Chapter 63 The full moon corrupted him, yet she wouldn't take responsibility for him. ...

On the fifteenth of August, the Mid-Autumn Festival arrived, and the Marquis's mansion was bustling with activity.

Under the corridors and between the pavilions, various colored glass lanterns are hung, some shaped like jade rabbits worshipping the moon, some like the moon palace plucking laurels, and some stacked into pagodas and blooming like lotus flowers. The candlelight inside shines through the colorful glass, the lantern shadows sway, and the light is dazzling, adorning the mansion in the twilight with a riot of colors, like a dream.

Xiao Shu and Xiao Wan returned from Luming Academy in the morning. Upon entering, they first went to Bodhi Hall to pay their respects to the old lady and received some rewards. Then, they ran off to Qiyun Pavilion to play with Cui Ying.

"It's only been three or four days since I last saw it, but it seems like Crab Roe has gotten a lot fatter." Xiao Wan picked up the increasingly round orange cat and weighed it in her hands, finding it quite heavy.

Xiao Shu counted on her fingers and said, "We've only been here a short while, and I've already seen it eat five shrimp, two pieces of milk cake, and a whole roasted quail. My goodness, is this a cat or a pig? How can it eat so much?"

Cui Ying immediately defended her, reaching out to take the cat back into her arms, scratching its chin, and said matter-of-factly, "Where is it fat? We're just growing. It's perfectly normal for a child to eat more during its growth spurt."

Crab Roe nestled comfortably in her arms, its eyes squinting and making gurgling sounds, clearly spoiled rotten.

The name "Crab Roe" was personally chosen by Cui Ying.

She had thought of many elegant and unique names, but in the end she was not satisfied with any of them. Just as she was feeling troubled, she looked down and saw her little orange cat burying its head in her plate, happily eating crab roe dumplings. Its cheeks were stuffed full. She decided to use what was available and simply call it Crab Roe.

As the group was laughing and joking, the boy's clear, cool voice rang out from outside the curtain, neither too loud nor too soft, and clearly entered the inner room: "Grandmother sent me to deliver a message that the Mid-Autumn Festival family banquet tonight will be held in the back garden, not in the Bodhi Hall. Please get ready and we will be there shortly."

Upon hearing the sound, Cui Ying looked over and saw the brocade curtain half-rolled up. Xiao Qiyu stood under the eaves, dressed in a black robe, his posture as upright as bamboo. His handsome face appeared somewhat blurred in the deepening twilight and lamplight, but his phoenix eyes remained deep and calm.

His gaze swept across the room, lingering briefly on Cui Ying's figure holding the cat before moving away.

"Okay," Cui Ying replied, continuing to play with the cat without looking at him.

Xiao Qiyu turned and left.

Xiao Shu watched Xiao Qiyu's swift and unsteady figure, then turned to look at Cui Ying, who seemed completely unconcerned. She leaned closer and asked in a low voice, "Why do I feel like you and Seventh Brother are acting strangely? Did you two have a fight?"

Cui Ying raised her head and blinked her almond-shaped eyes: "Haven't we always been like this, keeping to ourselves and not interfering with each other? Isn't that great?"

Xiao Shu said "Oh" without thinking much of it and then changed the subject.

Cui Ying stroked the crab roe's back hair, listening to Xiao Shu speak, sometimes nodding and sometimes shaking her head.

My thoughts drifted away.

Actually, something's not right.

Even though she and Xiao Qiyu had never gotten along, they could still manage to share a room and maintain a basic level of acquaintance.

But ever since that day... after the pearl-embroidered shirt, he seemed like a different person. He stopped arguing and bickering with her, and even found an excuse to move to the front study. For several nights in a row, he didn't step into the Qiyun Pavilion.

However, Cui Ying didn't care.

She thought to herself: It's good that he's not coming back. Without him around, I don't even need to wear a nightgown to sleep. I can just sleep naked, wrapped in a soft silk quilt. How comfortable that would be!

Hmph, who cares if he comes back?

...

The air is filled with the fragrance of osmanthus blossoms, and a bright, full moon hangs high in the sky, its gentle light shining down.

Inside the garden, the pavilions built by the water have already been arranged. The surrounding gauze curtains hang low, which can block the wind without obstructing the view of the moon and scenery. The lights under the pavilions are bright, reflecting on the shimmering water and complementing the bright moon in the sky.

Surrounded by her children and grandchildren, Wang laughed continuously. She specially instructed her servant to bring out the freshly baked mooncakes so that the children could taste them first.

The mooncakes were specially made by the chefs of the manor, and the molds were exquisitely made. The fillings used high-quality jujube paste, pine nuts, ham, and crushed dried rose petals.

Cui Ying took a bite of the mooncake and felt its fragrance linger on her lips and teeth, leaving her with an unforgettable aftertaste.

But instead of tasting it carefully, she subconsciously glanced at the screen in the pavilion, wondering if Xiao Qiyu would find it delicious.

The banquet was set up on both the men's and women's sides, separated by a silk gauze screen painted with landscapes and misty rain, which preserved the etiquette without completely cutting off the laughter and joy.

The atmosphere was lively in the men's section.

All the families were present. Even the fourth family, which was busy supervising the construction of the imperial mausoleum, and the third family, which was dispatched by the Ministry of War to various places for many years, returned home to spend the festival with their wives, children, and elderly relatives.

"Seventh Brother, what are you spacing out for?"

Looking at Xiao Qiyu, who had been calm and composed since taking his seat, Xiao Heng sensed that he was in a bad mood. His aura was even colder than the autumn night, making him seem more like someone who had come to keep vigil than to celebrate a festival.

A gentle breeze swept by, rippling the water beneath the pavilion, reflecting the moon's image in a hazy, dreamlike way.

"nothing."

Xiao Qiyu shook his head, poured himself a full cup of wine, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp.

Xiao Heng said, "You don't seem to be alright. What's wrong? Did you have a fight with Third Sister?"

Xiao Qiyu remained silent, his gaze falling on the screen, where he accurately discerned Cui Ying's silhouette. The swaying hair ornament on her headdress was noticeably more unrestrained than others, reflecting her personality.

Arguing? He actually hoped to have a good, good argument with her.

But what were they arguing about? Was it because of his increasingly burgeoning, shameful thoughts?

If Cui Ying knew what he had been thinking about these past few nights, she would surely despise him, find him utterly despicable, and never speak to him again.

Thinking of that possibility, a faint crimson glint appeared in Xiao Qiyu's eyes, and the knuckles of his hand gripping the wine cup turned white from tightening.

We'll never see each other again...

Absolutely not.

...

After the banquet began and several rounds of drinks were served, Wang Shi played and laughed with the children for a couple of rounds. Before she knew it, she was tired. After being advised by Qin Shi, she was helped by her maid to sit in a palanquin and return to the Bodhi Hall to rest.

After Wang left, most of the women from each household went away. Cui Ying felt that the garden was not enough to let loose, so she specially invited a few of her younger sisters, along with their maids, back to Qiyun Pavilion to play the game of musical chairs.

The women dispersed in twos and threes, but the men's seats were bustling with activity.

Xiao Yuanshou, who was working in the Ministry of War, drank a few more cups of wine and, with a worried expression, brought up the bandit problem in southern Jiangxi that had been causing the court a lot of trouble recently.

"...The bandits held their positions in the high-altitude terrain and were extremely cunning. Several government troops launched a joint attack, but because they were unfamiliar with the complex mountainous terrain, they suffered heavy losses and lost many men and generals. Alas!"

Xiao Yuanshou shook his head and sighed.

Xiao Qiyu listened quietly, his brows furrowing slightly. Involuntarily, he began to sketch out a map of southern Jiangxi in his mind, deducing various possible attack routes, ambush points, and defensive strategies. His mind quickly sank into the task, and the surrounding noise seemed to be separated by a layer.

After sitting for a while, seeing that the conversation was gradually shifting, he quietly got up and left the table. He gestured slightly to the elders, saying that he was too drunk to continue and had to take his leave.

Xiao Qiyu went straight back to the front study and searched around, but couldn't find a detailed map of southern Jiangxi.

He stared in thought for a moment, then remembered that there seemed to be an ancient military book with a fairly detailed commentary on the mountains and rivers of southern Xinjiang. If he remembered correctly, that book was on the bookshelf in Qiyun Pavilion.

Without a second thought, Xiao Qiyu left the front study and went to Qiyun Pavilion instead.

Inside Qiyun Pavilion.

The girls dispersed, having enjoyed themselves, leaving the courtyard quiet and peaceful.

Cui Ying had been given several cups of fruit wine while playing the game of musical chairs, and was now slightly tipsy. After taking a bath, he felt hot all over.

She casually dried herself off, and as she reached for her nightgown, she hesitated.

Xiao Qiyu isn't coming back, and she's already sent the maids away to drink. She's all alone in the room. Why is she being so particular?

Thinking of this, Cui Ying took a step with her snow-white toes, walked naked out from behind the screen, lay down on the bed in the soft quilt, the delicate silk covering her bare skin, her body felt as if she had fallen into the clouds.

"Phew, that feels good."

Cui Ying let out a long sigh of relief, feeling that she hadn't felt this relaxed in a long time.

Xiao Qiyu... Hmph, it's best if he never comes back.

She snuggled into the pillow, found a comfortable position, and fell into a deep sleep, not even hearing the approaching footsteps outside the door.

The moonlight is like water, and the fragrance of flowers wafts in the air.

Xiao Qiyu pushed open the door and went straight to the bookshelf, searching for the ancient book from his memory.

On the bed, Cui Ying was fast asleep, but a constant rustling sound kept coming from her ears. Her consciousness was disturbed and she could not sleep peacefully. Her beautiful brows were slightly furrowed.

"Good boy, Crab Roe, don't make a fuss." She thought it was the cat causing trouble, mumbled sleepily, and turned over to continue sleeping.

But the rustling continued, and even intensified.

Cui Ying, unable to bear it any longer, struggled to get off the bed, wanting to teach that troublesome little guy a lesson.

She stepped barefoot out of the tent, facing the bookshelf, rubbing her sleepy eyes, and said, "If you're naughty again, Mother will spank your little bottom."

Standing in front of the bookshelf, Xiao Qiyu looked up.

The lamplight was dim.

The young girl stood awkwardly at the boundary between moonlight and lamplight, her long, black hair cascading down in disarray, a few strands clinging to her delicate neck. The moonlight streamed unhindered onto her smooth, delicate legs, her slender waist, and her jade-like skin…

Xiao Qiyu was struck as if by a thunderbolt, instantly frozen in place. His blood rushed to his head with a bang, his breathing stopped, and he slammed the bamboo slip in his hand to the ground.

The piercing sound startled Cui Ying, who gasped in shock. Her drowsiness vanished instantly, and she frantically pulled out a section of the bed curtain to cover herself. Her cheeks flushed red, and she stammered, "Xiao Qiyu? Why didn't you tell me you were coming back!"

Xiao Qiyu also turned around abruptly, his back to her, his ears burning red, his chest heaving violently, and his breathing becoming chaotic.

He struggled to suppress the dryness in his throat, his voice growing colder and tighter with each effort to control himself. He practically forced out the words through gritted teeth: "What did I say? This is my bedroom. I'd like to ask you, why don't you wear clothes to bed?"

Cui Ying climbed onto the couch, frantically covering herself with the blanket. Hearing this, she became even angrier: "How was I supposed to know you'd come back so suddenly! Weren't you sleeping soundly in the study? Go back to sleep!"

Xiao Qiyu clenched his fist tightly, and a vein throbbed on his forehead.

If he wasn't afraid of losing control and scaring her, would he have gone to the study to hide? Now it's his fault?

A strange sense of unease surged through Xiao Qiyu, who abruptly turned around and stared intently at Cui Ying. His usually calm phoenix eyes were churning with complex emotions: shame, anger, and a hint of grievance that even he himself was unaware of.

“Cui Ying,” he said in a low voice, almost through gritted teeth, “don’t go too far.”

Cui Ying was about to retort when she was taken aback by his absurd accusation and couldn't help but ask, "Where did I go too far?"

All she did was sleep naked, what did she do to provoke him?

Looking at her flushed face, brimming with self-righteousness, Xiao Qiyu recalled the turmoil of the past few days, the feeling of being forcibly kissed by her that night after being intoxicated by the aphrodisiac, and that damned pearl-embroidered shirt… All these emotions intertwined, ultimately coalescing into a deeply aggrieved, long-suppressed accusation:

"You're the one who led me astray!"

They're leading him astray, yet they're not taking responsibility for him.

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Author's note: Admit it, buddy, you've fallen in love.