The Right Prime Minister's Residence in the Capital.
"Meng Qichao, if you sign this divorce agreement, then all is well. If you don't sign, then I can only make a trip to the palace." Madam Qu's attitude was firm as she looked at the Right Prime Minister, whose face had turned black with anger.
"Jin'niang, why are you suddenly bringing this up again? Can't we just live well together from now on?" The Right Prime Minister softened his tone, trying to persuade her.
Madam Qu sneered: "Live well? For nearly twenty years, I've also wanted to live well, but have you let me? High office and generous salary have blinded your eyes; flirtatious women have ensnared your heart. You've long forgotten the solemn oath you made when you asked for my hand—to abandon it meant losing your office and title, and not dying a good death. Look at your conduct today; sooner or later, the oath will be fulfilled. Sign the divorce agreement early, lest you implicate us, mother and daughter."
The Right Prime Minister wasn't foolish; how could he possibly sign?
With Madam Qu around, he essentially had a death-exemption plaque.
Madam Zhao hurried over, her face lighting up with joy upon seeing the divorce agreement on the table.
If Madam Qu is divorced, her day will finally come.
But before she could speak, a sentence from the Right Prime Minister made her face turn pale with fright.
"Jin'niang, it was my fault before. Give me another chance. The stewardship of this residence will be handed over to you."
Madam Zhao looked up: "Master?"
But the Right Prime Minister ignored her, only looking at Madam Qu.
Madam Zhao gritted her teeth.
Madam Qu, however, scoffed and said: "Who cares? Enough nonsense. Are you signing today or not?"
The Right Prime Minister, his patience worn thin by her insistence, said unhappily: "Rou'er is my daughter; she cannot leave the Prime Minister's residence. Are you sure you can bear to part with her?"
He knew she couldn't bear it, which was why he wanted to use Meng Zhirou to trap her.
Meng Zhirou, who was supporting Madam Qu, suddenly looked up at this moment and said calmly: "I want to leave with Mother."
The Right Prime Minister roared angrily: "Do you want to be unfilial and rebellious? His Majesty governs the world with benevolence and filial piety. Disobedience is a grave crime, punishable by death at most, or exile at the very least."
Meng Zhirou's face turned slightly pale, but the determination in her eyes didn't waver in the slightest.
Madam Qu said coldly: "Meng Qichao, have you forgotten? You married into my family!"
The Right Prime Minister's face suddenly darkened.
Back then, Duke Qu was still the Grand Tutor, powerful and influential in the capital.
And he was just an ordinary scholar. Indeed, when they married, he had married into her family.
Later, after Duke Qu retired to his hometown, he had also become independent...
Madam Qu's first child was a son, who took her surname Qu, but he died before reaching the age of three.
At that time, he secretly blamed Madam Qu. Only later did he take concubines, and subsequent children all took his surname.
So much time had passed that he had gradually forgotten he had initially married into her family.
Seeing his darkened face, Madam Qu continued to mock: "What, climbed to a high position relying on your wife's family, and now you've forgotten what you did back then? You've truly forgotten your roots completely."
"You married into the family. After the divorce, Rou'er should rightfully return to the Qu family."
"Even if you talk until the sky falls, this Prime Minister will not sign this divorce agreement! Give up this idea! Go back to your courtyard obediently, otherwise..."
"Otherwise, what will you do?!"
The Right Prime Minister looked towards the entrance, his eyes wide.
Madam Qu and Meng Zhirou's eyes lit up.
"Father! Brother!"
"Grandfather! Uncle!"
The arrivals were none other than the current Emperor's Grand Tutor and his son, Qu Wen. Behind them followed a female official from the Empress's side and the Crown Prince's trusted aide, Ji Huaiyan.
"Father-in-law... Brother-in-law, why have you come?" The Right Prime Minister instantly felt diminished.
Duke Qu looked at him coldly and snorted: "If I didn't come, how would I know you've bullied my daughter and granddaughter to such an extent?!"
On this snowy day, a thin layer of sweat actually appeared on the Right Prime Minister's forehead.
"Father-in-law must be joking; how would your son-in-law dare."
Qu Wen said with a cold face: "You wouldn't dare? We arrived in the capital yesterday and had people inquire secretly. You truly have some nerve! Doting on your concubine and neglecting your wife, reversing the status of legitimate and illegitimate!"
The Right Prime Minister's face turned pale; he had no defense for his actions.
Duke Qu looked at Madam Zhao, who was hiding behind the Right Prime Minister.
"Is this your concubine? I heard that for her daughter, you spent two hundred thousand taels of gold to seek medical treatment? Meng Qichao, I never knew your family was so wealthy!"
Madam Zhao, having been called out, turned deathly pale.
She only dared to be arrogant in the inner residence; how could she dare act presumptuously before these figures? She immediately knelt on the ground, trembling, her head bowed in silence.
The Right Prime Minister's eyes lit up. Looking at Madam Zhao kneeling on the ground, he said: "Father-in-law, it was your son-in-law who was momentarily bewitched and deluded by this woman. Your son-in-law will divorce her immediately. I only beg Father-in-law to give your son-in-law another chance. I will definitely treat Jin'niang well."
Madam Zhao raised her head in shock, saying incredulously: "Master?!!"
Madam Qu watched this dog-eat-dog farce with cold eyes.
Duke Qu looked down on his unmanly behavior even more.
"Enough nonsense. Whether you divorce your concubine or not has nothing to do with us. Quickly sign the divorce agreement."
Seeing that Duke Qu and the others were determined to have him divorce, he immediately knelt on the ground.
He pleaded with Madam Qu, who was usually the most soft-hearted: "Jin'niang, a day as husband and wife means a hundred days of grace. We've been together for nearly twenty years; how can we just break it off like this!"
"Jin'niang, I was wrong! I truly know I was wrong! Give me another chance, let me properly make it up to you and Rou'er."
He didn't know that Madam Qu, usually the most soft-hearted, was now the most resolute.
"Meng Qichao, look at yourself now. Your former spiritedness has long been completely corrupted by officialdom. Cultivating oneself, managing the family, governing the state—you've achieved none of it. I'm not disappointed in you; I'm in despair."
The Right Prime Minister wanted to plead further, but Ji Huaiyan stepped forward and said: "Prime Minister, His Highness the Crown Prince has ordered this humble official to assist Duke Qu in bringing his daughter home."
One sentence silenced the Right Prime Minister.
The Crown Prince's intention was naturally the Emperor and Empress's intention.
If the Emperor himself permitted the divorce, how could he dare disobey?
Although the imperial family was not supposed to interfere in the domestic affairs of officials, he was in the wrong first, and his wife's family had caught him red-handed.
The Emperor hadn't intervened directly, only sending people along, indicating he was still giving him some face.
The Right Prime Minister stood up, slowly picked up the brush, and wrote his name on the divorce agreement.
Qu Wen walked over, took it, glanced at it, and nodded to his father.
Duke Qu said coldly: "Go help your sister with the procedures at the Ministry of Revenue."
Qu Wen replied: "Yes, Father."
After Qu Wen left, Duke Qu took his daughter's hand with one hand and his granddaughter's with the other.
"Let's go, home!"
Madam Qu supported her father and said: "Father, and my dowry."
Meng Zhirou said: "Mother, you've just recovered from your illness. You and Grandfather go to the carriage first. Daughter will look after things here."
Ji Huaiyan cupped his hands and said: "Duke Qu, rest assured, I am here."
Duke Qu nodded and led his daughter out first.
Ji Huaiyan stepped forward and looked at Meng Zhirou, saying: "Miss Meng, please make an inventory of your belongings, and I will have people move them to the carriage."
Meng Zhirou nodded and said: "They are all in Mother's courtyard. Please follow me."
Madam Zhao had initially been immersed in the joy of the Right Prime Minister and Madam Qu divorcing, but hearing Meng Zhirou was going to take an inventory of assets, she quickly scrambled up and followed behind them.
Arriving at the main courtyard, Meng Zhirou checked items one by one against the dowry list, while Ji Huaiyan instructed servants to carry out box after box.
"Rou'er, ah, you've lived in this Prime Minister's residence for over ten years. How can you bear to empty the residence like this?" Madam Zhao said fawningly.
"This is my mother's dowry; naturally, it must be moved."
Madam Zhao continued: "That may be so, but you've been in the Prime Minister's residence for so many years, food, clothing, daily expenses—which of these didn't cost silver?"
Meng Zhirou sneered: "Concubine's words are rather amusing. In which household in Tianqi does the main wife and legitimate daughter have to pay the residence for their food, clothing, and daily expenses?"
"You!"
Ji Huaiyan glanced at this delicate-looking young lady of the Meng family.
She wasn't as timid and incompetent as rumored.
Meng Zhirou continued the inventory. Each time a box was inventoried, Ji Huaiyan waved his hand, and servants would come forward to carry it out.
The two coordinated seamlessly, and the wooden boxes in the room rapidly diminished.
Watching the boxes being carried out like flowing water, Madam Zhao felt as if her heart was bleeding.
Finally, everything was moved. The two left the residence with flair.
Looking at the place where she had lived for fifteen years, Meng Zhirou felt complicated emotions.
Before Meng Zhiyun was born, their family had also had happy times.
Sighing, Meng Zhirou turned back.
"Careful!"
The snowy path was slippery. While descending the steps, Meng Zhirou swayed, and was about to fall.
A pair of large hands supported her.
Meng Zhirou looked back; a handsome face, gentle as jade, was close before her.
Her small face blushed, and she quickly stood firm.
"Many thanks, Young Master Ji."
Ji Huaiyan withdrew his hand, which still held a lingering warmth, and smiled: "Miss, please get into the carriage quickly."
The group swayed along and arrived at the Qu family's villa.
Ji Huaiyan had people carry the items inside and settle them, then took his leave.
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