The room quieted down. A gust of wind passed through the corridor, blowing many petals from the blooming crabapple trees outside. They drifted into the main hall along the veranda.
Qi Yuan paused in silence, then asked in a very soft voice, “Which Changshi?”
Which Changshi? Qi Zhen and the Old Marquis exchanged a look, trying to read Qi Yuan’s expression. They couldn’t tell if she was playing dumb.
Wasn’t all of this orchestrated by her? How could she not know who the Changshi was?
But now that she asked, they had no choice but to answer.
Qi Zhen swallowed his irritation and said, “Zhan Wenhui. Zhan Changshi!”
Oh, Zhan Wenhui. Qi Yuan suddenly smiled.
Her foul mood since yesterday abruptly vanished, and she let out a hearty laugh.
….
Qi Zhen couldn’t laugh. He looked at Qi Yuan, completely puzzled—what was she laughing at?
The Old Marquis, on the other hand, had more patience and asked, “Do you know Zhan Changshi?”
That Zhan was something of a legend. Back in the day, he placed fourth in the second-tier imperial exam. He started in the Hanlin Academy as a Shuji Jishi. After a year of service, he continued in the Academy as a compiler.
Everyone knew: to enter the Grand Secretariat, you first entered the Hanlin.
He was walking the most traditional and prestigious path of a civil official.
Then he was appointed as an imperial lecturer and began teaching the royal princes. For some unknown reason, he gained Qi Wang’s favor. When the prince had his own residence, Zhan Wenhui naturally became his Changshi.
To the outside world, there was never any issue with this man.
So why was Qi Yuan’s reaction so peculiar?
Qi Yuan finished laughing and raised an eyebrow at Qi Zhen and the Old Marquis.
“That’s right. What I meant by ‘wait a few days’—this is more or less what I was waiting for. But I think it’s not over yet. We can wait a bit more.”
Wait?
This outcome already felt like a miracle to Qi Zhen. Qi Wang had enjoyed obvious favor all these years. For him to be publicly reprimanded by imperial edict—it was unthinkable.
But judging from Qi Yuan’s tone, she had more planned?
The Old Marquis pulled Qi Zhen aside: “Alright, then we’ll wait a few more days!”
Then he looked squarely at Qi Yuan and assured her, “Also, Ah Yuan, don’t worry. That disgraceful fool won’t bother you again. Once your mother is feeling better, we’ll send him away.”
The moment they mentioned Qi Yunting, Qi Yuan’s face darkened. She sneered slightly and glanced at them: “It’s not that I’m afraid of him coming after me—but you should be afraid. If I get bitten by a mad dog, I won’t care who the owner is.”
That was an extremely harsh thing to say.
Qi Zhen’s face flushed, turned pale, then flushed again before he finally responded in a low voice: “Understood.”
He stood and left with the Old Marquis. Once outside, Qi Zhen couldn’t help but say, “Father, she’s far too aggressive!”
Far too aggressive!
Since she returned, several people have already died!
He didn’t hide his concerns: “Father, someone like her, who has no affection for the Qi family—even if she’s a sharp blade—I’m afraid one day that blade will turn on us.”
She didn’t follow rules either.
The Old Marquis looked grave but shook his head with conviction: “We’ll deal with the future when it comes. First, let’s get through this hurdle.”
Then, frowning, he rebuked Qi Zhen: “Besides, wasn’t what Ah Yuan said reasonable? Honestly, that idiotic Yunting has been a huge disappointment. He’s not even as capable as Ah Yuan, a girl!”
Before, there was no comparison. Now that there was—the contrast was stark.
Qi Yuan had been brought back halfway from the countryside. But whether it was political savvy or interpersonal handling, she was far superior to Qi Yunting.
Her only “fault” was not being born male.
The Old Marquis couldn’t help but mutter, “What a shame. If only Qi Yuan were a boy, our family wouldn’t have anything to worry about in the future.”
Qi Zhen opened his mouth but stopped himself. The Old Marquis had already said it—what more could he say?
Instead, he went to visit Qi Yunting.
Qi Yunting had been severely injured this time.
His Mama explained cautiously: “Marquis, he lost two teeth and his tongue is badly torn. He can’t eat solid food—only gruel for now…”
After raising a son for over ten years, how could Qi Zhen not care or feel pained?
Looking at Qi Yunting’s condition, he felt both heartache and fury.
He sat at the edge of the bed and coldly asked, “How many times have I told you not to provoke her? Why didn’t you listen?!”
Qi Yunting hadn’t planned to answer. But seeing his father finally willing to talk to him, he burst into tears and asked, “Father, weren’t things fine before? When Ah Jin was around, everything was perfect. Why did she have to come back?”
Qi Zhen was stunned.
“Why are you asking that? You and Ah Yuan are siblings of the same blood, born of the same mother!”
Qi Yunting’s eyes brimmed with hatred: “I don’t want a sister like her!”
There’s no way to reason with him. Qi Zhen finally understood why Qi Yuan had no patience.
In the beginning, Qi Yuan hadn’t been this harsh. It was Qi Yunting—first he used witchcraft to frame her, then tried to burn the ancestral shrine, and just yesterday, he even took a knife and tried to kill her.
Qi Yuan was just escalating in response.
Qi Zhen stood abruptly: “Even if I told you to go fight her, do you think you could win? Wake up already!”
He left without another word.
Seeing Liu Zhong waiting in the courtyard, he ordered coldly: “Keep a close eye on the young master! If he dares step out again, whoever was guarding him—break their legs!”
Liu Zhong quickly agreed, wiping the cold sweat off his forehead.
The Qi family was in turmoil. Qi Wang’s household fared no better.
Eunuch Xu cautiously stood by Qi Wang’s side, softly offering comfort: “Your Highness, please don’t be too disheartened. The Noble Consort is still in the palace—she won’t let you suffer!”
Corruption was serious, yes. But Qi Wang had always been careful. That money never touched his name—it was all under Zhan Changshi.
Even the Baotong Bank was run by Zhan’s older brother.
This was a heavy blow, but not fatal. With the Noble Consort in the palace, and powerful support outside—and the Emperor’s favor—this too shall pass.
Qi Wang said nothing. He held a small, comical wooden puppet in his hand.
After a while, his carving knife slipped. The puppet’s head popped off and rolled away.
He asked in a cold, eerie voice: “Where is Xu Tongzhou?”
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