Shen Shiqian also frowned, his tone becoming a bit more impatient.
Lady Gu had become tanned in the countryside, losing the beauty of a wealthy young miss from before.
Now, she couldn't compare to his Yan'er at all!
"Lady Gu, what exactly do you want? You just declared you wanted a divorce, and I agreed. Now you're dragging your feet—are you trying to play me?"
Shen Qingyuan shook her head.
"Master Shen, Concubine Liu, my mother and I have no intention of going back on our word; I am simply giving you a reminder."
"If we do divorce, have you thought about who you will choose for the Wedding for Luck?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the two, who had been blinded by joy, both sobered up.
That’s right, in five days, the Shen Family Legitimate Daughter was to marry Prince Jing for the Wedding for Luck.
That was an imperial decree; the Emperor's orders could not be defied.
If they divorced now, it was obvious that Shen Qingyuan would certainly follow her mother.
That would leave only Shen Qingyao as the Shen Family Legitimate Daughter.
If the ritual worked and he lived, that would be fine; at least she would be a Princess Jing.
But what if Prince Jing died? A princess consort who performed a Wedding for Luck would have to be buried with him.
Lady Liu could not bear to let her own daughter go to her death.
Shen Shiqian also could not bear to lose his carefully cultivated pawn, the future Crown Prince's Concubine.
At this, Lady Liu could no longer care about the divorce or the dowry.
The smugness on her face vanished completely, and she grabbed Shen Shiqian's arm with some urgency.
"Master, we cannot divorce! Yao'er cannot go perform the Wedding for Luck."
Lady Liu acted this way, terrified that if she were a step too late, the Master would truly agree to the divorce and let Yao'er go to her death.
Gu Minglan had actually thought of this as well, and her desire to divorce Shen Shiqian reached its peak.
Even if her Yuan'er could save Prince Jing, so what?
After she, Gu Minglan, divorced, she would simply have Yuan'er take in a live-in son-in-law, taking in whoever she liked.
Even if she took in seventeen or eighteen of them, her Gu Family could afford to support them!
Shen Qingyuan saw her mother's impulsiveness, but the black aura on her mother's forehead had not yet dissipated.
She still had to stay here to eliminate all the crises for her mother.
Shen Qingyuan squeezed Gu Minglan's palm.
She spoke silently to Gu Minglan.
Mother, trust me.
Gu Minglan hesitated for a moment, then finally released the token in her hand.
Forget it, I will keep this as a trump card.
If she truly cannot save him, I hope the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion can also protect Yuan'er's life.
Seeing her mother calm down, Shen Qingyuan pulled her back to sit on the chair.
She picked up a teacup, gently blew away the foam, and smiled with cold indifference.
"What is wrong, Concubine Liu? Weren't you just barking like a dog about wanting a divorce?"
She raised her eyes, her gaze sweeping coldly over Shen Shiqian before landing on Lady Liu.
"Why are you silent now? If you insisted on the divorce, I would actually respect you as a real person."
Shen Shiqian looked at this rebellious daughter, feeling his temples throb.
"You rebellious daughter, you did this on purpose."
Shen Qingyuan put down her cup with an innocent expression.
"Master Shen, how can you say that? How could I have done this on purpose? I am clearly acting out of kindness."
"If I wanted to escape, why would I have run back here on an empty stomach? That's right, why hasn't my dinner been prepared yet?"
Veins bulged on Shen Shiqian's forehead as he gritted his teeth and shouted outside.
"Bring another table of dinner!"
Shen Qingyuan smiled and added, "Prepare more meat; I'm hungry."
The servants, who had been trembling outside, heard this order.
They hurriedly took the command and ran off.
Having heard so much gossip about their masters, why would they stay here?
Were they not afraid of being targeted by the Master and Madam's anger?
Of course, finding their little friends to share it with was also a must.
After all, Shen Shiqian had been in officialdom for many years, and he quickly weighed the pros and cons to calm his mood.
He freed his crumpled sleeve from Lady Liu's grasp.
Shen Shiqian also sat down slowly, deciding to reclaim his aura as the head of the household.
"Yuan'er is sensible; I have already sent people to prepare dinner. In five days, you will marry Prince Jing."
Once you marry over there, then Lady Gu will be here in the inner residence.
Whether she divorces or dies suddenly.
It will have no impact.
Shen Qingyuan raised an eyebrow.
Oh, so the date is that close?
Thinking of Prince Jing's broken body.
That's true; if it were an ordinary person, perhaps Prince Jing wouldn't even last until the Wedding for Luck in five days.
Shen Qingyuan could save Prince Jing, but she didn't want to let Shen Shiqian off so easily.
"But the past is the past; as for now, I don't think I want to marry anymore."
Gu Minglan nodded in agreement.
"I also think so; there is no reason for Yuan'er to marry. Shen Shiqian, let's go get a divorce tomorrow."
Shen Shiqian suppressed his anger, once again putting on his former affectionate appearance.
"Minglan, how can you say that? We have been husband and wife for many years; is there not even a shred of affection? How can you keep bringing up the word 'divorce' so easily?"
Shen Shiqian was handsome, and his results during the palace examination were not originally at the top.
He was appointed as Tanhua by the Emperor simply because of his handsome appearance.
This was also the reason why Gu Minglan had been willing to be deceived for so many years.
But that was in the past.
Now, looking at Shen Shiqian's hypocritical act, Gu Minglan only felt a wave of nausea in her stomach.
Gu Minglan looked away with some disgust.
"Shen Shiqian, how old are you? Stop putting on this act; don't make me so disgusted that I can't eat."
Shen Qingyuan was drinking water and almost choked from laughing.
Her mother hadn't gained nothing from her time in the countryside after all.
At the very least, her ability to scold people had improved quite a bit.
Shen Shiqian's face turned green and white from Gu Minglan's words, but he didn't dare to truly retort for the moment.
Lady Liu was stomping her feet in anxiety on the side, but she didn't dare to interrupt.
She was terrified that if she provoked Gu Minglan again, she would really take Shen Qingyuan and leave.
Fortunately, this awkwardness did not last too long.
The new dinner was brought up.
Seeing that Gu Minglan was a tough nut to crack, Shen Shiqian gave up.
He turned his head and beckoned to Shen Qingyuan.
"Good Yuan'er, aren't you hungry? Come and eat."
Shen Qingyuan looked at the food and was very blunt.
"With you here, I can't eat."
Shen Shiqian's expression stiffened, and he felt his temper becoming hard to suppress.
He had lived for so many years; when he was young, he was chased by young girls because of his handsomeness.
When he grew older, he was adept at navigating officialdom.
When had he ever been pushed around like this?
And by two lowly women he had abandoned and thrown into the countryside!
Lady Liu hurriedly tugged on Shen Shiqian's sleeve from below, signaling desperately with her eyes.
Master, just endure these few days, and everything will be fine.
Shen Shiqian took a deep breath, suppressed his surging blood, and forced a reluctant smile.
"Then your Concubine Liu and I will go out and wait. You mother and daughter eat slowly; once you are satisfied, we will talk again."
Shen Qingyuan shook her head.
"I'm tired today; let's talk tomorrow. Take the food to the courtyard where my mother and I are staying."
Shen Shiqian nodded.
Fine, talk tomorrow; that would also give him time to plan properly.
Lady Liu, however, was anxious, because she hadn't prepared a courtyard for these two wretches at all!
"Yuan'er, the food is already served, just eat here; why go through the trouble..."
Shen Shiqian sensed something strange.
"Yan'er, do you really want to let them eat here?"
This was their main courtyard.
Yes, the dining hall was in the main courtyard.
According to the customs of Great Yong.
Regardless of whether a family was poor or rich, every evening.
Children would gather by their parents' side to have dinner together.
Enjoying a harmonious time with their parents.
But Shen Shiqian couldn't see a shred of harmony in eating with Shen Qingyuan.
Since these two wretches didn't want to be here, Shen Shiqian didn't want to see them either.
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