Chapter 55 Leaving and Leaving Book Can Be Given to You
"You deliberately tricked me into having Uncle Zhou beat the drum to report the case, drawing the public's attention and involvement. Your investigation yielded no results, and my appearance at the Ministry of Justice that day was a perfect opportunity for you. You used me to escalate the case, and then, step by step according to your pre-planned plan, you ultimately achieved your goal."
Lu Tingwan spoke every word with such sincerity that he almost wanted to tear the person in front of him apart: "Is it or is it not? Answer me!"
The snow outside the house drifted into the corridor. Han Zhou listened to the questioning voices from inside the house in the heavy snow, and finally shook his head as if he was indifferent.
Cheng Xianzhi, who had been sitting upright, tilted his head slightly, placed the book on his lap back on the desk, and replied calmly, "Since you already have the answer, why are you still asking me?"
"Hahaha..." Lu Tingwan folded his arms and laughed out loud. The sad laughter passed by the beams and drifted away with the wind and snow.
"I thought you would be different. I swore to the emperor in front of him that you would not be a person who would bend the law for personal gain." Lu Tingwan had no place to vent his anger. He felt so depressed that his heart ached. His breathing was rapid and erratic, and he twitched unconsciously when he spoke.
"When I learned that the Queen Mother was trying to frame you, I painstakingly set up a scheme to gather witnesses so I could have your case cleared before the Dali Temple. You could have told me, but why did you resort to such tactics to use me?"
"Use? Do you think it's exploitation?" Cheng Xianzhi's expression remained unchanged, even a little contemptuous.
"Isn't it?"
"Lu Tingwan," Cheng Xianzhi stood up, walked away from the desk, and reminded her, "Don't forget our initial agreement."
"My goal is to get the position of Shangshu, but the agreement doesn't say that we can't use each other. Didn't you use me?" Cheng Xianzhi asked back.
Lu Tingwan's emotions collapsed, his thoughts dragged away: "How did I use you?"
"I will sit in Zhichunli for you and use my name to open up trade routes for you. We will both get what we need."
"Didn't Lu Mingqian teach you this?"
Lu Tingwan took a few steps back. It seemed that a cold demon lived inside the body of the gentle young man in front of her.
"Struggles in the officialdom, competition for interests, everyone uses their own means to compete with each other, winning or losing doesn't matter, the winner is the king and the loser is the bandit, this is the way to survive." The cold temperament and handsome appearance made him speak in cold words that did not match his appearance.
It was at this moment that Lu Tingwan seemed to realize that she didn't understand him at all, but he could see through her.
She wanted to negotiate with him and work out terms, and only if he was willing to have fun with her would she have the opportunity to come to an agreement with him.
Another burst of sneers filled the study.
Lu Tingwan could no longer control his emotions and used the cabinet to support his emaciated body.
"Why do you high-ranking people have to gamble with other people's lives in your struggle? Just because others are of low status, they deserve to be toyed with and applauded by you people. Cheng Xianzhi, what is the difference between you and the queen mother?" Lu Tingwan shouted at the top of his lungs, grabbed an ornament and threw it at Cheng Xianzhi.
The ornament was aimed at his face, but he caught it easily.
"There is no difference." Cheng Xianzhi said slowly, playing with the ornament in his hand.
"Not only me, your father, your elder sister, but even your beloved Mr. Luo, are all the same."
"Luo Yunchu?" Lu Tingwan was confused by the name. "What do you mean?"
Cheng Xianzhi laughed at her naiveté and said, "Do you want to guess whether Luo Yunchu knows your identity, or how he got the position of the Chamber of Commerce President?"
Lu Tingwan's brain was shaking violently, as if struck by thunder. She was unwilling to believe that Luo Yunchu was involved in these ugly and dirty things.
She lost her last line of defense after being defeated time and time again by Cheng Xianzhi, and cried out helplessly, "I want a divorce!"
"I want a divorce!"
Seeing that she had lost her mind, Cheng Xianzhi turned his back and stood in the dim light. A trace of difficulty flashed across his face and he said in a deep voice, "Okay."
After Lu Tingwan got the answer, she was about to take out the divorce papers she had prepared in advance, but the man spoke again: "But not now."
Lu Tingwan fell to the bottom again. She scolded, "Cheng Xianzhi, what do you mean?"
"I can give you the divorce agreement, but I'll have to sign it for you when I return from the Secretariat in two days."
Lu Tingwan couldn't see his face, only his back was solemn, like a green pine standing under the moonlight.
The wind and snow shake the window, and the frustrated people have no place to return.
He had agreed during the day that they would sign the contract tonight, but tonight he put it off again. Lu Tingwan was driven crazy and she just wanted to leave this bloodthirsty hell immediately.
"I have broken my promise to the Queen Mother, my father has no pity on me, and I am of no use to you. Why are you unwilling to return my freedom? Cheng Xianzhi, if you won't sign the divorce agreement, then I will sign the divorce agreement."
"In two days, I'll give you a divorce letter or a divorce letter, it's up to you."
Cheng Xianzhi turned around and saw Lu Tingwan looking grim. The oil lamp was becoming increasingly dim and yellow, and she looked withered. Her former liveliness and brightness were gone. Cheng Xianzhi didn't know what had happened to her since she came back from the Lu family.
At least the bloodstains on the clothes are not that simple, or did Lu Mingqian resort to lynching?
His clear eyes were filled with inexplicable emotions. Perhaps because he had interacted with her so much, he would feel soft-hearted for people like her.
From time to time, the sound of Lu Tingwan's sobbing could be heard in the room, one after another, without any rhythm. She didn't want to cry, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't suppress the pain in her heart.
She seemed to still be able to smell the pungent smell of blood, and see the crimson blood staining the white snow, and finally the flying snow turned into red fragments and fell down.
The wooden door opened, Han Zhou turned around when he heard the sound, and Lu Tingwan lowered his head and looked, bathed in the snow.
Cheng Xianzhi followed him out and stood at the door, watching his back.
Han Zhou whispered, "Just now, the sentry reported that shortly after nightfall, a peasant girl jumped from the Chunfeng Tower and died."
"The Second Madam was witnessing the entire process, so..."
Cheng Xianzhi glanced sideways and saw that this was the case.
"We'll go to the Minister of the Central Secretariat's residence tomorrow," Cheng Xianzhi said, his expression calming down. "That's all."
After Han Zhou said goodbye, Cheng Xianzhi sent someone to Yansheng Hall to deliver hot water and medicine.
The news of Lu Tingwan breaking into the study room reached Yingyue Pavilion. Gongsun Xue waited for a long time but Cheng Xianzhi did not come. She heard that Lu Tingwan rushed into the study room with great momentum and there was a lot of roaring noise coming from inside. People in the mansion speculated all kinds of things.
Cang Zhu dared to enter only after seeing Han Zhou leave. The books in the study were scattered in a mess. Cheng Xianzhi picked up one of the books, held it in his hand and turned the pages carelessly. His black brocade robe was embroidered with gold cloud patterns, and his eyes were sharp.
Cang Shu whispered, "Master, the eldest lady sent someone to ask about it. I will return to Gongsun Mansion tomorrow. Is there anything else I need to arrange?"
Cheng Xianzhi wanted to accompany Gongsun Xue back to the Zhongshu Ling Mansion to stay for two days. One reason was to make up for the suffering she had suffered from staying alone in her empty room these days. He could have refused before, relying on Gongsun Yin's status, and he wanted to give Gongsun Xue enough respect, although now their official ranks were the same, both of them were first-rank officials.
In fact, he was not inferior to Gongsun Yin, but in terms of emotion and reason, he was his teacher, a veteran in the court, and his qualifications and reputation were far superior to his.
Cheng Xianzhi didn't respond and left the study.
In Yingyue Pavilion, the maids discussed Lu Tingwan's return, and they all speculated that the relationship between her and her master was damaged, which might be difficult to repair in the future.
Gongsun Xue suppressed the rumors. The red charcoal in the inner room was burning brightly, a far cry from the icy and snowy outside. Cheng Xianzhi was greeted by a surge of warmth upon entering. Gongsun Xue stepped forward in her embroidered velvet shoes.
Cheng Xianzhi showed no emotion, so she guessed that it was something related to Lu Tingwan, and waved her hand to let the servants leave.
"The first snow this year came unexpectedly. In previous years, the Imperial Astronomical Observatory would observe it a few days in advance. My lord, please come in and warm yourself up." Gongsun Xue pulled Cheng Xianzhi to sit next to the fireplace.
Cheng Xianzhi calmly waved her hand away and responded indifferently.
The heat of the charcoal fire involved a quarrel in the study.
"Xue'er heard that the Second Madam broke into the study and had a quarrel with her husband. I don't know what caused such an extreme situation. If the Second Madam did something wrong, Xue'er, as the mistress, should discipline her more."
"Don't worry about it." Cheng Xianzhi picked up the hot tea and took a sip. "You've already worked hard organizing today's banquet."
"Ms. Lu is just a concubine. She is spoiled and undisciplined, with a capricious temper. Xue'er doesn't need to pay attention to her."
"But the Second Madam must serve the Master. She can't always indulge herself. As the Master's wife, it's my job to take care of the household. How can I say it's hard work?"
Cheng Xianzhi put the teacup back and said, "In two days I will give her a letter of divorce and ask her to leave the Cheng family. Then you don't have to worry about this anymore."
Gongsun Xue was stunned: "Divorce letter?"
"She was given by the Empress Dowager. If the Second Madam spoke disrespectfully to you in the study today, she should be punished. Why would she ask for a letter of divorce?"
"Xue'er, don't you want me to sever this relationship with Lu Tingwan?" Cheng Xianzhi looked at her appraisingly.
Gongsun Xue refilled her tea and said, "It doesn't matter whether she is my master's concubine or not. At least I know my husband's heart is with Xue'er, and that's enough."
"As for her, my lord, you've just taken office as chancellor, and now something like this has happened. I'm afraid it's bad for your reputation. If you don't like it, you can wait another year or two. Once she's firmly established in her position and has made achievements, you can find a reason to send her to the farm."
"Xue'er is so considerate, I'm so lucky."
Gongsun Xue's cheeks flushed, and she lowered her eyes shyly. She changed her address, not daring to look at him. "Do you remember what your husband promised Xue'er on your wedding night?"
Cheng Xianzhi remained silent and just drank his tea.
Gongsun Xue couldn't wait for a response, so she looked up and found that he was staring at her.
"Husband, husband?" Gongsun Xue called him.
Cheng Xianzhi was absent-minded: "Is that Luozidai that Xue'er is painting?"
She actually didn't know that he also knew about the things women used to put on makeup.
"Exactly. My husband, can you recognize the eyebrows drawn by Luozidai and Shidai?"
"Luozidai is precious and rare in our dynasty. In previous years, only Percy paid tribute to it, and the emperor used it to reward his subjects."
"That's right," Gongsun Xue said, having a rare opportunity to talk with him. "This Luozidai was presented as tribute last year. Your Majesty gave it to my father as a gift, and it was given to Xue'er as a dowry.
"Does it look good?" She smiled, waiting for Cheng Xianzhi's praise.
Eyebrows drawn with Luozidai look naturally beautiful.
Outside the house, the wind howled, sweeping across the courtyard and blowing up snowflakes. His thoughts drifted away and his vision became blurry.
"People in high positions use their power to do whatever it takes, but at the cost of ordinary people's lives."
"The eyebrow painting with Luozidai is the most beautiful, but it is such a precious item that is beyond my reach."
"Putting on makeup isn't about pleasing anyone; the most important thing is to make yourself happy."
"Divorce, I want a divorce!"
“…”
Lu Tingwan's words kept echoing in his mind, and Cheng Xianzhi felt a bitter taste in his mouth for some unknown reason.
"Husband?" Gongsun Xue saw him lost in thought and asked with concern, "Husband, you must be tired today. You should rest early."
Cheng Xianzhi said "hmm".
At night he stood under the windowsill, listening to the sound of wind and snow hitting the window lattice. Outside the yard, the bluestone slabs were covered with a layer of snow that was neither thin nor thick, and the rustling of dead branches was heard constantly.
Gongsun Xue intentionally reminded him that the agreed date had arrived. After he evaded the question by saying he was tired, Gongsun Xue consoled himself by saying that he had dealt with a lot of affairs today and was in a bad mood, so he certainly would not have the energy to perform the Zhougong ritual.
Forget it, since he has thought of marrying Lu Tingwan, he will not have any other feelings for others. At least his heart is still here.
As long as Cheng Xianzhi has no one else in his heart, Gongsun Xue can convince herself again and again.
Inside Yansheng Hall, Feng Xin prepared hot water for Lu Tingwan to bathe in to ward off the cold. When she returned, her body was covered in snowflakes, her cheeks red and swollen, and stained with blood. Feng Xin was heartbroken and hurriedly pulled her inside to examine her injuries.
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