The Xu family hadn't expected Cai Wenxuan to be so resolute this time. When Madam Xu saw the letter of divorce, she shouted, "That good-for-nothing Cai Wenxuan actually dared to write a letter of divorce! For a slut and two bastards, he actually dared to divorce me!"
Xu had always had a smooth life since childhood. After marrying Cai Wenxuan, she relied on her family's support and acted arrogantly, never suffering any grievances. Now, Cai Wenxuan's letter of divorce was an utter disgrace to her. It not only angered her but also made her feel ashamed to face anyone.
Seeing her daughter's anger, Xu's mother comforted her, "What are you afraid of? Even if he really divorces you, does the Xu family lack a single meal? Besides, with Cai Wenxuan's temperament, he wouldn't dare divorce his wife unless he didn't want to live in Xizhou City anymore!" As she spoke, Xu's mother turned to Xu's father and said, "Don't worry, your father will stand up for you. There's no reason for our Xu family's daughter to be bullied by outsiders, don't you think?"
Mr. Xu didn't respond. While his wife and daughter were thinking about how to control Cai Wenxuan, Mr. Xu's thoughts ran deeper—
The reason he chose Cai Wenxuan, who had no connections, as his son-in-law was twofold: first, he valued Cai's talent and learning; second, Cai came from a poor family and had no foothold in Xizhou City, making him easy to control.
Over the years, Cai Wenxuan's behavior has been just as Xu's father had predicted, always obedient to the Xu family and following their orders. Even though he occasionally disobeyed as his influence in Xizhou City deepened, he generally still respected his father-in-law.
But today, Cai Wenxuan unexpectedly sent a letter of divorce, a decision he had never made before. Combined with his daughter's remark that the Prince of Qin's mistress had mentioned wanting to be Cai Wenxuan's matchmaker, Xu's father understood the situation.
— Cai Wenxuan's ambitions have grown; he is preparing to abandon the Xu family, this small mountain, and instead attach himself to the Qin King, this great mountain.
But how could Xu's father let him have his way?
Not to mention that Xizhou City is only so big, if Cai Wenxuan rises to power with the help of the Prince of Qin, the Xu family will inevitably be suppressed. Take the gold mine in Tata'er Mountain for example. Currently, Cai Wenxuan and the Xu family each own half of it, but if Cai Wenxuan hands over the gold mine to the Prince of Qin as a pledge of loyalty, then the Xu family will have nothing to do with it.
As Xu's father considered Cai Wenxuan's possible next move, his expression shifted between anger and uncertainty.
The gold mine is a lucrative prize, and now that the Xu family has swallowed it, there's no reason for them to give it up.
A hint of ruthlessness appeared on Xu's father's face. He ignored the mother and daughter and got up to go to the study: "Have the eldest and second sons come to the study."
Apart from the third son of the Xu family, the eldest and second sons of the Xu family are all in Xizhou City.
The two entered the study and saw Xu's father standing with his hands behind his back in front of the map of Xizhou. His old but still sharp eyes were fixed on the map, and there was a hint of murderous intent in them.
The two rarely saw their father with such an expression. Xu's eldest son asked, "Father, what is the matter that you summoned us here for?"
“Cai Wenxuan sent a letter of divorce today, as you all know.”
The two brothers naturally knew this. Xu Erlang, being more domineering, said in a rough voice, "Cai Wenxuan is shameless! He actually dares to divorce his wife. I'll go to the governor's mansion and beat him up to avenge my little sister!"
Xu's eldest son was more thoughtful than his younger brother, saying, "Avenging our little sister is secondary. Cai Wenxuan knows everything about that gold mine. If he really intends to divorce her, then the gold mine..."
Mr. Xu nodded and said, "That's exactly why I called you here."
Xu Erlang then realized the problem and asked, "What should we do?"
A fierce look appeared on Xu's father's face, and he sneered, "Cai Wenxuan was unrighteous first, so he can't blame us for being unjust. Now that the Prince of Qin is in the city, if Cai Wenxuan takes the gold mine and surrenders to the Prince of Qin, then the lives of our entire family will be in danger..."
"In that case, we can't let him live."
The two Xu brothers were startled. The eldest Xu brother said, "Father's meaning..."
Xu's father nodded: "It's not advisable to make a move in the city. Find a pretext to invite him to the mine and then make your move, without letting the King of Qin find out."
The two brothers exchanged a glance and said in unison, "Understood."
*
The next day, the Xu brothers indeed arrived at the governor's mansion.
When Cai Wenxuan heard the news, he initially didn't want to see the two, but considering that he hadn't yet secured a position with the Prince of Qin, there was no need to escalate the conflict with the Xu family. Therefore, after a slight hesitation, he invited them in.
When the Xu brothers entered the house and saw him, they indeed brought up the matter of divorcing his wife.
“My younger sister does have a bit of a temper. After you left that day, your sister-in-law and I talked to her. Although she was tough on the outside, she actually regretted it. You two have been married for so many years, you should know that she has always been all bark and no bite.”
Xu Dazui, quick-witted and ready to act as a mediator, said, "It's common for married couples to quarrel, why take it to this point?"
Cai Wenxuan said, "If it were anything else, I could tolerate it, but my elder brother saw it that night. She even dared to harm two children. After they came back, the two children were so frightened that they developed a fever. If it weren't for the doctor watching over them at all times, I'm afraid my Cai family's bloodline would have been cut off! Although they didn't come from her womb, they are still my bloodline. How can I swallow this insult?"
Xu Jia Dalang used a conciliatory approach, so Cai Wenxuan naturally wouldn't confront him head-on, and could only complain bitterly.
The two went back and forth, neither able to convince the other.
Finally, Xu's eldest son sighed helplessly and said, "Since you've made up your mind, I can't force you. But yesterday, Father told me that marriage is a union between two families. Now that my younger sister is at fault, we can understand if you want to divorce her. However, it's not a good thing to say this out loud. It's better to just get a divorce directly and tell everyone that you two are incompatible. In the future, your marriages will not affect each other. Father and Mother will still treat you as their son. Even though you and my younger sister are divorcing, don't become estranged from us."
His words surprised Cai Wenxuan, but upon closer examination, they made sense.
The two were now tied to a gold mine; if the Xu family didn't want to fall out with him directly, they would inevitably have to come and beg for peace.
However, Cai Wenxuan already had his sights set on marrying into a better family, so he naturally didn't take the Xu family's words to heart. But he always believed in the principle of leaving a way out for others so that they could meet again in the future, so he went along with what the eldest son of the Xu family said and said, "Of course, of course."
Upon hearing this, the Xu brothers did not mention divorcing his wife again. Instead, they brought out the two jars of fine wine they had brought and drank a few cups with him.
After several rounds of drinks, the Xu brothers took their leave. As Cai Wenxuan saw them off, the eldest Xu brother casually remarked as if he had just remembered something, "The matter at the mine hasn't been resolved yet. I'm worried that if my third brother suppresses it too harshly, the soldiers might cause trouble. If you have some free time these next few days, it would be best if you went there. In my opinion, with the Prince of Qin in the city right now, it's best not to make too much of a fuss."
His idea coincided with Cai Wenxuan's, and Cai Wenxuan immediately agreed: "I think the same as my elder brother, and I will go there in the next two days."
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