Chapter 34 Divorce (Part 1)
The New Year's Eve arrived quickly, and the palace was bustling with activity that day.
The palace maids and eunuchs were finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. They could send the reward money back to their families through someone, and they could also buy themselves some meat and clothes. They were overjoyed and had something to look forward to for the next year.
Jiang Shuifu was in a good mood, with a big smile on her lips. It wasn't a bright, toothy smile, but a gentle, pursed-lip smile.
She was completely at peace, filled with hope for the future.
The day has finally come. Three years ago, when she got married, she secretly vowed that this day would never come. In the blink of an eye, time has passed and she has realized that this is actually not so bad.
She was happy, happy that she had the courage to end the past and look to the future.
Her life is about to start anew, and she will definitely learn from her mistakes, love herself well, and love those who care about her well.
Shen Jizhao walked with her on the way to the palace banquet. The palace maids wished them good fortune and peace, and another sweet and happy year. She was still smiling.
He was very happy, handing out tips along the way, as if the more tips he handed out, the more likely they could truly walk together, year after year.
The annual New Year's Eve celebrations have always been held to great effect. The dishes are laden with delicacies and the offerings of fruits are dazzling. All the princes and ministers are all beaming with smiles, exchanging congratulations and hoping for family happiness and promotions in the coming year.
Because of their special status, the He and Tang families were moved to a location closer to Shen Jizhao.
When Shen Jizhao walked in, he saw this scene immediately. He took the initiative to change direction and walk on her left, separating her from the two families.
Jiang Shuifu's expression remained unchanged, but He Rushuang noticed it.
However, she thought his purpose was to get closer to her, so she called him more often.
Tang Shan'er, standing nearby, also timidly gave Shen Jizhao a look. Since things had come to this, she could only try to fight for that meager amount of favor.
After Shen Jizhao sat down, he was showered with flattery. People around him congratulated him, saying that the New Year was approaching, the new concubine had entered the palace, and his wishes had been fulfilled. He was overwhelmed with the congratulations.
The power of the Crown Prince alone was broken, and the power of the court was also changing rapidly. He had been maneuvering around her, and apart from asking her what her wish was after he sat down, he did not say anything else.
The state banquet began. The emperor sat on a high step, wearing a crown, a dragon robe, and a gold and jade belt, and solemnly delivered a speech on bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the new.
Everyone began to toast, their manner imposing. Jiang Shuifu also downed her drink in one gulp, but she drank too quickly and her face turned red. Shen Jizhao immediately handed her a piece of pear with a floral lid.
"This year we presented a lot of frozen pears as tribute; they're sweet, so please try them all."
Jiang Shuifu's heart skipped a beat. Wasn't he drinking with his fathers-in-law? Why did he suddenly stick out a hand, startling her?
Afterwards, Shen Jizhao seemed to be making up for it, taking care of her during meals, serving her food, tea, and offerings to cut through the richness of the food.
Why not take advantage of this opportunity? The emperor's service won't be available all the time. It has to be said that Shen Jizhao knows how to balance the harem. It seems that he will be able to distribute his favors evenly among the concubines and keep them in check.
Every year at the end of the year, there is a custom at the state banquet where one person is chosen as an envoy to write down the wishes for national peace and prosperity, which are then placed in a prayer lantern to be presented to the gods as a sign of sincerity.
Of course, the most important reason for being chosen as an envoy is to have the advantage of being close to the gods, to receive their blessings, and to have their wishes fulfilled.
In this era of the Son of Heaven, people also believed in the existence of gods.
Shen Jizhao had never served as an envoy before; in the past few years, it had always been his other brothers or high-ranking senior officials. But now, he wanted to seize this opportunity.
"Father, I wish to be an envoy!"
The emperor became interested. "Oh? Isn't the crown prince usually not involved? Why is he interested this time?"
Shen Jizhao had always believed that human effort could overcome fate, but now he had changed his mind. How could this not make the emperor feel strange?
Shen Jizhao changed the subject and made a firm request: "Your subject wishes to bring someone to prepare paper and ink for you. I beg Your Majesty's permission!"
Upon hearing this, the people below all whispered among themselves. It was already unexpected that the Crown Prince wanted to be an envoy, and he even asked the Emperor for someone to accompany him. Something was not right here!
Does the crown prince also have wishes?
Upon hearing this, the emperor finally understood why he had acted strangely, but outwardly he remained completely calm, feigning concern and asking:
"Very well, I want to see which person of high status and whom he values will be chosen by the Crown Prince!"
After the emperor said this, everyone started guessing even more enthusiastically, with all sorts of candidates. Some guessed Tang Shan'er, since her status was the lowest in the Eastern Palace, but her family background was not bad, so this was a way to give her some sweetness and appeasement.
Of course, most people guessed that it was He Rushuang. She was the Crown Prince's favorite, and having her around was like having a beautiful woman by his side. This was because the Crown Prince wished for a harmonious and happy marriage with her, and that they would grow old together.
Among all the people in the main hall, no one guessed that Jiang Shuifu was the one with the most legitimate identity.
Shen Jizhao's face had turned cold.
The two female candidates were contrasting: one was terrified, the other confident.
He Ruishuang felt the envious gazes from everyone, and straightened her chest even more, unable to suppress the smile on her lips.
Jiang Shuifu was also a little curious. This was an attitude of detaching herself and purely watching the show. She wanted to know how he would choose between his preferences and the need for balance.
Shen Jizhao walked closer and closer until he stood in front of Jiang Shuifu, at which point the hall fell silent. He reached out and wiped the crumbs of pastry from her lips, and then, to everyone's astonishment, he grabbed her and led her step by step to the emperor.
"Your subject and the Crown Princess pray together!"
Jiang Shuifu was also a little confused, but she didn't show it on the surface.
The Emperor granted his request, and the Empress smiled, saying, "The Crown Princess has been married into the royal family for many years; she is the most suitable candidate."
Everyone then slowly realized that the Crown Prince's appeasement policy was not aimed at Tang Shan'er, but at the Crown Princess, who was the one who needed the most appeasement.
As expected of the Crown Prince, he handles matters with great care.
The most important part of the emperor's words was the last four words, "he values her." This reassured Jiang Shuifu in advance, letting her know that even with new people around, her position remained unshakable.
The Empress meant the same thing.
This is a method unique to royalty, and it is obvious that this family has mastered it to a high degree.
Shen Jizhao looked around and reminded everyone with a cold gaze: "Eat your food properly. Can't you shut your mouths? Don't you want to see your eyes too?"
However, he didn't understand why his true desire was being labeled as a "balancing act."
Jiang Shuifu thought so too. She smiled helplessly and said, "Fine, I'll play along with him for one last act."
Although she was forced to do so, she still diligently ground ink for Shen Jizhao and prayed for the people.
Shen Jizhao asked her what she wanted to write, and she thought about it seriously for a while before her eyes suddenly lit up:
"I hope all the people can go home!"
go home?
Okay! Let's go home!
Shen Jizhao liked this sentence very much; the Eastern Palace was her home.
The prayer for blessings was successfully completed. The lantern would be released by the chief eunuch of the emperor's side. Shen Jizhao watched as the lantern, which carried countless hopes and his own selfish desires, was released higher and higher.
At this moment, he truly hoped to be with her for a long, long time.
The courtiers all looked up at the sky, sincerely hoping for the prosperity of the nation. Jiang Shuifu felt her heart lighten, and she hoped that everything would go smoothly in a little while.
Shen Jizhao didn't want her to misunderstand, so he turned to look at the devout woman, curled his lips, and said softly, "I chose you because of my heart."
As Jiang Shuifu opened her eyes, her gaze bright and sparkling. She grabbed his arm and said earnestly, word by word, "You said you'd grant me one wish, and now I want..."
Shen Jizhao gradually bent down, getting much closer to her, but it wasn't actually to hear her wishes. She had always been wary of him, and there was no physical contact between them.
Therefore, her current actions have left him bewildered and confused. He can only pretend to approach her in order to hear her clearly and feel the long-lost, long-awaited feeling.
"You and I volunteer together!"
Jiang Shuifu didn't give him a chance to refuse, nor did she explicitly state what order she was requesting. She pulled him forward, led him to the emperor, and knelt down.
This action drew everyone's attention back to the two people.
Shen Jizhao looked at her. Did she need to ask the emperor for anything she wanted? But he didn't care; he would always stand by her side.
"Don't be afraid, I will help you."
Jiang Shuifu smiled at him, a smile that was undeniably beautiful, but her next words plunged him into an icy abyss:
"The eldest daughter of the Jiang family is utterly incompetent and immoral; she requests to be divorced!"
Um?
Everyone in the hall looked puzzled, wondering if they had misheard or if she hadn't finished speaking, causing them to misunderstand.
The emperor and empress had the same expression, both wondering if they were too far away to hear clearly.
The emperor spoke: "Step forward and explain yourself clearly!"
Jiang Shuifu did as she was told, taking a few steps forward, while Shen Jizhao remained motionless and showed no reaction.
She repeated it with a firm and resolute voice, her eyes filled with unwavering determination:
"Your Majesty, I have served in this position for three years, yet I still cannot learn the proper etiquette. The Crown Prince is aware of this and has repeatedly taught me. I feel ashamed and do not wish to burden the Crown Prince, therefore I request to step down!"
She deliberately amplified her voice to ensure that everyone in the hall, including the palace staff and guards outside, could hear her clearly.
Now not only did the emperor hear clearly, but Shen Jizhao also came to his senses. "Your subject?"
Your subject!
What a fine daughter of the subject!
He got up and walked step by step to her. These few steps felt like an endless road, and no matter how he walked, he never saw the sunlight.
He knelt down, pleading with the emperor just like Jiang Shuifu, but for something completely opposite to what she was asking for:
"Your Highness is joking. I will take her away now!"
Before he could even finish speaking, he leaned down and restrained Jiang Shuifu's arms with such force that she frowned, but she remained unmoved.
Jiang Shuifu ignored him and continued kneeling, refusing to go with him no matter what.
Shen Jizhao could only loosen his grip, and he leaned close to her ear, his voice so gentle it was almost coaxing:
"Don't be like that. I know you feel that I neglected you just now, and that those people are an eyesore to you. Just wait, I have prepared something for you, and you will definitely like it."
Jiang Shuifu glanced at him indifferently, without any sadness or joy. She showed no anger at his going back on his word, nor did she want to seek justice. She simply said lightly, "It doesn't count anymore."
She treated him like a familiar stranger, without any expectations, and naturally without any blame.
Shen Jizhao's heart was heavy. Her expression made all the mental preparation he had made collapse. Wasn't she going to start over with him?
He was taken aback: "I'll agree to anything except this. Come back with me first. Don't act rashly. I won't agree to that. I'll take you back and let you calm down."
The emperor was somewhat annoyed by this scene, but it was nothing more than childish playfulness between young people, and he didn't take it seriously.
"Alright, let's talk about this later, don't let it interfere with our business!"
Shen Jizhao immediately pulled her down: "Your subject obeys the decree!"
Jiang Shuifu was determined not to leave: "I'm not being silly, I'm not being silly. I've thought about it for a long time, and it's a choice I've made after careful consideration. I've been the Crown Princess for three years, and I know how important this role is. I can't bear it!"
Seeing that the situation was not good, the Empress quickly stopped her:
"Fu'er, please go down first. If you have any grievances, your mother will take care of them for you. Please forgive us for making a scene. The Crown Princess is a very sentimental person. Everyone, please continue your meal. It's such a good day, so let's be happy!"
This was the Empress reminding her that today's occasion was important, and she shouldn't say anything that would make her lose face.
Perhaps, subconsciously, the Empress, like the Emperor, did not take her words seriously, because her feelings for Shen Jizhao were simply too strong back then.
Jiang Shuifu still wouldn't leave, disobeying for the first time, straightening her back and remaining unmoved, "This subject is guilty and will accept punishment."
Shen Jizhao knelt down again, staying by her side: "No one wants to punish you, no one dares to punish you. I will protect you. Come back with me, okay?"
Jiang Shuifu pretended not to hear and remained kneeling upright, never bending over once.
Shen Jizhao's eyes slowly reddened. She was so pampered and spoiled, and she couldn't even stand him twice on ordinary days. But now, she knelt for a long time in order to leave him. Didn't she feel pain? He, on the other hand, felt a pain in his knees, a dense, tingling pain that seemed to seep into the very bones.
"Didn't you want to start over with me? You gave me a garden full of kalanchoe flowers, and you even cooked me crescent-shaped wontons that symbolize reunion. Have you forgotten all of that? It doesn't matter if you've forgotten, I'll remember. I'll say it again, come back with me!"
Jiang Shuifu knew that he was very domineering at heart, and he had given her three chances, but he had already lost patience.
Therefore, she had to act quickly and made her stance clear once again, her expression more serious than ever before.
The emperor leaned forward, his twelve-tasseled crown, with twelve jade beads on each tassel, trembled, obscuring his eyes. Even so, she could still feel the anger and reproach in his gaze.
"Crown Princess, are you sure you want to leave the Eastern Palace and the Crown Prince?"
Jiang Shuifu knew why the emperor was angry. Her decision to refuse the position of crown princess in front of everyone had indeed damaged the royal family's reputation, especially since it involved his most beloved son.
She had a plan in mind:
"I know that many people would kill for the position of Crown Princess, and I am reluctant to give it up. I will never forget the three years of marriage I have shared with His Highness the Crown Prince. From now on, I will wish His Highness good health, a long life, and happiness every moment!"
She had already humbled herself, praising the position of Crown Princess and Shen Jizhao, expressing her reluctance to leave, and showing that she was not leaving because she disliked or hated Shen Jizhao.
Sure enough, the emperor's complexion improved, and he leaned back.
Seeing the emperor's appearance, Shen Jizhao sensed something was wrong. He moved his grip on her arm inch by inch until he was firmly holding her wrist, so that she couldn't escape.
His eyes were turbulent, so deep they were bloodshot, and he practically clenched his teeth as he squeezed out each word:
"Say it again! I'll give you one more chance! Whatever you want, I'll grant it! Anything is possible!"
This was Shen Jizhao's final concession. He was willing to be an executioner and eliminate anyone she disliked, even his concubines who had not yet entered his household.
She only needed to tell him that even a single glance was enough for him to temporarily disregard her.
This is temporary, at least until he ascends the throne, he will not. Decades of exclusive favor are his promise to her, and he dares not make any further predictions about what will happen in the future.
Jiang Shuifu didn't even glance at him, and kowtowed heavily: "Your Majesty, please grant my request! Your Majesty, please grant my request!"
The scene caused an uproar among the court officials. No one expected that the Crown Princess, who had always been devoted to the Crown Prince, would suddenly make this decision. It was as if she were possessed!
The He and Tang families were even more surprised, but due to their different positions, they were naturally happy with her decision, as it left the position of Crown Princess vacant.
Inside the main hall, only one person remained unperturbed and unconfused: Jiang Sheng.
He knew his daughter would eventually realize the truth, but now that she was older, she didn't consult him beforehand.
He stood up, ready to apologize to Jiang Shuifu together, when her eyes met his. It was a look of reminder and pleading.
It was as if she was saying: Father, let me do it. I made this choice and I will end it myself. Please believe your daughter.
Jiang Shuifu no longer wants to rely on her father. She was his daughter back then, which gave her the opportunity to marry Shen Jizhao. Now, she is Jiang Shuifu and can solve this problem on her own.
Moreover, if Father were to step forward, all the fame and official titles he had worked so hard to earn would have to be given up in order to appease the royal family's anger.
Only by staying out of the situation can he protect himself to the greatest extent possible.
Previously, it was her father who protected her; now, she will protect her father, and she will bear the consequences alone.
Just as she was about to continue pleading with the emperor, Shen Jizhao sharply and incisively told her to abandon this unrealistic idea:
“However, the laws of Dabei state that divorce must be based on a valid reason and must be conducted in accordance with the law. You do not fall under any of the seven grounds for divorce, therefore, I cannot divorce you!”
He seemed to have finally found his backbone, and his expression was no longer so flustered, with the stubbornness and domineering look in his eyes gone.
He won't let go, how can she leave him!
She wanted to leave, but he wouldn't allow it!
Jiang Shuifu slowly turned to look at Shen Jizhao, neither humble nor arrogant, and calmly quoted the law: "Of the seven grounds for divorce, the first is childlessness."
Shen Jizhao immediately retorted, "This is not your fault. Besides, there is an important condition for this situation to hold true: you must be childless after the age of fifty!"
Jiang Shuifu continued: "The seventh ground for divorce is adultery, the second one."
Shen Jizhao denied it outright, "No! You're not that kind of person, stop now."
Jiang Shuifu ignored her and listed them one by one: "The third of the seven grounds for divorce is disobeying one's parents-in-law."
Shen Jizhao also denied it: "Your kindness to your father and mother is known to them, and everyone in the palace praises your filial piety. I also remember it in my heart."
Jiang Shuifu's eyes grew increasingly confident, behind which lay slander, theft, and a serious illness, all of which Shen Jizhao naturally denied.
Until the very last act: "The seventh ground for divorce is jealousy! His Highness the Crown Prince once warned me about this one."
Shen Jizhao was slow to realize that he had indeed said he was jealous, and he had clearly told her that she shouldn't be jealous, which made her argue with him for a long time.
But he realized that this was just her way of showing she cared about him. If she didn't care, she would have left him resolutely like this.
Therefore, being jealous is not necessarily a bad thing.
Can she continue to be jealous?
He hoped she would always be jealous.
However, since it involved the law, Shen Jizhao could not speak openly, so he could only deny it, his tone becoming even more firm and resolute:
"Nonsense! It's not that you're jealous, it's that I was planning ahead. Strictly speaking, I misunderstood you. You are gentle, virtuous, and well-mannered!"
Jiang Shuifu smiled from the bottom of her heart, a smile that was hearty, joyful, and even liberating.
There's a feeling that this barren and impoverished land will one day flourish and become a thriving wilderness.
Something's not right, something's very wrong. Shen Jizhao seemed to realize something when he saw her expression. He was about to stop her, but it was too late.
Jiang Shuifu suppressed her smile, and only now did she get to the point. Filled with inner strength, she stated her true purpose with righteous indignation:
"Your Highness, I thank you. I dare not refute what Your Highness has said. Therefore, I do not request a divorce, but a peaceful separation!"
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Author's Note: Next chapter: Settling Accounts. My daughter won't be wronged; she'll settle everything one by one.
The divorce will take at least two chapters, and three chapters are not impossible. Everyone is welcome to share their thoughts on the plot. The author's perspective is limited, and there will be a review after the story is finished. (I won't read too many comments during the serialization period, for fear of upsetting people, but I hope everyone will give feedback. All forms of feedback are encouragement. I don't know if I've written it well, and I'm a little confused.)
Is the next book going to be another "wife-chasing-after-the-cremation" story? Anyone have any recommendations?
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