Qi Yue’s voice came from the courtyard.

“Haven’t eaten yet, have you?”

Chang Yuncheng nervously listened closely, but didn’t hear Huang Ziqiao’s response. The door curtain rustled, and Qi Yue had already led Huang Ziqiao inside.

Huang Ziqiao, who had originally entered with a tense face and stiff body, immediately widened his eyes upon seeing him.

“You, how are you here?” he asked.

Why can’t I be here?

“What are you doing here?” Chang Yuncheng didn’t answer but asked back.

Huang Ziqiao pulled over a stool and sat down.

“I came to bid farewell to Qi Yueniang.” he said.

Prefect Huang was returning to the capital. Since it was only a reprimand and not a conviction, he didn’t need to be escorted like Wang Qingchun and others, which was a stroke of luck amid misfortune.

Seeing Huang Ziqiao’s long face and dejected expression, Qi Yue also sighed sympathetically.

This could be considered a family misfortune. For a child pampered and raised like him, this incident would be quite frightening.

Of course, to be fair, Qi Yue felt that someone like Prefect Huang should never hold office again.

“It’s nothing, nothing. Didn’t they say the higher-ups even praised you? It should be fine.” Qi Yue carefully consoled him.

Your father has no hope in this lifetime, but your future prospects are very bright.

Huang Ziqiao showed no sign of relief and sighed.

“A’Ru, A’Ru, bring wine.” Qi Yue quickly called out cheerfully.

In this situation, there was no way around serving wine. A’Ru had to go get it.

“Wait, sister will go cook a few dishes to send you off.” Qi Yue said again.

Huang Ziqiao assumed when she said cooking, she naturally meant the cook would do it, but unexpectedly Qi Yue went out herself.

“Will the Young Master also have some drink?” A’Ru came to pour wine and asked.

Chang Yuncheng made a sound of agreement.

Huang Ziqiao snorted.

The two men sat quietly in the room. Chang Yuncheng was unhappy about being interrupted during his private time, and when he was unhappy, he naturally wouldn’t give this person a pleasant face. Huang Ziqiao naturally had even less reason to be pleasant to this man who had bullied Qi Yueniang – not physically attacking him and throwing him out was already the limit of his restraint.

So neither looked at the other nor spoke, until dishes were brought in one by one.

“The time was too short, I could only make some simple dishes. Just try them, and tomorrow I’ll go to a restaurant and host a proper farewell banquet for you.” Qi Yue smiled, setting down the hand towel she’d been using to wipe her hands.

Huang Ziqiao looked surprised.

“You, you made these?” he pointed at the dishes on the table.

“Of course, our mistress cooks wonderfully, but she rarely does it herself.” A’Hao quickly said.

Huang Ziqiao looked at the dishes on the table, then at Qi Yue, then saw Chang Yuncheng had already started using his chopsticks. He quickly grabbed his chopsticks and with lightning speed filled half his bowl, then picked up the bowl and began shoveling food into his mouth.

“Mm, delicious.” he said while eating, no longer looking dejected as before, but spirited and radiant.

“Slower.” Qi Yue smiled, simply stopping eating herself to watch from the side, naturally holding a wine cup in her hand, though she gestured repeatedly for more. A’Ru pretended not to see.

Before long, Huang Ziqiao finally put down his chopsticks and satisfactorily drained the wine before him.

The table was already empty.

“When I get to the capital, I’ll treat you.” he said, standing up, dropping this line before stomping away.

Qi Yue didn’t even get to say a word of farewell. She chased after him, but Huang Ziqiao was already far away.

In the room, Chang Yuncheng looked at the empty bowls and dishes and put down the chopsticks he’d been holding for a long time.

“I’m also here to bid farewell.” he said quietly.

But no one could hear him.

Early the next morning, Qi Yue indeed went out to prepare another farewell for Huang Ziqiao, but was told that the Prefect’s family had left before dawn.

Just like that, they were gone. Qi Yue felt somewhat melancholy, thinking how inexplicably they’d met and how unexpectedly they’d parted.

There probably wouldn’t be any chance to meet again in this lifetime.

This child would never know he’d had his spleen removed…

“Qi Yueniang, we haven’t congratulated you yet.” the Prefectural Judge said with a smile nearby.

“Me?” Qi Yue asked in confusion, “Congratulate me for what?”

The Prefectural Judge smiled, and a clerk nearby quickly brought over a document.

“Where there are punishments, there are naturally rewards.” he smiled, unfolding the document, “This is the imperial commendation document for you.”

Just as the Prefectural Judge said, where there were punishments, there were rewards – otherwise how could one distinguish between merit and fault?

After punishing the relevant personnel who had handled the disaster poorly, came the rewards.

However, what disappointed the officials of Yongqing Prefecture was that the Emperor hadn’t sent a special envoy to announce the edict, but simply sent it down with the regular official correspondence. The stated reason was that Yongqing Prefecture had just suffered a great disaster and couldn’t bear more disruption, but the real reason was that this was a plague, not some other disaster. Although it was said to be controlled, no one dared risk coming to announce it. Proclaiming edicts was glorious, but trading one’s life for it wasn’t worth it, so all the court officials vetoed it.

The officials of Yongqing Prefecture wanted to hold their own grand reward ceremony, but Qi Yue dissuaded them.

“The illness hasn’t stabilized yet. It’s better not to hold mass gatherings – they’re very easy for transmission.” she said.

Now Qi Yueniang’s words in Yongqing Prefecture were equivalent to imperial edicts, so the Prefectural Judge immediately abandoned this idea.

“So the court also has rewards for me?” Qi Yue asked in surprise.

“Naturally.” the Prefectural Judge smiled.

Qi Yue took the document and saw her name written on it – naturally Qi Yueniang – followed by descriptions like “though possessing a woman’s weakness, still joined with the righteous and brave to emerge, combining courage with strategy, devising wonderful plans to prevent plague in a single day” and so forth, along with praise. Finally came the bestowment of a “Virtuous and Benevolent” plaque, plus various amounts of gold, silver, and cloth.

Amid the crackling of firecrackers, the court-bestowed plaque was hung above Qianjin Hall. The disciples were excited, their faces flushed red. Looking at the Prefectural Judge’s handwritten plaque that had once hung in the most prominent position – now moved to the back – they had thought that was the pinnacle of their lives. They never expected that in the blink of an eye they’d receive a court plaque. This was a plaque from the capital, personally composed by His Majesty the Emperor himself. It was truly like a dream – no, even dreams couldn’t imagine this.

All of Yongqing Prefecture became lively again like New Year’s, dispelling much of the sad and desolate atmosphere under the plague. Although Qi Yue repeatedly requested avoiding crowd gatherings, many people still rushed over to witness the hanging of the plaque at Qianjin Hall.

This time Marquis Dingxi didn’t come. First, with the incident involving Concubine Zhou at home, he really had no face to see people. Second, his household was also receiving an edict.

“…I know your family affairs are sorrowful, but My family affairs are also sorrowful. I was slapped in the face by the Eastern barbarians, so you too shall receive a whipping, by imperial decree.”

The clerk under the Governor finished reading this edict with sweat beading on his forehead. This was truly the most un-edict-like edict he’d ever seen.

Marquis Dingxi led his whole family in kowtowing to express gratitude.

“Young Master, our apologies.” the little clerk said again.

Two soldiers emerged from behind him, holding whips.

Chang Yuncheng smiled, nimbly removed his clothes, turned and knelt on the ground, exposing his back.

Amid the crackling sounds of the whip, Marquis Dingxi turned his head and wiped away tears.

He thought that if Qi Yueniang were still his Marquis Dingxi household’s daughter-in-law, how could there be this whipping?

When those damned Yongqing Prefecture officials reported, besides shirking responsibility and claiming credit, didn’t they know to mention even slightly the relationship between Qi Yueniang and them?

If they had mentioned it, Chang Yuncheng’s delayed return wouldn’t have been punished merely because of the “sorrowful family affairs” concerning Madam Xie.

Even as a former wife, she was still a wife. With the wife working hard for disaster prevention, they as the husband’s family naturally couldn’t sit by and watch. Then it could be said they were laboring for the people. But now the one working hard for the people’s disaster prevention was Qi Yueniang, who had nothing to do with the Marquis Dingxi household. No matter how hard the Marquis Dingxi household worked, it was only fulfilling their due responsibilities.

Here Marquis Dingxi wiped tears, while Chang Yuncheng, receiving the whipping, actually wore a smile. From early morning, the sound of firecrackers from the streets had been continuous. One could imagine how lively and joyful it would be where that woman was.

This woman didn’t seek fine food, clothing, gold, or silver – what she sought was respect. So this time, she had gained great respect. She must be very, very happy.

Even after being whipped, he couldn’t delay his journey. After lying in bed for a day, Chang Yuncheng had to set out.

Unlike previous times, Marquis Dingxi personally saw him off, accompanying him all the way to the city gate without returning.

Chang Yuncheng looked at Marquis Dingxi. In just a few days, he seemed to have aged greatly. The incident with Concubine Zhou had hit him too hard.

“Father, remember to bring Mother back.” he said.

Marquis Dingxi seemed impatiently waved his hand.

“Don’t worry about that.” he said, looking at Chang Yuncheng whose back was slightly curved due to his injuries. For the first time, he felt sad in his heart, “When you’re away, take good care of yourself. Don’t cause trouble needlessly. Our family isn’t like others – we started humbly, left the capital early, aren’t under the Emperor’s eye, have few family members, and don’t have many relatives to help each other.”

Usually such words and expressions came from Madam Xie. This was the first time Chang Yuncheng had seen his father like this in all his years, and he felt quite unaccustomed to it.

“Yes, I know. Father, don’t worry.” he nodded.

Marquis Dingxi watched him get in the carriage.

“Have you… have you said goodbye to Yueniang?” he couldn’t help asking.

Chang Yuncheng lowered his head, made a sound of agreement, and without waiting for Marquis Dingxi to ask anything more, quickly urged the horses forward.

After the carriage had traveled urgently for a while, Chang Yuncheng called a halt and got out to take a guard’s horse.

“Wait here for me a moment.” he said, spurring the horse back at a gallop.

He still wanted to see her one more time, still wanted to personally say goodbye to her, still wanted… wanted very much, very, very much.

But Qi Yue wasn’t at Qianjin Hall.

“Master is still at the estate making medicine.” a disciple directed, “Young Master, should I go ask her…”

Before he finished speaking, he saw the man before him had already spurred his horse away.

“So urgent, could something have happened somewhere?” the disciple muttered.

Chang Yuncheng turned toward the Wang family estate and indeed saw disciples coming and going.

“Master?” A disciple he grabbed to ask thought for a moment, “I think she went for a walk by the lake.”

Chang Yuncheng took a deep breath and headed toward the lake. As he drew closer, his heart beat faster and faster, so much so that he had to slow his pace to avoid suffocating.

The lakeside was vast. Chang Yuncheng didn’t know where to look at first and stood by the path looking around. Before he could see anyone, he heard that familiar female voice.

“…did you come here specifically?”

Chang Yuncheng instantly held his breath, his hands hanging at his sides clenching into fists.

“Yes.”

Chang Yuncheng opened his mouth, but realized this answer wasn’t spoken by him. He was stunned for a moment, then saw two people sitting by the lake not far away.

Wearing a light azure robe and sitting on the ground holding a fishing rod was Wang Qian. Sitting on a rock beside Wang Qian, watching him fish, was Qi Yue.

Chang Yuncheng’s whole body went rigid. Coming to his senses, he quickly hid behind a tree.

He didn’t know why he was hiding, but he seemed unwilling to be seen by these two people – or rather, he didn’t want to see these two people together like this.

The tree blocked his view but couldn’t block the voices from over there.

“…specifically came here to fish?” Qi Yue asked, seemingly smiling.

Wang Qian turned to look at her.

“Of course not.” he said, “I came to see you.”

Chang Yuncheng scraped off a piece of bark with his hand.