The low murmuring inside the room suddenly ceased, quickly followed by a sharp cry. Outside, under the eaves, Aru and Qiuxiang immediately signaled the maids in the courtyard, who smoothly withdrew.

This time, the commotion was far more severe than before.

Aru and Qiuxiang exchanged a glance. Beyond the shouting and cursing, there was the sound of shattering porcelain. Both maids’ expressions grew anxious.

Did they actually come to blows this time? Should they go look? No…

The two maids outside the door were fraught with worry.

“Aru.”

Qi Yue’s voice called from inside.

Aru immediately hurried to push the door open and enter, and Qiuxiang, after a moment’s hesitation, followed her in.

Neither maid dared to look up, their eyes fixed on the scattered pieces of a vase on the floor near the bedroom, and the overturned tables and stools.

Qi Yue’s white gown came into their view.

“Bring something to bandage the Shizi Ye’s head,” she instructed.

Aru and Qiuxiang jumped, raising their heads to see Chang Yuncheng sitting over there, blood trickling down his forehead.

Qiuxiang cried out in alarm and rushed forward.

Aru, however, quickly turned and hurried to the opposite room to fetch the medical kit.

Chang Yuncheng, not waiting for the maids to approach, stood up.

“Hey, if you walk out looking like that, aren’t you afraid of disgracing yourself?” Qi Yue shouted.

Chang Yuncheng paused his steps.

“I’ve already disgraced myself; does one more time matter?” he roared, turning to pull back the curtain and storm out.

Aru stood frozen, holding the medical pouch, not knowing what to do.

“Don’t mind him,” Qi Yue bit out, covering her ripped neckline with one hand. “Find me some clothes.”

Aru responded with an ‘Understood’ and signaled to Qiuxiang with her eyes.

Qiuxiang caught the meaning and quickly left.

“Young Mistress, what are you doing!” Aru couldn’t help but exclaim anxiously this time, following Qi Yue into her own bedchamber.

“Self-defense!” Qi Yue said, raising an eyebrow.

“Self-defense against your own husband?” Aru stamped her foot, glancing anxiously toward the outside. “If Madam and the Marquis find out, what will happen?”

“What will happen? Oh, he can sleep whenever he wants now, but three years ago, why couldn’t I sleep? What kind of logic is that! Injury? A knock to the forehead is light; what about your young mistress? Dead…” Qi Yue said, her eyebrows sharply raised.

Before she could finish, Aru lunged forward and clamped a hand over her mouth.

“Auntie, please keep your voice down,” Aru said in a low voice, cold sweat beading on her forehead.

Qi Yue snorted and sat down.

Aru looked at Qi Yue’s torn clothing and the purplish-red bite marks on her neck, quickly averting her gaze to fetch clothes from the cabinet.

Silence settled in the room.

“So, what do you plan to do?” Aru asked softly after bringing the clothes, a sigh in her voice.

Qi Yue unfastened her own garments.

“That depends on what he plans to do,” she stated. “A man respects me one foot, I respect him ten feet.”

Aru reached out to help her remove the garment and put on a new one.

“But the Shizi Ye is like this; how much more respect do you expect him to show you?” she murmured.

“Hey, how is he?” Qi Yue looked at her and smiled. “I don’t want much; it’s very simple—just two words: respect.”

Respect?

What exactly was this respect?

Aru looked worried and confused.

When Aru came out, she couldn't see Qiuxiang and knew she had followed Chang Yuncheng, filling her heart with unease. The other maids in the courtyard were chatting and busy, unaware of what had happened.

Aru paced back and forth, distracted, and just as her anxiety peaked, she finally saw Qiuxiang hurrying back.

“What…” she moved to meet her, asking in a low voice.

Qiuxiang waved her off, and the two slipped into the adjacent side room.

“It’s fine; he’s already been bandaged,” she whispered.

“What about the Marquis and Madam…” Aru asked anxiously in a low tone.

“They found out on the way; the Marquis and Madam know. The Shizi Ye went to see the Marquis and Madam. Guess what he told them?” Qiuxiang said.

Aru was so frantic she felt like she was about to catch fire.

“Auntie, stop guessing; look at the time,” she stamped her foot and whispered.

Qiuxiang smiled, pursing her lips.

“The Shizi Ye truly is one hundred and one percent good to the Young Mistress,” she sighed contentedly.

Aru reached out and pinched her cheek. Qiuxiang dodged with a laugh.

“Alright, alright, I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you,” she chuckled. “The Shizi Ye said he got into a fight with Young Master Fan, the son-in-law of the Wang family…”

“What?” Aru was stunned.

In the Rong’an Courtyard, maids and servants were rushed around fetching tea, water, and medicine. Madam Xie dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief.

“Go invite the physician—the old physician An, whom my mother always uses, invite him…” She suddenly remembered something else and said to the maids.

“What physician? We have a divine doctor right here in the household; why invite others?” Marquis Dingxi said from the side.

“It’s because of her!” Madam Xie cried out. “It’s all because she stirs up trouble that Cheng Ge got hurt! Marquis, we cannot keep her in this house; send her to the estate immediately!”

“It can’t exactly be called her stirring up trouble; it was the Wang family…” Marquis Dingxi frowned, though his tone was slightly softened.

Madam Xie seized upon the hesitation in his voice.

“If she hadn't gone to cause trouble, would the Wang family have bothered with her?” she sneered. “All for some low-class physician, and a man at that. Who knows what outsiders are saying now!”

Marquis Dingxi’s brow furrowed even deeper.

“Don’t talk nonsense; that is her disciple, of course, she must be cared for,” he said, rising. “I’ll send someone to the Wang family…”

“Father.” Chang Yuncheng, who had been silent until now, spoke up.

Marquis Dingxi looked at him.

“Father, this matter is between myself and Young Master Fan; it does not involve both families,” Chang Yuncheng said, rising to offer a formal bow. “Father, please do not intervene; I will resolve it myself.”

Marquis Dingxi huffed.

“I wasn’t planning to resolve it for you. Once is enough; I don’t have time to clean up your messes every day!” he said. “However, a man respects who respects him. The Wang family bowed their heads first last time, so this time I must give them face.”

Saying this, he called an attendant and ordered gifts to be prepared immediately and sent to the Wang family.

Meanwhile, Madam Xie held onto Chang Yuncheng, torn between concern and tears.

“That’s enough; it was just a bump, not that bad. You’ve had worse injuries fighting before. Go back to your courtyard to recover,” Marquis Dingxi said with a stern face.

“Yes,” Chang Yuncheng replied respectfully, rising.

Watching Chang Yuncheng leave, Madam Xie was heartbroken.

“Marquis, have you finished writing that memorial?” she asked urgently.

Marquis Dingxi coughed.

“I’m writing it, I’m writing it,” he replied.

“Hurry up; Yuncheng will be leaving soon. Get the marriage settled before he leaves; he’ll feel more at ease abroad,” Madam Xie urged.

Marquis Dingxi murmured in agreement twice.

“But we need to wait for the right opportunity—sound out the Emperor’s mood recently. Otherwise, we might fail to secure the marriage and end up snubbed…” he said.

Not long after, the messenger sent to the Wang family returned.

“I saw it with my own eyes; Young Master Fan was injured far more severely than our Shizi Ye…” the steward said with enthusiasm.

“Naturally~” Marquis Dingxi said with a hint of smugness, but then quickly restrained his smile. “What did Old Master Wang say?”

“Old Master Wang was very pleased, saying the Marquis was being too cautious, and that adults shouldn't meddle in the affairs of children,” the steward said with a smile, presenting the gift list. “This is Old Master Wang’s reciprocal gift.”

Wang Tongye was genuinely surprised that Marquis Dingxi had sent someone over with gifts. After learning the reason Fan Yilin was beaten by Chang Yuncheng, he sincerely felt Fan Yilin had gotten off too lightly. He wouldn't even have known how to apologize for such an incident, yet the Marquis Dingxi residence had made the first move.

Wang Tongye had no idea that Chang Yuncheng was merely using Fan Yilin as a convenient shield. He was both moved and impressed, feeling the Marquis Dingxi residence had shown tremendous courtesy, so his return gift was even more substantial than the Marquis’s.

This exchange only strengthened the relationship between the two households, which was something Chang Yuncheng hadn't anticipated.

Chang Yuncheng did not return to his courtyard but spent a restless night in the study. The next day, he had no desire to go out until a servant announced that Young Master Fan had arrived.

Chang Yuncheng didn’t immediately recall which Young Master Fan this was, but when he did, he frowned.

Why was that little rascal here?

Fan Yilin didn't know why he had come either. He had been dragged out of his warm bed by his father-in-law early that morning, hastily swallowed some food, and then sent off with instructions to pay respects to the Shizi Ye of Marquis Dingxi.

He was injured, alright? He was the one who got hit, so why was he supposed to console the perpetrator?

Fan Yilin fought back tears. A father-in-law was a father-in-law; he couldn't compare to his own father.

“Is the Young Mistress in there as well?” he asked the young attendant leading the way.

If he came, he should at least gain some benefit...

The curtain to the room was suddenly yanked open, and Chang Yuncheng stood at the doorway, his face dark.

Fan Yilin shrank his neck, feeling the winter wind grow colder, but soon he straightened up and stared wide-eyed at Chang Yuncheng.

The blow to Chang Yuncheng’s forehead wasn't severe—just broken skin, little blood loss, now slightly bruised and swollen.

“Oh? Shizi Ye, how are you…” Fan Yilin couldn't help but exclaim.

Chang Yuncheng turned and went back inside; the curtain was dropped heavily.

Did he fight back bravely at the time? Fan Yilin was astonished and tried hard to recall the moment, then stepped into the room.

Chang Yuncheng was already seated at the table, picking up a book.

“Stop the nonsense. Look quickly and then scram,” he said coldly.

Fan Yilin ignored him, curiously observing Chang Yuncheng’s room. His eyes landed on the bedding and the fiercely burning charcoal brazier set up in the inner chamber.

A charcoal fire burning in the study’s inner room so early in the morning could only mean he had spent the night there...

Fan Yilin was very familiar with this scene and immediately understood.

He recalled his conversation with his wife yesterday—that Chang Yuncheng and his wife still hadn't consummated their marriage. If Chang Yuncheng hadn't had an unspeakable reason, then they simply didn't want to. If yesterday it wasn't certain who didn't want to, Fan Yilin was now quite sure.

What a fiery beauty...

She was truly captivating!

Fan Yilin couldn’t help but chuckle.

Chang Yuncheng heard the laugh and violently slapped his book onto the table.

Fan Yilin flinched in fright.

“Shizi Ye, rest assured, I will keep your secret,” he didn't turn to run but instead slumped onto a chair, looking at Chang Yuncheng with a grin.

“Do you think I need you to?” Chang Yuncheng scoffed.

Fan Yilin sobered up.

“Of course, Shizi Ye doesn't need to care about such trivial matters, but,” he patted his chest, inadvertently hitting the painful spot of his injury, letting out a groan, momentarily ruining his composed image, then quickly sat straight and continued, “but, I care.”

Chang Yuncheng looked at him as if he were seeing a madman.

“Shizi Ye’s sentiment of protecting and cherishing the Young Mistress is truly admirable and something everyone should care about,” Fan Yilin looked back at him, speaking with genuine sincerity.

Chang Yuncheng’s expression was as if he had seen a ghost.