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Yu Jin took out the pastries from the food container one by one, placed them neatly on a tray, and set them beside Gu Jiao.

Gu Jiao was not fond of overly sweet foods, and these pastries were all light in flavor.

She picked up a crab roe pastry, lifted her veil slightly, and ate it delicately.

Yu Jin poured her a cup of flower tea.

Gu Jiao accepted the cup and asked, “Aunt Yu Jin, what are you looking at?”

Yu Jin was startled. She could tell that she had been glancing around even with the bridal veil on?

Yu Jin gave an awkward laugh. “Ah, nothing. The Princess said she’d come see you in a while.”

As her words fell, Princess Xinyang, dressed in full formal attire, arrived.

Yu Jin withdrew.

Princess Xinyang sat down on a stool beside the bed. Seeing that Gu Jiao had almost finished eating, she cleared her throat softly and handed over a bundle she was carrying.

“What is this?” Gu Jiao asked.

Princess Xinyang looked a little uneasy, though fortunately the bridal veil hid her expression from Gu Jiao.

Her tone, however, remained steady as she said, “See for yourself.”

“Oh.” Gu Jiao accepted the bundle. She opened it, and her eyes immediately went wide. “You came all the way here under this blazing sun… just to show me this?”

Princess Xinyang suppressed her discomfort and said in a calm, unhurried tone, “Look at it first. If there’s something you don’t understand, ask me.”

“What’s there not to understand?” Gu Jiao muttered.

Princess Xinyang curled her lips in a faint pout.

Still so stubborn?

I’ve already heard from your mother that neither of you has even consummated the marriage yet. That mark on your face is not a birthmark but a gecko cinnabar!

Princess Xinyang would normally never look at such books, but for the sake of her son and daughter-in-law successfully passing their wedding night, she had no choice but to steel herself.

She was a woman of refined taste. Those vulgar and crude manuals sold on the streets were beneath her. This one had been specially commissioned from an artist at great expense, and it carried an elegant aesthetic.

Even she could look at it without feeling disgusted.

What was more, she hadn’t used the coarse paper that cost only a tael or two of silver per stack, but instead had chosen extremely costly ripple-patterned paper.

Most importantly, the book wasn’t in black and white, but was fully colored.

“Truly nothing you wish to ask?” She said faintly. Her tone was calm, though inside she was dying of embarrassment.

But what could she do? Neither of the two young ones had any experience.

If Shangguan Yan were here, she would definitely just let the two of them learn on their own.

But Princess Xinyang could not feel at ease, so she had to resort to such a bold move.

“Mm…” Gu Jiao, giving her some face, asked, “Should one put in the ginger and scallions first, and then blanch it?”

Princess Xinyang frowned. “What ginger… what blanching?”

Gu Jiao held the book out to her, pointing at one of the pages. “Here. Braised pork belly.”

Princess Xinyang froze in shock.

She had brought the wrong book!

Princess Xinyang closed her eyes in frustration. In order not to let anyone notice such a book… she deliberately tried to cover it up by placing a recipe book on top of it——

She rushed back to her own courtyard.

But as soon as she reached the doorway, she saw a tall and well-built figure seated in her room. It was Marquis Xuanping, who had just returned from the banquet.

Marquis Xuanping didn’t seem to notice her arrival. He was fully absorbed in a book laid out on the table.

And when Princess Xinyang caught sight of the colorful illustrations on the open pages, she staggered in shock, nearly falling to the ground!

Marquis Xuanping still didn’t look up, his gaze fixed on the book as he flipped the pages one after another. While reading, he said, “Qin Fengwen, ah Qin Fengwen, this Marquis never imagined that you actually enjoy looking at erotic art.”

Princess Xinyang’s face flushed scarlet. She strode forward and snatched the book from his hands with a swish. “Who allowed you into my room!”

Marquis Xuanping gave her a strange look. “Wasn’t it you who asked me to come?”

“When did I ever——”

Halfway through her words, realization dawned. She whipped her head around toward the doorway and glared at Yu Jin.

Yu Jin lowered her head guiltily. “Just now… Little Yiyi was crying badly, so since you were busy, I… went to fetch Lord Marquis.”

Princess Xinyang ground her teeth and hid the book behind her back. “Even so, I never told you to rummage through my things!”

Marquis Xuanping defended himself. “It was just lying on the table——no, but really, Qin Fengwen, liking this kind of thing isn’t such a big deal. Everyone has their quirks.”

Her voice turned cold. “I don’t like looking at it!”

“Don’t like it, yet you’re looking?” Marquis Xuanping gave her a slow once-over. Her face was so red it looked as if blood would drip from it. After all their years of marriage, this was the very first time he had ever seen her so bashful.

In a flash of realization, he understood. Enlightened, he said, “Ahh, you mean to learn it instead?”

Princess Xinyang looked utterly bewildered. “Huh?”

Marquis Xuanping stepped closer. Instinctively, Princess Xinyang stepped back, forgetting that the table was right behind her. Her hip bumped against its edge.

He placed one hand on the table behind her, leaning in. His strong presence enveloped her. She was unaccustomed to such closeness, and her breath caught at once.

He fixed his gaze on her, the corners of his lips curling into a smile. “Or is it that you’re trying to hint at something to this Marquis? Qin Fengwen, you still dare claim that you haven’t been harboring designs against me for a long time!”

Princess Xinyang: “...?!”

……

Marquis Xuanping Estate was overflowing with merriment. Over a hundred banquet tables were laid out, and the entire residence was a sea of people. Empress Dowager Zhuang and the Emperor themselves attended, and Empress Xiao, granted imperial permission, was also present as part of her return to her family.

Colleagues from the Imperial Academy came as well. Feng Lin, Lin Chengye, Du Ruohan, and Ning Zhiyuan pulled Xiao Heng along for several rounds of drinks.

The group had all become somewhat drunk.

Du Ruohan, swaying unsteadily, said in a tipsy voice, “You brat… I told you… you’re not really Liulang, are you… huh? I wasn’t wrong, was I? Feng Lin!”

He gave Feng Lin a hard slap on the back.

Feng Lin was already thoroughly drunk, raising his head in a daze. “Huh? Ah… drink, let’s drink more!”

Du Ruohan lifted his cup. “Drink with the Little Marquis… one more cup!”

Lin Chengye, slumped on the table, muttered, “One more cup…”

Both Lin Chengye and Feng Lin were already married. Feng Lin had become a father, and Lin Chengye’s wife was pregnant.

Du Ruohan, however, had thrown himself into his studies and had not yet considered marriage.

They had only recently learned Xiao Liulang’s true identity. To say they weren’t shocked would be a lie, but the more they thought about it, the more it seemed to make sense.

How many prodigies could there truly be in this world?

If there were ten parts of wisdom in the world, the Little Marquis held nine of them, and the remaining one had to be divided among everyone else.

“Drink! Drink!” Ning Zhiyuan poured two more cups into Du Ruohan, who finally collapsed over the table. A few other colleagues were still barely upright on their seats, and Ning Zhiyuan gave Xiao Heng a meaningful glance. “Leave it to me. Go.”

Xiao Heng cupped his hands and bowed. “Many thanks.”

“I dare not accept such courtesy from the Little Marquis!” Ning Zhiyuan quickly moved to stop him.

Xiao Heng patted his shoulder in gratitude, then left.

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Description:

In the suspenseful supernatural novel “Records of Mortals,” Jiang Baiyan, once a solitary and impoverished youth, finds refuge in the Shi family of Chang’an due to his extraordinary bloodline. With his clear and captivating peach blossom eyes, this seemingly innocent young man conceals a fanatical and malevolent lunatic within. Destined to succumb to darkness amidst hardship and degradation, he becomes a harbinger of chaos.

When Shi Dai suddenly transmigrates, she takes on the role of the Shi family’s young lady, the one who subjects him to countless trials, eventually leading to her demise.

The twist? She never got to finish reading the novel.

From what she knew of the plot, Jiang Baiyan was just a silent, timid, and often bullied pitiable character.

***

Jiang Baiyan had never encountered someone like Shi Dai.

After he had slaughtered all the evil creatures in the garden, the blood-stained young man, exuding a murderous aura, approached her step by step, his lips curling into a malicious smile, "Scared?"

Shi Dai responded, “You’re really amazing! I applaud you until I spin like a spiral and fly around the moon three hundred times! And also——you have dimples when you smile!"

Jiang Baiyan: ...?

—

After seeing her at a lantern festival with another man, Jiang Baiyan lowered his eyes, his fingers twirling her hair. He said in a mocking and sinister tone, "The mansion in the western suburbs...if I hide you there, no one will find you, right?"

Shi Dai replied, "Does it come with meals and lodging? Can I sleep in everyday? Oh, and your cooking is the best!"

Jiang Baiyan: ...?

—

Jiang Baiyan was supposed to dislike her, even hate her, but as their separation drew near, his eyes turned red and he grabbed her sleeve, pleading, "Don't abandon me, alri—”

Shi Dai responded, "Alright, alright, I’ll only have you. Mwah."

Jiang Baiyan: ...?

He hasn't finished his lines yet though…

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