Chapter 13
Edward Quan ·
I turned sharply and stared.
“Who told you to go?”
He froze.
“I…”
“I only wanted to help…”
“Help?”
I flung his hand away.
My voice shook with anger.
“Do you know you’re harming Father?”
“Pushing my whole family into the fire?”
“Asking the empress to intercede—do you know what that means to your father?”
“That we have a guilty conscience!”
“That there really is something wrong with Father!”
“That we’re using our imperial in-law status to interfere with government!”
“That you’re telling everyone our family and your residence are tied to the same boat!”
“If Father falls, you and this whole household go down with him!”
“Do you understand?”
I was almost screaming.
Anger.
Fear.
Despair.
Everything long suppressed burst out at once.
He stared, stunned.
His face went white.
His lips trembled.
He couldn’t speak.
He only wanted to help.
His foolish goodwill had become our enemies’ sharpest weapon.
Looking at him, I felt unbearably tired.
“Xiao Jingyan.”
I closed my eyes.
My voice was almost a sigh.
“Let’s divorce by mutual agreement.”
9
Those words struck him like thunder.
He froze.
He looked as though he had heard the most absurd story in the world.
“What… what did you say?”
“I said we should divorce.”
I opened my eyes, calm but utterly firm.
“Our bond is over.”
“Forcing it serves no purpose.”
“I’ve written the agreement.”
“You only need to sign.”
“From now on, each may marry freely.”
“We have no further ties.”
“No… impossible!”
He finally came to himself.
He rushed forward, seized my shoulders, and shook me hard.
“Have you gone mad?”
“Do you know what you’re saying?”
“Look at the situation!”
“Your family is at the center of the storm.”
“And you talk about divorce?”
“Do you think I’m using your family to threaten you?”
Disappointment and pain filled his eyes.
“Is that what I am to you?”
“A vile, shameless man?”
I let him shake me.
My body was a lone leaf-boat tossed in a violent gale.
“What about you?”
I looked up and met his eyes.
At last, tears rolled down my cheeks.
“What am I to you?”
“A pawn you can sacrifice?”
“A coward who keeps retreating for the sake of your supposed responsibility?”
“A bitter wife who cannot live without you?”
My tears seemed to burn his hands like lava.
He released me as though shocked and stumbled back.
“No…”
“Qingning…”
“I never thought that…”
For the first time, his voice held panic and confusion.
“Whether you thought it no longer matters.”
I wiped my tears and took out the paper I had prepared long ago.
Held it before him.
The divorce agreement.
I had written it at the moment in the Hundred Flowers Banquet when he told me to give way to her.
“Sign it.”
“This is the last dignity I can offer you.”
“Let me go.”
“Let yourself go too.”
He stared at the agreement.
His fists clenched until his knuckles whitened.
He didn’t take it.
“I won’t sign!”
He forced each word through his teeth.
“I will never divorce!”
“You’re my wife, Shen Qingning!”
“Mine in life!”
“My ghost in death!”
“I won’t let you leave!”