Divorce Decree
After Xie Shangjia arranged for Shen Qianyue to rest in an inn, he went straight to the market. When he returned, he was holding all kinds of things in his arms, and spread them all on the table like treasures.
"I bought some small things for Li'er. She's been away for so long, so I have to bring some gifts back. Look at this cloth tiger. Doesn't it look like our Li'er with a puffed-up face?"
There are a wide variety of stuffed dolls, including adorable cloth tigers, colorful birds, and some unique intangible cultural heritage toys... There are seven or eight of them in total, and each one exudes childishness and naiveté.
Shen Qianyue's gaze swept across the dolls and finally landed on Xie Shangjia's face full of anticipation, with a slight smile on her lips.
"My husband has put so much thought into this. Li'er will like it."
…
After resting for a day in the small town, they set off again.
On the return journey, I still used Hengchang as a token. I traveled for nine days and the officers and soldiers checked it quickly.
The carriage finally stopped in front of the familiar gate of the Shangshu Mansion. The doorman came forward to inquire. Shen Qianyue gently lifted the curtain, and the other party hurriedly opened the door to welcome him in.
Xie Shangjia jumped out of the car first, half-helping Shen Qianyue out of the car, his movements were as gentle as if he was treating a rare treasure.
The doormen and servants all bowed and greeted the guests with respectful expressions, but they also revealed a hint of tension and fear. The servants in the mansion walked hurriedly, their eyes evasive, and the air was filled with a sense of oppression as if a storm was about to come.
Shen Qianyue's eyebrows knitted slightly.
Xie Shangjia was still immersed in the relaxation of returning home and looking forward to the future. He did not notice anything unusual and was just busy chattering.
"Finally you're back. Go back to your room and have some rest. I'll have the kitchen cook you some soup right away..."
"Where are Jinyu and the housekeeper's maid?" Shen Qianyue suddenly interrupted, her voice not loud but cold and majestic.
The maidservant who was following beside her shuddered and quickly responded, "I will go and invite you right away!"
Soon, the housekeeper and the maid came hurriedly, trying to appear calm, but beads of sweat were oozing out of their faces.
"Madam, you are back..."
Shen Qianyue looked at her calmly: "What happened in the mansion?"
She asked directly, leaving no room for negotiation.
The housekeeper's maid fell to her knees with a thud, her voice trembling, "Madam...you've been away from home for a while...Prince Ding, Prince Dingwu...came to the mansion a while ago..."
Shen Qianyue's voice was steady: "What's the matter?"
"The prince... brought an... an imperial decree..."
The smile on Xie Shangjia's face froze, and he finally realized the seriousness of the matter, and the blood drained from his face.
Imperial edict!!
His heart seemed to be strangled by an invisible hand, and he had the worst guess in his mind: his home had been robbed!
The housekeeper's maid's voice was trembling and out of tune: "The imperial edict... the imperial edict is... ordering a divorce..."
Xie Shangjia's legs and feet were weak, and he was filled with anger. He tightly grasped Shen Qianyue's cold hand, fearing that he would lose her if he let go. His voice trembled and distorted with anxiety and fear.
"No, no! That was all in the past... I was a bastard! I was stupid and ignorant! I was blinded by greed and didn't know what was good for me, so I thought that way!"
He confessed eagerly, wishing he could take out his heart to prove it.
Shen Qianyue didn't look at him, her eyes fell on the void, her face was pale and transparent, only her phoenix eyes were deep and unfathomable, with undercurrents surging in them.
"Where are Jinyu and the little princess?"
The maidservant almost collapsed: "Reply, reply Madam... The little princess and Jinyu... have been taken away by the people in the palace to stay for a while..."
Xie Shangjia's pupils shrank, and he turned around and was about to rush out, his momentum as sharp as a knife.
"I'm going to the palace! I'm going to see the emperor!"
Shen Qianyue's voice sounded again, cold as ice, but piercing through all the noise.
"Stop! You'll only make things worse if you enter the palace."
Xie Shangjia suddenly stopped and looked back at her with red eyes.
Shen Qianyue didn't look at the maid on the ground again, turned around and walked out.
"Chen Qianyue! Where are you going?" Xie Shangjia hurriedly followed.
Shen Qianyue walked without stopping, heading straight towards the carriage.
"Prince Dingwu's Mansion."
Xie Shangjia said anxiously: "You are still pregnant, I will go! I will go to my uncle and explain it clearly!"
"Your Highness is waiting for me." Shen Qianyue interrupted him calmly.
Xie Shangjia had no choice but to follow.
The carriage drove out of the palace again, its wheels rolling through the prosperous streets of the capital, and stopped in front of the majestic Dingwu Palace.
The stone lions look down arrogantly, and the door lintels are towering, exuding a suffocating sense of oppression.
Shen Qianyue held Xie Shangjia's hand and got out of the car, walking steadily towards the gate.
She wore no makeup, and wore plain clothes and a light complexion. Her face was pale from days of running around and her pregnancy, but the light in her phoenix eyes was cold and firm, and she did not flinch.
The guards at the gate obviously recognized her and exchanged glances with each other: "Miss Shen."
Before he finished speaking, the side door of the palace creaked open, and a middle-aged butler with a well-dressed and capable face walked out and bowed to them with a forced smile.
"It turns out that it is Master Xie and Miss Shen who have arrived. The prince has been waiting for a long time."
Shen Qianyue's expression was calm as she entered the room with Xie Shangjia.
The butler stepped aside and said, "Thank you, sir. Please follow me to the main hall for tea."
Xie Shangjia laughed out loud in anger: "My nephew is visiting, but the uncle wants to meet his nephew's wife alone. Is this how the palace treats guests?"
The housekeeper remained calm: "The Shangshu Province is joking. Now that Miss Shen has regained her freedom, it is naturally inappropriate to use the old name."
He deliberately emphasized the word "girl", as if the imperial decree of divorce was already known to the world, and Chen Qianyue was no longer the wife of the Xie family.
Shen Qianyue patted the back of Xie Shangjia's hand: "Go wait for me, it's okay."
Xie Shangjia, however, tugged at her sleeve and refused to let go: "Don't leave me..."
Panic surged in his heart. It was not that he did not trust Chen Qianyue, but he did not trust himself. He was afraid that once she saw the old friend, she would think that she was nothing special. After all, she was not as good as Xie Zhiyun.
Xie Zhiyun occupied Shen Qianyue's life for ten years, from the age of seventeen to twenty-seven. Even though they were separated, it was obvious that one of them was unwilling to let go. How could he feel at ease?
Shen Qianyue promised softly: "Give me two cups of tea, just be good."
Xie Shangjia loosened her sleeve and watched her follow the housekeeper into the high-walled courtyard.
Shen Qianyue was led to a luxurious yet cold side hall. The housekeeper served her a cup of plum tea and then left.
She stood quietly in front of the window, looking at the neatly trimmed but lifeless flowers and plants in the yard, her back straight and lonely.
Xie Zhiyun stepped in, his casual clothes unable to conceal the murderous aura and royal majesty. He sat down in the main seat and spoke calmly.
"Here I come."
Shen Qianyue turned around, bowed with her skirt lowered, her posture impeccable: "Your Highness."
Xie Zhiyun pointed to the seat below: "Sit down, there's no need to be so formal between you and me."
Shen Qianyue sat down as she was told, her back still straight.
Xie Zhiyun said casually, "Li'er is so adorable. These past few days, it's reminded me of you when you were young. Her eyes are so much like yours."
Shen Qianyue's eyes moved slightly, but she remained silent.
Xie Zhiyun didn't need her to respond and continued.
"Remember that conflict with the Nanman people that nearly sparked a war between our two nations? With just a few words, you enlightened me, enabling me to seize the initiative and drive back the enemy. I still remember the look of your exuberant expression as you stood before the sand table."
"Ever since we met as young children, you and I have been inseparable. After I was crowned king, you accompanied me to my fiefdom, and we've fought countless battles together. Without you, there would be no Xie Zhiyun today. You and I were meant to be husband and wife."
Shen Qianyue finally raised her eyes, her gaze as clear as a cold pond: "Your Highness, there is no need to reminisce about the past."
Xie Zhiyun looked at her eyes that seemed to be able to see through people's hearts, and suddenly smiled. There was a bit of the frankness of a hero and a bit of helplessness in that smile.
"Why not reminisce about the past? Among all the noble ladies in the capital, even those who boast of their talents, only a handful can catch my eye. You, Shen Qianyue, are among the best."
This is not a hypocritical courtesy. Given his status and temperament, he would not tolerate such behavior.
Shen Qianyue's face remained expressionless, and she did not feel honored by this "praise". She had no intention of dwelling on the past and responded coldly.
"Your Highness, thank you for your compliments. Qianyue, there's something I'm not clear about. You know full well that the imperial decree will be revoked soon. This decree will eventually become a dead letter after some time. What's the point of your actions?"
Hearing this, the smile on Xie Zhiyun's face gradually disappeared.
The side hall fell into an eerie silence.
The green smoke from the incense burner curled up, blurring the vision between the two people, but it could not blur the fierceness of the silent confrontation.
After a long time, Xie Zhiyun slowly spoke, but there was no emotion in his voice.
"Chen Qianyue, you are smart, courageous, and even resourceful, but sometimes, don't forget that you are also in the game and that there are some rules that must be followed, even if they are only temporary."
The two looked at each other.
Chen Qianyue was the first to laugh: "Your Highness, if you want to play the next game well, you must first ensure that you are still on the chessboard and survive. This temporary rule is useless."
Xie Zhiyun looked at Shen Qianyue steadily for a moment, and finally, all his complicated emotions turned into a low laugh. He took off the token from his waist and threw it to her, and he said no more.
"Li'er will be staying here temporarily. You can rest assured and make your plans. I will send someone to pick you up on the first day of next month."
Shen Qianyue straightened her back, bowed, then turned around and walked step by step towards the heavy door of the side hall.
Just as her hand was about to touch the door, Xie Zhiyun's low and serious voice came from behind her, clearly hitting her ears.
"If you regret it, I can still accept Li'er as my wife. Let's see how far our family, who came together halfway, can go."
Shen Qianyue paused almost imperceptibly without looking back.
"The past cannot be recalled. Your Highness, you must be joking. Qianyue never regrets her choice."
She pushed the door open and walked out. The sunlight was glaring, but she felt cold all over.
I'm afraid the weather in the capital is about to change.
"My wife."
When she looked up, she saw Xie Shangjia standing under the shadow of a tree. He looked at her with worry in his eyes. In an instant, spring came and flowers bloomed.
Xie Shangjia forced a smile and walked towards her: "I didn't make it until two cups of tea... I missed you, so I came to the door to wait for you. I was very good and didn't go in to disturb you."
He heard what Xie Zhiyun said, but Shen Qianyue refused. His eyes were wet and he didn't know what to say.
Chen Qianyue raised her hand and wiped away his tears with her fingertips: "I have discussed it with the prince. I will come to pick up Li'er in a few days. Let's go home."
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