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

"The divination clearly states that you and your wife should not meet easily now, otherwise you might clash with each other, which would be bad for both of you!"

Zhou Ningchuan frowned slightly and scoffed, "Do you think I would believe in that baseless divination?"

Chu Yuan'er's eyes were filled with tears: "My lord, that was also His Majesty's will. Even if you don't think of yourself, you should consider the fate of the country. If something happens to you, who will protect the Northwest?"

"I...I can only rely on you, Lord Marquis..."

Zhou Ningchuan's tone was cold and hard: "My fate is not up to the Imperial Observatory to decide."

"I won't die."

Upon arriving and seeing this scene, the deputy general Wu Chenghao hurriedly inquired about the situation from the servants. Seeing Chu Yuan'er's pitiful state, he was moved and knelt down, saying, "General, I know you miss your wife, and I would only go after you have recovered, so as not to worry her!"

These words reminded Chu Yuan'er of something, and she quickly replied, "That's exactly right!"

"Your Excellency may not believe in divination, but if, as you hope, my sister has returned, would you not care about her safety?"

"Furthermore, if my sister returns and sees the Marquis's injured and ailing body, wouldn't she be extremely worried?"

These words made Zhou Ningchuan pause slightly.

"Therefore, please wait until you are cured of the poison and have recovered before visiting my sister."

Chu Yuan'er tried to persuade her earnestly, but suddenly an idea came to her: "If the Marquis is worried, I will go to see her tomorrow morning. Although I have never met my sister, I recognize her. She can't fool me."

Zhou Ningchuan was unwilling to believe the divination of the Imperial Observatory, but even he found it hard to believe that he had been injured by bandits.

It's better to be safe than sorry; what if it really does hurt Zhaozhao...?

He was unwilling to take any risks, even if there was only the slightest possibility.

Seeing that Zhou Ningchuan didn't say anything more, Chu Yuan'er secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Just as she was about to leave, Chu Yuan'er suddenly noticed that the paperweight on the table under the window had been moved.

She frowned almost imperceptibly, then stepped forward as if by accident and subtly moved the paperweight back.

Everyone left the room.

Chu Yuan'er, carrying a lantern, looked at Wu Chenghao and bowed, saying, "Thank you, Lord Wu."

Wu Chenghao waved his hands repeatedly: "No, why should I accept such a courtesy from you, young lady?"

Chu Yuan'er gently shook her head: "If Lord Wu hadn't spoken up today, I wouldn't have been able to persuade the Marquis."

Wu Chenghao scratched his head, chuckled shyly, and stammered, "I'm only thinking about the general's health. We're all doing this for the general."

Chu Yuan'er raised her head slightly and met his gaze. "There is one more thing. I hope that we can increase the number of patrolmen in the courtyard in the next two days."

"Just now I saw traces of mice crawling in from outside the window on the table. I'm afraid they might disturb the Marquis's rest."

Wu Chenghao readily agreed, "That's not difficult. I'll give the order as soon as I get back."

Chu Yuan'er bowed again and turned to leave.

As Wu Chenghao watched her retreating figure, he sighed once again in his heart, thinking that such a woman was truly worthy of being a Marquis's wife.

.

On the other side, Lu Mingzhao left Hesong Courtyard. The moonlight was perfect, and she didn't want to go straight back, so she turned around and went to the backyard.

Before long, she stood on a tree in the courtyard of Longcui Pavilion.

The mimosa tree was large and lush, and Lu Mingzhao liked it very much. She remembered that there was a tree in her old home in the countryside, but it was just a small sapling.

and many more……

Lu Mingzhao looked down and examined it.

This tree... could it be the same mimosa tree from the countryside?

"Don't follow me anymore, I want to be alone for a while."

The door opened, and Zhou Ming'an came out wearing his nightgown underneath a coat. Cuilan stopped at the door.

Zhou Ming'an walked alone to the big tree and sat on the swing below.

Zhou Ming'an glanced at Cuilan: "I told you you don't need to stay with me, go back inside."

Cuilan had no choice but to close the door, not forgetting to remind her through the door, "I'll come back to call you in a quarter of an hour. It's late and the dew is heavy, so you can't stay outside all the time."

Zhou Ming'an swung on the swing in silence.

Lu Mingzhao looked down at her daughter with gentle eyes. She hadn't seen her daughter so calm in a long time.

For some reason, despite her efforts over the years, her daughter still showed resistance and fear in her eyes every time she saw her.

Zhou Ming swung quietly on the swing, and after an unknown amount of time, he muttered to himself:

"Oh, big tree, tell me, am I a very bad daughter?"

Why does my mother hate me so much? Why does she even want to harm me?

Am I really that bad?

"Of course not!"

Hearing these words, Lu Mingzhao couldn't help but whisper a rebuttal.

She regretted it as soon as she made a sound and quickly covered her mouth.

Zhou Ming'an was startled and quickly jumped off the swing.

Strangely, instead of running away, she looked up and stared for a long time, but couldn't find anyone. Her eyes gradually turned to shock.

"...Big tree, is that you speaking?"

"I've always felt you were good with words! I never imagined it was true!"

"..." Lu Mingzhao remained silent, hiding himself further into the dense branches of the tree.

"Why did you suddenly speak? Is it because I cast a spell on my mother, and it's affecting you?"

Lu Mingzhao, who was thinking about how to escape later: ?

With a complicated expression, she raised her voice and asked, "You used a curse on your mother? Why?"

"because……"

Zhou Ming'an bit his lip.

"She suddenly changed not long ago. My second brother said it must be because she was possessed by an evil spirit."

"I think being possessed by an evil spirit and being poisoned by a curse are pretty much the same."

"So... I sent Cuilan out with the silver to find someone to cast a spell on my mother. But I really didn't expect her to faint. Big Tree, do you think a spell can really be that powerful?"

"...No, this has nothing to do with you." Lu Mingzhao felt that her daughter was adorable at one moment, and heartbroken for her at the other.

The daughter used witchcraft only because she was afraid of being bullied by the previous time-traveling woman.

Zhou Ming'an wrung out the handkerchief, then asked hesitantly, "Then tell me, did she really want to harm me?"

"I can't believe it, but I have to believe it..."

Lu Mingzhao was dumbfounded again.

Just as she was about to ask a question, Cuilan pushed open the door.

"Girl, come back quickly, it's foggy outside."

Zhou Ming'an responded.

As he reached the doorway, Zhou Ming'an glanced back at the mimosa tree, a mysterious smile playing on his lips. "Cuilan, I talked to the tree."

"I told you long ago that trees can talk. It's been with me for fourteen years, so it must have a spirit."

Cuilan stared at the tree in disbelief, then at her master, and forced a smile with a complicated expression.

Alright, Master's been under too much pressure lately, let's talk to the tree...

That's understandable, isn't it?

"Big tree, sleep peacefully. I need to rest too. I'm going to see my father first thing tomorrow morning."

Lu Mingzhao responded silently:

Sleep peacefully, my darling daughter.

As for why her daughter felt she was trying to harm her... she needs to find out as soon as possible.

.

The next day, Lu Mingzhao got up very early.

After washing and dressing up, she sat at the entrance of the main room, eating melon seeds while waiting.

Zhao Xianglan didn't know what she was waiting for, but she inexplicably felt that the old lady was in much better condition than yesterday.

Until someone knocked on the courtyard gate.

Lu Mingzhao's eyes lit up.

He's finally here!