Yan Lao Ye and Yan Fu Ren arrived at the Commander’s Mansion together and were led by a servant to the Commander’s study.

Inside the study, Yan Qin was kneeling on the floor. Whether from crying or from fear, her body trembled continuously.

The Commander’s face remained taut and rigid when he saw Yan Lao Ye enter.

Yan Lao Ye knew the moment he stepped through the door that Yan Qin had caused trouble again. Since she had married into the Shi family, there had been no major disasters but a constant stream of minor ones. At first he had still sent people to inquire, but eventually he had lost even the desire to ask. This daughter of his had truly been a hopeless fool.

Yan Fu Ren, on the other hand, took one look at Yan Qin’s condition and her eyes immediately welled with tears.

“Commander.” Yan Lao Ye stepped forward and cupped his hands in a respectful salute.

The Commander looked at him, then at Yan Qin kneeling on the floor. “Mr. Yan, your daughter is not one the Shi family has the fortune to keep. You had better take her home.”

The aide, Li Si, placed a document in Yan Lao Ye’s hands.

“This is the divorce document. I’ve had it processed. From this moment on, she is no longer a member of the Shi family. As for the dowry she brought with her, I’ve had it packed up and will be returned with her to the Yan Mansion.” The Commander’s words were blunt and unsparing — he had effectively handed down the verdict on Yan Qin.

Divorce?

Yan Fu Ren nearly fainted at hearing those two words.

Yan Lao Ye was greatly surprised, but quickly composed himself. He had known, from the moment Yan Qin became a wife in the Shi family, that this day was inevitable sooner or later.

Still, Yan Qin was his daughter. There were certain things he still needed to ask clearly.

“Commander, might I ask what offense my daughter has committed?”

“I had not intended to speak of it. But since Mr. Yan asks, I do not mind the family’s disgrace being made known.” The Commander then recounted how Yan Qin had given Shi Yutong the medicine, causing Shi Yutong to nearly bleed to death — and how, even though Shi Yutong had survived, she would never be able to have children.

Yan Fu Ren collapsed into her seat upon hearing this, eyes fixed blankly on Yan Qin’s back, unable to utter a single word.

Yan Lao Ye let out a sigh. “Commander, it is entirely due to my poor guidance that my daughter has committed such a grave error. I ask that the Commander punish me as well.”

The Commander did not care for Yan Qin, but he still remembered the debt of gratitude he owed Yan Lao Ye from years past. Moreover, this was ultimately something Madam Shi and Yan Qin had done together — he had no wish to lay the blame on Yan Lao Ye.

So he stepped forward and took hold of Yan Lao Ye’s arm. “Mr. Yan, raising children is something we all do to the best of our ability — what happens afterward depends on the individual’s character and fate. Your daughter Yan Qing is now helping Er Yitai manage the inner household, conducting affairs with order and precision, sharp and nimble of mind. I am truly pleased with her.”

The conversation had started with Yan Qin’s affairs and suddenly turned to Yan Qing, and from the Commander’s tone, he seemed rather satisfied with this daughter-in-law.

Yan Lao Ye was startled for a moment, then cupped his hands again, not daring to say much more.

“Father, Mother, I was wrongly accused.” Yan Qin, seeing the Commander mention Yan Qing, was so furious she could have spit fire from all seven orifices. She didn’t particularly care about divorcing Shi Guang — but she could not bear the thought of Yan Qing faring well.

Yan Lao Ye shot her a look of contempt. “Wretched child, hold your tongue.”

“I was framed. I only gave Shi Yutong some croton powder…”

“Enough.” Yan Lao Ye cut her off, and in a furious tone turned to Yan Fu Ren. “Take her away. Stop making a spectacle here.”

Only then did Yan Fu Ren come to her senses — yet she was so frightened she couldn’t manage a single word.

Yan Lao Ye cupped his hands once more. “Commander, my daughter has committed such a grave wrong. I, Yan, feel nothing but shame and remorse. As for my daughter’s dowry — please let it remain in the Commander’s Mansion for the Commander to dispose of as he sees fit.”

The Commander was very pleased with this handling. Yan Qin’s dowry was no small sum, and given how enormous the military payroll expenses were, this money would serve a great purpose.

The two men exchanged a few more words, and then Yan Lao Ye took Yan Qin and departed.

Yan Qin cried out her grievances the entire way, making an unbearable racket. Yan Lao Ye simply had the servant knock her unconscious and carried her out.

“Miss, Father is here.” Murong smiled happily and opened the courtyard gate.

Yan Lao Ye had someone send Yan Qin to the carriage, then took a moment to visit Tao Lan Garden.

“Father.” Yan Qing was overjoyed, tossed down the book in her hand, and ran over.

Seeing her come running with her earrings swaying back and forth and her beautiful eyes curved into happy crescents, Yan Lao Ye was momentarily transported — it was as if they were still back at his residence, and she was still his daughter who had not yet left to be married.

“Father.” Yan Qing threw herself into Yan Lao Ye’s arms, her eyes shimmering with emotion. “Father, I’ve missed you.”

“You child, it hasn’t even been that long.” Yan Lao Ye gently patted his daughter’s shoulder. “Besides, you are already the Seventh Young Madam of the Shi family. How is this any way to be dignified?”

Yan Qing laughed and pressed her cheek to his chest, caring not at all about his “reproach.” “There’s no one else here — no need to worry about anyone seeing.”

“Alright, alright, alright. You have all the answers.” Yan Lao Ye smiled helplessly.

“Father, come sit down. I’ll have some tea prepared.” Yan Qing took Yan Lao Ye by the hand and guided him to a nearby pavilion, pressing him down into a seat. “Father, I don’t think you’ve visited this courtyard before, have you? Would you like to take a look around?”

“Never mind that. With Shi Ting away from home, I don’t want to be an unwelcome guest. I just worried about you and came to see how you’re doing.” Yan Lao Ye said, though his curiosity still got the better of him and he looked around. “This courtyard of yours may not be large, but with the hills and the water and all these flowers, birds, and pets, it has its own unique charm.”

“It’s all things Shi Ting has raised.” When she spoke of Shi Ting, the corners of Yan Qing’s mouth curved upward. “He loves keeping these creatures, and he tends to them very well.”

As they talked, a peculiar voice suddenly rang out from somewhere.

“Welcome, Mr. Yan! Welcome, Mr. Yan!”

Yan Lao Ye gave a start, then caught on immediately. He looked toward the parrot cage hanging beneath the covered walkway. “It… it actually remembers me?”

“Just like its master — it remembers everyone it has ever seen.” Yan Qing laughed.

They chatted idly for a while, and then Yan Lao Ye brought up the matter of Yan Qin.

“I thought the Commander might take his anger out on you because of your Fifth Sister’s actions. I never imagined the Commander would hold you in such different esteem.” Yan Lao Ye sighed. “I always knew she was trouble. I never expected she would be dismissed from the family with a divorce notice. Alas — the Yan family has not had such a shameful affair in a long time. I’ll need to reduce my social engagements for a while, to avoid having to face acquaintances.”

Yan Qing comforted him. “It’ll blow over in time. This sort of thing isn’t unique to our family. Divorce is so easy to arrange now, and it happens all the time even in prominent households.”

Yan Lao Ye nodded, then admonished her. “I hear you are managing the household together with Er Yitai. Be careful in all things and don’t make mistakes.”

“Father, don’t worry. I’ll be careful in everything.”

After leaving Yan Qing’s courtyard, Yan Lao Ye brought Yan Qin and Yan Fu Ren back to the Yan Mansion.

He had Yan Fu Ren take Yan Qin back to the room she had stayed in before her marriage to educate her, while he himself went to the Old Madam’s courtyard to report the matter. Though it was severed by a single divorce document, for a great household like the Yan family, this was undeniably a deeply shameful affair.

Yan Fu Ren brought Yan Qin back to the room she had stayed in before her marriage.

There was little distress on Yan Qin’s face; she looked more like someone who had finally been set free.

Though she could no longer become the Commander’s wife, at least she no longer had to look every day at Shi Guang’s face, which she found so repellant. Perhaps this was not such a bad thing after all.

“Mother, why are you sighing?” Yan Qin acted as if nothing was the matter.

Yan Fu Ren was simply speechless in the face of her. Being sent home from the Commander’s Mansion with a divorce document — did she think anyone in Shun Cheng would still dare marry her? A woman who never married — was she going to spend her whole life at home attending to her parents? Wouldn’t that be the laughingstock of everyone?

Yan Fu Ren, trading on the connection to the Commander’s Mansion, had moved in upper social circles with ease — people gave face to the Yan family if not to the Commander’s Mansion directly.

But now, Yan Qin had been thrown out of the Commander’s Mansion. It was called a divorce, but anyone curious enough to inquire would know exactly what had happened.

“You are truly foolish.” Yan Fu Ren beat her chest and pointed at Yan Qin as she scolded her. “You had such a fine position as the Shi family’s Second Young Madam and you threw it away, only to come home and be a castaway? What will you do now? And what are you putting your father and me through — how will we ever hold our heads up in public?”

“I’ve said it already — I was framed. What I gave Shi Yutong was only croton. And I was trying to help her. I had no idea someone would secretly swap out the medicine.” Yan Qin still felt she had been greatly wronged.

“What do you have to feel wronged about? You are simply stupid.” Yan Fu Ren finally said the one thing that was true. “Stupid and without self-awareness.”

“You gave birth to me — if I’m stupid, doesn’t that mean you’re stupid too?” Yan Qin dropped into a chair. “In any case, I’m a daughter of the Yan family. Now I’ve been chased back to my maiden home, and it’s your face that’s lost, not mine. What do I have to be afraid of? At most I’ll just stay home and not go out.”

“You… you…” Yan Fu Ren was so furious she nearly vomited blood, her hand pressed over her chest again and again. “It’s all because I’ve spoiled you rotten — it’s all my fault.”

Yan Fu Ren slumped over the table and began to sob.

What a bitter life she had.

While Yan Qin was being sent back to her maiden home, Shi Yutong on the other side had already woken up. She only remembered that not long after taking the medicine her stomach had started to ache, then the bleeding had begun. What happened after that, she had no recollection of at all.

The Commander had given the order: everyone who knew about this was to keep it secret.

So when Shi Yutong returned from the hospital, she had no idea what had befallen her and knew nothing of how her fate had changed because of it.

“Yutong, you’ll need to lie in bed for another half month. The doctor said you injured yourself this time and need to recuperate properly.” San Yitai kept up the deception. “You had an acute case of appendicitis — they made a big incision in your stomach. But don’t be frightened. I’ve heard they have scar-removing medicine overseas that with continued use can make the scar disappear entirely.”

Though Shi Yutong was very displeased about the scar on her stomach, for the sake of her health she had no choice but to accept it.

“Mother, I want to take a bath. I’m nearly suffocating from the smell of myself.”

“Absolutely not.” San Yitai quickly stopped her. “The doctor said you cannot get wet. You’ll have to endure it for a while.”

“Alright.” Shi Yutong agreed, unwillingly.

After San Yitai left, Shi Yutong waved her maid over. “Go and fetch Second Young Madam. I want to talk with her.”

The maid froze for a moment.