Marquis Dingxi’s face immediately flushed red, and Chang Yuncheng’s expression also became very unpleasant.

This, this damned old fool – what is he saying!

“You old bastard, this is my daughter-in-law, the Young Madam of Marquis Dingxi’s mansion. Open your eyes and look properly,” Marquis Dingxi said through gritted teeth.

Old Master Liu raised his eyelids slightly.

“Oh, so it’s the Young Madam. Forgive my ignorance, so the Marquis’s mansion has the Marquis and Young Madam jointly managing internal and external household affairs,” he said blandly.

How venomous!

This remark was immediately relayed to the inner courtyard, and Madam Xie burst into laughter.

After Old Master Liu arrived, as the Marquis’s wife, she was the first to receive the news. But since he was a male guest, she wasn’t invited and didn’t need to see him. However, she soon heard that Marquis Dingxi had actually sent for the Young Madam to come over. Wasn’t this telling everyone that she, the Marquis’s wife, was just a decoration? She wasn’t dead yet!

Madam Xie was so angry she overturned teacups and tables in her room.

Had everyone in the house now made this woman their backbone? From high to low, old to young – whenever there was any matter, was this wench the first person they looked for?

Though she hadn’t gone to the front, she had sent maids there, and everything said inside was immediately relayed back to her. When she heard Old Master Liu’s words, Madam Xie laughed until she nearly choked, feeling all the stuffiness in her chest dissipate.

“Good, well said!” she laughed heartily.

She originally had no impression or feelings about Old Master Liu – the father-in-law of a concubine’s daughter was completely unrelated to her – but after today, she decided that in the future, gifts to the Liu family during festivals would definitely be more generous.

Of course, if there was still a chance to be in-laws.

Shameless wench! She deserved to be humiliated!

Here, Chang Yuncheng promptly stopped Marquis Dingxi from lifting a stool, the maids couldn’t help but retreat to the corners, Chang Chunlan held Yan’er and cried again, and Yan’er was also frightened by the atmosphere in the room.

In comparison, Old Master Liu sitting upright in his chair appeared increasingly solemn and serene – let the winds blow from east, west, south, and north, he remained unmoved like a pine tree.

Ah, someone who can refuse fine food and just gnaw on flatbread with pickled vegetables – his bite is indeed fierce.

Qi Yue looked at this old man and smiled.

Here, Marquis Dingxi had already begun cursing wildly, shouting for the steward to bring people to throw these father and son out.

“Father, ignorance is not a crime,” Qi Yue said with a smile. “Old Master Liu doesn’t know our family’s situation – just explain it to him properly.”

Hearing this, Marquis Dingxi restrained his temper slightly.

“Surnamed Liu, listen well. This is…” he said with glaring eyes.

Before he could finish speaking, Old Master Liu raised his eyelids and snorted.

“The Young Madam’s words are really effective,” he said blandly.

This one sentence nearly suffocated Marquis Dingxi.

“I heard long ago that your family has hens crowing at dawn, I didn’t believe it, but seeing it today, it’s indeed true,” Old Master Liu said. From beginning to end, his expression remained solemn, sitting in the hall, fully displaying contempt and disdain.

“And she’s a junior!” Old Master Liu added another sentence.

Marquis Dingxi could no longer care about anything else. Enraged by this old man to the point of dying and reviving and dying again, he violently threw the stool in his hands.

Fortunately, Chang Yuncheng blocked it, and it fell in front of Old Master Liu.

Liu Chengyang was slightly startled, but Old Master Liu remained unmoved.

Qi Yue suddenly stepped forward, standing directly in front of Old Master Liu. Old Master Liu had never had a woman stand so directly before him.

“You…” he began solemnly.

“You old man, you look quite learned and reasonable, how can you be so ignorant of manners?” Qi Yue frowned and said.

This old man had a venomous tongue, but because he emphasized measured tones, he spoke slowly.

“I…” Old Master Liu began solemnly again.

“My father hasn’t even finished speaking, and you’re going ‘this and that’ – didn’t anyone teach you not to interrupt when others are speaking?” Qi Yue didn’t give him a chance to speak and continued.

Old Master Liu was blocked from speaking twice, his face slightly flushed – whether from anger or being stifled was unclear.

What kind of family is this! When do women get to interrupt when men are speaking!

This woman really has no shame!

And she talks about not interrupting others – what are you doing right now!

“It’s not your turn to speak to me in this house!” Old Master Liu regained his composure after a breath and said blandly.

Here, Marquis Dingxi was about to curse again but was stopped by Chang Yuncheng.

“Speaking of household matters, with father, mother, and the Lord present, if you asked me to speak, I wouldn’t dare,” Qi Yue also regained her composure and said with a smile.

“You’ve said quite a lot already,” Old Master Liu said blandly.

“Because what I want to say isn’t household matters. Old Master Liu, may I speak now?” Qi Yue asked.

“What else do you have to say?” Old Master Liu said blandly, not even lifting his eyelids.

“Surnamed Liu, can you listen to people speak properly?” Marquis Dingxi couldn’t help but shout again.

“Are you saying that what I’ve heard up to now hasn’t been people speaking?” Old Master Liu lifted his eyelids to look at Marquis Dingxi and asked solemnly.

Marquis Dingxi was so angry he nearly fainted. He pointed at Old Master Liu and started looking for something to throw again.

Qi Yue sighed. Having traveled through time for so long, this was the first time she’d encountered someone so infuriating – even more so than Wang Qingchun. Wang Qingchun was infuriating through actions, but this old man could completely infuriate people to death with just his mouth.

“I am a physician. I’m now telling you that I’m going to treat your granddaughter’s illness – that is, this cleft lip,” she raised her voice to suppress the chaos in the room, while reaching out to pull Yan’er over. “This is what I want to tell you. Can you understand?”

The room fell silent for a moment.

“I already said this once, but I think you didn’t hear,” Qi Yue said rapidly. “Yan’er’s condition isn’t some evil spirit, but an illness – a congenital disease, just like any illness we all might get. It’s an illness, not…”

Old Master Liu came to his senses at this point.

“Everyone? Why don’t you have a cleft lip then?” he asked solemnly.

The just-calmed Marquis Dingxi took a deep breath and gripped the table edge tightly.

If he killed this old fool, Heaven wouldn’t blame him, would it?

Well said, I was waiting for exactly this question.

Qi Yue looked at this Old Master Liu.

“Because this is a hereditary family disease,” she said.

Hereditary family disease? What does that mean?

“It means Yan’er’s illness was passed down from your family’s ancestors,” Qi Yue continued.

Marquis Dingxi remembered now.

“Surnamed Liu, did you hear that? This is your family’s disease that caused my daughter to be like this! Remove evil spirits! Remove evil spirits! Clean out your own house first before talking about my daughter and granddaughter!” he jumped up and shouted.

Old Master Liu’s expression finally changed. His face twitched slightly, a flash of darkness passed through his eyes. Whether he couldn’t understand or for some other reason, he surprisingly didn’t retort immediately.

“You… you’re talking nonsense!” When the father didn’t speak, Liu Chengyang spoke up. He looked at Qi Yue angrily. “No one in our family has this illness! Isn’t that right, Father?”

Old Master Liu either didn’t hear or disdained to answer, just sat with a dark expression, motionless.

“I’m not talking nonsense, I’m a physician,” Qi Yue said, looking at him. “I’m going to perform surgery on her today. After I complete the surgery, Yan’er will be just like other children.”

She looked at Liu Chengyang, then at Old Master Liu.

“So, if it can be cured, it’s naturally an illness, not an evil spirit,” she said.

What is she saying? Cured? Yan’er will be like other children?

Such a claim was too unheard of. Liu Chengyang simply didn’t know what to say.

“You say you’re a physician?” Old Master Liu suddenly asked.

Qi Yue nodded.

“Yes, I am a physician,” she answered.

“My daughter-in-law is a divine physician! A divine physician! Do you understand? I specially had her come to discuss Yan’er’s illness with you. Look at what you’ve been saying from start to finish!” Marquis Dingxi immediately shouted. “If Yan’er weren’t my granddaughter, someone like you would never hope to be treated by us in this lifetime!”

As long as he followed this woman’s lead in conversation, Marquis Dingxi’s voice was always the loudest.

Old Master Liu glanced at him, while the other man, the Lord, stood there like a wooden post, showing nothing but an expression ready to hit someone, not saying a word.

And they say this house doesn’t have hens crowing at dawn?!

And physician!

“What kind of physician are you? A midwife?” Old Master Liu said.

“Go ask around and you’ll know what kind of physician my Yueniang is!” Marquis Dingxi said angrily.

Go ask around! It won’t scare you to death!

“I follow the sage’s words that seeing is believing while hearing is false. I never take to heart what others say,” Old Master Liu answered blandly.

“Are you saying that so many people have seen it with their own eyes, but because you haven’t seen it personally, the matter is false?” Marquis Dingxi was so angry he had lost all emotion, looking at Old Master Liu and asking.

“Those are your words, I didn’t say that,” Old Master Liu said blandly. “I only said I haven’t seen it personally and don’t know about any divine physician or non-divine physician. Speaking of physicians, I do know there’s one in Shanning Prefecture who could be called a good physician. As for the Young Madam…”

He stopped there without continuing, but his implication was more infuriating than if he had spoken.

Marquis Dingxi suddenly didn’t want to speak anymore.

With this old man, he would never be able to out-argue him, would he?

These people who had become spirits through studying were just like this!

Old Master Liu held fast to his principles. No matter how one argued, his reasoning couldn’t be shaken.

But at this moment, Qi Yue’s eyes lit up. She said nothing but beckoned to A’Ru beside her, whispered a few words in her ear, and A’Ru bowed and left.

No one paid attention to a maid coming and going. Since Marquis Dingxi had suddenly become dispirited and stopped talking, the room became quiet.

When he didn’t speak, others were even less likely to speak.

“…All these years, because of Yan’er, no matter what people outside said about our Liu family, have I ever said half a word to you?”

“…You call it coldness, but Yan’er’s appearance frightens people. Because they’re afraid, they avoid her – is this called coldness? Being inauspicious herself, yet expecting others to flatter her – what kind of intention is that?”

“…Running to your natal family to gossip and slander – such a wicked woman, whether you return or not, even if you do return, our Liu family doesn’t want you anymore…”

Old Master Liu threw the divorce letter in his hand on the ground.

Chang Chunlan crawled over on her knees, crying and kowtowing.

“Father, Father, your daughter-in-law knows she was wrong…” she cried, unable to say anything else.

Seeing her mother cry, six-year-old Yan’er already knew what “don’t want” meant, because she often heard other people threaten her with these words.

Don’t want you anymore…

Drive your mother away…

Marry a new wife…

Never see your mother again for the rest of your life…

Yan’er burst into tears and rushed over to kowtow as well.

“Grandfather, don’t drive my mother away. Grandfather, Yan’er is willing to go to the temple… don’t drive my mother away…”