As they spoke, they had already reached the entrance.

“Young Madam has returned.” Seeing her return, the maids standing at the door with hands at their sides announced her arrival one after another.

Qi Yue walked in and headed straight for the Prince’s room.

“Young Madam.” Qiu Xiang, hearing the announcement, hurried out. Unlike before when she showed fear mixed with disgust upon seeing her, this time her face was full of smiles. “I was just about to look for you.”

Qi Yue paid her no attention and went inside.

Chang Yuncheng sat in his chair drinking tea, motionless, not even lifting his eyelids as if he neither heard nor saw her enter.

In a corner of the room stood two maids about sixteen or seventeen years old, who quickly bowed to Qi Yue.

Qi Yue wasn’t polite and sat down in the chair beside Chang Yuncheng, smiling as she looked over the two maids.

They had rounded figures, wore simple hair arrangements without any ornaments, and dressed in the same clothing as all second-class maids.

“Lift your heads so I can see,” Qi Yue smiled.

The two maids first exchanged glances with their heads down, then raised their heads.

They had oval faces and almond-shaped eyes, with gentle and beautiful expressions.

Qi Yue once again praised the Marquis Dingxi’s manor’s eye for selecting people—alluring but not seductive, charming but not vulgar.

“These are the room attendants Mother bestowed,” Chang Yuncheng finally spoke, still not even glancing at Qi Yue.

Upon hearing these words, the two maids immediately knelt down and kowtowed to Qi Yue.

“We greet Young Madam,” they said.

Qiu Xiang, who had been standing by, immediately brought over two bowls of tea. The two received them and crawled on their knees to Qi Yue’s front, holding them up.

Qi Yue watched with a beaming smile but didn’t take them.

“Young Madam,” Qiu Xiang gently reminded her.

“These two maids aren’t pretty enough. I don’t like them. Choose others instead,” Qi Yue said with a smile.

The two maids kneeling on the ground couldn’t help but look up at Young Madam in shock, forgetting their status.

A’Ru, standing behind Qi Yue, was so anxious she wanted to pinch Qi Yue, sweating profusely.

Everyone was surprised, except Chang Yuncheng, whose eyes instead flashed with understanding.

This woman’s joy was in opposing him, wasn’t it? Indeed, it wasn’t in vain that he had happily brought people back to watch the show.

“I like them,” he finally looked at Qi Yue, sneering coldly.

“What are you saying, Prince? Just because you like them means the household rules can be thrown into chaos?”

Qi Yue slowly stroked her fingers and said, “Father liked Concubine Zhu so much, but without Mother’s permission, didn’t he have to keep her outside for several years before bringing her back?”

She said this while lifting her eyes to look at Chang Yuncheng.

“Father leads by example, yet you as his son want to override your father?” she asked with a smile.

Chang Yuncheng looked at her, and Qi Yue looked back at him.

You use your mother to pressure me, so I’ll use your father to pressure you. Who’s afraid of whom? Who disgusts whom is still uncertain.

The atmosphere in the room immediately became tense, with the maids trembling and not daring to breathe.

“Are you jealous?” Chang Yuncheng suddenly dropped his serious demeanor, leaned back in his chair, and spoke slowly, looking at Qi Yue with a somewhat mocking expression.

“What do I have to be jealous of?” Qi Yue laughed. “They’re not even as pretty as me. Why would I be jealous of them?”

The maids couldn’t help but all look at Qi Yue. This Young Madam was really immodest. Chang Yuncheng looked at her and couldn’t help but laugh.

This woman was really, really interesting.

“However, since the Prince likes them, then so be it,” Qi Yue suddenly changed direction. “I’ll listen to you, Prince.”

The previously tense atmosphere immediately relaxed.

A’Ru breathed a sigh of relief from nearly suffocating, while Qiu Xiang showed some disappointment on her face.

What was Young Madam making such a fuss about, startling everyone…

Chang Yuncheng just looked at her without speaking.

“I’ll pick even better ones for you in the future, Prince,” Qi Yue smiled at him.

Chang Yuncheng sneered but still said nothing.

Qi Yue said no more and reached out to take the tea from the two maids who had been kneeling on the ground, their whole bodies trembling.

“You two get up. Serve the Prince well,” she said, taking a sip from each cup before setting them down.

As she spoke, she looked around and grabbed a pair of delicate, small beauty vases from the table.

“This was sudden, and I wasn’t prepared. Everything in the Prince’s room is of the finest quality. I’ll reward you two with these,” Qi Yue said.

She absolutely wouldn’t spend her own money or give her own things. These belonged to the Prince and weren’t registered under her name, so it was perfect to give them away.

The two maids kneeling on the ground stared at the beauty vases before them in amazement.

This… this kind of meeting gift was truly unique…

Their gaze fell on Qi Yue’s wrist, where she wore a pair of golden bracelets inlaid with red and green turquoise that sparkled brilliantly. They had heard that Young Madam’s dowry consisted of fine things Old Marchioness had saved her entire life—everything she wore and used was invaluably precious.

Qi Yue withdrew her hand.

The two room attendants took the vases and kowtowed in thanks.

“Qiu Xiang, go tell the kitchen to add a few dishes tonight. We have something to celebrate,” Qi Yue said.

Qiu Xiang glanced at Chang Yuncheng.

Chang Yuncheng leaned back in his chair, seemingly lost in thought.

Seeing Qi Yue staring at her, Qiu Xiang didn’t dare delay further and agreed before withdrawing.

“Thank you for your kindness, Young Madam. We wouldn’t dare presume,” the two room attendants said after completing the formalities, their faces no longer showing the previous tension, smiling as they spoke to Qi Yue.

“How could that be? You’re serving the Prince, which is of utmost importance,” Qi Yue smiled.

A’Ru finally breathed a sigh of relief. Qi Yue turned back to ask if there was anything else to arrange. The two room attendants, seeing how easygoing Young Madam was, looked both happy and couldn’t hide a bit of pride. After all, they were bestowed by the Great Madam, and besides, the Prince didn’t like Young Madam, so Young Madam had to be polite to them.

The two room attendants lost their earlier restraint and began conversing with Qi Yue. With three or four women talking in the room, it became particularly lively.

The more Chang Yuncheng listened, the darker his expression became. He slammed his teacup heavily on the table, and the women’s laughter in the room immediately stopped.

“Are you finished talking?” he said with a dark face. “If not, get out and talk elsewhere.”

Qi Yue smiled and stood up, waving at the two frightened and bewildered maids.

“Go, go, withdraw for now,” she said.

The two room attendants gratefully hurried out. Qi Yue, supporting A’Ru, also got up to leave. At the doorway, she remembered something.

“Prince,” she stopped and turned back to look at Chang Yuncheng. “I was just thinking of telling you—with daily household affairs being so complicated, people coming and going, and now adding two more people, this courtyard is becoming increasingly chaotic. To avoid disturbing your peace, I’ll move back to Qiu Tong’s courtyard.”

A’Ru had no idea she had this plan and was shocked to hear it.

Chang Yuncheng raised his head to look at her and suddenly smiled.

“So that’s how it is,” he smiled.

Qi Yue looked at his smile and felt a chill in her heart. A phrase involuntarily came to mind: Don’t fear the night cat crying, fear the night cat laughing…

“Prince, thank you for these past days. You helped me and I helped you—we’re even now,” she quickly said.

“Indeed, I went to check today. My subordinate has fully recovered and returned north today,” Chang Yuncheng smiled and stood up. “I was just about to tell you specifically.”

Although she had already known this outcome, Qi Yue was still very happy to hear him say it, and her face showed genuine joy.

“Really? Thank you so much, Prince. You should still tell him to be careful for a while and not let the wound be injured again,” she smiled.

Chang Yuncheng nodded.

“Good, I understand. I’ll pass that along,” he smiled. “So, is there anything else to say? You’ve finished helping with your favor, haven’t you?”

“No more,” Qi Yue smiled. “I’ve finished helping with this favor.”

“Good, then you can get the hell out of here,” Chang Yuncheng smiled.

Qi Yue’s smile immediately vanished. She snorted and turned around with a wave of her hand.

But Chang Yuncheng’s voice suddenly rose sharply behind her.

“Someone come! Call people! Young Madam has been too tired recently and isn’t feeling well. She needs to go to Biyun Manor to rest and recuperate,” he shouted loudly.

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone inside and outside was shocked.

“Chang Yuncheng, what are you saying?” Qi Yue turned around and glared at him.

“Telling you to get lost,” Chang Yuncheng looked at her, still smiling. “Didn’t you say you’d finished helping? I can’t ask for your help anymore, can I?”

“Chang Yuncheng, you can’t do this!” Qi Yue angrily walked over. “I already said I wouldn’t live here anymore. Don’t go too far.”

“Not living here isn’t enough,” Chang Yuncheng sneered. “You need to get far away where I never have to see you again. That would be enough.”

“Chang Yuncheng, don’t even think about it!” Qi Yue grabbed Chang Yuncheng’s lapels and shouted.

Leaving the Marquis Dingxi’s manor was impossible. She absolutely couldn’t. If she left here, how could she return home?

“Then you’ll see whether I can or not,” Chang Yuncheng gripped her wrist tightly.

Qi Yue couldn’t help but cry out in pain, feeling like her wrist was cracking and breaking.

“Prince, Prince, please calm down,” A’Ru crawled over crying and kowtowing repeatedly.

Chang Yuncheng snorted and suddenly released his grip. Qi Yue clutched her wrist and staggered back several steps, breaking out in a cold sweat from the pain.

“Chang Yuncheng, aren’t you too shameless? Burning bridges after crossing the river—is this how you behave?” she looked up at this man and spoke slowly.

The man stood with his hands behind his back, looking at her with a mocking smile.

“So I’m burning bridges after crossing the river. What are you going to do about it?” he smiled.

Qi Yue looked at this handsome smiling face and wanted nothing more than to slap him, but she knew it would be useless.

“Fine,” she rubbed her wrist, which now showed a circle of bruises from his grip, and looked at him fiercely. “But don’t regret it. Don’t come begging me someday.”

“Me beg you?” Chang Yuncheng threw back his head and laughed loudly. The laughter suddenly stopped, and he pointed outside, coldly spitting out one word: “Scram.”