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

Regarding the killing of the old lady, Xu Qianhui had always wanted to avoid being directly involved in the chaos.

However, when she returned to Ci'an Hall to report the autopsy results, the old lady showed extreme grief, repeatedly calling out.

"Xiao Fang, Xiao Fang..."

"She's been with me for forty years, since she was a teenager. She's kept vigil for me, shielded me from disaster, and even when I was sick, she stayed by my side without leaving my side..."

She cried so hard she could barely breathe, her chest heaving violently, even the white hair at her temples became disheveled.

The maids inside were so frightened that they rushed to help her up.

The old lady seemed deaf to the advice of others, only repeatedly calling out Fang Mama's name.

She cried so hard she fainted several times.

The maids rushed to find a doctor, but she said something during a brief moment of fainting...

"Go and fetch Doctor Wang, please invite Doctor Wang from Huichuntang."

Xu Qianhui suppressed the chill surging in her heart and gently comforted her, "Madam, please take care of yourself first. If Granny Fang were alive, she wouldn't want to see you so heartbroken."

The old lady continued to mumble incoherently, "Please fetch Dr. Wang, quickly go fetch Dr. Wang..."

Therefore, she decided to end her life herself.

Lin Zuoqing stood by the door, his face frighteningly grim.

He glanced at the old lady, then turned and instructed Qingyan, "There's no need to go to Huichun Hall. Immediately take my token and go to the palace to summon the imperial physician."

Knocking on the palace gates in the middle of the night is an extremely serious offense.

However, he currently holds the position of Prefect of the Capital and is also the heir of the Rongguo Duke's Mansion. His Majesty, considering his filial piety, will surely not punish him too severely.

Qingyan dared not delay and rushed into the night after receiving the order.

Xu Qianhui looked at Lin Zuoqing's back and suddenly found it somewhat ridiculous.

He used to jump into the river with a calmness that bordered on cruelty.

But when the old lady fell ill, he disregarded the rules and went to the palace gates overnight to beg for the imperial physician.

He wasn't heartless; it's just that his feelings were selective.

Half an hour later, the imperial physician arrived in a hurry, carrying his medicine box.

He took the old lady's pulse and finally just sighed.

"The old lady is overwhelmed with grief and her heart is heavy. I will immediately prescribe a calming medicine for her to take. Someone must stay with her tonight to prevent her from being further agitated."

The maids readily agreed and hurried off to brew the medicine.

After drinking the calming soup, the old lady finally fell into a deep sleep.

Even in his sleep, he still had a furrowed brow, and occasionally the words "Xiao Fang" would slip out of his mouth.

Xu Qianhui tucked the blanket around her and slowly withdrew her hand.

She stood by the bed for a long time, until the smell of medicine dissipated before turning to leave.

After returning to the side courtyard, he packed a small bundle and climbed over the wall out of the Duke's mansion.

......

Outside the side gate of the General Zhenguo's Mansion, a lantern swayed gently in the night.

Chu Yunci had already retired for the night when he suddenly heard a servant urgently report that a young lady was outside who specifically asked to see him.

He hurriedly put on his outer robe and rushed to the side gate, where he saw Xu Qianhui standing in the wind.

Her hair was half-undone, with a few strands of black hair clinging to her pale cheeks. A long tear ran down the hem of her skirt, and even the edges of her embroidered shoes were stained with mud.

Chu Yunci stopped in his tracks, then quickly stepped forward and took off his cloak to drape over her shoulders.

"What happened? How did you get into this state?"

The cloak carried his body heat, it was very warm.

Xu Qianhui felt a lump in her throat.

She raised her wet eyes, her voice so soft it seemed to dissipate in the wind.

"Young General, why is life so hard? I don't ask for anything, so why are they forcing me like this?"

Her tears fell in large drops, like a wilted spring flower.

Chu Yunci's heart tightened, and he raised his hand to wipe away her tears, but his fingertips stopped in mid-air.

He withdrew his hand and asked softly, "What happened at the Duke's mansion again? Tell me, and I'll always find a way to help you."

Xu Qianhui seemed to suddenly come to her senses and took half a step back.

"No, young general, it's not appropriate for you to interfere in the affairs of the Duke's mansion." She hurriedly wiped away her tears, forcing a smile. "It's my fault. I shouldn't have run away to you over a little trouble. I can't cause you any more trouble..."

These words have two meanings.

First, Chu Yunci has no control over the affairs of the Duke's mansion.

Second, the person who causes trouble will seek help from him first.

This proves that even when the sky was falling, all she could think of was finding him.

Even the most despicable man would feel a surge of heroic courage upon hearing these words.

Chu Yunci was an upright man and a true hero.

His courage will allow him to stand against everything for her.

Sure enough, Chu Yunci frowned more and more as he looked at her fingers, which were white from the cold.

He paused for a moment, then lowered his voice further: "Are you still going back to the Duke's mansion?"

Xu Qianhui seemed to be stabbed by these words, shaking her head repeatedly, tears falling again.

"I don't know what happened to the old lady, she suddenly said she wanted to betroth me to the second young master. But the second young master is about to get engaged to Qin Miaoyun, how could I do such a thing? The two of them love each other very much, if I interfere, wouldn't I be demeaning myself?"

Chu Yunci's expression suddenly turned cold.

"You were already engaged to Lin Zuo'an. He broke his vow first and then sought a better match elsewhere. The truly despicable one is him, not you."

Xu Qianhui bit her lip, her voice mournful: "But I don't want to be with him, and I don't want to be his concubine..."

"If you don't want to, then stay." Chu Yunci stepped forward, separating her from Leng Feng, and said, "I will protect you, and no one can force you."

Xu Qianhui looked at him, and a pang of guilt suddenly rose in her heart.

A person like Chu Yunci, kind and upright, should not have been dragged into the quagmire of the Duke's mansion by her.

But that pang of guilt only lasted for a moment before being suppressed by reason.

She needs someone who can rival the Duke's mansion.

She knew one person like Chu Yunci.

She lowered her head, sobbing softly, "Okay... I'll only bother the young general for one night, I'll leave after dawn."

......

The next morning, before the morning mist had completely dissipated, Lin Zuoqing arrived at the general's mansion.

He took the strip of cloth binding his hands and rushed into the Orchid Garden of the General's Mansion, as if he were carrying a torch with him.

The maids and servants were so frightened that they all gave way, and no one dared to stop them.

Chu Yunci was worried about Xu Qianhui last night, so he stayed in a side room in Youlan Garden.

Hearing the commotion in the courtyard, he put on his coat and opened the door, only to be met with Lin Zuoqing's face, which was so gloomy it was almost dripping with water.

"Ah Qing, what are you doing?"

Lin Zuoqing didn't look at him, but stared at another tightly closed door.

"Hand over Xu Qianhui."

Chu Yunci's face also turned cold.

"No way. You gave her to me before, so what's the logic behind you coming to demand her back now?"

"When did I say I was giving her to you?" Lin Zuoqing sneered. "She's from the Duke's mansion; she has to come back with me."

"You're being completely unreasonable! After all these years, you still have the same dog-like temper! You haven't improved at all!"

Lin Zuoqing's eyes suddenly turned sinister.

"Get out of the way."

He suddenly gathered his inner strength, and as he leaped out, his right leg generated a gust of wind that swept straight at Chu Yunci's lower body.

Just then, the door behind me creaked open.

Xu Qianhui stood inside the threshold, her face as pale as paper, still wrapped in Chu Yunci's cloak.