The temperamental white moonlight is back, and the entire Marquis's family obediently calls him

After dinner, Zhou Shixu and Zhou Ming'an left first.

Stepping out of the courtyard, Zhou Ming'an finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Today, she and her mother, unusually, did not have a conflict and ate their meal quietly.

Her mother no longer spoke harshly to her as before, and the occasional gaze that lingered on her was even unusually peaceful and gentle.

But the more she felt this way, the more uneasy she became.

"Second brother, what...what happened to Mother?"

Zhou Ming'an stopped and looked hesitantly at his second brother beside him.

She and her second brother were only two years apart in age, and they were closer to each other. Before her sister-in-law married into the family, she would always talk to her second brother about anything.

Zhou Shixu was naturally also confused about the situation, but as the elder brother, he was unwilling to appear ignorant in front of his younger sister.

He coughed twice, his face serious and tense: "You noticed too?"

Zhou Ming'an nodded repeatedly.

"In my opinion..." Zhou Shixu narrowed his eyes and said in a low voice, "She's probably possessed by an evil spirit."

Zhou Ming'an was taken aback, his delicate eyebrows furrowing: "Possessed by an evil spirit?"

"That's right," Zhou Shixu sighed deeply.

"Think about it carefully, when has she ever been so kind to us? A master once told me that when a person's temperament changes drastically, it is often because they are possessed by an evil spirit."

Zhou Ming'an blinked: "Second Brother, you know someone who understands this?"

"Would I lie to you?" Zhou Shixu asked seriously.

Zhou Ming'an nodded thoughtfully.

The two parted ways at the crossroads, and the servant curiously approached, "Second Master, when did you meet the Master?"

Zhou Shixu looked around awkwardly: "I heard a storyteller tell a tale about this kind of possession the other day... how can you say we know each other?"

The servant chuckled awkwardly twice and repeatedly agreed.

On the other side, Zhou Ming'an kept thinking about what his second brother had just said on his way back.

Is Mother really possessed by an evil spirit?

Shouldn't she do something about it?

But what could she do? Could she possibly try to turn her mother back to how she was before?

She must not want to.

Just then, Zhao's mother arrived.

"You left in a hurry just now. This is the fabric that the old lady asked me to bring. She personally selected it and said it is very suitable for your age."

The maids looked at each other, then all turned to Zhou Ming'an.

Zhou Ming'an stared blankly at the fabric.

Mother...sent her something?

Previously, whenever Zhao's mother came to her yard, she would either punish her on behalf of her mother or scold her.

This is the first time in over a decade that I've given her something.

After Zhao Mama left, Zhou Ming'an wandered around the courtyard a few times. When the maids asked her what was wrong, she wouldn't say.

After silently completing the fifth lap, Zhou Ming'an stopped, clenched his fists, and made a silent resolution.

If her possessed mother could treat her better, she hoped her mother would remain possessed, at least until her father returned, so she could have a way to survive.

"Cuilan," Zhou Ming'an called over his personal maid, pulled her into the room, and said in a serious tone, "Go and find someone to go out and inquire. How can we let someone be possessed by evil spirits?"

Cuilan cried out in terror, "Miss!"

"Keep your voice down!" Zhou Ming'an realized his mistake after saying that. Seeing Cuilan's expression, he blushed even more and lowered his voice to a whisper, "It doesn't have to be too long, just... a month would be fine."

Cuilan nodded reluctantly.

After Cuilan left, Zhou Ming'an sat down anxiously, twisting his handkerchief in circles with his fingers.

Although she disliked her mother, she had never done anything seriously wrong, so how could she not be flustered?

"Just one month... Once Father comes back, I won't do this kind of thing again..."

On the other side of the main courtyard, after Zhou Shixu and Zhou Ming'an left, Liu Muqiu also left ahead of time at her husband's prompting.

Only Lu Mingzhao and Zhou Shili remained in the courtyard.

Zhou Shili is almost twenty years old. He is mature and experienced in dealing with people in officialdom, and he is very shrewd. However, he is still as nervous as a child in front of his mother.

He gripped his sleeve, his smile stiff.

"mother……"

Zhou Shili broke the silence by speaking first, but he choked up after uttering just one word.

Lu Mingzhao smiled, seemingly oblivious to his son's sob, and asked to himself, "Did you choose Mu Qiu yourself, or did your father choose her for you?"

Zhou Shili replied solemnly, "Muqiu's father, Mr. Liu, is my teacher. My teacher values ​​me, so he trusts me with Qiu'er."

Lu Mingzhao asked in confusion, "Your teacher should know about our family situation, so how could he feel comfortable sending his daughter to live with us?"

Zhou Shili knew that her mother was referring to the "woman" who had taken over her body.

That woman did indeed do many absurd things with her mother's body. Who would want their daughter to marry into such a family and serve such a crazy mother-in-law?

"The situation of the Liu family... is rather complicated."

Zhou Shili paused for a moment and then gave a brief description of Liu Muqiu's family situation.

Lu Mingzhao sighed.

"So she was a pitiful child after all. No wonder... she could endure our family's life."

Zhou Shili lowered his head: "Qiu'er has indeed suffered a lot of grievances, but I have never let her down. She makes all the decisions, big and small, at home, and I always accompany her when she goes back to her parents' home. As for the two concubines that woman gave me... I have never touched them."

Lu Mingzhao smiled and said, "You are my son, so of course I believe you won't let her down, but that's not enough."

Liu Muqiu is now family to her, and she will never let Liu Muqiu suffer any more grievances.

The two talked for a while longer, and with their previous conversation, Zhou Shili was no longer so nervous.

However, he would still deliberately avoid mentioning his mother's sudden disappearance, as if he were trying to ignore something.

Even if Lu Mingzhao wanted to bring it up, he would immediately and hurriedly change the subject.

Lu Mingzhao understood immediately; his eldest son hadn't fully accepted the situation yet and was always afraid that something might go wrong.

She decided to put it aside for now and tell her son when he was ready to talk about it.

While we were chatting, Zhao's mother returned with the things she had delivered.

Lu Mingzhao was very pleased to hear that Zhou Ming'an did not strongly object to the fabric she had chosen.

"Which piece of fabric do you think she likes the most?"

Zhao Mama: "This servant feels that the young lady seems to have glanced at that piece of pale yellow fabric a few more times."

Lu Mingzhao clapped his hands: "Then I'll use that fabric to make her a dress! An'an will definitely look good in it."

Zhou Shili felt a warmth in his heart.

"I still have the clothes my mother made for me."

Before she gave birth that year, Zhou Ningchuan sent money back home, telling her to dress nicely and eat well.

She not only made herself a new satin dress, but also made one for each of her two children.

I had planned to wait until my daughter was born so the whole family could wear new clothes and celebrate together, but I didn't get to wear any myself, nor did I see my two children wearing any.

Lu Mingzhao: "Did you wear it later?"

Zhou Shili paused, then nodded with a smile.

"He wore it, it fits him perfectly, and my son loves it."

He didn't mention that he and his brother had excitedly changed into their new clothes that day and run to show them to their mother.

But all they saw was the woman who had taken over the mother's body looking at them with a mocking gaze.

"She really takes after her, acting like a nouveau riche. She shows off just because she's wearing nice clothes. She's so shallow..."

Confused, he silently took off his clothes and cried all night.

Later he realized that it was a "monster" that had taken over his mother's body, and he came to terms with it.

He'd be happy to accept any mother, even if she were from a poor family, let alone a nouveau riche.

He was willing to be the son of a nouveau riche, regardless of what others thought.

But why let your mother know these things and only add to her sorrow?

"Madam, Steward Wang has also brought in an invitation."

Lu Mingzhao took the invitation, but couldn't understand it, so he handed it to his eldest son.

Zhou Shili read aloud: "Princess Wenyu invites the ladies of the Marquis Zhongjing's household to a small gathering at Yunding Manor..."

Lu Mingzhao: "Princess Wenyu? Who is that?"

Zhou Shili frowned: "She is the daughter of Prince Wei."

"Prince Wei died saving the Emperor in his early years, and the Emperor felt particularly guilty towards Prince Wei's son and daughter. The heir apparent inherited the title of Prince Wei without being demoted, and the daughter was granted the title of Princess Wenyu and enjoyed the treatment of a princess."

"But after Princess Wenyu's husband, the Duke of Liang, passed away, Princess Wenyu had been staying with her younger brother, Prince Wei, in their northern fiefdom. How could she suddenly appear in the capital?"

"Besides... our family has had no contact with Wei Wang over the years."

Lu Mingzhao couldn't help but think of the woman he had seen at the Duke of Huguo's mansion earlier that day.

"Perhaps... I saw her today."