Chapter 71: Kiss Her Hand

The side room fell quiet for a moment.

Cheng Zhao's tears flowed even more fiercely, blurring her vision.

Zhou Yuanshen froze for a moment, then forcefully grabbed her hand.

Cheng Zhao tried to pull her hand back.

What right did he have to fight back, what right did he have to try and break her hand?

Instead, he gently kissed her hand.

Cheng Zhao suddenly widened her eyes.

Outside, the sun was shifting westward. The light inside the room was already dim, and it was even darker behind the folding screen.

This man was rigid, cold, and had an unreasonable aloofness about him; those eyes held no warmth whatsoever.

Yet, the things he did contradicted this completely.

Cheng Zhao's anger also peaked at this very moment.

"I want a divorce!" Her voice rose. "It works out perfectly since you are about to take on the duty of marrying your widowed sister-in-law. You can just marry another woman who will let you manipulate her as you please, and everyone will be happy."

The only person she felt sorry for was her mother-in-law.

Cheng Zhao had confidently promised her mother-in-law, telling her to stand by her side and that she would help her turn her life around.

Her mother-in-law had kept her promise and taken good care of Cheng Zhao recently.

Her father-in-law was also a good person, gentle, kind, and amiable. Her brother-in-law could be infuriating at times, but fortunately, he was still young, and Cheng Zhao could easily handle him.

If it weren't for Zhou Yuanshen, perhaps Cheng Zhao would have hit the jackpot and found herself a wonderful marriage.

Alas, fate never allowed anyone to have it all perfectly.

"Cheng Zhao." Zhou Yuanshen pinched her chin, lifting her face with a slight force. "If you want a divorce, why are you crying?"

"Those are two different things."

"Our marriage was bestowed by the Empress. If you divorce, will the Ministry of Rites agree? Will the Empress be willing? And what about your maiden family, will they agree?" Zhou Yuanshen asked softly.

Cheng Zhao forcefully shook off his hand. "You can't threaten me. Don't think that only your Zhou family is powerful; the Cheng family isn't to be trifled with either!"

She stood up to leave.

As she walked past the folding screen, she realized her clothes were still messy and her hair was disheveled.

A sense of grievance overwhelmed her once more.

Standing there, she felt her life was just as wretched as this moment.

Wretchedness was present at every moment. She wasn't living much more decently than her third sister; she was just better at pretending.

Zhou Yuanshen followed her and adjusted her sash. Using his fingers as a comb, he gathered her hair into a low bun and pinned her gold buyao ornament in place.

His movements were not entirely skilled, pulling at Cheng Zhao's scalp until it hurt, but at least she was presentable enough to go outside.

Cheng Zhao pulled open the door of the side room.

Reaching the doorway, she said to Zhou Yuanshen, "I don't want to see you ever again. You don't need to treat me as the Duchess, and I don't want any heirs."

She walked out.

Cheng Zhao walked all the way back to Nonghua Courtyard without any maidservants following her.

The evening glow was beautiful, hanging over the distant rooftops and treetops. Sparrows were startled into flight, rustling the newly budded branches.

Cheng Zhao strolled along.

Nightfall descended right at this moment.

As pitch-black darkness enveloped her, she was startled to realize there was a light behind her.

She immediately turned her head.

Zhou Yuanshen was carrying a lantern, following her from a moderate distance.

Cheng Zhao then thought about how her grandfather used to lament the unpredictability of the world and how things often went contrary to one's wishes. She hadn't understood it back then, being young and having limited experience.

Even being bestowed a marriage didn't quite go against Cheng Zhao's wishes, as she had always hoped to earn a noble title and marry into a prestigious family.

But in reality, what could she control?

The sun rose in the east and set in the west. No matter how angry or unwilling she was, the setting sun went down without any alteration, and the dark night took over.

Her feelings and dignity from before were very important; nothing was worth sacrificing them.

Cheng Zhao decided she needed to get far away from the Duke of Chen's mansion.

She would have to break her promise to her mother-in-law. In the future, when her two brothers-in-law were ready for marriage, Cheng Zhao might help out and choose two good daughters-in-law for her mother-in-law.

Her mother-in-law was so straightforward and kind; she deserved to enjoy her twilight years in peace.

Other than that, this place was not worth Cheng Zhao lingering around.

She didn't look back again.

The light behind her kept illuminating her path. She walked faster and faster, trying to shake him off, but the man was tall with long legs and could easily keep up with her.

When Cheng Zhao returned to Nonghua Courtyard, the light behind her disappeared.

She ordered the courtyard doors to be closed.

A maid took a glance, seemingly unable to make out who the retreating figure was, and simply shut the doors tight.

Nanny Li and the others were about to ask questions, but Cheng Zhao told them to prepare hot water first.

After her bath, Suyue wiped her down. Seeing the red marks on her back, she felt both heartache and worry. "Were you bitten by something?"

Disbelievingly, she added, "Could it be that scorpion?"

Cheng Zhao: "..."

The surface of the desk in the study had been too hard; even with clothes cushioning her, she had suffered quite a bit.

She shook her head. "Don't worry, I wasn't bitten."

Suyue: "Should I get some ointment to rub on it? And perhaps brew some medicine to clear out internal toxins for you to drink?"

Cheng Zhao: "Neither is necessary."

She added, "Hurry and order the meal to be served. I'm so hungry."

Once she had sorted out her thoughts, Cheng Zhao felt completely relaxed, and suddenly her stomach began to rumble with hunger.

Leaving the Duke's mansion and giving up her title as a noble lady, who was to say she wouldn't have a bright future? Even if she didn't, she might at least be saving her own life.

Fate was preordained.

The year before last, she had taken Qiubai and Suyue out to play. At a temple fair, they came across a rather deserted fortune-telling stall, and she had her fortune told.

The fortune-teller said she was destined for immense wealth and honor, a nobility beyond words, even boasting that she was the reincarnation of a golden phoenix.

Her mother had said the fortune-teller only spouted nonsense because he saw Cheng Zhao's fine clothes and figured she would give him a good tip.

Cheng Zhao had retorted, asking which fortune-teller didn't spout nonsense? She liked what this man had to say, so she was happy to reward him. She had given him a two-tael gold ingot.

For dinner, Cheng Zhao ate more than half a bowl of rice. She then took a stroll in the courtyard, chatting with Nanny Li about the various events of the day's banquet, before finally going to sleep.

Exhausted, Cheng Zhao fell fast asleep.

The next day, Cheng Zhao woke up early and went to Chengming Hall as usual to ask for leave from the First Madam, Madam Song, and Huan Qingtang, saying she needed to visit her maiden home.

The atmosphere in Chengming Hall was unpleasant.

The First Madam, Madam Song, was unhappy, though it wasn't directed at Cheng Zhao.

She just said sarcastically, "Always thinking about going back, your heart has gone wild. Where is your real home?"

Cheng Zhao replied, "A place where we can be the masters of our own house is the true home for noble ladies like us, isn't that right, First Aunt?"

Madam Song's face twisted slightly.

She was the Duchess, but she couldn't call the shots, even though she had been married into the Zhou family for over twenty years.

Her emotions were too complicated; the First Madam waved her hand, telling Cheng Zhao to go on ahead.

Huan Qingtang sat to the side, not saying a word.

Cheng Zhao then went to inform the Old Madam.

This time she didn't see the Old Madam in person. A maid said the Old Madam was praying to Buddha and that Cheng Zhao only needed to inform the First Madam.

Only then did Cheng Zhao head out.

The gatekeeper arranged a few gifts for her. Upon arriving back, Cheng Zhao went straight to see her mother.

A steward was reporting to her mother.

Waiting until noon, after having lunch with her mother, Cheng Zhao finally said, "I want a divorce."

Her mother slowly raised her eyes. "I heard many people praised you at the Duke of Chen's peach blossom banquet yesterday. What, you won and you're still not happy?"

"It has nothing to do with that," Cheng Zhao said.

Her mother replied, "Admitting defeat isn't like you. Tell me about it."

"I don't want to talk about it. Anyway, I want a divorce. I'll go talk to Grandfather and ask him to mediate for me," Cheng Zhao said.

Her mother nodded slightly. "Go ahead."