pray for luck
Pang Linqiu felt a surge of sympathy upon seeing the woman's face. She looked around helplessly, unsure what to do. Calming herself down, she focused her concerned gaze on the woman. "I..."
Lu Yue also turned around, cupped his hands, and said respectfully, "Madam, this is a family matter of mine. I hope you will not interfere."
Pang Linqiu's gaze shifted to him, instantly filled with disgust, and her tone turned icy: "What can you do if I insist on interfering today?"
Lu Yue glanced at Peng Xuan'an sitting next to her, gritted his teeth and dared not refute, and smiled bitterly, "How dare I do that to Madam?"
"Please, madam, save me..." the woman cried out. No matter what kind of place she was in, or how embarrassing it was, she only wanted a way to survive.
Lu Yue tried to pull her over and cover her mouth, but after seeing Pang Linqiu's sharp eyes, he calmed down.
The yamen was filled with mournful weeping.
The woman stopped crying, glanced at Lu Yue fearfully, and pressed her hand to her heaving chest to suppress her sobs: "Madam, even if I am beaten to death by my husband's family or him... he only needs to serve a few years in prison, and when he comes out, he will still be as dashing as ever and marry a new wife. Madam... Madam, I really don't want to die... really... I don't want to..." She clenched her fists so tightly that her nails almost dug into her flesh.
"Lu Yue!" Pang Linqiu was filled with murderous intent. She grabbed a porcelain cup from the table and smashed it at him. Whether she was trying to intimidate him or just threw it off course, the cup grazed Lu Yue's face.
"Clang—" The porcelain shattered with a crisp sound, and tea spilled all over the floor.
Lu Yue trembled all over, not knowing what he had done to offend her, and hurriedly kowtowed, "Your humble servant is here!"
Her eyebrows furrowed, clearly displeased: "Your wife is a human being too, how can you treat her like this?" Recalling the woman's words, she felt a surge of anger.
"Madam, now that she has married me, she is mine, and I have my reasons for how to deal with her."
Irony, truly ironic, marrying someone equals being a thing.
These words infuriated Pang Linqiu. "How dare you!" she shouted.
Peng Xuan'an had never seen her so angry. He got up, walked behind her, rubbed her shoulders, and gently coaxed her, "Madam, don't get angry and hurt yourself."
Mrs. Lu trembled, her voice choked with grief, "Madam, I beg you... I beg you..."
"I'm only twenty-eight now. If I don't escape... I'll die at his hands sooner or later!"
Each tearful plea tugged at her heartstrings; she felt pity, heartache, and hatred for Lu Yue. She bit her lower lip, the anger within her burning fiercely at the woman's pleas.
"She's a person! Not some thing you're talking about!"
Peng Xuan'an released her shoulder, his face dark. He hadn't even had a chance to fully grasp what Lu Yue had just said when Pang Linqiu brought up the key point. He was also displeased, and touched his waist, realizing he'd forgotten his sword.
"Madam, please calm down!" Lu Yue hurriedly tried to persuade her. "I was wrong! I was wrong! Please forgive me, Madam!" The atmosphere around them instantly became oppressive. He looked up at Peng Xuan'an and immediately sensed something was wrong.
Peng Xuan'an, his face dark, coldly called out, "Someone come here!"
When Pang Linqiu changed her tone, she said gently, "Madam, there's no need to waste words on such a person. Just kill him."
He then ordered the soldiers standing nearby, "This man is insubordinate and disrespectful to his superiors. Drag him out and beat him to death!"
Lu Yue was terrified. "My lord! My lord! I was wrong! I shouldn't have offended Madam. I deserve to die..." He was lifted up by two guards.
Madam Lu's eyes widened, and she hurriedly looked up at Pang Linqiu, then quickly looked in Lu Yue's direction and then at her, saying, "Madam! Madam!"
"Wait a minute," Pang Linqiu called out to them, seeing that she had something to say.
"Madam! He... he doesn't deserve this crime. I... I just want to leave him... leave..."
She sighed helplessly, but chose to respect the rules. She glanced lightly at the county magistrate sitting there, sweat beading on his forehead. "County magistrate, shouldn't you set an example?"
The county magistrate panicked, wiping the sweat from his brow with a stiff, ingratiating smile, but he didn't understand her meaning: "Madam is right." Her gaze was as deadly as a venomous snake, and with the tiger-like Peng Xuan'an in charge, how could he dare to utter a single word of dissent?
Turning to Lu Yue, his expression stern, he slammed his hand on the table and stood up, "How dare you, Lu Yue! You are disrespectful and lack manners, speaking so arrogantly and disrespectfully..."
“The county magistrate need not say more, just draft a divorce agreement, and his—” She turned her gaze, frowned, and looked at him disdainfully: “There’s no rush to take his life.”
"Madam is kind-hearted, I will draft it immediately." Upon receiving the instruction, the county magistrate hurriedly picked up paper and pen and quickly wrote down the divorce agreement.
Peng Xuan'an continued to pound her shoulder. Pang Linqiu, annoyed by the pounding, waved her hand and told him to get lost.
The divorce papers were quickly drafted, and the county magistrate took them and walked up to Lu Yue. "Let him go," he said, dismissing the guards holding Lu Yue. He then laid the papers on the ground, and Lu Yue bent down to read them.
The county magistrate handed over the pen, saying, "Lu Yue, sign here."
Lu Yue was illiterate, but he knew that if he signed the document, he would lose his "wife." He hesitated, ink dripping from his pen, and glanced at Pang Linqiu a few times, daring not to speak out in anger.
"Twenty-five taels," Pang Linqiu said.
Everyone was stunned, and all eyes turned to Pang Linqiu.
She said coldly, "Twenty-five taels of silver, to sever all ties between you. How about it?"
Lu Yue hesitated, at a loss, stroking his chin as he pondered how to answer.
"Fifty taels, and the indenture and my daughter are all mine." She raised the price again.
Upon hearing the price of fifty taels of silver, Lu Yue's eyes lit up instantly. His greed was blinding, and he didn't hesitate for a moment. He immediately wrote the single character "Lu" on the divorce papers.
With a grin, he presented the divorce papers with both hands. "Madam, I have signed them. I wonder... when..." he said obsequiously.
The magistrate picked up the divorce papers and presented them to her. She glanced at them a few times, and after confirming they were correct, she said, "I'll give them to you once I get the indenture."
She knelt down, her gaze softening with tenderness as she looked at the woman before her, and reached out to help her up.
"Madam!" the lady called out to her, "My body is dirty... I mustn't soil your hands, Madam."
Pang Linqiu was taken aback, then glanced at her posture. Why wasn't she kneeling? Why was she lying face down? Had she been tortured? The more she thought about it, the more worried she became.
"What’s wrong with you……"
"I... I can just lie on the ground, but you are too kind, Madam... don't get your hands dirty." She raised her face, a tender smile on her dirty face, tears welling up in her eyes for some reason, as if she had difficulty speaking. "I... one of my legs... was broken by him, but it's nothing." She tried to appear strong.
Pang Linqiu felt even more heartbroken after hearing this, her almond-shaped eyes welling up with tears. She didn't know why she felt inexplicably sad and wanted to cry. Was it the woman in front of her? Or was it because she was a woman herself, and felt compassion for her suffering?
"Someone, help this woman into the inn and fetch a doctor," Peng Xuan'an ordered.
"Yes." The two soldiers adjusted the woman's position, one immobilizing her injured leg and the other supporting her torso as they carried her out.
Pang Linqiu stood up, still reeling from the shock of grief. Why was it like this? She didn't understand.
Peng Xuan'an placed his hands on her shoulders and patted her, "Madam, don't worry too much, it will be alright."
And so the matter ended. As dusk fell, the crowd dispersed, and the neighbors all began to talk about the day's events. Especially the Minister's wife and Minister himself, who were notorious for meddling in other people's affairs and forcing a couple apart…
Inside the inn.
The woman lay on the bed, with Pang Linqiu sitting beside her, tidying the bedding. Seeing Pang Linqiu's caring and attentive manner, the woman smiled, "Madam... thank you."
Pang Linqiu smiled politely and replied, "You're welcome. Are you feeling better now?"
The doctor was explaining things to Peng Xuan'an, "Sir, this woman's injuries are quite severe. Even if she recovers, she will be crippled for the rest of her life..."
"Oh, by the way, sister, what's your name?" Pang Linqiu asked curiously.
The woman was startled, then gave a wry smile: "Madam, I dare not accept being called 'elder sister'... I hope you..."
"You're only seven years older than me, so it's only right that I call you 'older sister.' You don't need to refuse; it's fate that we met."
The woman was flattered and surprised, "Madam, this is truly wonderful..."
"What is your name, sister?"
“I…” She paused, shook her head weakly, and said, “I can’t remember… It’s been ten years… They all call me Madam Lu, I… I don’t remember what my name is.” She looked straight at her, “Madam, call me whatever you want. You saved my life, and I will do anything for you without complaint.”
Peng Xuan'an approached quietly, stood behind Pang Linqiu, and calmly glanced at the woman: "I'll have someone take care of you during this time."
"Thank you very much, Your Excellency!"
"Um."
Peng Xuan'an nodded in agreement, then looked at Pang Linqiu sitting on the stool, "Madam."
"Um?"
The woman smiled kindly, looked at the two standing so close together, and then at their faces, sighing, "They truly are a perfect match..."
Pang Linqiu was stunned for a moment, staring blankly at the woman.
"Madam, you and the master are truly a match made in heaven. You must be very loving and happy."
Pang Linqiu's face darkened, and she forced a smile, changing the subject: "Sister, how about I call you Qixing from now on?"
The woman sensed something, her smile fading as she realized she had said something she shouldn't have. She nodded helplessly, "If Madam is pleased, then so be it."
Peng Xuan'an saw it all, but didn't know what to say... He just felt like he couldn't breathe.
"Madam, I'll go back to my room to wash up now." Peng Xuan'an had no choice but to leave.
After Peng Xuan'an had completely left, Qi Xing looked at Pang Linqiu and sighed with a helpless smile: "Madam, you don't like him, right?"
"..." She lowered her head and remained silent.
“I know all…” she sighed again, looking at the stars outside the window, and said, “Some people are lucky, marrying a good husband and living a happy life. Others are unlucky, marrying the wrong person and living a miserable life. Madam, this world is so unfair, so unjust to women…”
She looked up at her, "Sister Qixing, what do you mean by this...?"
Her gaze returned to her. "Madam... tell me, when will women in this world be able to choose for themselves? To choose their own partners, instead of arranged marriages by parents and matchmakers, buying and selling wives, or forcibly taking wives..."
"If all women in the world had the right to choose, then women would not end up in such a miserable state."
Her words touched Pang Linqiu, who realized that in this world, women have no right to choose their partners.
“Madam, I know that you may have married someone you don’t love because of your parents, but… Lord Peng is a very good person, and you will definitely be happy; it’s just a matter of time.”
"Sister Qixing... Linqiu knows... but..." She couldn't bring herself to say it, only shaking her head and forcing a bitter smile, "It's nothing, perhaps it's just not enough time..."
She ultimately attributed it to a lack of time...
"The hatred in your eyes can't be hidden..."
Pang Linqiu remained silent, then stood up: "It's getting late, Sister Qixing should rest too."
She left in a hurry, closed the door, and returned to her room.
Inside the room, Peng Xuan'an stood alone by the window, gazing at the scene outside that seemed both lively and not. Only the thin, silvery light shone on his face, revealing a hint of melancholy.
He turned his head at the sound of her voice, a gentle smile on his face: "Madam, have you decided where to go tomorrow?"
Pang Linqiu remained silent for a moment, then closed the door. She walked up to him, her hand resting on her chest, and lowered her eyes, contemplating how to begin.
Peng Xuan'an patted her head. "Madam, is something on your mind?"
“Xuan An…”
"Hmm?" The response was immediate.
She apologized, "I... I don't want to go sightseeing anymore. I need to take care of some business here. I'm sorry... I can't stay with you any longer..."
Peng Xuan'an looked at her and fell silent. She rarely broke her word, and her current frankness suggested that something bad had happened.
"What matter?" he asked, slightly disappointed.
She moved her eyes slightly. "It's some business. You should go back to the capital first." She didn't want to delay his court sessions. "I'm unlikely to return to the capital these days, and it's probably too late to go back now."
"..." He took a deep breath, then sighed, full of helplessness and despair, "Fine..." He was a little angry, he had promised... but he couldn't do it.
"You should take care of your business first; we can discuss the trip later..."
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