Chapter 54 Zhou Zhining is divorced
It took Ma Shi a while to react. She pulled Qing Ling aside and said, suppressing her anger, "Have you lost your mind? How can you say such things?"
"It's just a misunderstanding. You casually mentioned divorce, and if it gets back to the Duke's mansion, you'll regret it."
Yao Qingling shook off her hand, "Aunt, I am perfectly sober."
She looked at Granny Rong and said, "This matter of divorce didn't just happen after my experience at Yongning Temple. I talked to Lord Zhan about it a few days ago."
Now, she doesn't even want to call him "Lord Langjun" anymore, and addresses him directly as "Lord Zhan".
Zhan Xingzhuo felt as if a pillar of fire was shooting into his heart, and his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.
She brought up divorce again.
And they said it in front of so many people, leaving no room for maneuver.
She was serious about asking for a divorce; she wasn't just jealous!
He was already trying to comfort her. The incident at Yongning Temple... it was just an accident. He wasn't a god; how could he have predicted it?
How could she react so strongly, showing no consideration for his difficulties at all!
But he forgot to consider an "if".
If he had a choice at the time, would he have taken Yao Qingling away?
Or, if he informed Yao Qingling before he went down the mountain, and Qingling begged him to stay, would he stay for her sake?
He had never thought about this "what if" before, nor did he think about it now.
He was just thinking that ever since the incident at Yongning Temple, his thoughts had become a jumbled mess.
With Yao Qingling "dead," his life became a complete mess.
He set up a mourning hall for her and summoned her soul. Isn't that enough?
Why does she only remember his bad points—is that bad for her?
At this moment, Zhan Xingzhuo's mind was in turmoil. Apart from being shocked, he didn't know how to react.
At this moment, I'll say firmly, "Let's get a divorce!"
Does it showcase his masculinity?
Should we grant her wish and get a divorce?
No, that can't be!
With such a commotion, and Yao Qingling actually showing up tomorrow, the outside world will definitely say some unpleasant things and point the finger at Zhou Zhining.
Her demanding a divorce at this time is adding insult to injury; Zhou Zhining will be drowned in spittle!
But he can't beg her not to divorce him, can he?
The man's mind was in complete turmoil. He was firmly focused on his reasons for not agreeing to a divorce, but he overlooked the real reason why he felt so confused.
Compared to Zhan Xingzhuo's shock and inability to react, Zhou Zhining was also quite surprised.
Yao Qingling actually asked for a divorce?
What's the difference between a divorce and being a discarded woman? Even if she occupies the moral high ground, she is ultimately just a woman abandoned by a man, and she has also lost the support of the Duke's mansion.
Back to the Marquis of Zhongyong's residence?
The Marquis's mansion, which was already in decline, had only managed to gain some benefits by relying on the Duke's mansion. As an abandoned woman, what good life could she possibly have if she went back? Besides being disliked.
Perhaps... Yao Qingling was abandoned at Yongning Temple and suffered a shock when her life was in danger, so she lost all faith in Zhan Xingzhuo?
Zhou Zhining found it rather strange that Yao Qingling had mentioned divorce to Zhan Xingzhuo privately, but Zhan Xingzhuo hadn't said a word about it in front of her.
There were never any secrets between them.
Zhou Zhining lowered her eyes; it wasn't the right time for her to speak. Under her lowered eyelashes, she glanced at Zhan Xingzhuo out of the corner of her eye.
From her own perspective, she didn't actually want Yao Qingling to divorce.
With her as the middleman, her relationship with Zhan Xingzhuo could be concealed.
She simply didn't want to see Yao Qingling happy and smug; she wanted Zhan Xingzhuo to control her, not to divorce her.
Clearly, the situation is out of control.
The Imperial Censor Cao and his wife looked at each other; as outsiders, they felt it was inappropriate to speak.
There's a saying that it's better to tear down a temple than to break up a marriage.
Who knew the temple would actually burn down, and the couple was getting a divorce.
The Censor's wife wanted to persuade Yao Qingling to calm down, arguing that making a scene was a way to better fight for her own interests and for fairness. But after witnessing Zhan Xingzhuo's evil deeds firsthand, she realized that divorce was actually a relief.
Judging from the attitude of the Marquis of Zhongyong's mansion, where will Yao Qingling go after the divorce?
The atmosphere was eerily quiet; just moments before they were chattering away, but now no one was making a sound.
There was not a sound at all.
The censor's wife was anxiously watching from the side.
Granny Rong put down her teacup and stood up. She stared at Yao Qingling, then turned her cold gaze to Zhou Zhining.
Zhou Zhining turned pale with fright and trembled slightly.
She knew very well what that gaze meant.
Granny Rong told her to kneel down, take full responsibility for the mistake, and beg Yao Qingling to calm down; she also told her to say that she would sever ties with Zhan Xingzhuo and never have anything to do with him again.
Zhou Zhining dug her nails into her palms, and hatred surged into her heart once again.
But she still gave in.
The Duke's Mansion needs Yao Qingling to deal with her; she also needs Yao Qingling to quell the current situation.
Ha, it's just kneeling down, just to stay alive...
It's just kneeling down, it's not like you're going to lose your head.
He just said a few words to calm Yao Qingling down. Zhan Xingzhuo loves her so much that he can't live without her.
Zhou Zhining turned to face Yao Qingling, tears streaming down her face, and knelt down, her knees buckling: "Qingling, it's all my fault. I was too worried and made a mistake, causing a rift between you and Xingzhuo... Please..."
Before he could finish speaking, a servant ignored the gatekeeper's attempts to stop him and arrogantly walked in.
He was holding a child in his arms, who was wailing loudly.
"Mother—" the child stretched out his little hand to Zhou Zhining.
"Xiao'er!" Zhou Zhining panicked upon seeing the child. "Xiao'er!"
She staggered to her feet, hurriedly holding the child, and looked at the servant: "Why is Xiao'er here? Shouldn't he be at the Wang family's house?"
She had wanted to bring her child out of the Wang family home, but too many things had happened recently, and she hadn't found the opportunity yet.
Could it be that the child missed her so much that he cried all day, so they sent the child to her?
The servant was Wang Xuan's trusted confidant. He glanced at Zhou Zhining disdainfully, took out a piece of paper from his pocket, and handed it to her.
Zhou Zhining was puzzled, but when she opened the letter and saw the words written on it, she was struck dumb, her face turning deathly pale.
Her eyes widened in disbelief, and she screamed, "I won't agree!"
"What's the use of you not agreeing?" the servant dismissed her lightly, unimpressed by her anger.
With his hands behind his back and an arrogant expression, he conveyed Wang Xuan's words: "Young Master said that you, as a wife, have not returned home for a long time, which is disobedient to your husband and parents; your scandalous affairs have caused a great uproar in the city, bringing shame to the Censorate; furthermore, you are a remnant of a criminal, and Young Master was deceived by you to marry you. Now he has seen through it, realized his mistake, and therefore decided to divorce you."
The servant looked at Zhou Zhining mockingly: "Zhou, the young master has divorced you." He glanced at Xiao'er, "This child has been with you since birth. Considering the deep bond between you and your child, the Wang family has shown mercy and entrusted the child to you. From now on, you and your child will have no further connection with the Wang family."
Zhou Zhining was so shocked that she took a step back and almost fell.
Zhan Xingzhuo stepped forward to help her up, frowning as he looked at the servant: "Impossible! How dare Wang Xuan divorce his wife!"
As long as Wang Zheng doesn't give the word, Wang Xuan can't divorce his wife even if he has a favored concubine.
The servant bowed respectfully to Zhan Xingzhuo, then bowed to the censor and Granny Rong, before saying to Zhan Xingzhuo, "Dr. Zhan, you've been handling the funeral arrangements at home these past few days. Haven't you heard the discussions in the court?"
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