As previously agreed, Mudan had Yuhe distract Mother Lin while she waited for Li Xing in an open pavilion with no obstructions on any side. Impropriety thrives in dark corners, but here, in plain sight with people coming and going, there was no opportunity for misconduct. Even if someone sought to catch her in error, they would find nothing. Mudan aimed for a clean, honorable separation with her rightful dowry, not a scandalous dismissal tainted by rumors.
Li Xing arrived promptly, cutting straight to the point: “Dan Niang, what did you wish to discuss?”
Mudan bowed deeply. “Cousin, I can no longer endure this life. I seek a divorce. Please help me.”
When Li Xing remained silent, Mudan’s heart raced. She thought, “Though I called him cousin, he’s still an outsider. It’s understandable if he doesn’t want to get involved in this mess. If that’s the case, I’ll have no choice but to take drastic measures.”
Li Xing finally sighed heavily. “It’s said that it’s better to destroy a temple than to break up a marriage. If I agree to help you, it might seem like I’m doing something unethical.”
Mudan looked up at him. “Helping me would be an act of great virtue! I need you to help convince my parents. The marriage was unavoidable at the time, but now that I’ve recovered and his family is unwilling, why not free us both? Why force ourselves to suffer? I’d rather die than live so submissively!” She thought to herself, “Isn’t it a waste to spend the prime of my youth on such a man and fighting with a group of women?”
Li Xing’s eyes flickered. “You do seem to have gained a new perspective. But remember, once the arrow is shot, there’s no turning back. There’s no medicine for regret. If you succeed, you’ll have no connection to him anymore. You’ll be strangers when you meet. Are you sure you won’t regret it?”
Mudan hurriedly replied, “I’ve come to terms with it. I realized it during my illness last autumn. What’s not meant to be mine can’t be obtained no matter how hard I try. If my parents weren’t against it, I wouldn’t be troubling you so shamelessly.”
It seemed everyone knew of He Mudan’s infatuation with Liu Chang. No wonder when she last visited home and broached the subject with Madam He, she was scolded for being childish and fickle. It was all because the late He Mudan had foolishly covered for Liu Chang, praising him excessively. As for last autumn’s near-fatal illness, it only further convinced the He family that the Liu household was Mudan’s destined place. The He family’s expectations were quite low – they mainly wanted their daughter to survive, have a proper status, and not suffer any obvious harm.
Seeing Li Xing scrutinizing her sincerity, Mudan nervously straightened her posture, trying to appear resolute and determined, as if she would never regret her decision.
Li Xing smiled slightly, seemingly convinced that Mudan wasn’t acting on a whim. He was well-informed about the situation between the He and Liu families. “Your issue isn’t just about getting your aunt and uncle’s approval. The Liu family must agree too. They promised that if the marriage failed due to their fault, they’d have to return the entire sum. Your aunt and uncle might not believe you’ll be fine without the Liu family, and the Liu family will certainly make excuses to avoid returning the money. Even if your aunt and uncle don’t want the money back, the Liu family won’t let go of their leverage to prevent the truth from coming out.
Moreover, if you initiate the divorce, you’ll be seen as abandoning your husband. Liu Chang’s pride won’t allow you to be the one to leave him. Besides, apart from the Qinghua incident, he hasn’t committed any obvious faults. Such behavior has become commonplace, and he could easily claim to have changed. Even if they reluctantly agree to a divorce, he’ll find a way to get back at you and tarnish your reputation. You’ll still be the one at a disadvantage. Therefore, we need to plan this carefully.”
Mudan replied, “That’s exactly why I need your help, cousin. I even considered the ‘seven outs,’ but I couldn’t meet the conditions.” She knew that of the four conditions for a wife to leave her husband – the husband offending the wife’s family, the husband’s family offending the wife’s family, the wife offending the husband’s family, or the wife offending the husband – the first two were impossible, and the latter two would ruin her life if she attempted them.
Li Xing tapped his slender fingers on the pavilion pillar. “Don’t worry. You’ve never asked me for help before, so now that you have, I’ll certainly plan this out carefully for you.”
“If we can break free, I can accept some minor setbacks,” Mudan smiled. Though women’s status was relatively high in their society, it was still fundamentally patriarchal. “If possible, I’d like to move out before this autumn.” Autumn was the breeding season for peonies, the perfect time to implement her plan. Otherwise, she’d waste another year.
“So urgent?” Li Xing smiled slightly. “It seems you’ve truly given up. What are your plans for the future?”
Mudan tilted her head thoughtfully, then smiled. “I haven’t decided yet, but no matter what, I’ll live well and strive for a good life. I’ll try not to trouble others or become a laughingstock.”
Li Xing looked at her and said softly, “I’m sure you’ll get your wish.”
Suddenly, they heard someone cough loudly nearby. Mudan turned to see Pan Rong and Jiang Changyang standing by a bamboo grove. Pan Rong was craning his neck, but Jiang Changyang firmly held his sleeve. It appeared they had discovered Mudan and Li Xing earlier, with Pan Rong wanting to eavesdrop but being held back by Jiang Changyang, who had also alerted them with the cough.
Pan Rong, visibly annoyed, pulled his sleeve free from Jiang Changyang’s grasp and called out loudly, “What are you two whispering about here?” He thought to himself, “If it weren’t for Jiang Changyang’s meddling, I could have secretly obtained some leverage over them!”
Li Xing calmly bowed to Pan Rong and Jiang Changyang, smiling, “We were just chatting. It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other, so we were catching up as family.” Mudan nodded in agreement with a faint smile.
Pan Rong’s eyes darted between Mudan and Li Xing, but seeing their composed expressions and realizing he had missed his chance to catch them in any compromising situation, he put on a big smile. “You’ve been away for so long, it’s only natural for family to catch up.”
Noticing his sudden change in attitude and remembering Lady Bai’s warning about his schemes regarding the flowers, Mudan instinctively wanted to avoid him. She whispered to Li Xing, “Cousin, he seems unusually eager today. He must have some ulterior motive.”
Surprised that his once naive cousin could now read people’s intentions, Li Xing glanced at her and whispered back, “I know. You should head back soon. I’ll have someone contact you later.” He then engaged Pan Rong in an animated conversation.
Mudan stood quietly for a moment until she saw Yuhe and Mother Lin approaching with an umbrella and a food box. She took the food box and handed it to Li Xing, saying, “Please have this delivered to my home on my behalf.” Then she prepared to leave.
Pan Rong called out, “Sister-in-law, don’t go. I have something to discuss with you.”
Mudan sighed inwardly but smiled. “I wouldn’t dare to discuss. Please, Young Master Pan, just give your instructions.”
Pan Rong replied, “You’re being difficult. If I tell you, whether you agree or not, it will seem like I’m forcing you.”
Li Xing laughed, “Mudan, you can relax. If you don’t agree, the Young Master certainly won’t force you.” He turned to Jiang Changyang, who had been silent. “Brother Jiang, you’ve heard what the Young Master said. Isn’t that right?”
Jiang Changyang smiled faintly and opened his thin lips to say decisively, “Yes.”
“What kind of people are you all! Looking down on me like this, I’ll fight you all!” Pan Rong rolled his eyes, then turned to Mudan with a fawning smile. “Sister-in-law, to be honest, I have an urgent request. Only you can help me. If you don’t, I might as well die!”
Li Xing’s expression changed abruptly. “Young Master, please mind your words!” Mother Lin also pulled Mudan behind her, glaring warily at Pan Rong.
Pan Rong clicked his tongue. “Is it that serious? I just want to buy two flowers from sister-in-law at a high price. Those pots of Wei Zi and Yulou Dian Cui – if you’re willing to part with them, I’ll pay a million cash.”
Mudan silently calculated. A million cash could buy a thousand grafts at a thousand cash each, or pay for ten thousand garden visits. For others, it might not be a bad deal, but for her, it was a huge loss. She thought about how many flowers she could breed in five years. What was a million cash compared to that? She smiled and said, “Young Master, you’re putting me in a difficult position. As I told the princess earlier when she asked, these are part of my dowry from my parents…”
Pan Rong grew anxious. He glanced at Jiang Changyang and said, “She was forcefully taking them from you. You couldn’t swallow that insult, so of course you couldn’t give them to her. I supported you then. But with her temper, she might have killed the flowers with boiling water afterwards, leaving you with nothing. Now I’m sincerely offering to buy them from you. It’s a great deal – the flowers live, you get paid, you anger her, and you gain my goodwill. Why not do it?”
Mudan smiled faintly. “Even if they were killed with boiling water, that would be due to my incompetence, not my fault. But if I sell them, that would be my fault.” She knew that if she sold these two pots today, she might not be able to keep any of her flowers in a few days.
Pan Rong said angrily, “You’re as stubborn as an oak knot! What a waste of your pretty face. No wonder you’re not well-liked…”
Jiang Changyang quickly intervened, “If she doesn’t want to sell, let it be. We can part as friends. There’s no need for harsh words.”