Chapter 72 Divorce: "It turns out it was nothing more than a grand facade..."
The strange smell in the Buddhist hall lingered and never dissipated, like stubborn threads that seeped into the nasal cavity, thick and sticky, subtly stimulating one's nerves.
Meng Lingyao and Xie Chengyu were juniors, so they sat in a corner, and with fragrant pills in their mouths, they were much better off.
Xie Chengyu had already realized what was happening. He turned his head to look at Meng Lingyao, and their eyes met. Meng Lingyao returned a calm look, and Xie Chengyu understood and looked away.
The two ladies sitting next to Aunt Sun frowned more and more deeply, exchanged a puzzled look, and quietly covered their mouths and noses with handkerchiefs, but due to the occasion, they did not speak.
The smell quietly spread and condensed in the quiet, sultry air, growing stronger and more pungent, making one's throat tighten.
Aunt Sun felt the futon beneath her growing hotter and hotter for some reason. Her chest felt tight, and a pungent, spicy smell assaulted her senses, causing waves of inexplicable irritation. Beads of sweat gathered on her forehead and slid down her temples, and her breathing became rapid.
She tried to suppress her discomfort and maintain her composure, but her face was already turning pale. She instinctively straightened her back, attempting to avoid the discomfort below, her fingertips digging into the hem of her clothes, filled with irritation.
Just then—
"Sizzle—"
A clear tearing sound rang out, particularly jarring in the silent Buddhist hall.
Everyone was startled awake, and their eyes all focused on each other!
Aunt Sun sat frozen in place, her face drained of color in an instant, and her brand-new light gauze dress was torn open at the waist with a tear about an inch long.
The bright pomegranate red petticoat was instantly exposed, standing out starkly against the deep blue brick floor.
Accompanied by the sound of tearing silk, a strange odor, several times stronger and clearer than before, suddenly surged out from between her clothes—
"Ah!" Aunt Sun exclaimed briefly, feeling both ashamed and frightened.
She instinctively covered the wound on her body, trembling violently. Her dazed gaze swept over the horrified and contemptuous faces around her, finally settling on Madam Cui, who was not far from her. Her remaining rationality was instantly consumed by immense humiliation and resentment.
Without a second thought, her sharp voice, like a knife, was directed at Madam Cui.
"Zhuo! You, you vile woman! What have you done to me? You must have tampered with me, you poisonous woman! You have a vicious heart, no wonder you have no children, you can't even lay an egg!"
Aunt Sun staggered to her feet, and in her anger, she disregarded her status and the occasion, lunging directly at Madam Cui.
Everyone was taken aback. Madam Cui remained motionless, not even her eyelashes trembling slightly, silently watching her rush towards them, watching her raised hand fall with a sharp gust of wind—
"Smack!"
A resounding slap echoed in the Buddhist hall.
A bright red finger mark instantly appeared on Madam Cui's fair cheek. She tilted her head slightly, a few strands of her black hair slipping down, before slowly turning back to meet Aunt Sun's fiery eyes.
Those eyes remained clear, their gaze eerily calm, as if they weren't the ones being beaten.
The servants, as if waking from a dream, cried out and rushed forward, tearing the struggling concubine apart. Concubine Sun continued kicking and screaming, "Let go! Let me go! I'll tear her apart today!"
Witnessing this scene, Madam Cui was both shocked and furious. She clenched her prayer beads tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force.
She had always valued her family's reputation and honor above all else, yet today she had caused such a disgraceful incident in front of all the guests. Her expression only darkened slightly before turning into one of utter shock and grief.
"Stop! All of you, stop!" She stepped forward gracefully, her brows furrowed, her gaze sweeping over Aunt Sun with icy coldness. "This is a sacred Buddhist sanctuary; how dare you act so wildly and recklessly! This... this is truly a disgrace to our family!"
"You insolent fool!" Cui Wulang followed closely behind, his face dark and his eyes quickly sweeping over Madam Cui Wu. He immediately stood up and grabbed Aunt Sun, "Madam Sun! Have you lost your mind? How dare you be so disrespectful! Quickly apologize to Madam!"
He spoke harsh words, but his actions protected Aunt Sun, blocking everyone's view.
Everyone present had sharp eyes; how could they not understand his bias?
"Enough!"
A voice, tinged with suppressed anger, rang out from the crowd. All eyes turned to Madam Feng, the aunt of Madam Cui Wu, who had risen steadily.
"Fifth Brother, what did you say when you came to my Zhuo family to ask for my hand in marriage? You promised to treat me with utmost respect and courtesy... If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes today, how could I believe that you would allow your concubine to publicly insult your wife and even physically assault her? With such behavior, do you still remember the family rules of our ancestors? Do you have even a shred of propriety and shame?"
Cui Wulang blushed deeply at these words and stammered, "Aunt is right, but..."
“Aunt? I don’t deserve to be called that.” Madam Feng interrupted him. “Where does that leave the principal wife? Where does it leave the reputation of the Cui family, as a concubine?”
Madam Cui quickly reassured him, "Auntie, please calm down. What happened today was Wulang's fault. I will have him go to the ancestral hall to reflect on his mistakes. As for this concubine, we will definitely discipline her in the future."
"Madam Cui, you don't need to put on airs here."
Madam Feng sneered, "You keep talking about propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame, but in reality, you indulge the younger generation in favoring concubines and neglecting wives, showing no regard for rules or etiquette. As an elder, you outwardly maintain a dignified demeanor, but behind the scenes, you allow your wife to be humiliated and turn a blind eye. Is this how the Cui family behaves?"
Having lived a life of luxury for many years, Madam Cui had never heard such a blatant question before, and a crack appeared in her carefully maintained mask. She took a deep breath and forced a smile onto her face.
"Madam, you flatter me." Her voice grew even softer, and she sighed gently, her eyes even glistening with tears. "Wu Lang is a junior, and I neglected to discipline him for a moment; it was my oversight as his aunt. As for Madam Sun... she committed such an unseemly and unforgivable act; how could I let her off lightly? She must be severely punished..."
She paused briefly, then turned her gaze to Madam Cui, her eyes instantly filled with heartache. "Give my poor child an explanation."
Would Madam Feng be fooled by such hypocrisy?
She scoffed, "'Neglecting discipline'? More like deliberately indulging her! If you and your niece hadn't colluded and tacitly allowed that vile woman to overstep her bounds, how dare she be so arrogant today? Your Cui family has always prided itself on being a scholarly family, with generations of officials, yet you allow your lawfully wedded wife to suffer so much grievance. Such a family, such family values, are truly despicable!"
Madam Feng's words were sharp, and Madam Cui felt as if her heart was being pierced. She clenched her fists tightly to maintain the look of pain on her face.
The hall was filled with guests, whose usual obsequious smiles now gleamed with various expressions: astonishment, disdain, schadenfreude... Countless gazes converged, like invisible whips lashing at the "decency" she cherished most.
She swayed slightly, filled with shame and indignation.
Madam Feng stopped looking at her, turned to her niece, and gently patted her shoulder, saying, "My child, you have suffered all these years."
Madam Cui's eyes welled up with tears. All the grievances, forbearance, and resentment she had endured over the years, all the moments of swallowing her pride and bitterness, surged into her heart at this moment.
“Aunt,” she gritted her teeth, looking disheveled, but with an unprecedented determination in her eyes, “I want a divorce.”
These words shocked everyone in the room. Cui Wulang's face changed drastically, and he hurriedly stepped forward, saying, "Madam, you mustn't!"
Madam Cui's expression changed drastically.
Divorce?
If this actually happens, once this farce gets out, her reputation, which she has painstakingly built up over half a lifetime, will likely be ruined.
She forced herself to calm down, took a few steps forward, and subtly separated herself from Cui Wulang. She then naturally took Cui Wu's cold hand and said, "Good child, your aunt knows you have been wronged today."
At this moment, her voice was so soft it was almost dripping with water, and her eyes held just the right amount of moisture, "With so many people watching, why make things so embarrassing? Don't act impulsively, your aunt will definitely give you an explanation."
Madam Cui pursed her lips, withdrew her hand, and remained silent.
When gentle persuasion failed, Madam Cui changed her tone slightly, "Silly child, think about it carefully."
Her voice lowered even further, "Your younger sister is still unmarried. If you, as the elder sister, insist on making a scene today and cause a huge uproar, what will outsiders think of the Zhuo family's daughter? 'Disrespectful to her husband's family' 'Unfaithful to her husband's virtue'... Once these rumors spread, your younger sister's future will be ruined..."
This stab struck at Madam Cui's weak spot.
A flicker of hesitation crossed her eyes; after all, she was her only younger sister, whom she had doted on since childhood.
Hesitation also appeared in Madam Feng's eyes.
While it's important to support my niece, I can't ignore my youngest daughter either.
As the two sides reached a stalemate, a clear and calm voice pierced through the stagnant air.
"Madam Cui, please forgive my daughter for disagreeing with your statement." Meng Lingyao slowly stood up, her expression composed. "Divorce is permitted by law, so why can't it be?"
"Back when His Majesty was still a prince, he allowed his soldiers to divorce. This action not only went unchallenged but was praised by the court and the public as a benevolent act. Now that the Fifth Consort is requesting a divorce, it is perfectly reasonable. Does Madam Cui think that His Majesty's actions back then were also inappropriate?"
Madam Cui vaguely sensed that something was amiss with what happened today. Unexpected events came one after another, leaving her overwhelmed and unable to think things through.
His gaze toward Meng Lingyao grew increasingly hostile. "Miss Meng, you are so young and do not yet understand the ways of the world. Marriage is a major event, involving social status and reputation. How can it be explained in just a few words of law on paper?"
"For an unmarried young woman to constantly talk about 'divorce'—is this something a young lady should be saying? Wouldn't that invite gossip, damage her reputation, and be utterly improper? Your elders..."
She gently shook her head, leaving it at that, leaving endless room for imagination.
Meng Lingyao was not annoyed at all, and a smile appeared on her lips. "Modesty? Madam Cui knows about modesty, and she can't even stand divorce, yet she can tolerate her favorite concubine overstepping her bounds? The mistress is humiliated for no reason and goes unpunished."
“I’ve always heard that Madam Cui is very particular about rules,” she said, staring intently at the noblewoman before her, deliberately mimicking her earlier gesture as she shook her head. “But it turns out that it’s all just a grand facade, used to instruct others. In reality, the aunt and niece are both muddleheaded, utterly devoid of propriety, righteousness, and shame, and have no reverence for gods or Buddhas.”
Every sentence is piercing to the heart, every word draws blood.
Madam Cui swayed almost imperceptibly, her face drained of color, turning pale and bluish-white, and her hands clenched tightly in her sleeves, her nails almost digging into her flesh.
The expressions on the faces of those present varied. Outwardly, everyone treated Madam Cui with utmost respect, but who didn't harbor their own ulterior motives?
While she usually appears to be the center of attention and enjoys immense fame, there are quite a few who secretly harbor resentment.
Madam Cui has had a smooth and successful life these past few years, managing both her husband's and her own family affairs.
Putting aside others, the people in the Cui clan had already accumulated a lot of resentment, and at this moment, not a single one of them came out to smooth things over for this aunt.
The atmosphere was so tense it was almost suffocating.
A series of hurried footsteps sounded outside the Buddhist hall, and an elderly man with gray hair and beard rushed in. He was the third son of the Cui family elder, who had just arrived from the men's section after hearing the news. Glancing at the mess in the hall and the faces of the people present, he immediately understood what was happening. His anger surged towards Cui Wulang—
"Fifth Brother! I entrusted you with the task of assisting your aunt in managing household affairs, how could you be so dissolute? The Buddhist hall is now a chaotic mess, disgracing the family and bringing shame upon the Cui clan!"
There was nothing inherently wrong with these words; once a family member had reprimanded someone, others would have little room to say anything more. However, just moments before, Meng Lingyao had criticized Madam Cui for being two-faced, and now the clan elder was saying something about "serving her aunt and learning to manage household affairs"...
The implications were clear to everyone present, and their expressions became subtle.
The clan elder sensed the unusual atmosphere and slowly fell silent. He then turned to Madam Cui Wu, his tone softening considerably, "Madam Zhuo, you have suffered an injustice today. There are many people and many matters to attend to, and you are exhausted both physically and mentally. Why don't you go back to your room to rest and recuperate, and let the clan discuss and resolve everything? What do you say?"
Madam Cui shook her head, her attitude remaining firm. "Elder, my mind is made up."
Anger flashed across the elder's eyes. Seeing that she was unyielding, he also felt a little irritated.
Just as he was about to offer further advice, Meng Lingyao spoke up again, "I never knew the Cui family was so strict about social hierarchy. Marrying in is easy, but leaving is incredibly difficult. Does the Cui family think they can defy the laws of the court?"
The elder's face darkened, and he said coldly, "This is a matter for the Cui family, and it's none of the business of outsiders."
Before the words were finished, a gentle breeze suddenly blew in from the half-closed door of the Buddhist hall, bringing with it a refreshing scent of grass and trees that instantly cleansed the stale air inside, leaving one feeling refreshed.
Immediately afterwards, a voice rang out, clear and cold like the striking of jade chimes, "Our dynasty's 'Household and Marriage Law' clearly stipulates that 'if a husband and wife cannot live in harmony and divorce amicably, they will not be punished.'"
Everyone looked towards the door.
Outside the Buddhist hall, a tall figure stood quietly on the steps.
Pei Xu's expression was indifferent. He did not step into the depths of the Buddhist hall filled with women. Instead, he looked at the three elders of the Cui family from a distance that was neither too close nor too far. "What is stipulated by law is a public instrument of the world. All citizens of our dynasty must abide by and uphold it. Why should we distinguish between insiders and outsiders?"
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