Chapter 168

Chapter 168: Insubordination

Sheng Zhi Wan’s ears warmed. Did Sheng Zhi Wan like Shang Xing Yu? At most… Sheng Zhi Wan admired Shang Xing Yu and had a good impression of him. It was not love yet.

But if, in the future, Sheng Zhi Wan truly achieved her goals, she did not have to force herself to live like an ascetic. So she looked at Shang Xing Yu calmly and said, “I don’t dislike you.”

Only not dislike? Shang Xing Yu felt a little disappointed, yet he also felt that was how it should be. Still, it was fine. If it was only “not dislike” today, there would be chances for it to become “like” and then “like even more” tomorrow. Shang Xing Yu felt full of confidence.

“Shizi! You can’t go in!” An Zhi’s voice came from outside just then.

Disgust showed in Sheng Zhi Wan’s eyes. This was what she did dislike.

Shang Xing Yu secretly laughed. Fighting sounds already came from outside. Liu Shang and Qi Shu Xian must have started trading blows.

“Princess, do you want me to go deal with it?” Shang Xing Yu asked, eager to act.

Sheng Zhi Wan glanced at Shang Xing Yu. Shang Xing Yu could only sigh and stand up, but he still did not forget to pick up his Talent Cup Token. He touched it against the hidden door behind him. The curio cabinet that had been only decoration slid open to both sides. After Shang Xing Yu stepped inside, Sheng Zhi Wan finally rose, opened the door, and walked out.

Gathering Sages Teahouse was not crowded today, but it was not empty either. Princess Qing Ning petitioning for an imperial divorce decree was the biggest gossip in the capital city.

In the Sheng Kingdom, men were honored and women were low. Many women spent their whole lives trapped in the inner courtyard and did not even dare mention divorce. Yet Princess Qing Ning dared to do it. Not only dared-she had even shown up here.

Countless assessing gazes turned toward her, mostly from men. They were always above everyone else. They were used to women being careful and obedient. Before they even saw her, they had already imagined a divorced woman as pitiful and bitter.

But when they lifted their eyes-

A cloak of red with gold thread set the woman off in dazzling, commanding splendor. She stood on the third floor with her fair chin slightly raised, her gaze wild and unrestrained. Many men who had waited to laugh at her instead felt as if they were looking up at her.

Qi Shu Xian was also stunned for a moment by how bright and seductive Sheng Zhi Wan looked. Then his gaze swept the room. No one was there-not even a second Talent Cup Token on the table.

Was Sheng Zhi Wan really drinking tea here alone? In this freezing weather, was the scenery at the Princess Residence not better than this?

“What does the Heir Apparent want?” Sheng Zhi Wan asked, her voice impatient.

Qi Shu Xian came back to himself and took a deep breath. “Shu Lang was expelled from Azure Cloud Academy. Was that your doing?”

Sheng Zhi Wan lifted her brows. Qi Shu Lang had been expelled?

“Don’t pretend you don’t know! I saw Great Scholar Du’s Madam go to the Princess Residence with my own eyes yesterday! You must have said something to her. That’s why Azure Cloud Academy expelled Shu Lang!”

So many people had gone to the Princess Residence yesterday that Qi Shu Xian had not paid attention to some of them. Only after hearing today that Qi Shu Lang had been kicked out did Qi Shu Xian suddenly remember it.

Great Scholar Du was a specially hired lecturer at Green Mountain Academy. Qi Shu Lang had been able to study there because he was Great Scholar Du’s student. That, indeed, was a favor Sheng Zhi Wan had given.

Qi Shu Xian had not expected Sheng Zhi Wan to be so petty. They were divorcing, and she still dragged a child into it.

Anger filled Qi Shu Xian’s chest.

Sheng Zhi Wan looked at Qi Shu Xian as if she found him amusing. “Heir Apparent, you really are ridiculous. Shu Lang was expelled, and you don’t ask him why. Instead you come to me. Where did you get the face?”

Qi Shu Xian said coldly, “Great Scholar Du’s Madam went to the Princess Residence yesterday, and Shu Lang was expelled today. I don’t believe it has nothing to do with you!”

“Heh.” Sheng Zhi Wan spoke leisurely. “Then what does the Heir Apparent want? Even if it really is related to me, what do you plan to do?”

“You-” Qi Shu Xian froze.

Sheng Zhi Wan’s stunning face was full of mockery. “You can’t possibly still want to use my favor to beg Great Scholar Du to take Shu Lang as a student again, can you?”

Qi Shu Xian looked miserable. “But Shu Lang is only ten…”

“So what if Qi Shu Lang is ten?” Sheng Zhi Wan cut him off. “Or has the Heir Apparent forgotten Qi Shu Lang stole my dowry?”

A sharp intake of breath rippled through the room. Stole what? Dowry? Ears all around perked up.

Qi Shu Xian’s face darkened. “That matter is already over!”

So that was what Sheng Zhi Wan meant!

“Hmph.” Sheng Zhi Wan laughed in contempt. “Why don’t we make another bet, Heir Apparent? Right here. Invite the Headmaster of Azure Cloud Academy and ask. Was it me who had him expelled, or did he do something himself?”

For Azure Cloud Academy to expel Qi Shu Lang even at the cost of offending Great Scholar Du, it had to be something extremely serious. Sheng Zhi Wan already had a few guesses.

The moment Qi Shu Xian heard the word “bet,” he thought of the day Sheng Zhi Wan had tricked his Mother into a trap…

“What?” Sheng Zhi Wan pressed. “The Heir Apparent doesn’t trust me, but also doesn’t trust the Headmaster? Or are you suspecting Great Scholar Du? Do you think a few words from me would make him expel a blameless ten-year-old student?”

Question after question slammed into Qi Shu Xian until he could not answer.

But Qi Shu Xian wanted even less to gamble with Sheng Zhi Wan here. If Sheng Zhi Wan was right, the story of Qi Shu Lang swapping and stealing her dowry would spread. If Sheng Zhi Wan was wrong, then Qi Shu Lang must have done something.

But Qi Shu Lang was only ten. What could Qi Shu Lang have done?

Qi Shu Xian’s face turned green, then white. After a long moment of weighing it all, Qi Shu Xian turned to leave.

“Stop!” Sheng Zhi Wan’s voice rose sharply.

Qi Shu Xian’s heart jumped. Qi Shu Xian’s feet stiffened without thinking. He had never heard Sheng Zhi Wan speak in such a voice.

“Qi Shu Xian!” Sheng Zhi Wan advanced step by step. “You are merely an Assistant Sixth Rank official. Even with the identity of Heir Apparent of the Duke’s Manor, you came to cause trouble for me for no reason. If you had evidence, it would be one thing. But you don’t. With this kind of rudeness and insubordination, do you think I will just let you leave?!”

Qi Shu Xian had not expected her to be so merciless. No matter what, he had once been her Husband!

Their eyes met. There was no retreat in Sheng Zhi Wan’s eyes, no emotion at all.

It was her constant tolerance in the past that had fed the Duke Manor’s arrogance and made them think they could order her around and take whatever they wanted. It had been her fault. If she knew it was wrong, she would change it. Now, she was changing it.

“What do you want?” Qi Shu Xian clenched his fists.

“A person who offends the Princess should perform the full kowtow to the Princess and apologize, to take the lesson and never do it again.” A voice that sounded outright gleeful came from below.

Sheng Zhi Wan’s mouth twitched.

Shang Xing Yu lifted his head and met her gaze. He blinked quickly once.

When Qi Shu Xian saw Shang Xing Yu, his face turned even darker. He looked at Sheng Zhi Wan with a heavy voice. “Zhi Wan, are you really going to do this?”

“Heir Apparent forgot again.” Sheng Zhi Wan said calmly. “You should address me as Princess Qing Ning.”

Qi Shu Xian ground his teeth. “Understood… Princess Qing Ning. But we were husband and wife. Even if we divorced, why do you have to push so hard?”

“I do push hard.” Sheng Zhi Wan said. “The full kowtow, or thirty lashes. Heir Apparent, which will you choose?”

Qi Shu Xian wanted neither.

He was the dignified Heir Apparent of the Duke’s Manor, a Threefold First Laureate, and he had earned military merit in Cang Nan. If the one demanding it were any other Prince or Princess, he might not have felt so humiliated.

But it had to be Sheng Zhi Wan.

How could Sheng Zhi Wan make him perform the full kowtow?