Second Marriage

Then he looked coldly at Huijing, who was already crying. “You still have the arrogance to cry?! You are the one who insisted on marrying into the Li Family, and the Li Family should treat you the way you deserve to be treated!”

Assistant Minister Li could only lower his head and endure the judgment. Li Qingzhi looked up and wanted to speak, but the Emperor did not give him permission. With one look, the Emperor suppressed him. “You have no sense of responsibility. First, you blindly listened to your mother’s instigation and divorced your first wife. Then, you married Huijing and were dissatisfied. You left her alone in the boudoir. It is ironic that you read the classics, and you know nothing about propriety, justice, integrity and honor. You are unworthy!”

Li Qingzhi looked pale and was sweating all over under the Emperor’s authority.

After he scolded them all, the Emperor finally took a deep breath. He calmed down and came to a conclusion. “First of all, this matter will be settled appropriately for peace and harmony. It is also a matter regarding the imperial family. Assistant Minister Li, you do not have to resign because of this family issue. For peace and harmony, I will ask the Eldest Princess to offer an apology in front of all the people in the capital. Huijing is not sensible and does not understand her husband, and does not understand how to show filial piety to her parents-in-laws. She did not learn proper etiquette. Zhen will have the Empress send some momo to teach her etiquette. All of you will go back. Zhen has no desire to hear the people criticize the imperial family. The Li Family should also increase the number of family members in the household and serve the country well in the future!”

The Emperor had made the final decision.

The imperial family could not have a divorced County Princess. Even if Huijing was no longer one, it was not allowed, and it was impossible to leave the marriage. The Li Family felt wronged. Everything that had happened was written off in one stroke. The Li Family’s official position remained, and Li Qingzhi and Huijing had to go back and pretend to be a loving couple to save the imperial family’s reputation.

Many faces were as gray as dust, but Assistant Minister Li remained calm.

This was really the best result for the Li Family. He was ready when he sent in the request.

When they left the palace, Huijing got into her mother’s carriage and the sound of weeping kept coming out. Li Qingzhi, like the one fished out of the water, was listless and had no spirit to fight.

Assistant Minister Li glanced at his son. He closed his eyes and said, “Second Eldest Son, don’t ruin your future for the sake of a woman. The Li Family has your older brother, but you still need to support the Li Family. You do not like your main wife and it is not good to take in concubines, but you can still do it. You should understand what the Emperor meant.”

Adding more to the household did not mean that Li Qingzhi and Huijing should produce di children.

Li Qingzhi was silent the entire way. When he got home, he locked himself in the study for two days before he went back to his courtyard. He watched how the momo who were sent by the Empress taught Huijing to behave. Then, he sent the momo away, grabbed Huijing and threw her onto the bed.

Huijing landed with pain. Her eyes were red. Li Qingzhi stood in front of the bed and slowly undressed.

Huijing was confused for a moment. Soon, he held her down and tore off her clothes. A cry came from the room.

The two momos outside the door glanced at each other. They continued to stand and guard the door. It would hurt a woman during the first time, but at least the Second Master of the Li Family was starting to understand what he had to do. Between husband and wife, once it happened, there would be a second time. Going slow was good, and whatever hatred or regret they had would all be in the past.

Life had to go on.

But what the momo did not know was that Huijing’s body was bruised all over every time it happened. Li Qingzhi didn’t care about how she felt at all. She was not even treated as well as a prostitute.

The Emperor’s words were final. The Eldest Princess could only bow her noble head, and offer an apology that was heard all over the capital. In addition, Madam Li received a divorce from the Li Family at this time.

Assistant Minister Li was ruthless this time and finally took the right step.

After leaving, Madam Li returned to the Ye Family again. The outsiders changed her name to Xiao Ye-shi. It was difficult for the servants to address her, and could only use the respectable form of “you”. Eldest Master Ye made the decision to send his Eldest Younger Sister to a remote Buddhist abbey.

When Xiao Youning heard this, she stopped embroidering the handkerchief. She said indifferently, “As expected, those who are wicked will be punished by their own wicked means. These words truly did not mislead me.”

As she watched the trivial matters happen between the Li Family and the Eldest Princess Residence, she was so satisfied that she wanted to clap her hands.

However, her hands were not free right now and those outsiders couldn’t compare with her beloved.

Yuan Guo bit into a pear and raised an eyebrow as she proudly said, “They deserve it! Young Miss has been shut in for so many days that your needlework has progressed. Look at how beautiful the embroidered hollies are.”

Xiao Youning looked down at the embroidery on the handkerchief. She bit her lip, and blushed. “Th-these are bamboo leaves!”

Yuan Guo almost choked on the pear. Her eyes widened at the large and distorted bamboo leaves. She giggled and said, “Okay, the bamboo grew so large from fertilizers that it produced these leaves.”

Xiao Youning was so angry that she almost stabbed her with a needle.

Ye Shen arrived while they were staring at each other. He listened to them at the door. As soon as he came in, he grabbed the handkerchief she wanted to hide. He was so amused that the corners of his eyes curved and he tried really hard to hold back his smile.

Yuan Guo ran with lightning speed like she had made Fifth Master Ye extremely angry.

Before Xiao Youning’s annoyance could be let out, Ye Shen’s words managed to make it disappear.

“Your father is coming back. He will be in the capital in about a month. When Father-in-law comes back, we will set a date…”