After returning home, Qi Zhen kept holding the right side of his face, even after he entered the matriarch’s room—he still didn’t put his hand down.
The old madam had already heard from the Old Marquis, who’d returned earlier, about everything that had happened at the temple. She was still sighing in amazement, heart full of unease.
This time, though the Qi family had indeed rendered great service by escorting Liu Wangfei back to the capital, they had also come to learn far too many royal secrets.
Whether they would take a step forward or retreat—everything now hinged on the Emperor’s will.
What would the Emperor decide? The suspense was enough to kill her.
But there was no rushing such matters. Noticing Qi Zhen holding his face, she asked, “What’s wrong with you?”
Qi Zhen didn’t even know how to explain what he had just witnessed.
How was he supposed to say it?
Qi Wang went mad and threw a fit at his daughter like he was dying of heartbreak.
Then the Imperial Grandson offered her a protective charm… and got flat-out rejected?!
It was a toothache-level situation.
Toothache!
As he was speaking, Qi Yuan had already changed and come over.
She, on the other hand, looked quite cheerful.
New year, new beginnings. On the eve of the new year, she had already wiped out the two biggest threats from her past life—Qi Wang and Duke Chu’s household. From now on, the Xie family would never face disaster again.
Of course, that was something worth celebrating.
Seeing her, Qi Zhen felt like his teeth hurt even worse.
So much so that Old Marquis Qi shot him a glare and smacked his arm with a pa! “What are you, a child? Ate too much candy and gave yourself a toothache?!”
Qi Zhen could only give a strained smile, thinking gloomily that maybe it was for the best that his old man came home early. Otherwise, who knew if he could keep up this façade of calm right now.
Then again…
Forget it. Did he even have any control over Qi Yuan anymore?
Don’t kid yourself. No matter how perfect the Imperial Grandson might be, if Qi Yuan didn’t like him, it was useless.
With that thought, he let it go and cheerfully handed Qi Yuan a thick red envelope: “You’re another year older. Wishing you a smooth and lucky year ahead.”
It was New Year’s—Qi Yuan wouldn’t kill the mood. She accepted the red envelope and thanked him.
Old Marquis Qi and the old madam also gave her their own red envelopes.
Theirs were quite special—each contained a silver note for 1,000 taels.
That amount was a bit excessive. Qi Yuan looked at them with a raised brow.
The old madam just smiled and said, “You’re different from the others. This is your first time celebrating the New Year at home. These are to make up for all the years of New Year’s money you missed. Ah Yuan, the past is over now. We only hope that from now on, you’ll live peacefully and in good health.”
Qi Yuan considered it, then solemnly got up, knelt, and bowed her thanks.
—
When she returned to Mingyue Pavilion, Lianqiao, Baizhi, and the rest were already waiting for her with lanterns.
The moment they saw her, they practically spoke in unison, joyfully greeting her for the New Year.
Baoyin even boldly held out her hand: “Miss, miss! You owe us lucky money!”
Just then, Ah Huang burst out wagging its tail and leapt straight into Qi Yuan’s arms. She scooped it up, smiling as she looked around at everyone and told Lianqiao to go open the chest.
She was actually doing quite well financially now. Previously, the old madam had already given her a full year’s monthly allowance in advance. At the moment, her silver chest had fifty taels of cash.
Qi Yuan thought for a moment and then gave it all out to everyone in the courtyard.
No one had expected her to give so generously—they were instantly overwhelmed with surprise and joy.
Qi Yuan then took out a few silver ingots and handed them to Lianqiao. “Help me deliver these to your brother and the other teachers outside. Tell them Happy New Year for me.”
Lianqiao quickly waved her hands, eyes welling up with tears: “Miss, what you already give us is more than enough…”
“Ordinary days are ordinary. New Year’s is New Year’s,” Qi Yuan said as she handed it over, lifting her head to glance at the star-filled sky.
For her, this was a year of rebirth—a year where her legs remained whole and unbroken, a year where she hadn’t been humiliated by Qi Jin or Xiao Yunting.
It was both a satisfying ending and a promising beginning.
She would only live better from here on out.
Lianqiao took the gift with teary eyes, but then suddenly looked up at the sky and gasped, “Miss, look! What’s that?!”
Qi Yuan, holding Ah Huang in her arms, looked up—just in time to see a sky lantern drifting down toward her courtyard.
She frowned slightly, instinctively suspicious that it might be laced with some kind of powder.
Why else would it so coincidentally float down here?
She immediately ordered everyone to back away.
But the lantern swayed gently and landed on the ground without incident. Baizhi let out a curious sound and reached into it, pulling out a glowing jade pendant. “Miss, isn’t this the peace charm from Baiyun Temple?!”
There was a glowing jade ore from the mines of Mount Baiyun, notoriously difficult to extract. So even during New Year’s, very few people were able to obtain peace charms made from it.
How did it end up attached to a sky lantern?
Qi Yuan lowered her gaze and said quietly to Baizhi, “Put it away in the box.”
—
Back at the Qi Wang Manor, when Qi Wang returned and saw the courtyard filled with lanterns, he found them utterly unbearable.
Once, he thought the lanterns lining the covered corridors looked like a winding river of stars. Now, all he saw was an eyesore.
What was the point?!
He would never see the lanterns of the capital again.
Forbidden to enter the city without an imperial summons—his imperial father was truly heartless!
And his sister—he might never see her again for the rest of his life!
Unable to restrain himself, he stormed into the study and smashed everything he could. Thinking of how, in past years, he would’ve received the largest red envelope under the loving gaze of his imperial parents only made his chest ache more.
He couldn’t help but bark at Eunuch Xu: “Go! Bring Pu Wuyong here!”
Eunuch Xu sighed inwardly, worry written on his face. “Your Highness, I fear that wouldn’t be appropriate—it’s New Year’s Eve…”
As the Chief Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonies, Pu Wuyong had countless matters to attend to. How could he possibly have time to come here?
Besides, even if he did have time—he wouldn’t come.
How could someone as shrewd as Pu Wuyong not understand the principle of “When the tea cools, people scatter”?
Eunuch Xu understood it. Qi Wang did too.
And realizing that only made Qi Wang more furious.
He growled, “They all think I’m useless now, don’t they?!”
—
At that moment, Pu Wuyong was in a side hall where palace staff took night shifts, watching the festivities unfold in the main hall. He calmly asked his apprentice, “Is there someone keeping vigil at the late Noble Consort’s quarters? Even if she’s gone, we still can’t afford to be disrespectful.”
Yes, the phrase “when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter” might hold true—but it depends on how the monkeys scatter.
Noble Consort Xiao Liu, after all, was going to be buried with the rites of an Imperial Noble Consort, as personally decreed by Emperor Yongchang. The emperor would not let her be slighted.
And as the chief eunuch closest to the emperor, no one was better at reading His Majesty’s will than Pu Wuyong.
But today, the incense-offering task that he normally performed had been given to Eunuch Xia instead.
His eyes narrowed, cold and venomous like a snake’s, as his thoughts drifted to that girl who had faced down Qi Wang—and to Lai Chenglong.
The Eastern Palace had really played a masterstroke. By retrieving Liu Wangfei, they had swiftly and cleanly taken down Qi Wang, who had posed the greatest threat to the Crown Prince.
Qi Wang was finished. Even if his leg were healed, everything he had done would keep Emperor Yongchang from ever trusting him again.
It looked like the turning point had been Liu Wangfei.
But Pu Wuyong knew, deep down—
The real key was that girl from the Qi family.
She kept showing up in places she never should have been.
