Qi Yue’s voice continued in the room.

“What ‘following your husband after marriage,’ what bullshit rules! This is about beating people, this is about suffering humiliation, this is about being shamed. They beat elder sister, but the shame falls on us, and we’re supposed to go begging them? Bah! When your own people don’t treat your own people as human beings, isn’t this obviously degrading yourself? Divorce? I’d like to see them try to divorce her! If they can’t give a proper explanation, I’ll smash their Liu family to pieces!”

Inside the room, both Madam Xie and Marquis Dingxi were stunned, staring blankly at the woman before them.

What was she saying?

Smash the Liu family to pieces?

Strangely, Marquis Dingxi suddenly felt somewhat excited. “Smash” – this crude word, how did it sound so… so thrilling?

“Such great confidence!” Madam Xie laughed coldly, looking at Qi Yue as she sat up straight. “You speak so boldly, but life isn’t lived through words. You probably don’t know why your elder sister has such a low position in the Liu family, do you?”

Qi Yue indeed didn’t know. How could a daughter of a marquis household, even if she was a concubine’s daughter, still be a young lady of a prestigious family? Even if she couldn’t compare to a princess marrying down, she shouldn’t be someone that even a servant woman could push around at will, right?

“Because she’s inauspicious.” Madam Xie smiled faintly.

She watched as the woman before her finally showed a look of shock.

Inauspicious – this single word was enough to cast a person into an abyss from which they could never rise. No matter how noble your birth or bloodline, it couldn’t overcome this sentence of heavenly punishment.

Did you think that having the Marquis Dingxi’s household as backing meant you could do whatever you wanted and act tyrannically?

Your face has fallen to the ground – let’s see how you pick it up!

Madam Xie smiled coldly.

I thought it was some terrifying secret!

What bullshit!

“Just because they say she’s inauspicious makes her so? Are they the Heavenly Emperor?” Qi Yue scoffed.

Madam Xie also scoffed.

“They didn’t say it – it really was Heaven that said it.” She smiled. “Your elder sister gave birth to a little monster…”

Qi Yue couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

“What are you laughing at!” Madam Xie became somewhat agitated at her laughter. Somehow, her originally confident heart suddenly became uneasy…

“Yueniang, you didn’t see it. Speaking of it, it’s really shameful. I don’t have the face to meet the Liu family either.” Marquis Dingxi sighed and interjected, his face showing genuine annoyance and dejection.

First, he hadn’t expected to produce such a plain-looking daughter. For Marquis Dingxi, who prided himself on his refined taste, this was too much of a slap in the face – a failed work that constantly reminded him of his failure.

He hadn’t expected that this wasn’t the end of it. This failed work actually brought him an even greater nightmare.

“She gave birth to a harelip!” Marquis Dingxi said with full disgust, resentment, and sadness.

The Second Miss and Third Miss couldn’t help but look toward the eldest miss. Knowing this, that woman wouldn’t interfere anymore, would she…

How could she still interfere…

But they saw that the eldest miss’s face showed no despair or misery at all, but rather calmness.

The calmness of someone who had already accepted reality.

The Second Miss sighed, her feelings complex. She wanted to see the woman’s big words backfire to prove that this was just attention-seeking behavior from a momentary fever of the brain, but at the same time, she didn’t want to see this result. Birds of a feather flock together – though she was certain she wouldn’t have such bad luck as the eldest sister, if she knew there was such a family member behind her who would protect her at all times, it would surely be very reassuring.

“Marquis.” Qi Yue smiled. “I thought it was something major – just this?”

Wasn’t this considered major? Both Marquis Dingxi and Madam Xie looked at her.

She was actually smiling like this about something he was so ashamed of – Marquis Dingxi’s face showed hints of embarrassed anger.

Madam Xie naturally saw this and was about to speak with cold, triumphant laughter when Qi Yue continued.

“This isn’t any heavenly punishment or inauspiciousness. This is an illness.” She smiled. “A very simple illness, that’s all.”

Illness…

Marquis Dingxi was stunned, and Madam Xie, who was about to speak, was also dazed.

“But she was born with it…” Marquis Dingxi couldn’t help saying.

“This is congenital, yes. Though the cause isn’t definitively proven, most can be confirmed as multigenic hereditary diseases. Speaking of which, our family doesn’t have children like this, right?” Qi Yue said.

“Of course not.” Marquis Dingxi didn’t understand the earlier words, but hearing this question, he immediately answered decisively.

“Then that’s even more proof. This disease is mostly hereditary. Since our family doesn’t have it, the Liu family might have had such children before. There’s even less reason to say it’s elder sister being inauspicious.” Qi Yue smiled.

Marquis Dingxi suddenly stood up from his chair, his expression excited.

“Yueniang, is what you’re saying true?” he asked in a trembling voice.

Qi Yue nodded.

“I’ve examined this child.” She added.

This shocked everyone inside and outside the room once again.

The Second Miss looked toward the eldest miss. No wonder she was so calm, so it turned out…

“Actually, it’s not severe. It’s unilateral first-degree cleft lip, not reaching the nasal base…” Qi Yue continued, then shook her head. “It’s really such a pity…”

Hearing her say “pity,” everyone’s hearts rose again, though naturally everyone had different feelings.

Madam Xie’s hands on her knees clenched tightly.

Pity… it can’t be treated, right…

“…If surgery had been performed when she was a few months old, she would be completely like a normal person now…” Qi Yue said. “It’s been delayed too long…”

“So she still can’t be treated, right?” Madam Xie couldn’t help asking aloud.

Qi Yue looked at her, her smile spreading.

“I’m very sorry.” She said, looking at the uncontrollable joy on Madam Xie’s face, then grinned. “I can cure her.”

The joy on Madam Xie’s face immediately froze, then fell like shattered stone.

This lowly servant! This lowly servant! She actually dared to deliberately toy with her!

“You child, if you can cure her, why say you’re sorry?” Marquis Dingxi wiped the sweat from his face and chided her. “You scared me to death.”

The eldest miss could no longer restrain herself. Regardless of her father’s displeasure, she rushed into the room and knelt down before Qi Yue.

“Young Madam, please save Yan’er. I’m willing to be your servant, to repay you like a dog or horse…” She cried and kowtowed.

Qi Yue quickly reached out to help her up.

“Elder sister, don’t do this. We’re family. Even if you didn’t ask, I would treat her.” She said.

“Thank you, thank you.” Chang Chunlan looked at her, tightly grasping Qi Yue’s hand like grasping a last straw, her voice choked with emotion.

Thank you…

“Marquis, should we still go after the steward?” A servant outside asked for instructions.

Marquis Dingxi no longer had his earlier anxiety. Though grief and indignation still remained on his face, his demeanor had become resolute.

“Go after him? Of course we should.” He snorted.

These words startled Qi Yue, who had already walked out the door, and the three misses, who turned around.

“Tell the steward that if that surname Liu doesn’t provide an explanation, this matter isn’t over!” Marquis Dingxi said hatefully.

That old bastard surnamed Liu had humiliated him for so many years – now it was time to settle accounts properly!

That saying was absolutely right – it’s not that there’s no retribution, just that the time hasn’t come yet. Now the time for him, Marquis Dingxi, to hold his head high had finally arrived!

Come to think of it, for the past half year or so, he had been holding his head high, and all of this was because of his daughter-in-law.

Looking at his daughter-in-law who had already walked out and was being surrounded by his daughters, Marquis Dingxi almost couldn’t help but burst into tears.

Great-grandfather, father, you’ve finally opened your eyes.

No, wait – mother, you truly were wise and far-sighted!

“I’m going to burn incense for mother.” Marquis Dingxi could no longer restrain himself and strode out.

The thick curtain fell, blocking the view of Madam Xie sitting rigidly alone in the room. She just sat there, motionless. The festive red candles and burning brazier couldn’t add any warmth to the room. The cold emanating from Madam Xie gradually permeated the entire room like an ice cave.

Why was this happening! Why!

Sister, open your eyes!

Madam Xie turned her head to look aside, tears faintly glistening in her eyes.

“Let’s talk about anything else tomorrow. For now, go back and rest well with Yan’er. I still need to make some preparations for this surgery, and Yan’er’s body also needs to be conditioned, so elder sister, don’t be anxious.”

After talking for a long time to comfort Chang Chunlan, Qi Yue returned to her courtyard to find that night had fallen deep.

“Eh? The Prince hasn’t returned yet?” She looked at the room, always feeling something was missing, then suddenly realized.

“Not yet.” Qiu Xiang answered while helping her remove her large cloak.

“It’s so late, he didn’t say he wouldn’t come back.” Qi Yue frowned, looking out through the window. “Could he have drunk too much and stayed overnight at someone’s house?”

Qiu Xiang smiled and shook her head.

“This servant doesn’t know.” She said.

“Young Madam, the water is ready. Please wash up.” A’Hao came in to say.

Qi Yue nodded. After washing, A’Ru had already prepared the bed.

“Young Madam, it’s getting late. Please rest early.” She said softly.

Qi Yue glanced at Chang Yuncheng’s bedroom.

“It’s still early. I’ll prepare tomorrow’s lesson plans.” She said. “You all rest first.”

A’Ru also glanced at Chang Yuncheng’s bedroom, smiled, and withdrew with acknowledgment.

Qi Yue brightened the lamp and spread out paper and brush on the desk. After what seemed like a long time, she heard commotion in the courtyard.

She couldn’t help but stand up quickly.

“The Prince has returned.” The maids announced one after another. With their announcements, the door was pushed open and Chang Yuncheng, carrying the chill of the night, strode in.

“Why so late?” Qi Yue walked over to ask, sniffing hard – no smell of alcohol. She breathed a sigh of relief.

Chang Yuncheng looked at Qi Yue, who had walked over on her own initiative, somewhat surprised.

“Why aren’t you asleep yet?” he asked.

Qi Yue made an “oh” sound and pointed toward her side.

“I was reading.” She said, then quickly added, “I definitely wasn’t waiting for you.”

After saying this, she was stunned, and Chang Yuncheng was also momentarily stunned. Then Chang Yuncheng laughed.

“Oh.” He drew out the sound.

Qi Yue’s face flushed red.

“Hey, I really was reading. I’m busy – I won’t waste time talking with you.” She laughed awkwardly, waved her hand, and turned to leave.

“Young Madam.” Two maids pushed the door open. “The late-night snack you prepared for the Prince has been brought.”

Qi Yue was startled.

“Hey, hey, don’t talk nonsense – that’s too much!” She said hurriedly, glaring at Chang Yuncheng. “I didn’t prepare any late-night snack for you. Which one of you used my name…”

Chang Yuncheng reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her toward her side.

“So much nonsense.” He said, keeping a straight face with pursed lips, not even glancing at Qi Yue as he easily and casually carried this woman along.

“Let go, what are you doing? Pulling and tugging – what does this look like?” Qi Yue quickly patted him twice and broke free, taking quick steps to create distance.

The two maids lowered their heads with red faces, set down the late-night snack, curtsied, and hurriedly withdrew.

Chang Yuncheng threw off his cloak and shoes, sat cross-legged on the kang, and stretched his neck.

“Hey, here’s a little trinket for you.” He suddenly said, pulling out a box from under his cloak and placing it on the table.

What? Qi Yue looked over and saw it was a rectangular brocade box. She hesitated, then seeing the man holding a bowl and eating his late-night snack, moved closer.

“Wow.” She opened it and couldn’t help exclaiming, “What a beautiful gourd!”