“It’s not like we haven’t quarreled before.” He smiled.

“Oh, that’s right.” Qi Yue also remembered. “Did you call me Moon or Yueniang back then?”

A’Ru stood uneasily nearby.

“Moon.” Chang Yunqi was silent for a moment before answering.

Qi Yue’s eyes lit up as she stood.

“Me?” She pointed at herself.

“It seems you’ve truly forgotten. I gave you that name—we were just playing around as children.” Chang Yunqi smiled slightly.

Qi Yue looked amazed.

“So you’re saying I actually had a name called Moon?” She said.

“It wasn’t really a name, just something I called you randomly. Please don’t blame me, Sister-in-law. I won’t call you that anymore.” Chang Yunqi lowered his eyes.

Qi Yue ignored his words, simply amazed at receiving this confirmation.

“How coincidental that we had the same nickname.” She sat down, hand on her chest, looking incredulous. “No wonder I would be possessed by…”

“Young Mistress, the ginger soup is getting cold, please drink it quickly.” A’Ru interrupted Qi Yue’s words.

Qi Yue realized she had almost misspoken and quickly took the ginger soup to drink.

Chang Yunqi finally stood to take his leave.

A’Ru breathed a sigh of relief.

“What a pity, I haven’t made beggar’s chicken for you to try yet.” Qi Yue smiled without trying to keep him, personally escorting him out.

“Next time.” Chang Yunqi smiled.

Next time…

A’Ru lowered her head with an anxious expression.

“This servant will see Third Young Master off.” She said.

Qi Yue stopped walking, and Chang Yunqi bowed to her before striding away.

“I don’t know if this child’s words will be effective when he returns home.” Qi Yue sighed under the eaves.

Still, she was very happy—this was the first person to come see her.

“It seems Qi Yueniang had a decent relationship with your Third Young Master.” Qi Yue said.

A’Ru trimmed the lamp wick and brought it over to place on the bedroom table.

“Third Young Master has always been good-natured and kind to people.” She said.

The meaning was that he wasn’t particularly good to Qi Yueniang specifically. Qi Yue could certainly understand this child’s nervousness and smiled with pursed lips.

“Really, why did your Old Mistress insist on marrying her to the Prince? This is called forming an alliance? More like forming a feud. If Qi Yueniang had been married to Third Young Master, it wouldn’t have delayed the Prince from marrying someone of equal status, and Yueniang could have enjoyed a wealthy and comfortable life…” She said.

A’Ru fell to her knees with a thud.

“Young Mistress, you absolutely cannot say such things, or else it would be a dead end.” She said in terror.

Qi Yue laughed and reached out to pull her up.

“Where would I say it? I’m just talking to you.” She smiled.

“Young Mistress, regardless of what happened before, you are now the Young Mistress and will be the Marchioness in the future…” A’Ru stood up, speaking with some worry.

Qi Yue threw herself backward on the bed with a “ha.”

“I’m going to die.” She called out.

A’Ru’s face went pale with fright as she rushed over.

Qi Yue laughed heartily.

“Young Mistress, you scared this servant to death.” A’Ru said angrily in her urgency.

“You’re the one who scared me to death.”

Qi Yue laughed as she lay on her side on the bed, looking at A’Ru, then sighed. “Staying here for a lifetime, I really would be better off dead.”

A’Ru fell silent and sighed.

“Your original life was very good, wasn’t it?” She asked hesitantly in a low voice after a moment.

“Thinking back, I complained about many dissatisfactions then too, but looking back now, it was quite good.” Qi Yue said with some reminiscence. “Before I came here, I was also in such a countryside.”

“Also in the countryside?” A’Ru asked curiously.

Qi Yue reached out to pull her down to sit.

“From outsiders’ perspective, I also seemed to be ostracized and driven away, quite similar to the current situation.” She said.

A’Ru stood up in surprise again.

“You, you were also driven out by your husband’s family?” She asked stammering.

“What husband’s family? I wasn’t even married yet. It was my work unit—well, not exactly a work unit,” Qi Yue laughed. “I came down voluntarily.”

A’Ru breathed a sigh of relief and sat down on the footstool.

“Work unit? What’s a work unit?” She asked.

“A work unit, well, a work unit is…” Qi Yue was about to explain when they heard footsteps outside, and the master and servant quickly stopped talking.

“Young Mistress, someone from the manor has come.” A servant woman’s voice sounded outside the door.

Another visitor? Qi Yue and A’Ru exchanged glances.

The person who entered lifted off a large hat and removed a heavy cloak, revealing a young face.

“Sister Caiqing, why did you come so late?” A’Ru was extremely surprised, quickly pouring hot tea for her.

Caiqing couldn’t be bothered to take it, going over to kneel and kowtow to Qi Yue who was emerging from the bedroom.

“This servant has disturbed Young Mistress. Please forgive this servant’s offense.” She said prostrate on the ground.

Caiqing was the head maid of the Second Madam of the Western Manor, her status even more noble than the concubines in the household. Qi Yue quickly asked her to rise.

“Madam only just heard that Young Mistress had come here. Thinking that the weather is getting colder and this place hasn’t been lived in for a long time, making it especially damp and cold, she urged me to bring over a mattress.” Caiqing stood up and took the large bundle from the floor.

A’Ru quickly took it and opened it to see it was actually a large fur coat with colorful patterns.

“This is tiger skin.” Caiqing smiled.

Qi Yue was extremely fascinated, quickly having it brought out to examine from all angles.

Wow, this was the real thing.

“Thank you for Auntie’s thoughtfulness.” Qi Yue smiled, then had A’Ru quickly add bedding.

“The other rooms are even worse. This side has more space—let Sister Caiqing squeeze in with me.” A’Ru said.

“No need to fuss, I’ll say what I came to say and hurry back.” Caiqing said quickly.

Qi Yue and A’Ru were startled.

“How can you travel at night like this?” A’Ru shook her head.

Since she said she needed to travel, it certainly wasn’t just politeness. Qi Yue hesitated slightly, looking at Caiqing.

“I’ll go make some ginger soup for Sister.” A’Ru also reacted and said.

Caiqing thanked her without refusing, watching A’Ru leave.

Qi Yue couldn’t gauge Caiqing’s intentions. From A’Ru’s introduction, this Second Madam of the Western Manor had no dealings with Qi Yueniang…

But thinking of the expression she had shown when they first met, and seeing this midnight visit today, there must be some relationship between them.

“Young Mistress.” Caiqing began. “Madam sent me to ask whether you understand Madam’s good intentions from that day?”

With one sentence, Qi Yue was completely confused. See, there was indeed a relationship, and there was “that day” too! But how could she know what happened “that day”!

“I…” Qi Yue opened her mouth with a bitter smile.

Seeing her bitter smile, Caiqing took over.

“The Prince is not a good match for you. The Old Mistress wholeheartedly wanted what was best for you, to give you the best, to give you a stable life. But this step was indeed wrong.” She said, stepping forward. “Now you can see clearly—the Prince cannot tolerate you, the Great Madam cannot tolerate you, and this household cannot tolerate you. Young Mistress, you are not yet twenty years old. Are you going to spend your whole life suffering in this countryside?”

“Then, what does Auntie mean?” Qi Yue asked dazedly, following her lead.

“Request to leave the marriage yourself.” Caiqing said.

Qi Yue made an “oh” sound.

“Divorce is not possible, but Young Mistress needn’t worry. Madam will certainly protect you and find another suitable family. Even if no suitable family is found, Madam will ensure you have food and clothing for life.” Caiqing said.

“If I request to leave the marriage myself, would it work? Isn’t this marriage bestowed by His Majesty?” Qi Yue asked in confusion.

“As long as Young Mistress has this intention, Madam will certainly find a way to arrange everything.” Caiqing said with a smile.

This was probably also the wish of the mother and son from Marquis Dingxi’s manor, right? So one played the bad cop and one played the good cop—using both hard and soft tactics.

Qi Yue paced slowly around the room a few times.

“Thank you, Auntie. Yueniang will think it over carefully.” She smiled.

Caiqing sighed seeing her expression.

“Young Mistress, although Second Madam and Great Madam have the same purpose, Second Madam truly has Young Mistress’s interests at heart, unlike Great Madam who only cares about herself and the Prince. This servant knows you must think this way.” She said.

Qi Yue rolled her eyes, then turned around with a genuinely smiling face.

“How could that be? I understand.” She said.

Caiqing looked at her.

“Madam and Old Madam both have the same feelings toward you, Miss.” She said solemnly.

Qi Yue looked at her, suddenly feeling there was much meaning in this statement.

“This servant dare not stay out too long and will take leave now.” But Caiqing said no more, turning to take her heavy cloak and bowing farewell.

A’Ru personally escorted her out. When she returned, she found Qi Yue sitting under the lamp in a daze.

“Young Mistress, what did Second Madam mean?” She couldn’t help asking with some hope. “Is she going to speak for Young Mistress?”

Speak for her? Speak for divorce. Qi Yue shook her head.

“What exactly is the relationship between your Second Madam and Qi Yueniang?” She sat up straight and asked curiously.

“There’s no relationship.” A’Ru said, completely puzzled.

“Then what’s her relationship with your Old Madam? Are they related?” Qi Yue asked again.

A’Ru shook her head.

“Our Old Madam is from Fujian, and Second Madam is from the capital. North and south—if not for the red thread of marriage, they would never have known each other in their lifetimes.” She answered.

That’s strange then. Qi Yue leaned back on the bed again.

“However, both families’ ancestors were founding heroes who helped the Great Ancestor establish the dynasty together.” A’Ru thought of something and added. “Our family was enfeoffed as marquis, theirs as duke. Also, Second Madam’s family…”

A’Ru stopped here, somewhat hesitant.

“Also what?” Qi Yue asked.

“Second Madam’s family is more noble than ours. Their family has been aristocrats for generations.” A’Ru said.

Aristocrats for generations? Qi Yue became interested.

Logically speaking, for previous dynasty aristocrats to become aristocrats again in a new dynasty’s founding wouldn’t be easy—as the saying goes, “new emperor, new ministers.”

“Could it be that Second Madam’s family were traitors to the previous dynasty who performed dragon-following service for the new dynasty?” She asked.

“This servant doesn’t know about that.” A’Ru smiled somewhat embarrassedly. “I only heard about these things occasionally.”

Qi Yue made an “oh” sound and lay down again. Whatever—let them be what they are. Whether it was good intentions or false charity, she couldn’t be bothered to care. She turned inward to sleep.

A’Ru lowered the bed curtains, blew out the lamp, and left, closing the door.

The next day, while Qi Yue was brushing her teeth in the room, she heard crying from outside.

“Is there a funeral in the village?” Qi Yue said indistinctly.

“I don’t know. This servant will go ask.” A’Ru said, walking out. She returned shortly with a somewhat strange expression.

“What’s wrong?” Qi Yue was styling her hair in front of the bronze mirror and asked casually.

“Outside…” A’Ru began, seeming not to know how to say it. “There’s a villager crying at our gate.”

“Crying about what? Did someone bully them?” Qi Yue turned her head to ask.