Qi Yu was indeed worried about Chu Shaoling. Later, when Chu Shaotao tried to use Chu Shaoling's reputation to gain favor, even those who didn't care about the heir of the fief had to give Chu Shaoling face. The imperial clan also started to plead for Grand Princess Shuyi, who had no one behind her. Giving Qi Yu a title was considered repaying Princess Shuyi's kindness to the imperial clan over the years.

Qi Yu was still young, and it was just a title without a fief or real power. The emperor wasn't very opposed, and under persuasion from many sides, he was happy to show some benevolence. He said it was in appreciation of Princess Shuyi's good deeds in the capital over the years, and not wanting to see her line dwindle, thus rewarding a marquis title.

Before the emperor's edict came down, the Qi residences in the capital were already in an uproar. After Qi Yu's three uncles learned about the inheritance, they gathered together, discussed for a day, and decided on a plan to "reunite with family" with Qi Yu.

Qi Yu had always been by Chu Shaotao's side, either in the palace or following Chu Shaotao to visit his maternal relatives. The Qi family couldn't easily see him. But after all, they were descendants of a high official and had some roundabout marriage ties. After much inquiry, they had Chu Shaotao's uncle pass a message to Qi Yu: "Haven't seen you for a long time. Heard nephew is back in the capital, miss you very much, hope you can visit the residence for a reunion."

After hearing this, Chu Shaotao sneered and wanted to refuse. When the engagement with the Qi'guo Duke Manor was set, Chu Shaotao already had a fief. At the wedding, it was still the imperial relatives and the Vice Minister of Rites who brought Chu Shaotao's wife to the fief. Afterwards, Prince Rong didn't come to the capital for New Year for a year, so Chu Shaotao actually never met his in-laws.

When the Qi'guo Duke Manor had an incident, before Chu Shaotao's wife passed away, she entrusted Chu Shaotao, saying that her young legitimate brother had no one to take care of him. On her deathbed, she held Chu Shaotao's hand and tearfully begged Chu Shaotao to take in Qi Yu and personally raise him. Chu Shaotao already felt guilty towards his wife. He immediately agreed. At that time, he had already been conferred as heir and couldn't leave the fief without an edict. He had no choice but to send a trusted aide to the capital to bring Qi Yu back. Chu Shaotao was originally worried that there would be mishaps on the long journey. He instructed the person sent to fetch Qi Yu not to skimp on crude things and to just bring the person back after roughly packing up. The person sent did listen to instructions and only brought the person back, nothing else.

Chu Shaotao naturally wouldn't covet Qi Yu's family property. But seeing him come back so empty-handed, he was also puzzled. Only after asking the person he sent did he find out that when they found Young Master Qi, he was living in a dilapidated manor on the outskirts of the capital, without even a single servant by his side. At that time, Qi Yu was cooking for himself.

After Chu Shaotao's men explained their purpose, only then did Qi Yu know that Chu Shaotao's wife had passed away. He immediately wept bitterly. He originally also had the intention to seek refuge with his elder sister, but was afraid that his current destitution would add to Chu Shaotao's wife's distress. Now knowing it was his elder sister's dying wish, he agreed. After selling that dilapidated manor, he followed the men north to the fief.

After Duke Qi was punished, although he was penalized, the emperor didn't confiscate the family property in consideration of Grand Princess Shuyi. A princess residence plus a duke residence, yet Qi Yu, the eldest grandson of the main branch, was only left with a manor. How ridiculous!

Chu Shaotao saw through what kind of people Qi Yu's few uncles were and forbade Qi Yu from associating with them again. Now that Qi Yu was about to receive a title, he couldn't get involved with them anymore. Who knew that at this time, the usually gentle Qi Yu stood up, bowed his head and said, "Thank you Lord for helping to mediate. I'll trouble my lord to convey a message to my few uncles that I will be free tomorrow and will naturally visit the residence then."

Chu Shaotao's face was full of impatience. "Why are you making trouble again?!"

A hint of mockery flashed across Qi Yu's face. Thinking of what Chu Shaoling had mentioned to him in private that day, he sneered inwardly and said in a low voice, "After all, it's my own family. I should still see them."

Chu Shaotao had no choice. Even if he was unwilling, he couldn't do anything if the person himself was willing, so he had to let him go.

"Then what happened?" Chu Shaoling's pleasant voice was concise in narration. When talking about other people's liveliness, it was full of ups and downs, very enticing. Wei Ji had long been entranced and couldn't help urging, "Did Marquis Qi really go?"

Chu Shaoling lazily leaned on the gold-painted couch, embracing Wei Ji as they both reclined on the soft pillow. He said slowly, "Qi Yu naturally went. It was at his second uncle's residence. Inside, it was packed with many people, main and branch families, legitimate and illegitimate children, filling up a room. Seeing Qi Yu, they cried, talking about the past, as if they had missed Qi Yu for several lifetimes, very moving. Later, it was still the people Chu Shaotao sent to follow who pulled them apart. Otherwise, with Qi Yu's small frame, he would have been torn apart by his uncles and aunts."

Wei Ji passed Chu Shaoling a cup of tea to moisten his throat. His eyes were bright and spirited as he asked, "Then what?"

"Then? After finishing crying and reminiscing, naturally they started asking for benefits. These few families were quite smart, knowing to first offer some benefits. They said they shouldn't have divided the family back then and that they had let Qi Yu down. They wanted to live together again and not divide the family anymore."

Hearing this, Wei Ji became anxious. "How could these people be like this?! What did they say when they drove Little Marquis Qi out back then?"

Chu Shaoling chuckled lightly. "It's other people's matter. Why are you getting anxious? Later, later Qi Yu agreed."

Chu Shaoling patted Wei Ji's head and continued, "After the family reunited, Qi Yu's few uncles were very satisfied. Usually, they flattered Qi Yu, but the next day, they slowly brought up the matter of inheriting the title. His second uncle fawned over him very much, hinting to him in a roundabout way that it would be more appropriate for his second uncle to inherit the title. His second uncle said that if Qi Yu inherited the title, it would be skipping a generation and would only be a count title. But if his second uncle inherited it, it would be a marquis title, greatly benefiting the family. His second uncle even swore to heaven that if he got the title, he would definitely pass it to Qi Yu in the future and give all the family property to Qi Yu as well. This way, Qi Yu would actually get more. Qi Yu appeared hesitant on the surface. His second uncle immediately gave him a bank note worth tens of thousands of taels of silver."

"Afterwards, Qi Yu's third and fourth uncles also came to him one after another, saying roughly the same thing and also giving him a lot of gold, silver, and treasures. Qi Yu accepted them all. Whichever uncle came to beg him, he agreed to plead with Chu Shaotao on their behalf regarding this matter."

Saying this, Wei Ji probably also understood and laughed. "But now the one inheriting the title is still Little Marquis Qi. Their wishful thinking was all in vain."

Chu Shaoling nodded and sneered, "Did they even think about how they treated Qi Yu back then? Do they believe Qi Yu will forget everything just because they cry and make a scene now? They even have their eyes set on the title. Those fools! By the time the title is settled and the imperial decree is issued, they will still be dreaming! They have no other choice. His few uncles don't dare to turn against him, so they have to swallow their anger and continue to flatter Qi Yu, hoping that Qi Yu's marquis status will protect them. But they don't know that Qi Yu has already made plans. After the imperial decree was issued, Qi Yu invited a few elders from the clan and some officials to discuss dividing the family."

"Qi Yu is the eldest grandson of the main branch. Now that he has inherited the title, he is the head of the clan. He only said that he wanted to repay Chu Shaotao's great kindness and would still follow him to the fief. He doesn't know if he will return to the imperial city in the future. There are still a few uncles above him. He doesn't dare to rely on his marquis status to be the head of the household. He is also afraid that being far away will delay important matters like marriages in the clan. That's why he wants to divide the family. The elders in the clan all know about their family affairs. Hindered by Qi Yu's current status, they persuaded him a little and then agreed. His few uncles were so scared by the sight of those officials that they didn't dare to speak. After making a scene, they had no choice but to agree. However, this time, the family division cannot be muddled through like before."

Chu Shaoling chuckled, "Qi Yu's status is extraordinary now. He is also the descendant of the main branch. This time, he directly took a good part of the family's assets. Plus the silver and treasures his uncles gave Qi Yu before, Qi Yu directly packed up more than half of the Qi family's assets. Hehe, Chu Shaotao got a good deal."

Hearing this, Wei Ji felt quite relieved and nodded, "Young Marquis Qi has great wisdom. He first pretended to forgive them, and then divided the family after the title was settled. Haha, that's satisfying!"

Chu Shaoling laughed inwardly. This Qi Yu was indeed very astute. With just a few words of guidance from him, he could handle the matter so beautifully. He was indeed a clever child. Looking at his own foolish one, Chu Shaoling hugged Wei Ji and kissed him. Forget it, forget it. It's not like he's choosing a subordinate. What's the use of being so smart?

Later, Chu Shaoling and Wei Ji gathered with Chu Shaotao and Qi Yu again. Chu Shaoling helped a lot with this matter. Chu Shaotao was very grateful. Although he didn't say much, the gratitude in his eyes couldn't deceive anyone. After the death of his wife, he always felt that he had let Qi Yu down. Now that he had helped Qi Yu reclaim the title, although it couldn't make up for the sin of Prince Rong harming his wife and children, at least it was some compensation to the Qi family. Qi Yu had his revenge this time, and his heart felt much more at ease. There was less timidity and more brightness on his face.

The four of them had a very relaxed meal, which was both a celebration for Qi Yu's success and a farewell dinner for Chu Shaotao—the next day, Chu Shaotao would return to the fief with Prince Rong.

Wei Ji and Qi Yu couldn't hold their liquor. In less than half an hour, they were already in a daze. Chu Shaoling was both amused and helpless. He had someone send them to the inner room to lie down and attend to them. Afterwards, Chu Shaoling and Chu Shaotao dismissed everyone. The two of them drank and chatted for an hour. What they discussed, no one knew.

After taking care of other people's family affairs, it was time to take care of their own. After sending off the princes, it was already past the fifteenth. The Imperial Astronomical Bureau had chosen an auspicious day, suitable for marriage and moving into a new residence. The emperor entertained a few imperial families in the imperial city and said many good things about Chu Shaoling's filial piety to his father. Wei Ji, who was guarding outside Qingyan Hall, couldn't quite understand. It seemed that the emperor was very reluctant to let Chu Shaoling move to the Qin Prince Manor, and Chu Shaoling was also very worried about whether the emperor would be safe and sound if he no longer served by the emperor's side. Wei Ji was slightly surprised in his heart. When did the relationship between the father and son become so good?

After the emperor put on a good show, he also bestowed many treasures. From the empress dowagers and imperial concubines in the palace to the princes and princesses below, they all gave a lot of things. On the surface, they had to make it look good regardless of how close they were usually.

Consort Li hated it so much that her teeth itched, but she also sent many treasures. Her days were very difficult now. Zhen Si's pregnancy was getting more and more stable. The empress dowager praised her every day, almost wanting to put Zhen Si on a pedestal. Consort Li was discontented a few times and spoke inappropriately. The old empress dowager scolded Consort Li in front of the other concubines. At this time, Zhen Si, who was virtuous, always had to come out and apologize, saying that it was all because of her that Consort Li and the empress dowager were at odds. When this was heard by the emperor, he would also praise Zhen Si, so he was impatient with Consort Li.

After the family banquet, the Ministry of Internal Affairs helped with the move. Chu Shaoling had lived in Bitao Palace for more than ten years, and it was quite troublesome to pack up all the things. Chu Shaoling had already transported the important items out of the palace early. He went to Ci'an Palace to pay his respects to the empress dowager for half a day and promised that he would definitely come to pay his respects every day when he entered the palace. The empress dowager repeatedly reminded him and pointed out the palace maids who served Chu Shaoling one by one before she could put her mind at ease and let Chu Shaoling leave the palace.

Although the two of them had stayed in the Qin Prince Manor a few times before, it was different now. They didn't have to keep an eye on the time and think about when they should return. It was very carefree. After the servants in the Manor had put everything in order, Wang Muhan called them to the front of the main hall and pointed them out. They were all carefully selected, and none of them were fools. They heard the meaning between the lines in Wang Muhan's words: serving Wei Ji had to be done with the same heart as serving Chu Shaoling. If they dared to neglect this person, everyone knew the prince's temper.

No one was unaware of the fact that Chu Shaoling had beaten a man to death in an hour. Upon hearing this, they hurriedly assured that there would definitely be no mishaps. Chu Shaoling used both kindness and severity. Seeing that Wang Muhan had said all the unpleasant things, he also comforted them a few times and even rewarded them with a month's salary. The people were happy again and kept flattering Chu Shaoling.

Only after admonishing the servants did Chu Shaoling put his mind at ease. He took Wei Ji to visit all the places in the Manor that they hadn't been to before, appreciating the scenery and drinking wine without restraint. That day, because of Wei Ji's casual remark, "I wonder how the fish in the lake are doing in this cold weather," Chu Shaoling immediately ordered someone to break a few zhang-wide holes in the foot-thick ice on the lake surface. The two of them, wearing fox furs and holding hand warmers, sat in the pavilion in the middle of the lake to fish.

Wang Muhan was quite considerate and understanding. He even placed a stove in the pavilion to heat the wine. Chu Shaoling poured a few cups of fine wine from time to time to coax Wei Ji to drink some. Wei Ji didn't dare to drink much, but his face was still flushed red, which, in contrast to his snow-white fox fur, made Chu Shaoling's heart flutter. The fish in the lake hadn't eaten well for several months, so they would bite as soon as they saw the bait. In just an hour, the two of them had a bountiful harvest. That evening, they ate the fish they had caught themselves.

The two of them were very unrestrained this year. Now that they had moved into the prince's Manor and become the masters of their own household, they finally had no scruples. They were as intimate as a married couple. The servants in the Manor were originally surprised, but later, after being pointed out by Wang Muhan, they didn't dare to say much and served Wei Ji as if he were the master.

"His Highness has been in there for half an hour already. According to palace rules..." a senior maid carefully reminded Wang Muhan, "Although this medicinal bath is beneficial for the body, I'm afraid it's not good to stay too long."

Wang Muhan naturally knew the rules. He wanted to remind them a quarter of an hour ago, but as soon as he entered the bath chamber, he heard the sounds of the two making love. How could Wang Muhan dare to persuade them? He had no choice but to retreat.

Wang Muhan looked at the hourglass and sighed, "It's been more than an hour. Even if I have to suffer a punishment, I should still go and persuade them."

Wang Muhan turned and entered the bedchamber. He passed through several layers of curtains into the bath chamber. As soon as he entered the room, he heard the gentle sound of rippling water, interspersed with a few low pleas for mercy from Wei Ji. The outer bath chamber was furnished with waxed, carved ebony furniture. A few of Chu Shaoling's garments were scattered on the floor. The outer and inner chambers were separated by a twelve-panel folding screen of glazed gold.

Wang Muhan couldn't see inside, only clear water mixed with bright flower petals continuously overflowing from behind the screen, soaking the priceless furnishings in an enchanting and extravagant scene.

Wang Muhan approached and said softly, "Your Highness has been in here for over an hour. The humidity in the bath chamber is too high. Staying too long will harm your health."

The voices behind the screen lowered a bit. Wang Muhan vaguely heard Chu Shaoling coaxing Wei Ji. Wang Muhan paused, then continued, "The young master is healthy and strong, but I'm afraid Lord Wei can't endure it."

Upon hearing this, Chu Shaoling indeed said, "Enough. Have someone send in the scented clothes."

Wang Muhan chuckled inwardly and quickly clapped his hands to summon the attending maids.

After everything was tidied up, the two lay on the carved rosewood canopy bed in the bedchamber. Wei Ji, exhausted, had already closed his eyes early, the corners still tinged with redness, looking pitiful. Thinking of what had just happened, Chu Shaoling's heart grew even softer. He gently kissed Wei Ji's forehead. Half asleep, Wei Ji turned over and nestled into Chu Shaoling's embrace.