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

"That's natural."

Lin Zuo'an answered with great confidence.

Ah Hui had an unhappy time at the Duke's mansion.

Otherwise, he really couldn't think of any reason why she would stay in the Duke's mansion.

"So what are your plans?" Lin Zuoqing asked.

"What else can we do? We can only try to get Ah Hui out of the manor first." Lin Zuo'an sighed. "Brother, you know that Miao Yun will be coming to the manor often in the future. If they keep meeting, there will definitely be endless trouble. If it's like today every time, how can I live?"

Lin Zuoqing laughed and said, "If you let her go back to Jiangnan, this trouble will be avoided."

"No, she can't live without me," Lin Zuo'an said. "What if she jumps into the river again if I send her back to Jiangnan? Brother, you don't know, A-Hui loves me terribly. This love is different from the simple affection she had for you before. She would give her life for me."

There was a brief silence outside the window.

After a long pause, Lin Zuoqing finally said, "What makes you think she likes you more than me?"

"It's not just fondness, it's love." Lin Zuo'an said with considerable pride, "Brother, you haven't experienced it, so you can't understand."

Tell me about it.

"When I'm with A-Hui, I always feel like there's a fire burning in my heart. Whether she's being gentle and considerate or playfully angry, she makes me happy, so happy that I wish I could marry her."

As he spoke, a hint of pity crept into his voice.

"Sigh, you wouldn't understand even if I told you. Anyway, if you've never loved someone like this in your life, it's no different from living in vain."

Lin Zuoqing remained silent for a while before saying, "I have made mistakes."

Lin Zuo'an clearly didn't take his words seriously and continued talking to himself.

"Brother, I'm not afraid to tell you, I've already made up my mind. Didn't Miaoyun admire the courage I showed when I protected Ahui at Biyou Pond? After we get married, I can easily orchestrate a hero-saves-the-damsel-in-distress scene. Anyway, that's the kind of man she likes, so I'll just create one for her. Then she'll love her hero, and I'll love my Ahui, and neither of us will interfere with the other."

"You really have some skills," said Lin Zuoqing. "You didn't even ask Xu Qianhui if she was willing."

"How could she not want to? Being with me makes her happy."

After saying that, Lin Zuo'an became troubled again.

"The most important thing now is to get Ah Hui away from the Duke's mansion. Brother, please help me."

Xu Qianhui clenched the banknote, then suddenly realized something and quickly let go to smooth out the crumpled banknote.

When she met Lin Zuoan in Jiangnan, it was indeed she who fell in love first.

She was sweeping her mother's grave at Jiu'an Mountain, but she couldn't light the tinderbox no matter what she tried.

Lin Zuo'an happened to be hunting in the mountains, and with just a gentle blow, the tinderbox lit up.

When she was in the Duke's mansion, she avoided him because he was Lin Zuoqing's younger brother.

But after coming down the mountain that time, she voluntarily gave her address.

At that time, she thought that her mother in heaven felt sorry for her and specially sent this person to her side.

Even though she no longer loves him, she never imagined that such a gentle and considerate person would scheme to marry a girl who was willing to marry him.

At that moment, Xu Qianhui desperately wanted to open the window and see how he would react.

But this embarrassment brought her no benefit other than temporary relief.

Outside the window, Lin Zuoqing responded with a "Okay," and the sound of their footsteps gradually faded into the distance.

Xu Qianhui calmed down for a while before slowly getting up.

Although she was annoyed, there was one good thing about it: she didn't have to waste time investigating why Qin Miaoyun had taken a liking to Lin Zuoan.

Just as I was about to get into bed, I heard a very soft knock on the window.

Xu Qianhui suddenly turned her head.

The moonlight cast a tall figure's shadow on the window screen.

It was Lin Zuoqing.

He stood very close to the window.

So close that he could pierce the thin layer of paper with just a reach of his hand.

Xu Qianhui could see his fingertips lightly brushing against the window frame.

It makes a soft "rustling" sound.

"Closer...to him?"

Lin Zuoqing's voice came through the window paper.

Low and hoarse.

I don't know who he was saying it to.

Xu Qianhui held her breath.

The finger that had been tracing the windowpane suddenly stopped, landing precisely on the side of her face.

It was as if he had touched her cheek from a distance.

A chill ran down his spine and straight to the back of his head, and Xu Qianhui took a step back abruptly.

She was in a bad mood, so her voice was very soft.

"It's getting late, Lord Lin, please return."

......

The next morning, no one from the Marquis of Wu'an's residence, who was supposed to visit, came. Instead, Qin Miaoyun brought her mother, Madam Xiao, to the Duke's residence.

When the maid came to deliver the message, Xu Qianhui had just finished drinking her medicine.

Xu Qianhui had assumed that the Grand Tutor's family had come to discuss marriage and did not intend to go to the main courtyard.

Unexpectedly, Fang Mama arrived as soon as the maid left.

"Miss, someone from the main courtyard came to inquire about yesterday's events. The old lady said that no one from the Marquis of Wu'an's residence came, and she couldn't meet with the Qin family."

Xu Qianhui, being sensible, said, "Then I'll go."

She covered her lipstick with face powder before following the maid waiting outside to the main courtyard.

The jasmine incense that Mr. Fu burned today.

A faint fragrance lingered in the main hall, making the faces of those sitting and talking appear much kinder.

Before Xu Qianhui even entered the room, she heard a gentle voice.

"Yesterday, as soon as Miaoyun returned, she said that Zhiwei got into a conflict with the young lady in the manor while standing up for her. Did the young lady really fall into the water?"

You've come all this way, how could this be fake?

Xu Qianhui found it amusing, stepped inside, and bowed.

"Ah Hui has met her aunt."

Madam Fu took a sip of tea and said calmly, "You're not feeling well, please sit down."

Xu Qianhui glanced around the hall and found that there weren't many people there.

A noblewoman sat beside Madam Fu, with Qin Miaoyun standing next to her; presumably, this was her mother.

Lin Zuoqing and Lin Zuoan sat on either side at the lower end.

The second wife did not come.

Xu Qianhui sat down with Lin Zuoqing and heard Madam Fu say, "Madam Qin, this matter cannot be entirely blamed on Zhiwei. Young people are like that; it's perfectly normal for them to bump into each other while playing. As long as they are more restrained in the future, this matter will be over."

"Madam Duchess, it's like this," Madam Xiao said gently, "The children were playing together and there was no one to serve them, so I had no choice but to come to your door, even if it meant taking the liberty of doing so. If Zhiwei really pushed Miss Biao for Miaoyun's sake, regardless of who was right or wrong, then Miss Biao was the one who suffered an injustice. It's only right that we apologize on Zhiwei's behalf, don't you think?"

The Fu family was unwilling to see Lin Zuo'an marry into a powerful family.

If this matter hadn't involved the Marquis of Wu'an's residence, she wouldn't have been willing to sit here forcing a smile.

"Ah Hui is my niece, and Miss Qin is about to get engaged to Zuo An. From now on, we'll all be family. This is such a small matter, there's really no need to worry about it."

After saying that, she looked at Xu Qianhui: "Qianhui, don't you think so?"

"Yes." Xu Qianhui stood up and bowed to Madam Xiao, saying gently, "It was those rumor-mongers who caused Miss Lin to misunderstand, which led to the argument. Miss Lin is just impulsive and sentimental, but Miss Qin is even more wronged."

Xiao smiled faintly, but didn't respond.

Qin Miaoyun said, sounding aggrieved, "But I saw it clearly: Zhiwei only lightly touched Miss Xu; she didn't push her forcefully. I just can't understand how Miss Xu fell into the water!"

Xu Qianhui's face was pale, and her lips were bloodless, yet she still maintained a well-behaved appearance.

She lowered her eyes and said softly, "Miss Qin is not mistaken, Miss Lin did not push me. I slipped and accidentally fell into the pool."

Since Qin Miaoyun said that Lin Zhiwei didn't use any force, then she might as well say that she didn't push at all.

Look how much she has to compromise.

How can they not be pitiful?

Besides, would you believe me if I said I slipped and fell?