Entering the Huo Mansion, the scenery was breathtaking, filled with vibrant flowers and green willows. Shi Mingyue's gaze remained fixed on Tang Nuan. She couldn't forget what Tang Nuan had done to her in her previous life. Tang Nuan was a vicious woman, and even though she had no grudge against her, she had the heart to harm her so terribly. Shi Mingyue's only curiosity was why Tang Nuan was currently accompanying the Second Prince, Fu Baiheng. Wasn't she a Wutan spy?
Fu Yueli noticed Shi Mingyue's abnormality early on. The maid she noticed was just Fu Baiheng's maid. Could it be that Shi Mingyue knew that maid? What was going on?
The banquet started soon. Normally, men sat at one table and women sat at another. However, since everyone thought Fu Yueli was still blind and it would be inconvenient for him to sit at the table, they set a precedent and let him and Shi Mingyue sit at the women's table together.
Except for Fu Yueli, who was a man, the rest of the people at this table were women, some of whom were unmarried girls, so they were inevitably very reserved.
The eldest daughter of the Huo family, Huo Qiuwen, and the second daughter, Huo Qiurong, were both seated at the table. Shi Mingyue was deeply moved by the sight of them. She was friendly with Huo Qiuwen, but not so close to Huo Qiurong. However, in her previous life, Huo Qiurong had been the wife of her brother, Shi Mingji. She had lived in Xinzhou, Western Xinjiang, for ten years, with no contact with her family. Huo Qiuwen had told her all the news about them.
Huo Qiurong's relationship with her brother was not particularly close. Although he was a young talent, having won the third place in the imperial examination at the age of eighteen and serving in the Imperial Academy, he was completely absorbed in editing and revising books, with no interest in the pursuit of fame and fortune in the officialdom. Consequently, he had not received any significant promotion in many years. Huo Qiurong, however, believed her husband lacked ambition, and the two argued frequently over this.
In fact, Shi Mingyue could understand Huo Qiurong's thoughts, and she also understood her brother. It could only be said that the two of them had different ideas. But she didn't want to interfere in their affairs and let things take their course.
Everyone at the banquet table had heard about the fire that occurred on the day of Shi Mingyue and the eldest prince's wedding, and had been discussing it privately. In fact, when the news of Shi Mingyue and Fu Yueli's marriage first broke, it also caused a lot of discussion. Although the eldest prince was of noble status, who among these young ladies from official families would want to marry a blind man? But today, when they saw Fu Yueli in person, they were all stunned. Aside from his blindness, the eldest prince was perfect. Some even began to envy Shi Mingyue.
As the eldest daughter of the Huo family, Huo Qiuwen's companions at the table were all well-known ladies and young ladies, and there was also the eldest prince. She suggested playing poetry and drinking games to liven up the atmosphere.
After three rounds of drinking, Shi Mingyue made repeated mistakes and drank too much, so he left for a while on the pretext of going to the toilet.
Because Fu Yueli was "blind now" and there were so many people at the table, he and Shi Mingyue could not talk and could only continue to sit quietly.
After walking around the rockery and pond for a while, Shi Mingyue's drunkenness had dissipated a lot and she was about to go back. When she turned around, she saw Qin Zheng, with whom she probably had an ill-fated relationship.
Qin Zheng had been following her. Shi Mingyue was about to ask him about Tang Nuan and Fu Yueli, "You saw Tang Nuan too, right?"
Qin Zheng nodded: "Well, I don't know why she appeared here, but judging from her appearance, she probably has no memory of her previous life."
Shi Mingyue recalled Tang Nuan's expression when she saw her. It certainly didn't look like the Tang Nuan she remembered from her previous life. She still had something to ask Qin Zheng: "You said the other day that the capital had changed drastically. What exactly had changed? And what happened to Fu Yueli?"
Qin Zheng didn't expect that Shi Mingyue, after finally having a chance to be alone with him, would start talking about Tang Nuan and Fu Yueli, without asking him about himself. He felt empty inside and asked, "Do you really have no feelings for me anymore?"
Shi Mingyue frowned: "I am already Fu Yueli's wife, please don't say such things to me again."
Qin Zheng's expression was gloomy. He felt that if he told Shi Mingyue about Fu Yueli, she would be even less willing to pay attention to him. Suddenly, a vicious thought flashed through his mind, and he answered without hesitation: "The capital has changed drastically. Fu Baiheng has become the emperor, and as for Fu Yueli, she is dead."
What... Fu Yueli is dead?! Shi Mingyue's eyes went dark. She couldn't believe it. How could such a good person like Fu Yueli end up like this?
Seeing Shi Mingyue's distraught expression upon hearing Fu Yueli's death, Qin Zheng felt guilty. For the first time in his life, he lied, and it was to Mingyue. He remembered another incident, as if to make amends, so this time he told the truth: "There's another thing. After Huo Qiurong married your brother, she had an affair with the Second Prince. After the affair was exposed, your brother fell out with the Second Prince, and was later framed and imprisoned. Not long after, he committed suicide in prison. Your parents also passed away due to illness not long after. Now you still have time to stop their marriage."
Shi Mingyue was almost unable to stand. So many things had happened after her death? And she had known nothing before! Fortunately, it was not too late now. She wanted to stop it, to prevent all the disasters from happening.
She had never doubted Qin Zheng's words because he had never lied to her. Shi Mingyue returned to the banquet with a pale face.
Seeing this, Huo Qiuwen asked with concern: "Mingyue, are you feeling unwell? How about I ask the kitchen to make you a bowl of hangover soup?"
Shi Mingyue shook her head weakly: "No need, I'm fine."
She looked so pale that it was impossible for her to be alright. Fu Yueli was worried when she saw Shi Mingyue's pale face, but she pretended to ignore it in front of everyone. So after hearing the conversation between the two, she pretended to know something and asked in surprise, "Mingyue, what's wrong with you?"
Shi Mingyue turned to look at him. Fu Yueli was worried about her. When she thought of what Qin Zheng said about Fu Yueli being dead, she felt as if she were dreaming. Could this be true? Could this really happen?
She must stop it. God probably let her be reborn so that she can pay off the debt of her previous life. She owes Fu Yueli, and she has to spend her whole life to repay it.
"I'm really fine, you don't have to worry about me."
Although she said she was fine, Huo Qiuwen was still worried and turned around to ask the maid behind him to make some hangover soup.
Fu Yueli also didn't believe it. Mingyue must be hiding something from him. Ever since she met that maid in the morning, she had been acting strangely. He turned his head casually. Fu Baiheng's table was not far away. Fu Baiheng was chatting and laughing with others, while the maid was diligently pouring wine for him. What was so unusual about her?
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