“I… I’ll have someone bring tea…”
Upon hearing this, Yun Wenfang looked at her with a half-smile: “No need to be polite.”
Lady Meng bit her lip, looking as if she was about to cry again.
Yun Wenfang glanced around and casually asked: “Are you finding the living arrangements suitable?”
This sounded like a caring question, and Lady Meng couldn’t help but look up at Yun Wenfang: “It’s… It’s suitable.”
Yun Wenfang nodded and smiled: “I thought so, because I find it quite unsuitable.” More than half of the furnishings in Yun Wenfang’s courtyard had been replaced by Lady Meng. Although Yun Wenfang usually didn’t pay attention to such things, he had always disliked people moving his belongings without his permission.
Lady Meng’s face turned pale. She opened her mouth to explain something, but was interrupted by Yun Wenfang: “It’s no matter. If you like this arrangement, then continue living here.”
Upon hearing this, Lady Meng couldn’t help but gather courage and stammered: “How long are you staying this time? Will you be living in the residence?”
Yun Wenfang raised his eyebrows, his lips curved in a smile, but his eyes were ice-cold with a hint of mockery: “How long do you hope I’ll stay?”
Lady Meng didn’t dare look at him, so she didn’t hear the sarcasm in his words. Blushing, she said: “Grandmother and Mother both miss you greatly, husband. If you could stay longer, they would surely be delighted.”
When Yun Wenfang heard this unfamiliar address, he narrowed his eyes slightly and stared at Lady Meng for a long while without speaking.
Lady Meng blushed and stole a glance at Yun Wenfang, but couldn’t understand the dark depths in his eyes.
“I’ll leave once my elder brother’s wedding matter is concluded,” Yun Wenfang replied with a twisted smile. “What your maid said earlier about returning to the Meng family also makes some sense. If you find living in the Yun family unpleasant, you can go back to the Meng family.”
Lady Meng immediately explained: “I… those were just words spoken in anger. Please don’t be upset, husband.”
“I’m not upset. Also, don’t let me hear that form of address again.” Yun Wenfang snorted, a flash of disgust passing through his eyes.
Seeing Lady Meng staring blankly without speaking, Yun Wenfang said with a smile: “Miss Meng, you must be clear that marrying you was not my intention. The Yun family brought you through the door without consulting my wishes. You’ve been keeping to an empty chamber alone for so long—if you have grievances, go reason with the Yun family elders and your Meng family elders.”
Lady Meng was already stunned speechless, forgetting to react.
“Speaking frankly, I’ll be staying in the military for the next few years with no time to return to the Yun family. Even if I do return, I don’t plan to live in this unfamiliar courtyard. Everyone knows that although we have the name of husband and wife, we lack the reality of it. I find it quite heartless to keep delaying you like this. So if you want a divorce, I have no objections. You’re still young—after leaving the Yun family, with the Meng family’s conditions, you can certainly find another suitable marriage.”
Yun Wenfang was rarely so patient in his persuasion.
Lady Meng was stunned for a long while, then suddenly began crying: “What… what do you mean by this?”
Lady Meng’s appearance was quite good, especially when she cried—she had a touching beauty like pear blossoms in the rain. Ordinary men would inevitably feel pity upon seeing her.
Unfortunately, Yun Wenfang was not an ordinary man. He stated coolly, “The meaning is that if you’re willing to stay in the Yun family, then continue staying as the Second Young Madam of the Yun family. But I won’t return home, won’t share a bed with you, and certainly won’t touch you. Your staying in the Yun family would be no different from keeping to a living widowhood. So if you want to divorce me and seek another beautiful marriage, I very much agree and will be very cooperative.”
Yun Wenfang felt that being able to tell Lady Meng these things so directly was already the utmost benevolence and righteousness. Otherwise, maintaining their false marital relationship as in the past year, when Lady Meng kept to her empty chamber, would be more beneficial to him.
Yun Wenfang tried hard to ignore that the position of his wife was already occupied by an unrelated person, but he was originally a pure and self-centered person who disdained taking advantage of women.
But these words were like a bolt from the blue for Lady Meng. She had only one thought—that her husband wanted to divorce her. They had only met for the first time after their marriage, hadn’t even consummated it, and he already wanted to cast her aside. For a woman, this was simply the ultimate humiliation.
However, Lady Meng had been a well-behaved girl when she was unmarried and had never done anything too confrontational. So even though she was trembling with anger from Yun Wenfang’s words, she didn’t make a scene, only covered her face and cried.
Yun Wenfang had no tender feelings for women. Seeing that he had finished what he wanted to say, he patted the hem of his clothes, stood up, and took his leave.
“I’ll be in Yunyang City for the next three days. If you make a decision, you can send someone to inform me. I won’t let the Yun family people stop you.”
After saying this, Yun Wenfang turned to leave. Lady Meng, who was crying uncontrollably, suddenly looked up: “Do you already have someone you favor?”
Lady Meng wasn’t too stupid either. Combined with Yun Wenfang’s words and actions and the hints she had occasionally heard from the Yun family servants who pitied her, it seemed Yun Wenfang had someone else he liked.
Seeing Yun Wenfang remain silent, Lady Meng endured her heartache and humiliation: “If you truly can’t let go of that person, I’m not unreasonable. You can bring her into the residence as a concubine. I… I won’t be jealous.”
Lady Meng, coming from a great family, had also heard some stories. She guessed that the woman might be incompatible with Yun Wenfang’s status, so he couldn’t marry her properly. If that were the case, she could tolerate Yun Wenfang taking her as a concubine. After all, she would only be a concubine—her status couldn’t surpass hers.
Lady Meng’s words made Yun Wenfang stop and look back at her.
“You as the legitimate wife, her as the concubine?” Yun Wenfang asked playfully.
Lady Meng gritted her teeth and nodded: “If it’s inconvenient for you to speak, I can go find Grandmother and Mother.”
Lady Meng felt utterly wronged but was still willing to compromise to save her marriage.
Unexpectedly, Yun Wenfang laughed, his words coming out like a sigh, slow and deliberate, word by word, making one’s heart turn cold: “Long ago, I once thought the same thing—to bring her into the residence at any cost. At that time, I felt that status wasn’t important. If she suffered a loss in status, at worst, I would dote on and protect her. If she couldn’t get along with the legitimate wife, I could turn the legitimate wife into a memorial tablet in the ancestral hall, offering three sticks of incense during festivals to be done with it. That way, no one could oppress her.”
Now Lady Meng’s face immediately lost all color, staring blankly at Yun Wenfang’s silhouette against the light, unable to speak.
Yun Wenfang looked at Lady Meng’s expression and smiled somewhat maliciously: “So you should be grateful that she can’t enter the Yun family’s door. Otherwise…”
Yun Wenfang didn’t finish his sentence. He gave Lady Meng a meaningful look before turning and leaving.
Lady Meng’s body went limp, collapsing pale-faced onto the kang.
No one saw that as soon as Yun Wenfang left his courtyard, the cynical smile on his face disappeared. His eyes were dark and deep, thick as impenetrable clouds, concealing all disappointment and pain within.
The four head maids entered shortly after Yun Wenfang left. Seeing Lady Meng lying motionless on the kang, pale-faced and trembling, they were all startled and surrounded her.
“Miss!”
“Miss, what’s wrong?”
Looking closer, the maids discovered that Lady Meng had silently cried until her face was covered with tears, but her eyes were vacant and lifeless, as if her soul had been taken.
After an unknown amount of time, Lady Meng finally stirred and got up, wiping her tears while instructing the maids: “Go pack our things.”
“Miss? Pack things for what?” The maids were confused.
Lady Meng closed her eyes: “I’m going home to see Mother.”
One head maid advised: “Miss, tomorrow is the day the Yun family’s eldest young master marries. Leaving at this time might not be appropriate. Why not wait a few more days?”
Lady Meng shook her head with a heart-dead expression: “No, we leave now. Immediately, right now. I can’t stay another moment longer.” After saying this, Lady Meng collapsed crying again.
The maids looked at each other, then could only go request instructions.
Although the Yun family elders had always been lenient with Lady Meng, if she wanted to go out, she still needed to report to Madam Yun.
Madam Yun was currently frantically busy with Yun Wenting’s wedding, afraid that something would go wrong tomorrow due to Yun Wenting’s absence. But her usually obedient second daughter-in-law was adding to the chaos at this time. Although Madam Yun was somewhat displeased with her daughter-in-law’s request, she still politely refused Lady Meng’s maid. The Yun family was having a wedding tomorrow. Lady Meng, leaving her husband’s family to return to her maiden family at this time, would certainly cause gossip.
After the maid returned to report Madam’s decision, Lady Meng bit her teeth and, for the first time, disobeyed her mother-in-law’s wishes: “No, I must go back.”
Lady Meng stopped packing any luggage and left directly with several dowry servants.
Originally, no one paid much attention, and even Madam Yun didn’t worry much about such a small matter. After all, besides loving to cry, Lady Meng was usually quite obedient, so no one dared stop her along the way. Only when the Yun family elders realized from their busy schedule that Lady Meng had returned to her maiden family did they understand the seriousness of the problem.
Tomorrow was an important day, and the Yun family didn’t want complications, so they sent people to the Meng family to investigate and bring Lady Meng back first. Unfortunately, all the people the Yun family sent to fetch her were turned away. Madam Meng had the gates closed and instructed that no one from the Yun family be allowed in.
Madam Yun guessed it must be related to Yun Wenfang and furiously summoned him. But where would Yun Wenfang obediently wait at home to be scolded?
The Yun family thus spent a chaotic and busy day.
The next day, Yun Wenting was still nowhere to be seen and presumably would truly not appear at the wedding. Fortunately, the Yun family’s second young master Yun Wenfang still appeared before the Yun family went to escort the bride.