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

The next day, the sky was cloudless, and golden light bathed every tile and eave of the capital city.

Inside Ci'an Hall, Madam Fu sat at the lower end of the table, her expression not very pleasant.

"Mother, the polo match is organized by the Marquis of Wu'an's mansion. All the attendees are noble ladies from the capital, and even Princess Fu'an is going."

The old lady, fiddling with her prayer beads, looked up at her.

Madam Fu lowered her head and continued, "Minister Zuo is currently discussing marriage, so our household should be even more cautious. Although Ah Hui is my niece, those things from the past... I'm afraid it might affect Minister Zuo's marriage."

The old lady stopped fiddling with her prayer beads: "Do you think I'm senile and don't even care about my children and grandchildren anymore?"

Her tone was indifferent, but her murky eyes, fixed on Madam Fu, resembled those of a venomous snake.

Fu was momentarily speechless.

Thinking that her son was twenty-two and still unmarried, she cursed Xu Qianhui a thousand times in her heart, but she quickly suppressed her emotions.

"Mother, as you know, although Zuo An was once engaged to A Hui, he has now also accepted the marriage proposal from the Grand Tutor's family." She quickly knelt at the old lady's feet, her tone becoming even more submissive: "A Hui has been involved with two young masters in the mansion. If outsiders start gossiping, saying that the two sons of the Duke's mansion are fighting over someone, how should we respond?"

"What's so hard to answer? Just answer the truth."

Fu was taken aback: "Answer the truth?"

"Your niece has come to the capital, and the marriage hasn't even been discussed by you, her aunt. What other people say can be considered valid?"

Madam Fu said anxiously, "But she drowned herself in the river for Zuo Qing back then, and the old story hasn't faded in the capital. How can such an unlucky person travel with the Duke's mansion?"

The old lady smiled.

The laugh was soft, yet it made Fu's palms feel damp.

The old lady said, "It's unlucky for her to drown herself, but it's lucky for the person who forces others to drown themselves?"

"Mother......"

Fu felt a tightness in her throat, and the old lady raised her hand to interrupt her.

"What happened back then was something you, as her aunt, wronged her. All the children have to go to this horse race; if you don't want to go, just pretend to be sick."

The old lady picked up the list from the table and handed it to Madam Fu.

"If you think this old woman can still run the household, then hurry up and make the arrangements." She paused, her withered body leaning slightly forward towards Madam Fu: "If you want to take control of the Duke's mansion, fine, just have your maidservant strangle me with a rope."

These words were extremely harsh, and Madam Fu was so frightened that she immediately kowtowed.

The maids and servants behind Madam Fu also knelt down in a large group.

"Mother, please calm down. Your daughter-in-law wouldn't dare!"

"That girl isn't my niece, what's there for me to be angry about?" The old lady sneered. "I'm just old and don't like people calling selfishness proper."

Madam Fu almost buried her head in the ground, and said tremblingly, "Mother is right, your daughter-in-law will follow your teachings."

Seeing Fu's attitude, the old lady was somewhat satisfied.

She raised her hand and beckoned, and Granny Fang immediately stepped forward to help her up.

"By the way, Ah Hui has only been back in the capital for a short time. Go to the storeroom and pick out two sets of riding clothes to send to her."

......

In the small courtyard west of the city, the smell of medicine overpowered the fragrance of flowers.

Xu Qianhui nestled on the soft couch, a handkerchief pressed against her forehead.

A woman in green came in carrying a bowl of medicine.

"Miss, your medicine is ready. Please drink it while it's hot."

"I'm asleep."

Xu Qianhui buried her face in the brocade quilt, her voice muffled.

I took a hot bath last night, but I still caught a cold.

It's all Lin Zuoqing's fault!

"Miss, sleeping people can't talk."

"daydream."

The woman in green suppressed a laugh: "Then you have to take the medicine even in your dreams, otherwise this cold won't get better."

Xu Qianhui threw back the covers, her face full of pain: "You're getting more and more unruly."

"I was a beggar before I came with you, Miss. What rules do I need?" The maid in green handed the medicine closer. "Doctor Wang said that Miss fell into the water and was exposed to the wind yesterday. It's a miracle she didn't develop a fever. If it's not suppressed, she might suffer from chronic illness later."

Xu Qianhui took the bowl of black soup and drank it all in one gulp, his face scrunched up in pain.

The woman in green hurriedly handed over the candied fruit.

The sweet taste spread in my mouth, and it took a while to suppress the bitterness.

"Uncle Wang's prescription is truly heartbreaking; it's full of bitter herbs, isn't it?"

"Miss has such a sharp tongue!" The woman in green grinned. "By the way, Miss, guess who I ran into while I was getting the medicine?"

After popping another candied fruit into her mouth, Xu Qianhui looked curiously at Qingyi.

"It's Dr. Shen!"

Xu Qianhui stopped what she was doing: "Shen Huaijin has come to the capital?"

"Yes!" Qingyi nodded, her expression filled with longing. "He's still as thin and frail as ever. He must have traveled to many places with his master, the itinerant doctor."

Hearing this, Xu Qianhui lowered her eyes and gently twisted the corner of the quilt.

"When my mother was seriously ill, I also sought out Dr. Bai. Unfortunately, by the time I arrived in Jiangnan, my mother had already given up. If I had been able to find Dr. Bai earlier, my mother might have been able to stay with me for a few more years."

The woman in green was not good at comforting people, and it took her a long time to finally manage to say, "Madam in heaven will be hoping for your well-being, Miss."

Xu Qianhui smiled quickly.

"If she were really looking at me, she would probably scold me for being useless."

The woman in green quickly replied, "Madam is reluctant to part with her."

"That's true." Xu Qianhui cupped her face in her hands. "At most, she told me to trust men less."

"Your wife is wise."

Xu Qianhui was so amused that she choked on her saliva, and a bitter taste rose from the back of her tongue.

Just as she was about to take another candied fruit, she suddenly heard urgent barking from the yard.

Qingyi hurriedly went out to check, and soon returned with a letter on her dark face.

"Miss, there's news from him."

The envelope was unsigned, and the sealing wax was neatly applied.

Xu Qianhui opened it and found only a few words.

You are not allowed to go to the polo club.

Looking at the vigorous and powerful characters, Xu Qianhui smiled.

Although she hadn't received any word of it, she could guess what it was.

In previous years, when she was in the capital, many prominent families loved to hold various gatherings.

The fact that he was in such a hurry to deliver the letter at this polo match must be due to the old lady's influence.

She called out to Bai Ze, and Bai Ze, who was standing at the door, immediately wagged its tail and entered the house.

Xu Qianhui held the letter to its mouth and patted its head: "Good boy, throw it back."

Upon receiving the order, Bai Ze immediately turned and ran out the door, with Qingyi following to watch the excitement.

Qing Shu was still standing outside the door when Bai Ze, with his head held high, threw the letter onto his shoe and then went back into the courtyard with his head held high again.

Qing Shu was so angry that his face turned green. Just as he was about to rush in, the sound of horses' hooves suddenly came from the alley entrance.

Seeing that Lin Zuo'an had already dismounted, Qing Shu quickly put away the letter and turned around to bow.

"Second Young Master."

"What are you doing here?" Lin Zuo'an frowned slightly. "Did your brother send you to drive A-Hui away?"

Qing Shu lowered his head and remained silent.

Lin Zuo'an looked at him for a long while before slowly saying, "Qingshu, you've been with your brother since you were little. Go back and persuade him that marrying Miss Lin is the most important thing."

Qing Shu bowed his head and took his leave.

Lin Zuo'an watched him leave, his expression becoming much more subdued.

The man in green turned his head and called out "Second Young Master." Just as he was about to close the door, Bai Ze rushed to the corridor and started barking.

Bai Ze rushed out and shouted at Lin Zuo'an.

Lin Zuo'an stopped in his tracks.

"Why is this dog still like this?"

Qingyi hurriedly went to hold Bai Ze's hand.

If this black thing were to peck at the God of Wealth, Miss would surely faint from anger.

"Please forgive me, Second Young Master, Bai Ze is shy around strangers."

Lin Zuo'an said with dissatisfaction, "I've seen it before last time, why is it still shy?"

The woman in green curled her lip.

You know you've only been here once, right?

You still want Bai Ze to acknowledge you? Why don't you go eat farts?