Chapter 41: The Wise Scholar and the Obsessed Emperor 20

At this time, in the Zhou residence, Yun Shu, who was under house arrest, was still spouting nonsense without a care for her life.

“He deserves it, he deserves to be disgraced and ruined.”

“I curse him to lose everything, his reputation to be shattered, and to never return to the capital in this lifetime.”

Ever since she was confined to the house by her husband, Zhou Yong, two months ago, she had been cursing Yun Huai every day, which had caused her stepchildren to despise her immensely.

Zhou’s young lady, who had not yet reached the age of marriage, disregarded the objections of her two older brothers and rushed to the main courtyard, pointing at the woman spewing vile words and said, “You wicked woman, shut your mouth! Do you want the whole family to die?!”

The two sons and one daughter raised by Zhou Yong were typical children of officials, extremely concerned about their reputation and face. The three siblings had never been able to tolerate their infamous stepmother, and now, seeing her repeatedly spouting nonsense, they could no longer bear it.

Zhou’s eldest son, who was about the same age as Yun Shu, stood beside his sister and said coldly, “You are now the lady of our Zhou family, not the young miss of the Yun family. You represent our entire Zhou family.”

“Such foul language, do you want the emperor and empress to punish our family?”

The second son followed closely behind, “If I had known you were such a jealous and spiteful woman, I would have stopped Father from marrying you in the first place.”

“Having you as a stepmother, I will be laughed at by all the young gentlemen of my age.”

The three siblings knew that their father had not remarried for many years and had raised them alone, which was very hard on him. Therefore, even though they knew their future stepmother had once been involved with Prince Duan and had a ruined reputation, they did not object and allowed their father to follow his heart.

Who knew that within a few months of her entering the household, she had repeatedly brought disaster to the family, not only isolating their father from his colleagues but also making the young men and women of the capital keep their distance from them.

Everyone treated the Zhou family as a cancer, not daring to get close at all.

Their father had intended to confine Yun Shu to protect her from causing trouble and risking her life, but she did not realize this and continued to spout nonsense, making the household chaotic and restless.

Today, the three siblings decided to make a big fuss and force their father to divorce this woman.

Zhou’s young lady looked at Yun Shu with icy eyes, her face filled with intense impatience.

“Yun Shu, you caused this mess yourself, and our Zhou family will no longer serve you.”

“Once Father returns home, you will leave.”

Yun Shu stared at them in disbelief, “You dare to speak to me like this?!”

“You are all rebelling!” She said harshly, “Old Nurse Liu, drive them all out, I don’t want to see them!”

But Old Nurse Liu did not move, as she saw the son-in-law rushing over.

Zhou Yong’s expression was very serious, a seriousness that Yun Shu had never seen before. His gaze was cold and stern, filled with obvious indifference and distance.

“Yun Shu, let’s divorce.”

Yun Shu looked at him in shock, “What are you saying? You actually want to divorce me!”

After their marriage, he had always treated her with care, even when he confined her to the courtyard, he never made her feel wronged, and he visited her every day.

Apart from being a bit older, a second marriage, and having three children, he was indeed a good man who had never made her suffer.

Why would he divorce her now?

Zhou Yong’s eyes darkened, “I am being transferred to Huangzhou, and I may never return to the capital in my lifetime.”

He said sternly, “Since you don’t like me or my children and are always thinking of Prince Duan, I will let you go.”

Yun Shu pursed her lips, “I…”

Even if she returned home, Prince Duan could not marry her again.

Zhou Yong did not want to waste any more words with her, so he directly pulled her to sign the divorce papers and had the servants pack her things and send her back to the Yun residence.

After that, Zhou Yong took his children and left the bustling capital, heading to the southern Huangzhou to serve as a local official.

He did not have any regrets. He had impulsively fallen in love in his middle age, and now he was reaping the bitter fruits of that impulsiveness.

The family started anew in Huangzhou, and no one knew about the events in the capital. They gradually settled down and returned to a peaceful life.

In the Yun residence in the capital.

Yun Ai looked at his eldest daughter, who had been returned, with a headache, not knowing how to deal with her.

But before he could dwell on it for long, Prince Duan, who had been married for nearly half a year, came to visit.

“Lord Yun, I have heard about the divorce between your eldest daughter and her husband.”

Yun Ai looked at him with a calm expression, “What is your intention, Your Highness?”

My daughter’s divorce from her husband has nothing to do with you.

You, a man of broken promises, I didn’t drive you out just because of your royal status, and you still have the nerve to mention the divorce.

Prince Duan slightly furrowed his brows and said gently, “I would like to take your eldest daughter, Yun Shu, as a concubine. What do you think, Lord Yun?”

Yun Ai’s face immediately turned cold, his eyebrows almost forming a knot, “My daughter will never be a concubine!”

Even if his daughter was not the best, she would never become a concubine. He would rather support Yun Shu for the rest of her life than let her become a concubine, even in a prince’s household.

Yun Shu was his eldest daughter from his first wife, and she could never be a concubine, not even in a prince’s household.

He was selfish, but he was also a scholar with principles and a bottom line he would not cross.

Yun Ai’s eyes were cold, and he said firmly, “I understand your intention, but please leave.”

He did not want his daughter to jump into the fire, but he did not expect Yun Shu to jump out from behind and willingly fall into the trap with Prince Duan.

“Your Highness, I knew you would come for me. I am willing to marry you.”

Yun Shu tightly held Prince Duan’s hand, as if it were a lifeline.

Prince Duan embraced Yun Shu’s shoulders, “Shu’er, these days without you have been unbearable. I have missed you terribly!”

He looked at Yun Shu with deep affection, “I now realize that you are my world, irreplaceable by anyone.”

“Your Highness~” Yun Shu leaned into Prince Duan’s embrace, looking like a young girl in love.

Yun Ai: Are you crazy?!

Are you sick? Have you forgotten how Prince Duan abandoned you for Jiang Wan?

Yun Shu tilted her head and looked at the expressionless Yun Ai, saying, “Father, I am willing to marry Your Highness. Please agree to our union.”

She was confident that she could become Prince Duan’s wife from a concubine and believed she could defeat the little wretch Jiang Wan and become the envied wife of Prince Duan.

Yun Ai gritted his teeth, “Get out now. You are no longer a member of the Yun family, and I have no daughter like you.”

And just like that, Yun Shu, who had just returned home without even having a cup of hot tea, left the Yun residence with her belongings and entered the Prince Duan’s palace, which she had longed for.

Seeing that she had actually left, Yun Ai was so angry that he opened the ancestral hall that night and removed Yun Shu from the family register.

This foolish daughter, let whoever wants her take her!