Qi Yue and Chang Yuncheng hadn't spoken for two days. The news quickly reached Madam Xie, who was overjoyed.

"Brother Cheng truly understands me," she sighed to wet nurse Su. "That woman is only noisy in front of others; she can’t get her way with Brother Cheng." Wet nurse Su smiled in agreement, but somehow felt that things might not be quite as they seemed.

After attending to Madam Xie, she found a young maidservant. "Go ask what is going on between the Heir and the Young Mistress," she whispered the instruction.

The maidservant promptly left. "I couldn't find out anything specific.

They just said everything is fine, except they argue every night," the maid returned after making inquiries. Arguing every night?

Wet nurse Su was quite puzzled. Why would that be?

"Why do they argue?" she asked. The maidservant shook her head; this detail was impossible to pry out.

"The Heir and the Young Mistress both dislike having servants around. When they are in their chambers, not even Qiuxiang or Aru dare to enter," the maid said.

A man and a woman alone... Wet nurse Su frowned.

Inside the room, Madam Xie was examining a pair of shoe uppers, while a young maid stood beside her, pointing and murmuring something. "Oh my, who made these?

They are exquisite," Wet nurse Su praised. "This is a New Year's gift Miss Yufang sent to her aunt.

She sent one for me too, see if it fits?" Madam Xie said with a smile. Wet nurse Su couldn't possibly say it didn't fit; she praised the shoe uppers until they bloomed with imaginary flowers.

She handed the little maid a handful of cash to dismiss her. "The Second Madam sent word.

The Palace has replied," Madam Xie said, looking at wet nurse Su with a smile. This was the most relaxed smile wet nurse Su had seen from her recently; she immediately understood the situation and murmured a blessing.

"As long as the Marquis submits his memorial, Noble Consort will speak on our behalf," Madam Xie also breathed a sigh of relief and muttered a blessing. "My child, there is finally hope." She then busied herself ordering someone to summon Chang Yuncheng.

"The Heir went out early this morning," a maid came in to report. Madam Xie angrily slapped the table.

"It's all because of that wretched servant girl," she seethed. "Madam, shall we ask the Young Mistress to come?" wet nurse Su suggested.

Madam Xie gave a cold laugh. "I won't call her here.

Why should I talk to her, only to have her cause a scene? With the Marquis's reputation, he can't stand his precious daughter-in-law sulking.

I won't let her spoil Brother Cheng's plans. Once the cooked rice is served, then we'll see how she looks!" she said with a cold sneer, already picturing the look on that lowly maid’s face, unable to suppress the smile spreading across her features.

When Chang Yuncheng went out, Qi Yue was still at home. Watching Chang Yuncheng stride out without a word, Qi Yue's expression was somewhat complicated.

Aru helped her arrange her clothes while softly trying to persuade her. "This can't go on like this; one of you has to yield, right?" she said.

"Nothing has happened, so why is he putting on such a sour face?" Qi Yue retorted. "You acted that way, and you call that nothing?" Aru whispered.

Qi Yue snapped back to attention and glared at her. "Hey, what way?" she demanded.

Aru turned her head away, blushing slightly. "Aha, eavesdropping, are we?" Qi Yue grabbed her arm.

Aru suppressed a laugh, her face still red. "That's not eavesdropping, it's a servant's duty," she said, deciding to stop hiding.

This time, it was Qi Yue's turn to blush. She had heard that in ancient times, maids sometimes attended to couples during intimacy; although she hadn't encountered the exaggerated versions yet, the thought of her recent skirmishes with Chang Yuncheng and a group of maids pressed against the door listening...

"Oh, you wicked girl!" Her face burned hot, and she raised her hand to strike Aru. Aru dodged with a smile.

"Young Mistress, are you... shy?" Since the conversation had gone this far, Aru decided to speak plainly.

"I, I, what is there to be shy about?" Qi Yue glared, asserting herself. Aru bit her lip, smiling.

"A few jugs of wine made me sell myself? I'm too cheap," Qi Yue huffed, throwing on her cloak.

"See? You understand perfectly well.

The Heir is truly sincere towards you," Aru said with a smile as she fastened her warm sleeves. Qi Yue sighed.

"Aru, people's hearts are fickle, impossible to truly see," she murmured, looking at the clearing sky. "I dare not take it!" This last sound was so low even she barely heard it.

Despite these words, when Chang Yuncheng entered the room as night fell, Qi Yue, who had been sketching the diagram for Yan'er's cleft lip and palate surgery, put down her brush. "Hey," she called out to Chang Yuncheng, who was having a maid remove his heavy cloak.

Chang Yuncheng ignored her, dropped his clothes, and walked toward his side of the room. Qi Yue slipped off the heated brick bed, waved off the maid, who bowed and retreated.

"Have you eaten?" Qi Yue asked, standing in the main room, looking toward the bedroom. Chang Yuncheng was pouring himself tea with clinking sounds.

"Hey," Qi Yue walked in, feeling a strong urge to laugh. "Chang Yuncheng." Chang Yuncheng kept his back turned, still ignoring her.

"Chang Yuncheng," Qi Yue poked him gently on the back with her finger. "Don't touch me," Chang Yuncheng said, shaking his hand off.

Qi Yue burst into laughter. "Hey, you little-minded brute," she teased.

"Why does a grown man like you sulk?" Chang Yuncheng turned his face toward her, his expression stern. "If I'm unhappy, why can't I look displeased?" he retorted.

Qi Yue couldn't help but chuckle harder. Chang Yuncheng watched her laugh with a cold face, then raised his foot to walk toward the door.

Qi Yue quickly reached out and grabbed his arm. "Don't go, don't go," she said with a smile.

A flicker of joy crossed Chang Yuncheng's eyes. "If someone has to leave, it should be me," Qi Yue added, still smiling.

Chang Yuncheng raised his arm to break free, but it was a movement to disengage, not a forceful shove, ensuring he wouldn't knock Qi Yue off balance. Qi Yue watched the man stride toward the exit.

"Chang Yuncheng, can you give me some time?" she asked. "After all, what happened before isn't something you can just forget.

You must know, there was a time I would rather hang myself than continue living." The foot Chang Yuncheng had placed outside the door paused, then he continued stepping forward. Qi Yue sighed, deciding not to speak further, and started walking toward her own side of the room.

"I'm going to pay my respects to Mother. Are you coming?" Chang Yuncheng’s voice came from the doorway.

Qi Yue froze for a moment, then smiled at the man who had stopped, lips curved. "If I go, your mother might not be pleased," she said.

"Then do you plan to never go?" Chang Yuncheng asked gruffly. "Since you know she's unhappy, why not do something to make her happy?" The only thing that would make his mother happy would be me being driven out, Qi Yue thought to herself, but she still managed an "Oh." "Wait for me to get my cloak," she said.

Madam Xie, who was already preparing for rest, was delighted to hear the Heir had arrived, but when she learned Qi Yue had come with him, her face fell again, and she sat back down. "Just say I've retired," she said curtly.

This wretched maid was clinging tighter and tighter to her son. Wet nurse Su acknowledged the order and pulled the curtain down before exiting.

Hearing Madam Xie's message relayed, Qi Yue spread her hands toward Chang Yuncheng with a smile. "See?

I told you. Your mother doesn't want to see me at all.

By bringing me along, she refuses to even see you," she remarked. The two had already returned, with maids and servants holding lanterns behind them, maintaining a few paces of distance.

"What nonsense are you speaking?" Chang Yuncheng frowned. "Mother has merely retired." Men always believed that mothers and wives were eternally harmonious; Qi Yue pouted.

"I'm not speaking nonsense. I know perfectly well.

Everyone in the household knows—no one here likes me," she said, gently fanning her large cloak, allowing glimpses of her deerskin boots. "Doesn't what you just said sound chilling?" Chang Yuncheng said soberly.

Qi Yue laughed heartily. "If anyone should feel chilled, it should be me," she chuckled, but then thought, what did it matter?

Why would she feel disheartened over someone who was utterly indifferent to her? Chang Yuncheng stopped moving, looking at her with a heavy expression.

"But, that's all in the past," Qi Yue quickly smiled. "We must look forward, mustn't we?" Chang Yuncheng remained still.

Qi Yue smiled and reached out to pat his arm. "That's enough, such a grown man.

Why so much pettiness, acting like a young lady," she teased. Chang Yuncheng raised his hand and gripped the hand she had placed on his arm.

Qi Yue flinched, immediately trying to pull hers back. "You talk too much, woman," Chang Yuncheng muttered under his breath, striding forward.

"Where did you invent all this trivial nonsense? So noisy!" He kept his hand firmly clasped around Qi Yue's and didn't let go; Qi Yue had no choice but to be pulled along.

With maids and servants following both in front and behind, Qi Yue's face instantly flushed crimson. She struggled twice but to no avail, forced to quicken her pace to keep up.

Stepping out of the cold night into the warm indoors, perhaps due to the change in temperature or something else, both their faces were slightly flushed. Qi Yue tried to shake off his hand, feeling utterly uncomfortable, and hurried toward her own quarters.

"Hey," Chang Yuncheng called after her. Qi Yue stopped mid-stride and turned back.

"You want..." Chang Yuncheng started to say. Qi Yue spat out a soft sound, pulling aside the door curtain.

"I was just asking if you wanted a late-night snack," Chang Yuncheng mumbled, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "This foul woman, where did her thoughts go?

Truly vulgar." Remember Niu Pipipi Academy for the fastest, latest text updates. Remember Niu Pipipi Academy for the fastest, latest text updates.

The demeanor of the couple the next day brought relief to the maids. "I told you it would be fine; husband and wife always make up after a fight in bed," Qiuxiang whispered with a smile to Aru.

Aru also let out a breath and instinctively put her hands together in a silent prayer. "Heaven be praised, may things settle down quickly," she murmured.

As this cold war ended, good news also arrived from Liu Pucheng's side. "The matter is handled?" Qi Yue asked, a hint of excitement in her voice.

Liu Pucheng's expression was somewhat complicated. "It is handled, but it can only be done there," he hesitated before saying.

Meaning they couldn't bring the bodies to the Qianjintang. Qi Yue understood; that was forgivable.

After all, the dead—ancient people held many taboos regarding the body. Moreover, Qianjintang wasn't just a school; it involved business, and corpses were generally considered inauspicious for commerce.

"Then let it be there," Qi Yue said, though she didn't know where 'there' was. "It's just that the location..." Liu Pucheng looked even more troubled, stumbling over his words as if he had a difficult secret to keep.

"And it has to be done at night... this sort of thing cannot see the light of day." The ancients revered the body and hair given by parents; desecration after death was absolutely unacceptable, so such matters naturally had to be conducted secretly.

Qi Yue nodded; she understood. "At night," she mused briefly.

Given her current status, leaving freely at night was indeed inconvenient. "I'll think of a way."