March 18th was the day Qi Yue moved to her new home. Early in the morning, people who came to help had already filled the courtyard. Actually, everything had already been moved; today was just a ritual of making offerings to the household gods.

Handing the keys to Cui Zhi, Qi Yue took one last look at the Wang family’s residence and nodded farewell.

“Lady Qi, why must you buy another house? You could have bought this one too,” Cui Zhi said with some reluctance.

Qi Yue smiled.

“That one is closer to Qianjin Hall, so it’s more convenient when I work night shifts,” she said.

Of course, this wasn’t the real reason. Cui Zhi knew this, but since Qi Yue didn’t elaborate, she didn’t press further.

“Come visit me when you’re free,” Qi Yue laughed, patting her hand, then turned and got into the carriage.

The disciples on the street had already left in high spirits. A’Ru climbed in after her, waving to Cui Zhi as the carriage slowly pulled away.

Cui Zhi walked them to the end of the alley and stood there, still reluctant to look away.

“Miss, let’s go back,” a servant woman from the Wang family said with a smile. “She wasn’t here very long, yet you’re already so reluctant to part with Lady Qi?”

Cui Zhi also got into a carriage, sighing.

“I really am reluctant,” she said.

The driver led the horse forward while the servant woman sat beside her, smiling.

“Is Lady Qi really that wonderful, able to make Cui Zhi, whom the old madam is reluctant to part with, feel the same way about her?” she teased.

This conversation was later spread around the household when they returned home, causing even Old Madam Wang to come tease her.

“They say daughters’ hearts turn outward. I’ve raised Cui Zhi all these years, and she’s been won over by someone else in just a few days,” the old madam laughed.

The daughters-in-law, grandsons, and grandsons’ wives sitting with her in the room all laughed along.

“If Lady Qi were a man, I’d really ask the old madam to give me to her,” Cui Zhi said without any embarrassment, massaging the old madam’s shoulders.

This comment made the room burst into laughter again.

“You shameless girl,” the old madam said, though without the slightest hint of reproach.

“Is Lady Qi really that wonderful?” asked one of the grandsons’ wives curiously. The last time Qi Yue came to fight, these female family members hadn’t witnessed it firsthand. They had only heard about it later from their men and children, plus the rumors from outside, making it impossible to imagine what kind of woman she was.

Young Master Wang was also nearby, slowly drinking tea and listening to their conversation.

“Yes,” Cui Zhi said. “I can’t say exactly what’s so good about her, but being with her feels… very… very comfortable.”

She searched for the right words, tilting her head thoughtfully.

“Comfortable?”

What kind of evaluation was that? Everyone laughed and asked each other.

“Big brother, what do you say?” someone asked Young Master Wang.

Young Master Wang was momentarily stunned by the question and put down his teacup.

“Perhaps it’s because her mind is peaceful,” he said.

Cui Zhi nodded.

“Right, right, that’s it. Being with Lady Qi feels especially natural and at ease. You don’t have to think about anything. You can say whatever you want,” she smiled.

The old madam reached out and poked her head.

“You might as well just say Lady Qi spoils you,” she laughed.

Laughter filled the room again, and Young Master Wang put down his teacup and walked out.

The old madam watched his retreating figure.

“I wonder if there’ll be a chance for me to taste what it feels like to be with Lady Qi,” she said with a half-smile.

Qi Yue’s new residence was also quite lively. After seeing off the Qianjin Hall disciples, unexpected visitors arrived at the door.

“Aunt…” As soon as Yan’er saw Qi Yue, she forgot all about the forms of address her mother had repeatedly emphasized before coming, and cried out directly, running over with open arms.

Qi Yue smiled and opened her arms to catch her.

“Good! Our Yan’er has gained weight again!” she laughed, lifting Yan’er up and setting her down.

Chang Chunlan stepped inside, looked at Qi Yue, and began to cry again.

“Why are you crying, big sister?” Qi Yue smiled, taking her hand and inviting her to sit inside while pulling Yan’er over to examine her.

“Not bad, the wound is healing well,” she said with satisfaction. “In a little while, I’ll do some reconstructive work for you.”

Yan’er nodded.

Chang Chunlan pressed a bundle into her hands, not sitting down in the room.

“This is something second sister and third sister asked me to bring—consider it a housewarming gift. I don’t dare stay long and must leave now. Knowing you’re doing well puts our minds at ease,” she said.

Qi Yue accepted it with thanks, knowing that they weren’t free at home and had to depend on Madam Xie. Now that her relationship with the Marquis Dingxi’s mansion was extremely hostile, Chang Chunlan’s visit was truly risky, so she didn’t try to detain her.

Yan’er was reluctantly pulled away by Chang Chunlan, crying as she left.

Chang Chunlan quietly entered the mansion with her child, but before reaching her own courtyard, she was stopped by two maids.

“First Miss, Madam requests your presence,” they said with ambiguous smiles.

Chang Chunlan’s heart sank, immediately understanding what this was about. Indeed, when she reached Madam Xie’s courtyard, Chang Shulan and Chang Huilan were both standing in the room with lowered heads. Surprisingly, Chang Yunqi was also there.

“Where did you go?” Madam Xie asked Chang Chunlan coldly.

Chang Chunlan lowered her head.

“I went to the street to buy some things,” she said.

Madam Xie slammed the table with a sharp crack.

“Do you think I’m stupid or dead?” she sneered.

“Mother, it was me…” Chang Shulan began to speak.

“Mother, it was me who took Yan’er to see Qi Yueniang. I wanted her to look at Yan’er’s wound,” Chang Chunlan immediately said, cutting off Chang Shulan’s words.

Madam Xie gave a cold laugh.

“In that case, you might as well move in with her. How convenient that would be for her to examine the child,” she said.

Chang Chunlan knelt on the ground, but before she could speak, Yan’er, who had somehow gotten to the doorway, rushed in.

“I want to go live with Aunt! I don’t want to live with you! Bad person!” she shouted loudly.

Then she turned and ran out.

Madam Xie trembled with rage, and Chang Chunlan hurried after her.

“Let them go!” Madam Xie shouted.

Chang Shulan and Chang Huilan lowered their heads, not daring to speak.

“Mother, don’t be angry. What’s the point of reasoning with a child?” Chang Yunqi said, bringing over tea.

Madam Xie accepted it and breathed a little easier.

“You have the county examination tomorrow. Don’t stay here—go rest early,” she said. “Your father is in a bad mood, so we won’t make a big fuss for you.”

According to custom, families would hold banquets before their sons entered the examination hall to pray for the candidates’ success.

“Thank you for your concern, Mother. It’s really not necessary,” Chang Yunqi smiled.

Madam Xie nodded, very satisfied with his attitude, and put down the teacup.

Chang Yunqi immediately took his leave. After the three siblings left, Chang Huilan looked at Chang Yunqi with a cold smile.

“With big brother not at home, your time as the good son has finally come, hasn’t it?” she said with a mocking smile.

Chang Yunqi seemed not to hear and walked away calmly.

Chang Huilan stamped her foot in anger.

“Truly, what kind of mother raises what kind of son—such a cruel heart,” she said. After speaking, she noticed Chang Shulan’s embarrassed expression and became embarrassed herself, since Chang Yunqi and Chang Shulan shared the same mother… “Um, sister, I wasn’t talking about you… I didn’t mean…”

Chang Shulan patted her hand.

“It’s fine, I understand. Don’t explain. Hurry and check on big sister,” she said.

When night fell, the bustling street from daytime returned to tranquility. A pharmacy assistant was taking down the lanterns. Inside the building, a physician opened a letter and read it carefully by lamplight.

Knock, knock—urgent knocking sounded at the door.

“Doctor, Doctor, save us!” came chaotic, tearful shouts.

This kind of sound was common for pharmacies, so there was no panic. The door quickly opened, and four or five men rushed in carrying someone.

The injured person was a man covered in blood on his head and body, all from knife wounds. Looking at these men, they were all big and burly, also bearing wounds.

“What are you looking at? Treat his injuries. If you cure him, this master won’t shortchange you!” the leader glared and shouted, patting his waist.

The bulge there was obviously a weapon.

The assistant nearby couldn’t help but shrink back.

The doctor wasn’t particularly afraid. He calmly felt the pulse and examined the wounds, then stood up to think for a moment.

Seeing him silent and contemplative, the men’s faces grew paler.

“It’s just that the head injury is more serious, but it’s nothing too serious,” the doctor said.

After their initial shock came great joy, and someone couldn’t help but grab the doctor’s arm.

“Then Doctor, please save our big brother quickly,” he said.

But the doctor looked troubled.

“Though it’s not very serious, I’m not skilled in this area,” he said softly.

The men’s faces immediately darkened again.

What did this mean?

“Are you saying you won’t treat him?” they glared and shouted.

“It’s like this—I’m not good with external injuries, but Qianjin Hall on East Street is very skilled at it,” the doctor said with a smile, pointing outside.

The men looked at each other.

“Dr. Liu is a hereditary expert in treating falls and injuries, and he has secret remedies. Why don’t you gentlemen try there? He’ll heal faster,” the doctor continued gently. “Of course, I can treat him too, but it would be slower. If you heroes…”

Having said this much, how could the men let him treat their brother?

“Then let’s go there and see,” they said, immediately lifting the patient and rushing out.

The room still smelled of blood, and the assistant opened the door to air it out.

“Master, how can we not treat head injuries? How are we inferior to Qianjin Hall? Master, why are you diminishing your own reputation? If you say this, even fewer people will come to us for treatment,” the assistant asked with complete bewilderment.

The doctor smiled.

“I spoke too lightly. Actually, this person is very seriously injured,” he said.

The assistant made a sound of understanding, half-comprehending.

So he deliberately didn’t treat the patient? So he sent him to Qianjin Hall?

The doctor stroked his beard, gazing out the door without speaking.

“Treat away, treat away. There will always be cases that can’t be cured,” he murmured.

Night wind swept in, blowing the letter paper from the table.

The young assistant diligently picked it up and glanced at it.

“…let her treat patients. The more she treats, the more mistakes she’ll make. Now without power or influence, if she causes trouble, let’s see what she can do…”

The assistant was about to read more when the letter was snatched away, and the doctor glared at him.

“Go close the door,” he said.

The assistant hurried off, and after closing the door, he turned back and secretly glanced over to see the doctor lighting the letter with a candle. Flames leaped up and consumed the paper.

The lantern in front of Qianjin Hall was lit, and unlike usual, the lantern bore two characters: “Night Clinic.”

At this moment, with the chaotic group rushing over, the wind they stirred made the lantern sway.

The urgent knocking broke the quiet in front of the door.

Inside, Liu Pucheng put down his book and stood up.

“Master, there’s an emergency…” came a disciple’s shout from outside.

Stepping out of his room, the hall was brightly lit with quite a few people standing there. The disciple responsible for triage was conducting an examination.

“…Male, forty years old, unconscious, knife wounds to head, face, and body, moderate bleeding…” Zhang Tong looked up and reported.

Liu Pucheng nodded.

“Prepare the transfer bed,” he said, raising his gloved hands.