The village chief went into the house, took out a long-forgotten cloth bag from under the box, and then went out of the house again.
“She brought the child back once after delivering the baby, but the child disappeared the next day.”
"There are bedding for a baby in here. Years ago, she carried the baby to the riverbank, dropped the bedding, and left in a hurry."
Upon hearing this, Ye Lanyin excitedly opened the cloth bag.
Instantly, a musty, stale smell wafted over.
But when she saw that familiar bed, tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.
“My child…” she choked, clutching the bedding tightly to her chest, as if trying to embrace back everything she had lost.
Lin Wanwan slept peacefully in her mother's arms, as if she could also feel her mother's sadness and excitement.
At this moment, all her thoughts and pain turned into tears, which flowed down Ye Lanyin's face.
The group stayed in Yunxi Village until evening.
Lin Wanwan used her babyish, incomprehensible cries to coerce the Emperor of Fengdu into opening a back door, allowing the villagers of Yunxi Village to finally reunite with their innocent, wrongfully deceased family members.
These reunions deeply moved everyone present.
When they left, the few remaining villagers of Yunxi Village gathered together to see them off, their faces filled with gratitude and reluctance.
He even requested the village chief to give Lin Wanwan the only ancient jade pendant in the village.
Only after she accepted the money did the villagers of Yunxi Village allow them to get on the carriage.
They watched Ye Lanyin and her group walk further and further away until they disappeared from sight.
It was already past midnight when they returned to the Marquis of Zhenbei's residence.
As Ye Lanyin walked past the old lady's courtyard, she heard the old lady's mournful cries and paused slightly.
"Mother, stop shouting. There are no ghosts here. Don't be afraid." The Marquis of Zhenbei couldn't contain his anger and lashed out at the old lady.
The old lady immediately hid in the arms of the Marquis of Zhenbei. "Yes, yes, it's on that bed. Your father said he was cold."
"Son, son, I dare not sleep. Otherwise, who will I be with?"
"Nonsense, Mother! A grown son should avoid his mother. How can you say such shameless things?"
The old lady was trembling violently and dared not look outside.
Ye Lanyin chuckled softly and carried Lin Wanwan toward the Hibiscus Courtyard.
Oh dear, the old lady's husband doesn't want to leave.
[Serves her right. Who told her not to burn paper money for the deceased? Now the deceased doesn't want her to have a good time.]
Ye Lanyin felt a chill; was there really a ghost?
She looked down at her yawning daughter and quickened her pace.
After that day, the man who painted plum blossoms was no longer the same.
He seemed reborn, as if he had seen the world, and he walked with a confident stride.
Hua Xin noticed Hua Mei's expression and muttered to herself, "She's been out for a day, but acts like she's been traveling for a month. What's with all the fuss?"
"Huaxin, little sister Xinxin, let me tell you, I saw the Emperor of Fengdu today!" She proudly raised her chin.
With each labored breath, the two small nostrils widened and then contracted.
Hua Xin smiled at her teasingly and said perfunctorily, "Yes, yes, you must be sleepy. Go talk in your sleep on the bed. I'll take your shift tonight." She looked at her like she was an idiot.
"I'm serious." Hua Mei pouted and stomped her foot.
"Alright, I know it's true. I saw the God of Dongyue today too. Go to sleep now." Huaxin pushed her out of the courtyard and then slammed the door shut.
Seeing that she looked unconvinced, Hua Mei made a face and left unhappily.
"Madam, you must be tired. Let me help Miss take a bath."
Hua Xin took Lin Wanwan and carried her to the back room.
The bathwater had been prepared long ago.
I'm just worried that the girls will be too tired to wash up when they come back.
The chubby baby, with eyes closed, tried to open them, but his little eyelids wouldn't cooperate, and he finally fell asleep silently.
The next day.
The Marquis of Zhenbei did not see Ye Lanyin all day yesterday, and spent the whole night serving the old lady.
So he came to Furong Courtyard to find her early in the morning.
When he saw Ye Lanyin looking energetic and dressed neatly, the anger in his eyes burned fiercely like dry tinder that had been lit.
"Madam, where did you go yesterday?" The Marquis of Zhenbei's tone was full of questioning and dissatisfaction.
"Mother was sick yesterday, and as her daughter-in-law, you actually went out and didn't come back until midnight?"
Ye Lanyin lowered her eyes and replied calmly, "What are you saying, Lord Marquis? Yesterday I took Wanwan to offer incense, how is that playing around?"
"Burn incense? What's the point of burning incense for a little girl who's not even a year old?"
"Didn't the Marquis say that sending the midwife and wet nurse to the government office on the day Wanwan was born would shorten my daughter's lifespan? Besides donating money, shouldn't we also go to pray for blessings and accumulate merit? Why does the master seem so unhappy?"
"Mother was sick yesterday, so naturally she should be the priority. Why didn't you come back earlier?"
Ye Lanyin frowned:
“My lord, didn’t I tell you I wanted to have another child? These past two days I’ve been dreaming about the scene of giving birth to Shiming. I was so close to death that I still feel lingering fear. I don’t know why, but in my dream my child was stolen. I’m afraid the dream is real, so I went to pray to the gods to protect them, which is why I’ve been delayed a little.”
These words struck the Marquis of Zhenbei like a thunderclap. He looked up in shock, his eyes filled with disbelief.
Then she quickly switched to a concerned expression, "Madam, how could that be? The child is fine now, don't overthink it."
"Besides," he paused, "we already have enough children in the household, so it's better not to have any more, to save you from suffering."
"Does Your Excellency really think so?"
"Of course, you're my wife, would I ever harm you?"
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