This man wasn’t just making empty threats.

Both Qi Yue and A’Ru in the room couldn’t help but shiver.

Chang Yunqi stood there without moving.

The room fell silent.

“Having the Prince here is good—he’ll definitely find out which villain had such evil intentions,” A’Ru wiped her tears and said quietly.

“Let’s hope so,” Qi Yue sighed.

“Yueniang,” Chang Yunqi called out.

Qi Yue looked at him.

“Why don’t you suspect him at all?” Chang Yunqi looked up at her and asked.

Qi Yue was stunned before understanding what he meant.

Right, why hadn’t she suspected him at all? Logically, everyone among the masters of Marquis Dingxi’s manor should be suspects in this matter.

“You trust him that much?” Chang Yunqi looked at her with a complex expression.

“I think he’s not that type of person,” Qi Yue thought and said.

“You think he’s that type of person?” Chang Yunqi looked at her and smiled, though the smile held some mockery. “Gone for three years without a word, returning with no affection, kicking you out—this kind of person, why are you so certain he’s not the type who would harm you?”

This conversation was no longer appropriate between a brother-in-law and sister-in-law. A’Ru looked panicked—the Prince was right outside.

“Third Young Master,” she quickly tried to intervene in a low voice.

“That’s not the same thing,” Qi Yue said hurriedly, interrupting A’Ru. “I just think he’s the type who would kill me with his own hands if he wanted me dead, rather than using others. I’m not saying I think he’s a good person.”

“But you actually suspect everyone in our family, including me, don’t you?” Chang Yunqi asked.

This child was truly just a child, and quite sensitive too.

“Of course not,” Qi Yue said with surprised laughter. “How could you think that?”

Chang Yunqi smiled.

“You should lie down for a while. You just took medicine, and the physician said you need more rest,” he said, no longer continuing the previous topic.

Qi Yue nodded.

“Thank you, Third Brother,” she said.

A’Ru helped her lie down, and hearing the pearl curtain rustle, Chang Yunqi went out.

Qi Yue sighed.

“Youth is so passionate,” she murmured. “This is youth—being young is truly wonderful.”

“Young Madam, what are you saying? Are you very old?” A’Ru heard her muttering and said with some amusement in a low voice.

“I’m truly older than you all,” Qi Yue glanced at her.

A’Ru knew what she meant.

“In A’Ru’s eyes, you’re not old,” she said, pulling the bed curtain closed.

Chang Yuncheng’s high-pressure, bloody tactics quickly showed results. That very night he obtained useful information, and by the next morning before dawn, the awakened Qi Yue also knew.

“They said someone from the manor came to see this treacherous slave—a girl, but because it was dark, they couldn’t see clearly. This person won’t be easy to find,” he said.

Chang Yunqi sat nearby, and hearing this, he let out a snort.

“Alerting the enemy—naturally you can’t find this person now,” he said.

“Shut your mouth. The phrase ‘impossible’ doesn’t exist in this world,” Chang Yuncheng sneered, his large hand drumming on the table. “As long as something’s been done, it leaves traces. As long as you want to find it, you can find it. There’s never anything without cause—it’s just a matter of grudges and favors.”

“Well said,” Chang Yunqi said coldly. “This naturally isn’t a favor, so let’s talk about this grudge. Who in this manor has a grudge against her is quite clear.”

“Get out,” Chang Yuncheng glared at him and said.

“Prince, I know that everything in this manor will be yours in the future, but not yet,” Chang Yunqi said, leaning back in his chair.

Chang Yuncheng looked at him and smiled.

“Well, well, Third Brother has grown some backbone after not seeing you for a few years,” he smiled.

“I wouldn’t dare claim backbone—I just have a bit more human feeling than certain people,” Chang Yunqi also smiled.

“Since we’re talking about feelings,” Chang Yuncheng adjusted his clothing, uncrossed his legs, and looked at him, “your feelings for your sister-in-law are quite something. Not long after she moved here, you’ve already made two trips here, and it just happened to be when both you and I were away that this incident occurred. How very convenient.”

“She’s both sister-in-law and like a sister. The benevolent see benevolence—those with feeling see feeling in others’ eyes, those without feeling see no feeling,” Chang Yunqi replied.

Good—the lustful see lust. Well said! Qi Yue applauded in her heart, but discussing these endless matters was too much of a waste of time right now.

She coughed, and the two men outside stopped talking.

“Are you uncomfortable somewhere?” Chang Yunqi hurried over to ask.

Chang Yuncheng remained seated without moving.

“Prince,” Qi Yue had to call out.

Chang Yunqi’s footsteps stopped outside the pearl curtain.

“Speak,” Chang Yuncheng’s voice came through the curtain, still not getting up.

“Prince, I know I was wrong. Please don’t be angry anymore. Let me go back. I don’t dare stay here anymore,” Qi Yue called out weakly and pleadingly.

“Go back? The physician said once you’re no longer dizzy and nauseous, you can go back,” Chang Yunqi said quickly.

Qi Yue was so happy she was about to sit up from the bed.

“Third Brother, you should go back,” Chang Yuncheng said outside.

“Good, good, I’m fine now and can leave,” Qi Yue said hurriedly.

Chang Yuncheng lifted the curtain and smiled at Qi Yue.

“We’re leaving, not you,” he said.

At these words, everyone in the room was shocked.

A’Ru immediately fell to her knees.

“Chang Yuncheng, do you have any humanity left!” Chang Yunqi stepped forward, grabbed his collar, and roared.

Chang Yuncheng raised his arm and easily pushed Chang Yunqi away.

“Someone come, take Third Young Master away to cool down. We’re all gentlemen here—constantly shouting and yelling is unseemly,” he said.

Two men responded and entered from outside.

Chang Yunqi was nearly exploding with rage, but helplessly couldn’t match the strength of these soldiers, who grabbed him on both sides and dragged him out.

The angry cursing quickly disappeared from the courtyard—who knew how those men made him shut up.

This man was equally domineering and fierce toward both strangers and family.

“Do you want to go cool down too?” Chang Yuncheng glanced at A’Ru, who was kneeling and crying, and asked.

A’Ru pressed her mouth tightly, not daring to let even a sound of crying escape.

“Chang Yuncheng, are you serious?” Qi Yue looked at him in disbelief, tears already glistening in her eyes.

“I don’t really like telling lies,” Chang Yuncheng smiled. “Moreover, I keep my word. One matter is one matter—you being harmed and me driving you out are two different things.”

“Chang Yuncheng, after I return I absolutely won’t bother you anymore! I’ll just live in Qiu Tong Courtyard, won’t manage the household, won’t manage anything, won’t want anything—just let me live there, and I guarantee I’ll be obedient and peaceful,” Qi Yue was truly desperate, stepping forward to grab his sleeve and plead.

Someone had nearly taken her life—she couldn’t stay here even one more day.

I want to go home, I want to go home!

Chang Yuncheng laughed heartily and reached out to touch the beautiful face so close to him.

Qi Yue shivered at this sudden intimate contact and instinctively wanted to dodge, but thinking of her hope, she forcibly endured it.

Whatever—it wasn’t her body anyway.

“Regret it?” Chang Yuncheng smiled.

Qi Yue gritted her teeth and looked at him with a sincere expression of regret.

“Too late!” Chang Yuncheng laughed heartily, flicked his sleeve, turned, and strode away.

“Prince!”

“Chang Yuncheng!”

“Oh, don’t worry,” Chang Yuncheng stopped at the door and turned back. “I’ll arrange for people to stay behind to ensure this place is very safe. Forget about being harmed—even if you wanted to kill yourself, you wouldn’t succeed.”

“Chang Yuncheng, don’t regret this!” The door slammed shut, trapping the shrill female voice and the sound of a stool hitting the door behind it.

The group mounted their horses in disorder and galloped away.

Wind carried cold rain down, and the originally bustling street was suddenly empty of people.

A person rushed into an apothecary, already soaked through.

“Physician, physician!” he called loudly.

Only two young assistants stood behind the counter.

“Sir, how may we help you?” the assistants asked with somber expressions.

This was the apothecary’s rule—they couldn’t be enthusiastic like other shops, or it would be disrespectful.

“Where’s the physician? My mother is sick—please come quickly to see her,” the visitor shouted anxiously.

“What bad luck—the physician went on a house call,” the assistant said apologetically.

“What? Also on a house call?” the visitor stared and asked. “How is he also on a house call? I’ve run to several places and they all said house calls! What’s happening today? Don’t tell me all the physicians in the city have been called out!”

The assistants just smiled apologetically.

“Sir, we don’t know. Someone came early this morning to request the physician, and he hasn’t returned yet,” they said helplessly.

“Which family? I’ll go wait there,” the visitor said angrily.

The assistants’ expressions became even more sympathetic.

“It’s Prefecture Magistrate’s household. You can try waiting there,” they said.

The visitor was immediately dumbfounded.

The back residence of Yongqing Prefecture Magistrate’s office was like other prefecture offices—official business in front, living quarters behind. Although there was always the custom of not renovating official buildings, the back residence of this Yongqing Prefecture Magistrate’s office was renovated quite lavishly, rivaling the wealthy families in the prefectural city.

At this moment, this lavish back residence was shrouded in gloom. Screams of agony came from one room, with groups of maids and servant women going in and out.

The room was packed with people. Besides the pacing Prefecture Magistrate and the women crying their hearts out, the rest were a group of physicians of various ages. If an outsider came in and saw this, they would definitely think it was a physicians’ gathering—otherwise, why would all the famous physicians, large and small, of Yongqing Prefecture be here?

“What do you think?”

“I think it’s hopeless…”

“The horse trampled him—it’s already injured his internal organs…”

The physicians huddled together whispering.

“Have you figured out a solution or not?” the Prefecture Magistrate suddenly shouted.

The gathered physicians were startled into silence, and for a moment no one spoke.

“Speak!” the Prefecture Magistrate glared at them and shouted.

Finally one spoke up.

“Sir, the young master probably won’t make it,” he said.