If the moon bottle that was switched earlier was due to someone's trickery, and the ghost that Cui'er saw was just her imagination, then what is this now?
She had long tassels, Xiao Yun'er had them, but this one belonged to Meng Junyao.
The bottom of the tassels were embroidered with the names of the three sisters. They were obtained by their aunt a few years ago to protect them. Each of them usually wore their own tassel. Meng Junyao's tassel was still on her body before she left. So why is it here now?
The atmosphere suddenly became heavy, and Huan Yan was so frightened that she trembled all over. Looking at the scattered tassels on the ground, the bright red ones lying there looked ferocious and glaring. She couldn't help but tighten her fingers and hold Meng Wan's hand tightly.
Meng Wan's heart skipped a beat, her mind racing with a thousand thoughts, yet she couldn't make sense of it at all. Just then, the tightly closed gate of Yingyue Pavilion was suddenly pushed open, the creaking sound becoming even more eerie in the quiet and strange moonlight.
Meng Wan and Huan Yan's hearts leaped into their throats. They stared intently at the slowly opening door, their hearts trembling slightly.
--
V59 The Death of Joy
Meng Wan's heart skipped a beat, her mind racing with a thousand thoughts, yet she couldn't make sense of it at all. Just then, the tightly closed gate of Yingyue Pavilion was suddenly pushed open, the creaking sound becoming even more eerie in the quiet and strange moonlight.
Meng Wan and Huan Yan's hearts leaped into their throats. They stared intently at the slowly opening door, their hearts trembling slightly.
--
Huangfu Mi had come out to find Meng Wan after hearing about the ghosts outside. He knew she would come to Yingyue Pavilion, the place that had started the incident, to investigate. However, as soon as he opened the door, an object flew towards him. If he hadn't dodged it nimbly, he would have been hit. When he came to his senses, he was met with a woman's scream. A figure pounced on him and pinned him down.
"You dare to play tricks? I'd like to see what kind of deity you are..."
Meng Wan rebuked angrily, but her voice trailed off. Although there was no moonlight outside because of the rain, the familiar presence still startled her. "Huangfu Mi?"
Meng Wan had initially thought the visitor was the one who was pretending to be a ghost, but she never expected it to be Huangfu Mi. Coming to her senses, she hurriedly scrambled off him, brushing the mud off her body and frowning as she asked, "Why did you come here?"
His tone still carried a hint of dissatisfaction.
No wonder, the atmosphere was so tense just now, she was almost scared to death, thinking that she was going to catch that guy who was pretending to be a ghost, but she didn't expect that it was Huangfu Mi. How could she not be angry?
"You said it was because you hadn't been back to your room for a long time that I was worried something had happened to you, so I came out to check on you. I didn't expect to be pounced on like this. You should have told me sooner. It's really hard to get used to seeing such a hungry wolf pouncing on its prey."
Even now, he couldn't resist joking, saying the same thing again. Meng Wan blushed, but luckily it was too dark to see clearly. She simply poked him in the chest and said, "Don't talk nonsense, Huan Yan is still here!"
Turning her head, Meng Wan was startled to find Huan Yan nowhere to be seen. She had rushed out too quickly and hadn't even noticed the girl. Where had she gone?
"Huanyan?" Meng Wan turned back and called out cautiously, but there was no response for a long time. She then lifted her heavy, mud-soaked skirt and went into the house. "Huanyan?"
A small voice echoed from behind the door. Meng Wan went over to look and saw Huan Yan sitting there, her face pale and panting heavily.
Upon seeing Meng Wan, he was still somewhat stunned, managing to squeeze out a single sentence: "You scared me to death."
This girl has always been the most timid. When she was little, Meng Wan often teased her because of this. She thought she would be better when she grew up, but it doesn't seem to work. She's even more timid than a mouse.
"Get up quickly!" With a helpless smile, Meng Wan reached out and pulled the girl up. She glanced at the tassel on the ground, picked it up and put it in her pocket, then took Huan Yan's hand and walked to Huangfu Mi.
"Your arrival has really frightened this girl. It seems you'll have to give her a cup of calming tea."
Huangfu Mi laughed as well, and naturally put his arm around Meng Wan's waist. The three of them left Yingyue Pavilion together. After they had helped Huan Yan to her room to rest, the two of them came out, and he put away his joking expression: "So, what exactly happened?"
He had only vaguely heard that Yingyue Pavilion was haunted, but he didn't know the details.
Meng Wan shook her head gently, her brows furrowed: "I can't figure it out either. I only know that a maid in Yingyue Pavilion is screaming that she saw Meng Junyao and went crazy. I've already sent a doctor to examine her. I just hope she can wake up soon and tell us what happened."
Huangfu Mi nodded. Because he had been knocked to the ground by Meng Wan, he was covered in mud. He changed his clothes before lying down. Meng Wan, however, sat on the edge of the bed, took out the tassel she had found in Yingyue Pavilion, and seemed a little lost in thought.
--
The next day, Huangfu Mi went to court, while Meng Wan personally went to inquire about Cui'er's condition. Cui'er was still rambling incoherently, showing no signs of improvement.
Meng Wan couldn't help but feel a little worried. She had originally thought of asking her something, but now it seemed that there was no possibility of that happening in the short term. However, since it concerned Meng Junyao, Meng Wan felt unwilling to give up if she didn't investigate carefully. So she simply ordered Huan Yan to go to the Prince's Mansion to send a message to Huangfu Mi, saying that she would be staying at home for a few days.
She wanted to investigate the situation herself, but after waiting for a long time, Huan Yan did not return. Instead, Huangfu Mi, without even changing out of his court robes, went straight to the Prime Minister's residence after court.
He knew Meng Wan well and knew she wouldn't give up easily, so he guessed she would stay at the Prime Minister's residence and came over by himself.
"Then Huan Yan will have made a wasted trip." Meng Wan wasn't surprised to see him, but she was a little bothered that Huan Yan had made a wasted trip. The girl had been frightened yesterday, and she originally wanted her to rest at home, but Huan Yan insisted that she was fine, so Meng Wan let her go out!
"All you ever do is laugh and joke. Your girl is more important than me."
Huangfu Mi was a little jealous and said something half-jokingly, which earned her an annoyed look from Meng Wan: "You would betray me, but Huan Yan wouldn't, so naturally, that girl is more important than you."
"You..." Huangfu Mi was taken aback and speechless for a moment, but then said, "Then I won't betray you. Just say I'm important, okay?"
"No way." Meng Wan refused without hesitation: "You're saying this now because you're in a good mood, but what if you lose your temper one day? You might not say you wouldn't betray me then, so I don't want to believe you... ah..."
No sooner had she finished speaking than Huangfu Mi suddenly reached under her arms and began scratching her itch haphazardly.
Meng Wan was extremely ticklish, and she couldn't help but exclaim in surprise. She hurriedly reached out to stop him, but this gave Huangfu Mi the opportunity. He immediately pinned her down, and then his hands began to wander restlessly around.
"Believe it or not?" Taking advantage of her ticklishness and inability to speak clearly, Huangfu Mi pressed on with the question.
Meng Wan wanted to shake her head, but before she could move, his hand became increasingly restless, reaching inside her clothes along her collar.
This terrified Meng Wan. She could say nothing more, nodding hastily and saying, "I believe you, I believe you, I truly believe you..."
"really?"
"Um."
Just then, Mu Ci announced from outside that he had brought Wu'er over. Meng Wan hurriedly nudged Huangfu Mi, then tried her best to keep her voice steady as she said to the outside, "I know, wait outside for a moment."
Huangfu Mi then got up from her, straightened his clothes, and seeing Meng Wan's flushed face, he winked ambiguously. Then, ignoring her murderous gaze, he walked up to her, helped her straighten her clothes, and asked, "Who is Wu'er?"
Meng Wan was annoyed at the moment and didn't want to talk to him, but she was worried that he would tickle her again, so she could only glare at him resentfully, and then said irritably, "A maid who used to take care of Meng Junyao."