The people hadn’t changed, but their mindsets had completely transformed.

Yet when they spoke, they were still equally direct.

“After working so hard for so long, rest more when there’s nothing to do. Go back to your courtyard and take good care of yourself,” Madam Xie said slowly.

“Yes, I was just coming to tell Mother about this,” Qi Yue said with a smile.

Madam Xie lifted her eyelids to glance at her.

“What is there for you to tell me? Don’t you make all the decisions about household matters?” she said with a half-smile.

Qi Yue smiled and was about to speak when another maid’s report came from outside.

“Madam, the Prince is here.”

What a coincidence—they met again.

Qi Yue looked at Chang Yuncheng entering the door with a smile as a greeting.

Chang Yuncheng’s gaze swept past her and settled on Madam Xie.

“Mother, what did you call me here for?” he asked while casually sitting down.

“How was the steamed pigeon I had sent to you last night?” Madam Xie asked with a smile.

“Just a bit too sweet,” Chang Yuncheng replied.

Madam Xie looked toward Nanny Su.

“Remember to tell the kitchen staff,” she said.

The mother and son asked and answered each other, completely ignoring Qi Yue in the room.

Qi Yue pursed her lips.

“I was saying…” she began speaking without courtesy.

Madam Xie looked at her first.

“Since you’re both here, perfect,” she interrupted Qi Yue. “I have something to say.”

Both Qi Yue and Chang Yuncheng looked at her.

“That maid of yours should be taken as a concubine. After all, she’s the first to serve you—she should be given the proper respect,” Madam Xie said to Chang Yuncheng.

Both Chang Yuncheng and Qi Yue showed surprised expressions.

“What are you talking about, Mother?” Chang Yuncheng asked with a slight frown, instinctively glancing at Qi Yue.

Qi Yue frowned momentarily—it was always about chamber maids and concubines. Women, how tedious—then regained her composure.

“Qiu Xiang,” Madam Xie said.

Chang Yuncheng immediately felt uncomfortable.

“Her? What about her?” he said.

“What about her? Is there anything you can’t tell me? Since you like her, you can naturally take her as a concubine. You’re already so old, and still no heir,” Madam Xie said with a sigh.

“I don’t intend to take her,” Chang Yuncheng shook his head, unconsciously glancing at Qi Yue again. Seeing this woman standing there with a smile, watching them talk—was she enjoying his embarrassment? “I just rewarded her with a room to live in.”

Madam Xie’s expression darkened as she glanced at Qi Yue.

“Daughter-in-law, what do you think of this girl Qiu Xiang?” she asked.

“She’s quite good,” Qi Yue replied with a smile, looking at Chang Yuncheng. “Very nice.”

Chang Yuncheng’s expression didn’t change; instead, he showed a knowing smile.

This woman was indeed still the same, relying on power, relying on the promise he had made to her, preparing to watch the show.

What show was there to watch?

“Alright, Mother, you’ve misunderstood,” he stood up and said. “I just thought she served well, and since there are many empty rooms in the courtyard, I let the maids avoid crowding together. There’s no other meaning.”

Madam Xie looked up at him with a surprised expression.

During the conversation, he kept looking at that woman…

Did he care about her…

So…

“Even if it’s not her, you should add someone to your quarters,” Madam Xie said with a darkened expression, looking at Chang Yuncheng.

“Mother, I don’t want to discuss this now,” Chang Yuncheng said.

“Then when do you plan to discuss it?” Madam Xie said, looking at him with a face full of insistence.

If it were anyone else, Chang Yuncheng would have already stormed out with a flick of his sleeve. Although this impulse kept surging in his heart, looking at Madam Xie, he still forcibly suppressed it.

Qi Yue coughed, seeing that Chang Yuncheng was really in an awkward position, so she stepped in to help.

“Mother, this matter isn’t urgent. We should at least find someone who appeals to the Prince’s heart,” she said with a smile.

“Someone who appeals to your heart, right?” Madam Xie directed all her resentment at her, saying coldly.

“This has nothing to do with her,” Chang Yuncheng said hurriedly.

Qi Yue glanced at him. Silly child, when mother-in-law and daughter-in-law are talking, you absolutely cannot interrupt, especially with words that obviously protect the daughter-in-law.

Eh? This boy would protect me? Qi Yue was stunned again.

Madam Xie looked at Chang Yuncheng, her face iron-blue, lips trembling slightly.

She wanted to believe she had misheard—her Cheng-ge’er would actually speak up for this woman!

But everything before her told her she hadn’t misheard!

Her expression frightened Chang Yuncheng.

“Mother, what’s wrong?” he hurried over a few steps to ask.

Qi Yue put her hand to her forehead, while Nanny Su and A’Luan also lowered their heads.

Madam Xie looked at Chang Yuncheng, then glanced at Qi Yue, who stood there as if nothing had happened.

“Get out,” she uttered two words.

Chang Yuncheng was stunned, only now realizing that Madam Xie was angry.

“Mother, you…” he began to inquire.

Madam Xie looked at Chang Yuncheng’s worried and confused expression. Her son was honest—he must have been bewitched by that woman behind the scenes. She couldn’t embarrass him in public; she’d explain everything to him later. He would definitely still listen to her.

“I’m tired now and don’t want to talk. You all go out,” Madam Xie took a deep breath, finally suppressing her boiling emotions, and said slowly.

Chang Yuncheng looked at Madam Xie’s expression. His mother didn’t like Qi Yueniang—over the years, she had seen her only a handful of times, so naturally she wouldn’t want to talk to her much. He nodded and didn’t insist.

“Alright, I’ll come again this evening,” he said, lifting his feet to leave. After walking a few steps, he saw Qi Yue still standing there unmoved. “Why aren’t you leaving? Are you staying here to anger Mother?”

The one angering your mother isn’t me, Qi Yue glanced at him without speaking.

“It’s like this—I came to tell Mother that I, as a daughter-in-law, am young and don’t understand things. Household matters should still trouble Mother,” she said.

Qi Yue knew that Madam Xie was unhappy now, very unhappy. Saying this now was undoubtedly adding fuel to the fire, but she had no mood to wait for Madam Xie to be in a good mood. Moreover, as long as she was here, Madam Xie would never be in a good mood.

Madam Xie, still angry, seemed not to understand and looked up at her.

“What did you say?” she asked.

“I said the matter of managing the household should still be handled by Mother,” Qi Yue said with a smile.

These words stunned everyone in the room.

Before, when she had no power or support, she jumped out to fight for household management. Now that she had power and support, she didn’t want to manage it?

This Young Madam’s thinking was really different from ordinary people…

Madam Xie laughed angrily.

“Do you think this is a game?” she looked at Qi Yue and sneered. “You want it when you want it, and throw it away when you don’t? What do you take me for?”

Qi Yue was about to say something when Chang Yuncheng strode over and grabbed her wrist.

“Mother is not feeling well. She said she’s tired and wants to rest. Did you not hear, or what?” he said through gritted teeth, veins bulging on his forehead, clearly controlling his anger with great effort.

After saying this, he dragged her outside.

The curtain lifted and fell, blocking the muffled sound from inside the room—it seemed like a teacup had been thrown onto the carpet.

Qi Yue was dragged by Chang Yuncheng’s grip all the way out of Rong’an Courtyard, with maids and servants along the way lowering their eyes and avoiding direct eye contact.

“Enough, my hand hurts,” Qi Yue called out.

Only then did Chang Yuncheng let go of her.

“What are you making trouble about now?” he demanded.

Was this woman stupid? Didn’t she know Mother disliked her? Yet she insisted on adding fuel to the fire!

“I wasn’t making trouble,” Qi Yue said, rubbing her wrist and looking up at him. “Like you, I’m also fulfilling my promise.”

Chang Yuncheng gave a cold laugh.

“What am I fulfilling? Do you think I disagreed with Mother’s words for your sake?” he said.

Qi Yue smiled at him.

“Whatever it is,” she said. “In any case, since I’ve returned, I’ll do as I said before—no longer manage the household, no longer cause trouble, and live honestly and peacefully.”

Chang Yuncheng looked at her without speaking.

“Also, actually,” Qi Yue looked up at him with a smile, “if you like any woman, you can feel free. That was just a joke at the time—you don’t need to take it too seriously.”

Chang Yuncheng’s face suddenly became ugly.

“Is that so?” he said slowly.

“Yes,” Qi Yue said with a smile.

This woman was indeed different from before. Chang Yuncheng’s eyes showed slight surprise. That’s right—before, her smiles were mostly provocative and curious, as if she were admiring some rare object, or like dealing with a caged beast, occasionally poking it with a small stick for amusement. But now, she was also smiling, yet that smile contained distance.

“Then I’ll go first,” Qi Yue said, seeing that he hadn’t spoken for a long time. She bowed slightly and turned to leave.

“You…” Chang Yuncheng called out, following a few steps.

Qi Yue turned back.

“Oh yes, since we’re both fulfilling our promises, I hope…” she raised her hand, showing the mark from being grabbed, “next time, please show some respect. I’m not a thing or a puppy or kitten. This really hurts. If you don’t believe me, try it on yourself.”

Chang Yuncheng stopped in his tracks, his face iron-blue.

“Thank you,” Qi Yue waved her hand, smiled slightly and nodded, then turned and walked away.

A’Ru bowed slightly to Chang Yuncheng and followed.

“Young Madam, what if Madam doesn’t agree to you not managing the household?” A’Ru asked quietly.

“Whether she agrees or not has nothing to do with me,” Qi Yue laughed. “I just came to tell her.”

A’Ru was stunned by her words, then realized she was following Qi Yue around a corner—this wasn’t the way back to their current courtyard.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“To find my backing,” Qi Yue said with a laugh.

A’Ru made a confused sound, completely bewildered.

Hearing that Qi Yue had come to request an audience, Marquis Dingxi, who was in his study admiring a newly acquired painting, hurriedly had her invited in.

“After working so hard for so many days, why don’t you rest more?” Marquis Dingxi said with hearty laughter.

“I’m actually not tired,” Qi Yue said with a smile. “I knew the patient’s condition and had confidence in my heart. It’s not like you, Father, who knew nothing and worried—that’s what’s truly exhausting.”

Look, look at that! You blind fools who still laughed at me and mocked me! Which of your families could find such a daughter-in-law? I’d call you my ancestors!

Marquis Dingxi laughed heartily.

“However, there is one matter that troubles Father,” Qi Yue said.

“What trouble? Just tell me what it is,” Marquis Dingxi said with feigned displeasure.

“It’s like this—although saving people isn’t tiring, this time I also saw my own shortcomings. Because I hadn’t practiced for a long time, my medical skills had deteriorated. If not for Doctor Liu’s assistance, I would have made a fool of myself this time,” Qi Yue said with a sigh. “Moreover, after this incident, I might encounter other requests for medical treatment. To avoid embarrassing Father and the family, I want to quietly study medicine again.”

“Good, good! Being humble and eager to learn—learning is endless,” Marquis Dingxi, being a cultured man, loved the pursuit of learning above all. Learning anything was learning, and medical skills were naturally included. He looked at Qi Yue with a face full of praise.

What a pity she was born a daughter! If she were a son, she might have great achievements! Surgical treatment! Even being head of the Imperial Medical Academy wouldn’t be impossible!

“So regarding household management, I think Mother should continue to be troubled with it,” Qi Yue said.

“What trouble? It should have been her responsibility all along. Don’t worry about it—go busy yourself with your studies,” Marquis Dingxi said with a wave of his hand.

When the news reached Madam Xie, she swept all the beauty vases off the table.

The sound of shattering frightened the maids in the room, who quickly retreated.

“Troubled? Should be my responsibility? It wasn’t my responsibility before, but now it’s become my responsibility again!” Madam Xie trembled with rage, shouting hoarsely.

This was too much bullying! Was there such a way to bully people!

“What if I just don’t manage it! That slut can say whatever she wants! Why should I!” She stood up to go outside.

Nanny Su grabbed her arm.

“Madam, you can’t! If you tell the Marquis you won’t manage it, there are plenty of people waiting to take over,” she said hurriedly.

That slut Concubine Zhou was probably waiting for this day…

With the Marquis’s muddled brain, he couldn’t withstand a few coaxing words and might really do it…

Maybe this was exactly what that slut Concubine Zhou had calculated…

Madam Xie collapsed back into her seat.

Why?

Because that Qi Yueniang had backup, while she had none…