“By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Helian Zhi and Ye Qingyu have rendered meritorious service in the Miaoergou Campaign. The two have requested a marriage by imperial decree in exchange for their military merit. We specially grant this favor: Ye Qingyu shall marry Helian Zhi as an equal wife, with the ceremony to be completed within three days. So decreed, give thanks!”
The Emperor’s meaning was clear: You have earned military merit, and you wish to exchange it for an imperial marriage decree. That means there will be no other rewards in the future. This differed greatly from Helian Zhi’s expectations.
Old Madam became even more determined to keep Xia Xing’er’s dowry. Little did she know that her plan was about to fall apart.
Helian Zhi kowtowed, “Helian Zhi receives the decree. Thank you for His Majesty’s great favor.”
Just as he rose after receiving the decree, he saw Eunuch Wu take out another Imperial Edict.
“Xia Xing’er, receive the decree!”
Xia Xing’er stood up, stepped forward, and knelt again. “Xia Xing’er receives the decree!”
Eunuch Wu glanced at her. “By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Xia Xing’er, legitimate daughter of Chang Xin Hou, entered the palace today and reported to the Empress Dowager that when Helian Zhi sought her hand in marriage, he once vowed never to take a concubine. It was for this reason that the Empress Dowager issued the decree for their marriage. Now, Helian Zhi has requested to marry General Ye Qingyu in exchange for his military merit. Xia Xing’er has petitioned the Empress Dowager to grant her a Divorce Decree from Helian Zhi. After deliberation with the Empress Dowager, We deem that Helian Zhi breached his vow first, and Xia Xing’er’s request is reasonable. We and the Empress Dowager hereby grant this favor. The Divorce Decree has already been drafted by Our order. Henceforth, the two shall have no further ties and are free to marry as they wish. So decreed, give thanks!”
Xia Xing’er kowtowed, feeling a wave of relief wash over her. The Imperial Edict had finally arrived. She could now return home with dignity. “Xia Xing’er receives the decree. Thank you for His Majesty’s great favor.”
Helian Zhi’s face turned pale, all traces of his earlier joy completely gone.
She had gone to the palace not to stop His Majesty from issuing the marriage decree, but to request the Empress Dowager to grant a Divorce Decree?
Had she already decided to divorce him from the moment he told her he would marry Qingyu as an equal wife?
He had thought that since she was already his wife, everything she did was merely to prevent him from marrying Qingyu. He had believed her to be jealous…
Now, his heart was a tumult of mixed emotions, indescribable.
Watching Xia Xing’er receive the decree, her face radiant with a relieved smile, her smile was so dazzling.
He suddenly remembered that it was precisely because of her brilliant smile back then that he had been drawn to her and sought her hand in marriage.
At that time, he had truly liked her. But then he met Qingyu…
Old Madam had also never expected such an outcome. Xia Xing’er had taken the initiative to request a divorce, and the Emperor and Empress Dowager had actually granted it. Would she now take all her dowry away?
The General’s Manor was essentially an empty shell. If she took her dowry away, what would become of the General’s Manor in the future?
Xia Xing’er paid no mind to their thoughts at this moment. She gave Chunliu a meaningful glance.
Understanding her intent, Chunliu took out two pouches, handing one to Eunuch Wu and the other to Granny Hua.
Xia Xing’er said, “Eunuch Wu, Granny Hua, thank you for making the trip. Please convey my gratitude to the Emperor and the Empress Dowager.”
Eunuch Wu felt the pouch—thin, likely containing banknotes—and his smile widened. “Rest assured, Miss Xia. This humble servant will certainly deliver your message.”
Granny Hua bowed to Xia Xing’er. “Miss Xia, the Empress Dowager said that everything is in the past now, and things will get better. If you have any matters, you may enter the palace directly to seek her out. She will stand by you in all things. When you have time, come to the palace often to keep her company and chat.”
The Empress Dowager’s meaning was clear: she intended to support Xia Xing’er. Xia Xing’er now had her backing.
At that moment, Old Madam felt as if ten thousand horses were galloping through her heart. Since when had the Empress Dowager cared so much about Xia Xing’er? Why hadn’t Xia Xing’er mentioned this to her in the past three years?
Eunuch Wu and Granny Hua left with the Imperial Guards.
Then, Old Madam shamelessly stepped forward again to grab Xia Xing’er’s hand. “Xing’er, why didn’t you ever tell me before how close the Empress Dowager was to you? I never saw you go to the palace to pay your respects to Her Majesty.”
Xia Xing’er gently pushed Old Madam’s hand away. “Before? Back then, I had already married into the General’s Manor. I was no longer the legitimate daughter of the Marquis’s Mansion. You were bedridden with illness at the time, and I had to eat, live, and care for you day and night. Did I have any time?”
She stood at a distance, bowed slightly to Old Madam, and said, “Thank you for your care these past three years.”
In truth, before their falling out, Old Madam had treated her quite well during those three years.
However, she now realized that all that so-called “good treatment” had come with the precondition of her own wholehearted devotion.
Helian Zhi’s eyes were complex, carrying a hint of reproach as he asked, “When I told you I would ask His Majesty to grant a marriage decree to take Qingyu as an equal wife, you were already planning to seek a Divorce Decree, weren’t you?”
Xia Xing’er nodded. “Yes.”
“I just don’t understand. You were the principal wife, and she was only a concubine. Why couldn’t you accept it? Why did you have to take it all the way to the Empress Dowager and His Majesty to request a divorce?”
Xia Xing’er laughed. “A concubine? I remember you didn’t put it that way when you spoke to me. What did you say then? Let me think… The General said something like, ‘What concubine? There’s no distinction of rank between you and her.’ And you said she wasn’t like other sheltered young ladies like me?”
Helian Zhi was left speechless. He had indeed said all those things, but he still refused to give up. “Don’t you feel even the slightest bit of attachment to me? Did you ever truly like me?”
Xia Xing’er said resolutely, “No. From the moment you broke your promise and used your military merit to ask His Majesty for a marriage decree to take Ye Qingyu, you became worthless in my eyes.”
After saying this, without caring about their expressions, she took Chunliu and returned to Zhai Xing Yuan.
When Xia Xing’er had first married over, her dowry entourage included two personal maidservants, Madam Zhang and Madam Liu; four maids named after the seasons—Chunliu, Xiayue, Qiufen, and Dongmei; and four young male servants—Xiayi, Xia Er, Xia San, and Xia Si.
Usually, only Chunliu stayed by her side to attend to her. The others had been sent out on errands the moment she was reborn.
They returned in the evening. She hadn’t taken them to Old Madam’s place, instead leaving them behind to pack their belongings.
“Miss, the larger dowry items like tables, chairs, cabinets, and beds—we can’t move them right away. We’ll have to return tomorrow and have the Marquis’s son send people to fetch them,” said Madam Liu.
“That’s right. We won’t leave them even a chamber pot. A bunch of black-hearted, rotten scoundrels,” Madam Zhang said bitterly.
Xia Xing’er thought they made sense and nodded. “Alright, let’s go. We’re going home.”
There were also two carriages that came with her dowry. Everyone loaded the items onto the carriages. When they couldn’t fit everything, the servants hired three more carriages. The group then departed from the General’s Manor in a grand procession.
Perhaps the people in the manor were too ashamed to try to stop them, as no one came out to see them off.
The Divorce Decree had already been issued. Xia Xing’er no longer had any ties to their General’s Manor. Their schemes had fallen through. She was now the daughter of a Marquis’s Mansion again, with the Empress Dowager backing her. The Helian family could not afford to offend her now.
After a long while, Helian Zhi’s father, Helian Heng, said, “Actually, this marriage was quite good. At the time, all the noble families in the capital were envious, and Xia Xing’er truly is a good daughter-in-law. It’s just that our family lacks the fortune.”