Help! The cunning and treacherous minister and I were reborn together!

The Xiao residence was exceptionally lively on the Double Ninth Festival.

Xiao Yu, who had been traveling, returned home and brought Zhou Shi and his daughter to visit.

The day before yesterday, Xiao Zong and Yuan Zhi went to the Marquis of Qingyang's residence to express their gratitude and personally delivered the invitation.

Xiao Chi, a widower with no one to talk to, sent his son and daughter-in-law in his place. Now, upon hearing that his third brother had returned, he hurried over.

Thanks to her daughter-in-law's influence, Madam Qin regained her confidence and prestige among the other households, and her illness was almost completely cured. She ordered someone to release Xiao Shen, who had been reflecting on his mistakes, so the family could enjoy a peaceful time together.

After paying respects to their ancestors, the elders sat together and chatted about everyday life.

The three brothers, Xiao Jianye, Xiao Zong, and Xiao Shen, played chess in the pavilion. Yuan Zhi accompanied Gu Shi and her son to play Cuju (ancient Chinese football) in the courtyard. Xiao Rong and the sisters of the third branch of the family made sachets with dogwood.

Looking up, one sees a scene of peace and tranquility.

The group had lunch in the main hall, and then enjoyed some entertainment in the afternoon until dusk before moving to the waterside pavilion in the back garden.

The maids filed in, setting out delicacies for everyone to feast on.

Xiao Zong and Yuan Zhi, as the hosts, shared a drink with everyone. The handsome man and beautiful woman were the envy of all.

Yuan Zhi, in particular, was dressed to the nines today and looked radiant, outshining all the women of the Xiao family and stealing the spotlight.

Xiao Rong used crab scissors to fiercely poke at the crab shell. She had been menstruating for the past few days and couldn't go out. Later, she learned that Yuan Zhi had angered her mother to the point of illness and even caused her second brother to be punished—utterly despicable!

A married woman, dressed up so extravagantly, who knows who she's trying to seduce!

She held a glass of wine and walked towards Yuan Zhi, saying, "Sister-in-law, let me toast you."

Yuan Zhi raised her glass in return, but Xiao Rong spilled the wine directly onto her skirt.

"Sister-in-law, I didn't mean to! I'm so sorry!"

As Xiao Rong spoke, she leaned back.

Yuan Zhi grabbed her arm. "It's alright if your hand slips, but you must make sure you're standing firmly." She called over a maid. "Help Miss sit back down."

Xiao Rong's scheme failed, and he sat in his seat sulking.

Xiao Shen passed by her and touched her shoulder. Xiao Rong turned around and saw her second brother winking at her.

"Brother will avenge you," Xiao Shen mouthed.

After telling Xiao Zong that they were going to change their clothes, Yuan Zhi and Luo Mei got up and walked towards Furong Pavilion.

In her previous life, she spent her entire life fighting in the palace and had seen plenty of scenes like the wine-throwing incident, so she had prepared three sets of dresses.

Xiao Shen followed behind the two, but halfway there, he was suddenly struck on the head with a blunt object and collapsed to the ground...

In the waterside pavilion.

Marquis Xiao Chi of Qingyang had drunk too much and wouldn't let go of his third brother.

"Thinking of us four brothers and sisters, we used to play together all the time when we were young. Now, some of us are married, some have passed away, and only you and I are left to keep each other company. You've been away from home for years, do you know how much I miss you?"

Xiao Yu's eyes welled up with tears. "How could I not miss my brother? But a man's ambition lies in all directions. I can't always rely on my brother. I must also have my own career!"

Zhou swirled her wine glass. "Why is my husband's business all related to women? Anyone who didn't know better would think you run a brothel."

Upon hearing this, the three sisters, Xiao Ling, Xiao Xuan, and Xiao Wei, turned deathly pale. Wasn't this a veiled accusation that their mother was a prostitute?!

Xiao Yu raised an eyebrow. "Insolence! Is this the kind of thing a matriarch should say?"

Xiao Chi quickly smoothed things over, "Don't be angry. Your sister-in-law just hopes you can settle down and come home. You're not getting any younger, you should act like a father. All three girls are of marriageable age, you need to make arrangements for them."

“I remember.” Xiao Yu took out the invitation. “The fifteenth of this month is the birthday of the Princess of Pingyi County. The *** Prefecture will host a banquet and invite officials of the fifth rank and above and their families to attend.”

"I went to great lengths to get the invitations, just so the three of them could go out and broaden their horizons, and choose a good husband."

Xiao Ling and the other two bowed deeply in gratitude to their father.

That's the princess, the emperor's own sister! Even if you can't find a good husband, just being able to see the princess's beauty would make your life worthwhile!

Xiao Rong was extremely envious and snuggled up to Xiao Zong, acting coquettishly: "Big brother, you're a third-rank official, the *** should have sent you an invitation too, right?"

Xiao Zong lowered his eyelids, his sharp edge concealed.

The county princess's birthday banquet was used as a pretext by ***, who probably had ulterior motives.

"No."

"No? That's impossible! Didn't Princess Pingyi have a good impression of my elder brother before? Why wouldn't she send you an invitation on her birthday?"

"How dare you say such things! Slandering the county magistrate's reputation, how many heads do you have?"

Xiao Zong felt inexplicably flustered, as if afraid of being overheard, and looked around.

Strange, why hasn't Yuan Zhi returned from changing clothes yet?

He shook off Xiao Rong and got up to look for her.

Seeing that neither her second brother nor that woman had returned, Xiao Rong guessed that her second brother's revenge plan had succeeded, so she encouraged everyone to go to the Furong Pavilion to enjoy the night view.

Xiao Wangjin pushed the lantern cart and ran very fast, while Madam Gu shouted from behind, "You brat! Slow down!"

Xiao Jianye didn't try to stop him; instead, he encouraged him, "Jin'er, go faster and catch up with your Uncle Congyun!"

Hearing the commotion behind him, Xiao Zong had a bad feeling. Fearing that the crowd would catch up, he took a few steps back, picked up Xiao Wangjin, and rushed into Furong Pavilion.

"Uncle, the lamp, we haven't brought the lamp yet!"

"Your dad will carry it!" Xiao Zong bounced the child in his arms. "How was it? Was it fun?"

A gust of wind swept across Xiao Wangjin's cheek. He clapped his hands. "Fun!"

The two entered the Hibiscus Pavilion and found it brightly lit but quiet and devoid of human voices.

Suddenly, a woman's soft sobbing came from the air, melancholic and ambiguous.

"Uncle, there's a ghost!"

Xiao Wangjin hugged Xiao Zong's neck and said fearfully.

Xiao Zong patted his back and put him down.

"Wait for your father and mother at the door, your uncle will help you catch the ghost."

Xiao Wangjin ran over and hugged the door frame, obediently answering "okay".

Xiao Zong walked to the end of the room and placed his hand on a tightly closed door.

The sound was clearer here, and he asked himself, if it really was Yuan Zhi inside, would he hate her because of it?

The answer is no.

After sharing a bed for several days, he suppressed his feelings, refusing to let himself fall in love or become intimate with her. It was understandable that she wanted revenge.

With that thought in mind, he pushed open the door and stepped over the threshold.

The Xiao family members rushed up, and Xiao Jianye saw his son sitting alone at the door and asked, "Where is your Uncle Congyun?"

Xiao Wangjin pointed inside, "There's a female ghost crying, Uncle went to catch her!"

The children were oblivious, but the adults knew what was going on. The second young master and the eldest young mistress were the only ones missing from the banquet, and what they were doing was self-evident.

With so many people watching, Qin was in a difficult position and reluctantly led the group to catch the adulterers in the act. Xiao Rong was running in the lead when Qin pulled her back.

"What are you doing, an unmarried young woman, getting involved in this? Go with your sister-in-law and Wangjin to see the lanterns!"

Xiao Rong reluctantly gave an "Oh".

At this moment, a man and a woman were intertwined on the bed, sweating profusely and reluctant to part.

Xiao Zong was greatly surprised when he saw what the two people looked like.