Chapter Twenty-Six Leaving

  "......The general actually bought so much firewood, I won't be able to burn it all in a year." Zhen Shiying poured a bowl of plain porridge for Shen Zhongge and handed him chopsticks. She sat down across from him, smiling as she thanked him.

  She felt that she was very incompetent, this man had just bullied her, but when he bought firewood back, she took the initiative to add a dish of fried eggs with celery.

  It's better for her to burn everything than to have some useless men come and help her chop wood!

  She recalled that the man had said he would come to chop firewood for her for a few days, Shen Zhongge's face turned gloomy and silent, picked up his chopsticks and took a big bite of the stuffed pancake.

  Zhen Shi Niang was already accustomed to his icy silence and didn't speak again, lowering her head to drink the porridge.

  An eerie silence fills the room.

  Shen Zhongge couldn't help but glance over, and saw the purplish mark on her chin. He felt a pang of self-reproach in his heart. This morning he hadn't been intentional, nor had he used much force. Who knew this woman was so fragile, that even a slight touch would leave a mark?

  She lowered her head and took a few bites, then secretly lifted it up again. Zhen Shiniang was still sipping the porridge in small mouthfuls, with a calm and elegant expression, looking like a serene ancient painting. However, the obvious bruise on her chin ruined the artistic flavor of the painting. She felt another wave of guilt, and her lips moved slightly as she wanted to ask if it hurt, but ultimately didn't open her mouth. Seeing Zhen Shiniang look over at her, she handed over the empty bowl, "Have another bowl."

  Zhen Shiniang busily served him another bowl of plain congee.

  A gust of wind rolled away the remaining clouds, and Zhen Shiniang looked at the only dish left on the table, a plate of stir-fried rabbit meat, and thought to herself, "No wonder he could eat it so deliciously without even a speck of oil; turns out he doesn't eat meat after all."

  Since it was put on the table, he didn't even touch the wild boar meat.

  After dinner, Shen Zhongge ordered Rong Sheng to prepare the carriage. Seeing that he didn't intend to stay any longer, Zhen Shi Niang let out a sigh of relief and personally escorted him to the gate of the courtyard. She looked at her delicate figure and Shen Zhongge's hand reached into his sleeve, intending to leave some silver for her to buy nourishing food. But then he thought better of it, thinking to himself, "If I give her silver, once she gets a taste of the sweetness, after recovering from her illness, she won't agree to divorce and that would be troublesome." So he withdrew his hand again.

  As she saw Shen Zhongjie's carriage leave, Zhen Shiniang turned around to find Ji Xixi and Qiu Ju smiling at her.

  No need to ask, Zhen Shining already knew what they were thinking.

  She casually closed the door and walked straight into the house, "...... You don't have to be happy, he came this time to deal with me." As she spoke, Zhen Shiniang frowned tightly, remembering what Shen Zhongjie said, they were married by the emperor's decree, and if he couldn't divorce her.

  So if he wants to marry another woman, how will he deal with her?

  "How could that be?" Autumn Chrysanthemum exclaimed first, "The general is so good to the young lady!" She had previously rushed into the house in ignorance and saw him hugging her family's young lady, with warmth in his eyes and not a single evil spirit on his body.

  "Miss......" The magpie also cried out anxiously, and the person stood there stupidly.

  Zhen Shiniang went into the house without even turning her head back.

  It wasn't until quite a while later that the two of them remembered to lift their feet and hurry in. "What did General Morning say to you?" Ji Kuai asked impatiently as soon as they entered the house.

  After all, he was a few years older and knew that Shen Zhongge had always been deeply resentful of Zhen Shiniang. Jixiao didn't have the same optimism as Qiujie, thinking that just because someone could be bought off with a few bundles of firewood, they were a good person who was cold on the outside but warm on the inside.

  "He didn't say anything." Zhen Shining looked at Jixiao, "Think about it, last time he ran away with a fright as soon as he came in. If nothing was wrong, would he come again?" She shook her head, "It's me who blocked his way." There was a hint of sighing in her tone.

  "He wants to marry a new wife?!" Ji Kuai immediately thought of the rumors outside, even the six princesses in the palace had taken a liking to Shen Zhongge, and many high-ranking officials wanted to marry their daughters to him as a concubine. Ji Kuai's voice trembled slightly, "Miss is right, seven years ago he didn't deign to marry you, now his status is not what it used to be, and he has no more scruples... of course..." The more she thought about it, the more Ji Kuai's face turned pale, her voice trailed off, and she dared not speak further.

  Zhen Shiniang did not give a definite answer.

  After a long silence, she looked up and asked Xīquè, "He said we were married by the previous emperor's arrangement, he can't divorce me, is that true?"

  "Of course it's true." The magpie nodded, "The young lady and his marriage was the one that the old master had asked the previous emperor to grant, and the wedding ceremony was even presided over by the Duke of Town Country himself, who was highly honored at the time. It caused a sensation throughout the entire Upper Capital City." A hint of gloom flashed in her eyes, and she thought it was astonishing that the young lady didn't even remember this.

  Zhen Shining's expression turned gloomy, and she muttered to herself, "He can't let me off, how will he deal with me?" Suddenly, a boundless fear arose in her heart, "He'll kill me!"

  He is a general who kills without batting an eye.

  "Divorce!" At the same time, the magpie exclaimed, "Is he here to discuss divorce with you?" And was puzzled, "How could he not mention it?"

  "Divorce?" Zhen Shi Niang murmured, repeating it to herself, then suddenly lifted her head, "In this era... you're saying we can divorce?" Her voice was rarely tinged with a hint of excitement.

  Historically speaking, in her memory, ancient wives had no right to speak, their fate was entirely in the hands of their husbands. Once they were abandoned, a divorce paper would be enough for them to leave the house. She had never heard of the term "divorce" before, and she thought excitedly, "It's probably similar to divorce in past lives?"

  It's better if she doesn't have to die!

  "Really......" Ji Ya stared at Zhen Shi Niang in shock, "Miss doesn't even know this?"

  "Then can I ask him for some compensation?" Zhen Shi Niang asked humbly.

  "......No way!" Jiya shook her head, "Even if you get divorced, Miss, it's just a matter of having an extra face in front of your parents, apart from the dowry, you can't take anything else with you."

  But all her relatives have passed away, what's the point of keeping up appearances for Miss?

  As soon as they parted, mother and son had no place to settle down, the magpie's face was as white as paper, only forcing herself to sleep with her lips not allowing sorrow to surface on her face.

  "What if I refuse to sign on the divorce papers?" Zhen Shi Niang thought of those divorce cases in her past life.

  Refusing to sign and clinging on can sometimes get more property.

  As soon as the words were spoken, even she herself didn't believe that this path would work, but Ji Yu's eyes lit up in front of her. "The general wants to climb up to wealth and nobility, he will definitely be eager to do so, Miss can take advantage of this opportunity to ask him for this ancestral mansion!" At least there is still a place to live.

  "Ah, I think so too." Zhen Shining smiled and nodded, but her heart felt a pang of bitterness. "This isn't the past, where everyone is equal. He's a high-ranking general, while I'm just a lonely and helpless daughter of a convicted criminal. What qualifications do I have to negotiate with him? If I really don't agree, he might kill me without even blinking."

  In her heart, Zhen Shiniang couldn't help but smile wryly as she saw the pale face of Xikui. She took Xikui's hand and said, "You also saw it, all these years without him, we've been living just fine." With a relaxed smile, "...Actually, I've always secretly hoped to leave him." Putting aside her fear of the vagrant life they were about to face, this was indeed Zhen Shiniang's true feelings.

  She is not afraid of being homeless and can fall on the streets, but Jianwen and Jianwu are still too young.

  Being abandoned outside and being abandoned in one's own home are two completely different things!

  Jian Zhen's smile was carefree, but Xi Que felt a pang of sadness in her heart. However, she also knew that they had no choice in this matter. She gritted her teeth and forced a smile, "Miss said it's true, at least from now on we won't have to sneak around selling medicine." She blinked hard, holding back the tears welling up in her eyes, "I'll let Chang He go out tomorrow to find a cheaper rental house nearby."

  "It doesn't have to be too good, as long as it's habitable." Zhen Shining nodded, "Best if..."

  Just then, a commotion broke out outside the courtyard, followed by a series of loud knocks on the door.

  The three of them changed color and instantly stopped making a sound.