The lamps were lit in the Thousand Blessings Hall under the cloak of night, and the clamor of the day had long since faded from the streets.

Qi Yue donned her mask and gloves, clutching her stethoscope as she stepped into the room marked by the hanging lantern of the "Sick Ward."

Of the four beds, one held a patient whose splinted leg was suspended by wide straps descending from the ceiling beams. The bed platform was propped up, and the man was being fed. Another elderly man was studying the peculiar bed setup with intense curiosity.

"How did it get propped up like this?" he muttered to himself.

Hearing footsteps, all three looked toward the door.

"Mistress Qi, you have arrived," the three called out warmly, the old man bowing and scraping with gratitude.

"What are they eating?" Qi Yue asked with a smile.

"It's the bean sprout and bone soup, just as Mistress Qi instructed," the woman feeding him replied.

Qi Yue inhaled the aroma.

"Mmm, it smells wonderful. Big sister has a masterful hand," she laughed.

The woman had never been praised so directly and instantly blushed, stammering, unsure how to respond. This woman was beautiful and capable, yet she exuded such a pleasant aura—the caregiver couldn't quite articulate why, but she felt compelled to listen to her. Why would the Marquis of Dingxi's residence let go of such a remarkable woman? Truly, the ways of the rich were beyond the comprehension of a simple village woman like herself.

Qi Yue finished examining the injured man and offered a few encouraging words with a smile.

A disciple responsible for nursing care entered from outside to deliver medicine.

"Mistress Qi, when can the patient be discharged?" the old man inquired.

"In about five days," Qi Yue replied.

In truth, an injury like this shouldn't involve movement; in a modern hospital, it would require at least ten days to half a month, but...

Qi Yue observed the patient's family exchange subtle glances, clearly breathing a sigh of relief. Partly because they were unaccustomed to the setting, and partly because of the cost...

Qi Yue left the ward and noticed the light still burning in Liu Pucheng’s room; he was on duty tonight. When Qi Yue reached the doorway, Liu Pucheng was speaking with Zhang Tong. The two men stood before a table, tallying figures with counting rods.

"...The material and labor costs are sufficient, but the rest is still not enough..." Zhang Tong murmured quietly.

"I still have a piece of land back in my hometown; I'll sell it first," Liu Pucheng whispered.

As they spoke, Qi Yue knocked lightly on the door from the outside. Hearing the knock, the master and apprentice, who were standing by the door frame, quickly tidied up with a hint of nervousness.

"Mistress Qi, why haven't you left yet?" Liu Pucheng asked.

Zhang Tong respectfully called out, "Master."

"I'm leaving now. Thank you for your hard work tonight, Teacher," Qi Yue said with a gentle smile.

"You child, always speaking so formally," Liu Pucheng said, shaking his head.

Qi Yue did not ask what they were calculating, and Liu Pucheng naturally did not volunteer the information.

Qi Yue and Cui Zhi walked out of the Thousand Blessings Hall. Under the cover of night, her cheerful expression faded, replaced by a faint melancholy. She gazed silently at the scattered stars overhead, wishing every hour of the day could be daylight. The hustle of the day was manageable, but when quiet descended, the loneliness became almost unbearable.

"Mistress Qi," Cui Zhi said as she walked beside her, unable to hold back, "Are you not tired, being like this?"

"Like this?" Qi Yue masked her sadness, her smiling facade returning as she turned to look at her. "I suppose everyone gets tired one way or another. It depends on how you put it; if you are doing what you love, it doesn't feel tiring."

Cui Zhi nodded and smiled.

However, Qi Yue glanced back at the Thousand Blessings Hall. Without money, one would indeed grow weary. Money was essential; in ancient times, mere existence was difficult without it.

Deep in the night, the Rong'an Courtyard remained brightly lit.

Chang Yuncheng placed the sutra scrolls onto the table, and Mama Su waved him forward. On the kang, Madam Xie lay with her eyes closed, seemingly asleep.

"This is the scripture I copied for Mother, consecrated before the Buddha," Chang Yuncheng whispered to Mama Su.

Mama Su nodded, watching him with an expression suggesting hesitation.

"I will depart the night after tomorrow. I won't trouble the household; I'll kowtow to Father and leave then," Chang Yuncheng continued.

Mama Su's face went pale, and Madam Xie abruptly sat up.

"Leave now, don't wait for the day after tomorrow," she commanded, her eyebrows sharply raised.

Chang Yuncheng walked to her side and knelt beside the kang.

"Mother, take care while I am away. Do not quarrel with Father. Go out for walks when you feel restless. I will send letters back every month," he said.

Madam Xie gasped for breath, staring intensely at Chang Yuncheng.

"Four years ago, you walked away because you married that woman. Are you leaving again now because you are going to marry?" she ground out.

Chang Yuncheng lowered his head, then raised it again.

"That is not true, Mother. The reason I left back then was not because of marriage or anything of the sort," he said. He simply did not wish to remain in this household.

Madam Xie scoffed. "Now you care to say that." She did not believe him in the least.

Chang Yuncheng smiled, offering no argument.

"Yuncheng, can you wait until after the wedding to leave, please?" Madam Xie softened her tone, pleadingly.

Chang Yuncheng looked at her.

"Mother, I have granted your wish; I ask that you grant mine in return," he replied.

Madam Xie’s face flushed with anger again.

"So, you are still doing this for that woman?" she asked coldly.

Chang Yuncheng lowered his head.

"It is meaningless to discuss whether or not now, Mother," he said. He looked up and gently took hold of Madam Xie's sleeve. "I will not fail to marry. When I find the person who fulfills my wishes, I will certainly marry her, is that acceptable, Mother?"

Madam Xie's expression eased slightly.

"What about Miss Rao..." she began.

"Mother, she is not the one who fulfills my wishes," Chang Yuncheng interrupted simply, cutting off her words.

Madam Xie clenched her fist. Yes, only that woman can fulfill your wishes...

"It is getting late; you should rest now," she said, lying back down with a detached tone. "Let the steward handle the departure arrangements. It is a major occasion, going off—how can one just slip away as if we are trying to hide something?" Especially at a time like this! The one who should be hidden was that woman, not someone from our Marquis of Dingxi's household!

Chang Yuncheng murmured his assent, thanking his mother, but he did not rise from his kneeling position.

"What else do you want to say?" Madam Xie finally asked, for she understood him well.

"Yue Niang's..." Chang Yuncheng started. The two words 'Yue Niang' slipped past his lips, bringing a sharp pang to his heart, "...dowry. Give it to her."

Madam Xie shot upright, staring at him in disbelief.

"Her dowry? What dowry does she have!" she snapped, her eyebrows raised. "Do not forget how she entered our Marquis’s residence! It’s a wonder she had the nerve to ask! And it’s a wonder you could listen!" Saying this, she pointed a finger—sharp, clean, and without another wasted word.

"Get out."

Chang Yuncheng stood and left.

The next day, Madam Xie heard the news that Chang Yuncheng was selling off the lands registered under his name. She was furious and cursed loudly. Just as she was about to summon all the stewards and maids for a dressing down, a servant reported that Old Madam Xie had arrived.

Madam Xie was startled, abandoning all else to personally greet her.

After the New Year, Old Madam Xie seemed spirited, though looking somewhat older.

"Mother, why have you come? It's such a long distance; you could have sent someone to summon me," Madam Xie said, rushing to support her, her face full of anxious concern.

Old Madam Xie leaned on her cane as she entered the room.

"It's nothing. I heard things were lively here, so I came for a look," she said.

Madam Xie immediately scanned the surrounding maids and servants. They all shook their heads, signaling they had said nothing.

"Stop looking. Yuncheng told me," Old Madam Xie said, settling down.

Madam Xie’s face immediately showed anger.

"Enough. Sit down," Old Madam Xie instructed, casting her a look. "You're already this old, yet you still have the temper of a young girl."

Madam Xie sat down, her expression still resentful.

"He actually disturbed your peace, Mother. He deserves a beating," she said.

Old Madam Xie smiled faintly.

"You have what you wished for," she stated after a moment of silence.

Madam Xie stood up, looking at the Old Madam.

"Mother, am I only thinking of myself?" she asked, her face a mask of indignant grief.

"There, there," Old Madam Xie laughed, reaching out to pull her down. "I didn't come to criticize you. If he divorced her, he divorced her; if he sent her away, he sent her away. If you are fundamentally incompatible, there is no need to make each other miserable."

The words still sounded slightly awkward to Madam Xie's ears. She sat down next to the Old Madam.

"I came for one thing," the Old Madam said.

"Please speak, Mother," Madam Xie replied.

Her demeanor was unprecedentedly submissive and gentle. If Qi Yue were present, she would have sworn Madam Xie had been replaced.

"Give her the dowry," Old Madam Xie stated.

Madam Xie sprang up, looking at the Old Madam in disbelief.

"This isn't for her sake; it's for Yuncheng's," the Old Madam continued, looking directly at Madam Xie.

"Mother, why should I?" Madam Xie bit her lip, asking.

The Old Madam took her hand.

"Mei Niang, why did you give that sum of silver to the Wu family's young man back then?" she asked.

Madam Xie’s expression drastically changed. Her body stiffened, and she stared blankly at the Old Madam, her lips trembling slightly.

The Old Madam sighed, patting Madam Xie's rigid hand.

"Did giving him that silver make you feel a little better, so you could let go a little?" she went on.

Madam Xie’s body shook. Though the Old Madam’s words echoed in her ears amidst the jumble of thoughts, the only thing that shone clearly was the name: Wu family’s young man...

The Wu family's young man... Madam Xie reached up to touch her cheek. The skin felt smooth, but it was no longer the delicate bloom of her youth. The Xie family's younger sister had become the madam of the Chang household; the Wu family's young man had turned to dust.

"Mother, you knew all along," she murmured.

The Old Madam sighed again. "Which child's feelings can escape a mother's eyes? Just as you understand exactly what is in Yuncheng's heart, don't you?" she said, smiling, and pulled Madam Xie back to sit down.

"Then why didn't you..." Madam Xie began softly.

"Why didn't I say anything?" the Old Madam took up the thread, chuckling. "How much wealth did you have? Because of that single packet of silver, you didn't add a single new item for months, living worse than a maidservant."

Madam Xie laughed, this time a slight smile that brought a hint of shyness to her usually sharp eyes. Shyness! More hesitation than actual bashfulness.

"I added some more to the bundle I gave you. It will look better sent off like this," the Old Madam said, looking towards the door with an expression touched by reminiscence.

Madam Xie stood up, lowering her eyes.

"Mother, I..." she began softly, her voice dry.

"Mei'er, this has always weighed heavily on my heart; after all these years, it still does. Your heart must feel the same," the Old Madam interrupted her.

Madam Xie remained silent.

"Speaking of which, Yuncheng’s stubbornness is very much like yours," the Old Madam said, smiling at her.

"I was not as virtuous as older sister, and I did not teach Yuncheng well," Madam Xie replied quietly.

The Old Madam pulled her back to sit down again.

"You are very good, Mei Niang; I have failed you in this life," she stated.

"No, no, Mother. This was what I chose to do. It has nothing to do with you. You advised me back then, but I insisted on marrying into this family," Madam Xie said, shaking her head with firm resolution.

The Old Madam smiled.

"Give her the dowry," she redirected the topic.

Madam Xie clenched her hand.

"Yuncheng has feelings for her; you know that very well," the Old Madam continued, looking at Madam Xie. "We cannot keep her here. If we let her live comfortably outside, it will ease Yuncheng's mind a little, so he can let go, just like... you did back then."

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