After everyone had left, Madam Liu hurriedly opened the door, pulling the wailing Qiu Zhe into her arms as though he were her most precious treasure. Her voice trembled as she pointed at Qiu Che’s slim figure retreating into the distance. “Master… are you just going to stand there and let her act so recklessly?!”

Qiu Chudong’s beard trembled in anger, but he suppressed it. “...Endure it.”

Madam Liu was incredulous. “Endure it? She’s never behaved like this before! What’s gotten into her? She’s gone mad, causing chaos in the Qiu family in the middle of the night!”

Qiu Chudong’s expression darkened. “What do you know about this? I said endure it, and you’ll endure it! ...Everything will settle after tomorrow.”

Madam Liu shot him a complicated look, wiped away her tears, and said nothing more. She stood up, helping her son Qiu Zhe, and left.

Qiu Che occupied Chongming Courtyard for the entire night, sleeping peacefully until late morning. No one dared to wake her.

Eventually, it was Yu Ming who came knocking after hearing about the events of the previous night.

When the door opened, Qiu Che was already dressed neatly—in Qiu Zhe’s finest clothes, taken from his wardrobe. She had chosen the most elegant, pristine set: a long green robe with wide sleeves, paired with a white jade belt. Her appearance was striking and exceptional.

After all, she had no money. She couldn’t attend the banquet in plain clothes, could she? Since she was already staying in Qiu Zhe’s courtyard, why not make use of his wardrobe?

Unapologetically, she walked to the front hall in her borrowed attire to have breakfast.

Perhaps fearing another outburst like last night’s, Qiu Chudong, despite his sour expression, instructed the servants to prepare a set of tableware for her.

The meal was tense, with everyone eating in awkward silence.

Only Qiu Che remained unbothered, enjoying herself as she reached for the richest dishes.

—After months of eating plain food in a monastery outside the city, she wasn’t going to miss out on the good stuff at the Qiu residence.

After the meal, Qiu Che set down her bowl and chopsticks, wiped her mouth, and stood up casually. “I’m leaving.”

Before she could walk away, Qiu Chudong called out to her, “Wait a moment.”

He nudged the irritable Qiu Zhe forward. “Che’er, I know you’re upset, but your brother didn’t mean any harm. You’ve vented your anger. How about taking your brother and me to the banquet today?”

The invitation explicitly allowed each attendee to bring a companion, excluding servants.

Qiu Chudong watched Qiu Che anxiously, afraid she would refuse.

To his surprise, Qiu Che glanced at Qiu Zhe with a faint smirk. “I don’t mind, but the invitation says I can only bring one person. Father, do you expect me to bring both of you?”

Hearing this, Qiu Chudong felt a sense of relief.

He chuckled awkwardly, rubbing his hands. “Don’t worry, I have a plan.”

His plan, as it turned out, was to disguise Qiu Zhe as Qiu Che’s personal servant so that both father and son could accompany her to the palace.

Just like in her past life.

A flicker of mockery crossed Qiu Che’s lips, but she quickly suppressed it. “Suit yourselves.”

She left first, boarding the carriage without waiting for the father and son. By the time they finished their preparations and stepped outside, the carriage was already gone.

The two men stood at the gate, stunned and fuming, feeling humiliated and furious at Qiu Che’s refusal to wait even a moment.

In the end, the father and son arrived late to the palace banquet.

But that’s a story for later.

When they were still at the gates, Qiu Che had already reached the palace.

The eunuch at the entrance looked familiar—one of the attendants who often followed Fuzi. Smiling warmly, he accepted the guests’ gifts, recording them one by one.

Many attendees noticed Qiu Che’s unfamiliar but somewhat recognizable face.

When it was her turn, she handed over a pair of luminous pearls.

—To be honest, she was dirt poor at the moment. Not only had she run up a tab in Night Pearl City, but this pair of pearls had also been pried off a wall in the city.

Fortunately, the pearls were of decent quality. The eunuch didn’t show any displeasure, though his expression grew slightly peculiar as he took her invitation and waved her in.

“I thought this banquet was only for officials of rank five or above…”

“You don’t get it. Qiu Gongzi is Qiu Gongzi—the top scholar personally appointed by His Majesty. How could we compare to that?”

“Fair enough.”

“I heard he has quite the temper. Didn’t he storm out of the Qujiang Banquet in front of all those noble guests?”

“No matter how noble, none can compare to the one in the palace.”

“Your comment sounds just like the retort Qiu Gongzi gave to the white-clad scholar that day.”

“Really?!”

“Absolutely.”

“...”

The murmurs of the crowd reached Qiu Che’s ears.

Some were envious, others curious, while still others spoke disparagingly. There were all sorts of opinions.

But Qiu Che’s expression remained unchanged. She passed through the crowd without sparing them a glance, as if she hadn’t heard a word.

Wu Yiqi, who was stationed at the banquet entrance, spotted her from afar. Excited, he ran over, waving his fan. “Qiu! Brother Qiu! Over here!”

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Seeing him, Qiu Che rubbed her temples in exasperation.

Just as she remembered—noisy as ever.

Unaware of her annoyance, Wu Yiqi continued to shout enthusiastically, “I’ve been waiting for you! I knew you’d be here! Let’s go in together! Sit with me!”

Reluctantly, Qiu Che didn’t argue, though she firmly blocked his attempt to sling an arm around her shoulders. “I’ll follow behind,” she said coolly.

Wu Yiqi eyed her suspiciously, then glanced at the quiet Yu Ming beside her. “Wait, do you have a phobia of being touched?”

“Hmm?”

“Last time, I noticed you didn’t like people touching you. Are you afraid of contact? You’re acting like a delicate young lady—”

Qiu Che remained calm.

Internally, she rolled her eyes, thinking, You guessed it. I am a delicate young lady.

After everyone had left, Madam Liu hurried to open the door and embraced the bawling Qiu Zhe as if he were her most precious treasure. With a trembling voice, she pointed at Qiu Che’s thin, retreating figure and exclaimed, "Master... Are you just going to let her act so brazenly?"

Qiu Chudong’s beard quivered in anger, but he only said, "…Endure it."

Madam Liu was incredulous. "Endure? She was never this unruly before! What has gotten into her? She’s like a lunatic, causing chaos in the Qiu household in the dead of night!"

Qiu Chudong’s face darkened. "What do you, a woman, understand? I said endure it! …Things will calm down after today."

Madam Liu gave him a complicated look, wiped away her tears, and, saying nothing more, left with Qiu Zhe in tow.

Qiu Che occupied the Chongming Courtyard for the entire night. By the next day, when the sun was already high in the sky, no one dared to wake her.

It wasn’t until Yu Ming, having heard about the previous night’s commotion, came knocking that there was any movement.

When the door opened, Qiu Che was already dressed—wearing Qiu Zhe’s finest clothes: a pristine blue long robe with wide sleeves, paired with a white jade belt. She looked strikingly elegant.

With no money to her name, she couldn’t attend the banquet in her casual attire. And since she was already staying in Qiu Zhe’s courtyard, she thought, Why not wear his clothes? Better to use them than let them go to waste.

Feeling entirely justified, she strolled to the dining hall in her borrowed attire.

Perhaps out of fear that she might throw another fit if denied food, Qiu Chudong, despite his sour expression, had someone prepare a set of tableware for her.

The meal was tense; everyone seemed lost in their thoughts, eating without tasting a thing. Only Qiu Che ate with gusto, her chopsticks unerringly reaching for the best dishes.

After all, I’ve had enough bland temple food. If the Qiu household has good food, why shouldn’t I eat my fill?

After finishing, she put down her chopsticks, wiped her mouth, and casually announced, "I’m leaving now."

But Qiu Chudong stopped her. "Wait."

He pushed the visibly annoyed Qiu Zhe forward and said, "Che’er, I know you bear resentment, but your elder brother didn’t mean any harm. You’ve already vented your anger. For today’s banquet, why not take your brother and me along?"

The invitation explicitly stated that attendees could bring one family member, aside from servants.

Qiu Chudong was on edge, worried she’d refuse outright.

To his surprise, Qiu Che glanced at Qiu Zhe and, with a faint smirk, replied, "I could, but the invitation only allows for one guest. Father, do you want me to bring two?"

Qiu Chudong felt a bit of relief. He chuckled awkwardly and rubbed his hands together. "Don’t worry, I have a solution."

His so-called solution involved disguising Qiu Zhe as Qiu Che’s personal servant so both could attend the palace banquet.

Just as in her past life.

Qiu Che’s lips curled in a fleeting, mocking smile before she said, "Suit yourselves."

She left first, stepping into the carriage without a word about waiting for the father and son. By the time the two emerged from the residence, the carriage was already gone.

They stood dumbfounded at the gate, both furious and humiliated that Qiu Che hadn’t waited even a moment for them.

Eventually, the two arrived at the banquet embarrassingly late.

But that’s another story.

While they lingered at the gate, Qiu Che had already reached the palace entrance.

The eunuch receiving the guests was a familiar face, often seen alongside Fuzi. Smiling, he took the guests’ gift boxes and carefully registered them.

Many invited guests couldn’t help but notice Qiu Che, a somewhat familiar but unexpected figure.

When it was her turn, she presented a pair of luminous pearls.

Truth be told, I’m dirt poor right now. Not only did I rack up debts at Ming City, but even these pearls were pried from its city walls.

Fortunately, the pearls were still decent enough. The eunuch showed no sign of discontent and simply accepted the invitation before gesturing for someone to escort her into the palace. Still, his expression was slightly odd.

"Wasn’t it said that only officials of fifth rank and above could attend this banquet?"

"You don’t get it. Qiu Young Master is Qiu Young Master, after all. Personally bestowed the title of zhuangyuan by the Emperor… How can we compare?"

"True enough."

"I heard he’s notoriously proud—stormed out of the Qujiang banquet in front of several nobles, didn’t he?"

"No matter how noble, can they compare to someone from the palace?"

"Your words remind me of how Qiu Zhuangyuan once humiliated that white-robed scholar."

"Really?!"

"Absolutely."

"…"

The murmurs of envy, curiosity, and derision all reached Qiu Che’s ears.

But she remained expressionless, walking past them with an unflinching gaze.

At the banquet entrance, Wu Yiqi spotted her from afar and excitedly waved his fan. "Brother Qiu! Brother Qiu! Over here!"

Seeing him, Qiu Che rubbed her temples in exasperation. Just as noisy as I remember.

Oblivious, Wu Yiqi enthusiastically called out, "Finally found you! I knew you’d be here! Come on, let’s sit together!"

Unable to refuse, she followed him inside, though she firmly stopped him from throwing an arm around her shoulders. "I’ll follow you. No need for the theatrics."

Wu Yiqi looked puzzled, then glanced at Yu Ming, who was doing his best to remain invisible. "Wait, do you have some kind of aversion to touch?"

"…What?"

"Last time, I noticed you don’t like people getting close to you. You’re like a delicate young lady—won’t even let anyone brush against you."

Qiu Che remained calm.

Inwardly rolling her eyes, she thought, You’re not wrong. I am a young lady.

Outwardly, she coolly replied, "I just don’t like it. I suggest you refrain from such behavior—I might reflexively break your arm."

Wu Yiqi laughed, assuming she was joking, and stopped trying to touch her.

They entered the banquet hall, which was set in the Stargazing Pavilion beside the Imperial Garden. A large screen painted with a procession of palace ladies divided the hall, separating the men and women.

Seating was arranged meticulously by rank and status.

As the grandson of Prime Minister Wu Rusheng, Wu Yiqi naturally sat near the front, pulling Qiu Che to sit beside him. She didn’t refuse.

As they passed Yang Qiu, their eyes briefly met. Yang Qiu nodded and smiled; Qiu Che nodded back.

Her thoughts momentarily drifted to the "Beauty Holding a Fan" painting he had delivered—a famous piece she’d heard about in countless intelligence reports but never seen.

Her musings were interrupted when the eunuch announced, "Her Highness, Princess Lehe, has arrived!"

The hall fell silent as everyone turned to catch a glimpse of the capital’s most beautiful woman.

This was the first time Qiu Che had seen Li Qingwu properly since her rebirth.

Gripping her cup, she realized that her impression from the Linglong Pavilion wasn’t a fabrication of nostalgia.

Ten years ago, Li Qingwu was indeed far more breathtaking than the worn figure she’d seen return to the capital a decade later.

As the princess gracefully passed through the hall, her serene presence commanded attention. Yet, amidst the reverent gazes, she cast a fleeting glance in Qiu Che’s direction.

Caught off guard, Qiu Che looked down, hiding behind her cup.

Nearby, Wu Yiqi grabbed her arm, his excitement barely contained. "Brother Qiu! Did you see? The Princess just looked at me!"

Qiu Che’s response was curt, her patience wearing thin. "…Sure, sure. Whatever you say."

Yeah, right. She was looking at me.

As if confirming her thoughts, the princess’s maid approached moments later, her face a mixture of frustration and shyness.

"My mistress wishes me to tell you…" She hesitated before continuing with a slight pout, "She wasn’t looking at Young Master Wu. She was looking at you.”