Qi Yue blinked, momentarily stunned.

“If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t spare you a glance,” Old Madam Xie stated plainly.

Qi Yue didn't grow annoyed; instead, she smiled.

“You really are a Xie,” she chuckled.

Old Madam Xie naturally knew exactly who she was referring to, humming a low note without speaking.

People from the bank arrived from outside. Qi Yue had no choice but to go out; she understood nothing of these matters, so Old Madam Xie personally handled everything.

They selected the items for daily household use, while the more valuable treasures were loaded onto carts. Upon learning that such a massive transaction—and that all these possessions belonged solely to this young lady—the bank staff’s gaze towards Qi Yue shifted entirely.

She must be the wealthiest young mistress in all of Yongqing Prefecture, right?

After finishing these tasks, Old Madam Xie again directed the servants to arrange the daily necessities. Only as dusk began to settle were everything put in its proper place.

Qi Yue placed a cup of tea before Old Madam Xie.

“Thank you,” she said.

Old Madam Xie did not reach for the tea.

“Don’t bother thanking me,” she replied. “I said I wasn't doing this for you, but for Yuncheng. If you live well outside, it saves you from clinging to him, and it allows him to live his life properly too.”

Qi Yue smiled.

“Yes, he will certainly have a good life,” she affirmed.

Old Madam Xie said nothing and started to move. Qi Yue followed behind her to see her out.

“Give up hope. There is nothing between you two,” Old Madam Xie stopped again to state.

“Is it because of the Old Marchioness?” Qi Yue inquired with a smile.

“Precisely,” Old Madam Xie replied immediately, as if she had finally waited long enough for this question.

Qi Yue nodded but remained silent.

“Why don’t you ask?” Old Madam Xie looked at her, unable to suppress her curiosity.

“Ask what?” Qi Yue laughed. “Ask what grudge the Old Marchioness holds against you? Ask if she truly harmed Yuncheng’s mother? What if she did? What if she didn’t? She is exceedingly kind to me. That is enough for me, enough that I have no reason to doubt her, much less hate her.”

She let out a breath here.

“Isn't it the same for Yuncheng?” she said.

Even facing helplessness and immense reluctance, what could be done? That was his aunt, his adoptive mother, the great kindness of raising and nurturing him.

Old Madam Xie looked at her, nodded once, and turned to leave.

“Old Madam,” Qi Yue called out, stopping her again.

Old Madam Xie turned to look at her.

“Did the Old Marchioness really do those things?” Qi Yue asked.

Old Madam Xie looked astonished.

This woman, didn't she claim she wouldn't ask? She spoke so righteously, what was the point of this drama now?

“Actually, I’m still quite curious,” Qi Yue said with a slight smile.

Old Madam Xie looked at her, feeling both vexed and amused.

“You woman,” she said, taking a deep breath. “The Old Marchioness—those she favors, she wants to cherish them in the palm of her hand; those she dislikes, she wishes to destroy them moment by moment.”

Then she looked directly at Qi Yue.

“We are irreconcilable enemies. We cannot coexist under the same heaven,” she pronounced, enunciating every word.

Qi Yue made a soft sound of understanding.

It seemed she was the one who was favored, while the Xie sisters…

Old Madam Xie firmly struck her cane on the ground, uttered no more words, turned, and boarded the carriage.

The carriage moved away down the alley, vanishing into the gathering darkness.

“Young Madam…” A Ru called out softly.

Qi Yue turned and smiled at her.

“Still calling me Young Madam?” she questioned.

A Ru looked back and smiled too.

“Mistress, come inside, it’s time to eat,” she said.

Qi Yue linked arms with her.

“Good, let me see if A’hao’s skills have improved,” she laughed.

“Mistress, you always tease me. I really have improved,” A’hao’s voice came from behind.

She was personally carrying a food box, and two older maids followed, carrying two more, approaching with smiles.

Yuan Bao watched everyone enter the house. Lively laughter drifted from the brightly lit interior, and he couldn't help but grin before turning to secure the bolt on the door.

The construction on both shops was completely finished. Qi Yue paid all the wages, and even gave every craftsman an extra red envelope.

“Master, this is such a waste,” Hu San couldn’t help but murmur, distressed.

Qi Yue smiled.

“Money is meant to be spent, spent where it should be spent. Consider it accumulating merit,” she said, watching the happily departing craftsmen. “I think Yue Niang will also be very pleased.”

Yue Niang will be pleased? What did that mean? Didn't it just mean she herself was pleased? Hu San frowned in confusion.

A Ru overheard and naturally understood.

“What are you still standing here for? Those sickbeds have arrived; aren't you going to supervise their placement?” she instructed.

To hear this sound of direction by her ear once again, Hu San was so happy his sleep was troubled by grinning.

“Yes, yes, I’m going,” he grinned widely and scampered off quickly.

Qi Yue stood by the door, watching her disciples make the final touches to the façade. Many people were gathered on the street, most of their gazes fixed on Qi Yue, inevitably leading to whispers.

A Ru felt like reminding Qi Yue to go inside, but seeing Qi Yue’s expression so calm, even smiling slightly as she met the scrutinizing, curious gazes of the public, A Ru also felt tranquil, remembering what Qi Yue had said to the disciples of the Qianjin Hall early that morning.

“You all don’t know my name yet, do you? From today onward, we are colleagues,” Qi Yue said cheerfully. “My surname is Qi, my given name is Yue, the Yue of ‘joyful’ (Huan Yue). You can call me Sister Qi, or Sister Yue. As for you, Teacher, you can just call me Little Qi.”

Qi Yue, the Yue of joy, not the Yue of the moon…

That must be her name. A Ru looked at the vibrant, spirited Qi Yue standing before the crowd; that Yue Niang was now completely a thing of the past.

She naturally would not let the past affect today or tomorrow.

A Ru took her place behind her.

Firecrackers exploded in the distance down the street, drawing people’s attention away from the shop. They began asking questions.

“The Residence of the Marquis of Dingxi is giving out rewards…” someone shouted from afar. The word ‘rewards’ immediately caused the crowd to surge toward that direction.

“Why are they giving out rewards now?” Qi Yue laughed, turning to ask A Ru. “Could it be to celebrate the expansion of our clinic?”

She burst into laughter while saying it.

A Ru offered a helpless smile, her expression darkening slightly.

“The Young Master is leaving today,” she murmured.

Qi Yue slowly let her smile fade and nodded.

“Oh,” was all she said.

“Mistress, should we go…” A Ru began to whisper, but before she could finish speaking, a chaotic rush of people came running.

“Qianjin Hall! Qianjin Hall!” The person in the lead clutched a piece of paper in his hand, shouting loudly, “Where is it? Where is it?”

Seeing the paper in his hand, Qi Yue’s eyes lit up.

“It’s here!” she immediately raised her hand and shouted loudly.

The man precisely located her and rushed over, pausing briefly when he saw her, then looking at the paper again.

It was a simple square piece of paper, upon which was written in bold characters: “For emergency aid, please find Qianjin Hall.” Below it was the specific address, along with some cautionary advice regarding accidents, such as not moving the injured casually and how to perform simple hemostasis.

This was what Qi Yue had instructed Qianjin Hall to print and distribute some time ago to advertise the newly renovated clinic. It had been set aside due to the divorce, but unexpectedly, one of the few papers distributed had proven effective.

“Where? What’s the matter?” Qi Yue asked immediately. “I am a doctor.”

The man paused, bewildered.

“Outside the city, hit by a carriage…” he answered instinctively.

“A Ru, front-yard emergency response,” Qi Yue called back.

A Ru responded with a prompt “Yes!” and turned to run inside, shouting as she went.

The busy disciples stopped what they were doing, and then a collective cry erupted as everything descended into organized chaos.

“Those handling the front-yard emergency, follow me! Prepare for the in-house emergency intake,” Qi Yue commanded, taking the emergency kit A Ru brought and rushing out.

Three disciples followed them in a momentary panic.

“The carriage, didn't we send the carriage over early?” Hu San shouted and stamped his feet from the back. “Hurry and open the back door! Who told you to block the back door? Move those medicine packages away…”

When the dozen or so guards rushed out of the city gate, they saw the road was blocked far in the distance.

“What’s going on?” someone asked. “Go clear them out quickly.”

A guard rode forward on horseback.

The crowd, layered three deep around the scene, watched what was happening inside.

“What is it?”

“An old man was hit by a carriage…”

“…He won’t live, will he?”

“…So much blood…”

“He might not, but this family won’t let them take the old man to the clinic quickly, insisting he lie here…”

“Oh dear, truly… unfilial… trying to extort money, perhaps…”

“…No, they said they called for emergency aid…”

“…Is that the woman?”

Amidst the murmurs, the guard looked down from his high perch on horseback.

“…Systolic pressure dropping…”

“…Supine position…”

“…Deformity at the back of the head, bleeding from mouth, nose, and ears…”

“…Master, Master, should we use Shen Fu Tang or Tongguan San?”

“…No acupuncture now, wait until I perform artificial respiration…”

Continuous dialogue drifted from between these four or five individuals.

The woman in a protective gown knelt on the ground, pressing forcefully on the chest of the injured person lying in the pool of blood.

She periodically leaned over to blow air into the injured person’s mouth and nose.

This action initially drew shouts from the surrounding crowd, but as these people continued their earnest actions, the surrounding noise gradually subsided.

Aside from A Ru, the other disciples were initially somewhat flustered, as this was their first time participating in such an emergency rescue outside of a classroom setting. Of course, they had performed treatments before, but they were unfamiliar with Qi Yue’s specific methods. After the initial panic, they quickly calmed down, and those responsible for stopping the bleeding, bandaging, and administering medicine proceeded one by one.

Chang Yuncheng arrived at the city gate alone. The Marquis of Dingxi was in a foul mood and was convinced this entire incident was caused by Chang Yuncheng, so he simply refused to see him off. Madam Xie and the female relatives did come out to see him off, but their expressions were complicated. Ultimately, Chang Yuncheng refused their escort past the city gates and spurred his horse away by himself.

When he arrived, he too noticed the blocked road and was momentarily stunned.

“It’s… people from Qianjin Hall performing emergency aid. Someone was hit by a carriage…” the guard reported quietly.

By that time, the on-site rescue had concluded. Under the strict fixation provided by splints, bandages, and other materials, four or five men carried the specially made stretcher of the Qianjin Hall. The crowd automatically made way.

Chang Yuncheng watched the blood-stained woman run past him, supporting the stretcher. Throughout the entire process, she did not glance around. Her expression was focused solely on the injured person. She carried a medical bag in one hand and stabilized the victim’s head with the other. Her eyes visible outside the mask showed a hint of anxiety, yet also confidence.

Chang Yuncheng watched the woman's retreating figure disappear through the city gate, his gaze lingering for a long time.

The guards stood silently, not even the horses impatiently pawing the ground or snorting.

To see her once more just before he left—a faint smile touched Chang Yuncheng’s lips. This was very good indeed.

He tried to pull his gaze away but felt unable to. With a sharp breath, he snapped the reins and urged his horse forward.

The horse startled with a whinny and leaped out, carrying the man away.

Finally, the figure was lost to sight.

If you give an extra chapter, please cast a vote (^__^) Hee hee…

Someone asked if he would see her before leaving; look, I didn’t lie, he saw her once, RS.