The farce in Prince Yu's Mansion is still going on. Jiang Changning has not intervened for the time being and is watching what happens next. However, Second Madam Song, who hates Zhao Xifang to the core, can't wait to take action.
"She relies on her status as a princess to act so high and mighty. Let's see how she can still be so proud when she becomes an abandoned woman." Second Mrs. Song said maliciously.
The confidant who was sitting next to her twisting the thread looked at her, hesitated for a moment, and asked carefully: "Madam, what if she doesn't fall for it?"
"She is lonely in her boudoir, and a handsome man is asking about her well-being. How can she not be fooled?" Mrs. Song smiled sinisterly, "She will definitely be fooled."
Just when the Second Mrs. Song was secretly making trouble, Jiang Changning received the news that the First Mrs. Zhuang was seriously ill.
After the Zhuang family fell into decline, Jiang Changning asked Jiang Nan to find a stranger to rent a house outside the city to the Zhuang family at a low price, so that the Zhuang family had a place to stay.
He also secretly found a school for the two illegitimate sons of the eldest wife and sent them to study, hoping that they could pass the imperial examinations and become officials, thus supporting the eldest wife of the Zhuang family.
No matter what, Mr. Zhuang is the blood of Old Madam Zhuang, so Jiang Changning can't just do nothing.
"Let's find a good doctor to see her." There was no way Jiang Changning would leave the palace to visit her.
The Queen Mother left the palace with too much fanfare.
However, the doctor could cure the disease, not the life. Two days later, Mrs. Zhuang passed away.
Jiang Changning originally thought that nothing major would happen in the Zhuang family again. However, just after the hundred-day mourning period for Mrs. Zhuang, Mr. Zhuang was clamoring to remarry.
"Who is he going to marry?" Jiang Changning frowned. "He has nothing now, is there anyone willing to marry him?"
"She was a young widow in the village who had no children and had a hard time living in her husband's family. Somehow she got involved with Master Zhuang," Xiaochun replied.
"Could it be that they were secretly having an affair while the first wife was still here?" Shu Cui interrupted.
Xiaochun said nothing and agreed.
Jiang Changning exhaled lightly, "Tell Uncle Nan to tell Zhuang Jiwu and Zhuang Jisheng that Master Zhuang can remarry, but he must first divide the family. After the division, drive Zhuang Shenmao out of the yard, and let him and the young widow have their own love life."
Disgusted by what Master Zhuang did, Jiang Changning called him by his name.
Zhuang Shenmao was not very old, and it was normal for him to remarry after his wife died.
But there's no need to be so anxious, right? The body of the original wife is still warm.
Before the Zhuang family's farce was over, it was heard that Prince Yu wanted to divorce his wife.
The reason why Prince Yu wanted to divorce his wife was that Zhao Xifang had an affair and was caught by Prince Yu.
It is shameful for a wife to cuckold him. After knowing that Zhao Xifang was seduced, Prince Yu did not stop it. He planned to wait until Zhao Xifang was deeply involved in the affair before catching her in the act.
A woman's infidelity is unacceptable to the world, and this is the second of the Seven Reasons for Divorce. Prince Yu can legitimately divorce this princess who cannot give birth to a son for him.
He didn't intend to make a big deal out of it, but Second Mrs. Song didn't think so. She wanted to ruin Zhao Xifang's reputation and make her fall into obscurity with no chance of recovery. She had to make the matter known to everyone.
Mrs. Song's actions made Prince Yu and Zhao Xifang lose all face.
When Prince Yu attended the morning court, even Emperor Xuanzhi looked at him with sympathy, "Since the couple's love has ended, there is no need to force it together."
It was clear that Prince Yu was asked to submit a petition, whether it was to divorce his wife or to divorce her.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Prince Yu felt reassured and immediately went back home to write a memorial.
The memorial had just been written when the concubine came over.
"Mother, what you said is nonsense. According to the laws of the Qin Dynasty, children follow their father and not their mother. As long as Deyin is here, she will be the eldest princess of Prince Yu's Mansion." Prince Yu hated Zhao Xifang so much that he refused to divorce her in order to save her face.
Without waiting for the concubine to say anything, Prince Yu frowned and asked, "Who gossiped in front of you and asked you to say these things?"
"No, no one." The concubine avoided Prince Yu's gaze guiltily.
"Mother, please don't listen to me divorcing Zhao. Only if I divorce her will it be good for the palace and Deyin. Do you still want Deyin to recognize a mother like her?"
The concubine waved her hands quickly, "I don't recognize her. How can such a bitch be worthy of being Deyin's mother?"
"Mother, I will take you back to the courtyard." Prince Yu took the opportunity to check who was whispering in her ear while sending the concubine back to the courtyard.
After finding out that it was Deyin's wet nurse, Prince Yu did not ask her whether she had accepted benefits from the Zhao family. He directly executed the wet nurse in public and beat her to death with a stick.
The death of the wet nurse also made others realize that Prince Yu was determined to divorce Zhao Xifang. No one dared to persuade him anymore, and Prince Yu was able to have peace of mind.
However, the wet nurse was beaten to death and Deyin was frightened and fell ill, so Prince Yu quickly asked someone to invite the imperial physician to the palace to treat her.
However, even though she was half-deadly ill, it did not stop Prince Yu from submitting a petition for divorce.
Emperor Xuanzhi waved his pen and approved the proposal, and comforted Prince Yu, "It's not your fault that you married an unvirtuous and unfaithful wife. Don't be depressed. You can find a good partner in the future, and you will naturally love each other and have many children and grandchildren."
"Thank you for your blessing, Your Majesty." Prince Yu said.
After Prince Yu retired from court, he ordered someone to send the divorce letter to the Zhao family.
After Zhao Xifang was caught cheating by Prince Yu, she knew that she was doomed. These days, she had been hiding in her room in silence, not seeing anyone.
Now that the divorce letter had been delivered, Zhao's mother knocked on the door and said, "Fang'er, open the door. Someone is coming from the palace."
There was no movement in the room, so Zhao's mother continued to knock, "Fang'er, open the door quickly, the prince is coming."
There was a "bang" sound from inside the house. It was the sound of something falling. Zhao's mother was startled and said, "Knock the door open."
When the door was pushed open, Zhao Xifang was seen hanging on the beam.
"Hurry up and save the girl." Zhao's mother shouted anxiously.
Zhao Xifang was rescued not long after being hung up. After a while, she recovered and said, "Mother, why did you save me? Please let me die. I have no face to live."
When the incident first broke out, Zhao's mother wanted her disgraceful daughter to die, but after so much time had passed, her anger had subsided. She hugged Zhao Xifang and cried, "Child, why are you trying to commit suicide? You are trying to tear my heart out!"
"Mother, I also want to live a good life, but there are people who don't want me to live. I have been framed and my reputation has been ruined. How can I still live with dignity?" Zhao Xifang was trying hard to save herself.
She had to get rid of the charge of adultery. Even if she could not continue to be the Princess of Yu, her reputation could not be too bad so that she could remarry.
Zhao's mother didn't want her daughter, whom she had carefully nurtured, to be so shameless and cheat on her husband with another man. "Who is it? Who wants to hurt you like this?"
"Mrs. Song II, it must be her." Zhao Xifang knew that Mrs. Song II hated her, and only Mrs. Song II would do such a sinister thing.
She did not doubt Jiang Changning, no matter what his current identity was. Based on her understanding of Jiang Changning, she knew that Jiang Changning had a good character and would not do such a dirty thing.
(End of this chapter)