Chapter 4

That remark sent Pei Feng off in a fury again.

The gongs and drums started up outside once more. This time, Fengxing brought her tea to pay respects to me right to my door.

“Open the door, Sister.”

On her third request, I opened it.

Under everyone’s astonished eyes, I raised the cup and flung the tea straight into Fengxing’s face.

“I did come out too late.”

“If the tea had been a little hotter, it might have left a scar.”

My voice was full of regret.

Fengxing shrieked. In an instant, tears of grievance filled her eyes.

“It’s bad enough that you’re so harsh with me every day. Why take your temper out on someone else?” Pei Feng wiped Fengxing’s face with a handkerchief, looking thoroughly displeased. “All that talk about being mistreated as a child. Your father is a civil official who studied the classics and passed the imperial examinations. Your sister is timid and frail. You’re the one as stubborn as a mule. When have you ever let yourself suffer the slightest wrong?”

“Tell me the truth—”

“Were you always bullying Fengxing at home? Why else would she still be unmarried at her age? Well, today I’m going to set things right and marry her!”

Looking at his righteous indignation, I suddenly laughed.

Stupid.

I was so stupid.

I should have known better than to open my heart to someone so carelessly. Now every painful thing I had buried deep inside had become an arrow for Pei Feng to shoot at me, leaving me wounded all over and trembling with pain.

But I deserved that pain.

Who had handed him those weapons, if not me?

“Why don’t I give you everything you want?”

I looked down at the red porcelain cup clenched in my hand.

The vivid red Double Happiness character on it hurt my eyes.

The arrangements for taking a concubine had been made in such a hurry that even the bridal veil was a piece of red cloth a matron had torn off at random. Where had this red Double Happiness cup come from? It must have been fetched from the storeroom. Half a year ago, I had used it too, to pay my respects to Heaven and Earth and our elders…

I set down the red porcelain cup and continued, still smiling,

“Since you pity her so much, why not marry her as your principal wife?”

“Give me a divorce letter, and I’ll make room for her at once.”

Pei Feng frowned. Before he could open his mouth and say something else I couldn’t bear, I spoke first. “I’m not threatening you. I’m truly tired, Pei Feng. In the six months since I married you, I sincerely wanted to be with you. But you’ve never liked me. If my very presence disgusts you so much, why not let us part with a little dignity?”

Pei Feng was still frowning. “When have I ever been disgusted with you—”

“Give me a divorce letter,” I insisted.

Pei Feng said nothing.

For a moment, we were at an impasse.

I knew a divorce brought no credit to either family.

Especially when Pei Feng’s grandfather was a great Confucian scholar who set such store by the family’s conduct.

“Write down all my faults in the letter if you like,” I said with a gentle smile. “Say I’ve committed the seven grounds for divorce. That I’m disobedient to your parents, childless, jealous…”

My gaze fell on Fengxing.

Still smiling, I let out a long sigh.

“After all, I really am jealous.”

“If you bring her into this household, I’ll take a sword and kill her tomorrow.”

The murderous intent in my words made Fengxing shudder.

Pei Feng stepped forward to shield her. His condemning gaze treated me like a villain tormenting the weak, but he still refused to relent. “Who do you think you’re frightening, Zhao Qingzhi? I always go easy on you when we fight for fun. If it came to a real fight, who do you think you could kill?”

So threats weren’t going to work.

With another smiling sigh, I continued, “Then write that I’ve committed adultery.”

“Shut your mouth!” Pei Feng roared. “Do you know what you’re saying?”

I knew.

Of course I knew.

Adultery was the most disgraceful reason for a wife to be cast off. If Father cared enough about his reputation, he might even have me drowned. But that was all right. I would rather throw myself into a river than die in the Pei household.

Fengxing was here. The place disgusted me.

My personal maid brought paper and a brush and held them out to Pei Feng.

“If you don’t write that divorce letter today, I really will find another man tomorrow.” As his face twisted with rage, my smile grew utterly unrestrained. “Yes. That one is a threat.”

Pei Feng trembled with anger, but still wouldn’t take the paper and brush.

Then his eyes suddenly gleamed. He seemed to have thought of something else.

He glanced at Fengxing, then challenged me,

“Zhao Qingzhi, you really want a divorce letter? Then kneel and serve Fengxing tea in apology. Otherwise, you’ll accept her respects as mistress of this house and be done with it.”

As he spoke, he actually wrote out a whole letter in sweeping strokes.

I didn’t hesitate either. I went inside for the teapot.

The first cup of tea I poured over my own head.

“I will not kneel.”

“I threw a cup over you, and now I’ve poured one over myself. Consider that my apology.”

I held the second cup to Fengxing’s lips.

If she wouldn’t drink, I would grip her throat and force it down.

Frightened, Fengxing hurriedly took it. “Don’t be angry, Sister. We’re blood sisters. We can’t hold a grudge overnight. We’ve always been family and always will be. Please don’t talk about divorce. You don’t mean it.”

I watched her gulp it down.

Then I poured a third cup.

And hurled it, tea and all, at Pei Feng’s face.

“This one is for you!”

“From this day on, there is nothing between us. I’d sooner go to the underworld than see you again!”

Clapping a hand to his bleeding forehead, Pei Feng flew into a towering rage.

“Fine, fine, fine! You’ve got nerve, Zhao Qingzhi! Take your divorce letter and get out!”

He flung down the divorce document and stormed away.