In the countryside, at the Wang family's estate, the Old Master Wang, bundled in thick padded clothes, was fishing by the pond early in the morning.

The servants passing by, as well as the tenant farmers, were long accustomed to the sight.

"Master, Master!" a steward, wearing a hat with ear flaps, shouted as he hurried over.

Old Master Wang’s fishing rod twitched; he lifted his head and opened his eyes.

"What are you shouting for? You've scared the fish away," he grumbled unhappily.

It’s your own tranquility you’ve disturbed, the steward muttered under his breath.

"Master, I have huge news," he quickly said, leaning closer to whisper something.

A look of surprise crossed Old Master Wang's face.

"Truly?" he asked.

The steward nodded.

Old Master Wang fell silent, reaching up to stroke his beard.

"The Rao family in Shandong has already begun preparations for the wedding," the steward stated.

Old Master Wang chuckled.

"Just wait," he said, casting his fishing rod out with a sharp flick. "The Dingxi Marquis's household is about to have quite the spectacle."

"The Marquis of Dingxi truly has good fortune," the steward sighed in admiration.

Old Master Wang snorted with laughter.

"Good fortune?" he questioned, before snapping his rod back in. "It’s far from certain yet."

Madam Xie felt an unprecedented lightness of spirit.

"...Lady Yang has already sent someone to Shandong," Mama Su reported from beside her, flipping through a list. "...The Heir Apparent is due back in the capital on the tenth of the third month to report and hand over his duties. The timing is tight, but everything has been arranged to make it work..."

"It is rather rushed; poor Miss Rao will have been slighted," Madam Xie remarked with a sigh.

"Slighted? Not at all," Mama Su laughed, helping Madam Xie secure a hairpin. "With an imperial decree like this, how many people in the entire realm can claim such a thing?"

Their family has one person who achieved it...

"That doesn't count. Yue Niang received the Emperor's verbal assent through the Old Madam; not a single word was ever written down," Mama Su quickly corrected.

Only then did Madam Xie smile again.

"Madam, the Heir Apparent has gone to kneel before the Marquis," A Luan rushed in to report.

Madam Xie slammed the jeweled ornament onto the table with a sharp snap.

"Will that wretched maid never stop!" she cried out.

She stood up and swept out.

In the study of the Marquis of Dingxi, Chang Yuncheng was still kneeling.

"...What did you say?" the Marquis asked. "Marry a wife only after Yue Niang has borne a child?"

"Father," Chang Yuncheng looked up. "Yue Niang's status, after all... while they are technically equals, she has no maternal family to rely on..."

"Nonsense! Does anyone dare bully her?" the Marquis snorted. "What good is a maternal family? Even with one, no one can casually oppress others."

"Yes, with you here, Father, Yue Niang will not be bullied," Chang Yuncheng conceded.

The Marquis couldn't suppress a flicker of pride.

This boy knew how to speak sweetly enough when he chose to; he simply preferred not to.

"It's just that, deep down, she remains uneasy," Chang Yuncheng continued. "Father, having a child would give her some anchor."

This point, the Marquis conceded, was somewhat reasonable after a brief pause.

"The Madam has arrived," a young servant called from outside.

Before the words had fully left his mouth, Madam Xie strode in.

"Marquis, I plan to return to Shanning. I will come back only when the new wife has entered the household," she stated directly.

Both the Marquis of Dingxi's and Chang Yuncheng's faces froze.

"Mother," Chang Yuncheng called out urgently.

"Don't call me Mother. I do not have a son like you," Madam Xie retorted with a cold laugh.

The Marquis clutched his temples.

"Really, you two are..." He shook his head.

"It’s just marrying a woman! What's the fuss? You aren't divorcing her, so why this endless drama?" Madam Xie sneered. "Could it be that you, the esteemed Heir Apparent of a Marquisate, are not permitted to take a wife or concubines? Where is the magnanimity befitting the principal wife? What? Having more women—a wife and concubines—means she suddenly stops being human in your eyes?"

As she spoke, she glanced pointedly at the Marquis of Dingxi.

The Marquis’s face instantly darkened.

"Absurd!" he declared, whipping his sleeve. He was the man, the head of the household; he could have as many women as he wished. It was not for a woman to dictate terms!

"Get up. Matters of marriage are not for you to interfere with. You are behaving like a child!" he waved dismissively, beginning to hustle Chang Yuncheng out.

"Marquis, it wasn't Yuncheng who brought this up; someone forced him to say it," Madam Xie remarked coolly.

The Marquis’s expression grew grim.

"I don't believe Yue Niang would act this way," he said. "Call her here. I will ask her myself."

No, Yue Niang absolutely cannot be allowed to speak to Father and Mother face-to-face!

Chang Yuncheng stood up.

"She didn't say anything. Father, there is no need to question her. I will not speak of it again," he stated.

Just as Madam Xie was about to speak, a servant reported from the door.

"The Young Mistress has arrived."

Chang Yuncheng’s expression tightened instantly, while Madam Xie gave a cold smile and composed herself. The curtain rustled, and Qi Yue walked in.

Chang Yuncheng looked at her and stepped forward.

"Yue Niang... trust me," he whispered, a note of pleading in his voice.

"You were scolded again, weren't you?" Qi Yue looked at him and smiled slightly.

"No," Chang Yuncheng quickly denied.

The Marquis of Dingxi cleared his throat, interrupting the couple's intimacy before their elders.

"Yue Niang, you know about this matter, yes?" he asked directly.

Qi Yue nodded.

"I know," she replied.

Her face held a gentle smile, her tone peaceful—nothing suggested she was causing trouble. The Marquis nodded in satisfaction. I knew I hadn't misjudged her.

"This is an honor for our Dingxi Marquisate! A tremendous favor granted by the Court," he said contentedly, waiting for his daughter-in-law to offer some pleasant words. Honestly, it was vexing; such a joyous occasion felt like carrying on a secret conspiracy, and he hadn't heard a single kind word yet.

"What did the decree say?" Qi Yue ignored his preamble, asking with a touch of curiosity.

"The Emperor said this is a matter between husband and wife. If the couple agrees, he agrees," the Marquis stated proudly. "It was written in the Emperor's own hand."

Qi Yue merely murmured, "Oh."

Chang Yuncheng thought, This is bad, and reached out to pull her arm.

"So, that means if the couple does not agree, then it won't be allowed?" Qi Yue asked.

The Marquis of Dingxi froze.

What...?

Madam Xie sneered from the side. See? Your precious daughter-in-law! Still dreaming!

"Father, it’s fine, it’s fine," Chang Yuncheng quickly soothed Qi Yue while pulling her close, casting a warning glance her way.

"The imperial edict is written that way, so didn't the Emperor essentially tell you and me to make the final decision?" Qi Yue looked at him and asked. "What are you afraid of? It wasn't the Emperor forcing you."

"Yue Niang!" Chang Yuncheng tightened his grip on her hand.

"Yue Niang, what do you mean?" the Marquis asked, his face darkening.

"I disagree," Qi Yue answered readily.

"It is I who disagrees," Chang Yuncheng quickly interjected, pulling her closer to his side.

The Marquis wasn't a fool. He sat down heavily, his gaze sweeping over the pair as he remained silent.

Madam Xie slowly stirred her tea, settling in to watch the show.

"Yue Niang, we cannot emulate the actions of an ignorant, jealous woman," the Marquis said slowly, his voice grave.

Qi Yue smiled.

"Marquis, human nature is inherently possessive. One does not wish to share what one cherishes," she explained. "If one is willing to share, it means one does not truly love or care. Marquis, jealousy and possessiveness are not learned; they are innate."

Indeed... just as I suspected...

The hand the Marquis rested on the armrest clenched tightly.

"Innate nature must still be governed by propriety. Yue Niang, there is another saying: passion must cease where propriety begins," he stated sternly. "The great rites between sovereign and subject, between parent and child, and the great rite of the husband's way."

"Life is too short; I don't have the time to cater to so many 'great rites'," Qi Yue waved her hand, knitting her brow. "Marquis, I will be frank. Regardless of what you say, I might yield on other matters, but on this issue, there is absolutely no room for negotiation. I will not agree."

The Marquis trembled slightly with anger.

"You—why won't you agree!" he roared.

"Because a wife can only have one husband, and naturally, a husband can only have one wife," Qi Yue stated, then laughed softly to herself. "However, I suspect you do not understand that concept."

By saying they didn't understand, she implied their mindset was flawed, but because of Madam Xie's earlier pronouncements, the Marquis interpreted her words as a direct mockery of his own history with multiple women!

"You..." His expression turned icy as he looked at Qi Yue. "You have disappointed me greatly!"

Qi Yue smiled, letting out a sigh.

"Marquis, I am the one disappointed," she met his gaze. "I sincerely treated you as a father and the family members as my own kin. I never imagined I would be stabbed in the back like this by you all."

"How is this stabbing you in the back!" the Marquis slammed the table and stood up, shouting. "Yuncheng is the legitimate son of this house, the future Marquis of Dingxi, burdened with the lineage of our house! Taking a wife and concubines to spread the family branches—is that not normal? How is that harming you? Have I harmed you? Have I divorced you? If I truly meant to harm you, I would have divorced you and married him off to someone else! Instead of this, which preserves your status and reputation!"

Different paths lead to different goals...

Qi Yue sighed again.

"Yue Niang, stop talking. I told you, trust me, I will handle it," Chang Yuncheng urgently pulled her arm.

Qi Yue looked at him.

"Chang Yuncheng, I don't want to wait anymore, and I don't want to endure any longer," she said. "Life is very brief. Let's all stop compromising to avoid grievance and instead do things that cause no regret."

"Qi Yue Niang!" Chang Yuncheng looked at her, his face etched with terror.

"Marquis, I repeat my stance: no matter what you say, I will not agree," Qi Yue stated, looking directly at the Marquis of Dingxi.

The Marquis gasped for breath in his rage.

"You don't agree? What use is your disagreement!" he shouted. "This household is not yours to rule! Get out! If you dare cause more trouble, I... I will divorce you!"

At this declaration, Chang Yuncheng's face turned pale, while Madam Xie smirked.

"Fine," Qi Yue said, drawing a piece of bright yellow paper from her sleeve. "But it won't be a divorce; it will be a mutual separation (He Li)."

What is this?

All three were momentarily stunned. Chang Yuncheng, standing closest, reached out and snatched it, his eyes going wide as he unfolded the document.

"You—where did you get this?" he exclaimed, his voice trembling.

Qi Yue remained silent. She was leaving this place, but the Second Madam still had to live in this house; she couldn't leave her without standing.

"Qi Yue Niang! Where did you get this?" Chang Yuncheng cried out again, his expression a mix of grief and excitement.

"The Emperor gave it to me. I don't know him; someone just handed it over," Qi Yue replied coolly.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Chang Yuncheng looked at her, his voice hoarse.

"I thought I wouldn't need it," Qi Yue responded, looking back at him.

Chang Yuncheng stared at her, his face beginning to shake.

"It's not needed now either!" he roared, moving to tear the paper.

Fortunately, the Marquis of Dingxi and Madam Xie recognized the item as imperial property; they dared not risk the crime of gross disrespect. They lunged forward simultaneously—one grabbing Chang Yuncheng, the other snatching the silk paper.

"What? What is this?" Madam Xie asked.

"Didn't the Emperor say if the couple agrees, he agrees? Then if the couple does not agree..." Qi Yue stated flatly.

The Marquis of Dingxi unfolded the paper and looked down.

On the bright yellow silk, several large characters written in a familiar hand appeared before the Marquis of Dingxi's eyes.

If you do not agree, I shall grant the separation.