Chapter 58: Forced to Divorce

The wind was howling as Cao Xi was cleaning the firewood room when she heard a knock on the door. She stood up and walked over to the door.

Standing outside was a woman dressed in luxurious clothes, exuding an imposing aura, indicating she was not someone ordinary.

Cao Xi asked, “May I ask who you are?”

Lady Cui looked at Cao Xi with a dismissive gaze, sizing her up. The woman was not yet old, her figure was well-proportioned, and her appearance was still charming. If she were an obedient concubine, she could be a useful ally for building relationships.

Cao Xi felt uncomfortable under her gaze, repeatedly confirming that she didn’t recognize the woman.

“Madam, who are you looking for?”

“You must be Qin Zhao’s mother,” Lady Cui said, pushing Cao Xi aside as she entered the yard. She covered her nose with a handkerchief and looked around, her confidence growing when she didn’t immediately see Qin Zhao.

At this moment, Cao Xi had encountered rude, unreasonable people, but this was the first time someone had barged in like this.

Cao Xi’s face turned sour. She blocked Lady Cui’s path and coldly asked, “I don’t know who you are.”

Lady Cui, seeing Cao Xi’s strong attitude, sneered with disdain and taunted, “A village woman like you wouldn’t understand.”

“Leave, or don’t force me to take action.”

Lady Cui laughed arrogantly, “My husband is the governor of Qizhou. Do you really think you can stop me?”

Cao Xi’s tone grew sharper as she retorted, “What you’re doing is against the law. As the governor’s wife, you’re committing the crime of trespassing. Do you think you can bully people and get away with it?”

“Presumptuous!” Lady Cui raised her voice, but then she managed to calm herself down.

“Enough with the nonsense. Tell me where Qin Zhao is. I need him to divorce.”

Lady Cui glared at Cao Xi with disdain, then sat on a chair under a jujube tree.

Cao Xi responded coldly, “Lady Cui, are you trying to buy my life with fifty taels of silver?”

Lady Cui, still unfazed, added, “One hundred taels.”

“Ha! Fifty taels, one hundred taels, are you trying to buy my life with money?” Cao Xi couldn’t believe her ears, feeling a mix of disbelief and anger.

“One hundred taels,” Lady Cui repeated.

“Such arrogance. You really think you can buy my life with money?” Cao Xi snapped, “If you’re smart, take your silver and leave. Don’t bring trouble to your husband.”

Lady Cui’s expression darkened as she became frustrated with Cao Xi’s resistance. “Let me tell you the truth: Qin Zhao saw my daughter at a banquet and fell in love with her at first sight. He had already promised her. Now, I need you to solve this problem for me. We just need to discuss things properly.”

Cao Xi’s anger grew with every word she heard. It sounded as though a man had come to her door to steal her husband away, and she frantically searched for something to defend herself.

…

When Qin Zhao returned home, he saw a crowd gathered outside his gate.

A neighbor rushed over to him, saying, “Qin Zhao, you’re back! Your mother has been bullied!”

When Qin Zhao heard that Cao Xi had been bullied, his anger skyrocketed. He pushed open the door and saw Cao Xi, holding a thick wooden stick about the size of a child’s arm, chasing a woman and beating her.

Lady Cui was clearly terrified. Her face turned ashen, and she scrambled to avoid the blows, with her maid standing in front of her and taking a few hits. The maid screamed in pain but dared not move.

Qin Zhao stepped in and blocked Cao Xi, asking coldly, “May I ask what this lady is doing at my home?”

Lady Cui, still in a state of shock, pointed at Cao Xi and shouted, “You savage woman! Divorce him immediately! You must divorce him right now!”

Qin Zhao’s face darkened like a piece of charcoal. His voice was as cold as ice: “Lady Cui, have you lost your mind? Are you here to demand a divorce?”

“I am the wife of the governor of Qizhou. You must divorce him. My daughter will marry him, and I’ll ensure she lives a prosperous life,” Lady Cui said, her anger rising again.

As she spoke, she realized the impulsiveness of her words, but she quickly composed herself, adjusting her clothes and breathing deeply.

“Have you met a young woman in a pink dress at the governor’s residence? Do you remember her?” Lady Cui asked, still eyeing Qin Zhao.

Qin Zhao gave her a disgusted look, his stomach turning with revulsion.

Lady Cui, sensing his reaction, bragged, “It’s my daughter. She’s younger and more beautiful than your wife.” She shot a hateful glance at Cao Xi.

Qin Zhao coldly replied, “Lady Cui, be careful with your words. I have no connection with anyone you mentioned. I only have one mother, and my mother is far superior to your daughter. Please leave, and don’t tarnish the reputation of the governor.” He gestured toward the door in a formal manner.

Lady Cui saw that Qin Zhao wasn’t backing down and, frustrated, blamed his blindness for not understanding her intentions. She turned and left angrily, taking her maid with her.

As the courtyard door closed, Cao Xi tossed the stick aside and muttered, “Does the governor’s wife have a brain? How did she end up marrying such a crazy woman?”

“He probably doesn’t know what’s going on,” Cao Xi added.

She placed her hands on her hips and glared at Qin Zhao, “By the way, how did you get to know the governor’s daughter?”

Qin Zhao pulled Cao Xi towards him, looking pitiful. “Mom, am I not clean anymore?”

“What?” Cao Xi was shocked.

“Lady Cui’s daughter… it felt like her gaze was stuck to me like snot. I’ve been having nightmares at night,” Qin Zhao said, practically clinging to her and rubbing his waist against hers.

Cao Xi’s legs grew weak from the touch, but Qin Zhao’s gaze was strong and firm.

“It’s happened more than once, outside people are like wolves and tigers. They like me because of my looks and my strong build.”

Cao Xi didn’t know how to respond, but it was true that her husband was more exhausting than other men.

She gave Qin Zhao a sharp look and turned away to finish her work. Qin Zhao, seeing her mood was off, didn’t dare to speak further. He nervously followed her around the house like a frightened animal.

Qin Zhao bent down and served her, but Cao Xi, tired from the work, said, “Stop wandering around, don’t bother me. You’re just making me annoyed.”

Qin Zhao was pushed out the door, and from outside, he called, “Mom!” The closed courtyard door remained firmly shut. Qin Zhao touched his nose, realizing he had been kicked out.

…

Runxiangyuan

“What was I thinking? I tried to act tough, but now trouble has come knocking,” Qi Qige said, lazily swinging a fan while lying on a rocking chair.

Qin Zhao replied, “You really enjoy this, don’t you? Isn’t it cold with the fan?” He was already fed up with him, not daring to mock him in such cold weather.

Qi Qige responded, “It’s better than having people show up at your door demanding a divorce.”

Qin Zhao, already irritated, couldn’t let Qi Qige continue being carefree. With a swift motion, he knocked over Qi Qige’s rocking chair. Qi Qige got pinned underneath the chair, struggling for a while before managing to climb out.

The people around them were holding in their laughter, though their faces were flushed red from trying to suppress it.

“Ugh, you bumpkin, how dare you mess with me?” Qi Qige exclaimed, rolling up his sleeves and preparing to retaliate, but Qin Zhao quickly pushed him back down. They struggled a few more times, with Qi Qige’s eyes turning red from frustration. Finally, he sat down on the floor and started arguing with Qin Zhao.

“You come here to vent your anger? Wouldn’t it be better if you let Governor Cui handle it? Eh?!” Qi Qige stretched his neck and glared at Qin Zhao, acting childish in the process.

Qin Zhao crossed his arms and looked down at him coldly. “You think you’re tough? This is my business. And as for Lady Cui, she has nothing to do with me.”

“Dream on. Try to find me again. I wasn’t like some bumpkin showing off at the banquet,” Qi Qige replied, brushing off the dust from his clothes and casually flicking his fan open.

Qin Zhao reached down and grabbed him, saying, “You’re not afraid of getting hemorrhoids from sitting like that?”

Qi Qige, using Qin Zhao’s force to stand up, immediately grabbed Qin Zhao by the neck and held his head under his armpit, only releasing him when Qin Zhao finally gave in.

The two of them continued their playful banter for a while before settling down.

Qi Qige said, “This problem is solved. I’ll go drink and have fun for a month, and I’ll make sure your sister-in-law gets off your back.”

Qin Zhao shot him a sideways glance, clearly not impressed by the suggestion.

Qi Qige leaned in closer to him. “What if we leave? We can get familiar with the capital. It’s better than staying here.”

“Familiar for a few months?” Qin Zhao pushed his head away in irritation.

Qi Qige shrugged. “What’s the harm? The journey’s long, it’s not like we’re in a rush.”

Qin Zhao replied firmly, “I’m not letting Governor Cui have his way.”

Qi Qige took a sip of tea, then said, “If he’s really not interfering, why would he be a scholar?”

“He might not be meddling, but his wife might still be up to something,” Qi Qige said, his tone turning more serious as he fixed his gaze on Qin Zhao.

Qin Zhao sighed. “I’ll go back and talk to Cao Xi.” He had planned to avoid this confrontation, but now that the situation had changed, his plans had been thrown into disarray.