“I think he’s lost his mind!” Yan Fenghua initially wanted to rush straight to Lu Changqing’s study and give him a beating, but after some thought, he restrained himself and asked Fang Qianxue, “What are you planning to do?”
After all, this was a matter between husband and wife, and it wasn’t appropriate for him to interfere.
Fang Qianxue gently tapped the lid of her teacup twice and calmly uttered, “Divorce my husband.”
“What did you say?” Yan Fenghua thought he had misheard.
Although the Great Yong Dynasty had laws allowing women to divorce their husbands, the conditions were extremely stringent. Even princesses and noblewomen could only divorce their husbands if the men had committed grave offenses.
Lu Changqing merely wanted to take in another woman, which didn’t rise to that level.
“What, you don’t approve?” Fang Qianxue looked up at him.
“How could I not approve? But…” Yan Fenghua gazed into Fang Qianxue’s eyes, his face slightly flushed. “Qianxue, why don’t I speak to Changqing? I’ll persuade him to take that woman as a concubine and give up on the Dual-lineage Succession.”
Over the years, he had remained unmarried, partly due to his busy official duties and partly because Fang Qianxue still held a place in his heart.
Upon learning that Fang Qianxue and Lu Changqing were drifting apart, he hated himself for feeling a flicker of excitement. Yet, as she was his friend’s wife, Yan Fenghua was deeply conflicted.
“Lord Yan, you don’t know this, but Second Master is dead set on it. He claims that enchantress is a pure and saintly maiden and insists on marrying her properly, refusing to demean her as a concubine!” Cuishuang eagerly tattled. “Madam has already said everything she could, but he simply won’t listen!”
“Let’s not talk about this anymore,” Fang Qianxue said to Yan Fenghua. “Did Second Brother ask you to bring a letter for me?”
“It’s right here. Fang Jue and the others have already arrived in Luzhou, so you can rest assured,” Yan Fenghua pulled a letter from his sleeve and handed it to her, sighing softly. “Qianxue, if you wish to divorce and remarry, I will naturally help you. But divorcing your husband is unlikely to succeed.”
After all, the laws of the Great Yong Dynasty were male-dominated, lenient toward men but far less so toward women.
“Thank you for your concern over the Fang family’s affairs, Lord Yan,” Fang Qianxue accepted the letter and gave him a faint smile. “As for the matter between Lu Changqing and me, there will be a way forward when the time comes. You needn’t worry.”
“With your father no longer here, if I don’t stand up for you, who will? If Lu Changqing dares to bring that woman into the household, I’ll make sure he can’t survive in the official circles of Shangjing!” Yan Fenghua straightened his sleeves and stood up, sweeping out of the flower hall like a gust of wind.
Cuishuang was overjoyed, tugging at Fang Qianxue’s sleeve. “Madam, this is wonderful! Lord Yan is going to stand up for you. Hmph, that Xu Miaoyan can just pack up and leave!”
Lord Yan was a fourth-rank Vice Minister of Justice, while Lu Changqing was only a sixth-rank Compiler in the Hanlin Academy. Cuishuang believed that Lu Changqing would have to heed Lord Yan’s words to some extent.
However, Fang Qianxue frowned, gently stroking the letter in her hand. “Lu Changqing’s temperament is such that he responds better to persuasion than force. Moreover, he has always been jealous of Yan Fenghua. I fear this might backfire.”
As the two of them left the flower hall and walked along the corridor, they saw a matron leading several tailors and embroiderers from Brocade Pavilion passing by. At the head was Nanny Zhao, who served the elderly Lady Chen.
Brocade Pavilion was the finest tailor shop in Shangjing, typically serving the imperial family, nobility, and high-ranking officials. The Lu family was far from qualifying for their services—even during festivals, they had never invited Brocade Pavilion’s staff to their home.
“Nanny Zhao!” Cuishuang, curious, called out to the matron and asked, “Where are you all headed?”
“Second Madam,” Nanny Zhao led the others in a reluctant bow to Fang Qianxue, “the Old Madam instructed this servant to bring the people from Brocade Emporium to deliver several new outfits for Miss Xu.”
“The master has only just passed away. Such bright colors seem inappropriate, don’t they?” Fang Qianxue glanced at one of the trays, noting the fabrics were of the finest brocade, in vivid yellow and bright red.
Nanny Zhao replied, “The Old Madam said Miss Xu is soon to enter the palace to see the Empress Dowager and must not dress too plainly.”
“Oh?”
“Second Madam may not know, but yesterday a messenger from the palace came, saying the Qilin Beast has been refusing food and may not last many more days. With the Empress Dowager’s birthday approaching, they have requested Miss Xu to enter the palace as soon as possible,” Nanny Zhao explained.
Last year, Prince Beining led his army to conquer the Western Region’s Gui Luo Kingdom. To celebrate the Empress Dowager’s birthday this year, he specially presented a Qilin Beast from the Western Region. However, since arriving in the capital half a month ago, the Qilin has eaten very little.
As the Qilin Beast grew weaker day by day, the Empress Dowager herself fell ill from worry.
“So that’s how it is.”
“The Old Madam also said that next month, when Miss Xu enters the household, these colors will be suitable for the newlywed period,” Nanny Zhao added with an awkward smile.
“Next month…” Fang Qianxue narrowed her eyes slightly and waved her hand. “You may go.”
“Pah! What kind of lowly woman is she? Buying her clothes from Brocade Emporium—does she even deserve it?” Cuishuang watched their retreating figures and tugged at Fang Qianxue’s sleeve indignantly. “And three outfits at once! Madam, you only have one new set tailored a year…”