The distribution of rewards took over an hour to complete. Banxia’s purse was empty, and the register was filled with checkmarks.
Wen Lingrao stood up and scanned the servants in the courtyard, all of whom were beaming with joy. She suddenly spoke, “Keep this money and spend it. Do not thank me; if you want to thank someone, thank the Heir.”
The crowd was stunned, not understanding what she meant.
Wen Lingrao smiled and said, “The Heir has been worried that everyone has been suffering, so he hasn’t touched the income of the Marquis’s estate all these years. What I am bestowing upon you today was drawn from the Heir’s personal account. The Heir is compassionate toward his subordinates, but he simply dislikes talking about it. It is enough that you all know it in your hearts.”
This was spoken very cleverly.
From beginning to end, she never mentioned the words “dowry,” yet which of the veteran servants in the house did not know the truth?
Where would the Heir have any private account? The expenses of the Marquis’s estate over these years had relied entirely on the wife’s dowry.
The money was brought out from the estate’s accounting office, but where did the money in the accounting office come from?
Was it not from the wife’s dowry?
Was this not blatantly stating: the Marquis’s estate has been supported by the daughter-in-law’s dowry all these years?
Some people exchanged glances quietly; others lowered their heads, lost in thought.
Banxia understood clearly; her mistress’s move was magnificent.
The rewards bought the people’s hearts, while her words tore the skin off the Marquis’s estate for relying on a dowry—and she did it in front of all the servants in the house.
If these words spread, where would the Changning Marquis’s estate hide its face?
If the Heir were to find out he had been labeled a wretch who relied on his wife’s dowry to support the family, he would likely be driven mad with rage.
But what could he say?
His wife hadn’t uttered a single lie.
After distributing the rewards, Wen Lingrao did not linger and rose to return to the main courtyard.
…
In the room, Wen Lingrao held a cup of tea, sipping it slowly and deliberately.
After one sip, she set the tea down and lifted her eyes toward the doorway.
Footsteps sounded outside, moving from afar to near.
The door curtain was lifted, and a man entered.
Chu Qirui.
She did not move, nor did she speak; she just looked at him.
Chu Qirui walked up to her and sized her up from head to toe.
Wen Lingrao sneered inwardly.
She was very familiar with this look. In her past life in the entertainment industry, those who wanted to skin her alive all had this kind of look.
Chu Qirui pulled a piece of paper from his sleeve and threw it onto the table in front of her.
It was a letter of divorce.
Wen Lingrao glanced down, then looked back up at him, still not speaking.
Seeing her calm demeanor, Chu Qirui’s brows furrowed slightly, then relaxed immediately.
He sat down opposite her, poured himself a cup of tea, and spoke slowly.
“Lingrao, we were husband and wife once; I don’t want to be too heartless. Take this letter of divorce, pack your things, and leave this place.”
Wen Lingrao looked at the letter, reached out to take it, and unfolded it to read.
The letter of divorce was written in a high-sounding manner, pinning every conceivable crime upon her.
She set the letter down, looked at Chu Qirui, and said flatly, “Is the Heir intending to divorce me?”
Chu Qirui nodded, sighed, and put on a troubled expression: “I have no choice. You have been married for so long and cannot get along with the family; I am also caught in the middle and find it difficult. Rather than dragging this out, it is better to part on good terms. Rest assured, I will not treat you unfairly; you may take half of your dowry with you.”
As he spoke, his eyes glanced at her face, wanting to see her reaction.
There was no reaction on Wen Lingrao’s face; she just watched him quietly.
Just as Chu Qirui said the word “dowry,” a voice suddenly echoed in Wen Lingrao’s mind.
【Ding—detected that the host is encountering a conspiracy. Would you like to activate Mind Reading?】
Wen Lingrao silently recited: Activate.
The next second, another voice entered her mind.
It was the voice from within Chu Qirui’s heart.
【This stupid woman must think I’m truly kind enough to let her take half the dowry. Once she takes the divorce letter and leaves the estate, the government officials will be waiting outside. ‘Stealing and fleeing with property’—this charge will be enough to ruin her. By then, the entire dowry will be confiscated, and our Changning Marquis’s estate can step in, still maintaining a reputation for benevolence. Mother said that once this is done, Yuyan can rightfully be brought into the estate to nurture her pregnancy.】
Wen Lingrao’s lips curled as she listened to this.
So that was it.
She had said it herself—how could someone like Chu Qirui be so kind?
Taking half the dowry, parting on good terms—it was all a trap for her.
If she truly accepted this divorce letter, she would be detained by the government the moment she stepped out of the estate.
The charge of “stealing and fleeing with property” might not be massive, but it certainly wasn’t small, and she would definitely lose every bit of her dowry.
The Changning Marquis’s estate was truly sinister.
Seeing her remain silent, Chu Qirui assumed she was hesitating and sighed again: “Lingrao, I know it hurts you. But this matter is already decided; dragging it out won’t help. Take the letter and leave with dignity—it is good for both you and me.”
Wen Lingrao looked up at him and suddenly smiled.
That smile made Chu Qirui feel a chill in his heart.
“Heir, you say you will let me take half the dowry?”
Chu Qirui nodded: “Yes, half. I have had someone inventory all of your dowry; the list is here.” He took another piece of paper from his bosom and placed it on the table. “Take a look and see if anything is missing.”
Wen Lingrao did not look at the list; she only picked up the letter of divorce and read it once more.
Chu Qirui watched her, and the stone in his heart slowly settled.
Looking at her like this, she was prepared to accept it. As long as she accepted it, the matter would be finished.
He couldn’t help but let the corners of his mouth lift.
Wen Lingrao held the letter of divorce up to the light, then suddenly let out a “chi” sound of laughter.
Chu Qirui was stunned: “What are you laughing at?”
Wen Lingrao ignored him, gripping the letter with both hands, and with a “rip,” tore it in half.
Chu Qirui’s expression changed, and he stood up abruptly: “What are you doing!”
Wen Lingrao did not stop. She stacked the two halves of the letter together and, with another “rip,” tore them into four pieces.
Stacking and tearing again, in a few moments, she had shredded the letter into a pile of paper scraps.
She scattered the scraps onto the table; the paper fragments drifted down, covering the entire table.
Chu Qirui’s face was now as black as the bottom of a pot.
“Wen Lingrao!” he gritted his teeth and called her name. “Are you crazy!”
Wen Lingrao looked up at him, the smile on her face slowly fading.
That gaze was as cold as ice.
“Chu Qirui,” she said his name, pronouncing it word by word, “what kind of scheme are you playing? Do you think I don’t know?”
Chu Qirui’s heart skipped a beat.
Wen Lingrao stood up, walked around the table, and stopped before him.
She was a head shorter than him, but as she stood there, Chu Qirui felt as if she were taller than him.
“Let me take the divorce letter and leave the estate—once I’m out, are the government officials waiting outside? ‘Stealing and fleeing with property’—this charge would be enough to swallow my entire dowry.”
Chu Qirui’s expression shifted.
Wen Lingrao looked at him, and her lips curled again; this time, the smile was cold.
“Your Changning Marquis’s estate has a very good plan. Divorce me, swallow my dowry, and still play the part of the good person. Tsk, very clever.”
Chu Qirui stepped back, his voice trembling: “Y-you, what are you spouting…”
Wen Lingrao ignored him and continued: “That dowry of mine—provided by my father and supplemented by the Princess’s estate—is worth at least a hundred thousand taels, isn’t it? How long have you been salivating over it? Have you been counting on it since the day I entered this house?”