Divorce.
He cares so much, yet still kisses her?
Pu Jinyu lay beneath him, allowing him to restrain her. She blinked lazily, the watery sheen in her pupils intensifying with each panting breath, as if on the verge of being bullied to tears.
But it was merely an illusion. Yan Chiyun knew this all too well, just as he knew that the gentle obedience, dignified grace, and proper decorum she had always maintained were all a lie.
Watching the man’s tightly controlled demeanor gradually crack and crumble, she felt a strange sense of satisfaction rise within her.
Where had his aloofness, his cold detachment gone?
Why did he care so much? Was it because he felt his dignity as a man had been trampled upon, or was it because he was currently captivated by her body, and she had done something to “destroy” herself?
If she remembered correctly, Yan Chiyun also had a severe case of cleanliness obsession—once something had been touched by others, he would never want it again.
She had already been intimate with Cheng Wenque. Yet, instead of divorcing her or killing her, he continued to entangle himself with her.
Thinking of this, the smile on Pu Jinyu’s lips deepened. She wrapped her arms around the man’s neck.
Panting softly, she drew closer to him. “He kissed me.”
“And he kissed me deeply.”
This was the first thing she had said to him since the incident, and it was utterly infuriating…
More than infuriating—he wanted to strangle her, bite her to death, choke her.
Why had he never noticed before how skilled she was at provoking him? His understanding of her had always been superficial, barely scratching the surface.
But what was truly hateful was that, despite her rebelliousness and her ability to provoke anger, he still couldn’t bring himself to feel pure disgust toward her. Instead, his curiosity only grew.
“You insist on provoking me, don’t you?”
She knew exactly what to say, how to lie, to give him the answer he wanted to hear.
Yet she deliberately shattered it, pouring oil onto the fire of his anger. How else could she savor his humiliation? For the first time, he realized she was truly wicked.
Yan Chiyun sneered, gripping her chin as he watched her detached, almost amused expression. Enraged, he lowered his head and kissed her again.
This time, she tilted her head slightly to avoid him, but her resistance was futile. He quickly overpowered her, holding her face and gripping her chin as he kissed her deeply, his tongue sweeping in and out of her fragrant, soft lips in a new wave of plunder and conquest.
Pu Jinyu felt the force behind the man’s kiss. Her lips ached, swollen and bruised, possibly even broken, as she tasted a faint metallic tang of blood.
It wasn’t just her—Yan Chiyun tasted it too.
He slowly pulled back, looking at the woman’s tear-streaked face and swollen lips. The corner of her mouth was split—a wound from Madam Pu’s slap.
Madam Pu had not only swollen her face but also broken the corner of her mouth. His furious, aggressive kiss had reopened the unhealed wound, spreading the taste of blood between them and bringing a sliver of reason back to him.
He met her gaze, expecting at least a moment of submission, given her split lip and swollen, bruised mouth.
But there was none. She still looked at him with that deep, unfathomable gaze, her pupils clear and shimmering like water, seemingly transparent yet utterly inscrutable to him.
Though he couldn’t see through her, he felt her provocation. Blood seeped from the corner of her mouth, yet she still smiled—a bright, mocking smile. Even her earlier resistance had been nothing but a feigned act of defiance.
Her hand had already hooked around his neck, yet she still feigned turning her head away. He was no fool; he could certainly discern her intentions.
A flicker of pity and hesitation passed through Yan Chiyun’s eyes, but the darkness within him remained undiminished. He raised his hand to cover her eyes, severing the gaze between them.
He pressed his lips to hers once more, this time not too forcefully nor lingering too long. He kissed downward, following the delicate curve of her chin, where traces of his fingers and the smudged rouge from her makeup still remained.
Pu Jinyu felt the man’s kisses trail downward. With his lips and teeth, he tugged open the collar of her undergarment, his warm kisses lingering over her heart, lingering and shifting for a long while.
He did not merely kiss her; he even nipped her gently, using his large, warm palms to control her, to torment her.
Pu Jinyu made no attempt to restrain herself. She allowed herself to release stifled moans and ragged breaths, tightening her grip around the man’s neck with increasing force.
The woman’s soft, muffled whimpers stirred his blood to a frenzy. The thought that if he had arrived just a moment later today, she and that Cheng Wenque would have engaged in the most intimate of acts—
She would have been just as pliant and moaning beneath Cheng Wenque, and Cheng Wenque would have witnessed her utterly bewitching state.
He wished he could personally cut down that despicable man who had seduced her and sought to share intimacy with her. That kick had been far too gentle.
She was his wife, his only companion by his pillow. How could she be so fickle, so ready to commit adultery?
It seemed he had been too gentle with her before, too accommodating, failing to satisfy her, which led her to seek fulfillment elsewhere, even resorting to such indiscriminate choices.
She didn’t even consider what kind of man Cheng Wenque was. Aside from a slightly handsome face, what other merits did that man possess?
A weakling who couldn’t even withstand a single kick from him—did he have the stamina? Could he satisfy her?
Tonight, Yan Chiyun seemed to have torn off his gentle facade. His advances were truly fierce.
Pu Jinyu indeed found it somewhat overwhelming, for their last consummation had been long ago, dating back to before Yan Huaixiao’s wedding banquet.
Moreover, that time had begun with her taking the lead. Halfway through, she grew tired and wanted to stop. In the end, Yan Chiyun took over the remnants, enduring his own torment while still considering her.
Even though left unsatisfied, it did not last long.
Hah, what a hypocritical man.
Tear away his noble and courteous exterior, and wasn’t he just like a wild beast? Even if his character and talents were the most outstanding in Jingcheng, what did it matter? He was still a ravenous beast in human skin, devouring people without spitting out the bones, just like everyone else in the Yan Family.
Disgust flashed in Pu Jinyu’s eyes. She closed them, her long, thick lashes trembling with glistening tears. Her full lips parted slightly, allowing him to conquer, allowing herself to sink unresisting into depravity.
Yan Chiyun could not see her expression, hearing only her delicate, overflowing moans.
How could they sound so enchanting, stirring him so profoundly? His fondness for her, rising and falling with their intimacy, nearly overwhelmed his disgust for her entirely.
Yan Chiyun drew close to her until there was no closer to be, no retreat possible, yet he remained insatiable.
Pu Jinyu sobbed softly, listening to the man’s low, questioning voice amidst his movements.
“Did he enter?” he asked.
She sniffled, refusing to answer.
He reached out to wipe away the tears and sweat from the woman’s body, then pressed further, “Did he reach here?”
“Is there any?”
Pu Jinyu screamed, cried, and shed tears. She couldn’t bear it, lowering her head to bite down hard on the man’s shoulder.
The force of her bite was truly immense, as if she wanted to tear the flesh from his shoulder. Tears and sweat mixed with rouge, tracing down her cheeks until they reached the corners of her lips.
The tears fell onto Yan Chiyun’s shoulder, landing on the spot where she had bitten him and drawn blood, spreading a sharp, stinging sensation.
He turned her face toward him, cupped the back of her head, and kissed her lips again. This time, there was less ferocity and a touch more tenderness.
His kisses not only lingered on her lips but also moved to the side of her face, especially to her injured cheek, as gentle as warm feathers lightly brushing against her skin.
Listening to the sounds, Pu Jinyu felt as though rain had begun to fall outside.
She was forced into this rain, drenched to the bone.
She didn’t know how much time had passed. In the deep silence of the night, the entanglement within the bed curtains finally came to a stop.
Pu Jinyu collapsed in disarray by the bedside, motionless. Her breathing grew long and steady, her hair scattered everywhere, entwined with the man’s hair. Since both their hair was damp, it clung together even more tightly.
Yan Chiyun held her, as silent as ever.
She didn’t speak, and he didn’t either.
Until the lingering warmth within the bed curtains gradually faded, and Yan Chiyun sensed she was about to fall asleep amidst the mess.
He opened his mouth to say something but, remembering her coldness, ultimately fell silent with a stern expression. He picked her up and carried her to the bathroom.
The maids had already prepared the hot water.
Pu Jinyu had indeed intended to fall asleep just like that, as she was utterly exhausted. Her legs ached as if they weren’t her own, making it difficult to even stand.
She had also assumed that once Yan Chiyun had finished his plundering and venting, he would leave directly. She hadn’t expected him to carry her to bathe, as he always did.
As her entire body sank into the warm bathtub, she finally managed to regain some awareness. Lifting her eyelashes, she saw the man’s narrow, slender waist as he moved back and forth in front of her, fetching a towel as if intending to bathe her himself.
Yan Chiyun had been searching for soap when he noticed the jars and bottles of rouge and cosmetics, as well as the medicinal porcelain vials nearby. He paused for a moment.
Turning around, he met her eyes and saw her face, heavily smeared and stained. His gaze fell on the side of her cheek, swollen terribly.
Frowning as he looked at her face, he thought of Madam Pu’s ruthless strike, his brow furrowing even more deeply.
Pu Jinyu, however, had no idea what he was thinking. She only assumed that her injured face was so unsightly that he was staring at her appearance, lost in thought, even seeming somewhat angry.
Or perhaps he simply didn’t want to see her. After all, the sight of her would remind him of her betrayal.
She was the first to avert her gaze, slightly rising to lean over and take the towel from his hand. Then, turning her back to him in the bathtub, she slowly began to wipe herself down.
Yan Chiyun saw her thin, pale shoulders and the marks his fingers had left on her back, starkly visible against her cold, fair spine. For a moment, he couldn’t help but recall their entanglement.
With her back turned, it was clear she didn’t want his help washing. She still didn’t want him to see her without makeup, still keeping him at a distance.
Yan Chiyun watched her quietly for a long while. Pu Jinyu acted as though he weren’t there, washing her wrists and chest.
In less than half the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the man lifted his feet and left. He did not go to the bathhouse opposite but instead dressed and went straight out.
Pu Jinyu withdrew her gaze from behind the screen and began to wash her face.
When she came out, the soiled bedding had already been tidied up. She got into bed, lay down, and closed her eyes to sleep.
In another courtyard, Yan Chiyun had also finished washing up. Learning from his subordinate that she had already rested, he pinched his furrowed brow and uttered an “Mm.”
He didn’t know what had come over him—suddenly seeking out the Pu woman and then sharing a bed with her. The situation was so chaotic that even he couldn’t sort it out clearly.
For the latter half of that night, Yan Chiyun lay awake until dawn, sitting upright in his study until daybreak.
The next day, Yan Huaixiao led his new bride to serve tea to Madam Yan and General Yan.
Not seeing Pu Jinyu, he asked why his sister-in-law was absent.
As soon as he spoke, the expressions of those present turned somewhat unpleasant, but they quickly masked it.
Madam Yan said she was ill and temporarily unable to receive guests, and that it didn’t matter if she didn’t receive this cup of tea. After all, Yan Chiyun was present. Yan Huaixiao didn’t suspect anything and didn’t press further.
However, Li Jingxia noticed that the expressions of the Yan Family members seemed off, but she remained silent.
After the tea ceremony, everyone gathered for breakfast. Once the meal was over, Yan Chiyun went to the government office. He had too many official duties to attend to and couldn’t spare any time, especially since the matter of the underground gambling den couldn’t be delayed, not to mention the many messy issues that had been uncovered.
Yan Huaixiao had originally intended to go to the academy, but Madam Yan ordered him to stay home and accompany his new bride, saying there was no need to rush. Thus, he had no choice but to remain at home.
Although the two had consummated their marriage, they had little interaction before and were still not very familiar with each other. Being together felt awkward. Yan Huaixiao read in the study, while Li Jingxia sat upright, sipping tea and tasting pastries.
Suddenly, she suggested, “Why don’t we go see sister-in-law?”
Yan Huaixiao had no objections. The two brought some tonics, and Li Jingxia specially prepared custom-made rouge and powder to give to Pu Wange.
But neither of them expected to be stopped before they even reached the door.
“Is sister-in-law seriously ill?” Yan Huaixiao asked, surprised that she wasn’t receiving guests. He also noticed that the guards at the door were his elder brother’s trusted secret guards.
“Yes, the master has instructed that the young mistress needs quiet rest and is temporarily not receiving guests.”
Yan Huaixiao asked what illness it was and whether a royal physician had been consulted, but the secret guard didn’t answer directly.
Sensing something amiss, Li Jingxia tactfully stopped Yan Huaixiao. The two left their gifts and departed.
On the way back, as they reached the covered corridor, a young maid from Madam Yan’s side invited Li Jingxia over for a talk, and the couple parted ways.
Li Jingxia had thought Madam Yan wanted to discuss Pu Wange’s illness with her, but instead, Madam Yan intended to hand over the household management duties to her.
“This… isn’t this…” too sudden?
It was only her first day entering the household, and Madam Yan was already entrusting her with the authority to manage the household? Although it showed great trust, how could she handle such a large estate as the Yan Family’s?
Moreover, she didn’t understand the situation with Pu Wange. Wouldn’t taking over the household management as soon as she entered the household create animosity with Pu Wange? Or was Madam Yan testing her?
Li Jingxia pondered Madam Yan’s intentions and carefully chose her words, “I’ve only just entered the family and fear I may not be able to manage household affairs properly. I wouldn’t want to disappoint your trust, Mother. Besides, isn’t Sister-in-law handling things quite well? The entire Jingcheng praises her virtue and capability.”
At the mention of Pu Jinyu, Madam Yan felt a surge of disgust, yet she maintained a smile on her face.
She understood Li Jingxia’s concerns clearly and replied with a smile, “It was precisely your sister-in-law who recommended that you take over the household management.”
“Sister-in-law recommended me?” But today, neither she nor Yan Huaixiao had seen Pu Wange. Not only had they not met, but even when they reached her door, there wasn’t a single word from inside.
“Yes, she is seriously ill and temporarily unable to manage the household. I have to care for your father-in-law and don’t have much time. I know entrusting such a heavy responsibility to you so soon after your arrival will be exhausting, but I hope you won’t refuse. Now that you’ve entered the Yan Family, you are a part of it.”
“Mother, you flatter me too much. Since it is your and Sister-in-law’s wish, I naturally obey. But if I fail to manage well, please don’t blame me.”
“No need to worry. If you’re unsure about anything, just come to me. I’ll also send capable people to assist you. However, your sister-in-law is truly gravely ill. The physician advised her to rest well, so please don’t disturb her.”
Yan Chiyun had yet to make a decision, so Pu Wange was confined under house arrest. If she had any sense of shame or self-awareness, she should end her own life to preserve the reputations of both families.
The fewer people who knew about this matter, the better. Madam Yan had no intention of informing Li Jingxia.
“Sister-in-law… she…”
Li Jingxia hesitated for a moment before tentatively asking what illness Pu Wange had contracted.
Madam Yan sighed, “Alas, even the physician couldn’t say for sure. After managing the wedding banquet yesterday, she fainted and hasn’t woken up since. She needs complete rest.”
Just as Li Jingxia was about to respond, Madam Yan cut her off, “We’ll see how she fares once she recovers.”
“You taking over the household management will also be a help to her.”
“…Alright.”
Though Li Jingxia still had doubts, she knew when to stop and didn’t press further.
In the following days, Yan Chiyun did not return home.
Although the accounts of the underground gambling dens had yet to be fully sorted out, all the openly operating gambling dens in Jingcheng had been thoroughly investigated, implicating countless officials.
Some officials involved in tax evasion and human trafficking were even high-ranking officials from the Ministry of Revenue. The list of implicated officials was shockingly long, and the amounts of evaded taxes were equally staggering.
Yan Chiyun had always been swift and decisive in handling cases, but this time, he was even more ruthless and indifferent. He showed no leniency, even to those connected to the Yan or Pu Families.
Especially those from the Pu Family or Madam Pu’s maternal family—when he raided their homes and dragged them into the Zhaoyu Prison of the Northern Pacification Office, he showed no regard for the fact that they were his mother-in-law’s relatives.
Given this, the people of Jingcheng dared not speak out, viewing him as an iron-faced, merciless enforcer of justice.
The noblewomen and officials’ wives who had witnessed the scandal at the Yan Family’s lakeside pavilion naturally understood that Yan Chiyun’s actions were driven by Pu Wange’s betrayal. Thus, they kept silent, fearing their own families might be implicated.
Not long after returning to the front hall that day, Madam Yan arrived belatedly. Even though she had found excuses to cover up the scandal, the matter was already set in stone—who didn’t know that Pu Wange had committed adultery?
Shortly after, Yan Chiyun also arrived. His face was dark, tinged with a faint greenish hue, and everyone fell silent, not daring to utter a word.
He wasted no time on pleasantries and went straight to the point, asking everyone to forget what they had witnessed. He also issued a warning: if even the slightest detail of the incident at the lakeside pavilion leaked out, it would be considered an act of hostility toward the Yan Family. He would investigate thoroughly and leave no stone unturned, so no one should entertain any thoughts of getting away with it.
As a result, the noblewomen who had witnessed the spectacle at the lakeside pavilion that day dared not speak of it carelessly upon returning home, fearing that if word got out, Yan Chiyun would use his official position to settle personal scores. After all, the Yan Family ranked as the most prominent household in Jingcheng, and making an enemy of them would only invite trouble.
As it turned out, keeping silent and saying nothing was the right choice. Just look at what happened to Madam Pu’s maternal family—investigated to such an extent. Wasn’t that using official power for personal revenge?
It must have been because Pu Wange’s adultery had publicly humiliated Yan Chiyun and tarnished his reputation.
Indeed, Madam Pu had failed in raising her daughter properly, so she deserved it.
After the list was presented, batches of officials were punished, imprisoned, and had their properties confiscated.
The Emperor intended to make an example of them to intimidate the masterminds behind the underground gambling dens, so the punishments were severe.
Madam Pu’s maternal family was not heavily involved and had not evaded taxes. It was merely that a cousin’s son had forcibly taken two women from out of town, and somehow this was reported in a memorial on human trafficking.
Her maternal family pleaded with the Pu Family, asking Madam Pu to intercede with the Yan Family. After all, they were relatives—why go to such extremes? Madam Pu agreed on the surface, but after they left, she angrily swept the teacups off the table in a fit of rage.
Was Yan Chiyun doing this because Pu Jinyu’s adultery had trampled on his dignity as a man and tarnished the Yan Family’s reputation? Or was it because she had slapped Pu Jinyu and wanted to kill her, indirectly avenging that little wretch?
Thinking of how Yan Chiyun had defended Pu Jinyu that day, it was likely the latter!
The old nanny cleaned up the broken teacups from the floor, comforted Madam Pu with a few words, and suggested that she take this opportunity to visit the Yan Family to gauge their intentions and see what they really meant.
“Why should I humble myself and endure their disdain? Even if someone were to go, it should be Pu Mingdong!”
If she were to visit the Yan Family, she would likely have to inquire about that little wretch. Nowadays, the mere sight of Pu Jinyu made her want to strangle her.
After all, her own daughter was already dead, while the daughter of that wretch remained—and that wretch’s daughter was also Pu Mingdong’s daughter.
These past few days, Pu Mingdong had been showering Concubine Ruan, that wretch, with care and attention. How afraid he must be that her face would be ruined!
Madam Pu sneered, refusing to go no matter what. Seeing her so consumed by anger, the old nanny dared not press further.
Although Pu Jinyu had been confined to her quarters these past few days and forbidden from going out, it hardly affected her.
After all, three meals a day were delivered to her, and they were all decent and edible. The Yan Family seemed to have no intention of depriving her, so she ate and slept as usual.
Madam Yan had stripped her of her household management duties and replaced her with a newlywed, thinking it was a punishment. Little did she know how relieved Pu Jinyu felt—it was more like a reward.
She could even enter Yan Chiyun’s study to look for books to read. On the antique sandalwood bookshelves, she found territorial maps of Jingcheng and regional maps of the provinces.
She tried to find a topographic map of the village where she had once lived, but the village was simply too small. Even after searching through all the topographic maps in Yan Chiyun’s study, she could find no trace of the village’s existence—just like her childhood memories, it had gradually faded away.
Ever since she followed her aunt into the Pu Family three years ago and was forced to become Pu Wange, her past as Pu Jinyu had been completely erased.
She wondered how her adoptive brother, mother, and sister were doing. On the day she left, her adoptive mother and sister had cried bitterly, and she too had teared up, promising to return to visit them.
But in her previous life, she never went back until her death. They must have blamed her, perhaps even hated her for breaking her promise. At this thought, her expression grew distant and vacant.
In this life, she didn’t know if she would ever see them again.
As she was lost in thought, the door was knocked—it was the servant delivering her meal.
Pu Jinyu put away the terrain map, concealed her emotions, and went over to eat.
In the main hall of the Yan Family, everyone was also having their meal, though it was unusually quiet.
With Pu Jinyu absent, Yan Mingxi had no appetite. Her spirits were low, unlike her usual lively self.
Yan Mingxi didn’t know what had happened at home. Why had her sister-in-law suddenly fallen ill, stopped managing the household, and refused to see guests? And why had Cheng Wenque left without a word, even transferring to another academy?
She refused to believe it and went to the academy to look for him, but he was nowhere to be found. Others said he had transferred his registration. When she asked her third brother, he too said Cheng Wenque had stopped contacting him.
After only a few bites, Yan Mingxi stopped eating. She excused herself and left the table. Madam Yan, worried by her despondent figure, sent a maid to bring her more food later, hoping to coax her into eating a little.
After the meal, Li Jingxia reported the household accounts to Madam Yan.
Soon after, a servant came to announce that Yan Chiyun had returned home and gone to see General Yan. Madam Yan immediately raised her hand, noting that it was getting late, and told Li Jingxia to stop for the day. She then went to find General Yan herself.
By the time Madam Yan arrived, Yan Chiyun had just finished discussing official duties with General Yan.
General Yan brought up the matter of the Pu Family, advising him not to be too harsh—just enough to make the point.
“I know where to draw the line,” he replied calmly.
Madam Yan seized the moment to interject, “What will you do about Pu Wange?”
It had been quite some time, and he still hadn’t made a decision.
Yan Chiyun looked at Madam Yan. “What would Mother have me decide?”
Madam Yan didn’t quite understand his meaning, but seeing his hesitation, she couldn’t help but ask, “You’re not thinking of keeping her, are you?”
The mention of this matter made Madam Yan flare up, her voice rising involuntarily. General Yan frowned and clicked his tongue. “Speak properly!”
Reluctantly swallowing her resentment, Madam Yan sat down and took a few sips of tea.
But before she could fully take her second sip, she heard Yan Chiyun say, “I am also at fault in this matter.”
Startled, she coughed and nearly choked in her haste. Without waiting for the old maidservant to wipe the tea she had spilled on her clothes, she urgently asked, “Yun’er, have you lost your mind?”
“Pu Wange committed adultery—what fault is it of yours!?” He was clearly the victim.
Yan Chiyun frowned, not wanting to hear the words “committed adultery.” Every time he heard them, he couldn’t help but think of her ambiguous entanglement with Cheng Wenque.
“It was my fault for not treating her well or caring for her enough.”
Lately, busy as he was, he had taken time to reflect. Over the years, he had indeed neglected Pu Wange in many ways.
If he had shown her more care, perhaps she wouldn’t have sought someone else.
Since ancient times, if a man kept a mistress, people would say the woman of the household lacked the ability to keep her husband. The reverse was also true: since Pu Wange had found someone else, it was also his fault for failing to keep her.
Hearing this, Madam Yan truly could not understand. She was so angry she laughed in disbelief.
“Even if you can’t bear to part with Pu Wange, there’s no need to shoulder the blame yourself. Her wanton behavior and lack of virtue—what does that have to do with you?”
He must have been driven mad by his recent busy schedule to utter such nonsense!
Madam Yan scoffed, “In any case, she absolutely cannot stay in our Yan Family any longer. You may not mind the disgrace, but your mother certainly cannot bear it.”
“Write a letter of separation and send her away!”
She should have been given a Letter of Divorce! But to preserve some dignity and avoid turning the Yan Family into a laughingstock, Madam Yan had already thought it through. Since she couldn’t divorce Pu Wange on grounds of adultery, she would claim that Pu Wange had failed to bear children for many years and that a physician had diagnosed her as infertile, using that as the reason for separation.
“There are plenty of noble ladies in Jingcheng. Now that your career is flourishing, why worry about finding a family willing to marry their daughter to you?”
Even the second branch of the family often inquired—how could the main branch fail to find someone? Once he separated from Pu Wange, the Yan Family’s doorstep would likely be worn down by suitors.
“Mother.”
Facing Madam Yan’s stern rebuke, Yan Chiyun responded with equal resolve, “Your son will not separate from her.”
[Author’s Note]
This chapter randomly drops a Luck-piecing red envelope! [Rainbow fart]