The young lady is delicate and soft, yet she criticizes the powerful minister for bowing and scrapin

"A divorce agreement?"

The old lady held the piece of paper and questioned her.

"What have you all been doing behind my back?"

The old lady thought quickly and made a decisive decision: "We cannot divorce. Now that His Majesty Nian'an is in power, there are women who are divorcing him. If word gets out, people will laugh at us."

"Madam!"

Qi Yunli, unable to bear it any longer, roared, "You are a member of the Wei family, so of course I know that everything you do is for the Wei family."

"But could you please stop interfering in my affairs? It makes me feel like all my efforts to be good to you are in vain."

The old lady was stunned by Qi Yunli's angry roar.

She lived most of her life, devoting her entire existence to maintaining the dignity of the Marquis's mansion.

She was used to maintaining a respectable image. But why did she feel a sense of guilt when questioned?

"Let's go outside and talk." Wei Jun pulled Qi Yunli's wrist and walked away.

The old lady slowly sat back down, staring at the fallen leaves not far away for a long, long time before she came to her senses.

As they approached Jingchen Courtyard, Qi Yunli was the first to release her grip.

"There's nothing to talk about, Wei Jun," she said coldly.

Wei Jun felt a sudden emptiness in his heart, as if a piece of flesh had been ripped out of his wrist.

She stood there, her eyes indifferent.

The look in his eyes was completely different from the one he had been longing for day and night at the border.

"Ah Li, have you changed your mind?"

Qi Yunli remained calm: "You said that I could give you an answer in three months, and you would respect my choice."

"Who is it? Is it Shen Junshan? Or some other young master from a prominent family?"

Wei Jun's eyes welled up with tears; he was furious and heartbroken.

"Don't try to imagine who's trying to drive a wedge between us. It's just the two of us from beginning to end. You planned everything before you went to war, didn't you? You kept me in the dark and made us live in fear. I shouldn't have to bear the responsibility of the Marquis's mansion, but you've already included me in your plans."

Qi Yunli's fingers were trembling. She couldn't accept the lies, and she couldn't stand Wei Jun's constant scheming.

"I……"

Wei Jun choked up. He wanted to say that he had wanted to tell Qi Yunli everything before he went to war.

"If this matter gets out, the soldiers on the border and everything I've planned in the capital will be destroyed."

Wei Jun lowered his head and said, "I'm sorry, I know, it's not that I don't trust you."

"But... if I were an ordinary soldier, I wouldn't tell my loved one about this either."

"The one I love?" Qi Yunli's blood was boiling.

The old lady's words echoed in her mind again: the Empress's position would not be hers.

She didn't want to be empress, nor did she want to compete with other women in the harem for favor.

"Wei Jun, perhaps we were never meant to be. When you were the heir of the Marquis's mansion, I was just a cousin. Now that you've become the Emperor, I can no longer stand beside you and be on your side."

Qi Yunli shoved the divorce papers into his hand; her name was already signed on them.

"From now on, we'll go our separate ways, like bridges and roads."

She left resolutely after saying that.

Qi Yunli took a deep breath. She hoped that Wei Jun would come back and take good care of the courtyard, one playing the zither and the other painting, just like before.

But fate had a cruel trick on her; the person she had lost and then regained became the emperor.

Qi Yunli thought that fate had played a cruel joke on her.

Wei Jun hugged her from behind.

"What do I need to do to win your heart, Ah Li? I can't see which way to go."

"Be a good king. You have the Dingyuan Army and your good brothers." Qi Yunli trembled all over, without turning around.

"But if I enter the palace, I will soon die."

"Can't you just trust me this once, trust that I can handle everything?"

His embrace was hot and forceful, holding her tightly in his arms.

"We should have said goodbye a long time ago." Qi Yunli didn't move, letting him hold her.

No matter how long she hugs him, her heart has already made up its mind.

She also has a younger brother, so it's impossible for her to go to the palace and become a respected empress in the harem.

That's just a canary in a cage.

In the Jingchen Courtyard, Qi Yunli packed up the trunks and boxes.

She sat on a recliner in the courtyard, quietly watching the sunset in the distance.

Ru Feng went to pick up Qi Yunsi today; it just so happens to be her day off.

After Qi Yunsi returned to the Wei family academy, the people there learned about his relationship with Wei Jun and respected him even more.

"Sister? Why is everything all moved out?" Qi Yunsi asked.

Ru Feng rushed inside and found that all the clothes and jewelry had been packed away, but the trunks in the corner were full.

"Madam, you..."

"Wei Jun and I have divorced."

Qi Yunli sipped her warm water, looked up, and asked, "Rufeng, do you want to come with me?"

The leaves in the yard fell even faster, as if in a daze.

I've spent this time with my wife and we've developed feelings for each other.

"Does Madam really have to leave?"

Like the wind lowering its brows.

"You should stay by Wei Jun's side," Qi Yunli said, seeing through his thoughts.

She was simply giving Ru Feng an option.

"I've been with the Emperor since I was a child, and I can't leave him." Ru Feng knelt down and kowtowed to her.

Qi Yunli quickly helped him up, saying, "It was his order for you to follow me. You are not serving me, so there's no need to feel guilty."

When Ru Feng looked up at Ting Yue again, both of their eyes immediately reddened.

Tingyue stood to the side behind him and secretly shook her head.

Ru Feng knew that it meant Ting Yue was rejecting him.

Just as he would stay by the Emperor's side, Tingyue would forever follow her master.

The next morning, the old lady was already waiting by the side gate of the Marquis's mansion.

The old nanny beside her was worried about the old lady's health. "This old servant will just report this. You should go back and rest."

The old lady refused, saying, "I have done too many wrong things to Ah Li, but I can't bring myself to say them. So I can only look at her here one last time."

Soon there was movement from the direction of Jingchen Courtyard. Qi Yunli walked in front, while Tingyue and Qi Yunsi carried two small boxes.

Inside were a few clothes and books.

"In the dead of winter, are the few clothes you brought enough to wear?" the old lady sighed softly.

Ah Li's personality is such that no one can persuade her.

Once the three people had left the main gate of the Marquis's residence, the old lady slowly turned around and walked back, leaning on her cane.

Wei Ruowei was crying uncontrollably on another path, and the Third Madam was supporting her.

The old lady shook her head: "Let her cry. We still have business to get on with after she's done crying."

Wei Ruowei sobbed for a while, then asked in confusion, "What important matter?"

"Of course I'll find out where Ah Li lives. She and your older brother are divorced, but her relationship with you hasn't ended."

The old lady tapped Wei Ruowei's back with her cane: "Cheer up! The search for A-Li depends entirely on you. A-Si still has the imperial examinations to take, so she won't go too far."

Wei Ruowei wiped away her tears, "Okay, okay."