The Marquis of Dingxi had fainted in his study.
It was the Young Mistress who had actually managed to provoke him into fainting…
This was hardly surprising; everyone knew the Young Mistress’s aptitude for exasperation. It was rare for someone to spar with her and not collapse from sheer aggravation.
Now, the concern wasn't merely that the Marquis had been angered into unconsciousness, but rather, what exactly had the Young Mistress done to provoke him so severely…
Though the phrasing sounded somewhat odd.
The truth could no longer be contained; news spread rapidly.
The Young Mistress was seeking a Heli—a separation agreement!
A separation!
The Marquis of Dingxi felt as if the heavens themselves had fallen upon him!
The Young Mistress’s courtyard instantly became the epicenter of an uncontrolled surge: maids and governesses ran in frantic disarray, tasks were forgotten or wrongly executed—meals served incorrectly, laundry botched. For a time, the entire manor descended into pandemonium.
Using her iron will, Madam Xie had several governesses flogged, banished a few maids, dismissed several stewards, and imposed a strict gag order. Only then did the household manage a fragile stability, though the pervasive anxiety could not be suppressed.
Mother Su stood beneath the eaves, gazing at the sullen sky, sighing once more.
This was the fifth sigh she had exhaled since she began standing there half a day ago.
It was this Young Mistress again…
Ever since she had stepped out of the Qiutong Courtyard, every action she took managed to stir the entire estate into upheaval.
“…You disappoint me too much! Yue Niang! You have truly chilled my heart!…”
The Marquis of Dingxi’s raised voice echoed from within the room.
At the bedside stood Xie Shi and Chang Yuncheng, while Qi Yue held a stethoscope and a blood pressure cuff. Yet, the Marquis adamantly refused to let her approach.
“..Since you are intent on leaving my house, why should I trouble you to treat my illness?” the Marquis shouted.
Qi Yue smiled lightly.
“I am a physician. We are separating the title of Young Mistress of the Marquisate, not the profession of a doctor. Should you require my services in the future, my Lord, I will certainly attend,” she replied.
The Marquis looked at her, his expression contorted with a hatred he had never shown before.
He had been played by the Emperor! He had been played by the Emperor!
He had known all along the Emperor held him in contempt; he knew this Emperor was impossible to deal with!
Despite his utmost caution, he had still been humiliated by the Emperor!
And this humiliation was all because of this woman!
This woman had inflicted upon him, the Marquis of Dingxi, the greatest shame of his life!
“Get out!” he roared.
Qi Yue turned and left, without a flicker of hesitation.
Outside, Quezhi and the other maids were already weeping. Seeing her emerge, their tears intensified.
Qi Yue looked at them, unsure of what to say.
“Um, all good things must come to an end…” she started, “It’s not as if we’ll never see each other again. I welcome any of you to visit me anytime…”
She intended to lift their spirits, but her words only made Quezhi and the others weep harder.
Qi Yue sighed; she didn't know how to comfort them, nor how to console them.
“I am leaving,” she stated plainly, and started to walk away.
The maids panicked and immediately dropped to their knees.
“Young Mistress, Young Mistress, please don’t go…”
Someone took the lead, and soon all were crying out in disarray.
This clamor carried into the chamber, provoking a fresh bout of coughing from the Marquis of Dingxi.
“Let her go! Let her go! Let her see what she amounts to once she leaves my Marquis of Dingxi estate!” the Marquis shrieked.
“Don’t agitate yourself; why bother getting angry over someone like her?” Madam Xie sat down to soothe him. “Do you think she truly wants to leave? It’s merely a tactic! Let her cause a fuss; we’ll see how far she dares to push it!”
At this juncture, there were only two paths to quell the situation: either they voluntarily agreed not to take another wife for their son, or Qi Yue would have to willingly consent to a co-wife. But both options guaranteed utter disgrace for the Marquis of Dingxi!
He himself had submitted the official petition requesting permission to marry off his son. If he now retracted that, what would the outside world think?
What would the Marquis of Dingxi become? Would he just stand up publicly to slap his own face for sport?
But if they needed that woman’s consent, the entire family would have to beg her favor!
This must be her leverage; this is why she was daring to create such a scene!
Why should she? A mere woman! To bow down to this woman! And the reason for bowing was simply because she was a woman!
If he did that, what would the Marquis of Dingxi become? Of all his consorts, would he have to plead with his primary wife for everything?
A man! Which man in the world would stoop so low? The Marquis of Dingxi prided himself on his gallantry, only to be brought to ruin by a woman—did that still make him a man?
Women! They can be cherished, but never spoiled!
Especially in matters such as this!
If those two paths proved impossible, then only separation remained!
Separation!
How dared this woman demand a separation! She was only trying to blackmail him!
Without the Marquis of Dingxi Estate, what would she be?
It was their Marquisate that provided her backing!
She dared! She wanted to threaten me? No way! Let’s see who fears whom!
The Marquis of Dingxi suddenly sat bolt upright, pointing a finger outward, his face livid and twisted.
“Divorce her! Divorce her!” he hissed.
Madam Xie was startled.
“How can we divorce her now, that vixen holds the Emperor’s decree authorizing the separation,” she muttered. “It would have been better to divorce her earlier; now she has support on her side…”
The Marquis couldn't draw a breath, his eyes rolled back, and this time, he truly passed out.
The room instantly dissolved into chaos.
While the main house was in turmoil, Qi Yue was busy packing her belongings in her courtyard.
In truth, there wasn't much to pack. She surveyed the room, picked up two bundles—one containing clothes and daily necessities, the other stuffed full of books and notes—and, of course, her medical kit.
A'Ru could restrain herself no longer; she dropped to her knees and clung to Qi Yue’s leg, sobbing uncontrollably.
A'Hao, Quezhi, and Qiu Xiang rushed over too, grabbing at bundles and clutching at legs.
“Don’t be like this. I already said, we can still meet later,” Qi Yue said, finding herself unsteady as the maids pulled at her. Seeing their profound sorrow made her own heart ache.
Separation was always sorrowful.
Fortunately, as someone from the modern era, she was not confined as ancient women were, restricted solely to the two homes: her birth family and her husband’s. She was accustomed to parting—every graduation, every rotation of departments, every… heartbreak.
As the commotion peaked, the courtyard gate was suddenly kicked open with a loud thud by Chang Yuncheng.
“All of you, get out!” he shouted, his face ashen.
The kneeling maids in the courtyard shivered in terror and fled, weeping.
Only A’Ru and A’Hao remained unmoved, standing to Qi Yue’s left and right, facing the approaching man.
“It’s alright, you two can leave. Young Lord Shizi won’t strike anyone,” Qi Yue reassured the maids, handing them the bundles. “If you really want to help me, then take my things and send them to my parents’ house first.”
Send them to her parents’ house! This was no longer her home!
Chang Yuncheng trembled violently, snatched Qi Yue’s bundles, and threw them viciously onto the ground.
The women in the room gasped.
The scattering of clothes didn't matter much, but Qi Yue’s books and notes spilled out with a rustling sound, instantly making her agitated.
“Are you trying to inspect them? Are these your belongings? I don’t want them!” she cried, stooping to gather her medical kit, and started to walk out.
Chang Yuncheng reached out and grabbed her arm.
“Qi Yue Niang!” he called out, articulating each syllable, the muscles in his face twitching.
“Go ahead and squeeze; break my arm if you must. It will grow back. It’s just superficial pain, and not the first time, though I guarantee it will be the last,” Qi Yue said, offering him a cold smile.
Chang Yuncheng looked at her, then released his grip.
“Yue Niang, can you stop this drama?” he asked, his voice hoarse.
A’Ru and A’Hao hastily gathered the scattered items, wiping their tears as they exited.
Qi Yue sighed.
“Actually, I have never been causing a scene. Every time, you say I’m being dramatic, Chang Yuncheng. I am not a child clamoring for sweets,” she said with a faint smile, patting the man’s arm lightly.
“This matter can absolutely be resolved. I will surely convince Father and Mother. Yue Niang, please trust me, just wait a little longer,” Chang Yuncheng held her tighter, murmuring softly.
“You still don’t understand,” Qi Yue responded. “This situation has reached an impasse. The only way to break it is for me to leave.”
“No, that’s not right,” Chang Yuncheng shook his head, placing his hands firmly on her shoulders, looking at her with reddened eyes. “Yue Niang, please believe me.”
“Chang Yuncheng, it’s not that I don’t believe you,” Qi Yue said, smiling faintly at him. “It’s just that I feel life is too short, and there is too much to do. I don’t wish to waste any more time.”
Waste time!
“In your eyes, I am a waste of time?” Chang Yuncheng’s veins bulged; he stared fixedly at the woman.
Qi Yue met his gaze.
“Not you, specifically. It’s your family,” she clarified.
Chang Yuncheng raised his hand and smashed a nearby flower stand. The sound of shattering porcelain echoed through the room, causing the maids outside to tremble uncontrollably.
“Qi Yue Niang, are you truly so heartless?” Chang Yuncheng asked, his voice raspy.
“When others are ruthless to me, I never show mercy,” Qi Yue replied forthrightly.
“Who has been ruthless to you?” Chang Yuncheng roared. “Father shielded you so carefully; how can you call him heartless?”
Qi Yue let out a scornful laugh.
“Chang Yuncheng, that wasn't shielding; that was keeping a pet kitten or dog for amusement. Perhaps in your eyes, affection equals protection. But…” She looked at him, her expression stern. “…in my eyes, secretly arranging for other women to enter my husband’s bed, no matter how much kindness you shower on me otherwise, is the destruction of my marriage—an unforgivable offense akin to murdering my parents.”
Chang Yuncheng stared at her.
“I, Qi Yue, never show feeling toward my enemies,” Qi Yue declared again.
Chang Yuncheng was so focused on her words that he failed to notice she had said Qi Yue instead of Qi Yue Niang.
“Yue Niang, this won’t destroy you and me…” Chang Yuncheng took a deep breath and said.
Qi Yue interrupted him.
“Whether it destroys your feelings, I don’t know, nor will I speculate. But this will certainly destroy mine,” she looked at him. “Chang Yuncheng, do you still not grasp what I’m saying? In your mind, you still think if you just stall me long enough, I will eventually see your sincerity, and even if more women enter the household, you’ll treat me exceptionally well, and then everything will be fine: your mother, your father, you, me—everyone happy.”
Chang Yuncheng was momentarily stunned by her accuracy.
“Chang Yuncheng, it’s not that I don’t like you, nor that I don’t trust you. On the contrary, I like you very much,” Qi Yue said with a smile.
Chang Yuncheng’s eyes lit up.
“You are a decent person. And crucially, every time I faced trouble, you were the one who stood so firmly by my side. You know, girls have a hero complex. When a hero suddenly descends from the heavens to shield you, whether you need that hero or not, it’s incredibly moving,” Qi Yue chuckled, patting his arm. “Also, you don’t find my actions too bizarre, which makes me feel a sense of kinship. Furthermore, I like your looks. In short, due to various reasons, I can’t pinpoint which one, I simply like you. There’s nothing to hide or be embarrassed about; if you like someone, you like them.”
Was this a compliment? This was the first time this woman had spoken about herself like this, about what she liked about him. But why, why did it send a shiver down his spine?