Madam Xie finished speaking, and a serving girl immediately stepped forward with a brocade cushion. "Hold on," Chang Yuncheng quickly interjected, stopping the girl.

"Mother, what is this all about? What are you planning to do?" Madam Xie slowly toyed with her hand warmer, not looking at him.

"What is it?" she said slowly. "Can I no longer discipline your wife?" His mother was displeased, and Chang Yuncheng finally registered the situation.

But why? Why was this happening, and why was she targeting her specifically?

"Mother, tell me what she did wrong. If she’s slow to learn, you can teach her patiently," Chang Yuncheng said with a slight smile, settling down beside Madam Xie.

"There's nothing much to teach," Madam Xie gave a faint smile, raising her eyes to glance at him. "It’s quite simple.

I ordered her to kneel in the courtyard and confined her a few days ago. Did your wife obey?" Chang Yuncheng froze.

Kneeling... confinement...

If Madam Xie hadn't mentioned it, he wouldn't have even remembered. It was easy to imagine whether Qi Yue had paid any heed.

"She... hasn't really gone out much," Chang Yuncheng hesitated for a moment before finally saying.

Before his words had even fully landed, Madam Xie hurled the hand warmer across the room. The charcoal embers rolled onto the floor, scattering a string of sparks.

Chang Yuncheng, quick-eyed and quick-handed, splashed the tea from the table over them. The serving girls then began haphazardly throwing water to clean up the mess.

"Mother," Chang Yuncheng's face turned slightly pale as he knelt down beside the heated brick bed. "For that woman's sake, you're already lying.

You’ve really grown some nerve," Madam Xie scoffed. "What, is your wife wrong, and I can't even mete out a punishment?" Chang Yuncheng's expression became grim.

He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. "Please calm your anger, Mother," he finally managed to say.

"Calm my anger, calm my anger. Now you know to ask me to calm down?" Madam Xie laughed coldly.

"Don't think that just because your father protects you, you can discard all propriety. If you want to live without rules, wait until I’m dead." "Mother, why bring up such things at a time like this?" Chang Yuncheng quickly said.

"What's there to be afraid of? Everyone in their hearts has cursed me to death countless times.

If speaking about it meant it would come true, I would have died more times than I can count," Madam Xie sneered. Saying this, she shouted at the serving girl still standing nearby, "Hurry up and go!

Are you waiting for me to die too?" The little maid startled into silence from fright and quickly left. Chang Yuncheng watched the girl exit, anxiety etched on his face.

"Mother, Yue Niang is unwell..." He finally couldn't help but whisper, "Perhaps we should wait until she’s feeling better before she accepts your punishment..." Madam Xie looked at him and felt a surge of anger that gave her a headache. He was defending that woman again and again!

Even when she had clearly shown her anger, he still sought to shield her! Had he actually begun to feel something for this woman?

The thought flashed through Madam Xie’s mind, and she felt her vision darken, instinctively reaching out to steady her head. Chang Yuncheng jumped in alarm and quickly reached out to support her.

"Mother..." he stood up and called out in panic. Madam Xie waved a dismissive hand at him.

"Don't speak to me," she said coldly. Chang Yuncheng looked at her tightly pressed lips.

At that moment, the little maid timidly re-entered, hesitating with words unspoken, yet still holding the brocade cushion. Madam Xie lifted her eyes slightly and saw it.

"What is it?" she asked. "Young Mistress," the little maid whispered fearfully, "Young Mistress...

has left..." Left... what did that mean?

Madam Xie and Chang Yuncheng both froze for a moment before reacting. "Insolent!

Who allowed her to leave!" Madam Xie roared in fury. Who?

When had that woman ever listened to others? She always did whatever she wanted.

Such an action was entirely within her character... But, she just...

left so cleanly and decisively, not willing to bow her head even a little bit? Unwilling to bow her head, or perhaps because she simply didn't care.

Chang Yuncheng looked at the enraged Madam Xie, a bitter taste rising in his mouth. "Look at her!

She doesn't even need you to protect her; she truly takes care of herself!" Madam Xie looked at him and sneered, "Fine. Since she holds no regard for me, I naturally won't cling to her either.

From this day forward, she shall pretend she has no mother-in-law in me, and I shall have no daughter-in-law in her." "Mother," Chang Yuncheng quickly cried out, reaching to grasp Madam Xie’s sleeve. Madam Xie shook him off.

"Even now, you still speak for her... Chang Yuncheng..." Madam Xie looked at him, her trembling hand resting over her heart, her lips shaking.

Finally, she said nothing, merely pointing outward, "Get out!" Hearing the commotion, Nanny Su hurried forward. "Madam, please don't be too angry..." she called out urgently, then urged A’luan, "Quickly, quick, bring Madam's restorative pills." Chang Yuncheng looked at Madam Xie’s pale face and knelt down once more.

"Your son was wrong. Mother, please calm your anger," he said, reaching out to tightly hold Madam Xie's sleeve.

"Mother, are you alright? How do you feel?

Shall I call a doctor..." Madam Xie merely closed her eyes, her hand still pressed to her chest, silent. The room descended into chaos.

However, for Qi Yue, there was no chaos whatsoever. When she heard Madam Xie instruct the maid to fetch the kneeling cushion, she simply turned and walked away amidst the astonished stares of all the servants in the courtyard.

What a joke, kneeling? Don't make me laugh.

Qi Yue walked straight back to her own courtyard, only hearing later from a returning maid that Madam Xie was demanding a doctor be summoned. Qi Yue said nothing, telling them to keep watch on Madam Xie’s side and to report immediately if she showed any serious ailment.

Quezhi, quick-witted, agreed and left. Meanwhile, Qiu Xiang watched A’ru, seemingly wanting to speak but holding back.

"Don't bother telling me; she can't be persuaded," A’ru sighed with a wry smile. "The Young Mistress is not the type to admit fault or lower her head even when she's clearly in the right." That was certainly true.

Qiu Xiang sighed. Never mind when she was clearly in the wrong, even when she seemed at fault, she could twist the situation with a few words to make it seem like she wasn't wrong.

"But Madam is unhappy. How can the Shizi be happy?

Things were just getting better, and now they're going to be estranged again," she lamented. A’ru also sighed.

If the mother-in-law disliked the wife but the husband favored her, having the mother-in-law’s protection made life easier. But if the husband favored the wife, and the mother-in-law disliked her, then life would be...

The atmosphere in the courtyard grew heavy and stifled. Before long, Quezhi returned.

"Madam is fine; the doctor has left," she stated the main points clearly and succinctly. "The Shizi is kneeling by Madam’s side." Hearing this, Qiu Xiang couldn't help but start speaking, but Qi Yue had already stood up.

"You two wait here at home," she instructed. Qiu Xiang and A’ru were momentarily stunned.

Watching Qi Yue walk out, despite her order to wait, they couldn't possibly stay put. They hurried after her and saw Qi Yue arriving at Madam Xie's courtyard.

In the courtyard, Chang Yuncheng was kneeling rigidly on the ground. Qi Yue walked over and knelt beside him.

Chang Yuncheng ignored her, acting as if he hadn't noticed the addition of another person beside him. Qi Yue also remained silent, simply kneeling as upright as he was.

Time passed slowly. This was the first time Qi Yue had endured such hardship.

The ground was hard, cold, and unforgiving. She could barely endure it after a short while, but catching sight of Chang Yuncheng in her peripheral vision, she gritted her teeth and persisted.

Others accompanied their men enjoying flowers, the moon, and scenery; she accompanied her man in kneeling as punishment—it was a unique kind of romance. If this were modern times, she wouldn't even have the chance to seek out such an experience.

Thinking this, Qi Yue couldn't help but purse her lips and smile. The smile faded as a piercing ache shot up from her knees.

This might give her arthritis. Why did Madam Xie favor such a punishment?

While distracting herself with fanciful thoughts to push away the pain, Chang Yuncheng reached over from his side and pulled over a brocade cushion, pushing it toward her. Qi Yue looked at him.

Chang Yuncheng neither looked at her nor spoke. Qi Yue remained kneeling, unmoving.

"Kneel on this," Chang Yuncheng said sternly. "My skirt is thick; you can use it," Qi Yue replied.

Chang Yuncheng’s mouth tightened as he refused to look at her. Nanny Su stepped away from the curtain.

Inside, Madam Xie was leaning against a bolster, eyes half-closed, apparently asleep. "Madam, the Young Mistress has also come to kneel," Nanny Su said softly.

Madam Xie gave a cold laugh. "Too late," she said.

Nanny Su assented, then spoke again. "...Still, perhaps you should let them rise," she murmured.

Madam Xie suddenly snapped her eyes open and sat up straight. "What?

She dares to kneel to me, and I don't dare let her kneel?" she asked coldly. Nanny Su chuckled.

"Of course, Madam dares. It's just..." she said, glancing outside, "it would play right into her hands." Madam Xie frowned slightly.

"...If she had just left like that, it would have been fine. But she came back, kneeling alongside the Shizi.

The longer the punishment lasts, the more the Shizi’s anger will dissipate, and instead, he will pity her. Look, look at that woman’s feigned delicacy..." Nanny Su whispered.

Madam Xie looked up and peered out the window. She saw the woman beside her son sway slightly, as if she couldn't bear it anymore.

The moment she moved, Chang Yuncheng, though not looking at her, furrowed his brow slightly... "Get them both out of my sight," Madam Xie said coldly, lying back down.

The Shizi's courtyard was thrown into a frenzy as the couple returned. Qi Yue had clearly never endured such suffering.

She hugged both knees, wishing she could roll on the bed to soothe the pain. After finally applying the medicated wine, it felt as though half her life had been taken by the throbbing ache.

During this time, Chang Yuncheng remained seated rigidly, showing no movement or expression. The maids dared not approach him to tend to his discomfort.

"How are your legs? Rub some medicated wine in to ward off the cold..." Qi Yue ground out through clenched teeth.

"Everyone out," Chang Yuncheng barked suddenly. The maids startled and fled in confusion as ordered.

Only the husband and wife remained in the room. "Mother only cares about saving face.

What does it cost you to grant her that face? Filial piety—if you are not compliant, where is the filial piety?

If you are not filial, how can you expect your mother to favor you?" Chang Yuncheng looked at her, his voice sharp and dry. Qi Yue sighed.

"How should I put it," she said, frowning slightly. "You are correct, your mother wants face.

But this 'face' is not something I can grant her just by kneeling and accepting her scolding. This 'face' is dependent on me..." She pointed to herself and looked at Chang Yuncheng.

"Me, this daughter-in-law from a beggar background, the one the Old Madam forced upon you. No matter what I do or say, my very existence is an insult to her sense of propriety," she stated.

"Chang Yuncheng, how am I supposed to comply with her wishes? Asking me to leave your household—that is probably the only way to truly comply with her." Leave!

It had been some time since he'd heard that word. Chang Yuncheng stood up abruptly.

"In the end, you still haven't forgotten about the possibility of heli (divorce/separation)," he said, turning and walking away. Qi Yue called out twice.

That wasn't what she meant at all! Chang Yuncheng had already strode out the door.