nyslfriends Chapter 383 Cruel
Chapter 383 Cruel
The Changning Marquis's residence was struck dumb upon receiving the imperial decree.
The Dowager Empress hurried to the palace to see her daughter and complained, "Isn't Her Majesty the Empress going too far? Throughout history, there has only been advice to reconcile, never to separate!"
Consort Ning was utterly speechless. "My mother and brother are really something. How could they have produced so many illegitimate children? Is my sister-in-law just an ordinary young lady? Who is the Empress? How could she tolerate this?"
The old lady said, "She said it herself. She doesn't care about illegitimate children at all. Chunxing and Chunliu have been with your brother since they were little. They've known each other for so many years. Why would she be afraid of them causing trouble?"
Even if she gives birth to illegitimate children, so what? With the Empress around, who's afraid of taking her position?
Consort Ning said, "That's not how it works. She said she didn't care, but did she say she would never divorce my brother? What happened with Madam Han back then? Didn't Mother and my brother know?"
The old lady was filled with regret. "If I had known he had this kind of temperament, I shouldn't have arranged this marriage in the first place."
They didn't get a single ray of light.
There's been no progress on the family's title, no talk of raising it, and the son's job remains the same, with no transfer to a better position. Now, with this divorce, isn't this utterly disgraceful to the Marquis's family?
Consort Ning said, "Mother, you've said this once, so don't say it again. I'll just listen, but don't let anyone else hear it."
Everyone in the palace knows how ruthless the Empress is.
The old lady disagreed, "My daughter-in-law wants a divorce, so can't I even speak up? Back then, she hastily got engaged to us so she wouldn't marry Prince Guo, and now she's turning her back on us. How can that be reasonable?"
"In any case, we will not agree. Does the Emperor really intend to have all hundreds of people in the Marquis's household beheaded just because of this imperial decree?"
Consort Ning also felt that the Empress had gone too far. She also thought that, given her father's achievements, would the Emperor really strip the Marquis's title? That would be the behavior of a tyrant.
In Zhaoyang Palace, Shen Shixi was drinking chicken soup. After finishing, she handed the bowl to Li Yuanke, took the handkerchief, wiped her mouth, and leaned against the pillow. "I don't care. My third sister is determined to divorce Marquis Changning. It's just that my imperial decree is not effective, which is why they dare to be so negligent."
Yeah, what can I do? I can't just drag everyone out and kill them, can I?
Li Yuanke wiped the last bit of soup from the corner of her lips with a handkerchief, and then wiped his own hands. "Issue the decree: The Empress Dowager is seriously ill. Consort Ning has not fulfilled her filial duties and is unworthy of her position. She is hereby stripped of her title and demoted to the rank of Consort."
Stripping someone of their title is far more damaging than demoting them.
The title "Ning" was the emperor's affirmation of his father's military achievements, yet it has been removed.
Xu Murong was struck dumb, unable to believe it, and remained in shock for a long time.
The Empress Dowager is seriously ill. There are many concubines in the harem who only go to pay their respects every day and do not attend to her. She is not the only one who should be punished.
Jiang You, who came to deliver the imperial decree, reminded her, "Your Highness, please express your gratitude!"
"Your Majesty, I thank you for your great kindness!" Xu Murong trembled all over, tears streaming down her face.
She wasn't tricked by the Empress, but by her brother.
Her father could no longer protect her, and without the emperor's favor, what would she rely on to survive from now on?
The Marquis of Changning's household naturally heard about it and understood that the Emperor cared about his reputation and would not touch the Marquis of Changning's title for the time being. However, he was ruthless; how the concubines in the harem were treated was none of the court officials' business.
As long as the empress is not deposed, no one cares whether the emperor bestows a title upon a concubine or demotes her; they are just concubines.
Unless a prince is favored by a faction of court officials who want to elevate him to the throne, the high status of his mother can serve as an added advantage, and she will not receive much attention.
Xu Murong quickly summoned her mother to the palace. After expelling everyone, she knelt down and pleaded, "Mother, please let my brother and Miss Shen divorce. Otherwise, I'd rather hang myself with a white silk ribbon."
Don't look back and end up like Du Fu, the talented woman.
The old lady quickly helped her daughter up, and the two embraced and wept bitterly. The old lady felt wronged and resentful that the Marquis's mansion had been bullied like this.
Xu Murong felt that the Emperor was ruthless and would do anything for the Empress, and she was afraid.
"How could Your Majesty do this? With your father's past achievements, our Marquis's Mansion and the Duke of Cheng's Mansion are more than capable. This is far too heartless." The Grand Madam was truly resentful.
The Shen family are relatives of the emperor, but isn't the Changning Marquis's family also related?
Besides, it was the Shen family that went too far in bullying others. It would be more appropriate for the Emperor to ignore it, but he has shown such favoritism.
Shen Shiwan didn't have much dowry, so the Changning Marquis's mansion naturally wouldn't covet such a small amount. The dowry list was very clear, and when the items were brought back, Changning Marquis Xu Wanyi came to their door.
The Shen family invited elders from both sides of the clan, the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture, and the Vice Minister of Rites to witness the divorce.
Xu Wanyi wanted to see Shen Shiwan, and Shen Shiwan agreed.
His eyes were bloodshot with rage, his fists clenched, and he pressed closer, demanding, "Why?"
For a moment, Shen Shiwan felt a pang of reluctance. She had entered into this marriage with high hopes, but who knew that things would drift further and further apart?
Shen Shiwan turned around and grabbed a peach tree branch. The flowering season was over, and the flowers had all faded, but it was covered with new green leaves and full of vitality.
"Why did you ask me, Lord Marquis?" Shen Shiwan smiled, turning her head, her eyes also filled with tears. "I want to ask, did you want me to hold a grudge back then, or did you not want me to hold a grudge?"
Xu Wanyi felt a little guilty. "If that's what you mean, then I'd like to ask you a question: you actually take the Empress's words as gospel, so what does the Empress think about the many princes born in the harem?"
Shen Shiwan's lingering reluctance vanished just like that.
She felt a sense of relief.
"My lord, please leave. Our relationship has reached its end; there is nothing more to say!"
Xu Wanyi, however, did not want to give up easily. "I sincerely wanted to marry you. I also wanted to be a loving and harmonious couple, and grow old together."
I've said before that you could tell me what you wanted, and I would do my best, but you never said anything. In the end, you want a divorce!
Shen Shiwan said, "Mutual affection requires both parties to be willing. If it can't be, why force it? It's fine as it is now. I proposed the divorce, so Lord Yu has not suffered any loss. If the world wants to criticize, it will be me."
I know what the Marquis wants in marriage; he simply wants me to be a magnanimous and generous first wife. The Marquis can talk about love with me, but I can't express my love to him. Is that fair?
She looked at Xu Wanyi, "I thought my relationship with the Marquis was based on love before marriage. Since I was wrong, I don't want to be wrong for the rest of my life!"
Xu Wanyi was a little unsteady on her feet. "How do you know I don't have feelings for you?"
Shen Shiwan didn't care. "Maybe there are, but they're probably not the kind I want!"
As she prepared to leave, Xu Wanyi stepped forward and grabbed her wrist. "Wanwan, what you want, no man in this world can give you!"
Shen Shiwan pulled her hand away and laughed, "If you hadn't given me this impression from the beginning, perhaps we could have ended up together. Since all you want is a marriage, why pretend it's based on mutual affection?"