Chapter 1374 – The Grapevine Has Fallen (Part Three)
“This matter… let me think it over…” Unlike his usual clear and resolute self, Han Yu showed rare signs of confusion and struggle. He wasn’t the type to wear his emotions on his sleeve, yet he couldn’t suppress his true feelings now, revealing just how torn and hesitant he really was. “Let me think more!”
Wei Ci sighed in silent agreement, choosing not to pressure Han Yu any further.
At the end of the day, this was merely Han Yu’s family issue. As a fellow disciple, Wei Ci felt it unwise to interfere too much, so he only pointed things out briefly.
Whether Han Yu’s marriage was good or bad depended entirely on whether the couple still had a connection.
“You know the Lord’s temperament; if she takes action, she certainly won’t hold back.”
Wei Ci dropped a hint to Han Yu, suggesting he should act quickly if he intended to do anything, lest he got entangled. In his previous life, the Emperor didn’t start to withdraw from the salt and iron businesses until after the founding of the nation. With so many variables in this life, Jiang Pengji had, influenced by Wei Ci, already turned her sights too early onto Han Yu’s family. If she discovered such a tempting piece of meat like salt and iron, how could she just let a few noble clans enjoy it all by themselves?
Han Yu nodded with pale cheeks, uneasily probing, “If you share this with me, how will we explain it to the Lord?”
Wei Ci blinked in surprise. He had no doubts about Han Yu’s integrity, unaware that Han Yu’s concerns had gone off track.
“The Lord values you highly, naturally she wouldn’t wish for you to be dragged into the Yu family crisis. If you can retract without a scratch, the Lord will have less to worry about.”
In the previous life, the Emperor was dead set on protecting Han Yu. Han Yu also sensed the Emperor’s determination, which led him to take poison to end his life. The Emperor wanted him alive, but Han Yu didn’t want to compromise the Emperor’s principles for his sake. Alas, if they could maintain a harmonious ruler-official relationship in this life, it would remedy the regrets of the past.
Han Yu nodded, mistakenly thinking that Wei Ci’s words were Jiang Pengji’s intent, his gloomy mood lifted a little.
Wei Ci suggested, “It’s getting late; I’ll have someone prepare warm water. Why don’t you bathe and freshen up?”
Although the candlelight in the room wasn’t bright, the long streaks of blood and bruises on Han Yu’s face marred his beauty entirely.
Wei Ci had never seen Han Yu in such a wretched state and couldn’t imagine Madam Han being so enraged as to resort to violence.
He chuckled, “Thank goodness your lady isn’t from the female soldiers’ camp; otherwise, if she got rough with you, I’m afraid you’d only be seen in the infirmary afterward.”
That wasn’t just jest.
In his previous life, a female soldier retired and went back home to marry her childhood friend.
Once married, her childhood friend changed from diligent and honest to a lazy drinker due to life’s grind. After the female soldier gave birth, her husband only became worse, eventually developing a gambling addiction. He squandered their savings and madly pawned off both his wife and daughter to the casino. When the casino’s thugs came to grab the female soldier and her daughter, they thought it would be an easy job—until the female soldier returned home to find them taking her daughter. In a fit of rage, she grabbed a pole and knocked them all down, defeating her husband in front of the whole village.
【When I was killing on the battlefield, you lot were still suckling at your mothers’ breasts!】
If Madam Han had similar fighting prowess, and the Young Doctor came a bit late, perhaps they would have needed to summon a spirit to see Han Yu again.
Han Yu helplessly said, “Do you dare show your snarky self in public? All you do is make fun of people.”
He felt he’d lost all face this year.
Wei Ci found a clean outfit that had never been worn for Han Yu to change into.
The two were roughly the same height, but Han Yu was a bit thinner, making the attire fit him somewhat loosely.
Wei Ci’s guestroom was poorly maintained and would be rather rude for entertaining guests, so he and Han Yu had to share a single bed for the night.
Their sleeping postures were proper without any suggestive undertones, but with two handsome men lying together, how could any fujoshi resist?
Jiang Pengji wasn’t a fujoshi, so she wouldn’t feel her heart race, only letting out a long sigh.
Wen Bin was well and good, but too capable of ruining the mood.
Jiang Pengji nimbly leaped up, silently landing on the roof, her ears perked to catch a sound of “whimpering.”
Peering down, she indeed saw a jet-black creature wiggling its chubby backside.
It was gazing up at her with big, dark eyes.
Wei Ci and Han Yu were deep in sleep, but their beloved “daughter” was none other than a legendary Iron-Eating Beast, which had long since memorized Jiang Pengji’s scent.
“What are you whining about?” Jiang Pengji jumped down to the Iron-Eating Beast’s side, tugging at its ear, “Go back and find your dad.”
The Iron-Eating Beast couldn’t understand human words, licking Jiang Pengji’s hand with its tongue, its big black eyes clearly saying one thing.
Hungry!
“If you want to eat, go find your dad.” Jiang Pengji grumbled, tossing the little creature back towards its quarters, “It’s rare I have time to come here, and he’s being heartless!”
He was actually keeping a concubine!
The abandoned Iron-Eating Beast clutched its tiny, wounded heart, pitifully heading off to find its owner.
It managed to not wake Wei Ci but startled Han Yu awake.
As he opened his eyes, he saw a shadow of a wild beast crouching beside his bed, scaring him so much he nearly squeaked.
Wei Ci woke up right after, not surprised at all.
He calmly said, “It’s alright, your niece.”
Han Yu, both frightened and speechless, stared dumbfounded as Wei Ci skillfully retrieved the Iron-Eating Beast’s midnight snack and tossed it back into its own den.
“No wonder you’re so poor; turns out you’ve spent it all on keeping it!”
Wei Ci teased, “Daughters need to be pampered.”
Han Yu gave a look that clearly said “we’re from different worlds” and rolled up his bedding to sleep again.
He recognized the Iron-Eating Beast; the Lord once jokingly referred to it as Wei Ci’s daughter, while Feng Zhen ridiculed it as the future Young Mistress.
Sure enough, his junior and the Lord were indeed involved!
Han Yu stayed at Wei Ci’s place for two days, and on the third day he finally made up his mind.
If he could salvage things, that would be best; if not—his marriage would end here.
Before the conversation, Han Yu still held a flicker of hope, but afterward, he felt an unprecedented mental and physical fatigue.
The proposal for divorce didn’t come from Han Yu first; it was initiated by Madam Han.
“After so many years of sharing a bed, how could I not know what my partner is thinking?” Madam Han observed Han Yu’s surprised expression, speaking softly, “I would rather propose this myself, saving face, than hear the word ‘divorce’ come from your lips…”
Since she laid hands on Han Yu, she knew their marriage had reached its end.
With a calm demeanor, Madam Han inadvertently made Han Yu feel a pang of guilt.
“This matter… ultimately, it’s my fault… You are the mother of Run’er and Chi’er, always will be…” Han Yu contemplated and said, “Run’er will soon be of marrying age, and once he has a wife, the household will have a responsible mistress…”
Madam Han, holding back her sorrow, asked, “Do you want to find them a stepmother? That’s your business; there’s no need to explain to me.”
Han Yu lowered his gaze, preparing to gather his writing tools, picking up the brush to write the release letter.
After Madam Han received it, she finally couldn’t hold her composure, sobbing as she embraced Han Yu.
