Things were very troublesome now, because Pei Lian was stubbornly staying here and refusing to leave.
With both of them present, every word spoken had to be carefully chosen.
Zhao Jingwen squeezed Pei Lian's hand and let her go. He quickly stepped forward and said to Ye Suijin in a low, grave voice, "Suijin, this is not a suitable place to talk. Let me go back with you first..."
Ye Suijin raised her hand, cutting off his half-finished words.
The self-defense arguments he had prepared in advance, tailored to her different possible reactions, were all suppressed by her raised hand.
"I have agreed with Master Pei," Ye Suijin said with a smile, "to betroth you to the young Miss Pei."
Her expression was filled with satisfaction and kindness, giving off the warmth of spring breeze.
But Zhao Jingwen did not understand her words at all.
What was she talking about? How had it exceeded what he could comprehend?
Before Zhao Jingwen could blink in confusion, Pei Ze also stepped forward. Following behind him was Duan Jin, who was always by Ye Suijin's side.
Duan Jin stood to the side.
Pei Ze and Ye Suijin stood side by side.
"Lian'er, come over," Pei Ze called.
Pei Lian had originally wanted to hold on to Zhao Jingwen and speak for herself, but he had stepped forward first.
She took a breath, gently lifted her skirt, and walked over, bending her knees slightly. "Father?"
Yet she glanced at Ye Suijin.
She knew this woman was formidable, so she naturally assumed her looks could not be good. Although Zhao had been married to her due to various circumstances, he must like herself more.
She never expected that when Ye stepped out into the spring sunshine, raising her face, her beauty put flowers to shame. Pei Lian was stunned.
Reacting a beat slower, she had failed to grab Zhao Jingwen.
Pei Ze took out a piece of paper from his sleeve and gave it to her. "Here, Ye Lady has divorced Zhao. From now on, Zhao is our son-in-law."
Your husband alone.
You asked for this, so you should be satisfied now.
At this moment, Pei Lian's feelings were complicated.
There was no clamor, no confrontation, no ferocious threats or vicious accusations. That woman was even smiling kindly at her.
Pei Lian blankly took it and unfolded it.
A divorce settlement.
Why a divorce settlement?
Because a divorce settlement, unlike separation, was a forced separation.
A divorce settlement allowed no room for Zhao Jingwen to say "no".
Pei Ze asked, "Jingwen, do you have anything else to say to Lady Ye?"
Zhao Jingwen was standing next to Pei Lian, and he too clearly saw the divorce settlement.
The large red official seal, from the Ministry of Revenue to the county magistrate, the reviewing officials' seals were neatly arranged. Even the characters were written more neatly and beautifully than other documents.
When husband and wife have affection, divorce will lead to separation.
From now on, Lady Ye Suijin of Deng Prefecture and her dependent son-in-law Zhao Jingwen of Taiyuan sever ties of affection and righteousness.
The words husband and wife shall be erased with the wind, never to be mentioned again.
Zhao Jingwen felt as if he had been clubbed over the head. His mind buzzed and his ears rang.
He had an overwhelming sense of vertigo and powerlessness.
Not even when he was fleeing and hiding in a muddy pond to avoid the chaos of press gangs did he feel so powerless. Because he knew he still had some strength then, and in critical moments he could still struggle.
He had never felt as right now, in this moment, completely and utterly helpless.
That was true powerlessness.
He had envisioned every possible reaction from her. Crying, making a scene, anger, even killing, he had countermeasures for them all.
He never imagined that with a smile at the corner of her lips, she would push him away with a turn of her hand.
"Jingwen?" Pei Ze called.
His voice contained coercion.
Zhao Jingwen was awakened by his call and met Pei Ze's piercing gaze.
After all, he was a man who had carved out his own piece of sky even in adversity and destitution. His aura was no less than Ye Suijin's.
Zhao Jingwen shuddered and suddenly sobered up.
He didn't know how things had become like this, why he was at a complete loss, how Ye Suijin could let him go without the slightest reluctance.
But he knew the current situation was more than he could handle if he lost Pei Ze as well.
His lips moved with difficulty as he said, "Th-thank you...thank Lady Ye for consenting."
That one sentence seemed to take all his strength.
Only then did Pei Ze nod in satisfaction and turn to look at Ye Suijin.
Ye Suijin knew Zhao Jingwen must be churning with emotion right now.
She nodded, and earnestly told him, "A marriage is due to karma cultivated in a previous life."
Of course, sometimes it's an unlucky karma.
I don't want this unlucky karma. Pei Lian wants to monopolize this unlucky karma.
The two of us have both gotten what we wanted in this life, very good.
"Treat Young Miss Pei well," she exhorted.
This girl has a broad and magnanimous heart, beyond what ordinary men can match - Pei Ze thought to himself.
He shouted, "Lian'er, thank Lady Ye!"
Pei Lian clutched the divorce settlement, unable to describe her feelings.
It was just very frustrating.
She had come aggressively, determined that the best outcome would be having Zhao Jingwen as her husband alone.
Wasn't that achieved? So why wasn't she happy?
It felt awful, like punching into cotton.
"Th-thank Lady Ye for consenting." She bent her knees in a reluctant, haughty curtsy.
Ye was clearly Zhao Jingwen's former wife. They should be peers. But following her father's lead in addressing her as Lady Ye, she as a junior could not be disrespectful.
It was truly unbearable.
Ye Suijin observed Pei Lian and lamented how time had changed Pei Lian into what she was today.
The present Pei Lian was a delicate, charming young beauty.
So young, fooled by a man, by a man like Zhao Jingwen's sweet words, it was perfectly normal.
It was a pity that in her past life, she had sought but never obtained for a lifetime.
She had placed all her hopes on the Crown Prince, always believing he was the eldest son Zhao Jingwen had with her. Even if he did not love her, he should at least love their son.
But he was an ordinary man.
The man she loved was the Emperor. There was never any true father-son relationship in the imperial family.
Zhao Jingwen's suppression of the Crown Prince and the threats from other princes to the Crown Prince's position were the final straws that broke Pei Lian.
Love without reciprocation, pleas without response, led to despair and hatred in the end.
"Young Miss Pei," Ye Suijin said, mindful of that wisp of past affection, "you must remember your noble status."
She said, "If Jingwen misbehaves, tell your father to discipline him."
The first sentence, Pei Lian still found agreeable to hear.
The second sentence, not so much.
Ye, clearly Zhao Jingwen's former wife, should be a peer. Yet she spoke completely like an elder.
Pei Lian felt an unnamed anger, but could not express it.
Because Ye was also the military governor of Deng and Tang prefectures, conferred the second rank by the Emperor's edict.
Although Pei Ze had not yet acknowledged this Emperor, still...
In short, Pei Lian had come grandly dressed, yet ended up terribly frustrated.
It was too uncomfortable to hold it in.
Pei Lian lifted her chin and looked at Ye Suijin on the stairs. She said, "Lady Ye is beautiful as a mature woman. My Pei family is not petty. Since you have given your husband to me, please just name what compensation you want."
At this, Ye Suijin finally revealed a genuinely delighted smile.
"You needn't worry about it," she laughed. "I have settled it with your father already."
"Our families shall have close ties from now on. No need to fuss over these trivial things."
This punch, too, landed in cotton. Pei Lian wanted to say more, but Pei Ze cut her off. "Lian'er, step down."
She could act up at home, but in front of others, Pei Lian could not lose her noblewoman's elegance, maiden's modesty, and certainly could not let Ye Suijin laugh at her.
She endured and gave way.
Pei Ze escorted Ye Suijin down the stairs, walking between Zhao Jingwen and Pei Lian.
Ye did not look at Zhao Jingwen on her right, only tilted slightly left as she talked with Pei Ze. "Princess Chengyang's route is very good, sincerity is enough. I'll also petition on your behalf. His Majesty now, if you humor him, he's quite reasonable."
Nearing the courtyard gate, her footsteps halted.
Xiang Da and Ye Mancang did not dare approach, hesitating nearby. Seeing her, Ye Mancang instinctively shrank back.
Xiang Da greeted her with a bow. "...My lady."
Ye Suijin looked at Xiang Da.
In her past life, Xiang Da had followed Zhao Jingwen early on. So her understanding of him was not deep.
In this life, although he had also followed Zhao Jingwen, Ye Suijin was very clear that she had been the impetus behind it.
Between people, it was actually a two-way choice.
Xiang Da was a freeman. As a guest, he had a guest-host relationship with her. As a colonel, he had a superior-subordinate relationship with her.
All these relationships could actually be dissolved. It depended on how the person chose.
In this life, considering her own covert machinations and manipulations behind the scenes, Ye Suijin still decided to give Xiang Da one more chance.
"Xiang Da," she asked him, "Are you going back with me, or are you staying here to follow Zhao Jingwen in the future?"
Xiang Da had been anxious and uneasy all this time.
He hadn't even dreamed that in just half a year, Ye Suijin had risen so high that she now ruled over two provinces, with Biyang as her capital.
The territory she now effectively controlled even exceeded that of Pei Ze.
Although the time had been short, in the brief exchanges with the attendants who had followed her into the city, their tone was proud and their eyes shone with hope for the "future".
This was not just living day to day, but truly harboring great expectations for what was to come.
Xiang Da actually already regretted his actions.
But he hadn't expected that Ye Suijin would still give him another chance.
He moved his lips, intent on going back with her.
Just then, he saw Zhao Jingwen behind her. His gaze went past Ye Suijin and looked straight at him.
His eyes were deep and profound.
Zhao Jingwen's words suddenly sounded in his ears like a spell —
[In the future, my wife will harbor resentment towards you, and it will be all my fault.]
[My wife will harbor resentment towards you...]
[Resentment...]
Xiang Da was stunned once again.
"I..." he lowered his head, "this subordinate, this subordinate wishes to follow Master Zhao."
"Very well," Ye Suijin nodded, "You're attentive to detail, which puts my mind at ease. Serve well in the future, and may you have a promising career and your wishes fulfilled."
Xiang Da bowed down deeply: "Thank you for your magnanimity, my lord. May you live long and prosper, and may your clan flourish."
Ye Suijin nodded.
The host and the guest parted on good terms.
Pei Ze nodded slightly in approval.
Ye Suijin took two more steps forward.
Ye Mancang had shrunk back earlier. Seeing Xiang Da receive pardon, he felt relieved. He hunched over and stepped forward, also saying: "Master, I too..."
The sound of a blade leaving its sheath rang past everyone's ears.
The blade moved so quickly it was just a flash of rainbow light in their vision!
A head flew up into the sky.
Duan Jin took a step forward, raised his arm, using his back to block the spurting blood from the decapitated corpse's neck.
Not letting a single drop of blood splash on Ye Suijin.
The headless corpse staggered forward a step before collapsing backwards, blood spraying everywhere.
Duan Jin lowered his arm and stepped back.
The blade was already sheathed. Ye Suijin patted the hilt and with a click, it was secured in place.
"He was but a household slave. I'm just tidying up around my door," said Ye Suijin. "Pardon the mess in Master Pei's courtyard."
In his past life, Ye Mancang had reverted to using his original surname. He took a new, young and beautiful wife from a good family.
Duan Jin killed him.
At that time, Duan Jin was not yet Grand General Who Guards the Army. It was after his first northern campaign, when he had just been titled Grand Champion General.
Zhao Jingwen had been very gracious, granting him the honor of entering the palace fully attired.
Once inside the palace grounds, many officials clustered around to congratulate him.
Ye Mancang was passing by, trying to sneak away quietly — after all, Duan Jin had never paid him any mind.
It took but an instant to draw the blade.
By then, Duan Jin could lop off heads as easily as slicing tofu. Right there, in front of all the ministers, he beheaded Ye Mancang.
The ministers were naturally in an uproar.
The officials were so agitated their words tripped over each other, vowing to impeach this arrogant military officer before the Emperor.
To dare execute an imperial official without sanction!
Duan Jin was spattered in blood. He stood laughing in the Golden Carriage Hall.
From his robe he took out a registry and threw it to the ground: "His original surname was Ye. Ye Family Fort was granted the surname Shi as servants. They gave birth to this child."
"My master has never emancipated him. His name remains in this register."
"In tidying up my master's household, and executing this treacherous slave, what wrong have I committed?"
In peaceful times, after a household servant attained an official position, their original master would typically complete emancipation procedures, releasing them from servant status.
But in times of turmoil, even the government didn't function. Who had time for such formalities?
Things just continued on ambiguously, with no one looking into it.
But a minister's loyalty is to his lord, a son's loyalty to his father, and a servant's loyalty to his master.
And a wife must still be loyal to her husband.
These are the eternal cornerstones of society.
Duan Jin had produced a servant registry from his old home, with Ye Mancang's full name and background clearly listed.
As the Empress's man, he was the Empress's household slave.
He was a traitor to his mistress.
The officials fell silent.
Grand Champion General Duan Jin had enjoyed the honor of entering the palace fully attired for but a day before it was stripped from him.
Confined for self-reflection for one month, and docked wages for half a year.
After that, any from Ye Family Fort, whether former guests or old family generals, who had pledged loyalty to Zhao Jingwen, would take a detour when encountering General Duan in the capital.
And Ye Mancang, his life was worth but half a year of Duan Jin's wages.
