Chapter 162

Chapter 162: How Could It Come to This

Was that so?

Qi Shu Xian stood stunned as Duke Qi hurriedly ordered servants to clean the front hall and prepare to receive the edict. As for Sheng Zhi Wan, Duke Qi only snorted. Duke Qi would deal with her after the edict was received.

In the front hall, Su De Yun looked at the father and son with open surprise.

Qi Shu Xian dropped to his knees and said, “This subordinate Qi Shu Xian receives the edict!”

Su De Yun froze, then his gaze turned strange. “Young Master Qi, don’t kneel. Has the Princess not told you yet? This edict is not for you, and it is not for Duke Qi either.”

Qi Shu Xian looked awkward. “Then… who is it for?”

“This edict is for Princess Qing Ning.”

“For her?” Duke Qi frowned in confusion.

Sheng Zhi Wan walked in from outside the hall.

The moment Su De Yun saw Sheng Zhi Wan, Su De Yun raised the Imperial Edict and called, “Princess Qing Ning, receive the edict!”

Under everyone’s gaze, Sheng Zhi Wan bowed down slowly.

Su De Yun unfolded the bright yellow scroll and read aloud, “By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Princess Qing Ning and her husband Qi Shu Xian have been married for two years. Yet their bond as husband and wife was thin. Qi Shu Xian also loved another and did not uphold the agreement made that day, taking a concubine into the manor. Now, upon Princess Qing Ning’s petition, permission is granted for Princess Qing Ning and Qi Shu Xian to separate. From this day onward, the two shall part ways. Men may marry and women may wed, and neither shall have anything to do with the other. May both cherish themselves and not bear resentment. So decreed.”

Sheng Zhi Wan pressed her head down deeply. Finally, from this moment on, she had nothing to do with Duke Manor or with Qi Shu Xian ever again.

Two lifetimes of longing made Sheng Zhi Wan’s voice tremble when Sheng Zhi Wan said, “Qing Ning thanked Imperial Father. Long live the Emperor, long live the Emperor, long live the Emperor!”

Sheng Zhi Wan rose and accepted the Imperial Edict with steady hands.

Qi Shu Xian stood frozen.

Separation?

Sheng Zhi Wan truly wanted to separate from Qi Shu Xian?

But why?

Because of one Meng Yang?

How could it come to this? Even if Meng Yang had been pregnant, a farm girl could never have climbed over Sheng Zhi Wan. And now Meng Yang’s child was already gone. As a separated woman, what good family could Sheng Zhi Wan possibly marry into?

Qi Shu Xian strode up to Sheng Zhi Wan, eyes full of confusion and accusation. “Zhi Wan, have you gone mad? Is it really necessary?”

Qi Shu Xian’s voice rose. “A farm girl, and you couldn’t tolerate her? Were you looking for a chance to separate from me all along?”

Qi Shu Xian remembered how Sheng Zhi Wan had gambled with her life yesterday to force His Majesty into granting a promise. So that was what it had been for. Qi Shu Xian’s already red eyes turned even redder.

Sheng Zhi Wan answered without hiding anything. “Yes.”

Qi Shu Xian clenched his teeth. “I don’t understand. I was tricked into having a relationship with her. Why did you have to count every little thing like this?”

Sheng Zhi Wan’s tone stayed slow and light. “The Heir Apparent forgot? Then this Princess can list it all for you, one by one.”

Sheng Zhi Wan began, voice steady: “Before she entered the manor, you hid her pregnancy and deceived this Princess. You said you would never see her again. After the lie was exposed, you were still shameless enough to demand her child be registered under this Princess’s name.”

Sheng Zhi Wan continued, each word clear: “When she tripped, you insisted it was because this Princess couldn’t tolerate her. You shoved this Princess down. You even took the Heavenly Pearl Fruit Grandmother left for this Princess and used it as medicine for her.”

Qi Shu Xian gritted his teeth. “But I also took the Cold Poison you gave me!”

“Yes, the Heir Apparent did take it,” Sheng Zhi Wan said with a smile that held no warmth. “But later, when the Heir Apparent couldn’t endure it, didn’t you secretly go find someone to cure it yourself?”

Qi Shu Xian went stiff.

Sheng Zhi Wan even knew that.

If Sheng Zhi Wan knew, why had Sheng Zhi Wan never said it before?

Sheng Zhi Wan’s eyes held a cutting disdain. “It was only three months, and the Heir Apparent still couldn’t hold on or wait. How laughable.”

Qi Shu Xian forced an excuse, turning his face aside. “I was a military officer. If others discovered I was poisoned, it would be improper.”

Sheng Zhi Wan lifted her brows and did not bother arguing.

Sheng Zhi Wan went on, “Later, this Princess was kidnapped and struggled back alive. The Heir Apparent said you didn’t mind, yet you allowed the Duchess to seize this Princess’s dowry.”

Sheng Zhi Wan laughed softly, as if mocking her own past blindness. In her last life, how had she loved a man like this?

“And Laifu…” Sheng Zhi Wan’s voice grew colder. The thing Sheng Zhi Wan regretted most was failing to protect Laifu. “When Meng Yang fell ill, her maid said she needed dog blood to drive away evil. You killed Laifu so easily.”

Qi Shu Xian scoffed, “It was just a beast.”

“But to this Princess, Young Master Qi was not even as good as a beast,” Sheng Zhi Wan said sharply.

“This Princess raised a beast, and that beast at least knew to wag its tail and make this Princess smile. What about Duke Manor?”

Qi Shu Xian’s face flushed. “Sheng Zhi Wan, you went too far!”

Duke Qi trembled with rage as well.

Qi Shu Xian’s voice died when Sheng Zhi Wan said calmly, “Young Master Qi, you should address this Princess as Princess Qing Ning now.”

Qi Shu Xian stood like a wooden statue.

Sheng Zhi Wan could have said more, but there was no need.

Sheng Zhi Wan turned and looked at Su De Yun, who had been watching with far too much interest. Su De Yun hurriedly coughed and said, “Princess, the Empress Dowager learned of your separation and immediately sent people to your Princess Residence to prepare it. Of course, if Princess wishes to stay in the Imperial Palace for a few days, that is also possible.”

Sheng Zhi Wan nodded. “Please convey to Grandmother that Qing Ning was unfilial and made her worry. Qing Ning will settle first, then enter the palace to see her.”

Su De Yun agreed and took his leave.

Sheng Zhi Wan turned and returned to Ping Lan Residence. From beginning to end, Sheng Zhi Wan never looked at Qi Shu Xian or Duke Qi again.

An Zhi and Ting Lan held back tears with shaking lips. Finally, Princess could leave Duke Manor.

Ting Lan could not wait even a moment. Ting Lan asked, “Princess, are we moving to the Princess Residence right now?”

Sheng Zhi Wan nodded and took out a thick stack of indenture papers. They were the indentures of servants from Duke Manor. They included not only the maids of Ping Lan Residence, but also bodyguards and coachmen.

Sheng Zhi Wan told Ting Lan to call everyone over and ask who was willing to follow Sheng Zhi Wan to the Princess Residence. Anyone unwilling would be given ten taels of silver and released.

Besides that, Sheng Zhi Wan’s dowry also had to be taken away in full.

Qi Fei Rui still had not returned. The dowry Qi Fei Rui had taken from Sheng Zhi Wan was not especially valuable anyway. Duke Qi’s third Miss was refined and proud. She looked down on flashy, gaudy things, so she always used her own silver to place custom orders at Ding Zhen Tower. Sheng Zhi Wan had already counted that portion into the silver subsidy.

An Zhi returned quickly. Aside from two servant boys who had formed attachments with Duke Manor maids, everyone else was willing to follow Sheng Zhi Wan to the Princess Residence.

That surprised Sheng Zhi Wan, but it was a good thing. With more people, moving would be faster.

Ting Lan planted her hands on her hips and shouted orders, “Take it all, take everything! Even a single flower and a single blade of grass from our courtyard. Anything valuable, don’t leave a scrap for Duke Manor!”

*In the front hall, Qi Shu Xian still stood there in a daze.

Duke Qi’s eyes bulged as Duke Qi flailed his arms. “Absurd! Truly absurd! Separation? How dare she? A mere woman, leaving Duke Manor, and how many people will be waiting to laugh at her!”

Qi Shu Xian opened his mouth but could not speak.

Duke Qi barked, “What are you standing there for? Hurry and keep your wife here! If she separates, do we still want Duke Manor’s face or not?”