at her for a long time.

The firelight reflected on her face, making her look even older.

"People can say anything, it's all about whether the benefits are enough." Her voice was icy, and she slowed her tone: "I know you want to marry Zuo An honorably. I grant your request."

Xu Qianhui suddenly looked up: "Madam, is this true? You really want me and Zuo An to return to Jiangnan together?"

The old lady leaned back on the cushion and finally smiled: "This matter is between you and me. You are a wise person, so you will naturally understand."

Once a person's weakness is exploited, they can be manipulated at will.

Even a down-on-her-luck merchant's daughter is no exception.

Xu Qianhui bit her lip.

The red mark was pressed white by the teeth, and only the sound of the stove fire remained in the room.

After a long while, she seemed to have made up her mind and looked directly at the old lady.

"The old lady knows that although Ah Hui is only the daughter of my aunt's distant cousin, she was fostered in the mansion back then, so she is still considered part of her maternal family..."

"It really is that vile woman!" The old lady slammed her hand on the soft pillow. "These two wolves think I've lived too long and want to seize power!"

Xu Qianhui immediately bowed: "Madam, please calm down. The Duke may not be aware of this matter..."

"You know nothing!" the old lady sneered. "Do you know how alluring power can be?"

Back then, the reason she killed more than twenty of the Duke's concubines was to consolidate her power.

Lin Qinglong was already depressed at home after being injured, so it's perfectly normal for him to want to seize power in the mansion to regain the thrill of control he felt on the battlefield.

"You!" The old lady gritted her teeth, glaring at Xu Qianhui. "If you want to return to Jiangnan safely, you must rid me of this wolfish couple!"

Xu Qianhui hurriedly kowtowed: "Ah Hui wouldn't dare, the Duke is your own son..."

Her voice trailed off, and she added in her mind:

fake.