"Did Madam Hua leave the Cold General's mansion during the time I was ill?" Leng Ruoli asked.
Hearing this, Steward Qi recalled the events of that year carefully.
"Yes, Madam Hua did leave the Cold General's mansion for a few days back then. This servant heard her say that she received news from her hometown and needed to return immediately, so I didn't think much of it at the time. However, when she left the Cold General's mansion, you had already taken the medicine prescribed by Madam Hua, and your condition had been gradually improving," Steward Qi mused.
"Later, after Madam Hua returned, did Leng Ruoshuang occupy my Mingyue Courtyard, and was there a haunting every night?" Leng Ruoli asked again.
"Yes, after Leng Ruoshuang moved into Mingyue Courtyard, there was a haunting every night. It even scared five of the mansion's guards to death. They said the female ghost wore white, her long hair was spread before her, obscuring her face, and she would wander around Mingyue Courtyard in the dead of night. Every night she would throw Leng Ruoshuang out of the courtyard, either by the lake or into the outhouse. Even the guards suffered along with Leng Ruoshuang. Eventually, Liu Ruyi had no choice but to let Leng Ruoshuang move out of Mingyue Courtyard. I even guarded Mingyue Courtyard for two nights back then, but nothing happened, and I didn't see the female ghost or her tormenting anyone."
Steward Qi gestured animatedly as he spoke of this matter, his mood exceptionally cheerful, which showed how unpopular Liu Ruyi and her daughter were.
However, after hearing Steward Qi's words, Leng Ruoli strongly suspected that the female ghost might have been Xia Wan'er.
"Uncle Qi, does Madam Hua know martial arts?"
Leng Ruoli asked again, her brow furrowed.
"No, she has no internal energy; she only excels in medicine. If she knew martial arts, then you, Consort, and the Liu mother and daughter wouldn't have dared to bully you like that. And I was seriously injured myself during those years and often had to stay in the estate to collect grain for the Grand General, so I wasn't often at the mansion. Therefore, when this servant learned that you were often bullied by the Liu mother and daughter, it was only a few days after the incidents had occurred," Steward Qi lamented repeatedly.
As he spoke of these matters, Steward Qi dared not look at Leng Ruoli, as he felt a sense of guilt towards her.
He had no children of his own. When he was young, he had gone on campaigns with the General. His wife had died in childbirth at home, and he had felt guilty about this for more than a decade.
In the blink of an eye, so many years had passed. He ate and lived in the Cold General's mansion and had long since regarded Leng Ruoli as his own child.
Later, influenced by the Grand General's deep affection for Madam Leng, he never remarried and lived as a bachelor for over ten years.
"Uncle Qi, all those things are in the past, so please don't blame yourself anymore." Seeing Steward Qi's somber expression, Leng Ruoli quickly comforted him.
"Consort, I also bear an undeniable responsibility for letting you be bullied by the Liu mother and daughter back then," Steward Qi said.
"Alright, let's not mention this matter again. It's all in the past. Uncle Qi, you go ahead and attend to your duties. The Prince and I will take a stroll in the garden."
Leng Ruoli did not want to dwell on this sad topic any longer.
"Very well, then this servant will not disturb you any further. Prince, Consort, if you need anything, please do not hesitate to ask this servant," Steward Qi said before retreating.
Subsequently, Leng Ruoli and Jun Mohan wandered around the Cold General's garden for a long time, and they unknowingly arrived at Mingyue Courtyard.
As they walked into Mingyue Courtyard, two robust maids and two young servants were cleaning Leng Ruoli's former residence.
Although Leng Ruoli had married into the Cold Prince's mansion, her father still had the steward arrange for her courtyard, Mingyue Courtyard, to be cleaned thoroughly every day. This was so that she could return to live there whenever she missed home.
Even though Leng Ruoli had rarely returned to stay at Mingyue Courtyard since her marriage, her father had defied all old customs. He not only kept her courtyard but also had people clean and tend to the flowers and plants in the courtyard daily, as if Leng Ruoli had always lived in the Cold General's mansion.
Leng Ruoli felt that having such a loving father was worth everything.
Just as Leng Ruoli was lost in thought, the two maids and two servants cleaning Mingyue Courtyard also noticed Leng Ruoli and Jun Mohan.
The four of them quickly put down their tasks and bowed to the Prince and Consort.
"Your servant pays respects to the Prince and Consort!"
"Your servant pays respects to the Prince and Consort!"
Leng Ruoli gently waved her sleeve and smiled faintly, "You may all withdraw. This Consort and the Prince will sit in Mingyue Courtyard for a while and chat."
"Yes, Prince and Consort!"
The four replied in unison.
Then, they quietly exited Mingyue Courtyard.
"Jun Mohan, do you know who designed this Mingyue Courtyard?" Leng Ruoli asked intentionally.
"I heard that my father-in-law personally designed it," Jun Mohan replied, glancing around Mingyue Courtyard.
"Yes, this Mingyue Courtyard was indeed personally designed by the original owner's father, including this artificial rockery, the man-made lily pond, the mushroom-shaped small pavilion, and the small stone bridge. They were all personally designed by Leng Jinyu. It is said that even these two phoenix trees, these two osmanthus trees, and those two date trees were personally planted by the original owner's father. When I first transmigrated into the original owner's body and saw this memory in her mind, I truly envied the original owner," Leng Ruoli praised with a sigh.
"Indeed, the Grand General's affection for his daughter was unparalleled. However, Li'er, rest assured, I will love you even more than he does," Jun Mohan vowed.
"Haha, then I shall wait and see," Leng Ruoli teased.
"Really! Li'er, please believe me!" Jun Mohan promised.
"Enough!" Leng Ruoli laughed and said, "I'll take you somewhere now."
As she spoke, Leng Ruoli mysteriously scanned Mingyue Courtyard, ensuring that the four servants had left.
She then pulled Jun Mohan and hurried behind the rockery in Mingyue Courtyard's small garden. Following the method Leng Jinyu had taught her to open the switch, a hole immediately appeared on the ground behind the rockery, revealing a small staircase leading to a basement. Leng Ruoli immediately led Jun Mohan down the small staircase. The two of them descended into the basement, and then the basement door closed automatically.
Jun Mohan entered the mysterious basement, his face showing some surprise, but he said nothing.
After following Leng Ruoli through a two-meter-wide passage, Leng Ruoli opened another stone door. Behind the stone door was a basement the size of a basketball. The walls were painted with many strange and peculiar images, and large metal boxes were piled on the ground.
Jun Mohan could not guess what was inside.