May this scumbag husband, who favored his concubine over his wife, rest in peace.

Pei Xi breathed a sigh of relief and turned back to the side courtyard.

-

Soon, the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet arrived.

The An Yuan Marquis family finished packing and headed to the palace together.

It was clear that Pei Zeyu hadn't been idle lately; his steps were even somewhat unsteady, and his face looked... very weak.

The old lady, Xie Qianjiao, and Pei Zhicheng rode in the same carriage. Pei Zeyu had no energy to ride a horse at the moment, so he rode with Wen Yuanshu.

In the carriage, Wen Yuanshu subtly glanced at him and said with concern, "My lord, I know you want to have children for the Marquis's family as soon as possible, but you must also take care of your health."

Pei Zeyu pinched the bridge of his nose.

Wen Yuanshu handed over a cup of warm tea at the right time: "It has been a long time since you last saw Concubine Baitong, hasn't it? Now that Concubine Baitong has fully recovered, you can visit her more often."

"Oh?" Pei Zeyu's eyebrows twitched, quite surprised. "Really? Bai Tong's health has really improved?"

Although he has many women around him now, he still feels that compared to Bai Tong, they are really boring.

So, he still cared about Baitong in his heart.

"Great!" Pei Zeyu exclaimed eagerly, "I'll go tonight!"

Upon hearing this, Wen Yuanshu breathed a sigh of relief: "Thank you very much, Lord Marquis."

Now, Bai Tong finally had a reason to go to the study.

The carriage traveled smoothly all the way, but stopped some distance from the palace gate, leaving the rest of the journey to be covered on foot.

It was quite a walk from the carriage to the banquet hall. The old lady and Pei Zeyu were both slightly out of breath. As for Pei Zhicheng, he had already made a scene several times, but Xie Qianjiao had kept him from making a big fuss.

Upon arriving at their destination, Xie Qianjiao and Pei Zhicheng were both greatly impressed by what they saw. They sat obediently at their seats, moving with great care.

The seats at the Marquis's residence were not far from those at the General's residence. After speaking with her family for a while, Wen Yuanshu took her seat at the Marquis's residence.

After the Emperor and Empress arrived, everyone stood up and bowed, finally able to relax and enjoy the palace banquet.

During the meal, Wen Yuanshu felt a gaze falling on her from time to time, but when she looked up to look for it, the gaze would disappear, which was very strange.

Wen Yuanshu looked around and finally fixed her gaze on the man who stood proudly beside the emperor.

The man was dressed in brocade robes, his face covered by a half-face mask shaped like a ferocious beast. He had a ring-pommel sword slung across his waist, and his left hand rested casually on the copper ring of the sword hilt. His entire demeanor was so imposing that people dared not look him in the eye.

Lu Chengyuan did not look at her.

His gaze was indifferent, unlike anything she had ever seen before. Beneath the icy surface lay a hidden sharpness. He casually swept across the hall, taking in all the movements of the crowd.

After a moment, Wen Yuanshu withdrew her gaze.

Come to think of it, she hadn't heard from Lu Chengyuan in a long time.

She had only seen Lu Chengyuan a few times since her rebirth, but she knew he was in danger. However, seeing him today with all his limbs intact, she felt a little relieved.

Soon, after several rounds of drinks and dishes, the emperor and empress left first, leaving their officials to enjoy themselves on their own.

There is a lake in the palace grounds, which is a wide lake and a good place to admire the moon.

This time, she brought Pei Zhicheng along. He was very playful, and it was his first time entering the palace. The old lady wasn't in a hurry to leave. Taking the opportunity, she called Pei Zeyu and Xie Qianjiao aside and acted as a peacemaker.

After sobering up, Wen Yuanshu also stood by the lake to enjoy the breeze.

The autumn breeze is cool, the bright moon hangs high overhead, and the fragrance of osmanthus blossoms surrounds you, making you feel as if you are in a fairyland.

“Madam, perhaps we shouldn’t stand by the lake?” Chunhua lowered her voice considerably. “I just don’t feel safe.”

“It’s alright,” Wen Yuanshu looked around, “Aren’t there quite a few people here?”

Many young men and women stood by the lake, in twos and threes, laughing and chatting.