Qiuju brought a cloak and draped it over Tianyu, who was sitting on the swing in the courtyard, reminding her, "Madam, it's getting chilly, you should rest early!"

"It's alright, let me stay a little longer. Is Tangyuan asleep?"

"She went to bed early, probably because she was tired from taking classes with Mr. Fang today."

"Yeah! It's okay to be a little tired."

"Is Madam still worried about what happened today?" Qiuju asked, swinging on the swing.

"Yes and no, it's just that I feel that matters between men and women have always been so exhausting. It's supposed to be just between two people, but why do so many unrelated people always have to get involved? Qiuju, what kind of man do you want to marry in the future?" Tian Yu looked up at the moon in the sky and asked casually.

"Qiuju dares not think about it, but Qiuju wants to say that it is very normal for men in this world to have three wives and four concubines, and it goes without saying that someone like the Marquis is even more so. Madam should think it over carefully."

"I used to advise you, now you're the one advising me."

"Qiuju dares not say that. It's just that after spending a lot of time with Madam, Qiuju feels that Madam is different from the people here. What Madam pursues is also different from what we ordinary women pursue. Qiuju also feels that Madam doesn't seem to be from here. It seems like she comes from somewhere else."

"Really? Where?" Tian Yu asked, curious about how she could tell.

"I can't quite put my finger on it, but it must be a very beautiful place!"

"Qiuju, I told you not to get close to the Marquis back then, do you hate me?" Tian Yu asked.

"I was a little angry, but I came to understand later. Madam was only trying to help me. The Marquis has no feelings for Qiuju. Given his personality, he won't keep me around. It's better for me to realize this sooner rather than later. Madam enlightened me. Qiuju should thank Madam!"

"I'm not as good as you say. I just thought the Marquis was too calm and aloof back then, and I didn't like him at all. But now I'm just like you. Can you enlighten me now? If an ordinary woman here encountered a situation like mine, how would she handle it?"

"Well, Qiuju doesn't know, but you and I are different. You are already husband and wife. But I heard that the top scholar in the previous imperial examination also already had a wife at home, but because he became the top scholar, he was favored by a minister in the court who betrothed his daughter to him."

Did he refuse?

"This!? Qiuju doesn't know what happened in between, but she heard that she married both of them in the end and served this top scholar together."

"Wouldn't that cause a huge uproar?"

"They seem to be getting along quite well."

"This actually works!?"

"Yes! Madam, you may not know this, but which official in the capital doesn't have several beauties in his residence? You should try to be more open-minded."

Tian Yu sighed. She knew that polygamy was common in ancient times, but she still couldn't accept it when it really happened to her. She had been an orphan since childhood and had always hoped for a warm little family. But in her current situation, how could she make a living? Love was not as important to her as life. Although she liked Zhao Moyan, she was still unwilling to accept this situation. Tian Yu hesitated and asked, "So, if I follow the Marquis, this time it's a princess, and next time there might be Miss Wang, Miss Li, Miss Zhang, and I'll accept them all."

"As a woman, Madam should naturally follow this way: obeying her father at home and her husband after marriage. It's just that Madam is a little different from others."

“Being different? What good does it do? We still have to go with the flow and eventually be submerged in the long river of history.” Tian Yu sighed, looking up at the moon and stars in the sky, feeling so insignificant.

"It would be good if Madam could think more positively."

"Try to think more positively!? If I hadn't met him, would things be different? Would I be less conflicted?"

"The Marquis is deeply devoted to his wife. Does the lady have regrets?"

"Do I regret it?!" Tian Yu also asked herself. If she could do it all over again, would she still want to meet Zhao Moyan again? The answer was that she didn't know.

"Qiuju, it's late, you should go home and rest early too!"

"And you, Madam?"

"I'm fine, I just want to be alone for a while longer."

"Then Madam, please remember to go back to your room early; it's getting chilly outside."

"Okay! I will! Thank you, Qiuju!"

"You're too kind, Madam. It's what I should do."

After Qiuju bowed and left, Tianyu sighed again at the moon, unaware that Zhao Moyan had been standing motionless in the nearby tree, listening to their conversation. "Tianyu, do you regret it?" he thought, touching the jade hairpin in his hand. "Then what was the meaning of leaving this at the Marquis's residence today?" Looking at Tianyu on the swing, Zhao Moyan, who had originally intended to have a proper talk with her, now... He gripped the jade hairpin tightly and looked up at the same moon, hoping to find an answer there.

Tian Yu didn't know how long she had been sitting in the courtyard, nor when she returned to her room. When she woke up in the morning, she found that she was still wearing the clothes from the night before. It seemed that she was still sleepy and confused, and couldn't remember how she got back to her room. Maybe Qiu Ju and the others helped her back to her room! So she didn't think too much about it. Fortunately, she didn't catch a cold.

Tangyuan had been reading in the study with Fang Jue since early morning. Tian Yu had a simple breakfast and was thinking of preparing some snacks for them to eat while they rested. So she grabbed Jifeng and Xuanyu to help her. They were very good at beating eggs, as expected of martial arts practitioners. They whipped the eggs into foam in no time, which was more effective than an electric mixer. With Qiuju and Lvliu helping out, pot after pot of pastries were quickly made: crystal cake, cake, mung bean cake, mochi dumplings, and all kinds of pastries that Tian Yu could think of, as well as steamed dumplings, soup dumplings, and two specially modified savory snacks.

They packed the food into portions, then handed one plate to Xuan Yu so he could try it. Xuan Yu scratched his head, grinned sheepishly, and asked, "For me!"

"Yes! Try it!" Tian Yu said with a smile. The first time she met him, he was cold and didn't seem like a teenager. But now, she didn't know if it was because he had been spending a lot of time with Tangyuan or what, but Xuan Yu seemed to be becoming more and more like a normal child.

Xuan Yu picked up a piece, popped it into his mouth, and nodded as he ate, saying, "Mmm! Delicious! No wonder Tangyuan said that Madam's pastries are the best."

"Eat slowly, don't choke!" Tian Yu handed him another glass of juice as a reminder.

"Thank you, Madam!"

Tian Yu also set aside a portion for Ji Feng Qiu Ju and Lü Liu. After dividing them, she packed up the portion she had specially prepared for Zhao Mo Yan, intending to deliver it to him personally later. She told Lü Liu to deliver it to him when Tang Yuan was resting. She and Qiu Ju were about to leave when they were stopped by a servant who said, "Madam, the princess and the county princess are at the door. It would be better if you didn't go out."

"Why are they here again? Madam, why don't we go out through the back door?" Qiuju said.

"Never mind, let them in!" Tian Yu thought for a moment and said.

"Madam, why don't we send Jifeng to inform the Prince first?" Qiuju suggested.

"No need. Just put the fluffy thing in front of the door and let only the princess come in. Everyone else can wait outside." After giving her instructions, Tian Yu planned to go back to her room to tidy up.