Second Marriage

Translator: tarararawr

Editor: Larkspur

Chapter 35

When Li Qingzhi announced himself, he was stopped at the gate. The gatekeeper stared at him rudely and made him feel uncomfortable.

In fact, it was not only the servant of the Xiao Family, but the people on the street, and even the people at the Eldest Princess’s banquet gave him the same kind of contemptuous look.

It was obvious that he had only obeyed his parents’ orders, but he had become the most despicable one!

Li Qingzhi was anxious. When the servants of the Xiao Family saw Xiao Youning coming, they bowed one by one.

His eyes turned to the gate. The little girl was dressed in pink and white. She was as delicate as the pink lotus with green jade leaves. The cinnabar mole below her peach blossom eyes looked like the alluring tip of a lotus petal.

Li Qingzhi suddenly realized that Xiao Youning seemed to look better than before. In contrast to himself who hadn’t even shaved his chin before going out since he was too depressed these days.

“Younger Sister Ning…,” he mumbled to her. He felt ashamed of himself, and even spoke in a weak voice.

Xiao Youning stood in front of the threshold. She raised her chin slightly and said, “Please speak cautiously, Second Master. The Li Family and I have broken our ties, and I hope you will not create more misunderstandings. Even if I have been divorced, my reputation is still important.”

She was not polite to him at all. Li Qingzhi turned very pale when she said this, and hurried up to her. “Young Sister Ning, I have already explained the reason for the divorce to you in my letter. I have to abide by filial piety as a son and I’m not going to marry Princess Huijing. Younger Sister Ning, don’t be angry with me any more. You’re the only wife of Li Qingzhi.”

“What a shameless thing! Why? Didn’t you climb up through your connection with the County Princess, and now you’re turning around and talking about affections again?” Xiao Youning wanted to speak politely, but she was disgusted by the way he was acting. “Since you want to observe filial piety, how can you beg me to go back to the Li Family against your mother’s words? Do you think that I, Xiao Youning, would like to wear broken shoes1 again? Or wear broken shoes that didn’t fit before?!”

The little girl’s words were hostile and she was frowning. It revealed an aggressiveness like a woman in the boudoir.

Every word was like the sting of a wasp, so poisonous and sharp that Li Qingzhi, unable to bear it, took a few steps back.

“Younger Sister Ning, you are not like this. You have always been the most gentle and considerate…”

Li Qingzhi had never seen this side of her and he looked like he could not withstand the shock. In his mind, how could the little girl with a cute smile be so logical and unforgiving when she spoke?

And she compared him to a broken shoe?!

“You still haven’t finished your meal, so why are you bothering with him? Just kick him out.”

Just when Li Qingzhi was berated so much that he could not even reply, a hand appeared on top of Xiao Youning’s head. It lightly and dotingly patted her head.

Xiao Youning’s heart jumped. She turned to see Ye Shen in his Daoist robes standing behind. She did not know when he came. His pure, handsome facial features were charming, but the light in his eyes was as cold as ice.

Li Qingzhi was wondering who it was and why there was a man’s voice inside Xiao Youning’s home. As soon as he looked up, he saw that it was Ye Shen, his younger maternal uncle.

But why was his uncle here? And he also appeared to be very familiar with Xiao Youning.

He was so shocked that he couldn’t even think, his eyes were fixed on them.

" "

Who was Ye Shen? Even ministers who met with him would never look at him so rudely. When his nephew saw him, his eyes narrowed dangerously.

He pulled Xiao Youning back and stepped out to completely cover up the little girl. He did not speak but raised his chin to Li Qingzhi.

Jian Yun received his signal. Without needing further instructions, he kicked Li Qingzhi down the steps.

The scream was heard throughout the alleyway. Ye Shen did not even look at his nephew who had blood seeping from the corners of his mouth. Instead, he turned and gave a small smile to the little girl whose eyes were wide open.

In a split second, the man who was covered in a killing aura just now, changed to an expression that was like a spring breeze. Even his eyes held warmth. “I’ll go back to the palace first. If you need anything, just ask someone to send me a message.”

Xiao Youning was a bit stunned and nodded. Her nod was a subconscious action.

Li Qingzhi was helped up by his young crying servant. He was dizzy. However, it was early morning and other servants came for him. It was Madam Li who discovered that her son had gone out of the residence. She also suddenly received a message from the Eldest Princess Residence to see if there was any way to dissolve the bazi between their children. This meant a reconsideration of the marriage, so she quickly sent servants to look for her son.

Li Qingzhi was about to retort that only Xiao Youning could be his wife, but the servants who came congratulated him with joy. “Madam is asking you to come back as soon as possible. Your marriage to Princess Huijing is probably going to be decided soon!”

Xiao Youning was really amazed by the Li Family. Was Li Qingzhi going to deceive her first, and then hold her to the left and hug her on the right2?!

“Take him away! From now on, if anyone from the Li Family shows up at the gate, I will give them a good beating!” With a cold face, she just did not want to see or think about this anymore. She really lost her appetite early in the morning.

The Xiao Family’s servants rushed up, and the young servant was so frightened that he immediately carried Li Qingzhi on his shoulder to leave. Fortunately, another servant helped him, and they bolted from the situation. Then, his servants ridiculously shouted at her, asking her to wait for them to leave.

“I don’t know what they mean.” Ye Shen had paused for a moment and then coldly uttered these words.

Xiao Youning finally came back in. There was a look of disgust on her face but towards Ye Shen, she had a smile on her lips. It was unspeakably beautiful.

“The Daoist Priest should ask Jian Yin to drive slowly.”

The little girl was concerned and Ye Shen gave in to it. The soft rays of the morning light dyed her eyes. It was full of gentleness that even she did not know.

With a low chuckle, he leaned over and whispered into her ear, “If you say one more word, I’m afraid I may not want to leave.”

Xiao Youning was in shock, but he had already stepped back and a smirk emerged from his lips. He got on the carriage and returned to the palace in a good mood.

When the carriage was far away, Xiao Youning collected herself when she saw it fade into a black dot. She touched her burning cheeks with her trembling hands.

“Just now, the Daoist Priest…” Why did he say he didn’t want to leave?

The way she was nagging him just now was a bit like a young wife sending her husband out.

There was an explosion in her head. Something had burst open and her whole face turned red. She did not even dare to think about the deep meaning behind Ye Shen’s words before he left.

How was this possible?

Xiao Youning just took a step forward. However, she instantly withdrew, like she had touched something taboo. She went back to the house with a red face.

——

Li Qingzhi was sent back to the Li Family. When Madam Li saw that there were blood stains on his mouth, she was so frightened that she shouted for someone to find a doctor.

“Is it that little wench who did it?”

Li Qingzhi was out of his mind. “Why was my younger uncle at her place?”

Madam Li did not hear clearly, and later asked the young servant who followed him about it. When she heard that her Fifth Youngest Brother was sent out by Xiao Youning, she was alarmed.

Why would Fifth Youngest Brother go to see that little girl?! 

And he came out from her place early in the morning. 

“Quickly, give me a brush and ink. I need to send a letter to my mother!” Madam Li did not dare to think too much about it. Her first reaction was to ask her mother for more information, and even the wedding with the Eldest Princess Residence was not as important as this.

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Footnotes

破鞋 (pò​xié​) – worn out shoes is a slut or a loose woman左拥右抱 (zuǒ yōng yòu bào) – it comes from a longer phrase (左抱幼妾，右擁嬖女) from the Warring States Policy: The Stratagems of Chu IV  meaning something like “hold his concubine on his left, embrace his mistress on his right” to say someone has a lot of concubines