Chapter 18 Have you ever regretted it?

After he finished speaking, an eerie silence fell over the carriage once again.

Chu Xiao's eyes were filled with gloom. He couldn't keep it from her, so he replied softly, "Yes."

The moment he learned that she and Chen Huarui were dating at Biluxuan, he immediately sent someone to investigate Chen Huarui's background.

He rushed back from outside the city, only to find that she had already left. So he followed the direction pointed out by the Biluxuan shop assistant and searched for her all the way here.

Fortunately... it was timely.

Not entirely useless...

"Chu Xiao!"

Enraged, Shen You forgot that he was in a carriage and stood up abruptly.

Chu Xiao reacted quickly and grabbed her to prevent her from hitting the roof of the carriage.

However, in that instant, the distance between the two was shortened.

Shen You collapsed and sat down next to him.

Their breaths mingled, and the long-lost fragrance of a woman wafted closer, causing Chu Xiao to instinctively tighten his grip on her hand.

But this only provoked her cold resistance.

“We’ve already divorced,” Shen You took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. “We agreed that once we got married, we would go our separate ways.”

She tried to explain calmly, "Who you marry in the future, and who I marry, will have nothing to do with each other anymore."

Chu Xiao felt an overwhelming sense of bitterness and panic. After a moment of silence, he said, "We didn't agree."

They've divorced.

But they never agreed on anything about men and women marrying each other and being completely unrelated.

"You..." Shen You laughed angrily, "Does the Duke intend to act like a rogue now?"

Chu Xiao did not answer her question, but instead said, "Chen Huarui is not a good man."

He doesn't like women, he likes men.

"She only married to cover her tracks; she often mingled with other men in her daily life."

Shen You: ......

"What did you say?"

She couldn't help but recall the brief half-hour she had spent with Chen Huarui at Bilu Pavilion, and finally understood where the strange feeling in her heart at that time came from.

Chu Xiao took out several letters from his pocket, all of which were the results of investigations conducted by his subordinates.

"Here are the names and addresses of the men who frequently associate with Chen Huarui. If you don't believe me, I can bring them to you."

He paused, then said solemnly again, "Shen You, Chen Huarui is not a good man."

Shen You would be lying if she said she wasn't shocked, but even without this incident, based on Chen Huarui's cowardly behavior in front of Bilu Pavilion, she would never have anything to do with him again.

but...

Without the marriage alliance with the Marquis of Chengde, Chen Huarui will most likely continue to look at the next woman.

She couldn't bear to watch other women fall into the Chen family's trap without knowing about it.

Thinking of this, she took the letter from Chu Xiao's hand.

The tense atmosphere between the two had eased, and Shen You pursed her lips, unsure of what to say for a moment.

The information on the letter was obtained from his investigation and indeed had another use.

But he investigated her blind dates several times, something that would be hard for anyone to accept.

“Chu Xiao,” Shen You closed her eyes, her voice cold, “we have already divorced.”

No one gets so many complications after a divorce.

She sat down in the corner furthest from him, her slender back leaning against the carriage wall. Dressed in pure white, her two thin, pale hands gripping the letter so tightly that fine blue veins appeared on the backs of her hands.

Her lips were pressed tightly together, and her delicate eyebrows were slightly furrowed.

My heart and eyes are filled with resistance.

Chu Xiao's eyes were filled with a deathly despair.

He seemed to realize only belatedly that he had already pushed her away four years ago.

Even though he had never forgotten her for a single moment during those four years, she no longer wanted to have anything to do with him.

A sudden surge of bitterness welled up in his throat, and Chu Xiao clenched his fists tightly on his knees.

He deserved it.

He stood up, said nothing, and got off the carriage.

Mu Geng had just seen Chu Xiao and Shen You get into the carriage together and thought that his lord and Miss Shen were about to reconcile.

Unexpectedly, when the carriage curtain was lifted, what they saw was Chu Xiao's extremely gloomy and obscure expression.

Mu Geng's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly ran forward, "My lord..."

Chu Xiao's voice was extremely cold, "Return to the manor."

After saying that, he mounted his horse and left without looking back.

As the sound of horses' hooves faded into the distance, the carriage finally fell truly quiet.

After an unknown amount of time, Shen You seemed to release all her strength and leaned against the soft cushion.

She pursed her lips, somewhat annoyed that her emotions always fluctuated so much whenever she encountered Chu Xiao...

But this time, it seems the two of them are truly... over...

The letter in her palm was almost crumpled. She came to her senses, quickly flattened the letter, carefully folded it, and put it into the envelope.

Taking a deep breath, just as he was about to lift the curtain and get out of the carriage, he saw Zifeng, Bao Yunxiu, and the coachman all coming out of Luoyu Alley.

The three of them were obviously unaware of what had just happened outside, but Zi Teng, having followed Shen You for so many years, keenly sensed that she was in a bad mood.

Bao Yunxiu, having found a new place to live, was all smiles.

She looked at Shen You and said, "I will remember your great kindness for the rest of my life. If you ever need my help, I will go through fire and water for you."

Shen You asked, "Do you like the courtyard?"

“I like it,” Bao Yunxiu smiled and nodded emphatically.

She came from a poor family and had never seen such a nice courtyard in her life. To have a place to stay was a rare blessing for her.

Seeing Bao Yunxiu happy, Shen You's mood finally improved.

A smile played on her lips as she said, "I'm glad you like it."

"Tang Lao Er has been arrested and taken to the Jingzhao Prefecture. Later, I will find a lawyer to write a complaint for you. He will definitely pay the price for what he has done."

“Alright, Yunxiu trusts you, Miss,” Bao Yunxiu said, looking steadily at Shen You with complete trust and solemnity in her eyes.

***

It was late at night.

The moonlight was clear and hazy, but clouds drifted by and, in an instant, obscured it.

The palace walls were shrouded in darkness, but the Hall of Diligent Governance was brightly lit by candles.

Chu Xiao, dressed in a dark-colored, narrow-sleeved brocade robe, was sitting on the steps in front of Qi Jincheng's desk, where he was reviewing memorials, holding a small wine jar.

His long legs were casually spread apart, and his cold and sharp face was now tinged with alcohol, his dark eyes narrowed, and his eyes were dark and defeated.

Qi Jincheng sat down beside him without much regard for appearances, raised his small wine jar and clinked it against his, then drank the wine by himself.

They were best friends who had risked their lives for each other, and drinking together was a common occurrence for them.

The last time Chu Xiao came to him in such a low mood, carrying a wine jar, was four years ago.

Now that the world is at peace and the people are living in peace and contentment as before, it is completely different from when they secretly camped in the mountains.

The only thing that was the same was that both times he felt down and depressed, it was because of Shen You.

Qi Jincheng seemed to remember something, glancing at him sideways, "Now that we're back in Lin'an City, we've met the person, and we've spoken..."

He paused, then said, "Ah Xiao, I still have the same question."

"Do you really never regret it?"

regret...

Chu Xiao lowered his eyes, concealing the turbulent emotions within them. The alcohol made the corners of his cold eyes red, and his Adam's apple bobbed.

After a long while, a deep, hoarse voice rang out.

No regrets.

***

Shen You acted quickly, saying he would write a petition, and the next day he had already invited a famous lawyer from Lin'an City.

The complaint had just been written when the constables from the Jingzhao Prefecture arrived at the door.

Tang Lao Er was captured by Chu Xiao's men and taken to the Jingzhao Prefecture. The prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture naturally dared not underestimate him and used methods from prison to sober Tang Lao Er up.

If there are suspects, then there must be victims.

Therefore, the constables came to Bao Yunxiu's door.

In the main hall of the Jingzhao Prefecture, the four large characters "明察秋毫" (meaning "to discern even the smallest details") were prominently displayed.

Directly below, seated with an air of authority, is the Vice Magistrate of the Capital Prefecture.

Bao Yunxiu had never been to a courtroom before, and she was feeling rather uneasy.

Fortunately, Shen You was by her side, along with a lawyer who was confident of victory.

She felt a little more at ease, stood in the center of the courtroom, knelt down on both knees, raised her hands above her head, and presented the petition, "I, Bao, have a matter to bring against Tang Lao Er, and the petition is here."

"Please, Your Excellency, investigate this matter thoroughly."

The Vice Magistrate of Jingzhao Prefecture cleared his throat and ordered someone to bring up the petition. He then ordered his men to bring Tang Lao Er over.

Moments later, the sound of chains could be heard.

Bao Yunxiu subconsciously looked back and saw that Tang Lao Er, who had been swaggering around the alleyway a few days ago, was now barely able to walk and had to be supported by two constables on either side to get to the courtroom.

Shen You was stunned, clearly not expecting that Tang Lao Er would turn into such a horrible state after only a few days in the Jingzhao Prefecture prison.

She suddenly remembered what Chu Xiao had said at the alley entrance that day.

"Take him to the Jingzhao Prefecture and sober him up."

It seems that Tang Lao Er is in this state because the constables have "sobered him up."

Thinking of this, Shen You scoffed inwardly.

Good, let Tang Lao Er experience this kind of despair where he has no power to fight back.

This case is actually quite simple.

If it weren't for Chu Xiao's men personally bringing Tang Lao Er here, there wouldn't even have been the need for the Vice Magistrate of the Capital Prefecture to personally preside over the trial.

Shen You, Zi Teng, the groom, and even the waiter at Bi Lu Xuan and Bao Yunxiu's former neighbor are all witnesses.

Moreover, Bao Yunxiu still had those bruises on her body that hadn't faded from being beaten. The Jingzhao Prefecture only needed to have an old woman take a look, and they would have irrefutable evidence.

However, before making a judgment, the Vice Magistrate of the Capital Prefecture raised an eyebrow, subconsciously glanced at the hidden corner behind the courtroom, and then said seriously, "Whether or not one is married, it is not an excuse to beat another person. Moreover, after Bao's divorce from Tang Lao Er, she still suffered inhuman abuse, which is intolerable under the laws of the Great Qi."

"The evidence in this case is conclusive. According to the law, Tang Lao Er is hereby sentenced to thirty lashes and exiled for eight years."

Upon hearing the result, Bao Yunxiu's eyes widened in surprise, her excitement evident.

She originally thought that if she could get Tang Lao Er to be whipped, then her trip to the court would not have been in vain.

But to her surprise, the result was far better than she had imagined.

"Court adjourned—"

The constable's voice rang out.

Before leaving, the Vice Magistrate of the Capital Prefecture unexpectedly met Shen You's gaze.

Shen You paused for a moment, then saw the Junior Magistrate of the Capital Prefecture nod slightly to her, and she returned the gesture.

When I looked up again, the Junior Magistrate of the Capital Prefecture had already left.

Behind the screen connecting the main hall and the back hall, the hem of a dark brocade robe seemed to sway past.