"How dare you hide this from me! How dare you hide this from me! You scoundrel! You even ganged up with all of them to deceive me!" Qi Yue gripped Chang Yuncheng's shoulders and shook him fiercely.

Chang Yuncheng merely smiled.

"It wasn't hidden for long; I only arrived this morning."

He chuckled, kissing her forehead and cheek.

Qi Yue cupped his face with both hands, glaring at him.

"Then why didn't you let me know until noon!" she cried out. "Don't you know how much I missed you?" The fact that she could say such a thing so righteously and openly filled Chang Yuncheng's heart with bubbling joy.

"I know, I know."

He said repeatedly, pulling the woman still clinging to him closer. "That's why I wanted to surprise you. Everyone says you love surprises; haven't you always wanted a surprise?" He burst into laughter as he spoke.

Qi Yue knew it must have been Ah Hao, that big mouth, who had spilled the beans about her entire elaborate, though ultimately disastrous, scheme to go to Mobei to plan surprises for Chang Yuncheng.

"Don't you laugh,"

she huffed.

Outside, Hu San saw the monks arriving with the vegetarian meal and quickly moved to intercept them.

"Hey, hey, hold on a moment,"

he said.

The monk’s expression was solemn.

"Amitabha. Monks do not speak falsehoods. We said we would serve the meal at a certain time, and we serve the meal at that time."

He stated woodenly.

The group of monks started moving toward the door.

"Hey, hey, I say, can't you read the room?" Hu San hurried forward to block them again.

"Right, right, you shouldn't go in there, it's not convenient for you,"

Ah Hao also chimed in quickly. "Improper sights, improper deeds."

The monks glanced at them impassively.

"Benefactor worries too much. Our hearts are free from dust; we hold the Buddha in our hearts. There is no such doctrine as not seeing, not hearing, or not speaking."

The leading monk continued calmly, pushing the door open and stepping inside.

Chang Yuncheng and Qi Yue inside had already heard the conversation.

They separated as the monks entered.

The monks passed by them with grave expressions, set the vegetarian meal on the table, and then calmly walked away from them.

Qi Yue stifled a laugh and playfully slapped Chang Yuncheng's shoulder.

"This is a Buddhist sanctuary; what nonsense are you causing?"

she said, feigning severity.

"The Buddha is compassionate and rejoices when he sees people joyful. You and I are so joyful right now; the Buddha is very happy to witness it,"

Chang Yuncheng said with sudden seriousness, pulling out a chair and sitting down.

Qi Yue sat down beside him with a smile, then turned to greet A'ru and the others.

"We are next door,"

A'ru replied.

Without needing further invitation, the others smiled and moved to the adjacent room.

They could hear the sounds of setting up a meal from over there as well, suggesting lively activity.

Qi Yue finally turned back, not to eat, but just to look at Chang Yuncheng and smile.

"What are you smiling at? Eat up,"

Chang Yuncheng laughed.

"Nothing, you are a feast for the eyes,"

Qi Yue teased, her eyes twinkling as she continued to gaze at him.

"Where did you pick up all these improper phrases?"

Chang Yuncheng chuckled awkwardly.

"Oh, look at you, trying to be proper,"

Qi Yue roared with laughter.

After laughing for a moment, she picked up her chopsticks and began eating slowly, asking him why he had returned.

"...We haven't reached Zhangye yet, have we? Running back halfway—is that alright? Even though you were demoted, you shouldn't just give up and wallow, should you?"

she frowned.

Chang Yuncheng laughed heartily.

"Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about honoring my wife and continuing my lineage. But the priority right now is having a wife and child first,"

he said with a smile.

Qi Yue paused her chopsticks, smiling.

"Speak seriously,"

she huffed.

"Yes, sir,"

Chang Yuncheng immediately adopted a stern look and replied.

"We haven't reached Zhangye. On the road, I encountered a convoy transporting captured goods back to the capital. This falls under the responsibilities of my current official post... I will not fail in my mission," he said, chuckling sheepishly.

Qi Yue pursed her lips, giving him a playful glare.

"There's more,"

Chang Yuncheng hesitated again, turning his chopsticks over in his hand as if struggling to speak.

Qi Yue watched him.

"I received a letter from Mother.

She said she has come to the capital."

Chang Yuncheng finally said.

In truth, it wouldn't have mattered much if he hadn't mentioned it, but he felt compelled to speak.

He finished speaking, lowered his head to eat, seemingly afraid to look at Qi Yue's expression.

She drew out her vowel sounds in an 'Oh' sound.

"Your mother has also come to the capital?" Qi Yue asked curiously.

"Is something the matter?" Her voice held no hint of disappointment or displeasure.

Chang Yuncheng bravely raised his head slightly.

"I don't know. She only said that if it were convenient, she would like me to come to the capital to see her."

he replied.

Qi Yue smiled and picked up a piece of food with her chopsticks, placing it on his plate.

"That means she misses you, doesn't it? You haven't seen her in a long time, have you?" she asked.

Chang Yuncheng nodded.

"More than half a year."

he said.

A moment of inevitable silence settled in the room.

"Yue Niang, I, I didn't mean—I meant..." Chang Yuncheng stammered, unable to find the words.

Qi Yue then leaned over and kissed him squarely on the face.

Chang Yuncheng was stunned.

"I, I..."

He stammered again.

Qi Yue kissed him again.

Chang Yuncheng finally recovered, reaching out to pull her closer and kissing her cheek in return.

"Eat, eat,"

he declared loudly, grinning.

Qi Yue gave him a sidelong glance, nodding toward her own plate. Chang Yuncheng instantly became attentive, serving her food.

The atmosphere in the room turned cheerful again.

After the meal, they lingered affectionately at Dajue Temple, and according to Chang Yuncheng's wishes, they planned to visit the night market.

"You aren't tired, but I am,"

Qi Yue laughed, patting his arm. "When do you have to leave?" "It will take three or four days,"

Chang Yuncheng said with a smile, looking at her reluctance. "I'm really not tired. Don't worry about me. The night market is great fun."

"There are so many fun things! Can't you see them all in one day?" Qi Yue glared at him and gently pushed him toward his horse. "Fun, fun—is fun more important than important matters? Three or four days? In three or four days, you should hurry and find my sworn father to settle the matter of your wife!" Chang Yuncheng froze for a second, then his face lit up with sudden delight. Without another word, he swung onto his horse and galloped away swiftly.

Qi Yue felt a mixture of exasperation and amusement, waving her hand through the dust kicked up by the horse's hooves.

A'ru and Ah Hao couldn't help but smile too, boarding the carriage together.

Upon returning home, Qi Yue quickly washed up and changed before going to visit Madam Chen.

She had been taking her medicine diligently, but lately, Qi Yue felt that Madam Chen wasn't improving; instead, her condition seemed to be worsening.

Thinking this, she made a detour to Madam Chen's small kitchen.

The young maid had just finished brewing the medicine. Qi Yue took the bowl herself and entered through the back door. Just as she reached the eaves of the back corridor, she heard a heavy thud from inside, as if a teacup had been slammed onto a table.

"So, it was you who deliberately arranged for Second Sister to send the Ruan family's girl to the Marquis of Dingxi's estate?" a man's voice said.

A guest? A male guest? This was highly unusual. Since Madam Chen arrived here, almost no one had visited her.

Qi Yue hesitated, about to turn away, but the words "Ruan family's girl" made her pause slightly.

Was it her?

"It was me,"

Madam Chen's faint voice replied.

"Then, you were the one who first told the Marquis of Dingxi's wife about requesting an Imperial Edict to marry a secondary wife, and then, through Consort Dong, you were the one who got the Emperor to issue the decree for divorce?" the man continued.

"It was me,"

Madam Chen stated plainly.

Qi Yue gasped. The matter of the secondary wife was Madam Chen's doing... She had always assumed it was Xie Shi's idea. Qi Yue felt her mind beginning to spin.

"What are you trying to achieve?" the deep male voice inside asked, sounding somewhat agitated.

"You have betrayed both her in-laws' family and her birth family. What exactly are you aiming for?"

"Nothing much. Isn't this turning out quite well? Their two families can still arrange a marriage and become in-laws, and Yue Niang won't be an obstacle to them."

Madam Chen said calmly.

"How is that 'turning out quite well'?" The man's voice grew more aggressive as he barked.

"If that Ruan daughter hadn't gone to the Marquis of Dingxi's estate on her own initiative, how would their families have become in-laws in the first place!"

"So, it's destiny then. They were meant to be in-laws after all,"

Madam Chen maintained that infuriatingly calm tone.

Smash. This time, it was the distinct sound of a teacup shattering on the floor.

The room instantly fell silent.

After a moment, the man's voice returned, now calm again.

"Ultimately, what you really want is for that Yue Niang—what's her name—to leave the Marquis of Dingxi's estate, right? And leave with no hope of ever returning? That's why you've been moving about, playing the part of a good Samaritan everywhere, manipulating everyone—the Marquis of Dingxi's estate, your sister's family, and this Yue Niang—all in the palm of your hand, is that it?"

Qi Yue held her breath.

"Yes,"

Madam Chen replied calmly.

Qi Yue turned and swiftly departed.

The little maid in the medicine room was surprised by her sudden return.

Before she could speak, Qi Yue waved her off.

"The medicine is a bit hot; I'll watch it cool down,"

she said. "You can go out now."

"Mistress, I can watch it,"

the maid offered.

Qi Yue shook her head.

"You go out. I will watch it."

She sounded slightly impatient now. She looked around.

There was hardly anywhere to sit in the kitchen; just a small stool near the stove. Qi Yue sat on it, feeling her mind in utter chaos. She took a deep breath and carefully tried to sort through the words she had just heard.

This was highly unusual; this Madam Qi was always gentle and accommodating, so the little maid dared not argue further and quietly left, even closing the door thoughtfully behind her.

Silence descended upon the room.

Meanwhile, Chang Yuncheng had already dismounted in front of the residence of the Marquis of Dingxi in the capital and handed his horse over to the gatekeeper.

"Has Mother arrived?" he asked.

"Yes, she arrived last night,"

the gatekeeper replied cheerfully. "Young Master Shizi, you've returned too! That's wonderful."

Before his words had fully faded, someone emerged from the gate.

"Eldest Brother,"

Chang Yunqi called out, greeting him with surprise.

Chang Yuncheng nodded to him.

"You'll be entering the examinations soon. Are your preparations going well?" he asked with the authority of an older brother.

Chang Yunqi bowed respectfully and replied with a dutiful "Yes."

At this moment, the Marquis of Dingxi also stepped out of his carriage, holding an elderly man by the arm. The old man looked extremely reluctant.

"Good Sir, Good Sir, whether I can hold a grandson in the future depends entirely on you, old sir! The continuation of our Dingxi Marquisate's bloodline rests on your words! My ancestors for eight generations thank you..." he rambled on incessantly.

Good Sir? Chang Yunqi looked confused—what kind of Sir? He was about to step forward to greet his father, but the Marquis of Dingxi ignored him, rushing inside urgently while still dragging the old man along.

The entrance quickly returned to quiet. Chang Yunqi straightened up, glanced at the three people who had already proceeded into the living room, offered a faint smile, smoothed his robes slightly, and walked out.

"The Marquis has arrived,"

Xie Shi said as she stood up upon hearing the news. Beside her, a middle-aged woman with a kind and pleasant face also stood up, watching the Marquis of Dingxi and the elderly man entering.

"Where have you been? I couldn't find you anywhere,"

Xie Shi asked.

The Marquis of Dingxi ignored her questioning tone.

"You arrived just in time,"

he hurried to say, pulling Zhou Maochun along.

"You arrived just in time,"

Xie Shi also cut in, interrupting the Marquis's words, and pointed to the woman beside her. "This is Madam Huo, wife of the Grand Coordinator of the Administration Censorate. With her as the matchmaker, we have finalized the engagement with the Ruan family's girl."

At this statement, the room fell silent for a beat.

The Marquis of Dingxi blinked.

"With whom?" he stammered.

"The Ruan family from Shandong, you forgot? We've had our eye on that girl for a long time,"

Xie Shi said with a smile.

The Marquis of Dingxi looked dazed, seemingly not yet understanding.

Zhou Maochun, standing nearby, understood immediately. He abruptly lifted his foot and kicked away the Marquis of Dingxi who was still pulling him.

"Damn your ancestors! Chang Rong, you dared to play me for a fool!" The roar was deafening, echoing out of the living room. Chang Yuncheng, who was carrying a gift prepared for Xie Shi and stepping onto the steps outside, looked toward the living room in astonishment. The box in his hands fell to the ground with a thud following Zhou Maochun's shout.