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

"...Sister Cuiju, what are you embroidering?" Zhou Ming'an took a few steps toward her, his voice somewhat hoarse.

Cuiju was sitting on the porch by the door embroidering when she heard this, she paused and quickly hid behind her back.

"N-nothing."

"It was the old lady who asked me to embroider the pattern."

Zhou Ming'an's mind went blank.

Did her mother ask her to embroider it?

She had just come closer and confirmed that the pattern was clearly the same as the one on the sachet that had caused her danger that day!

She remembered noticing the pattern and praising how lifelike the embroidered bird was.

"Did your mother really ask you to embroider this?"

Zhou Ming'an asked again, his voice trembling.

"Is it really your mother?"

When Cuiju looked up, she saw Zhou Ming'an's distraught expression, and her face turned pale instantly.

"Young lady, what's wrong?"

She glanced quickly into the room, her voice trembling with tears as she pleaded, "Please don't tell anyone that I saw you embroidering these, or I won't be able to live."

Zhou Ming'an stared intently at her, his breathing rapid.

She wanted to grab Cuiju's shoulders and question her about why her mother wanted to harm her.

Ultimately, however, Cuiju was merely following orders.

Perhaps Cuiju had no idea that the sachet was meant to harm her; she simply thought it was a secret task her mother had given her.

Zhou Ming'an's kindness prevented her from being harsh on a single pawn.

She could only stumble and stagger out the door.

"Miss!" Cuilan quickly chased after her.

Just then, Lu Mingzhao, who was inside the room, heard the noise and came out while walking around the screen, still tying his belt around his waist.

She only saw her daughter's retreating figure, looking completely bewildered: "What happened to An'an?"

"What just happened?"

Cuiju laughed hastily and nervously: "This servant doesn't quite know. Miss seemed to remember something and ran off in a flash."

Cuizhu's eyes showed worry: "Should I go after them and ask?"

Lu Mingzhao nodded, frowned, and sat down.

I thought I could talk to my daughter for a bit, but she ran away while I was changing clothes.

Why is my daughter so afraid of me?

Before long, Cuizhu returned.

Cuiju stood beside the old lady, her fists clenched, her palms sweaty.

Under everyone's gaze, Cuizhu said softly, "The young lady won't say anything."

"Perhaps I'm seeing things too clearly, and I suddenly remembered what happened that day and became afraid."

Cui Zhu said softly, "When I was a child, I was frightened by thunder. For the next few years, whenever I saw dark clouds, I felt that there would be thunder. Perhaps you are like me when I was a child. It will get better in a few days."

Lu Mingzhao frowned: "What did she see? What could possibly be in this courtyard?"

Could it be that he was afraid because he thought of Lu Mingzhao?

Cuiju was so frightened she nearly fainted; if anyone had noticed her, they would have seen her forehead covered in cold sweat.

However, everyone's attention is now focused on Cuizhu. It is Cuizhu, who is standing opposite, who notices her sister's strange behavior.

She paused, then said softly, "Sometimes when people are afraid, everything seems wrong, so they don't need anything similar."

"……Too."

Lu Mingzhao pursed her lips and then instructed Zhao Xianglan, "Don't forget to send the calming soup today. An'an must not have been resting well these past few days."

Having finally managed to get through this ordeal, Cuiju used the excuse of changing the tea to get to the side room.

Cuizhu was already waiting there.

Cuiju's legs went weak as soon as she went in.

"My dear sister, I can't thank you enough. From now on, you'll be my sister."

Cuizhu quickly helped her up, and looking at Cuiju, who was crying and sniffling, she couldn't help but sigh, "You... you're usually so clever, why did you make such a fuss today?"

"Now, the young lady is the apple of her eye; she treats her like a precious gem, afraid she might break if she holds her too tightly. How could you possibly frighten her?"

Cuiju lowered her head: "I... Sister, I really didn't mean it..."

Actually, she didn't expect the girl to be frightened by such a trick.

"Alright, alright," seeing her troubled look, Cuizhu quickly waved her hand, "You don't need to tell me. Everyone has their own secrets. If you tell others, is it still a secret?"

"I can only save you once, not every time. From now on, please be careful and don't bump into any more girls."

"I understand! Dear sister, you love me the most."

After much effort, Cuizhu managed to calm Cuiju down and stop her tears. Seeing that her eyes were red and swollen, Cuizhu had no choice but to let her go outside to do some work so that the old lady wouldn't suspect anything.

Cuiju felt another wave of gratitude.

The next morning, joyous news suddenly came from outside: "The Marquis has returned!"

The emperor sent the crown prince to personally greet them outside the city gate.

The Crown Prince first brought the Marquis and Zhou Shili into the palace, and released them an hour later.

The entire Marquis's residence was already bustling with activity by midnight.

Upon receiving the message, Lu Mingzhao immediately changed her clothes, intending to see Zhou Ningchuan as soon as he returned.

She wanted to see what Zhou Ningchuan was really up to.

But as soon as she finished changing her clothes, she was stopped by Liu Muqiu who had rushed over.

"Mother, you... cannot meet with the Marquis right now."

Lu Mingzhao was taken aback: "Why?"

"..."

Liu Muqiu really didn't know what to say, so she had no choice but to bite the bullet and kneel down to block her mother-in-law's way.

"Mu Qiu, what exactly happened?"

Lu Mingzhao's expression darkened.

"I've said it before, I'm not a child anymore, I can handle any outcome."

"Whether he's hurt or has fallen for someone else, I can accept it. I just want to see him and get to the bottom of things before I'm satisfied."

Liu Muqiu bit her lower lip, struggling to speak, "The Marquis, he..."

"daughter."

Suddenly, Zhou Shili's voice rang out from the doorway. Liu Muqiu turned around with a sigh of relief and saw Zhou Shili striding towards her.

Zhou Shili helped his wife up, then looked at his mother and said slowly:

"Father has returned, but he...does not want to see you."

"Mother, I've talked to Father a lot, but he doesn't believe me. And whenever I mention you, Father becomes very resistant."

"Now that Father has caught a cold from the long journey, for Father's sake and for yours, you should not go."

Lu Mingzhao remained silent for a long while, then looked at his eldest son: "Can't we even see each other once?"

"After just one meeting, he knew if it was me, and I could also tell whether he had changed his mind or not."

Zhou Shili silently lifted his robe and knelt before his mother.

"Mother, I'm begging you."

"Please give your father some time, and your son will find a way to get him to come see you on his own initiative."

"If you don't think about your father, think about me, Xu'er, and An'an."

"Both you and Father are not in good health these days. If you and Father quarrel and it upsets you, what will happen to your younger siblings who have finally settled down?"

As Zhou Shili spoke, he kowtowed to his mother.

Liu Muqiu knelt down with her husband, while looking at Zhao Xianglan.

Madam Zhao quickly led all the servants in the courtyard to kneel down: "We hope the old lady will take care of her health!"

Lu Mingzhao looked at them expressionlessly.

After a while, she closed her eyes, turned around and walked back.