Chapter 35 Divorce (Part 2)
It's not a divorce; it's a request for amicable separation.
The courtiers were in an uproar. Jiang Shuifu was simply audacious to ask for a divorce. It was extremely difficult for ordinary people to get a divorce, let alone His Highness the Crown Prince, who was of imperial lineage. This was simply outrageous!
"How can this be allowed? The Crown Princess is being far too presumptuous! Who is the Crown Prince! How dare she insult him like this!"
"Yes, yes! Never before in history has such a rebellious act occurred. The Crown Prince's status is extremely noble; how could he sign a divorce agreement? Wouldn't he be ridiculed by the people in the future!"
In this era, men are like heaven; only heaven cannot contain earth, and no earth can overturn heaven. Shen Jizhao's royal status destined him to always be the only one to be considered first, no matter what.
The emperor and empress frowned as well, surprised that a docile crown princess would make such an unreasonable request.
Even if we take a step back and assume that the Crown Prince can divorce his wife, the Crown Princess cannot, because the face of the royal family is of paramount importance.
Judging from the expressions on these people's faces, Jiang Shuifu knew this would be no easy task, but she wouldn't give up.
"I have been married into the Eastern Palace for three years. During these three years, I have diligently performed my duties. Firstly, I have served His Highness the Crown Prince with utmost respect, regarding him as my heaven and earth, and never disobeying or arguing. Despite my own exhaustion, I still fulfill all of His Highness's requests. I believe that I am a qualified Crown Princess and a qualified wife."
As Shen Jizhao listened to her words, he recalled everything that had happened before. The past events were vivid in his mind: the woman's gentle concern, her shy smile, and her initiative to stay close to him. Unconsciously, it all felt like a dream.
Jiang Shuifu continued:
"Secondly, I have been dutiful to my parents-in-law. I am fortunate to have married into the royal family and I am naturally devoted to being filial to the Empress and the Emperor. Therefore, I consider myself a qualified daughter-in-law."
In fact, she was more than just qualified; she was outstanding. The Emperor and Empress could not criticize her for this, especially the Emperor, who had so many daughters-in-law, none of whom could do what the Crown Princess did. The Crown Princess was extremely dedicated.
Shen Jizhao then realized that his Crown Princess had done so much for him. Royal rules were strict, and there was naturally little affection, but she treated his neglected and unloved parents as family for his sake.
He was absolutely wrong.
Having finished her preamble, Jiang Shuifu then requested permission:
"Since I have done nothing wrong and His Highness the Crown Prince has said so, then divorce is naturally reasonable. My purpose is to part amicably."
Upon hearing this, the Emperor and Empress's brows stopped furrowing.
These past three years have indeed been difficult for the Crown Princess, but compared to the dignity of the royal family, it still falls short, and the Emperor did not agree.
Shen Jizhao was stunned for a long time before lowering his noble head for the first time: "I apologize to you. I will not divorce you or divorce you. You can come back with me."
A few days ago, he was thinking about making amends, not apologizing. Apologizing is almost impossible for a crown prince, because no one can afford to do so.
But he thought she could.
Jiang Shuifu did not budge an inch.
He leaned down and whispered in her ear, reminding her that he knew this was somewhat despicable and shameless, a petty act, and that he never imagined he would one day abandon the pride of being a crown prince:
"Do you know what the consequences of divorce will be? Do you know what price you, your father, and even the entire Jiang family will have to pay? Don't you care? Are you sure you want to do this?"
This is not a reminder, but rather a warning.
Marriage is never just a matter between two people. If they divorce, she will suffer more than she did when she married him.
Jiang Shuifu didn't seem to care, revealing a hint of fatigue:
"Your Highness, I wish to go home."
Shen Jizhao's eyes trembled, and the blood vessels in his eyes formed a network, with roots connecting to branches, and branches sprouting roots. With the movement of his eyes, a single hair could affect the whole body, revealing disbelief and inability to accept it.
So this is what going home means!
It's not about going back to him.
The home she spoke of had nothing to do with him.
This realization weighed heavily on his heart. He could only breathe more heavily and speak more domineeringly, grabbing her wrist once more and pulling her closer so she could feel his breath. She had nowhere to escape.
Shen Jizhao: "But my lady, I am your home!"
He spoke with an overbearing tone, "Madam," and "This is your home," his voice trembling at the end, carrying an inexplicable, barely perceptible sense of grievance. Yes, it was grievance.
She said she wanted to go home, but there was no home for him.
He didn't just casually say "wife." He admitted that he had many cliché rules, forbidding her from calling him "husband" in front of others.
For the first time, he abandoned all decorum and addressed her affectionately as "Madam," a gesture he both wanted to salvage and to remind her of his own shortcomings.
She is his wife, always has been, and can only be.
Jiang Shuifu denied it outright, her expression resolute:
"No, I am my own home! Your Highness, don't take it for granted that the people who used to revolve around you won't turn away. You are not worthy."
Shen Jizhao's domineering nature made her lose patience to wait for the outcome. The emperor remained silent, and she had to proceed with the next step of her plan.
Jiang Shuifu apologizes:
"Your Majesty's desire for a divorce remains unchanged, but I am well aware that this action is not something I can explain to the people. Therefore, I hereby swear that after the divorce, I am willing to leave the capital for three years. During these three years, I will not set foot in the capital until the Crown Prince remarries and has a harmonious relationship with his new wife, until the Eastern Palace has a young master, His Highness the Crown Prince has a child, and the Emperor and Empress have a grandson!"
The noise around Shen Jizhao was both loud and quiet.
Her words, one after another, pushing him away completely, kept looping and crashing in his mind, making him extremely confused. The buzzing noise made him unable to hear any other sound; the whole world consisted only of her heartless words.
I will not set foot in the capital!
Until he got a new wife!
Until his new wife gave birth to his child!
Until the children are old enough to be around him, and the emperor and empress can enjoy their grandchildren!
Shen Jizhao almost couldn't catch his breath. She was truly ruthless! He thought his methods in the court were ruthless enough, but he never expected that they were nothing compared to her!
They can easily put someone in a hopeless situation, without even giving them a chance to make amends!
He was furious. Did she hate him that much? She was willing to leave the capital, to be away from her beloved father for three years, just to leave him!
Is he really that heinous?
He longed for a child with her and worked hard to conceive. Not only did she take contraceptives, but she also wanted him to have children with other women. If he didn't have children, she wouldn't come back!
Shen Jizhao loosened her wrists and then grabbed her waist, a way that made him eager to pull her into his arms and get close to him.
His face drew closer inch by inch until they were within intimate distance. He pinched her cheek, whether as punishment or as a gesture of affection and comfort, it was hard to tell.
Ask her, word by word:
"Madam, is this the gift you gave me?"
He seemed genuinely asking her, without any sarcasm, but Jiang Shuifu didn't answer.
Admittedly, her understanding of Shen Jizhao was limited to his ability to pretend. He seemed to ask questions sincerely, but he definitely didn't want to know the answers. She didn't know what tricks he would pull.
Shen Jizhao cupped her head and kissed her closely, his lips almost touching her ear:
"What a pity, I don't like this gift, I hate this gift. However, I do have a gift for you that I'm sure you'll like! Promise me that you'll send me another gift after you accept it. I'll be waiting."
Jiang Shuifu's apology actually contained a lot. She hadn't returned to the capital for three years, the people couldn't see her, and Shen Jizhao had remarried. Over time, no one would talk about this matter as if it were a show anymore.
Moreover, Jiang Sheng will have to be more cautious in the capital afterward, and he will inevitably have to give up some of his power, even though this is the best solution.
Most importantly, if Jiang Shuifu were to remarry, the man she would marry would not be from an official family in the capital. Anyone with a bit of power would not marry her, and she would likely spend the rest of her life marrying someone from a poor, remote place.
This punishment is real! It's not easy for a divorced woman to begin with, and without the support of her family, it's easy to imagine that she can't possibly live a better life than when she was in the Eastern Palace.
The emperor pondered for a moment and thought it was feasible. People have to pay the price for making choices, and she should bear the consequences of her choice.
The Empress couldn't bear it and asked Jiang Shuifu one last time, "Crown Princess, do you really want to do this?"
Jiang Shuifu smiled without saying a word. She was always determined to never turn back until she hit a wall, and she was just like that with Shen Jizhao, and she was still like that now.
This farce has gone far enough. Seeing this, the emperor waved his hand and said, "I grant..."
Just as Jiang Shuifu was about to receive the imperial decree and express her gratitude, a deep and urgent voice stopped her, saying, "Wait! Your subject has important matters to report!"
It was Shen Jizhao. Her eyes were already tinged with anger as she looked at him. What exactly did he want to do?
Shen Jizhao gave her a reassuring look.
He listed numerous pieces of evidence, layers of clues, and densely packed documents and confessions, instantly throwing everyone into a panic. Everyone craned their necks to see if they had any leverage over Shen Jizhao, and the amused expressions on their faces could no longer be maintained.
Shen Jizhao waited until he had seen enough of the fear on these people's faces before speaking:
"Your Majesty, I wish to impeach the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and the Councilor of the Ministry of Justice..."
These individuals are the fathers of Gao Zhuxia, Wang Hanxi, and Cao Lanzi, with nearly ten more to follow. The impeachment effort is considerable.
All of them begged for mercy and cried out that they were innocent, and for a moment, the scene was even more lively than before.
Shen Jizhao never left any room for maneuver in his work. Because the evidence was conclusive, these officials who were kneeling on the ground with snot and tears streaming down their faces were all taken into custody for further investigation.
Of course, the emperor is a man of great power, and he chooses to turn a blind eye to some people who have real power but are inconvenient to touch, such as Wang Hanxi's father, the head of the Wang family.
The emperor only arrested a few minor officials as a warning to others.
The Crown Prince surely understands this principle, so how could he make such a mistake now!
The emperor couldn't help but blame Shen Jizhao, but Shen Jizhao seemed like a different person, relentlessly pursuing the Wang family and providing wave after wave of evidence, leaving the emperor no choice but to punish him.
Wang was penalized with a reduced salary and forced to relinquish some of her power. The emperor's face turned increasingly pale, and in a fit of rage, he unprecedentedly punished Shen Jizhao.
Shen Jizhao had anticipated this. His face didn't darken, nor did he show any resentment. Instead, a slight smile played on his lips as he seized the last glimmer of hope and said to Jiang Shuifu beside him:
"Those who bullied you, I haven't let them go unpunished, I've just been gathering evidence. From now on, no one will dare to bully you again. Can you come home with me now?"
Jiang Shuifu was extremely puzzled. She never expected that he would do this to help her get revenge. He knew that the emperor would be angry, but he still did it.
She felt no emotion whatsoever, only a sense that she had to leave him. She realized that he seemed different from before, and more likely, she had never truly understood him at all!
Without wasting words, her tone grew increasingly firm: "Your Highness, please grant my request!"
Shen Jizhao's expression seemed to be about to crack open. The smile on his lips was still on his face, but his eyebrows were furrowed and the flesh on his face was pulled, making him look extremely awkward.
He laughed in anger, his laughter loud and clear, "I've said it so many times, why won't you believe me!"
The Emperor, in a foul mood, just wanted to end the banquet as soon as possible. "Issue my decree," he announced, "Crown Princess Jiang feels unfit for the position. However, given the Crown Prince's benevolence at this year's New Year's Eve banquet, and my unwillingness to see the two continue to suffer, I hereby bestow upon the Crown Princess..."
Divorce!
Jiang Shuifu was overjoyed; the imperial decree had finally been granted. However, her happiness was short-lived, as Shen Junji Zhao said, "Dream on!"
She was terrified; his hand... his hand...
It was covered in blood!
The next second, he pressed down on her and fell into her arms. Everyone was shocked. The Empress immediately summoned the imperial physician, and the Emperor also stopped issuing the decree.
Shen Jizhao was unwilling to be treated here. He firmly gripped Jiang Shuifu with both of his large hands, giving her no chance to escape, like a hunter holding onto his prey tightly, while constantly making noises:
"I want to return to the Eastern Palace! Return to the Eastern Palace!"
He stared at her intently, his eyes bloodshot. "Come back to the East Palace with me, back to the East Palace!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
