“What did you say?” Madam Xie thought she had misheard, setting down the calendar placard in her hands.

Nanny Su was also startled. She didn’t think she had misheard, but Chang Yuncheng’s words were too unexpected, and she didn’t dare believe them for a moment.

“Mother, your son doesn’t want to take another wife,” Chang Yuncheng said again, kneeling before Madam Xie as he lifted his robes.

“Why?” Madam Xie heard clearly, was stunned for a moment, and asked.

“Your son doesn’t want to,” Chang Yuncheng said with his head lowered.

Madam Xie looked at him and smiled coldly.

“Is it that you don’t want to, or that woman doesn’t want to?” she asked.

“It’s that I don’t want to,” Chang Yuncheng replied without the slightest hesitation.

With a crack, Madam Xie smashed a cup.

Chang Yuncheng knelt on the ground without moving.

“Mother, please calm your anger,” he said.

Madam Xie was about to say something when a maid outside announced that Marquis Dingxi had arrived.

“What’s all this about now?” Marquis Dingxi entered and saw the scene, frowning as he asked.

The maids hurriedly cleaned up the broken teacup fragments and left.

“You’ve come at just the right time,” Madam Xie said. “Your wonderful daughter-in-law is getting anxious…”

“Mother, it’s me. I’m the one who disagrees. It has nothing to do with Yueniang,” Chang Yuncheng hurriedly said, interrupting Madam Xie’s words.

Madam Xie raised her hand and slapped him.

Marquis Dingxi was startled. Madam Xie hitting the child – this was truly the first time he’d seen it. Usually, if he raised his voice even twice, it was as if he’d skinned her alive. How was she taking action herself this time? This showed she must be extremely angry!

“What’s going on exactly? With such a joyous occasion ahead, what’s all this commotion?” he said unhappily.

Really, he had personally petitioned for the Emperor’s own written decree – such a glorious matter, yet there wasn’t a trace of celebratory atmosphere anywhere, inside or out! How truly depressing!

Others not knowing was one thing, but shouldn’t those who knew be beaming with joy and gratitude toward him?

Look at this – what was all this…

“Chang Yuncheng, although I didn’t give birth to you, I’ve raised you all these years. If I can’t even see through your little schemes, I’ve truly lived in vain,” Madam Xie said with a cold laugh, looking toward Marquis Dingxi. “Your wonderful daughter-in-law disagrees with Yuncheng taking another wife.”

Marquis Dingxi was stunned.

“What are you talking about? How could she disagree?” he asked, his face full of disbelief. “Yueniang is the most sensible!”

“Yes, yes, she agrees. It’s I who disagree,” Chang Yuncheng took over and said.

“You disagree?” Marquis Dingxi slammed the table with a crack, glaring as he shouted, “What business is it of yours! When is it your turn to make decisions! Get out! If you dare mess around with me again, I’ll break your legs!”

Madam Xie didn’t like hearing this. Her son – she could shout at him and scold him however she wanted, but others could not.

“What are you shouting about! Didn’t I already say? It’s not Yuncheng’s business – it’s that lowly servant Qi Yueniang causing trouble!” Madam Xie also raised her voice and shouted.

“Mother…” Chang Yuncheng called out hurriedly again.

“You shut up! Chang Yuncheng, try saying one more word for that woman! I’ll divorce her immediately!” Madam Xie coldly shouted.

Chang Yuncheng looked at her, moved his mouth but didn’t speak.

Now Marquis Dingxi didn’t like hearing this.

“What’s all this talk about? Yueniang wouldn’t do such a thing. She’s the most reasonable,” he said with a frown.

Madam Xie laughed coldly.

“Marquis, in this kind of matter, there really aren’t many women who can be reasonable. Otherwise, why would elder sister have been angered to death back then?” she said.

As soon as these words came out, Marquis Dingxi’s expression suddenly changed, looking at Madam Xie with a dark expression.

He had always been a refined and cultured man, always maintaining a gentle demeanor. This kind of dark expression was extremely rare.

“Xie Zhengmei!” he shouted in a deep voice. “Are you saying I drove my first wife to death?”

The death of Great Madam Xie was a secret that could not be mentioned in the Marquis Dingxi’s household. Actually, Great Madam Xie had originally been weak and sickly, so her death wouldn’t have been anything unusual. But it happened to occur right after Marquis Dingxi’s private meeting with Concubine Zhou in the garden. At that time, Concubine Zhou wasn’t yet a concubine, but a young cousin. The Xie family insisted that Great Madam Xie had been angered to death – this was something Marquis Dingxi absolutely refused to acknowledge!

Setting aside that he didn’t acknowledge that Madam Xie’s death was related to him, even if it was related, it was because Great Madam Xie herself had a jealous and narrow heart and sought her own death. If men weren’t romantic, could they still be called men? If women really died of anger because of men’s romantic affairs, then far too many women in this world would have died!

“Mother,” Chang Yuncheng was also startled by Madam Xie’s words.

What Madam Xie wanted was precisely Marquis Dingxi’s embarrassed anger. She wasn’t rushed or panicked, snorting with laughter.

“The Marquis didn’t,” she said. “However, the Marquis is about to see it happen. If you don’t believe me, try it. As soon as we finalize the engagement with the Rao family, your wonderful, reasonable daughter-in-law will threaten death.”

Marquis Dingxi laughed coldly.

“Fine, I’d like to see if she dares,” he said.

“What if she does dare?” Madam Xie asked.

“Then I’ll divorce her,” Marquis Dingxi said without hesitation.

Women could be indulged in everything – being spoiled, willful, or crude didn’t matter – but this jealous fault absolutely could not be tolerated! Never!

Jealous women deserved to die, and it had nothing to do with him!

Marquis Dingxi clenched his fists, his expression dark.

Hearing this, Madam Xie smiled and looked toward Chang Yuncheng.

Chang Yuncheng’s face turned slightly pale.

“Yuncheng, are you willing now? Do you want two wives, or just one?” Madam Xie asked with a smile.

Chang Yuncheng slowly lowered his head.

“Yes,” he said in a hoarse voice.

Hearing the curtain rustle and the maids’ joyful greetings in the courtyard, Qi Yue efficiently tied up the organized books.

Chang Yuncheng entered the room and looked over. Qi Yue also looked over, and seeing Chang Yuncheng’s expression, she understood most of it.

“Knelt for nothing again?” she said with a smile.

“Yueniang, believe me, I’ll be good to you, only good to you…” Chang Yuncheng walked over and said in a hoarse voice.

Qi Yue sighed and patted the books in front of her.

“Yuncheng, such words are meaningless,” she said. “Besides, a perfectly good young lady marrying in – why should she remain a widow? If she doesn’t remain a widow, what will you do?”

She looked at him as she said this.

Chang Yuncheng also looked at her.

“I’ve said before, I have a cleanliness obsession. I can’t possibly serve one husband with others,” Qi Yue said. “So I absolutely will not agree to you having other women. No, I can’t put it that way either.”

Chang Yuncheng looked at her with some expectation.

“You can certainly have other women,” Qi Yue said with a smile, patting his shoulder. “As long as you don’t have me.”

Chang Yuncheng suddenly grabbed her hand.

Qi Yue patted his hand and broke free.

“Where are you going?” Chang Yuncheng saw her walking outside and called out hurriedly, stepping forward to grab her arm again.

“Don’t worry, I won’t just leave like this,” Qi Yue said with a smile. “Auntie sent someone to find me, saying she has something to tell me. I’m going to see her.”

The Second Madam had always stood with mother – she probably wanted to persuade Yueniang.

The Second Madam had a gentler temperament than mother, and spoke more softly…

Chang Yuncheng let go of her hand, then pulled her into an embrace.

“Yueniang, you must believe me. I will never betray you,” he said in a deep voice.

Qi Yue looked at him and smiled.

“Yes, you won’t betray me,” she said.

You won’t have the chance to…

The maids in the courtyard didn’t know what had happened. Earlier, the Lord and young mistress seemed to have quarreled in the room, but for them this was already common. No matter how fiercely they fought, the two would always make up in the end, and their relationship grew better with each fight.

Qiu Xiang, Que Zhi, and A’Hao stood in the courtyard chatting and laughing. Seeing Qi Yue come out followed by A’Ru, they hurriedly bowed and greeted her.

Qi Yue smiled and looked at each of them in turn, seeing all three maids smiling cheerfully.

“Young mistress, are you going out?” Que Zhi asked.

“Yes, I’m going out for a while,” Qi Yue said with a smile. “You all have fun at home.”

“We weren’t having fun. New fabric arrived at the storehouse, and we were discussing making a skirt for the young mistress,” Que Zhi said hurriedly.

Qi Yue laughed.

“Good, then keep busy,” she said with a smile.

The three girls giggled and chatted.

A’Ru kept her head down, forcibly holding back tears.

The two left the courtyard and went straight to the Second Madam’s side.

The Second Madam was waiting impatiently, urging her maids to go out. Seeing Qi Yue arrive, tears came to her eyes.

“Yueniang, Yueniang, don’t be afraid. I’m here, I’m here,” she cried.

A’Ru’s tears immediately flowed as well, while Qi Yue laughed.

“Mm, I know. Auntie, don’t be sad. What did you want to tell me?” she said with a smile, stroking the Second Madam’s arm comfortingly.

“What are your plans?” the Second Madam asked directly.

“No particular plans. If it works out, fine; if not, forget it,” Qi Yue said, sitting down in a chair and speaking leisurely.

The Second Madam said nothing, turned and took out a box from the cabinet by the bedside, opened it, and took out a piece of bright yellow paper.

“I don’t know if you’ll need this, but consider it my small gesture of goodwill. Take it,” she said.

What was it?

“An imperial edict,” the Second Madam said, seeing her confusion.

A’Ru was startled and immediately knelt down.

TV shows always depicted people kneeling when they saw imperial edicts. Qi Yue looked at the Second Madam.

“Should I kneel?” she asked.

The Second Madam laughed – it was a contemptuous laugh.

“You don’t need to kneel to it,” she said in a low voice, directly handing the bright yellow paper to Qi Yue.

Not kneeling was best. Qi Yue took it, opened it, and couldn’t help but be stunned.

Then her face broke into a smile, the smile growing wider until laughter rang out.

“I’ve said it before – I, Qi Yue… niang am a person blessed by heaven and fortunate in all things!” She slowly rolled up the paper, her smile gradually solidifying. “I’ve said that when I don’t want to leave this house, no one can drive me away. When I want to leave, I’ll leave.”

She looked toward the Second Madam, who smiled back at her.

“Auntie, I never thought you’d really do this for me,” Qi Yue said.

“For you, I could do anything,” the Second Madam said with a smile.

These words were too much like a romance novel…

Qi Yue was stunned, looking at the Second Madam before her. The Second Madam’s eyes, dulled by long illness, looked at her with a distant gaze, as if seeing another person through her.