Qi Xun felt a sharp pain at his temple as warm blood trickled down, his head ringing from the blow.
Trembling as he knelt on the ground, he pleaded:
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, this humble subject dares not conceal the truth. Lady Gu is… a courtesan. She knows some poetry and songs, and she bewitched me. It was my fault—I was momentarily blinded by lust. But I never intended to harm Xiyue! Xiyue is gentle and pure-hearted, and I treated her…"
Before he could continue, Emperor You'an cut him off, his eyes filled with murderous intent. "Which brothel?"
Qi Xun’s face paled. "Your Majesty!"
"Do you dare defy an imperial decree?"
Qi Xun’s eyes reddened:
"Your Majesty, this humble subject dares not… It was Tianxianglou! But… early this morning, when I learned that the streets were plastered with notices, I immediately sent someone to reprimand her. The servant from my residence reported that she… she had already redeemed herself and fled the brothel… I have no idea where she went."
Shen Xiyue was taken aback. She had intended to use Qi Xun to force Gu Zhilan into the open, but it seemed Zhilan had sensed danger and fled first?
Then… where had she fled to?
Emperor You'an’s expression darkened severely, the hall so quiet one could hear a pin drop.
Qi Xun trembled with fear.
Emperor You'an looked down at him coldly, his gaze icy. "She may have fled, but you are still here. Thirty heavy strokes—you shall bear them well!"
The imperial guards at the entrance immediately stepped forward to drag him away, but Emperor You'an raised a hand. "Wait. Carry out the punishment right here in this hall!"
Qi Xun’s face filled with terror. To be punished in front of all the civil and military officials—he was about to enter the court soon. How could he ever hold his head high again after this?
The Emperor was leaving him no face at all!
The guards paid no heed to his distress. They stuffed a rag into his mouth, two of them pressed him onto the punishment bench, while two others raised the heavy rods high and brought them down with force.
At first, Qi Xun managed to stifle his cries, but as the pain intensified, he broke into a cold sweat and could no longer hold back his screams. By the end, his voice was nearly gone.
The lower half of his body was beaten until his clothes were torn and bloodied.
Veins bulged on his forehead as he endured the agony, and a puddle of foul-smelling liquid pooled on the ground beneath him.
Shen Xiyue felt a slight sense of satisfaction, though this single beating was far from enough to quell her hatred.
She silently observed Qi Xun’s wretched state for a moment before speaking up. "Heir Qi."
Qi Xun, on the verge of collapse from pain, widened his eyes in shock. "Are you calling me?"
Shen Xiyue looked at his incredulous expression, as if he were saying, "Isn’t she satisfied even after I’ve been punished like this? And now she deliberately addresses me so formally—how unreasonable!"
"Yes, I am calling you."
Shen Xiyue wiped away her tears, her eyes cold and detached:
"Heir Qi, you betrayed me first and then endangered my life. This punishment is what you’ve earned through your own actions.
What I wish to say is this: today, before all the civil and military officials present, let us bear witness—"
She knelt with a thud, kowtowing deeply toward Emperor You'an. "I beg Your Majesty’s permission for this subject to divorce Heir Qi."
Qi Xun was stunned.
Lying on the ground, he looked at the woman who had once been soft and gentle, gazing at him with admiration, calling him "Brother Qi Xun" with shy, affectionate smiles. Now, her eyes were resolute, devoid of any lingering affection.
He felt an inexplicable tightness in his chest and blurted out, "Xiyue, I know I was wrong. I'll live well with you from now on…"
"No. My parents only have me as their daughter. If I die, they will be heartbroken."
Qi Xun was cut off mid-sentence, nearly choking on his words. This was a Shen Xiyue he had never seen before.
Yet he understood clearly in his heart that if he wanted to resolve this matter properly today, the only way was through her.
As long as she forgave him, the Emperor would no longer punish him!
With a face full of pleading, Qi Xun said, "Xiyue, please don't be angry anymore, alright? I'll accept whatever punishment I deserve. But seeing your face injured like this breaks my heart. It's all my fault for not protecting you well enough. Let's not make a scene anymore. Can we go back?"
None of the civil and military officials in the court spoke. Even Emperor You'an watched Shen Xiyue, curious to see her reaction. After all, in the past, the two of them had been considered a match made in heaven.
"Make a scene?"
Shen Xiyue retorted without hesitation:
"After narrowly escaping death, I beat the Dengwen Drum to bring my grievance before the Emperor, and you think I'm making a scene? Heir Qi, I've made myself clear enough—I want a divorce from you!"
Qi Xun admitted his mistake with remarkable speed: "I was wrong, it's all my fault! Let's not divorce! You're the only one in my heart. I just want to live well with you."
Censor Song couldn't help but laugh in anger: "How dare you say such things?!"
Shen Xiyue remained expressionless, her tone calm: "You always say I'm the only one in your heart. Then may I ask, Heir Qi, do you know when my birthday is? What color of clothes do I like? What books do I usually enjoy reading? What was the name of the dog I raised back in the Western Frontier?"
"Your birthday is in spring…"
Qi Xun spoke without thinking, only to realize afterward that spring was Gu Zhilan's birthday.
When was Shen Xiyue's birthday? He truly hadn't paid attention.
Thinking about it, he realized he didn't know many things about her. He had only occasionally overheard Shen Xiyue mention certain pastries or hairpins and deliberately ordered them to please her.
Because it required no effort on his part, he had no lasting impression after doing so.
Yet Shen Xiyue had believed he kept her words in mind.
Now, when she asked him about her own affairs, he couldn't answer a single question.
Shen Xiyue blinked: "What's wrong, Heir Qi? Didn't you say you held me in the highest regard? Is this how you show it—by knowing nothing about me?"
Qi Xun opened his mouth, feeling the embarrassment of being exposed. He excused himself: "…It's just that we haven't spent much time together. Once we're married and living together every day, I'll naturally learn your preferences.
I admit I didn't do well in the past, but from now on, I'll make it up to you, alright? Please don't say such angry words anymore. Don't blame me, alright?"
Shen Xiyue looked at that elegant, immortal-like face—once so familiar, now utterly strange. It had once captivated her, but now it filled her with nothing but disgust.
Even at this point, he still refused to let her go?
He truly deserved to die!
"I never speak in anger," Shen Xiyue said with utter revulsion:
"Is it really because we haven't spent much time together? From the Spring Banquet last year when I first met you, to half a year ago when you entered the palace to ask the Emperor for our marriage, to yesterday when I married you—over a year has passed. And you still can't remember my birthday?"
Qi Xun stammered, unable to respond.
Shen Xiyue said coldly, "I once believed you were sincere to me and trusted and relied on you with all my heart."
But you have been deceiving me from the very beginning. You and Gu Zhilan were in love long before you knew me, and now you refuse to grant me a divorce, all because you want to use me to save yourself!
But why should I be hurt by you? Why should I be used by you?"
Qi Xun was struck as if by lightning, his face flushed with shame and anger as he slumped to the ground. She had seen right through him!
The entire court erupted in an uproar—this Heir Qi was truly shameless.
Emperor You'an tilted his head slightly, narrowing his eyes. "Xiyue, are you saying that Qi Xun has long been entangled with that Lady Gu?"
Shen Xiyue nodded. "It is true. When I first met the heir, he already had an orchid tattoo on the inner side of his wrist. He once told me it was because his mother's maiden name contained the character 'Lan,' but as far as I know, the maiden name of the Marquis Wenyuan's wife is clearly 'Lan' as in 'mountain breeze.'"
Qi Xun instinctively denied it. "No… that's not…"
Censor Song suddenly stepped forward and pulled up Qi Xun's sleeve—revealing a delicate orchid tattoo, its colors somewhat faded, clearly of some age.
For a noble heir of a marquisate to be infatuated with a courtesan from a brothel—the court was instantly thrown into chaos.