It was said that on this day, many people in the Marquis Dingxi’s mansion dropped and broke things, but these matters were of no concern to Qi Yue. She was watching A’Ru arrange the bedding while A’Hao, who could now move around, was not allowed to do any work and could only watch from the side.
“Don’t be too meticulous, we won’t be staying here for many days,” Qi Yue said with a smile.
A’Hao turned around with a shocked expression on her face.
“Young Madam, is… is the Prince going to drive us away?” she asked stutteringly.
Qi Yue burst out laughing.
“Don’t worry, he won’t during this period,” she said with a smile. But after some time, who knew what would happen. “We need to weather this storm first, establish our authority properly, and then we can move back.”
“Ah, so we’ll still be driven out by the Prince?” A’Hao sighed with a frown.
“What do you mean driven out?” Qi Yue didn’t like hearing this, so she stood up and pointed around the room with her fan. “This is my home. I can live wherever I want. If I want to leave, I’ll leave. If I want to come, I’ll come. Who’s driving me out? On what grounds?”
“Then just stay here at the Prince’s place,” A’Hao said with a pout. “Otherwise, those old women will say again that you’re about to be divorced, and they’ll all be insufferably arrogant…”
She felt somewhat frightened thinking about those old women who had caused trouble in the courtyard today. However, when she heard A’Ru say that the Young Madam was moving to live at the Prince’s place, the expressions on those old women’s faces had been quite satisfying to see.
“I’ll see how I feel then,” Qi Yue didn’t want to discuss this topic deeply, nor did she want to explain to this little girl about the principles of knowing when to stop, advancing when the enemy retreats, and retreating when the enemy advances. She brushed it off with this vague response.
“Young Madam, which of these girls should stay close to serve you here? The Prince’s courtyard maid quarters can’t accommodate all of us,” A’Ru asked.
“You,” Qi Yue said. A’Ru understood her meaning and looked up at her with determination. Qi Yue had to swallow what she was about to say. “You and Jiu Zhi will stay. A’Hao, you go back to Qiu Tong Courtyard to live. The other girls will return to their servant quarters.”
A’Ru nodded with satisfaction.
“Young Madam, am I very useless?” A’Hao said from the side, with some self-reproach.
“No,” Qi Yue said with a smile. “Everyone in this world is useful, just in different ways. Besides, it’s just not living here. Are you planning to slack off and not come to attend to my needs during the day?”
Only then did A’Hao smile with relief.
“But maybe Jiu Zhi shouldn’t stay here,” she said in a lowered voice, glancing outside. “Look, she’s been uneasy since entering, not even coming in to help. She just stands by the door looking toward the Prince’s room.”
“Oh, silly girl,” Qi Yue laughed heartily and reached out to pinch A’Hao’s nose as she leaned closer. “In this world, there are only willing parties involved, never cases where one-sided enthusiasm can accomplish anything. Some things can be prevented, others cannot. Don’t worry about this.”
After all this commotion, it was dark and time for dinner.
Qi Yue naturally no longer used her own small kitchen. Her meals were now served at the same time as the Marquis and his wife in the mansion.
“The Prince is dining with the Marquis and Madam,” the serving woman said to Qi Yue with some flattery.
Just as the maids from Qiu Tong Courtyard were successively moving bedding and grooming items over, Chang Yuncheng was called away by Madam Xie, certainly to be asked what this was all about. These matters didn’t concern Qi Yue; she believed Chang Yuncheng would give Madam Xie a satisfactory explanation.
After dinner, Qi Yue returned to her room, too lazy to look at the maid Qiu Xiang who was guarding the Prince’s door with a watchful yet resentful expression.
Qi Yue didn’t know when Chang Yuncheng returned. She read for a while before the traditional characters made her drowsy and she fell asleep. In her drowsy state, she was awakened by the girls’ argument in the courtyard.
“…Who told you to put things here…”
“I put them here, so what…”
These were the voices of Qiu Xiang and Jiu Zhi. Qi Yue frowned. A’Ru in the outer room rustled as she got up, but before she could open the door, they heard something crash and shatter in the courtyard.
“All of you get out!” Chang Yuncheng’s voice immediately exploded in the courtyard.
Suddenly, heaven and earth were completely silent.
Qi Yue turned over with satisfaction, hugged her pillow, and continued sleeping.
The next morning at breakfast, Qi Yue still didn’t see Chang Yuncheng.
“The Prince went out early in the morning,” Jiu Zhi reported busily, unable to hide some disappointment.
This was for the best, saving everyone from finding each other mutually disagreeable. Qi Yue nodded and glanced at Jiu Zhi, who had changed into new clothes.
Jiu Zhi had no mind to serve her meal, frequently smoothing her hair or looking outside through the door.
“Jiu Zhi,” Qi Yue felt it was necessary to remind this girl of a few things. Although her original intention was that A’Ru and A’Hao could live peacefully and steadily after she left, since she had dragged this girl into this, she couldn’t just watch coldly as she got into trouble without caring. So she put down her chopsticks and called out.
Only then did Jiu Zhi hurriedly look over, eagerly taking the tea from A’Ru’s hands to offer it.
“Young Madam, have you finished eating?” she said with a smile.
Qi Yue nodded while taking the tea from her hands.
“We’ve moved in, but we should still act as we did in our courtyard. Don’t go near the Prince without reason,” she said after sipping the tea.
Jiu Zhi’s expression became somewhat awkward.
“This servant, this servant just wants to do more for Young Madam,” she said with a forced smile.
A’Hao, who was clearing the dishes, snorted and gave Jiu Zhi a sideways glance. Really treating everyone like fools—her intentions were so obvious she might as well shout them out.
Qi Yue wasn’t displeased but nodded.
“I know, I understand,” she said with a smile, then stood up to sit in a chair nearby. “But there are some things I need to explain to you all. A’Hao, go call Lan’er and Liu’er in too. Everyone should listen.”
A’Hao was startled but quickly nodded, went out to call the other two second-class maids, then sent the junior maids out and closed the door before returning to stand properly.
All the first-class maids serving the Great Young Madam were now present. Not knowing what the Young Madam wanted to instruct, they all looked somewhat apprehensive.
“Let me ask first—why are you all following me?” Qi Yue put down her teacup and asked with a smile, looking at her team.
This question left everyone stunned.
“Naturally to serve Young Madam well,” Jiu Zhi was first to answer, sensing her earlier mistake and eager to make amends.