Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Wang Runhe froze, anger hidden in her eyes.

I smiled and led the way.

By the time we reached the Empress’s palace, a female official happened to be presenting a letter to the Empress.

After reading it, the Empress flew into a rage. From inside the hall came a clatter of cups and dishes smashing to the floor.

I smiled faintly. Estimating that the palace maids had more or less finished cleaning up, I stepped inside and reported, “Your Majesty, Wang Runhe, wife of Xie Yun, has arrived.”

The Empress took a sip of tea and forced down the fury between her brows, then allowed Wang Runhe to enter.

Wang Runhe swept a terrified glance over me. She looked as if she wanted to speak, but under the urging of the eunuch attendant, she had no choice but to hold her breath, compose herself, and bow her way inside.

I slowly withdrew.

Outside, the sunlight was brilliant, scattering the gloom that had been wrapped around me.

I narrowed my eyes slightly and felt a little sleepy.

Before long, Wang Runhe came out.

Her mind seemed elsewhere, and she only barely managed to stay on her feet with a palace maid supporting her.

She sat in a chair in the side hall to recover for a moment. Then she looked at me, forced back her tears, lowered her voice, and trembled with fury.

“You did that on purpose. You deliberately brought me in while Her Majesty the Empress was angry, making me pay an extra thirty percent before I could get a divorce from Xie Yun. You are truly vicious!”

She had asked for a divorce from Xie Yun?

Not for the Xie Family’s safety?

Husband and wife were birds of the same forest; when disaster struck, each flew their own way.

I had to admire how decisive she was.

Paying an extra thirty percent would probably mean handing over all the wealth the Wang family had earned in the capital these past years.

That was a good thing.

Smiling, I said, “If Madam Wang is unwilling, I will go explain it to Her Majesty the Empress right now. Her Majesty is benevolent and never forces anyone into difficulty.”

I lifted my foot to leave.

Wang Runhe cried out in panic, “Don’t!”

In her terror, even her voice changed.

I ignored her, and with a thud, she dropped to her knees.

“Lady Zhangyan, I spoke rashly. Please forgive me. I have absolutely no complaints toward Her Majesty the Empress. If I am lying, may I be struck by lightning from the heavens.”

Shame filled her eyes-the resentful humiliation of someone forced to bow beneath another’s roof, the fury of a wounded pride she had no choice but to hide.

Some more of the resentment in my heart dispersed.

I smiled. “I will escort Madam Wang out of the palace. I imagine Master Xie has many questions for you.”

Wang Runhe collapsed limply to the floor.

At first, she had entered the palace intending to seek a way out for the Xie Family. But when it came down to it, she had asked for a divorce for herself.

Now she was so guilty she could not even walk.

She might have time to spare, but I was very busy.

I had two strong, sturdy old maids drag her out of the palace.

She lay wilted on the ground, utterly disheveled.

Xie Yun rushed forward and anxiously asked her what had happened.

Wang Runhe could not speak. Xie Yun looked up, instinctively about to question me, but the moment he met my half-smiling eyes, he stopped cold.

The sight of him standing there with his mouth open, rendered speechless, was inexplicably amusing.

This time, Wang Runhe finally found her tongue.

She clutched Xie Yun’s wrist tightly and pleaded,

“It has nothing to do with Li Zhangyan. Let’s talk when we get back.”

Wang Runhe probably wanted to wait until the divorce decree reached the Xie residence before revealing that she had already divorced him. That way, she would face the least pressure, would not be accused and cursed by everyone, and the Xie Family would even have to beg her for money and ideas. They would not dare do anything to her.

How could I let her have her way?

I was a good person. I could not bear to see anyone deceived.

I opened my mouth and said, “Master Xie, Madam Wang… no, Miss Wang, requested a divorce decree for herself. As of now, she is no longer a woman of your Xie Family, but a daughter of the Wang family.”