Volume 1, Chapter 23: Make Him Divorce His Wife

In the eyes of Lady Luo, there was a hatred that Wanqing Xie had never seen before.

Tears streaming down her face, Wanqing shrank into Xiuyu Qi’s embrace. “Mother, it wasn’t me, truly it wasn’t me.”

Qi’s arms tightened, anger flaring. “Mother, how can you strike Wanqing without knowing the truth? She is your daughter-in-law! It’s not just her who has that ointment—there can be no proof!”

Lady Luo trembled with fury, pushing aside Lady Yun and moving forward to support her wife.

“Ungrateful child, at a time like this, you still protect her!”

Ignoring her status, Lady Luo stepped forward and grabbed Wanqing’s hand.

Beneath the burn marks, faint traces of claw marks could be seen, and on Wanqing’s polished fingernails, a long scratch from a sharp object was visible.

It was clear there had been a struggle, a violent tussle.

Qi’s grip instantly loosened.

“Wanqing?” He looked at his wife in disbelief.

He couldn’t understand how Wanqing could have done such a thing.

That was their ancestral hall, filled with the tablets of their forebears, and she had set it ablaze as if it were nothing.

How was he supposed to live in the household after this?

Wanqing bit down hard on her teeth. It was her first time killing someone with her own hands, naturally leaving many flaws behind. She had tried to destroy everything with fire, unaware that some things could not be burnt away.

But now, she absolutely could not admit to this deed.

“It really wasn’t me. I truly don’t know!” she pleaded, kneeling before Lady Luo and Lord Shunqing, desperately bowing her head.

“Father, Mother, Aunt Zhang is a servant I brought from the Xie family. I have no reason to harm her—it really wasn’t me.”

She pounded the ground frantically. “Tonight... tonight, my elder sister-in-law came to the ancestral hall. She spoke with Aunt Zhang—things I did not hear.”

Xieming Yue raised an eyebrow. “How curious. I kindly went to visit you in the ancestral hall, and yet you dare to pin murder and arson on me? Wanqing Xie, you’re like a cornered dog, biting wildly.”

Lord Shunqing fingered his Buddhist beads without pause. Seeing Jingshan Qi silent, unsure of his thoughts, he clenched his forehead and snapped sharply, “Stop dragging the eldest house into this. You are Xiuyu’s wife—if you don’t tell the truth, I will divorce you on the spot!”

Wanqing suddenly lifted her head, even Xiuyu’s eyes widened.

“Father, what are you saying?”

He thought Wanqing was ruthless but never considered divorcing her.

After all, they had endured the events of ten years ago together and had a son. Wanqing was the legitimate daughter of the Xie family. To divorce her abruptly would shatter his prospects upon returning to the capital.

Lord Shunqing fingered his beads with increasing haste.

Wanqing had been lending money from the state treasury, then murder and arson—no one knew if Aunt Zhang’s death was connected to these scandals. How could he keep such a daughter-in-law?

At that moment, Xieming Yue spoke calmly: “Father, it’s normal for our sister-in-law to deny it. Why not report it to the authorities?”

Wanqing fixed her gaze fiercely on her.

It was as if her eyes were tearing flesh from her.

If this matter leaked, what would become of Wanqing’s reputation?

“No, this must not be made public!” Lady Luo decided immediately, sending away the men from the Marquis Wu’s shop and dismissing the branch family from the Western Garden.

The second elder lord took Haosong Qi away. Seeing his son constantly looking back, he couldn’t help but slap the back of his head.

“You brat, keep watching. Be careful the second house drags us into this mess.”

He had never imagined that the second house’s daughter-in-law would dare commit such a grave act, stubbornly denying it and grasping at straws.

“The second sister-in-law wouldn’t do such a thing,” Haosong Qi said stubbornly, lips pressed tight. “She cares for us so much, gentle and virtuous—she would never commit such evil.”

“You don’t know anything,” the elder lord slapped him again. “That’s your sister-in-law. No younger brother-in-law ought to always talk about his sister-in-law. Remember, avoid suspicion.”

Xieming Yue watched the father and son’s retreating backs and withdrew her gaze.

It seemed Wanqing was not just favored in the Marquis’s mansion; even the people in the Western Garden spoke in her defense.

Yet she was determined to tear off Wanqing’s false mask in front of everyone.

To show them what kind of heart the woman they had praised all these years truly had.

After sending away the irrelevant, Lord Shunqing approached Wanqing, closed his eyes briefly, then suddenly turned and kicked Xiuyu hard.

Xiuyu, a scholar, stumbled backward and fell disgracefully into the mud.

“Marquis! If you want to hit someone, hit this wicked woman, why hit our son?” Lady Luo rushed to Xiuyu, tears streaming.

Lord Shunqing’s chest heaved. “The wife you married has this kind of character!”

He shouted at Wanqing, “Tell me, what other disgraceful things have you done?”

Although he was not involved in officialdom, he was not stupid. Wanqing must have taken this desperate step of arson and murder to cover something up!

A flash of panic crossed Wanqing’s eyes, but she stubbornly denied it. “Father, you wrong me!”

Bitterness grew in her heart. Though the couple often professed their affection for her, when trouble came, they immediately stripped her of managing the household. Now they plotted to ruin her life.

It was all a lie. Just like back in the Xie family, whenever Xieming Yue appeared, her happiness vanished in an instant...

Xieming Yue covered her face with her sleeve, yawning in boredom.

Wanqing’s defiance was remarkable, but to anger the usually gentle Lord Shunqing meant she could not escape this predicament.

Jingshan Qi’s gaze swept over her. “Father, it’s late. Since our sister-in-law refuses to confess, why not continue the inquiry tomorrow? You and Mother should rest for now.”

April was still cool. Lord Shunqing looked at the chaotic family and felt a headache coming on, wishing he could return to the mountain temple and leave all this behind.

“Lock her up. No one is allowed to see her. Tomorrow, invite the elder lord of the Xie family! We will have a proper talk.”

He was resolute. Xiuyu dared not resist. Wanqing was bound and taken away. Before leaving, she glared resentfully at Xieming Yue.

She had been tricked by Xieming Yue’s words, and in a panic had taken charge of dealing with Aunt Zhang, only to fall into a worse position.

Xieming Yue paid her no mind. Jingshan Qi was already escorting her into the courtyard. Along the way, her heart pounded—not for anything else but for Lord Shunqing’s words just now.

They were going to invite the elder lord of the Xie family tomorrow.

She was going to see her father...

Xieming Yue did not believe she had never tried to return all these years. Tomorrow, she would stop her father and ask clearly why he had cast her out ten years ago, and why he had never listened to her defense.

“Will the lord stay overnight?”

As they reached the gate of Qionghua Courtyard, Wutong’s question snapped Xieming Yue back to reality.

She glanced at Jingshan Qi, who had not said much, and suddenly remembered the revenge list she had left spread on the table before sleeping, breaking out in a cold sweat.

She must not stay here!

“No.”

Jingshan Qi looked at Xieming Yue meaningfully, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face.

“Madam,” his eyes reflected the moonlight, serene and dark, “you truly impress me.”

Xieming Yue frowned, unsure of his meaning. Jingshan Qi did not continue but bent to pat her crane cloak on her shoulder and turned to leave.

“Madam...”

Wutong stepped closer, watching Jingshan Qi’s retreating figure alongside Xieming Yue.

What does the lord mean? Is he angry with madam?

But it didn’t seem like it.

“Let’s go back and sleep.”

Xieming Yue lowered her gaze and entered the room, putting away the list on the table.

Jingshan Qi must have seen something.

Yet she had not interfered in this matter. Wanqing was undeniably guilty, and even Lord Shunqing knew she was innocent—how could Jingshan Qi not know?

Who knew what he was really up to. Hmph!

Touching the drawer where the list was stored, Xieming Yue slowly curved her lips into a smile.

Aunt Zhang was dead. Wanqing would not think she could get away with it, would she?