Late at night, the main lamp in the study was extinguished, leaving only a small lamp beside the couch, emitting a warm orange glow in the darkness. The calming incense burning in the censer slowly released wisps of smoke, the strands resembling gauze and mist, hazy and dreamlike.
When the night had grown utterly still, the man on the couch gradually fell into a deep sleep, sinking into a dream shrouded in clouds and mist.
In the depths of a secluded mountain forest, thin mist and smoke drifted through the trees, making everything appear hazy and indistinct.
Shen Yi held a bow and arrows as he moved through the forest, searching for traces of beasts. Suddenly, a white figure sprang out from a patch of low bushes.
He immediately drew his bow to its full length, aiming the arrow at the white shadow.
The mist before him gradually dispersed, revealing a white fox.
Its fur was whiter than snow, and it looked both adorable and innocent.
The white fox did not run away. Instead, it simply stood where it was and looked up at him.
Its eyes were clear and bright, round as it stared at him with a mixture of innocence and boldness.
The arrow that had been ready to shoot gradually lost its tension.
Before Shen Yi could lower his bow, the white fox suddenly leaped toward him.
He hurriedly raised his arrow to defend himself, only to discover that the white fox before him had transformed into a stunningly beautiful woman.
Her almond-shaped eyes were dark and lustrous, her cheeks as fair as snow.
She had Jiang Xuening’s appearance.
His grip loosened, and the bow and arrows fell to the ground with a muffled thud.
In the next instant, the fox that had transformed into a woman pounced on him and knocked him to the ground.
Jiang Xuening lay on top of him, her eyes—identical to those of a fox—staring straight at him.
“Husband, I’m actually a fox spirit, you know…”
Her shallow breath brushed against his lips, light, soft, and tingling.
Shen Yi’s gaze traveled down from those clear yet alluring eyes and landed on her small, slightly parted lips.
Her cherry-red lips were moistened by the mist in the forest, glistening and full, tempting him to kiss their lush softness.
The sound of the wind suddenly ceased.
A barrier abruptly appeared within the forest.
From the other side of the barrier came the unmistakable sounds of a man and woman being intimate.
They were exactly the same sounds Shen Yi had heard at Drunken Wind Pavilion.
A wave of heat seemed to surge through Shen Yi’s body. The raging flames grew hotter and fiercer, burning away the last threads of his already-fragile rationality.
“Husband…”
The woman on top of him looked innocent and curious.
“What are they eating? I want to eat it too…”
With those words, the final trace of rationality was burned away.
Shen Yi gathered her into his arms and supported the back of her head. With a gentle turn, he pressed her down onto the layers of fallen leaves.
His burning lips clumsily pressed against her soft, cherry-red lips.
He heard her intermittent, muffled moans…
It felt as though a bolt of lightning had rolled down his spine.
With a deafening boom, it exploded through him.
He suddenly shuddered and opened his eyes.
The lingering sensations on his body gradually faded.
Something indescribable seemed to have enveloped him. It took him a long while to recover before he finally sat up and lifted the blanket to take a look…
After a long silence, an incredulous gasp sounded in the study.
……
Early the next morning, Jiang Xuening saw Lu Ming carrying several bundles and following Shen Yi as he headed outside.
“Husband.”
Jiang Xuening called out to them.
“Are you going to stay somewhere else?”
Shen Yi stopped walking and slightly turned around, but he did not look at her. His expression seemed somewhat unnatural.
“The autumn sacrificial ceremony will be held soon, and matters at the Court of Imperial Sacrifices have become increasingly numerous. I’ll be staying at the government office these next few days. I’ll return after the ceremony is over.”
“What about the matter you promised me?”
“I’ll teach you after I return.”
“All right.”
Jiang Xuening happily said, “Husband, take good care of yourself while you’re staying outside.”
“Mm.”
With that, he turned around and strode away.
His steps were hurried, and in the blink of an eye, he disappeared from sight.
“Why did he leave in such a hurry?”
Jiang Xuening muttered to herself.
“He looked as if something were chasing him…”
However, Jiang Xuening quickly forgot about him.
After breakfast, she had two Maids do her makeup and chose one of the three jewelry sets to adorn herself with.
As Chunlan applied her makeup, she asked curiously, “Miss, the Full-Moon Banquet is tomorrow. Why have you dressed so elaborately today? Where are you going?”
“To the Western Courtyard.”
The Western Courtyard was where the second branch lived.
Jingning Marquis’s Residence was divided into three large courtyards. The main courtyard was where her grandfather and grandmother lived. The first branch lived in the Eastern Courtyard, while the second branch lived in the Western Courtyard. The third branch had remained in their ancestral home, taking care of the family properties left behind by their ancestors.
“Miss, are you going to see Miss Xi?”
“Yes. She still owes me an apology.”
After she had finished dressing, Jiang Xuening wore an elaborate set of gold-adorned jewelry and made her way toward the Western Courtyard with a conspicuous air.
Naturally, once she arrived, she first had to pay her respects to the elders of the second branch.
When Second Madam saw her sudden arrival, she could not help feeling surprised.
“Why does my niece-in-law have time to come over today?”
“Second Aunt, I’ve come to see Sister Xi.”
Second Madam clearly had no idea what had happened at Baohua Studio the previous day.
While sending someone to summon Miss Xi, she also had someone prepare tea and made small talk with Jiang Xuening.
“When did you and Ruer become so close, niece-in-law? You even came specifically to see her today. Is there something you need?”
Jiang Xuening replied calmly, “I’m not close with Sister Xi. Yesterday, she called me a thief, so I came here today specifically to prove my innocence.”
“Ah… ah?”
Second Madam was so shocked that she nearly bit her own tongue.
Although Jiang Xuening and her daughter were both younger members of the family, there was still an order of seniority. Jiang Xuening was not only her daughter’s elder sister-in-law but also the Heir Apparent’s wife.
What had gotten into her daughter that she had actually dared to call her a thief?
“Niece-in-law, could there have been some misunderstanding?”
“There was no misunderstanding.”
Jiang Xuening’s voice remained as calm as still water.
“The manager of Baohua Studio can testify to it.”
Second Madam immediately became restless.
When the Maid brought the tea over, Shen Yuru had still not arrived, so Second Madam asked Jiang Xuening to drink some tea first.
“Niece-in-law, please wait here for a moment. I’ll personally go and bring that girl over.”
“Thank you, Second Aunt.”
Before long, Shen Yuru entered behind Second Madam, her lips pursed in displeasure.
Clearly, Second Madam had already learned the whole story from her daughter.
The moment they entered, she ordered Shen Yuru to step forward and apologize to Jiang Xuening.
Although Shen Yuru was unwilling, she was intimidated by the look her mother gave her and could only walk reluctantly to Jiang Xuening.
She gave a perfunctory bow.
“Sister-in-law, I was in the wrong yesterday. Please forgive me.”
“Mm.”
Jiang Xuening adjusted the golden hairpin in her hair and glanced at her lightly.
She knew that although Shen Yuru had apologized with her mouth, she was probably cursing her in her heart.
But Jiang Xuening did not care.
As long as Shen Yuru had not actually said those words aloud, she would simply pretend she did not know.
Having accomplished what she had come for, Jiang Xuening did not intend to stay any longer.
After setting down her teacup, she rose to her feet.
“Trouble comes from careless words. I hope Sister Xi will learn to watch her mouth in the future.”
Shen Yuru pursed her lips.
In front of her mother, she ultimately did not dare say anything. She could only temporarily comply.
“Yes. Thank you for the lesson, Sister-in-law.”
After Jiang Xuening left the courtyard and had walked some distance away, Shen Yuru unexpectedly caught up with her.
The submissive expression she had worn while apologizing was gone. In its place was a face full of resentment.
“Yesterday was only a few joking remarks. Why did Sister-in-law have to make such a big deal out of it and bring it up in front of my mother? Couldn’t you have spoken to me about it privately?”
“Joking remarks?”
Jiang Xuening asked coldly.
“Did you see me laughing yesterday?”