Chapter 5: Let’s Divorce

Meanwhile, on this side.

After receiving that person’s disdainful gaze, Pei Yuanshao was still feeling uneasy.

Xu Shi didn’t give him time to think, having just seen the cowardly woman from the Liu family through the door crack.

At this moment, he no longer planned to take action. Raising his voice, he questioned towards the courtyard: “Niece Changning, your husband doesn’t maintain his virtue, engaging in illicit relations with others outdoors, his conduct is depraved. As his wife-master, how can you not come out to manage this?”

“Although you’re usually honest and simple, now the green hat has been firmly placed, your husband is neither pure nor chaste. With such a loose husband, are you still going to turn a blind eye and deaf ear, ignoring it, being that pitiful green turtle?”

Xu Chun has always been reckless, sharp-tongued, cursing without any regard for others’ feelings.

The phrase “green turtle” almost trampled a woman’s last dignity into the ground.

The corners of Pei Yuanshao’s lips curved downward slightly, his eyebrows raising. He glanced at the middle-aged man with displeasure, pulled out the soft whip from his waist, and pressed it against his chest.

Lowering his head and leaning forward, a flash of fierceness passed through his peach blossom eyes, but upon closer inspection, it was nowhere to be found, once again that alluring brilliance.

He lowered his voice, his deep tone barely revealing two parts anger: “Enough!”

Xu Chun was stunned, not having time to react. Pei Yuanshao had already taken two steps closer, his tall figure pressing in, suddenly feeling somewhat intimidating.

He was clearly angered, and said angrily: “Brother-in-law Li, slandering early in the morning at the door is one thing, I know I’m in the wrong, my words have been a bit frivolous lately. That’s why even though you raised your hand earlier, I didn’t argue with you. But as the saying goes, a wife-master is the face of us men, you cursing my wife-master in front of the villagers, even a clay figure has some temper, how can I allow you to insult her?”

After he finished speaking, he swung the whip, quickly and accurately lashing it on Xu Shi’s body.

The red clothes fluttered in the wind, all traces of smile gone from his face, replaced by anger. The sunlight fell on his face, making him stand out particularly proud among the group of villagers.

Even though the Ming De Long Emperor Qing had been exiled, the pride in his bones could never be erased. Pretending to be frivolous was possible, but this frivolity was certainly not groveling. At this moment, the three parts of temper had to be grasped just right!

As the whip hit the ground, his sudden action caught the onlooking villagers off guard. Although they felt hitting someone was wrong, if this outburst was due to anger over his wife-master, it was understandable.

After all, Xu Shi’s reputation for being shrewish was already bad, and he had insulted first, which was a fact.

Both had their flaws, so it was truly a case of the pot calling the kettle black, with bystanders watching from the sidelines.

Xu Shi grimaced in pain, wanting to fight back but unable to win.

What was even more infuriating was that with one light sentence, the fox spirit had completely absolved himself of the scandal of outdoor affairs, and instead dealt Xu Shi a heavy blow.

As a country bumpkin, although sharp-tongued, cursing was after all an art, and at this moment he didn’t know how to retort. So he covered his face, put his hands on his hips, and said hatefully: “You… you! How dare you hit…”

“This whip is for your disrespect towards my wife-master!” Pei Yuanshao coldly interrupted him.

“If it weren’t for you not keeping your chastity, how would I curse that coward… your wife-master?”

“Sister-in-law Xu keeps saying I had illicit relations with someone outdoors, do you have any evidence?”

Xu Chun’s small eyes widened, he spat at him, his voice suddenly becoming shrill and harsh: “You little loose man, don’t you know what you’re like? Of course there’s evidence, since you have no shame, I don’t mind tearing off your fig leaf.”

After saying this, he took out a pouch from his bosom and threw it at Pei Yuanshao’s feet.

“Look, this fell out of my wife-master’s long robe while washing clothes yesterday. After questioning, my wife-master confessed frankly, this pouch was sewn by you personally, and was accidentally dropped on her a few days ago when you were entangled with her.”

Pei Yuanshao glanced at the pouch on the ground, with its fine stitching and complex pattern, suddenly laughed out loud, his face full of mirth, tears seeping from the corners of his eyes as he finished laughing.

He didn’t look at Xu Shi, but towards the crowd of onlookers, using a bit of inner force, he called out to a middle-aged woman on the outskirts of the crowd: “Sister Xu, won’t you come out and explain? Mingxing has never been good at needlework, where would such an exquisite pouch come from? Your false accusation could cost Mingxing his life! When did I offend you, that you would smear my reputation like this? Now you and your husband insult me like this, what are your intentions?”

The villagers followed Pei Yuanshao’s gaze and suddenly discovered Xu Chun’s wife-master Xu Fugui on the outskirts of the crowd.

Xu Fugui’s dark face turned pale, seeing that her husband had made a big scene, with everyone now knowing, she knew things weren’t good. Now being directly questioned and exposed by Pei Yuanshao across the crowd, she guiltily averted her eyes.

Her face was both unsightly and ashen, she glared fiercely at her husband who was yelling with hands on hips, pushed through the crowd, and dragged Xu Chun away by his thick arm.

Xu Shi’s face wasn’t looking much better, seeing that there was more to this story, he still wanted to persist, but looking up he saw his wife-master’s warning gaze.

Xu Fugui had a violent temper, if he really didn’t listen, when his wife-master became reckless, it would be another beating. Thinking of the pain of being beaten with a wooden stick, even though Xu Shi was sharp-tongued, he finally closed his mouth.

The villagers all knew each other well, seeing Xu Fugui’s expression, they knew Liu Shi probably wasn’t lying.

Watching the drama unfold with a twist was truly more exciting than a storyteller’s tale.

The onlooking villagers revealed expressions of sudden realization, and after coming to their senses, began to whisper among themselves.

“Sigh! Liu Shi has suffered an undeserved calamity today, although he’s a bit frivolous, he wouldn’t go for just any woman, would he?”

“With Li Fugui’s appearance, how could Liu Shi fancy her, only Xu Shi would believe that.”

“I thought so, a few days ago, I saw Xu Fugui going outside the village, laughing and talking with a man from the neighboring Li village, how could she be involved with Liu Shi today! So it was really a false accusation!”

“Although Liu Shi usually chats and laughs with many women in the village, isn’t that just because he’s as beautiful as a spirit, and women are attracted to his looks and approach him to talk? Even so, I’ve never seen him actually engage in any affairs, he keeps himself pure! After all, if he really had illicit relations with someone, how could that lover of his in the county still want him?”

“Right, right, right, in comparison, Liu Shi is just a pitiful person!”

…

As the surrounding villagers chattered, Pei Yuanshao smiled at the corner of his lips, no longer listening. He closed the door, not far away in the bushes, there was still a figure hiding, the hiding position unchanged, what a fool!

He glanced inconspicuously, then slammed the door shut with a “bang”.

The once resplendent and peerless Ming De Long Emperor Qing, even though his personality had changed greatly after waking up a year ago from his downfall, indulging in beauty, was not something just any cat or dog was worthy of.

Usually frivolous, when women approached, if they looked pleasing he could tease them for fun. But he would absolutely not let a rural village woman touch even a corner of his clothes.

As the once supremely powerful Long Emperor Qing, even if he was lecherous, his “pleasure partners” could be the county magistrate’s second daughter, the jade-faced lady Guan Yunyun, but not a coarse village woman. Otherwise, it would more easily arouse the suspicion of that good brother in the palace!

A performance half true and half false is the most perfect.

Pei Yuanshao, who thought he had mastered the art of deception, would shed many bitter tears many years later for his sincere performance at this moment.

–

Meanwhile, on this side, after Pei Yuanshao closed the door and turned around, he saw the only large banyan tree in the courtyard, with a broken rocking chair placed underneath. Liu Changning was lying comfortably on it, taking small sips of hot water from a cup.

The summer heat was intense, as the hot water entered her throat, fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, sliding down her facial contours and disappearing into the ground, silent and unnoticed.

Surprise filled Pei Yuanshao’s eyes, he had never seen such an indifferent expression on her face before.

Now carefully observing, the feeling of losing control grew stronger.

Though puzzled in his heart, his face showed nothing. He walked towards her slowly, one step at a time, raising his eyebrows and curling his lips in greeting: “Wife-master, you’re awake?”

The person opposite barely lifted her eyelids, focusing on him for a moment, her sallow face expressionless.

For a month, although the two had lived under the same roof, they had rarely conversed.

In the past, it was always her stammering and stuttering, managing to come forward and make conversation.

Now that he was actively inquiring, he was met with a cold shoulder.

The smile at the corners of Pei Yuanshao’s lips faded slightly: “Wife-master doesn’t need to go to the fields today, have you prepared breakfast?”

Yesterday she had fallen asleep, and no one had cooked. He had only eaten the tea cakes that Guan Yunyun had sent from the county a few days ago.

This time, Liu Changning’s face showed some expression. She looked up, her tea-colored eyes containing hidden sharpness, and coldly asked back: “You want me to make breakfast?”

The man in red nodded matter-of-factly. He fingered the fire whip at his waist, the teardrop mole at the corner of his eye quivering, setting off that jade-like face, bewitching and enchanting.

Liu Changning pursed her lips. Beautiful indeed, but what a pity he was such a scoundrel.

“I go cook, and what do you do? Rely on your looks to earn those few pieces of raw meat on the chopping board?”

She glanced at him sideways, her tone flat, but her words particularly unforgiving.

The smile on Long Emperor Qing Pei Yuanshao’s lips froze on his face, the alluring light in those peach blossom eyes completely vanishing.

Looking again at the woman in the rocking chair, seeing her expressionless face with a hint of mockery.

Angered, the corners of his lips curved into a deep arc, his smile dangerous: “What does wife-master mean? Are you blaming Mingxing for not being skilled in the culinary arts?”

Liu Changning neither confirmed nor denied. She raised her hand to block the increasingly fierce sunlight, the sun high in the sky scorching her cheeks somewhat painfully.

She propped herself up, stood up, and jerked her chin at Pei Yuanshao, pointing towards the room: “It’s hot here, let’s talk inside. I have something to say to you anyway!”

What does this village woman want to do?

Pei Yuanshao, after being mocked openly and secretly, was so angry he could barely control his smile.

He paused for a moment, and when he looked up again, she had already crossed the yellow earth steps and entered the main hall.

He narrowed his eyes and followed slowly.

—

The four earthen rooms of the Liu family were old, with quite a few chunks of earth having fallen from the corners of the mud-built walls.

The interior of the house was still fairly clean, but the musty smell was impossible to block out.

Though called the main hall, it actually only contained a small table, an eight-immortals table missing a leg, and a few old benches.

At first glance, it could be described as bare and empty.

Liu Changning found it very strange that with the male lead’s looks, marrying into a rich household as a consort would have been simple.

Why would he have chosen the ugly, incompetent, and poor original owner?

Now that she herself had transmigrated over, experiencing it firsthand, she wanted to review the reason, but found that the memories of the original owner marrying the male lead were fragmented and blurry.

And the descriptions in the novel were even simpler, with many things glossed over.

Unable to figure it out, Liu Changning didn’t persist. Either way, this home-wrecker couldn’t stay today.

Seeing him enter, Liu Changning tilted her head and glanced at him. Pointing at the wooden stool in the hall, she said: “Sit!”

Pei Yuanshao raised his eyebrows, habitually curling his lips, that arc of a smile perfectly matched his stunningly beautiful face, just right to captivate people.

Unfortunately, Liu Changning only gave him a faint glance.

She turned to fetch the dried brush and ink from the table, walking over slowly. The yellowed hair ribbon on top of her head swayed in the wind, making her whole body seem as if it might collapse at any moment.

Her cheap husband was a person who affected refinement. In this bare earthen house, there were brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, as well as calligraphy copybooks and books.

During the commotion outside the courtyard earlier, she had gone to his room to find brush and ink to write this letter of separation. Now the ink on the paper had already dried.

Liu Changning handed over the divorce papers in her hand, her tea-colored eyes steadily meeting his gaze, straightforwardly saying: “Let’s divorce!”

***

When Scheming Men Desperately Battle for Her Favor in the Male Harem (Female-dominant)

This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Synopsis:

“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”

Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.

Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.

While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the  Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…

Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.

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