When Lady Xie took the memorial, Marquis Dingxi took several deep breaths to steady himself. Just as he calmed down, seeing Lady Xie's expression, he immediately panicked again.

"What did it say?" he couldn't help but ask. "Approved or rejected?"

Lady Xie looked at the memorial, her expression peculiar.

"I don't know…" she said, handing the memorial to him. "My Lord, you look. Is it approved or rejected?"

What do you mean you don't know? Is she illiterate?

Marquis Dingxi frowned and snatched it, then he too was stunned into silence.

The bright vermilion characters on the memorial were striking. The Emperor’s marginalia was always brief and clear. Once, an imperial censor wrote pages upon pages detailing how this matter was wrong, how it shouldn't be encouraged, and how it was ruining the nation. The Emperor read it and replied with only one word: Scram. Simple, direct, sharp, and final. And so, the censor scrambled away.

Emperor Yuqing was different from his grandfather and father. Perhaps it was because he was the third generation; compared to the hardship-forged Great Ancestor and the balanced Taizong who fought alongside him, this Emperor possessed a somewhat capricious nature, prone to sudden changes in mood.

Thus, Marquis Dingxi was very anxious.

Of course, this reply to the Marquis was not a single word, but several.

"Matters between husband and wife, if the couple agrees, what business is it of Mine?"

Marquis Dingxi read it aloud, then looked at Lady Xie upon finishing.

"So, is it approved, or not approved?" he asked as well.

Useless fool! Lady Xie cursed internally.

The couple studied it for the entire night before finally grasping the Emperor’s meaning.

"The Emperor means this is between us," Lady Xie explained. "If we agree, he won't interfere."

Marquis Dingxi smirked derisively.

"Are you an idiot? What 'us'? Am I taking a new wife?" he scoffed, muttering, "Although, I wouldn't mind taking another one…"

Lady Xie was furious, letting out a cold laugh.

"You’d need the fortune for that," she retorted. You try leaving home for three years. You try fighting the Dongnu in the bitter cold of Mobei with real swords. You try sustaining seven or eight sword and arrow wounds. Thinking of this, Lady Xie couldn't help but weep.

My child… you suffered so much…

"Why are you crying? This is good news," Marquis Dingxi said, bewildered. "Women’s tears are so cheap."

"I’m not as stone-hearted as you!" Lady Xie tearfully shot back.

Marquis Dingxi couldn't be bothered arguing with a woman whose mind was clearly clouded. He sat to one side, occasionally chuckling as he reread the memorial.

This was the Emperor showing him respect! It proved that the Emperor still considered him one of his own, caring enough to involve himself in his household affairs…

"Go, summon that couple over and ask them," he declared proudly.

Lady Xie snorted dismissively.

"Ask? Ask what?" she said. "Do matters like this require asking them? Our Chang family taking wives and concubines to spread the lineage is a matter of course. What? Are they going to disagree? What would that make us?"

Marquis Dingxi realized she had a point. Speaking of which, his own lineage was indeed sparse. His son had achieved merit and career; it was high time to raise more children.

"However, what about that girl from the Rao family in Shandong? Since the Emperor has spoken, why don't we make it public? Perhaps better families will seek an alliance with us now," he murmured with a sly smile.

Just on the strength of the Emperor personally approving the memorial—what prestige! By then, countless houses would be scrambling to intermarry with them. Why should the Rao family alone benefit?

Lady Xie immediately understood the Marquis's calculation.

"My Lord, I cannot do something so heartless and unjust!" she stood up to say. "She is a decent girl who was willing to wait while we were still undecided, unafraid of wasting her youth. The Rao family also humbled themselves. Now that things are settled, you want to turn tail and deny them? What kind of conduct is that! If this gets out, how will our Yüncheng show its face in the world!"

Marquis Dingxi remained silent, still pondering.

"Besides," Lady Xie huffed, "do you truly think this worked out solely because of us?" She continued, "If the Second Madam hadn't pleaded with Consort Dong…"

Hearing this, Marquis Dingxi interjected.

"It wasn't entirely her, either. I sent the Empress a basket of taro root as well…" he said.

Lady Xie glared in frustration. Marquis Dingxi, feeling his taro roots paled in comparison to Consort Dong’s favor, chuckled weakly and said nothing more.

"Why would Consort Dong help, if not for the sake of the Rao family? Now that things are done, we try to burn the bridge after crossing it. I guarantee you, before those other families can start fighting to marry into ours, the Emperor will find some pretext to reprimand us!" Lady Xie said hotly.

Marquis Dingxi sighed. What a pity—such a glorious matter they couldn't even announce publicly. Is there anything more agonizing in this world than achieving success only to hide it like a thief in the night?

"Then I don't care. You handle it," he said, losing interest. He waved his hand, yawning. He hadn't slept well all night. Thinking of the new, tender little maid in the study made his heart yearn.

He got up to leave.

"Aunt Liu has sent for you several times. You should go visit her side as well," Lady Xie said, feeling charitable since she was in a good mood.

Marquis Dingxi mumbled an indistinct assent, either hearing or not, and walked away.

Lady Xie paid him no mind and happily stroked the memorial.

"Go, tell the Second Madam." She started to walk, then stopped. "No, I’ll go myself."

After a few steps, she reconsidered. "Or perhaps I should call Yüncheng first, tell him so he can be happy too?"

Mama Su draped her cloak for her.

"Madam, one after the other, it’s almost the same time," she said with a smile.

Lady Xie also smiled.

"I was so worried," she said, reaching up to touch her chest. "This is the first time I'm marrying in a daughter-in-law. I don't know what to do, Mama Su, you must help me."

She clasped Mama Su’s hand tightly.

"When the time comes, Madam just needs to speak, and there will be plenty of people to help. Whether I can be of use is another matter," Mama Su replied with a laugh.

Lady Xie smiled too. The two women left the room one after the other, heading toward the Second Madam’s quarters.

Meanwhile, Chang Yüncheng and Qi Yue were about to have breakfast, and they were eating in their room, not the main dining hall.

The maids laid out the dishes with their heads down. The scent of lingering pleasure after their intimacy made their faces flush as they hastily fled.

"Eat this," Qi Yue instructed.

Chang Yüncheng immediately picked up a fried pastry and offered it to Qi Yue, placing it in her open mouth.

"Anything else you want?" he asked.

"I don't want any more," Qi Yue leaned back against the bolster, saying languidly.

"You've only eaten a little," Chang Yüncheng frowned, crossing over to pull her gently. "Get up quickly and eat a bit more."

Qi Yue wouldn't move.

"I’m exhausted, I can’t eat," she retorted, glaring.

Chang Yüncheng smiled, set down his chopsticks, and grasped her feet.

"Let me rub them for you," he whispered, letting his hand travel up her calf.

Qi Yue kicked him playfully, and Chang Yüncheng laughed, pulling her into his embrace.

"I tired you out. I’ll satiate you," he chuckled intimately by her ear.

Qi Yue’s body softened from his tone and words, and she reached out to pinch his waist hard.

Chang Yüncheng ignored her, picking up more food to feed her. Qi Yue had no choice but to swallow mouthful after mouthful.

This meal lasted nearly half an hour.

After eating, Qi Yue wanted to read, and Chang Yüncheng pressed close again.

"Hey, aren't you going out to wander around?" Qi Yue asked.

"Do you want to go out?" Chang Yüncheng asked, rubbing her hair again. It was strange; why did she smell fragrant everywhere?

Qi Yue shook her head and reached out to push him away.

"Stop sticking to me all the time. Go play outside," she said.

Chang Yüncheng’s face fell, and in retaliation, he pulled her back into his arms.

"I have to go to the Qianjintang later; I have a lecture today," Qi Yue added, trying to break free from his embrace.

Why was he acting so childish, clinging like a toddler? He hadn't been like this before.

"I’m coming too," Chang Yüncheng rose with her.

Qi Yue shook her head and let out a puff of air.

"Chang Yüncheng, how old are you…" she said.

Chang Yüncheng pulled her close, looking down at her.

"I’m leaving soon, Yue Niang…" his eyes were deep as he spoke.

Qi Yue immediately raised her hands in surrender. Fine, fine, she had no resistance against a child who acted spoiled…

She reached up to wrap her arms around Chang Yüncheng's neck and, smiling, stood on her toes to kiss his chin.

Chang Yüncheng immediately swept her up.

"Hey, I have many things to do with you, not just that," Qi Yue said, placing her hands on his shoulders, looking down at his face and smiling.

"What else could there be?" Chang Yüncheng asked, pinching her soft, fleshy bottom.

Qi Yue just laughed, patting his hand.

"For example, accompanying you to play the zither, or going shopping together, or eating out, or hiking in the mountains for a picnic," she laughed, leaning down to bite his nose. "It can't always be about rolling on the sheets…"

Rolling on the sheets?

Chang Yüncheng roared with laughter, opening his mouth to bite her small chin.

"Alright, I have time at home. We’ll do them one by one," he said with a smile. "Shall we play the zither now?"

"You play the zither, and I'll read!" Qi Yue narrowed her eyes and smiled.

Chang Yüncheng pulled her into a tight hug.

"No," he stated with an undeniable dominance, setting her down and pulling her toward the study.

Qi Yue laughed and let him lead her. They left the room, and just as they stepped out of the courtyard gate, they saw two maids approaching.

"Young Master of the Heir," they stopped, curtsied, and their eyes flickered toward the hands held by Chang Yüncheng and Qi Yue.

They only greeted the Young Master of the Heir and did not bow to the Young Mistress; it was clear these were maids from Lady Xie's retinue.

Chang Yüncheng let go of her hand.

Qi Yue glanced at him, pursed her lips, and stepped back without speaking.

"Madam requests you come over for a moment," the maid said.

Chang Yüncheng gave an 'Oh,' and turned to look at Qi Yue.

"Go ahead," Qi Yue grinned. "I was just about to head out to…"

Chang Yüncheng’s face immediately fell.

Qi Yue pouted, poked him, and pushed him gently.

"Tricking you, silly. I’ll wait for you in the study," she said with a laugh.

Only then did Chang Yüncheng smile, following the two maids. He kept looking back, and seeing that the woman was indeed walking towards the study, he turned to look back. Qi Yue also looked back. At first, she covered her mouth and smiled at him, but as she walked farther away, her smile became indistinct. All he could see was the woman waving at him.

The two leading maids exchanged glances, both seeing the surprise and confusion in the other's eyes.

This… this… why did that look like reluctance to part?

But they were at home; why would they feel reluctant to leave each other?

Chang Yüncheng walked to Lady Xie’s door with a smile, composing his expression before entering the room.

The maids called out, "The Young Master of the Heir has arrived," and lifted the curtain.