In Da Yuan, divorce only occurred when the husband was at fault; otherwise, it was always the wife who was divorced.
With Xie Yunzhou’s affairs being widely discussed outside, if Marquis Zhongyong permitted Ye Zhen to divorce now, wouldn’t that mean admitting his son had wronged her?
Although he favored his own child, he couldn’t in good conscience divorce Ye Zhen on his son’s behalf.
Ye Zhen hadn’t committed any major faults.
Divorced women weren’t accepted by society, and even if they returned to their maiden families, their lives wouldn’t be much better.
Though he had just felt resentment toward Ye Zhen, he clearly understood in his heart that she was innocent.
It was his wife and son who had wronged Ye Zhen.
Moreover, he himself had wronged her before, and even now he had still intended to let the matter pass by wronging her again.
“You’ve suffered all these years. What happened today was your sister’s fault, and Father will punish her. Now that your mother is recuperating at the estate, and Jinyao isn’t steady enough yet, the household still needs you to manage things.”
Xie Jinyao suddenly looked up.
Father was actually letting Ye Zhen manage the household?
How could this be?
Then she heard Ye Zhen say, “I don’t wish my presence to cause unhappiness throughout the Marquis Estate. Moreover, I grew up on an estate without proper education, and after entering the Marquis Estate, I’ve lived in widowhood in the rear courtyard for three years without learning household management. I fear I cannot handle this responsibility, so I beg the Marquis to allow me to leave the estate.”
She knelt before Marquis Zhongyong, a small, thin figure with a pale face, her hair without any ornaments, simply tied up with a silver hairpin.
Compared to the rosy-cheeked, luxuriously dressed Xie Jinyao beside her, she looked like a pitiful little cabbage that could be bullied at will.
In the past, Marquis Zhongyong might have suspected Ye Zhen was using divorce as a threat.
But after overhearing the conversation between Ye Zhen and her maid at the estate, he believed she truly wanted to leave.
Because her life in the Marquis Estate was unhappy – today, with him present, his younger son dared to scold her publicly, and his daughter even hit her.
If not for Yun Zhou’s people appearing, he might have remained deceived as before, completely unaware of Ye Zhen’s suffering.
Marquis Zhongyong felt a twinge of guilt.
Ye Zhen wasn’t much older than Jinyao, yet he, as a father-in-law, had also bullied this young girl.
He softened his tone, “Those matters weren’t your fault. If you don’t know how to manage a household, I’ll have someone teach you. Alright, this matter is settled. Tomorrow, palace medical women will come to examine you. Return early to rest. When you’re better, I’ll have the keys and tallies sent to your courtyard. As the Shaofuren of the Marquis Estate, you represent the estate’s dignity. If anyone disrespects you in the future, you can report directly to Father, and I will uphold justice for you.”
With household management authority, Ye Zhen wouldn’t be bullied anymore, and the rest of her life would be secure.
Moreover, Jinyao would marry sooner or later, and the household indeed needed someone to manage it.
The more Marquis Zhongyong thought about it, the wiser he felt his decision was.
“Second sister-in-law, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have blamed you unfairly.”
Xie Jinyao grasped Ye Zhen’s hands.
“I’ll never treat you like that again. Please stay. I’ve learned some household management while following Mother around. If you’re worried about not doing well, I can assist you. Please forgive me, Second sister-in-law.”
She absolutely couldn’t let household authority fall into Ye Zhen’s hands.
But if she opposed directly, Father would certainly get angry, making him more determined about this matter.
So she chose a roundabout approach – to manage the household together with Ye Zhen.
How would a country bumpkin like Ye Zhen know how to manage Marquis Estate affairs?
When the time came, she could secretly manipulate things to make Ye Zhen commit major mistakes, and Father would then revoke Ye Zhen’s authority.
Marquis Zhongyong, unaware of his daughter’s malicious intentions, felt pleased that she could repent in time.
“That would be good too.”
Marquis Zhongyong agreed on Ye Zhen’s behalf.
He hoped the sisters-in-law could turn hostility into harmony and coexist peacefully from then on. Moreover, his daughter would need to manage household affairs after marrying into her husband’s family, so gaining experience in her maiden home was ultimately beneficial.
Ye Zhen was well aware of Xie Jinyao’s intentions, but she felt no fear. Having achieved her goal, she gracefully stepped back. Although she only obtained half the authority over household management, it was sufficient for her purposes.
With matters settled, she returned to her courtyard supported by Wan Xing. As she passed Xie Tingzhou, she gave a slight nod of gratitude. Xie Tingzhou offered no visible response, but a flicker of admiration crossed his eyes.
Ye Zhen had accurately gauged the temperaments of both Xie Jinyao and Marquis Zhongyong, achieving her objective without shedding a drop of blood.
A trace of doubt arose in his mind: if she possessed such capability, why had she acted like a useless fool for three years previously?
Fuguang seemed to recall something, lowering his head and clenching his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
Xie Jinyao’s downcast eyes burned with venomous resentment. Having lost all desire to remain, she bowed to Marquis Zhongyong and requested to return to her courtyard, voluntarily proposing to copy scriptures as self-punishment. However, the actual executor of this task would be at her discretion—Marquis Zhongyong, who disdained domestic affairs, wouldn’t notice such details.
Xie Tingzhou glanced sideways at Fuguang and sneered, “Aren’t you going to offer some compensation for striking my man?”
“I never struck him,” Xie Jinyao suppressed her anger. If he hadn’t meddled, Ye Zhen wouldn’t have gained management authority today. Her mother was right—Xie Tingzhou was also an ill-fated star, specifically targeting her and her son.
Xie Tingzhou questioned Xing Ze, “Did she strike him?”
Xing Ze raised his hand toward the sky. “This subordinate swears she did. May I remain unmarried forever if I lie.” After all, the whip had brushed against his hand—that counted as being struck.
Xie Tingzhou then turned to Xie Jinyao. “You heard him. He says you struck him, so you did. You owe me an explanation.”
Xie Jinyao glanced at her father and, finding no intention to intervene, realized prolonging the stalemate would only harm her interests. “What compensation does Eldest Brother want?”
“Medical fees, distress compensation, and lost wages should be covered,” Xie Tingzhou drawled with rogue-like nonchalance.
“Is one hundred taels enough?” Xie Jinyao just wanted to be rid of him and leave quickly.
“Xing Ze isn’t an ordinary servant of the Marquis Estate but a commissioned lieutenant general. Seeing how luxuriously you live, I doubt you’re short on silver. Or do you believe a Da Yuan commandant is only worth one hundred taels?”
Ultimately, Xie Jinyao ordered three thousand taels in silver notes to be delivered before Xie Tingzhou allowed her to depart.
He waved the notes at Marquis Zhongyong with a laugh. “The young mistress is quite wealthy—able to produce three thousand taels so casually.”
Marquis Zhongyong glared at him. “Did I risk life and death in battles not for my family to live well? She’s my only daughter—there’s nothing wrong with providing generously. Jinyao is still a woman—don’t harass her henceforth.”
Xie Tingzhou handed the silver notes to Fuguang, sighing, “Back then, your master couldn’t even afford weapons worth one hundred taels, having to borrow money everywhere while classmates mocked him. Truly, sharing the same father doesn’t mean sharing the same fate.”
Marquis Zhongyong fell silent. His eldest son had repeatedly complained about ill-treatment from his stepmother Liu Shi, but given the boy’s longstanding mischievousness compared to Liu Shi’s seemingly competent motherhood, he hadn’t fully believed the accusations. Only after witnessing Liu Shi’s true nature at the estate did he realize his eldest son had spoken truthfully.
But it was too late…
Hidden pain resurfaced in his eyes. He had failed his eldest son.
He stammered, wanting to say something, but nothing came out.
Xie Tingzhou delivered the final blow, patting his shoulder. “Let’s go, old man.”
Marquis Zhongyong, needing to maintain his dignity as an elder, couldn’t let him get the upper hand and immediately retorted, “Why did you help Ye Zhen?”
If he really intended to deliver medicine, why didn’t he do it on the way?
Xie Tingzhou leaned his face closer to him. “Do I look anything like a Bodhisattva to you?”
“Having been away for years, I was worried the people in the Marquis Estate might have forgotten my temper. I just took the opportunity to establish my authority, so they won’t bother me with trivial matters.”
Marquis Zhongyong looked into his eyes—a pair of deep, dark orbs, cold and ruthless.
This man truly had no trace of compassion in him. It seemed he had overthought things.
As for other possibilities, he dismissed them himself.
This guy was too proud; someone of Ye Zhen’s status would be beneath his notice.
Still, he couldn’t resist reminding him, “Don’t get too close to her. It wouldn’t sound good if rumors spread about an elder brother-in-law and his younger brother’s wife.”
Xie Tingzhou gave him a look as if he were an idiot, then left.
He wasn’t some lust-driven fiend, to even consider coveting Xie Yunzhou’s wife…