Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Early the next morning, I took Qi Jin with me to pay our respects to Qi Yuanhuai.

Qi Jin squirmed for a long while before finally, and very reluctantly, calling him “Father.”

In an effort to quickly grow closer to him, Qi Yuanhuai kept him behind and personally tested him on his studies.

Before long, a deafening roar came from the study, so loud the trees in the courtyard seemed to tremble.

“Your handwriting is crooked, you make mistakes everywhere, and you can’t even recite the simplest poems! As for The Analects and Mencius, you don’t know a single thing when asked! How have you been studying?”

Then came Qi Jin’s wailing sobs.

I hurried inside and pulled Qi Jin into my arms, my heart aching for him.

“He’s still young. If he doesn’t know something, he can learn. Why are you being so fierce with him?”

Qi Yuanhuai was furious. “He’s already ten and a half. How is that young? What kind of mother are you? Didn’t you say he was very bright?”

Qi Jin was so frightened he cried until snot bubbled from his nose, then hid behind me with tear-filled eyes.

I had someone take Qi Jin away, then gently explained to Qi Yuanhuai, “Of course Jin’er is bright. He’s just lively and active by nature, so he isn’t willing to study.”

Now that his official rank was higher, his temper had grown with it. When he scolded me, he showed no mercy.

“Chen Shi, don’t tell me that because he isn’t your biological son, you’ve been deliberately neglecting him?”

Xiao Cui quickly spoke up for me. “General, please don’t wrongly accuse Madam. For the young master’s education, Madam put up notices all over the city to find him a tutor.”

“The young master has changed tutors seven times, but he simply doesn’t like studying. Madam has worried herself sick over this.”

“If you don’t believe me, General, ask anyone in the residence. You’ll know whether I’m telling the truth.”

Only then did Qi Yuanhuai’s expression ease a little.

I took out a handkerchief, sniffed hard, covered my face, and rushed out the door.

Later, Xiao Cui went out of her way to find Qi Jin and, with plenty of embellishment, told him how much grievance I had suffered in front of Qi Yuanhuai today in order to protect him.

In my previous life, those father and son were birds of a feather. Together, they deceived me and hurt me.

In this life, my first step would be to drive a wedge between father and son, and make Qi Jin hate his father to death.

That evening, Qi Yuanhuai knocked on my door.

“Ruoruo, about what happened during the day… I misunderstood you.”

I pinched my arm hard and cried through the closed door, “Since you’re so wary of me in every way, then let’s separate. That way, you won’t have to treat me like some black-hearted woman!”

Of course I wanted to divorce him.

But he and I had been married for many years. While he was away at war, I had worked hard to manage everything in the household. If he cast me aside now, he would surely be criticized.

He knew how to weigh the pros and cons and secure the greatest benefit for himself. He would never agree to a divorce at a time like this.

Seeing that I had no intention of opening the door, Qi Yuanhuai offered a few perfunctory words of comfort, then left.

That night, both concubines stayed in his room.