"Master, General Xiao has arrived."
"Oh, please come in quickly." Nan Yi smiled and said that the Fourth Master said he would help solve Xiao Xi's problem. After returning, she was busy dealing with the troubles in the mansion and had no time to pay attention to Xiao Xi.
She went to the door to greet him. Xiao Xi came in and plopped down next to her. "You've made up with Fourth Master."
Nan smiled, her words carrying a double meaning, "Perhaps."
“Good is good, bad is bad. What do you mean by ‘maybe’? You, Fourth Master has treated you quite well, but you’re still not satisfied.” Xiao Xi said irritably, unlike Luo Heng.
Xiao Xi looked gloomy, his brows furrowed with sorrow, and a layer of worry enveloped him. With the Fourth Master's intervention, Luo Heng's plan to take a concubine was dropped, and Li Wan'er ran away. Luo Heng seemed to have lost his soul, drinking all day long and calling out Li Wan'er's name in his dreams. He was truly heartbroken.
Nan Yi frowned as she looked at her and asked, "Does Luo Heng insist on taking a concubine?"
Xiao Xi snorted coldly, "Li Wan'er ran away, and he was heartbroken. He drinks every day without any harm to his health, but it makes my liver hurt." Then he sighed, "He wasn't this sincere when he proposed to me."
Luo Heng's attitude made her very upset.
“Nan Yi, what’s so good about Li Wan’er? Luo Heng redeemed her, and as soon as she was free, she turned around and swindled money from A Heng and disappeared. I don’t understand why anyone would want to be with such a bad woman.”
Xiao Xi was indignant, and the resentment in her heart made her face slightly distorted.
When Nan heard her complaints, he couldn't help but think of a modern saying: "Women don't love men who aren't a little bad." This saying actually applies to women as well.
The skills that courtesans learn are all about pleasing men, and Xiao Xi is a tomboy with a rough and unrefined air.
Such an extraordinary woman requires a husband with a broad and tolerant heart. Luo Heng may be outstanding in the eyes of ordinary people, but his heart is not big enough to accommodate an outlier like Xiao Xi.
Nan Yi seemed to be deep in thought. "Xi Xi, have you ever thought about giving up your career and focusing on being a wife and mother at home?"
"Ah, I never thought of that. I don't want to go home and stay at home all day teaching the children to embroider. No way, no way, that would be worse than killing me." Xiao Xi waved his hands repeatedly, trying to avoid the situation.
Nan Yi mentioned it briefly, and Xiao Xi's reaction was so strong. It's hard to have it all in life. As a man of this era, Luo Heng was right.
In the eyes of the world, Xiao Xi was the one who was wrong.
"If you had to choose between family and career, which would you choose?" Nan asked.
"This..." Xiao Xi asked, puzzled, "Is there any conflict between these two things?"
"Of course there are." Nan Yi sighed softly. In her previous life, she grew up in a temple, where all her fellow monks were young and old. Her master was also an old monk. She grew up among monks until she was sixteen, and was still unfamiliar with worldly affairs.
Xiao Xi's experience was not much better than hers. When she was a teenager, her parents passed away and she was raised by her older brother. Later, by a twist of fate, she entered Shuntian Prefecture and spent her days with a group of men. Being a constable suited her interests, and Yinzhen (the Yongzheng Emperor) began to value her. Naturally, Xiao Xi could not give up her career.
“Xixi, Luo Heng wants a virtuous wife and loving mother, which you can’t do. Not only can you not do it, but you also want to pursue a career in politics, with a brighter future than Luo Heng. Think about it, the conflict between you is huge.” Nan Yi carefully analyzed for her.
"Think it over carefully. If you can't choose between these two options, you might be able to stop Luo Heng from taking a concubine once, but you might not be able to stop him a second time."
Nan Yi's words deeply moved Xiao Xi. Ever since she became a constable and was transferred to the army by the Fourth Master, she had never thought of leaving the army, as she loved life in the army.
Xiao Xi was reluctant to let Luo Heng take a concubine, but after thinking it over, she could barely accept it compared to divorce.
Xiao Xi felt very sad. Her mother had suffered from the mistresses of concubines and died in depression. Now, it was her turn. Although she wouldn't suffer from the mistresses of concubines, she would still feel uncomfortable.
Xiao Xi returned home dejectedly, and because of what happened with Luo Heng, she had no heart to tidy up the yard.
Thinking of the people inside the house, Xiao Xi turned around and sat down in the courtyard.
Sometimes, she actually thought that it would be better to just get a divorce. She was unwilling, but she forced herself to accept things she shouldn't have accepted.
"You're back." Luo Heng walked over slowly, placing the wine bottle in his hand on the table.
Xiao Xi hummed in agreement, his gaze falling on the wine on the table. He frowned and murmured, "You care about her that much?"
Luo Heng shook his head and sighed, "How could that be? What's there to care about a heartless woman? What I care about is the child in her womb. I'm the only one left in the Luo family. When my parents were alive, they always hoped I would have more children to carry on the family line. Now I'm twenty-six. Others my age already have grown children, but me? Heh..."
After saying that, he picked up the bottle and gulped down the liquor.
Ultimately, it was her fault for not bearing a son or daughter for the Luo family. Xiao Xi couldn't help but smile bitterly. She wanted to have children, but the two of them spent most of their time in the military camp, living apart from each other more often than not. How could they have children?
She seems unable to give birth to so many children.
Although Ah Heng didn't say it directly, his words were full of resentment.
Luo Heng took out a letter of divorce from his sleeve and placed it on the table. "Xi'er, I'm sorry. You have such great skills. If I continue to delay you, I will never have peace of mind. Our fate is ultimately shallow."
After he finished speaking, he staggered into the house, clutching the wine bottle, leaving Xiao Xi standing there blankly, holding the divorce papers.
Nan Yi was talking to Yinzhen about Xiao Xi.
"You said you would send someone to solve Xixi's problem, and she came today, but I feel like she's in an even more difficult situation."
"I can't be wrong about Luo Heng. Xiao Xi is making a mountain out of a molehill and has ended up in a dilemma. You should advise Xiao Xi not to be so fixated on such trivial matters."
Xiao Xi is of great use to him, and it would be a real shame if he were to be burdened by family matters.
"What advice are you giving me? I can't even persuade her to agree to Luo Heng taking a concubine myself, so why should I ask others to? Don't give me bad advice." Nan Yi rolled her eyes at him and said with dissatisfaction.
Yinzhen raised an eyebrow. "Even Yi'er can't do that?"
He took her hand and gently touched it to his lips. "Yi'er, let Xiao Xi's matter take its natural course. If you interfere too much, it will only make things more complicated. Let her handle it herself. If she can't even handle her own family affairs, then I have to question her abilities."
Is that so? Nan Yi suddenly found himself in a difficult situation.
"Just wait and see. Let's not talk about this anymore. My mother has sent word that the Fujin will take you to the palace for a talk. You need to get up early tomorrow to prepare."
"Ah, she summoned me again, and I..."
"Hmm~" Yinzhen made a nasal sound and glared at her gently.
Nan Yi hesitated for a second, then her courage returned. "I mean, Consort De, what does she want to see us for? The Fujin and the others can handle the conversation. I'm not going."
She got tired of being sidelined too many times; the conversations were always the same few sentences, bland and tasteless, and even her ears got bored.
"You dare to defy your mother's decree," Yinzhen said softly, pulling her close. "You don't go there often, it's just a short visit, it'll only take half a morning. I'll pick you up from the palace later."
"We can't not go."
"I have to go."
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