Qi Yue walked over with a smile.

“Father, it’s my fault,” she said with a smile while curtsying.

Previously, Qi Yue wouldn’t dare speak to him openly and gracefully—it would have been remarkable if she dared to lift her head when seeing him. The Marquis Dingxi was very surprised. What surprised him even more was that after Qi Yue finished speaking with a smile, without waiting for his response, she beckoned and took a wine cup and wine pot from a nearby maid’s hands, pouring herself a cup.

“Father, I’ll punish myself with a cup of wine,” she said with a smile, truly draining it in one gulp. “You mustn’t be angry. On such a good day today, if you get angry, then I would be greatly at fault.”

The surprise on the Marquis Dingxi’s face completely disappeared, and he burst into hearty laughter.

“Good!” he said with a laugh, saying “good” three times in a row.

With his laughter, the originally somewhat tense atmosphere immediately became lively.

“Also,” Qi Yue smiled and poured another cup of wine, raising it to everyone, “it’s all my fault for making everyone put down their chopsticks. Your sister-in-law apologizes to you all and punishes herself with another cup.”

She smiled and drained it again in one gulp.

“Sister-in-law has a good tolerance for alcohol,” a male voice laughed.

Qi Yue looked over with a smile and saw it was a young man sitting next to the Third Young Master.

“Since I’ve already had two cups, let’s make it complete. Why don’t we all drink together? ‘Ten thousand li of mortal world, three cups of wine; a thousand years of achievement, one pot of tea,'” she said with a smile while pouring wine again.

“Good poetry!” the Marquis Dingxi clapped and said, repeating it once. “‘Ten thousand li of mortal world, three cups of wine; a thousand years of achievement, one pot of tea.’ Good, very good!”

His gaze toward Qi Yue was full of joy.

Was there anything more pleasing to the eye in this world than seeing a beautiful, intelligent, and clever woman?

“Sister-in-law can actually compose poetry now,” several seated young men laughed and called out.

“What poetry? I don’t understand such things. You scholars shouldn’t tease your sister-in-law,” Qi Yue said with a laugh.

Looking at such a Qi Yue, more than half the people present stared in amazement.

“My heavens,” the Second Miss said to the Third Miss beside her, holding her chest and speaking in a low voice. “She really has been completely transformed…”

The Third Miss looked toward the area behind the Marquis Dingxi with flickering eyes.

“Did Concubine turn stone into gold?” she said hesitantly in a low voice.

The Second Miss frowned.

“That can’t be right. I never heard Concubine mention it,” she murmured quietly.

The two looked at Qi Yue again, seeing this woman with gentle smiles, graceful and poised, with a flavor different from what they usually knew, saw, and learned.

“Could it really be true?” both of them had this thought simultaneously.

That story secretly circulating in the Marquis Dingxi’s mansion about the Great Young Madam walking the path to the underworld, drinking Meng Po’s soup, and being personally sent back by the Old Marchioness—could it be more than just a story?

“Come, listen to your sister-in-law. Let’s all drink together,” the Marquis Dingxi said with a smile, raising his wine cup.

With his lead, everyone raised their wine cups and drained them, making the atmosphere even more joyful than before.

“Eldest daughter-in-law, sit down quickly,” the Marquis Dingxi said with a laugh, looking at Qi Yue and nodding with satisfaction.

Qi Yue curtsied again with a smile before turning back to her seat. As she sat down, she breathed a small sigh of relief and gently patted her chest.

Chang Yuncheng beside her put down his wine cup and glanced at her sideways, his expression unreadable.

The stewardess retreated safely, while Concubine Liu stood there somewhat embarrassed. Concubine Zhou pushed her aside while talking to the Marquis Dingxi.

Concubine Liu retreated rather awkwardly, looking indignant but not daring to say anything, hurriedly looking to Madam Xie. Madam Xie’s expression was somber, slowly turning her wine cup, lost in thought.

“Marquis, here’s the opera program. You choose. Yueniang just took over, and frankly, she’s completely in the dark. Don’t let her make another public mistake,” Concubine Zhou whispered in the Marquis Dingxi’s ear while pouring wine for him as cover.

“You should help her watch over things,” the Marquis Dingxi also whispered, smiling. “She’s just a child who doesn’t understand, but you should understand.”

“What do I understand? I’m just a concubine talking too much,” Concubine Zhou glanced at him sideways and smiled quietly.

Under the combined light of lanterns and moon, Concubine Zhou’s demeanor had a special charm that made the Marquis Dingxi’s heart flutter.

“I know best how much you understand,” he whispered with a laugh, reaching out to gently squeeze Concubine Zhou’s hand that was holding the wine pot.

Concubine Zhou’s face flushed slightly as she spat at him.

“You’re about to hold grandchildren, yet you still like to tease as before,” she whispered.

Hearing her mention the past, the Marquis Dingxi felt slightly guilty. He hadn’t been to Concubine Zhou’s place for quite some time. Thinking of those intensely passionate days from before, he patted Concubine Zhou’s hand without speaking. Concubine Zhou looked at him with a smile, a thousand words contained in that one glance.

Madam Xie nearby filled her cup with wine and drank it all at once. Not being good with alcohol and drinking too hastily, she couldn’t help but choke.

“Madam, we can’t compare with these young children. It’s better to drink less wine,” Concubine Zhou quickly smiled and used a handkerchief to help her wipe, speaking gently.

Madam Xie looked at her coldly and pushed away her hand. Concubine Zhou didn’t mind, smiled, stood up, and walked away.

Here, Chang Yunhong was raising his wine cup to drink with Qi Yue, also pulling Chang Yunqi along.

“With big brother here, how can we ask big sister-in-law to drink?” Chang Yunqi pulled Chang Yunhong down and said.

“Big brother isn’t drinking. I didn’t expect sister-in-law to have such a good tolerance for alcohol,” Chang Yunhong said with a laugh.

Chang Yuncheng ate his food on his own, completely ignoring them, as if he hadn’t heard their words. Qi Yue just smiled at them.

A’Ru whispered in her ear, introducing that this was the Third Young Master and this was the Fourth Young Master.

“What drinking? If you drink too much and can’t get up tomorrow, let’s see how your teacher punishes you,” Concubine Zhou said with a laugh as she walked over.

Seeing her approach, Chang Yunhong smiled and didn’t dare make more trouble, sitting down obediently. Chang Yunqi raised his wine cup and drank with his head down.

“This is Concubine Zhou,” A’Ru whispered.

Qi Yue recognized her as the beautiful woman who had given her the hint earlier and quickly started to stand up.

Concubine Zhou pressed her shoulder to keep her from getting up.

“I don’t deserve it,” she said with a smile.

Concubines in the mansion had low status. Although they were elders, they couldn’t compare to her as the legitimate wife. Qi Yue knew this point, so she smiled and remained seated.

“Concubine Zhou,” she nodded and said.

Standing closer, she could see this woman’s appearance more clearly and couldn’t help but admire the Marquis Dingxi’s excellent taste again.

“The Marquis likes listening to ‘Lament by the Luo River.’ When you have the opera troupe start performing later, have them sing this,” Concubine Zhou said with a smile, her manner intimate and tone familiar.

“Yes, thank you, Concubine,” Qi Yue said with a smile.

Concubine Zhou looked at her with a smile, patted her shoulder, and walked away.

Although some individuals were in bad moods this evening, overall the banquet was very successful. Most people ate well and enjoyed the show, and most importantly, the Great Young Madam who had livened up the banquet atmosphere provided countless topics for conversation.

After worshipping the moon and enjoying the opera, the Marquis Dingxi allowed the young children to disperse.

The young masters and misses stood up and walked away. Chang Yunhong, who had drunk somewhat too much, swayed his head and said, “This is exactly like that saying about ‘three years without flying or singing, then flying straight to the sky and singing to amaze everyone.'”

The Second Miss and Third Miss looked at him and laughed.

“It’s just one cup of wine, look how dizzy you are,” they said, covering their mouths and laughing.

“But it looks like little beggar big sister-in-law has become much easier to talk to,” the Third Miss said again, stroking her hanging small braid and tilting her head with a smile. “In a few days I want to go out to play. Borrowing that golden red pearl ornament that grandmother made for her back then should be fine, right?”

“You go try it,” the Second Miss said with a laugh.

The sisters whispered and huddled together, not knowing what they were saying.

“But it’s really strange. How did this little beggar suddenly become so talkative and cheerful?”

Walking behind Chang Yunhong was a young master from the West Mansion, Chang Yunsheng.

“‘Ten thousand li of mortal world, three cups of wine; a thousand years of achievement, one pot of tea,'” he repeatedly recited this phrase.

“Who composed this? Could it really have been thought up by her?” he said, while grabbing Chang Yunhong again. “Could this little beggar actually be extremely talented? Maybe she wasn’t born a beggar? Perhaps she originally came from a good family and became a beggar after falling on hard times?”

Chang Yunhong staggered from his pulling.

“How would I know? I’m not familiar with this little beggar. Who knows what kind of person she was before or where she came from? Ask third brother,” he said, shaking his sleeves.

Chang Yunqi, who had been silently listening, was startled by being mentioned.

“You’re not familiar but I am?” he spat and said. “Go ask big brother.”

“Big brother?” Chang Yunhong scoffed. “Big brother probably doesn’t even know what this little beggar’s name really is.”

This comment made everyone laugh.

“Don’t believe it? Let’s bet,” Chang Yunhong snorted, raising his chin and pointing to one side. “Who’s going to ask?”

Everyone looked in the direction he pointed. Chang Yuncheng and Qi Yue had also dispersed and were walking one behind the other on another path, with maids and old women following at a distance behind them.

“Hey, Prince!”

Qi Yue looked at the man striding ahead of her. In the moonlight, his shadow was elongated. She suddenly couldn’t help calling out to him.

A’Ru walked beside her, carefully supporting her since she had been drinking and might be unsteady on her feet. She was startled by her master’s initiative to greet him.

Chang Yuncheng seemed not to hear and didn’t stop walking.

“Prince!” Qi Yue left A’Ru and jogged a few steps to catch up with him.

Only then did Chang Yuncheng glance at her sideways.

“Um, I want to say sorry and also say thank you,” Qi Yue said, looking at him with a smile.

Being threatened by someone you dislike to live under your nose must be very annoying. Regardless of the reasons, she had done something rather disagreeable.

“I…” Qi Yue rubbed her hands together, wanting to tell him that after this period she would move back, but before the words left her mouth, she saw Chang Yuncheng smile at her.

It had to be said that when handsome men smiled, they were quite devastating. This old woman Qi Yue became somewhat unsteady and was stunned for a moment.

“You, don’t bother,” Chang Yuncheng said with a smile, looking down at this woman who barely reached his chest. “Whether you act tough or try to please, whether you smile, scold, or cry, it’s all useless. You are disgusting and will always be disgusting. What’s disgusting is you as a person, not what you say or do.”

After speaking, he laughed coldly and strode away.

Qi Yue exhaled. This person’s way of speaking was really…

“I take back what I just said,” she said, shaking her head and giving Chang Yuncheng’s retreating figure the middle finger. “You deserve to be disgusted by people you find disgusting.”