As the sky softened to a pale grey, Qi Yue awoke. Or rather, she hadn't truly slept, not out of sorrow, but because of the young maid beside her…

The folding screen stirred. Cui Zhi cautiously poked her head out, saw the stillness inside, and tiptoed over, lifting the curtain.

"Ah!" she gasped, startled.

Qi Yue burst into laughter.

Cui Zhi was flustered, mortified, and completely at a loss.

"There, there, stop fussing. Go get some sleep now," Qi Yue chuckled, climbing out of the **.

Cui Zhi followed, her face flushed crimson.

"This servant will prepare the mistress's washing up," she murmured.

Qi Yue said nothing, letting the girl attend to her.

Meanwhile, the old woman from the Wang family had prepared breakfast. Though not as lavish as at the Marquis's residence, it was light and palatable, and Qi Yue ate with a hearty appetite, finishing an extra bowl of rice.

Yuan Bao was already in the courtyard sweeping vigorously. Qi Yue stepped outside and stretched her limbs.

"I'm off to work now; you two stay here," she said, lifting her foot to step out.

Work?

Cui Zhi didn't understand but quickly followed.

"Do you want to come with me?" Qi Yue asked, smiling at her.

"Yes, this servant is here to attend to the mistress," Cui Zhi replied.

Still keeping an eye on me to prevent suicide.

Qi Yue nodded, saying no more.

The day's work at the Thousand Gold Hall began anew.

Upon seeing Qi Yue enter, the disciples bowed respectfully one after another.

Hu San was the first to rush out. He paused when he saw the maid behind Qi Yue.

"Is Sister A'ru indisposed?" he couldn't help but ask, eyeing the unfamiliar girl.

The maid felt terribly uncomfortable entering; why were there so many men here, and why were they staring at her so openly...

Qi Yue stated briefly that she was absent and offered no further explanation.

Liu Pucheng came forward upon hearing the commotion to greet them. Just as they exchanged initial pleasantries, a great rush erupted outside.

"Doctor! Doctor, help us!"

Four or five men rushed in carrying a door panel.

The men were covered in blood and dirt on their faces, hands, and clothes, looking utterly wretched. The man on the door panel was a mixture of earth and gore, letting out pained groans.

Cui Zhi had never witnessed such a scene and shrieked in terror, scrambling toward a corner to hide.

"What kind of injury is it?" Qi Yue stopped speaking and demanded loudly.

"The house collapsed, and he was crushed," one of the men shouted.

"..Prepare for emergency treatment."

As Qi Yue spoke, the partitioned emergency area instantly sprang into vigorous activity: sterilizing instruments, boiling medicinal soups, fetching gowns, gloves, and equipment—busy yet orderly.

Cui Zhi stood frozen in the corner, hearing the constant moans and smelling the metallic scent of blood, her legs beginning to tremble uncontrollably.

"Mistress Qi..." Unable to see Qi Yue, she couldn't help but call out, summoning the courage to peer through the crowd.

She saw a woman in a smock and mask extending a blood-soaked hand, pulling back the bloody flesh around the injured man's leg.

"Fetch the pressurized spray. We need to flush it deeply; the wound is far too contaminated," the woman commanded.

Cui Zhi felt her vision darken, and then she knew nothing more.

When she awoke, she found herself lying on a **. A strange scent filled her nostrils—not perfume, but the sharp tang of medicine.

Cui Zhi shot up suddenly, remembering where she was.

Cui Zhi scrambled out of bed and flung open the door. The sounds of activity from outside rushed in.

"...The most critical issue right now is preventing infection," Qi Yue said, removing her mask.

Liu Pucheng nodded.

"His injuries are extremely severe," he agreed, frowning.

The injured man's family stood nearby. Hearing the words, they immediately tried to kneel.

"Divine Physician Madam," they cried, "you must save him! He has elders above and children below; their entire family depends on him. If anything happens to him, they won't survive."

Word had already spread through the city about the divine physician woman at the Thousand Gold Hall capable of opening and closing bodies. Anyone who saw a woman doctor recognized her instantly.

The time when hunters refused treatment because the doctor was a woman would never happen again. On the contrary, people were now ecstatic to see Qi Yue present.

Qi Yue quickly helped steady them.

"I will certainly do my utmost," she assured them.

"Um, about the lodging... hospitalization... what procedures do we need to complete?" the family members stammered out.

"We just need to register his personal information, medical history, and so forth," Qi Yue said with a smile, nodding as she spoke. "Please follow me."

Cui Zhi rushed after her, but seeing Qi Yue enter a room nearby, she hesitated, thinking it over, and dared not follow.

Disciples bustled back and forth in the courtyard. Occasionally, they glanced at Cui Zhi, standing there awkwardly, with looks of curious inquiry.

"What is your name, Elder Sister?" Such familiar address was naturally Hu San's role.

Cui Zhi was already standing stiffly, uncomfortable all over, when she heard someone speak and turned around.

"Cui Zhi," she replied.

"You must be one of the Young Mistress's attendants too, right? Why haven't I seen you before? But that’s alright; (Quezhi) and (Ahao) learned everything on the fly. You'll surely learn quickly too... Sister A'ru is quite skilled; she started learning early. If you don't know something, ask her..." Hu San chattered on incessantly.

Cui Zhi frowned and stepped a few paces away.

"What is Sister A'ru busy with at home?" Hu San finally asked the question he really wanted answered.

"I don't know," Cui Zhi replied, turning her face away. "I'm not acquainted with her."

Hu San froze momentarily.

"You don't know her? You don't know A'ru? Are you a newly promoted low-ranking maid?" he inquired.

Cui Zhi bristled at that remark. What low-ranking maid? Did she look like a low-ranking maid? She, Cui Zhi, had served the Old Madam herself!

"I am not from the Dingxi Marquis's household," she huffed, glaring at the tactless man.

Hu San froze again.

As dusk began to fall, the Thousand Gold Hall finally quieted down somewhat.

"Young Mistress, you should rest now. You've been busy all day," Liu Pucheng said as he entered the sterilization room and looked at Qi Yue sorting gauze.

Qi Yue, wearing a large, thick mask and cap, looked up from the piece of cloth she was inspecting after it had been boiled.

"Alright. I'll be there shortly," she said with a pleasant smile.

Liu Pucheng waited until nightfall before seeing Qi Yue walk in, her face etched with exhaustion.

"Young Mistress, they know how to handle these tasks now; let them manage them," he urged, personally pouring her a cup of tea.

Qi Yue took the cup and drank it down in gulps; she was clearly parched.

"It's fine. Teaching by example is better than mere words," she laughed. "Today, we have our second inpatient. I should stay here tonight."

Liu Pucheng flatly refused.

"You've completed the debridement and suturing. We can manage the rest," he insisted. "Surely, Madam does not distrust us?"

Qi Yue smiled.

"Teacher, you know that's not what I meant," she said lightly.

Liu Pucheng looked at her, deep in thought.

Qi Yue, pondering something of her own, said nothing.

Silence settled in the room, the atmosphere becoming subtly strange.

"Young Mistress..."

"Teacher..."

They both spoke at the same time, both paused, and then they laughed.

"You speak first." They both yielded simultaneously again.

"I mean, for these routine treatments, not emergencies or severe cases, the Young Mistress shouldn't need to handle them personally. Daily lecture sessions should suffice," Liu Pucheng said. "I heard the Heir Apparent is leaving soon..."

The Marquis's Young Mistress ought to remain at the Marquis's residence as much as possible. Regardless, being out constantly was not ideal. Fortunately, the Heir Apparent was open-minded, but there were still elders at home to consider.

Qi Yue lowered her head and smiled softly.

Cui Zhi sighed inwardly nearby. Poor Mistress Qi, having to keep such matters secret. But one day, the secret would surely surface.

"Teacher, from now on, please call me Qi Yue, or Yue Niang is fine. You don't need to use the title Young Mistress anymore," Qi Yue said, raising her head with a smile on her face.

Liu Pucheng blinked in surprise.

"How can that be? Young Mistress, do not be absurd," he shook his head, assuming the woman was merely being modest about her status and insisting on acting as a student.

"Also, besides teaching, there are many other things I can do," Qi Yue continued with a laugh. "As for wages—Teacher, you must see that I am paid fairly, yes?"

What?

Liu Pucheng was stunned.

"The Young Mistress jokes. The Thousand Gold Hall belongs to you..." he shook his head, saying.

Before he could finish, Qi Yue interrupted him.

"I need to rely on earning my own food and lodging from now on, so it is only proper that I contribute more," she said with a smile, lowering her head only to look up at Liu Pucheng again. "I am divorced."

Divorced?

What... what did that mean?

Liu Pucheng had already guessed the meaning, but he could not possibly believe it.

"He Li—it means I am no longer the Young Mistress of the Dingxi Marquis's household. I am merely Qi Yue Niang now," Qi Yue stated clearly.

Liu Pucheng's face paled, and Cui Zhi beside him also changed expression.

She—she just told people? How could she speak of such a thing so easily?

As the lanterns were lit in the evening, Qi Yue walked out of the Thousand Gold Hall.

"Then I entrust everything to you all," she said, bowing to Liu Pucheng, who had come out to see her off. "Please pay close attention to ** balance, replenish ** in time, and address the blood loss issue. Since transfusions are impossible, it will rely entirely on your medicinal expertise, Teacher."

Liu Pucheng and the others were accustomed to this formality now and returned the bow together.

"Yes, rest assured," he replied, looking up at Qi Yue with deep concern. "Yue Niang, perhaps..."

Perhaps what?

What could be done?

Liu Pucheng ultimately did not finish his sentence.

Qi Yue flashed him a smile.

"Teacher, you don't need to worry. I am fine," she assured him. "I am living in an alley off East Street now. Yuan Bao is with me." She addressed this last part to Hu San. "Call me anytime if anything happens."

Hu San responded with an affirmative.

"Young Mistress, where did you move to?" he asked, but before he finished, he received a sharp kick from behind, letting out an 'Ouch!' "Who—why?"

He spun around angrily to see Zhang Tong glaring at him.

Qi Yue smiled, nodded once more, and turned to walk down the street.

The night market was just beginning, the street even livelier than during the day, filled with a constant flow of people, laughter, and merriment.

"This night market is quite lively," Qi Yue remarked to Cui Zhi.

"Yes, the East Street area is always bustling," Cui Zhi finally found an opening to speak after holding it in all day. "And there are many stalls selling food..."

Speaking of food, Qi Yue suddenly remembered.

"We haven't eaten yet," she said. "Shall we wander around a bit?"

"That would be wonderful," Cui Zhi agreed with a smile. As a high-ranking maid, she understood that the danger now wasn't the mistress wandering outside, but rather staying immobile at home. It was better that she actively went out to enjoy herself. In situations like this, isolation was the real fear. So, she quickly added, "Our Old Madam loved outings; she often brought us out. Mistress Qi, look over here—this is Old Wang's steamed dumplings, but hers are only good if they're pork..."

Qi Yue squinted with a soft smile, interjecting appropriately with, "Is that so? That's wonderful! Where is it?" This encouraged Cui Zhi to become even more animated, and the two walked and talked, merging into the lively street, gradually disappearing into the distance.