The maids in the courtyard all bowed and greeted her, calling out that the young mistress had returned.

Qiu Xiang lifted the curtain with a smile.

Qi Yue saw none of this, nor did she smile amiably at the maids as she usually did. She lifted her skirt and entered the room, where Chang Yuncheng set down the book in his hands and stood up.

“You’re back. If we go out now, we can still make it to the vegetarian meal at the Great Buddha Temple…” he said with a smile, extending his hand.

Qi Yue looked at him without extending her hand, instead turning to the side and sitting down.

“What’s wrong?” Chang Yuncheng asked, seeing her expression was off.

Round and round, it’s this kind of thing again… Qi Yue looked at him, laughed, shook her head. What bad luck, there’s no helping it.

“Yueniang?” Chang Yuncheng approached, reaching out to embrace her.

Qi Yue raised her hand to block him.

“I heard you’re having a great celebration?” she asked.

Chang Yuncheng’s hand froze.

“I…” He opened his mouth and uttered one word.

Qi Yue looked at him.

“You knew about this already?” she asked.

“Yes,” Chang Yuncheng said, “I, I was going to tell you…”

Qi Yue laughed, nodded, and let go of her hand.

“Good, thank you. Now I know,” she said, standing up.

Chang Yuncheng looked at her, his heart pounding like a drum.

“Yueniang, that… I won’t divorce you. You’re still the young mistress. I’ll be good to you…” he stammered.

“Alright, alright, no need to say more.” Qi Yue waved her hand to interrupt him, frowning slightly with some impatience, and called loudly for A’Ru.

A’Ru entered shakily, her face pale as death, tears swirling in her eyes though she dared not cry.

“Young mistress…” she said hoarsely.

“Go get people to pack up my things,” Qi Yue said, pacing back and forth a few steps.

A’Ru fell to her knees with a thud.

Chang Yuncheng’s face went white.

“Yueniang, listen to me, it’s not what you think…” he hurriedly reached out to grab Qi Yue’s arm, while shouting at A’Ru to get out.

Qi Yue didn’t say anything, waiting for him to finish shouting.

A’Ru knelt without moving.

“A’Ru, you know what kind of person I am,” Qi Yue finally said, looking at A’Ru on the floor. “I have many things to do, and some things can only be done by you. What to do and how to do it – I think you know more than I do.”

A’Ru trembled all over.

“Yueniang, listen to me first,” Chang Yuncheng said, shaking her arm.

Qi Yue looked at him and smiled.

This kind of smile made Chang Yuncheng feel somewhat dazed. He seemed to have seen it long ago, when he first met this woman and they had several conflicts. That woman had smiled just like this – politely, distantly, the smile one gives to strangers…

“Lord, please wait a moment. I’ll be able to listen to you right away,” she said with a smile, looking at A’Ru again.

A’Ru took several deep breaths, raised her head, stood up, responded with a “yes,” and turned to leave.

“What are you doing?” Chang Yuncheng shouted. “You’re not allowed to do anything!”

A’Ru had already gone out, the door curtain dropping to separate inside from outside.

Chang Yuncheng reached out to grab Qi Yue.

“Yueniang, listen to me,” he said hurriedly.

Qi Yue struggled but couldn’t shake off his hand.

“Mm, alright, I’ll listen to you. Let go of my hand first,” she said. “Sorry, I have a bit of a cleanliness obsession. Can’t help it – occupational hazard.”

What did cleanliness obsession mean…

Chang Yuncheng looked at Qi Yue. She wasn’t giggling like usual, nor was she glaring angrily like usual, but this unhurried, untroubled, unangry, unjoyful, calm expression was even more frightening.

He slowly let go of her hand.

“Speak,” Qi Yue said, walking toward the inner room and beginning to organize the desk.

“Yueniang, it’s like this. Father submitted a petition asking to marry me a co-wife. The Emperor approved it. It’s marrying another one, not divorcing you. You’re still you…” Chang Yuncheng took a deep breath to speak more clearly. He watched the woman efficiently organize the originally chaotic books, papers, notebooks, and ink on the desk, feeling extremely panicked.

Qi Yue made a sound of acknowledgment.

“Finished speaking?” she asked.

“Yueniang, don’t be like this. Tell me whatever’s on your mind,” Chang Yuncheng couldn’t help but reach out to grab her again.

Qi Yue raised her head and smiled.

“I don’t know if you’ll understand what I’m saying,” she said.

“I’ll understand. Speak, speak,” Chang Yuncheng looked at her and said hurriedly. As long as she was willing to speak, that was enough.

Qi Yue nodded.

“That…” she pointed at Chang Yuncheng’s hand gripping her arm.

Chang Yuncheng stubbornly refused to let go. What did she mean? She didn’t want him to touch her?

“What’s your view on this matter?” Qi Yue, seeing he wouldn’t let go, didn’t struggle further and asked directly.

What view?

What view indeed?

“It’s not divorcing you, you’re still…” Chang Yuncheng said hurriedly.

Qi Yue laughed, coughed, and straightened her expression.

“That is to say, you think this is not bad?” she asked.

Chang Yuncheng looked at her. Even a fool would know that if someone asked this question, the real meaning was that this matter was wrong… Moreover, he really wasn’t a fool.

“Yueniang, you… you’re unwilling?” he asked.

“Oh my heavens.” Qi Yue rolled her eyes, patted her head with her other hand, then looked at Chang Yuncheng again. “There’s something I forgot to tell you.”

“Tell me,” Chang Yuncheng couldn’t wait for her to say more, fearing she wouldn’t speak.

“I met a man a few days ago. I think he’s very good, I like him very much. Would you be willing for me to have another person I like…” Qi Yue said with a smile.

Before she finished speaking, Chang Yuncheng was shocked and angry.

“Qi Yueniang!” He suddenly pulled the woman close to him. “What nonsense are you talking about?”

What was she talking about?!

“Chang Yuncheng!” Qi Yue also suddenly raised her voice, leaning close to Chang Yuncheng, looking at him, word by word: “You’re unwilling, so why should I be willing?”

Chang Yuncheng looked at her, taking several breaths before recovering.

“Yueniang, I don’t like anyone else. I only like you,” he said, reaching out his other hand to embrace Qi Yue.

Qi Yue laughed, then sighed.

“Then if you don’t like her, why marry her and bring her home?” she asked.

Chang Yuncheng was stunned.

“Mother would be happy, and then she wouldn’t make things difficult for you,” he said hurriedly.

Qi Yue looked at him, dumbfounded.

“Chang Yuncheng, is there something wrong with your brain?” she asked with a frown, looking him up and down. “Are you alright? You’re the one getting married, not your mother. Your mother likes her? Your mother likes her – will your mother sleep with her? Will your mother have children with her?”

Chang Yuncheng’s face turned black as the bottom of a pot. What… what kind of words were these!

“You’re crazy!” Qi Yue suddenly broke free from him, turned away, and walked toward the table, stacking the books and papers, then walking to the wardrobe.

Chang Yuncheng stood there dumbly, watching the woman open the wardrobe and begin taking out clothes. He snapped back to his senses with a start.

“Yueniang, you’re unwilling,” he finally confirmed.

Qi Yue looked back at him.

“If you’re willing to share me with another man…” she said.

Before she could finish, Chang Yuncheng interrupted with a shout.

“Shut up!” he said angrily, trembling all over.

Share with another man! Share! This damn woman, did she know what she was saying?

A man…

“Who is that man?” He suddenly stepped forward, grabbed Qi Yue, and demanded, his mind flashing through the men Qi Yue knew.

That Hu San? That coffin boy? That so-called senior brother? And who else, those shifty-eyed apprentices? Or that brat Huang Ziqiao?

His teeth ground together with grinding sounds.

Qi Yue looked at his expression, suddenly laughed again, and reached out to stroke his face.

“Chang Yuncheng, hearing that I have another man, how much pain, anger, and sadness do you feel? Well, when I heard the news that you’re taking a wife, I felt just as much pain, anger, and sadness…” she said seriously.

Chang Yuncheng looked at her, and Qi Yue looked back at him.

“Chang Yuncheng, never mind a wife – if you plan to live with me, then aside from me, you cannot have any other women,” she said with a slight smile. “Remember, love is possessive. If you can’t do this, then you don’t love me. If you don’t love me, I won’t block your path. We’ll go our separate ways.”

Chang Yuncheng looked at her and reached out to embrace her.

“Alright,” he said. “It’s just this small matter. I’ll go talk to father and mother.”

Qi Yue reached out to push against him, creating distance between them.

“What if your mother disagrees?” she asked.

Chang Yuncheng’s body stiffened, and he fell silent for a moment.

“I’ll talk to mother properly…” he said slowly.

After Chang Yuncheng left, A’Ru hurried in. Seeing Qi Yue organizing the wardrobe, her tears couldn’t help but fall.

“What are you crying for?” Qi Yue turned her head and smiled. “Did you take care of it?”

A’Ru wiped her tears.

“It was too rushed. Good places with good houses are hard to find. There’s a residence near my home – it’s a good house, but it’s been empty for a long time and looks rather old…” she said quietly while crying.

“It’s fine. Let’s move in first, then we’ll see,” Qi Yue said, folding the clothes one by one.

“I didn’t make any noise. I had Yuan Bao handle it and told him to pack things up,” A’Ru said, sniffling. “We can move in anytime.”

Qi Yue nodded and said good, then said nothing more.

“Young mistress, is this what you meant by… something you can’t tolerate?” A’Ru stepped forward and asked.

Qi Yue didn’t speak.

“Young mistress, maybe the Lord can convince the madam…” A’Ru stepped forward again.

Qi Yue laughed and turned to look at her.

“Really?” she asked with a smile.

A’Ru covered her face and cried.

False! False! No one can convince the madam! The madam has been waiting for this day for so long! Finally, she got it!

Who would have thought she’d petition for an imperial edict! An imperial edict! Without making a sound, she actually…

“Young mistress, don’t be sad. The Lord will help you,” she cried.

Qi Yue stopped her hands.

“A’Ru, if I said I’m not sad, would you believe me?” she said.

How could that be! How could any woman not be sad about this kind of thing!

A’Ru looked at her.

“Actually, I thought I would be very sad too. At first I was quite… agitated, but after really hearing him say it, I instead felt… ” Qi Yue took a deep breath, her face also showing some disbelief, “I felt not sad at all. It seemed like, like this was the truth…”

A’Ru looked at her, somewhat confused.

And Qi Yue seemed to have confused herself too. She simply smiled and rubbed her head.

“Ah, I can’t explain it clearly either. It’s like the world had a layer of gauze in front of me, and I suddenly tore it away. Never mind, I won’t talk about it anymore. The point is,” she smiled, “I really am not sad. You just need to understand this, so stop crying.”

A’Ru looked at her, wiped away her tears, and stepped forward to take the clothes Qi Yue had taken out and fold them.

At this time, in Rong’an Courtyard, the atmosphere became tense because of Chang Yuncheng’s words.