A thousand enlightenments in one night, starting from being a menial apprentice.

After Zhu Xiaoqi ran out crying, a short while later, under the dim light, Xiao Yu, dressed neatly with a gold hairpin in her hair, led Zhu Xiaoqi, who was wrapped in a blanket and crying with tears streaming down her face, into the east wing.

Xiao Yu walked to the center of the room, directly opposite the bed, and pulled Zhu Xiaoqi to kneel down.

The light shone on Xiao Yu's face, which was covered in rouge, but her face was filled with sorrow.

"Husband..." Xiao Yu cried out in a sorrowful voice, and then knelt down in despair.

Zhu Xiaoqi was startled and immediately knelt down as well, but she kept her hands gripping the blanket, wrapping it around her body.

Duan Rong lay on the bed, sighed, then got up and reached out to help Xiao Yu.

"Get up first! There's nothing we can't talk about between husband and wife."

Although Duan Rong was helping her up, Xiao Yu stubbornly remained kneeling and refused to get up. She said in a sorrowful voice, "If my husband is willing to have pity on me, please let Xiao Qi give me this room so that I can continue the family line. If my husband is not willing, then just divorce me and throw me out of the house. That way, I won't have nowhere to stand here and become a laughing stock."

Duan Rong stood there, looking at Xiao Yu who was still kneeling prostrate, his face darkening. He said coldly, "Xiao Yu, are you forcing your husband?!"

"I dare not!" Upon hearing Duan Rong's words, Xiao Yu raised her head, her face already streaked with tears, and said, "I will pack my things now and take Xiao Qi back to Xiangu County. Qingzhu is wonderful in every way, and she is pregnant again. My husband can certainly make her his principal wife, which would also be in accordance with Elder Lü's wishes. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the whole family lived in harmony? As for me, I am nothing but a lonely figure under the dim light, destined to spend the rest of my life in solitude."

After Xiao Yu finished speaking, she kowtowed to the ground and got up. Then she pulled Zhu Xiaoqi outside.

Zhu Xiaoqi, barefoot, was pulled along by Xiao Yu, staggering as she walked. Her eyes were filled with panic as she looked back at Duan Rong, who stood there with a gloomy face under the lamplight.

"stop!"

Duan Rong suddenly shouted coldly.

Xiao Yu then pulled Zhu Xiaoqi to a stop not far from the doorway, but she still had her back to Duan Rong, and the gold hairpin on her head swayed and flashed with a cold light.

Duan Rong let out a long sigh. He knew that the Nine Provinces world placed great importance on offspring. Before, when Lü Qingzhu hadn't even entered the family, he had simply given Xiao Yu a few words about having children, and Xiao Yu hadn't pursued the matter any further. But now, Lü Qingzhu was pregnant as soon as she entered the family, and more importantly, there had been a previous uproar over a potential divorce. No wonder Xiao Yu was uneasy.

Duan Rong also saw Xiao Yu's determination. After all, he and Xiao Yu had gone through life and death several times and came out of Xiangu County together. He couldn't really let Xiao Yu die of heart like this.

Xiao Yu's behavior was a ploy to get him to keep her. Duan Rong knew very well that as long as he spoke, Xiao Yu wouldn't leave. Her desire to leave was merely a strategic retreat.

"I didn't say I wouldn't agree. But shouldn't you at least discuss this with me first?" Duan Rong's voice was somewhat gentle.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yu turned around, the sorrow on her face lessening somewhat. She knelt down and said, "This matter was due to my lack of consideration. I hope my husband will forgive me."

Duan Rong glanced at Zhu Xiaoqi, looked at Xiao Yu, and said, "Moreover, this matter must be done willingly by Xiaoqi. As her older sister, you cannot force her."

This is also why Duan Rong just scolded Zhu Xiaoqi and sent her away. He wasn't sure if Zhu Xiaoqi was acting willingly or if Xiao Yu, as her older sister, had coerced or persuaded her.

He met Zhu Xiaoqi in Xiangu County, and their relationship was already like that of family. He would never shamelessly force Zhu Xiaoqi to do this if she wasn't willing.

When Xiao Yu saw Duan Rong ask this question, she smiled slightly. After spending so much time together, how could she not know what Zhu Xiaoqi was thinking?

Xiao Yu looked at Zhu Xiaoqi and asked, "Xiaoqi, are you willing?"

When Zhu Xiaoqi saw Xiao Yu asking her this, she glanced at Duan Rong in a flustered manner, then quickly lowered her head, her face turning bright red all the way to her ears...

Zhu Xiaoqi remained silent, only rubbing a corner of the blanket between her hands.

Xiao Yu urged, "Xiao Qi, I'm asking you a question."

Zhu Xiaoqi lowered her head even further, her voice barely audible. "I...I'm willing..."

Looking at Zhu Xiaoqi's shy and bashful appearance, Duan Rong could easily tell that she was willingly serving him.

In fact, Zhu Xiaoqi came from the Xiao family with Xiao Yu. In the Nine Provinces, according to custom, her status was that of a maidservant. She was originally Duan Rong's person, but was assigned to Xiao Yu's household.

Xiao Yu reached out and gently patted Zhu Xiaoqi's shoulder, saying softly, "Xiaoqi, go on over there."

Zhu Xiaoqi looked up at Xiao Yu and asked, "Miss, where are we going?"

"Silly girl," Xiao Yu smiled and said, "Go lie down on the bed inside."

"Ah..." Zhu Xiaoqi immediately lowered her head, wrapped herself in the blanket, and walked barefoot toward the bed. As she passed Duan Rong's side, she unconsciously wrapped the blanket around herself even tighter due to nervousness.

At this moment, Xiao Yu knelt down and said, "Husband, I shall take my leave."

Then, Xiao Yu got up and left the east wing, closing the door behind her.

Standing outside the door, the dim light of the lanterns hanging under the eaves shone on Xiao Yu's face. At this moment, her expression froze, and only she knew that jealousy was burning fiercely in her heart.

When Lü Qingzhu entered the house, she knew that a wife should be virtuous and gentle, so she suppressed her emotions and accepted Lü Qingzhu with tenderness and warmth.

But in reality, at that time, jealousy was already consuming her heart.

Because her love for Duan Rong was like a deep pool, unfathomable.

I still remember the past, in Xiangu County, when I was holding my sister Xiao Baijiao's funeral, there was that resolute figure standing in front of her in front of the city gate of Xiangu County, amidst a flash of swords.

There was also the time when she was kidnapped by Wei Yutian. In that secluded cultivation chamber, thick fog filled the air. When she opened her eyes, she saw a dark figure. She was both surprised and frightened. Suddenly, the dark figure spoke a friendly voice. It was Duan Rong's voice.

Scenes from the past once again assaulted her heart.

These events brought her life and Duan Rong's life together.

Later, Duan Rong finally became her husband, an inseparable part of her heart. But she was forced to accept other women standing by his side.

If she wasn't jealous, she would have understood Zhu Xiaoqi's intentions long ago. Why did it take until today to let her share a room with Duan Rong?

She couldn't even tolerate Zhu Xiaoqi, let alone Lü Qingzhu.
But she had to swallow these bitter pills. She had to accept the fact that she could not bear children. If her branch of the family had no heirs, she would be overshadowed by Lü Qingzhu in the future.

This means choosing the lesser of two evils.

Inside the east wing, Duan Rong turned his head and looked at Zhu Xiaoqi lying on the bed.

He walked slowly over and sat on the edge of the bed. He saw that Zhu Xiaoqi was still wrapped in a blanket, with tear stains on her face. Her eyes were closed, and a crystal teardrop clung to her eyelashes...

Duan Rong suddenly reached out and plucked a tear from her eyelashes, then gently unwrapped the blanket covering her. In that instant, Zhu Xiaoqi's body visibly trembled; she curled up slightly in nervousness, but her eyes closed even tighter…

Duan Rong then pressed forward...

Xiao Yu was standing outside the door when she suddenly heard a scream erupt from inside the room. Her body trembled, and her heart felt as if it had been pierced by a needle.

However, the screams soon turned into soft moans. Xiao Yu clenched her fists, her body trembling, and the gold hairpin on her head shook wildly from the trembling.

At this moment, Xiao Yu's heart felt like it was being fried in oil.

Hearing Zhu Xiaoqi's wanton moans, she wished she could rush in immediately and slice off pieces of Zhu Xiaoqi's flesh with a knife. After a long while, Xiao Yu's trembling finally stopped, and her eyes were frighteningly calm.

She turned around and, like a lost soul, walked through the dark courtyard to the hall, where she blew on a tinderbox and lit the lamps.

Xiao Yu took out a jar of wine from the corner and sat on the armchair in the hall.

She pecked open the bottle, tilted her head back, and gulped it down. As the strong liquor went down, it felt as if something familiar had returned to her body.

Since marrying Duan Rong, she had not drunk so freely for a long time.

Tonight, however, she sat in the dimly lit hall, clutching this jar of wine, using Zhu Xiaoqi's moans from the courtyard as her accompaniment, gulping down the strong liquor. Only those who have experienced it can understand this feeling.

The strong liquor burned his heart, but Xiao Yu felt nothing, as if he had only drunk cold water.

Because her heart was already in the frying pan, the burning sensation of the strong liquor was simply too insignificant.

At this moment, Shen Mizhi suddenly walked in from outside. She had just finished practicing her skills and noticed that the lights were on in the hall, so she came over to take a look. She saw Xiao Yu sitting there alone, holding a wine jar.

The groans drifting through the courtyard were heard by Shen Mizhi. In her opinion, Zhu Xiaoqi was Xiao Yu's maidservant and should have already served Duan Rong.

When Xiao Yu saw Shen Mizhi walk in, he couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh and said, "Sister Shen, you've come at the right time! Have a drink with me!"

Shen Mizhi glanced at the wine jar in Xiao Yu's arms and said coldly, "I can have a drink. But I wonder if what you're holding right now is a wine jar or a vinegar jar?"

Xiao Yu glared at Shen Mizhi and said, "At this time, don't add insult to injury and hurt me further."

Shen Mizhi walked over and sat down next to Xiao Yu. Suddenly, she grabbed the wine jar from Xiao Yu's arms, tilted her head back, and gulped it down. Then, leaning on the jar, she sighed, "This wine is strong enough! I wonder how strong it is for you, Sister Xiao?"

Xiao Yu gave a bitter smile, reached for the wine jar, and said, "A married woman only has the fiery spirit of chastity, not the fiery spirit of passion..."

Shen Mizhi said, "Then I would rather never get married."

Xiao Yu looked at her, smiled, and said, "You have ambition!"

After the two finished the jar of wine, the groans in the courtyard had stopped.

Xiao Yu was holding an empty wine jar, her head slumped on the armrest of the armchair, completely drunk and unconscious.

She used to be able to drink a lot without getting drunk, but tonight Xiao Yu was the most easily intoxicated person in the world.

Wine doesn't intoxicate, people intoxicate themselves. The pitch-black night seems to be filled with an intense, impenetrable loneliness.

Shen Mizhi sighed, picked up Xiao Yu, and prepared to carry her to her room to rest.

Xiao Yuzui rested her head on Shen Mizhi's shoulder, muttering something, but perhaps because she was having trouble breathing, Shen Mizhi couldn't hear what she was saying.

After returning to the room, Shen Mizhi placed Xiao Yu on the bed and took off her shoes and socks.

At this moment, perhaps because Xiao Yu's breathing had become much smoother after lying down, Shen Mizhi could hear Xiao Yu's murmured words clearly.

"Duan Rong, I hate you..."

Looking at Xiao Yu's pained expression, Shen Mizhi felt a pang of pity and said, "Sister Xiao, you don't hate him at all. You clearly love him too much."

The next day, Duan Rong woke up when the window screen was just beginning to lighten.

In the darkness, Zhu Xiaoqi was lying on top of him, her small hands covering his face. Due to years of hard work, Zhu Xiaoqi's palms had developed a thin layer of calluses, which felt slightly prickly against his face, unlike the smooth and tender hands of an ordinary woman.

Duan Rong gently removed Zhu Xiaoqi's hand and carefully touched the calluses on her palm. Zhu Xiaoqi was sleeping soundly, her breathing clearly audible in the dark room.

Duan Rong sensed Zhu Xiaoqi's position, then suddenly twisted his waist and gently moved her to place her on the bed.

His movements were very agile. Although it was dark, with Duan Rong's martial arts skills and his understanding of the human body, he could have easily gotten Zhu Xiaoqi off him without waking her up.

Zhu Xiaoqi was still fast asleep, lying on the pillow. Duan Rong pulled a blanket over Zhu Xiaoqi and gently covered her with it. Then, he dressed and, taking advantage of the absence of others, left the east wing and rode the wind through the courtyard to the cultivation chamber.

Zhu Xiaoqi didn't wake up until the daylight was bright through the window screen.

When she woke up, she found the bed empty, and she was all alone. Duan Rong was nowhere to be found.

Zhu Xiaoqi immediately sat up and looked at the round chair next to the bed where clothes were placed, only to find it empty; Duan Rong's clothes were long gone.

Knowing that Duan Rong had left, Zhu Xiaoqi felt a sudden emptiness in her heart and was momentarily stunned.

She lay back down, stroking the still-warm bed. The tenderness and passion of last night felt like a dream.

But she knew it wasn't a dream.

A faint happiness suddenly welled up in Zhu Xiaoqi's heart, and the corners of her mouth lifted slightly.

Although the bed was empty, she still became his in the end, didn't she?
She was already very satisfied with this...

After thinking about it for a while, Zhu Xiaoqi immediately got up, got out of bed, and dressed.

Since it was already broad daylight, she couldn't wait for her mistress to come and wake her up; otherwise, she wouldn't know the danger.

After getting up, Zhu Xiaoqi tidied the bed and went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

She finished wrapping the buns and put them in the steamer. At this moment, Xiao Yu came in. Her eyes seemed a little swollen. She looked at Zhu Xiaoqi and asked, "Husband, has he already left?"

Zhu Xiaoqi lowered her head and hummed in agreement.

Xiao Yu asked, "When did you leave?"

Zhu Xiaoqi said, "I don't know. He was gone when I woke up."

Xiao Yu's eyes flickered as she carefully examined Zhu Xiaoqi. For some reason, she felt that Zhu Xiaoqi's features seemed to have changed after that night.

Xiao Yu was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "What kind of filling are those buns?"

Zhu Xiaoqi said, "It's filled with minced meat and dried green beans." Zhu Xiaoqi remembered that Xiao Yu liked this filling the most, so she specially made it today.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yu coldly replied, "I hate this filling the most."

After she finished speaking, she turned and left the kitchen.

Zhu Xiaoqi stood frozen by the stove. The dough she had prepared was all used up, and it was impossible to change the filling unless she made new dough. She regretted not having prepared more fillings.

She felt a little uneasy, afraid that Xiao Yu would take the opportunity to make trouble for her and criticize her. (End of Chapter)