Lian’er saw that the shell-shaped hair ornament on Han Yue’e’s forehead was crooked and quickly reached out to fix it for her. Hearing what Han Yue’e said, she also laughed along. “Miss, really now—she’s already so miserable, and you’re still enjoying the show.”
Han Yue’e raised an eyebrow. “Naturally I’m just here to watch the show—what else can I do? There are still heroic ancestors in the Qi family’s ancestral hall who once fought alongside the founding emperor against the Oirats. Tsk tsk, once that place catches fire…”
At that moment, Qi Yunting was drenched in sweat. He shifted slightly, only to grimace from the pain.
The maid attending him cautiously brought over water to apply medicine, but he slapped the basin away with one hand and snapped coldly, “Get out!”
He was moody and unpredictable right now; no one dared provoke him. The maid quickly picked up the basin and backed out.
Qi Yunting took a deep breath, forced himself out of bed, and shuffled to the window. Looking out in the direction of the ancestral hall, he saw thick smoke curling heavily into the sky. At last, the bitter resentment in his heart felt like it had been let out.
With a deep exhale, he felt his whole body lighten.
“This fire is burning well!” He lowered his eyes and gripped tightly onto the sachet in his hand.
It was the only thing Ah Jin had left behind.
Ah Jin had always been like a pampered flower in the marquis household—raised on delicacies, dressed in finery, enjoying only the best of everything.
How could such a delicate flower endure the dirt of the world?
But ever since Qi Yuan returned, she had forced Ah Jin away!
No—not just forced her away. Ah Jin might never come back!
Father had always been ruthless when it came down to it.
At that thought, his throat burned, his nose felt clogged. Clutching the sachet coldly, he muttered, “Ah Jin, don’t worry. If you couldn’t stay, then she won’t be able to either. She’ll never dream of returning to the Qi family!”
As long as he remained in this household, there would be no place for Qi Yuan.
Let her dream of coming back!
The fire surged higher and higher. Qi Yunting held the sachet in his hand, his expression twisted with both hatred and glee.
Meanwhile, Madam Wang was nearly frantic enough to jump into the lake.
It had taken great effort to invite the Eldest Princess—this should have been an event to bring glory to the family name.
Who could have predicted a fire?
And worse—it was the ancestral hall!
She bit her lip and cast a veiled, hateful glance at Qi Yuan.
Perhaps even Heaven and the ancestors couldn’t stand her return. Raised by a butcher for over a decade, with a butcher’s wife who was shamelessly entangled with another man—who knew what kind of improper tricks and indecent manners she had learned?
The smoke from the fire was being carried to the back courtyard by the wind, thick enough that even Madam Wang and the others could smell it.
Her temples throbbed painfully. She quickened her steps and rushed outside, only to see Liu Zhong running back, covered in soot.
She hurriedly grabbed him. “Well?!”
Liu Zhong’s face was black with smoke. He coughed out a puff of dark air, fanned himself, and said urgently, “Madam, the Old Marquis and the Marquis have asked that you lead the honored guests to the lakeside pavilion to wait. The fire is too large—the city patrol and garrison troops have arrived to help with the firefighting.”
Madam Wang stood there dazed, her head pounding. She let out a weak “oh,” then forced herself to smile and invited the Eldest Princess to the lakeside pavilion.
Madam Lu glanced at the Eldest Princess, then at Madam Wang, and clicked her tongue with a faintly mocking smile. “Well now, isn’t this timing suspicious? Just as the young lady’s recognition ceremony is happening—poof!—a fire breaks out! And it’s the ancestral hall too. I wonder if the ancestors were disturbed?”
The other guests immediately began to murmur among themselves.
“That’s right. She hasn’t even finished the recognition, and the ancestral hall’s already in flames. Is she some kind of cursed being?”
“Or maybe she attracted some unclean spirit. Otherwise, how could the timing be so perfect?”
All these speculations reached Madam Wang’s ears.
Her stomach turned with rage. She shot Qi Yuan a glare full of unconcealed blame.
Panic spread among the women. Now, even the way they looked at Qi Yuan had changed.
The Eldest Princess’s gaze settled on Qi Yuan. Seeing her calm and composed, completely unfazed, the princess couldn’t help but silently commend her.
Regardless of anything else, this level of poise at her age was rare.
Looking at the young girl before her, the princess asked gently, “You’re not afraid?”
Qi Yuan raised her eyes, smiling—her gaze sparkled like starlight. With a mischievous glint, she blinked and replied, “If one does no wrong, there’s no fear when ghosts knock at the door. I’m not afraid.”
Jiang Momo exchanged a glance with the Eldest Princess.
No wonder Xiao Yunting had come in person to plead for this girl.
She was, indeed, an interesting one.
In the lakeside pavilion, Madam Wang blushed deeply, repeatedly offering apologies to the Eldest Princess.
The Eldest Princess waved her hand dismissively. “No need for all this. There have been several wildfires at Mount Baiyun this winter. If we were to believe in omens, wouldn’t that mean this Bengong* doesn’t suit Baiyun either?”
* referring to herself
That remark was clearly a rebuke toward the gossip from the noblewomen earlier.
For a moment, everyone went quiet. The whispering died down significantly.
Madam Wang was even more surprised. It seemed the Eldest Princess really was standing up for Qi Yuan.
Her heart was filled with complicated feelings.
It was all true—what a pity the ancestral hall caught fire.
And such a thing couldn’t be brushed off as mere coincidence or dry weather.
Everyone in the household would carry this incident like a thorn in their hearts.
No matter how outstanding Qi Yuan was, once she bore the label of “inauspicious fate,” her future would always be limited.
One moment Madam Wang felt it was a shame, the next she thought it was fitting—Qi Yuan was a troublemaker after all. Her heart was a complete mess.
Just then, as Han Yue’e arrived, a maid came rushing from Qi Yunting’s room and anxiously reported to Madam Wang, “Madam, bad news! The young master’s fever is flaring up again!”
One wave hadn’t settled, and another had come!
Madam Wang nearly panicked out of her mind. She quickly ordered someone to fetch the physician and sent Stewardess Gao to check.
Han Yue’e promptly stepped forward to support Madam Wang, gently comforting her, “Aunt, don’t worry. Big Brother’s wound hasn’t fully healed. A fever is to be expected. Once the doctor cools his body, he’ll be fine.”
As she spoke, she lifted her head and looked toward the pavilion—not far away, she saw Qi Yuan. With a composed expression, she offered her a sweet smile. “Big Sister.”
Before a venomous snake strikes, it always flicks out its tongue and assumes an attack posture.
In Qi Yuan’s eyes, Han Yue’e at this moment was exactly that—a snake flicking its tongue.
Qi Yuan returned a slow, unhurried smile and nodded back calmly.
Han Yue’e lowered her eyes, hiding the coldness in them.
To deal with an opponent like this… she didn’t even have the patience to spare a full glance.
