The Aloof Lord's Mysterious Wife
Chapter 255: Give Me Some Face

Chapter 255: Give Me Some Face

The ghost messenger’s face became awkward.

Nanli gave him a way out: "Thank you, Ghost Messenger, for giving me this face."

Everyone else in the room, not knowing the truth, assumed the ghost messenger was indeed showing mercy.

The ghost messenger coughed and said, "No... no need to be polite! In half a month, you must personally escort him to the Underworld. I don’t want to make another trip."

With that, he waved his sleeve and disappeared.

Nanli breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Xie Beihan, "In half a month, I’ll take your father to the Underworld myself. For now, have trustworthy people guard the courtyard to prevent any leaks."

Xie Beihan, grief-stricken and unable to speak, could only nod.

To avoid arousing suspicion, the Empress and Ye Chengyan had to return to the palace, and Ye Siheng and Nanli returned to Prince Yufu.

On the way, Nanli asked about the Prince of Rongyang.

Ye Siheng explained, "I was puzzled too. This person had mediocre talent and no notable achievements, so why did Father bestow him a title? It turns out he played a crucial role in suppressing the evil spirit."

"To sacrifice oneself for such a task is indeed a great merit," Nanli remarked, toying with a glowing pearl beside her, its light casting a smooth, radiant glow on her face. "One becomes a marquis, his sister becomes the Crown Princess, another is made a prince with his own fief. The previous emperor was quite fair."

Ye Siheng continued, "Jiangxia is a prosperous land. Father treated him well. However, his situation was worse than Marquis Zhenbei’s. He passed away ten years ago, and three of his four sons met untimely deaths. Only one son survives, and he’s afflicted with a serious illness."

Nanli frowned, "The sealing array was so powerful, it could even affect the descendants’ fortunes?"

The same seemed true for Marquis Zhenbei’s household. If not for her intervention, Xie Beihan would have long perished.

Ye Siheng pondered for a moment before speaking, "It’s peculiar. The National Master served at the Astrology Observatory for years, documenting all his encounters with spirits and demons for future generations. Yet, this significant event was not recorded."

Nanli blinked, "You even read the books at the Astrology Observatory?"

Ye Siheng sighed, "When cursed by the death spell, I carefully read through the National Master’s notes, hoping to find a solution."

As he spoke, he couldn’t help but gently squeeze Nanli’s hand, his gaze soft and filled with deep affection. He had nearly given up that day, but her appearance had brought light into his dark world.

Nanli rubbed her chin, "This matter is not only strange but also troublesome. Without the National Master’s records, we don’t know where the evil spirit is sealed or if the seal is still intact."

Ye Siheng said, "I’ll have my people investigate. There should be some clues."

Nanli hummed in agreement, leaning into Ye Siheng’s embrace and yawning. After a day out and exerting some energy, she was tired. His arms made her feel safe, and she soon drifted into sleep.

When the carriage arrived at the mansion, Ye Siheng didn’t wake her. He gently carried her off the carriage and walked steadily into the mansion.

In Liuli Pavilion, Rainbow and the others were used to this, quietly fetching water and preparing clothes. However, they knew they couldn’t handle Nanli’s grooming.

After taking care of Nanli, Ye Siheng instructed Qing Feng to investigate the matter from years ago.

Late at night, he took a bath and changed into clean clothes before returning to the inner room.

The night was peaceful.

---

Ten days later, news spread that Marquis Zhenbei was gravely ill. A few days after that, he passed away.

Marquis Zhenbei’s residence was draped in white lanterns and mourning decorations. No one said Fan Yunxi brought misfortune; instead, they gossiped about the bad feng shui of Marquis Zhenbei’s residence, which had seen three deaths in two years, leaving only Xie Beihan.

However, with the Empress and Ye Chengyan’s support, no one dared speak openly.

Xie Beihan, pushing through his grief, managed his father’s funeral with unexpected precision, drawing on the experience from the past two years. He found it almost laughable.

After handling everything, an imperial edict arrived, granting him the title of Marquis and bestowing the rank of second-class noble lady on Fan Yunxi.

Xie Beihan woodenly accepted the edict, showing no joy. He never cared for titles; he just wanted his father to be safe.

The eunuch delivering the edict noticed his despondent state and frowned. But Fan Yunxi discreetly handed a purse of money to a maid to give to the eunuch, saying, "Thank you for coming all this way."

The eunuch felt the weight of the purse and smiled, "You’re too kind."

He thought, this new Marquis may be a dandy, but he’s lucky to have such a wife.

After the eunuch left, more visitors arrived—Chu Shuo and Nanli.

Seeing them brought some life back to Xie Beihan. "Why are you here? People are saying my fate is cursed, that I killed my brother, stepmother, and now my father."

Who would dare visit Marquis Zhenbei’s residence, fearing to attract bad luck?

Chu Shuo frowned, feeling sorry for his friend. But Nanli sipped her tea and said leisurely, "Do you think I don’t know if you’re cursed? Besides, these rumors were spread by you, so why care?"

Fan Yunxi, carrying pastries, paused at the door upon hearing this. She glanced at Xie Beihan, her thoughts stirring.

After setting down the pastries, she left to give the three some privacy.

Once she was gone, Xie Beihan grumbled, "Sixth Sister, do I have any secrets from you?"

"The Empress heard the rumors and had the Prince investigate, leading them to you," Nanli explained. "But both the Empress and the Prince are impressed by your maturity."

Chu Shuo realized the implication. He looked towards the door, surprise in his eyes. "Beihan, I didn’t expect you to act like a man."

Xie Beihan glared at him, "Nonsense, when am I not a man?"

"So, you do care about your wife," Chu Shuo said.

Feeling awkward, Xie Beihan explained, "This marriage was arranged by my father, and I didn’t tell her the truth. I just feel guilty and don’t want her to suffer."

He had become the master of the house, and upon investigating, he discovered that the bodyguard who had accompanied him to Ruyang City had informed his father, leading to the hasty marriage. Unable to apologize to Fan Yunxi directly, he tried to make it up in other ways.

Nanli saw Xie Beihan’s careful planning and felt reassured that Fan Yunxi would not have a hard time in the capital.

"Let’s get to business," Nanli said. "The other person in the ritual was the Prince of Rongyang. He died many years ago, and of his four sons, only one survives, afflicted with a severe illness."