Wei Mingze's eyes darkened.
Actually, this had always been his intention.
He couldn't bear to part with the wealth and honor Duan Zhenzhu brought, nor his beautiful and virtuous wife.
His wife was perfect in every way; in their three years of marriage, she had never caused him any worry, either at home or outside.
He was also grateful to his wife. When his father had just passed away, the family was so poor they could barely eat wild vegetables.
It was his wife who chose him as her son-in-law, saving their family and allowing him to continue his studies.
He observed mourning for three years, and to this day, they had not consummated their marriage, and he had no regrets.
His only regret was that his wife did not have as good a background as Duan Zhenzhu.
If only his wife's background were comparable to Duan Zhenzhu's, he wouldn't be so conflicted.
Admitting it was his intention, he knew his wife's fiery temper would surely cause a scene.
His wife always responded to gentleness rather than force; he had to confess first, then feign weakness to gain sympathy.
After weighing his options, Wei Mingze sighed and spoke with a sense of helplessness.
"Xiu'er, I'm at my wit's end. Miss Duan is ruthless. If I refuse to marry her, she will surely find ways to make things difficult for me. I have no power or influence, and my official path will be blocked from now on."
"Consider me selfish, but can you tolerate it a little longer for my sake, for this family? Don't worry, I won't let you suffer grievances forever. If you are truly worried, we can consummate our marriage tonight."
"Consummate the marriage? I'd rather send you to hell!" As if a needle had pierced his scalp from the sole of his foot, Su Xiuer's heart tightened, and she suddenly stood up, taking the butcher knife from the table again.
"Although I, Su Xiuer, am just a peasant woman, I will not be a concubine to anyone. Wei Mingze, don't forget, you married into our Su family as a son-in-law. Even if you could demote your wife to a concubine, you have no right."
The words "marry into" deeply stung Wei Mingze.
In their three years of marriage, although he lived with the Su family, Su Xiuer had never treated him like a son-in-law living with the wife's family.
They had always discussed matters together, and this was the first time she had brought up his status like this.
Beneath Wei Mingze's lowered gaze, a coldness spread.
Su Xiuer could endure anything since childhood, except being wronged.
Wei Mingze's words were pleasant, but his heart was clearly elsewhere.
She would never tolerate it.
Su Xiuer used the back of the knife to tap her palm, calculating.
"Wei Mingze, you've been living with us for three years, eating my food, wearing my clothes, spending my money, and you used the blood money from my pig slaughtering to become a top scholar, only to try and cling to a higher branch now?"
"Even a dog I raise would wag its tail, but raising you has turned you into a treacherous wolf! Since you desire the wealth and honor of the Duan family, I will grant it to you. Bring me ink and brush, and we will write a divorce agreement right now. You only need to return all the expenses I've covered for your entire family over the years."
Wei Mingze's breath hitched, his face paling slightly.
To talk of divorce and demand the return of money meant they were completely falling out.
"Must we go this far?" Wei Mingze pursed his lips painfully and looked at Su Xiuer helplessly, "Can you stop being so unreasonable?"
Su Xiuer sneered, her attitude resolute. She raised her hand and fiercely drove the butcher knife into the table, "Your marriage-in-law document is in my hand. I am not negotiating with you. If word gets out about being ungrateful, clinging to the powerful, and forcing your wife to be a concubine, it will be enough to ruin the top scholar's reputation."
"It cannot get out. My son, agree to her terms."
Wei Mingze took a step back in fright, but still wanted to argue when Madam Zhao and Wei Tian, who had been eavesdropping outside, pushed the door open.
They rushed in anxiously, afraid Wei Mingze would make a foolish decision.
Wei Mingze immediately felt as if his hands and feet were bound, and asked unwillingly, "How much do you want?"
"One thousand taels," Su Xiuer held up one finger. "This includes three years of private school tuition, the cost of stationery, and related examination expenses. Plus, three years of food for your entire family. This price is absolutely reasonable."
Reasonable? That's a joke.
For an ordinary family, monthly food and cloth expenses would be at most twenty taels a year, so sixty taels for three years.
The cost of studying was high, but it wouldn't exceed five hundred taels at most.
This was clearly a lion's demand.
Madam Zhao felt cheated and jumped up, pointing at Su Xiuer's nose and yelling, "You shrew, why don't you just rob a bank!"
Su Xiuer pulled the butcher knife from the table, twirled it in her hand, and glanced lightly at Madam Zhao, "Madam Zhao and Wei Tian, you colluded to hire someone, deliberately framed me, and intended to ruin my reputation. I will sue."
One sentence successfully intimidated Madam Zhao and Wei Tian completely.
Wei Tian fearfully opened his mouth, tightly clutching his mother's sleeve.
"Mother, no. If this matter goes to court, we'll surely be beaten and exiled, which will affect Eldest Brother's career. Minister Duan will also not marry Miss Duan to Eldest Brother."
Upon hearing the severe consequences she couldn't bear, Madam Zhao looked at Wei Mingze in panic.
His vital point was grasped again, and a cold glint flashed in Wei Mingze's eyes.
He used to admire Su Xiuer's boldness in love and hate, but now he detested it.
"Alright, one thousand taels." Wei Mingze gritted his teeth and agreed after much thought, saying in a low, pleading tone, "What must I do for you to let my mother and brother go?"
"Make them kneel and apologize," Su Xiuer raised an eyebrow.
She believed in avenging wrongs immediately; she understood from a young age that the kind are bullied.
Madam Zhao, relying on her status as mother-in-law, never dared to confront her directly but often caused trouble behind her back.
Since they had already fallen out, she naturally had to get everything back.
"Su Xiuer... you shrew..."
One kneels to heaven, earth, and parents, but who kneels to their daughter-in-law? Madam Zhao's composure broke again. When her gaze met Su Xiuer's, she cowered and shrunk her neck.
Wei Mingze was silent for a moment, then directly lifted his robe and knelt before Su Xiuer, "Xiu'er, this is all my fault. I am willing to apologize to you on behalf of my mother and brother."
Su Xiuer was slightly taken aback.
Wei Mingze had always been unyielding and proud in front of her. Him kneeling to her was completely unexpected.
Even a dragon doesn't dare to bully a local snake. Arriving in the Capital City and pushing someone too far was not a wise move.
Su Xiuer avoided Wei Mingze's gaze and extended her calloused, rough hand, "Bring the silver."
Wei Mingze stood up, his expression troubled, and said with a hint of pleading, "One thousand taels is too much. I can't produce it immediately."
"You're about to marry the daughter of a minister, and you can't even come up with a thousand taels?" Su Xiuer, holding the butcher knife, sneered, "I don't care, no credit."
Wei Mingze's brow furrowed even tighter. After a moment of consideration, he pursed his lips and said, "Give me three days. I'll find a way to gather it."
"One day at most," Su Xiuer made the final decision, leaving no room for negotiation. "I will come to your home the day after tomorrow. Silver in hand, divorce agreement in the other."
As she said before, arriving in the Capital City, unfamiliar with the surroundings, the longer time dragged on, the more likely unforeseen events were to occur.
As Su Xiuer left, she clenched her fist and brought it down heavily, causing the table beneath her to crack and split with a loud "bang."
Seeing the Wei family's expressions change again as she wished, Su Xiuer unhurriedly shouldered her bundle, took Su Xiaobao's hand, and exited the Wei family's main gate.
"My son, a thousand taels is not a small sum. In just one day, where will we find it? Moreover, Miss Duan cannot know you are already married, so we certainly can't ask her for help."
Standing at the manor gate, Madam Zhao glared venomously in the direction Su Xiuer had left.
Wei Tian couldn't bear to part with the wealthy life he had finally obtained and chimed in anxiously, "Eldest Brother, if we can't produce the silver the day after tomorrow, with Su Xiuer's personality, she will definitely keep her word and won't let us off. I don't want to go back to farming."
A struggle flashed in Wei Mingze's eyes.
Yes.
He had seen noble persons who held the power of life and death, and he had seen luxurious and exquisite jewelry.
All of this was so captivating.
After exerting all his effort to climb up, with wealth and honor within his grasp, he couldn't let it slip away.
Su Xiuer was good, but unfortunately, she was too uncontrollable...
The lantern hanging on the manor gate swayed in the wind, casting a sinister and terrifying shadow on Wei Mingze's face.
He ignored Wei Tian and Madam Zhao, walked down the steps, and left the Wei Mansion.
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