Chapter 125

Chapter 125: Absurd!

Faced with such a vulnerable Qi Shu Xian, Sheng Zhi Wan only let out a cold laugh. “Heir Apparent already said it. Qi Fei Yan is your Eldest Sister. She fell into the Ice Pool for you and was punished for you. If anyone should plead, shouldn’t the Heir Apparent go in person? Why did you think to come to me?”

Qi Shu Xian stared at her. “You can go beg the Empress Dowager.”

Sheng Zhi Wan sneered. “And why should I? Whether Qi Fei Yan lives or dies has nothing to do with me. Heir Apparent, don’t forget that not long ago, she even wanted to slap me in my own courtyard.”

Qi Shu Xian fell silent for a moment. His hands curled into fists. “She was willful and greedy, but she is still my Eldest Sister…”

“So what?” Sheng Zhi Wan cut him off.

Qi Shu Xian stared at her. “If she is my Eldest Sister, then she is also your Eldest Sister. Sheng Zhi Wan, you can’t just watch her die.”

Sheng Zhi Wan laughed in scorn. “You can’t save her, and you want me to save her?”

“Qi Shu Xian, I’m not some temple Bodhisattva people pray to, and I’m not some saint who forgets all grudges. Unfortunately, I’m a woman who holds grudges. You want me to save her? Impossible.”

Sheng Zhi Wan turned as if to leave.

“Sheng Zhi Wan!” Qi Shu Xian clenched his fists and spoke through his teeth. “It’s fine if you’re usually wild and domineering, but today I’m begging you. Don’t make a scene without caring where you are!”

Sheng Zhi Wan stopped halfway through turning. She smiled, but her eyes were ice-cold. “Just because the Heir Apparent said that, I really will watch her die!”

“Then… what if I divorce you?!” Qi Shu Xian said, taking a deep breath as he looked at her ruthless back.

Sheng Zhi Wan’s steps abruptly stopped.

She turned her head and looked at him with a half-smile. “Divorce me? Just because I refuse to plead for Qi Fei Yan?”

Qi Shu Xian said nothing, but the meaning in his eyes was obvious.

Sheng Zhi Wan laughed softly twice. “Actually, it’s not like I can’t save Qi Fei Yan. As long as the Heir Apparent agrees to my conditions.”

“What conditions? Say them,” Qi Shu Xian said, watching her.

Sheng Zhi Wan tilted her head. “The Heir Apparent only needs to write a public notice. In that notice, you must clearly write how you, Qi Shu Xian, broke your word, how the Duke Manor was insatiably greedy, and how Qi Fei Yan and Qi Shu Lang stole my dowry and refused to return it. Write it all, word for word.”

“Then paste that notice all over capital city and sign my divorce writ dismissing you. As long as the Heir Apparent agrees to all of that, I will immediately enter the palace and plead for Qi Fei Yan.”

“Absurd!” Qi Shu Xian’s face turned black. “This is the biggest joke under heaven! Sheng Zhi Wan, do you know what you’re saying?”

Divorce a husband? There had never been such a precedent from ancient times until now. Besides, how could she divorce him?

“Heir Apparent knows it’s absurd?” Sheng Zhi Wan hooked her lips coldly. “In my eyes, you using divorce to threaten me is just as absurd as coming here to ask me to plead for Qi Fei Yan.”

“If the Heir Apparent wants to divorce me, then divorce me. When the time comes, I will paste that notice all over capital city. And while I’m at it, I’ll write down everything the Heir Apparent said today and put that in the notice as well.”

Sheng Zhi Wan walked into the room without looking back.

The door slammed shut with a bang.

Qi Shu Xian stood there for a long time. His face turned dark, then pale, then dark again. In the end, he still turned and left.

Not long after, Sheng Zhi Wan heard from Liu Shang that Qi Shu Xian went to the Third Prince’s manor.

It seemed he could not get through using her, so he planned to beg Third Imperial Brother instead.

But Third Imperial Brother was the kind of man who chased profit and avoided harm. There was no benefit in this matter. Why would Third Imperial Brother anger Imperial Father for it?

So Third Imperial Brother would definitely refuse.

Thinking that, Sheng Zhi Wan placed the final piece on the chessboard.

Qi Fei Yan was doomed.

*Sheng Zhi Wan guessed correctly. Qi Shu Xian returned in less than an hour, his face heavy.

Duke Qi had also learned about Qi Fei Yan selling salt from the rumors outside, so he rushed back to the manor.

Outside Wen Xi Courtyard, father and son ran into each other.

Before they could speak, Madam Cui hurried over. “Shu Xian! How did it go? Did Sheng Zhi Wan agree? What did the Empress Dowager say? Can Yan’er be released?”

Qi Shu Xian’s lips moved several times before he finally said under Madam Cui’s stare, “Sheng Zhi Wan refused to go.”

“Refused to go?” Madam Cui’s voice jumped. “Didn’t you tell her you would divorce her?”

“…Nonsense!” Duke Qi’s face darkened.

Qi Shu Xian’s face turned even colder. “I told her.”

“How is that possible?” Madam Cui could not believe it. “Back then she wanted to marry you so badly she would rather die than give up. Now you say you’ll divorce her, how could she not be afraid?”

Madam Cui’s words only made Qi Shu Xian feel even more irritated.

“I went to see the Third Prince,” Qi Shu Xian said.

“What did the Third Prince say?” Madam Cui’s eyes lit up. Whoever could save Yan’er was fine.

“…The Third Prince refused,” Qi Shu Xian said.

“How could he… Aren’t you and the Third Prince…” Madam Cui began.

“Shut up!”

“Mother!”

Duke Qi and Qi Shu Xian spoke at the same time. Madam Cui’s words caught in her throat.

Duke Qi stared at Madam Cui coldly. It was good she did not finish, or the entire Duke Manor would be dragged into the grave because of her mouth.

Afraid Madam Cui might say something else that could kill them all, Duke Qi pulled her quickly into the room and dismissed the servants.

Madam Cui only cared about Qi Fei Yan. She grabbed Duke Qi’s hand. “Why would he refuse? Before, didn’t he plead with the Emperor about Meng Yang?”

“Meng Yang got away safely even after causing the deaths of so many soldiers. My Yan’er only made one small mistake. Why wouldn’t he plead for her!”

Madam Cui could not understand.

Qi Shu Xian’s face stayed dark. “Because Meng Yang had value. Meng Yang could earn silver for the Third Prince. What could Eldest Sister do?”

Madam Cui froze.

“Then… then what about Sheng Zhi Wan?” Madam Cui pushed. “Go find her again! Make her beg the Empress Dowager. It must be that you weren’t harsh enough, so she thought you were only scaring her…”

“Yes, Shu Xian. Write the divorce letter first, then go!” Madam Cui rambled on.

Qi Shu Xian’s fists tightened, but he still did not speak.

Duke Qi suddenly slammed his hand down on the table. The teacup on it fell to the ground under the force and shattered. Porcelain shards flew, finally bringing Madam Cui back to a little bit of sense.

“Have you made enough trouble?” Duke Qi demanded.

“Yan’er committed a capital crime this time. Even the Empress’s own brother is still locked up inside, and you want someone to plead? Or do you want the whole Duke Manor to be buried with Yan’er?!”

Duke Qi rarely spoke so harshly. Madam Cui stood stunned.

After more than twenty years of marriage, it was the first time she had ever seen Duke Qi this furious.

“I… I only wanted to save Yan’er,” Madam Cui whispered. Tears slid down her cheeks.

Duke Qi let out a long sigh. “Yan’er brought this upon herself. No one can save her. Now we can only hope His Majesty will show a little leniency and not punish everyone too severely…”

He said that, but both Duke Qi and Qi Shu Xian understood Emperor Chong Sheng’s attitude toward the private salt case.

If nothing unexpected happened, the people arrested this time would be made into an example.

That meant Qi Fei Yan already had one foot on the execution ground.