The voice was sharp and left no room for negotiation.
The Marchioness of Yongqing swayed unsteadily, almost unable to remain standing. Forcing herself to endure, she said, “Back then, Bowen saved Yu’er’s life, so he had no choice but to marry her. And now things have come to the point of facing each other in court!”
Had no choice…
The moment those three words were spoken.
Shen Li’s fists tightened, his bones cracking audibly.
Suppressing the fury rushing to her head, Shen Wan let out a cold laugh. “So marrying my elder sister into your Yongqing Marquis family was truly such an unwilling sacrifice for your family.”
The Marchioness of Yongqing said, “Bowen and his cousin were childhood sweethearts. Our two families had even made a verbal marriage agreement long ago. When the Duke Dingguo family broke off the engagement and married her elsewhere, how could our Yongqing Marquis family refuse? Bowen may have made mistakes, but our family never intended to harm Yu’er. Such accusations are not something our family can bear!”
Even Madam Yun, who normally had an exceptionally good temper, wanted someone to drag the entire Yongqing Marquis family out and beat them.
In a roundabout way, they were accusing the Duke Dingguo family of being ungrateful, claiming they had forced the Heir of Marquis Yongqing and his cousin, two lovers, apart. Her daughter had abandoned a fine marriage match only to enter the wolf’s den that was Yongqing Marquis family, nearly losing her life there, yet they were acting like the aggrieved party.
Madam Yun was so furious smoke practically rose from the top of her head.
Shen Wan supported Madam Yun and said, “Mother, don’t ruin your health getting angry. There’s no need to waste words on such shameless people!”
“You—!”
The Marchioness of Yongqing nearly choked with rage.
In all her decades of life, never had she been cursed at like this by a junior.
Shen Wan looked at her, undisguised contempt and mockery in her eyes. “So what if they were childhood sweethearts and once had a verbal engagement? Since he married my elder sister, he should never have continued secretly carrying on with his cousin or committing illicit acts without proper marriage rites!”
“He was not only unfaithful to my elder sister, he also disgraced his own cousin!”
“Back then, because of a life-saving debt, my elder sister broke off her engagement and married him in gratitude. Was sacrificing her entire life not enough repayment? Yesterday’s runaway horse incident was more than enough to settle that debt!”
“Write the divorce agreement. From now on, each may marry whomever they please and have nothing to do with the other. If you insist on entangling yourselves further, then let the Ministry of Justice judge the matter clearly. Father, request an imperial decree granting Elder Sister a divorce!”
In short, there was absolutely no room for negotiation regarding the divorce.
Grinding her teeth, The Marchioness of Yongqing looked utterly disappointed, as if she had misjudged them all along. “I didn’t believe the rumors outside before. It seems they truly weren’t baseless after all.”
Originally, Shen Wan had still considered the fact that Zhou Bowen had saved Shen Yu two years ago and did not wish to make matters too ugly, hoping they could part peacefully. But since they refused to appreciate leniency, they could hardly blame her for what came next.
“No one understands those rumors better than Yongqing Marquis family itself. Before the divorce was even finalized, the heir had already gotten his cousin pregnant. After my elder sister divorces him, why shouldn’t she remarry?”
“Not only will she remarry—”
“She’ll marry even more gloriously than before!”
The Marchioness of Yongqing was nearly driven unconscious from anger.
Shen Wan turned to her father. “Father, Elder Sister has already repaid her debt of gratitude. There’s no need to show them courtesy anymore. Since they insist on losing all face before agreeing to the divorce, then grant them their wish.”
Shen Ji spoke once more. “Take them to the Ministry of Justice.”
Steward Li immediately stepped forward and hauled Zhou Bowen up from where he knelt on the ground.
Veins bulged on the Marquis Yongqing ’s forehead as he looked at Shen Ji. “Can’t you give Bowen one chance to reform himself?”
Shen Ji clenched his fists tightly. “Give him a chance? How exactly am I supposed to do that?”
“If not for the Heir of the Prince Jingbei yesterday, I would already have lost my daughter!”
There was no concrete evidence proving the runaway horse incident had been arranged by Yongqing Marquis family, but some matters were understood by everyone present. There was no need to pretend the other side was foolish.
Shen Ji would never allow his daughter to return to a place that wanted her dead.
Even if, after the divorce, his daughter never remarried for the rest of her life, he, Shen Ji, could afford to support one daughter. Shen Li could support one younger sister. And in the future, his nephews could support one aunt as well.
The Marquis Yongqing understood there was no room left for discussion and turned his head aside.
“Write the divorce agreement.”
Steward Li released his grip, and Zhou Bowen collapsed back onto the ground, his knees slamming hard against the floor in pain.
Kneeling there, Zhou Bowen wrote the divorce agreement, signed his name, and pressed his fingerprint onto it.
The moment Shen Wan obtained the document, she supported Madam Yun and turned to head back into the manor. Catching sight of the venomous look in The Marchioness of Yongqing’s eyes, Shen Wan instructed Steward Li, “Take men to Yongqing Marquis manor and retrieve all of Elder Sister’s dowry. Not a single item is to be left behind.”
Shen Wan accompanied Madam Yun back toward Mingyue Courtyard so Shen Yu could sign the divorce papers before they were submitted to the authorities to formally finalize the divorce.
Halfway there, they were summoned to Shou’an Hall by the Old Madam.
“Why didn’t you tell everyone yesterday that the heir of Marquis Yongqing had secretly gotten his cousin pregnant?”
The Old Madam’s tone carried traces of reproach.
Because Shen Wan had concealed the matter, the Old Madam had believed there was some misunderstanding. She had even scolded Shen Li over it, damaging their bond as grandmother and grandson while also hurting her own authority.
Shen Wan replied, “I wanted to say it, but even when Elder Sister personally witnessed it herself, very few believed her. This matter was only told to me by someone else. I had no evidence. Wouldn’t it have become slander if I spoke carelessly?”
“There are too many loose tongues in the manor. If word leaked out and Yongqing Marquis family became cautious, who knows how much longer it would have taken for Elder Sister to obtain the divorce papers.”
The Second Madam said, “And you believed it just because someone told you?”
Shen Wan looked at her. “If one day someone warned Second Aunt that someone intended harm toward Second Uncle or Third Sister, would you dare not believe it?”
The Second Madam was rendered speechless once again.
Since when had the Second Young Lady become so sharp-tongued? She had actually rebutted her so thoroughly that she had no response.
The Old Madam turned the Buddhist beads in her hand and sighed. “Yu’er survived because of the heir of Marquis Yongqing , yet her whole life was ruined by him. That child’s fate is bitter. The Heir of the Marquis Zhaoping is supposedly destined to marry a divorced woman as his wife. I just wonder…”
Shen Wan interrupted her. “Those words were only said deliberately to anger The Marchioness of Yongqing. Grandmother needn’t take them seriously. Back then, Elder Sister merely fell into the water and was rescued, yet the Marchioness of Zhaoping already came personally to break off the engagement. If you say such things now, wouldn’t people laugh at us?”
“Even if the Heir of Marquis Zhaoping still wishes to marry Elder Sister, unless he can persuade the Marchioness of Zhaoping to personally come and propose the marriage, Father and Mother will never agree to marry Elder Sister to him.”
“And Father has forbidden anyone in the manor from discussing this matter further.”