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That night, Zhuang Hanyan had another nightmare.

In my nightmare, the rain poured down.

Han Yan knelt in the mud, the blood-stained knife in her hand gleaming from the rain.

Two corpses lay before her—her uncle and aunt.

Blood gushed from their chests, mingling with the rain and staining the ground red.

"Did I kill him?" Han Yan murmured to herself, her voice trembling so much it was almost inaudible.

She looked up, and rain streamed down her cheeks, indistinguishable between tears and rain.

"I want to go back to the capital... that's where my home is."

She abruptly dropped the blood-stained knife, and the blade pierced the mud with a clang.

Han Yan staggered to her feet, her soaked clothes clinging to her body, outlining her slender figure.

She took one last look at the body on the ground, then turned and rushed into the rain.

……

Three days later, at the Zhuang residence.

Han Yan stood under the corridor, her fingers tightly gripping her sleeves.

She was waiting here specifically for Master Duan, the Taoist priest who had falsely labeled her a "barefoot ghost."

Footsteps approached from afar. Han Yan took a deep breath and straightened her back.

"Has Miss Zhuang been waiting here for quite some time?"

Master Duan strolled over, his Taoist robe spotless, holding a whisk in his hand, a compassionate smile on his face, but a calculating glint in his eyes.

Han Yan curtsied and said in a clear, cold voice, "Master Duan has excellent eyesight; he was able to see through my true identity."

Master Duan stroked his beard: "The young lady of this humble temple has a knot of worry between her brows, which must be because she is worried about the old lady's illness."

"Since you knew the old lady was seriously ill, why did you hide it?" Han Yan looked directly at Master Duan, her voice not loud but clear, "Master Zhuang was afraid of implicating me, but the old lady's illness cannot be delayed."

A hint of surprise flashed in Master Duan's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure: "Miss is indeed intelligent! In that case, why don't you allow me to examine the old lady?"

Han Yan smiled slightly: "That's exactly what I was thinking."

Inside the hall, Master Zhuang's face was grim: "Yan'er, how could you make such a decision on your own?"

Han Yan knelt down. "Father, I cannot bear to see my grandmother suffer. Since Master Duan has supernatural powers, why not give it a try?"

Master Zhuang sighed and waved for his servants to lead the way.

Before long, Master Duan was taking the old lady's pulse by her bedside, his brows furrowing more and more deeply.

"This is bad!" Master Duan shook his head. "The old lady is possessed by an evil spirit, and it's the work of that barefoot ghost from seventeen years ago!"

As soon as this statement came out, the whole audience was in an uproar.

The guests who came to the family banquet looked at each other in surprise, and several officials looked even more astonished.

"Nonsense!" Han Yan stood up abruptly. "The so-called barefoot ghost from seventeen years ago was clearly a frame-up!"

Master Duan calmly took out a talisman from his sleeve: "This is what I calculated. This person's birth date and time is the source of the evil spirits."

He looked around at everyone and said, "This person's birth chart is compatible with Miss Zhuang's."

A commotion arose among the guests.

Han Yan's face turned pale, but she forced herself to remain calm: "Master, you are mistaken! If matching birth charts means evil spirits, wouldn't everyone in the Zhuang family be in danger?"

Just then, Zhuang Yushan burst in with several servants: "Father! Your daughter saw with her own eyes that Master Duan and Han Yan had a secret meeting last night and even exchanged a bundle!"

A cold glint flashed in Han Yan's eyes: "What makes you say that, sister? I clearly saw last night..."

Upon hearing the commotion in the front yard, Madam Wang hurriedly handed an account book to Chen, the nanny beside her, saying, "Go to the front yard quickly and see what's going on, so as not to make things difficult for the master."

Granny Chen accepted the order and left. She returned shortly afterward with a cook and a food logbook.

She knelt before Master Zhuang and said, "Master, I have checked the old lady's diet records and found that someone added purslane to her food. It is incompatible with the clove cake she usually eats, which is why the old lady is seriously ill."

The cook knelt and kowtowed: "I don't know anything about pharmacology! Only Aunt Zhou comes from a family of pharmacists and knows about these things..."

All eyes turned to Aunt Zhou, who was standing in the corner.

Aunt Zhou's face changed drastically, and she knelt down with a thud: "My lord, please understand! I was just... just unable to judge people..."

Master Zhuang's face turned ashen, and he was about to speak when Han Yan spoke first: "Father, the most urgent thing is to save Grandmother. I happen to have the antidote here."

She took out a small porcelain bottle from her sleeve, "Please have the uncles and elders present bear witness."

The officials looked at each other and nodded in agreement.

Han Yan personally fed the old lady the antidote, then turned to face Master Duan: "Since you say I am a barefoot ghost, do you know that real criminals have the word 'thief' tattooed on their arms?"

Master Duan's expression changed drastically: "You... what nonsense are you spouting, you barefoot ghost?"

Han Yan approached step by step: "Why don't you roll up your sleeves and let everyone see?"

"Insolence!" Master Duan suddenly roared, "If you dare to touch me, you will be punished by heaven! Within three days, there will be bloodshed at the Zhuang family's residence!"

Ignoring all attempts to stop her, Granny Chen ripped open Master Duan's sleeve.

A clear brand of the word "thief" appeared on his arm.

"It was a fake!" someone in the guests exclaimed.

Master Duan's face turned ashen. Suddenly, he pointed at Aunt Zhou and exclaimed, "It was her! She's the one who instructed me to frame Miss Hanyan!"

Aunt Zhou collapsed to the ground, her face ashen.

Han Yan walked up to her and asked softly, "Aunt Zhou, did your maid go out last night?"

A maid was pushed forward, trembling all over: "This servant...this servant..."

Aunt Zhou suddenly stood up, a resolute glint in her eyes: "Master, I will prove my innocence with my death!"

After saying that, she suddenly rushed towards the pillar.

"Stop her!" Master Zhuang shouted, but it was too late.

Aunt Zhou's forehead struck the pillar, and blood gushed out immediately.

She collapsed softly, her voice barely audible: "Han Yan...you won..."

Han Yan stared blankly at this scene, feeling no joy whatsoever.

Then she turned to face the crowd again, her voice calm but firm: "All of you uncles and elders have seen it. This was all a scheme set up by Aunt Zhou to fight for the family property. I, Han Yan, have never been a barefoot devil."

Master Zhuang looked at Han Yan with a complicated expression, as if he were truly getting to know this daughter for the first time.

The guests were buzzing with discussion, but Han Yan stood quietly, her eyes holding a profound meaning that no one could understand.

The rain has started again.

……

The matter of Aunt Zhou was ultimately resolved with a three-month salary deduction and confinement for reflection.

After the court hearing that day, a maid named Cuiliu knelt before Master Zhuang and tearfully confessed that she had been misled by outsiders and had tampered with the old lady's food.

"My lord, please understand, I was confused for a moment..." Cui Liu pressed her forehead against the bluestone ground, her voice trembling like a leaf falling in the wind.

Han Yan stood by the pillar, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the note in her sleeve—"The meal record is with Granny Chen."

The handwriting was both strange and familiar, as if someone had deliberately imitated the handwriting of the Zhuang family's accountant.

She looked up at the mistress, Madam Wang, who was wiping away non-existent tears from the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief.

“Third Miss,” Granny Chen appeared silently beside her, “the old lady has woken up and says she wants to see you.”

The old lady's room was filled with the calming scent of incense.

As soon as Han Yan stepped across the threshold, she heard a weak voice calling out, "Yan'er, come here and let your grandmother take a look at you."

The old man in bed looked thinner than when we last met, but his eyes were clear.

She tremblingly took Han Yan's hand: "You've suffered so much these past years."

Han Yan felt a lump in her throat, but simply pursed her lips and said, "Grandmother, you flatter me."

"No, I know." The old lady took out a brass key from under her pillow. "There are some things from my youth in the west wing storeroom. Go and pick out a few that you like."

She suddenly lowered her voice, "Especially that sandalwood dressing case, the things inside suit you perfectly."

Three days later, at dawn, Han Yan was trying on a pair of jade earrings given to her by the old lady in front of the mirror when the door was suddenly pushed open.

Aunt Zhou entered with two maids, her face beaming with smiles, but her eyes were taut with tension.

"Miss Yan is going to visit the plum garden today, so your aunt has come to help you with your hair and makeup." Aunt Zhou took the comb without saying a word, her fingers running through Yan's cascading black hair. "I heard that Young Master Fu will also be there?"

Han Yan caught a glimpse of calculation in Aunt Zhou's eyes in the mirror, and smiled slightly: "Aunt Zhou is well-informed."

Aunt Zhou skillfully styled her hair into a high bun, about to insert a golden phoenix hairpin, when Han Yan stopped her hand: "Use this one."

She took out an antique-style silver hairpin from her dressing case—it was the one the old lady had given her.

"This..." Aunt Zhou's expression changed, "Isn't it too plain?"

"Grandmother said that this hairpin won her a standing ovation at the plum blossom appreciation banquet back then." Han Yan deliberately raised her voice, "Does Aunt think that Grandmother's taste is bad?"

Aunt Zhou tightened her grip, making Han Yan's scalp ache, but she had no choice but to force a smile and say, "How could that be?"

Just as she finished her makeup, Zhuang Yushan's voice rang out from outside the door: "Is my little sister ready?"

She pushed open the door and entered, her gaze freezing as she fell upon the silver hairpin in Han Yan's hair.

"Sister, you've come at the perfect time." Han Yan stood up and spun around. "How was the makeup Auntie did for me?"

Zhuang Yushan stared at the silver hairpin that gleamed with a deep blue luster in the sunlight, and his lips twitched: "My sister is... unusually different today."

She suddenly noticed a pair of red gold and gemstone-encrusted bracelets on the dressing table. "What are these?"

"Oh, that was a gift from Grandmother." Han Yan casually picked up the bracelet. "She said it was a gift from the late Emperor. I found it too heavy; if you like it, sister..."

Zhuang Yushan's eyes lit up, and before Han Yan could finish speaking, he reached out his hand: "Little sister, are you really willing to part with it?"

“There’s no need for distinction between sisters.” Han Yan personally put the bracelet on her wrist, then took out a pearl necklace. “This set of jewelry was originally one piece. Since you’re wearing the bracelet, sister, why don’t you…”

Half an hour later, Zhuang Yushan stood in front of the bronze mirror, adorned with jewels, looking like a walking jewelry stand.

Han Yan suppressed a laugh: "With this outfit, you're sure to outshine everyone else."

Just as Zhuang Yushan was about to speak, a maidservant rushed over: "Miss, the Fu family's carriage has arrived at the intersection!"

"I'm going right now!" Zhuang Yushan turned around hurriedly, the jade pendant and gold bracelet at her waist clinking together. She ran to the door but then turned back, saying curtly to Han Yan, "Hurry up too, don't be late."

Han Yan watched her sister's departing figure, her smile gradually turning cold.

She deliberately lingered for half an hour before leaving the house, and as soon as she got into the carriage, she noticed that the coachman looked strange.

"Hold on tight, young lady." The coachman cracked his whip, and the carriage sped off towards the outskirts of the city.

When they reached a deserted place, the driver suddenly jumped out of the carriage and fled.

Han Yan lifted the carriage curtain and saw that the surrounding area was overgrown with weeds, and the faint howling of wolves could be heard in the distance.

Just as she was about to get off the carriage, the sound of horses' hooves approached from afar.

"Does the young lady need any help?"

Han Yan looked up and saw a man in a dark blue brocade robe reining in his horse.

He was in his early forties, with sharp, chiseled features, and a badge reading "Left Censor-in-Chief" hung from his waist.

"Thank you, sir. My carriage..." Han Yan hadn't finished speaking when she suddenly recognized the other person's face and hurriedly curtsied. "Is this Lord Yuwen?"

The man raised an eyebrow: "Does the young lady recognize me?"

“My mother once mentioned that Uncle Yuwen and she studied swordsmanship together.” Han Yan’s voice softened a bit. “I am Han Yan, the second daughter of the Zhuang family.”

A strange light flashed in Yuwen Chang'an's eyes as he dismounted: "So you are Minglan's daughter."

He reached out and brushed the fallen leaves off Han Yan's shoulder. "You look exactly like your mother when she was young."

These words sent a jolt through Han Yan's heart.

In her memory, her mother was always sickly and never mentioned that she knew martial arts.

"Come on up! I'll take you to Qiumei Garden." Yuwen Chang'an helped her onto his horse. "I heard that the young master from the Fu family will be there today too?"

Han Yan gripped the reins tightly: "Does Your Excellency know Young Master Fu?"

"That kid single-handedly wiped out three bandit dens when he was suppressing bandits in Danzhou," Yuwen Chang'an chuckled. "He certainly deserves the title..."

The second half of the sentence vanished in the wind, and the wild goose didn't hear it clearly.

The two talked about poetry and swordsmanship along the way and found themselves to be exceptionally compatible.

As they approached Qiumei Garden, Yuwen Chang'an suddenly lowered his voice and said, "I will tell you about your mother's matter in detail another day."

At the entrance of Qiumei Garden, Zhuang Yushan was anxiously looking around.

When she saw Han Yan dismount from Yuwen Chang'an's horse, her eyes were filled with jealousy that almost burst forth.

"My dear sister, you have such an honor to have Lord Yuwen escort you like this." Zhuang Yushan stepped forward and bowed, the gold bracelet on her wrist dazzling in the sunlight.

Yuwen Chang'an nodded slightly and said to Han Yan, "I will send someone to deliver some sword manuals to you another day."

Having said that, he spurred his horse and rode away.

The garden is filled with the fragrance of plum blossoms.

As Han Yan turned the corner of a corridor, she was met with a pair of eyes as deep as a pool.

Fu Yunxi stood under an old plum tree, toying with a familiar silver hairpin in her hand—the very one Han Yan had lost in Danzhou.

“Miss Zhuang, take a step forward, your voice so low that only the two of them can hear, “Return it to its rightful owner.”

Han Yan felt a lightness in her hair; the silver hairpin that the old lady had given her had somehow ended up in Fu Yunxi's hands.

He was gently inserting the silver hairpin from Danzhou into her hair bun, his fingertips inadvertently brushing against her earlobe, sending a shiver down her spine.

"What does Young Master Fu mean by this?" Han Yan forced herself to remain calm.

Fu Yunxi took a half step back, her voice returning to normal: "Miss Zhuang's hairpin is crooked."

His gaze swept over the person behind her. "Your sister seems to care about you a lot."

Han Yan turned around and saw Zhuang Yushan standing not far away, the handkerchief in his hand twisted out of shape.

When Zhuang Yushan noticed Han Yan looking at her, he forced a stiff smile: "Sister and Young Master Fu... are you very familiar with each other?"

"Unfamiliar."

……

At noon, in the main hall of the Zhuang mansion, Master Zhuang was discussing estate matters with several stewards when he suddenly heard a commotion outside the door.

The butler rushed in to report: "Master, there's a Lord Su outside who's handed over an invitation, saying... saying he's here to propose marriage to the Third Miss!"

With a "clatter," the teacup in Master Zhuang's hand fell onto the bluestone floor and shattered into several pieces.

He stood up abruptly, his beard trembling slightly: "What did you say? Say it again!"

Everyone in the hall paled.

The head steward's account book fell to the ground with a "clatter." Zhuang Yuchi, who was looking like a pig, happened to be carrying a fruit platter in. Upon hearing this, he stumbled, and bright red cherries rolled all over the floor.

"Ridiculous!" Zhuang Yuchi shrieked. "Who would dare to propose marriage? Is he some penniless wretch who's gone mad with poverty?"

The butler wiped the sweat from his brow: "Young Master, it is...it is the newly appointed Earl of Zhongqin, Lord Su Ning. He is waiting in the flower hall with eight loads of betrothal gifts..."

Master Zhuang frowned. "Lord Zhongqin? Is that the wealthy landowner who donated 300,000 taels of silver for disaster relief?"

"Exactly."

Just then, a soft laugh came from behind the screen.

Everyone turned around and saw Han Yan, dressed in a moon-white robe, looking at everything before them with a half-smile.

"Why is Father so surprised? This isn't the first time my daughter has been proposed to."

"..."

"You!" At this moment, Zhuang Yuchi, the young master of the Zhuang family, was so angry that his face turned red. "That poor scholar last time couldn't even afford a betrothal goose. Does he even deserve to propose marriage?"

Han Yan's eyes flickered: "You have a good memory! But I have seen this Lord Su a few times on the way back to the capital from Danzhou."

The main hall erupted in chaos.

Master Zhuang slammed his hand on the table and stood up: "Nonsense! How could a young lady like you be with an outsider..."

"Master!" Ruan Xiwen rushed over, supported by her maid, an unnatural blush rising on her pale face. "I told you this girl was evil! She must have used some kind of sorcery..."

Before he could finish speaking, a clear male voice came from the direction of the flower hall: "Lord Zhuang, I apologize for my intrusion in visiting you."

Everyone turned around and saw a young man dressed in an indigo brocade robe standing under the corridor.

He was born with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, and the jade pendant at his waist was as smooth as water. Standing there, he was the center of attention.

Su Ning bowed respectfully, but his gaze was fixed on Han Yan: "Third Miss, how have you been?"

Upon seeing its master again, Han Yan paused slightly.

Although she already knew that Su Ning was coming to propose marriage, Zhuang Hanyan still couldn't help but feel her heart flutter when she actually faced him.

"Lord Su, you've mistaken me for someone else." Han Yan said with a slight smile, her eyes lowered. She could only find happiness in front of Su Ning. "I am a delicate woman confined to my chambers. How could I have ever been to such a wild and uncivilized place as Danzhou?"

Su Ning calmly took out an item from his sleeve: "This handkerchief embroidered with the character 'wild goose' must have been brought here by a seagull and landed on my ship?"

The crooked red plum blossom embroidered on the cloth corner is a masterpiece made by Han Yan when she was twelve years old and just learning needlework.

Zhuang Yuchi, who was standing nearby with a human head and a pig brain, snatched the item and examined it closely. Suddenly, she screamed, "This... how come there's blood on this?"

"Young Master Zhuang has a good eye." Su Ning chuckled. "That day, the Third Miss used this handkerchief to wrap freshly made ointment in order to save a scalded child."

Ruan Xiwen suddenly coughed violently, her nails digging into the maid's arm: "Master! Such a private affair..."

“Mother has misunderstood.” Han Yan suddenly stepped forward and took Ruan Xiwen’s hand, her fingertips subtly pressing on her pulse point. “Your daughter and Lord Su are completely innocent.”

She turned to Su Ning, her eyes filled with warning, "Your Excellency has come today, presumably because you heard that the Zhuang family's daughter has a generous dowry?"

Su Ning understood and immediately said solemnly, "Lord Zhuang, you are wise. Although I come from a poor family, we are a family that values ​​both farming and scholarship. Today, I have prepared ten thousand taels of silver as a betrothal gift, along with the deed to a three-courtyard house..."

He took out a scroll from his bosom. "In addition, this is the edict of title bestowed by His Majesty. Please take a look."

Master Zhuang's hand trembled slightly as he received the imperial edict.

The eldest daughter, Zhuang Yushan, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up: "Does Lord Su know that my third sister has a nickname: Barefoot Ghost?"

The hall fell silent instantly.

"I've heard a little about it." Su Ning dusted off his sleeves, then suddenly pulled a dagger from his boot and "swish" cut off a piece of his robe. "Coincidentally, I was also called a jinx when I was young."

He threw the torn fabric onto the table, saying, "If the Third Miss is truly a jinx, she'll be a perfect match for me, a lone star."

"Nonsense!" Master Zhuang exclaimed, his beard bristling with anger. "Marriage is no child's play!"

"Father," Han Yan suddenly knelt down, "your daughter is willing to marry."

Ruan Xiwen suddenly roared in anger, "You bitch! You..."

Zhuang Yuchi trembled with anger: "You..."

"Shut up!" Master Zhuang suddenly roared. He stared at the bright jade seal on the imperial edict, then glanced at the neatly arranged eight-bearer betrothal gifts outside the door, and finally sighed, "Lord Su, please let me speak with you in private."

"it is good."

In the side hall, Master Zhuang stared at his unexpected son-in-law: "Lord Su, what exactly are you after? Our Han Yan has neither stunning beauty nor a good reputation..."

"Father-in-law," Su Ning poured a cup of tea and pushed it towards him, "Although I have always lived a life of farming and studying in the countryside, I have earned this family business with my indomitable spirit."

Then he stroked the rim of the teacup again, "When the Third Miss was ten years old, she shielded a rascal from hot oil at the Danzhou Wharf for a singing girl she didn't know."

"This..." Master Zhuang's hand trembled, and tea splashed onto his sleeve.

"I later found out that it was her aunt's birthday that day, and she ran away to pawn her only silver hairpin to buy a birthday cake." Su Ning chuckled. "How could someone like that be a jinx who brings misfortune to her family?"

A soft "click" sound suddenly came from outside the window.

Su Ning flung open the window with lightning speed and grabbed Zhuang Yuchi by the collar.

"What are you doing, young master?"

"me……"

"Alright! Lord Su, I agree to this marriage."

"Thank you, Father-in-law."

This time, Zhuang Hanyan returned to the Zhuang family feeling utterly disheartened. She never expected that her parents, whom she missed every night, would be even colder than her uncles and aunts in Danzhou.

So when Jiang Si told her that Su Ning would arrange to marry her, Zhuang Hanyan was undoubtedly overjoyed.

...(End of chapter)