The rigid tension in the Prefect and his wife instantly dissolved. Magistrate Huang staggered back onto a stool, while the Prefect's wife let out a breath and promptly fainted.

"Drag her over here and ask her who did it," commanded the Marquis of Dingxi.

Ah Hao was already hauled forward and thrust into the room under the orders of the Marquis, her hair disheveled and clothes rumpled.

"Speak quickly, which physician healed you?" the Marquis of Dingxi demanded.

Ah Hao knelt on the floor, trembling violently, hugging herself and repeatedly kowtowing.

"No one, no one," she wept.

The Marquis of Dingxi grew slightly furious. Looking at the timid maid, he felt none of the usual tenderness he might have reserved for her; instead, the lingering image of Mama Su’s words—that long scar…

A shiver ran down his spine, mingled with annoyance. This wretched girl had kept such a secret! If this had only been discovered when they took her into the chambers, the shock would have been unbearable...

Thank heaven, thank heaven…

A look of utter disgust crossed the Marquis of Dingxi’s face, and he raised his leg, kicking her away.

Ah Hao was sent sprawling aside, biting her lip so fiercely that she dared not cry out loud.

"You dead girl! A life is at stake, stop playing mute!" he roared at her.

Magistrate Huang immediately lunged forward and knelt before Ah Hao with a thud.

The dignified, seven-foot man, the renowned Magistrate Huang.

"Miss, my child’s life is in your hands. I beg you, tell me who cured her," he called out, his voice rough.

Panic seized everyone in the room. The Marquis of Dingxi hastily pulled the magistrate back, while Ah Hao, equally terrified, scrambled to her knees and began striking her head against the floor toward Magistrate Huang, blood already slicking her forehead.

"It was the Young Mistress who treated you, wasn't it?" Chang Yancheng’s voice drifted in from the doorway.

The commotion in the room paused, and every eye turned toward him.

Ah Hao remained on the floor, sobbing and shaking, neither confirming nor denying, which in everyone’s eyes amounted to tacit agreement.

"I will go bring her back." Chang Yancheng asked no further questions. He gave a slight bow to Magistrate Huang, who was being helped up, and said, "Please wait here, Your Excellency."

With that, he turned and strode out. Those left in the room remained stunned.

"The Young Mistress?" Magistrate Huang mumbled, turning to the Marquis of Dingxi. "She really is a physician." The Marquis of Dingxi, too, was visibly shocked. He knew his daughter-in-law possessed some medical knowledge, but he never imagined it extended to performing abdominal surgery—cutting open a belly! Such skill, wasn't that the legendary ability of the divine physician Bian Que?

Heavens, no wonder Mother cherished this beggar girl like her own granddaughter; beauty truly was precious…

Madam Xie rose slowly, staring in utter horror in the direction Chang Yuncheng had departed.

The Young Mistress?

The Young Mistress?

That lowly wench… how could it be…

Qi Yue had been sitting by the pond with her fishing rod for half the day already.

"Young Mistress, time to come back for supper," A'ru whispered from behind her.

Qi Yue snapped back to attention, pulling her gaze from the lake’s surface, stretching languidly before standing up.

"Let’s go." She swung her fishing rod and turned.

A'ru followed with the small stool and the fishing creel.

From the side, a child, perhaps seven or eight years old, darted over with a whoosh.

"Halt! Stop right there!" a guard standing nearby shouted sternly.

Accompanying the shout, a spear whizzed through the air and plunged squarely into the earth right beside the child’s feet.

The child shrieked in fright, tumbling to the ground. The basket in his hands fell, spilling out four or five dumpling-shaped objects.

"Are you mad!" Qi Yue gasped, her heart nearly stopping, and she yelled at the guard.

A'ru immediately rushed to help the child.

"Don't move!" the guards commanded coldly, stepping forward to physically separate the child. "The Heir apparent commanded extreme caution in all matters."

"He's a child! Caution my foot!" Qi Yue couldn't help but curse.

"Young Mistress, we are in the North; even three-year-olds among the Dongnu are known to poison water sources," the guard stated, his tone as frigid as ice.

Qi Yue looked at them, opening her mouth, finally left speechless.

"What were you trying to do?" A'ru asked, steadying the child.

The child, already terrified, was now shaking uncontrollably.

"For, for Grandma to eat," he managed to utter with immense effort. After saying this, he shoved the basket toward them and scrambled away, half-crawling.

A'ru and Qi Yue called out "Hey, hey," but received no response.

"Young Mistress, it’s the child whose drowning we assisted that day," A'ru informed Qi Yue.

Qi Yue made an 'oh' sound. In the rush of that wet rescue, she hadn't gotten a clear look at his face and hadn't recognized him.

"Young Mistress, they are jiaozi [dumplings]," A'ru said, picking up the basket to examine its contents.

"Dumplings?" Qi Yue hurried over to look.

The guard snatched the basket from A'ru’s hand.

"Take it to feed the dogs," he ordered another guard before handing it over.

"Hey, hey..." Qi Yue quickly reached out to take them back, but the guard was already striding away.

"Young Mistress, do not consume foreign food," the guard said, turning back to gesture her away. "You have been out long enough; please return."

"I thought your job was to protect me, but I feel more like a prisoner here," Qi Yue sighed to him.

The guard remained expressionless, utterly ignoring her words.

Qi Yue pouted and walked back.

"I want dumplings," she announced.

"Yes, yes, we will steam some jiaozi," A'ru quickly replied.

"No, boiled dumplings, not steamed ones."

"Alright, boiled dumplings."

The mistress and servant re-entered in this exchange.

At dinner, hot, fragrant dumplings were served.

"Ha, ha." Qi Yue rubbed her hands together, looking impatient. "Let's taste dumplings from a thousand years ago…"

A'ru smiled, pursing her lips. After all the chaos that had unfolded, it was wonderful that the Young Mistress could still laugh and eat with such cheer.

"It’s just like treating an illness," Qi Yue declared, making a fist. "No matter what, never show weakness. The stronger you appear, the weaker your enemy becomes; the moment you falter, your foe grows stronger. So, always, no matter the sickness, whether you are the doctor or the patient, you must have faith and a positive attitude, believing you can overcome the sickness, overcome the difficulty. Even if you are scared stiff inside, you must feign fearlessness. It might just scare the illness or the enemy away, and perhaps even shift your luck. Think about it: fate hasn't even done much to you yet, and you're already sunk in despair, acting as if you're half-dead. The Spirit of Fate sees that, thinks, 'Ugh, beyond hope,' and then, you truly become beyond hope."

A'ru couldn't stop laughing at these words. She had no idea how the Young Mistress could always make people cheerful, even when discussing dire misfortune.

"See? Smile more; it looks so much better! Your complexion has even improved. You used to always carry such a long face, which isn't good; over time, it drains one’s spirit," Qi Yue chuckled, sitting down to examine the dumplings before her. "The dumplings here are huge—almost like buns."

A'ru broke into another burst of laughter, taking a moment before handing her the chopsticks.

"The guards got some too, right?" Qi Yue asked again.

"They did," A'ru smiled. "The Young Mistress is truly generous."

"Generous? No, one must distinguish between good and bad," Qi Yue laughed, pausing with her chopsticks. "It’s about being reasonable; they are stationed here, ultimately, to protect us."

A'ru nodded.

"Is there any wine?" Qi Yue asked, picking up a dumpling.

A'ru recalled Qi Yue drinking at the Mid-Autumn Banquet.

"Does the Young Mistress enjoy drinking so much? Is her tolerance high?" she asked with a smile, turning to fetch some wine.

"Not at all, not at all, just average," Qi Yue laughed. Seeing A'ru pour a cup and hand it over, she took a bite of dumpling and downed the wine in one gulp, sighing contentedly, "Dumplings and wine—the more you eat, the richer you get."

She then gestured for A'ru to pour more, but A'ru refused.

"Young Mistress... you are still injured."

"What injury is this? It’s fine, it’s fine. One more cup." Qi Yue laughed, getting up to try and snatch the bottle from A'ru's hands. "The alcohol content here is low, like sweet water..."

A'ru clutched the wine bottle, unwilling to yield.

The two began chasing each other toward the door. Just as A'ru was about to run out, she suddenly saw a figure standing silently at the threshold, letting out a startled shriek.

"The Heir apparent?" she cried out before seeing clearly who it was, then shouting in disbelief.

Qi Yue, who had grabbed a stool, advanced, her surprise mirroring A'ru's upon hearing the title "Heir apparent."

"What are you saying? Are your eyes playing tricks? Why is that foul man here again? Heavens, I’m not seeing things! Why are you back?" As she spoke, she walked over and let out a gasp herself.

Chang Yancheng ignored the woman, who was gaping at him and uttering harsh words, and strode into the room, making straight for the low kang table and seating himself.

Qi Yue and A'ru remained standing.

"Hey, brat, what are you doing here now? What else do you want?" Qi Yue picked up the stool she had dropped and yelled at him.

A'ru quickly rushed forward to hold Qi Yue back, shaking her head in terror.

Chang Yancheng paid them no mind, his expression heavy as he simply stared at the dumplings on the table.

"You seem to be living quite well," he suddenly remarked.

"I regret deeply that I haven't hanged myself again as you wished," Qi Yue grinned wryly.

Chang Yancheng snorted a laugh through his nose, said no more, picked up the chopsticks lying nearby, grabbed a dumpling, and began to eat.

"That one's mine," Qi Yue said, advancing with the stool still in hand.

Chang Yancheng ignored her and reached for the wine ewer on the side, pouring a drink for himself.

Qi Yue, quick-eyed and swift-handed, snatched her own wine cup away.

Chang Yancheng paused his reaching hand, then simply lifted the ewer and drank directly from it.

"Dumplings and wine…" he murmured to himself.

The highly combative Qi Yue heard this, instantly breaking out in a cold sweat. A'ru beside her also went instantly pale.

When had he arrived? How much had he overheard…?

Qi Yue frantically replayed her recent conversation, breaking into a colder sweat the more she recalled.

"These people are truly something. Why didn't anyone announce the Heir apparent's arrival? Such dreadful manners!" she exclaimed angrily toward the outside.

Chewing a dumpling, Chang Yancheng smiled faintly.

"Sit down," he said.

Qi Yue didn't move. A'ru subtly tugged at her sleeve.

Qi Yue remained standing. Am I supposed to sit just because he tells me to?

The atmosphere settled into a strange silence.

Due to the quiet, Chang Yancheng made short work of the dumplings; the plate was soon empty.

"Bring more," Chang Yancheng commanded.

"You can stomach our food? Aren't you afraid of being disgusted?" Qi Yue tutted mockingly.

"This servant will see," A'ru quickly said, turning to leave.

That spineless girl, Qi Yue thought irritably.

Standing by the empty plate on the kang table, Chang Yancheng and Qi Yue remained silently opposed.

"Who do you think did this?" Chang Yancheng suddenly asked.

Qi Yue’s mind was a tangled mess of thoughts—her recent monologue, whether she should confess being an (Otherworld Soul) or stubbornly deny it—when his question startled her into confusion.

"What?" she stammered.

Chang Yancheng looked up at her.

"What are you afraid of?" he frowned, scrutinizing her. "Perhaps you already know who was trying to harm you?"

Ah, so that's what he meant. Qi Yue let out a sigh of relief.

"I don't know," she said. "But logically, it must be someone who dislikes me, or someone who dislikes you."

Chang Yancheng looked at her.

"Shouldn't it be someone who dislikes you who would try to harm you?" he asked.

Qi Yue glanced at him.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend," she replied. "Everyone knows you dislike me, and just a moment ago, you were with me, seemingly not pleasantly. If I die, naturally, suspicion falls heaviest on you. This kind of act must be meant to vex you by people who dislike you."

Chang Yancheng watched her and smiled—a smile that seemed laced with self-mockery as he raised his wine cup and drained it.

"Of course, I'm just speculating. It’s not impossible that one of your fiercely loyal fans, trying to eliminate me so you can have peace, orchestrated it. Usually, such pig-headed allies are useless, especially since you are, by nature, a pig-headed master yourself," Qi Yue added with a laugh.

"Pig-headed allies…" Chang Yancheng chuckled, repeating the phrase, then noticed her final insult directed at him, and his expression darkened.

Qi Yue’s laughter grew louder.

"It’s truly laughable," Chang Yancheng said, looking at her. "Someone as clueless, unlikable, and repulsive as you is crystal clear, while my own close relatives are muddled."

Is that praise or an insult?

Qi Yue understood immediately: the boy was likely going to be treated as the primary suspect by his family once he returned. Serves him right, she thought triumphantly.

"That’s a matter of character, don't blame society," she laughed heartily.

Chang Yancheng frowned.

"What nonsense is that?" he scoffed. "Or perhaps, it’s 'care clouds judgment'?"

"Look at you, preening! Hahaha!" Qi Yue burst into fresh laughter.

Chang Yancheng watched her without speaking.

"You’re laughing so happily, and you see things so clearly. Does that mean you don’t care about me at all?" he suddenly remarked with a faint smile.

Of course I don't care about you, why would I?

"I am the victim; naturally, I must care about myself more," Qi Yue answered with a strained smile.

"You are right; people should look out for themselves," Chang Yancheng replied. "Whatever the case, it doesn't matter."

Qi Yue had no interest in continuing the exchange. She suddenly wanted to laugh and mock the boy again, but she also desperately wanted to leave. Should she use coercion or flattery to achieve this goal?

Coercion meant dignity but potentially no result; flattery meant losing dignity with no guaranteed positive outcome.

"Let’s go back," Chang Yancheng said, rising to his feet.

Qi Yue was momentarily stunned.

A'ru, carrying a plate of dumplings, walked back in at that moment.

"Pack up your things," Chang Yancheng instructed. "We leave tonight."

A'ru understood immediately and was so overjoyed she almost dropped the plate.

"Yes, yes, this servant will pack right away," she said breathlessly, setting the plate down.

"You mean... I get to go back?" Qi Yue asked, slightly disbelieving and surprised.

"You could also stay here," Chang Yancheng replied coolly, turning his head to look at her.

Qi Yue stared at him, taking a few steps closer.

"**

"Has no one told you that looking at a man like that is improper conduct?" Chang Yancheng shifted his gaze away, saying this.

Qi Yue ignored him and continued to stare, even circling him once.

"Ha, ha." She suddenly let out two sharp laughs, then erupted into roaring laughter.

A'ru was startled by her, assuming it was joy overflowing, and quickly moved to support her so she could sit down. Before A'ru could even touch Qi Yue’s arm, the sound of her laughter warped mid-giggle.

"Ahahaha~ Ouch…" Qi Yue clutched her waist with one hand and her head with the other, her body swaying unsteadily. "What's happening to me? Suddenly I'm dizzy and can't stand. A'ru, quickly, support me, I can’t catch my breath…"