Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Madam Feng-Du appeared in a daze as she held the thin piece of paper. That tiny divorce letter honestly felt like a mountain weighing heavily on her.

“You, you — are going to divorce me?”

Madam Feng-Du seemed to not have awoken from the setback she suffered. She pinched her arms uncontrollably. This must’ve been a nightmare and wasn’t real. How could Feng Gui write a divorce letter to his wife? Just because she’d scolded Changsheng, a bastard?

Feng Gui undetectably knitted his brows, then helplessly replied, “It is an amicable split, not a divorce. Although you made some small mistakes, you committed no wrong in any serious aspects. I have no right to divorce you. Moreover, the attitude towards divorce among lower-class ladies in Zhongzhao is particularly strict…”

Before he even finished speaking, Madam Feng-Du’s high-pitched, shrill voice was heard. “You knew it, too! Then why did you write a letter of divorce? Are you trying to drive me to my grave? Feng Huaizhang, how cruel must your heart be! I refuse to split! I am adamant about staying as husband and wife! You might as well give me a poison cup of wine that’ll kill me.”

Feng Gui had seen a crazy woman before. He’d encountered many in the marketplace before. Yet he never imagined that such a deranged disposition could be exemplified by Madam Feng-Du. She was completely devoid of propriety. What was left was just a hysterical state of stubbornness.

“Do you know who you are?” Feng Gui sighed as he spoke, the tone of his voice was calm, but every word was like a nail piercing Madam Feng-Du’s heart. “You’ve held the matriarch role for four years, but do you actually know what your responsibilities are? You are to oversee the meals in the household, manage the women’s apartment, ensure that household chores are done, discipline the maidservants, facilitate meetings amongst the clan members, safeguard the items belonging to the clan, mediate any conflicts within the clan, and make preparations for offerings to our ancestors… which of these tasks have you done?”

A matriarch doesn’t only manage the internal affairs of a small household, she handles numerous tasks.

When she first married into the family, Feng Gui knew that she was still a young lady and had never encountered these responsibilities before. Thus, he’d requested that his mother help guide her. In the end? After four years, she had learned nothing. She was incompetent at handling her duties and blamed Madam Feng for being domineering.

“…The matriarch is the role model for all the women in the Feng family. Tell me, what qualities do you have that are worthy of others to follow? In order to gain a lofty title for yourself, you inflicted injury on your feet to gain the affection of a stranger. This caused you to sustain a bodily injury later and to show off your seductive mannerisms when walking.”

Madam Feng-Du’s face turned pale white. It was as if she’d applied a thick layer of foundation on her face. She looked dead.

“…Let’s not talk about this. Right now, the common practice in Zhongzhao is not upright. The aristocrats and great scholars seek after heretical schools of thought and, because you grew up in such an atmosphere, you cannot be blamed as a naïve lady. But you spoke more than you should have, you spoke lies that you conjured up, and you blurred the lines of what’s right and wrong… are these also Zhongzhao’s common practices?”

These behaviors could not be blamed on external events. It could only be concluded that her character was innately flawed.

Feng Gui started to say the words that he’d never said before, knowing they would hurt her. Now, he said every single one of them.

“This isn’t the first time I’ve talked to you about this. When have you ever taken it seriously? A matriarch isn’t a position you can assume by staying in your private quarters and applying rouge and powder, then by playing some schemes and tricks to hold onto your power. Do you know how many members of our clan are mocking you? We’ve been married for more than four years. Don’t you have any awareness that since you came in, the atmosphere within the clan has become more impetuous? The values we’ve held since the beginning are uprightness and purity. I cannot allow you to tarnish the Feng family’s name.”

She was upset to the point that she could hardly breathe. After a while, she grudgingly said, “Isn’t that because your mother has constantly interfered? She often comments on my incompetence and says that I haven’t done my duties well. Her years are numbered, yet she still covets my power. Because of her bad example, she forced me into this —”

Slap —

Before she could finish, a deafening slap was heard. Feng Gui hit the side of the table with so much force that the entire table vibrated. He looked at his reddened palm and his eyes were full of complex emotion.

“What exactly is your heart made of? Are you so cruel and heartless as a beast?” Feng Gui exclaimed. “In all these years, has mother ever treated you poorly? She has every right to enjoy the company of her family and be surrounded by her grandchildren. If not for your conduct… why does she still have to worry about the matters you are responsible for?”

Madam Feng-Du was indeed frightened by Feng Gui just now. She’d thought he was going to slap her just then, but his palm had landed on the table.

“Let’s split amicably. After all, we’ve been husband and wife. Let’s both preserve at least some of our dignity. It would also be better for our children.”

Madam Feng-Du’s teeth trembled. She was still very unwilling.

“Feng Huaizhang, do you have someone else in your heart? Which seductress robbed you of your soul?”

That must be the reason. Otherwise, why would Feng Gui, who had always tolerated her, suddenly become enraged and demand a split?

Surely, there must be someone he liked. He wanted her to give up her position to another.

“If there was someone else in my heart, I’d just get married in grandeur. What could you do about it?”

Feng Gui felt that her accusation was ridiculous. Simultaneously, he felt it was not worth arguing. It’d been four years and he still hadn’t won this person’s trust?

“Who is she? It can’t be that lowly wench, right? Is that bastard, Changsheng, is actually your child born with your sister-in-law?”

If not for that, why would he have flared up at her for scolding Changsheng, a bastard?

Madam Feng-Du gave him a menacing glare. The sight of her cruelly gnashing her teeth seemed very foreign to Feng Gui.

He was so angry that he wanted to burst out laughing. “If you say anything else to damage the last bit of our relationship, trust me, there will be more than a cup of poison waiting for you.”

After Madam Feng-Du heard this, her face went deathly pale.

She wanted to live. Before, she had said that she’d rather drink a poison cup of wine than get a divorce, but it was purely out of anger.

She’d always known Feng Gui to have a good temperament. He was always polite and well-mannered. She’d never seen him wear a frown, even in the face of a major setback.

With such a revelation of character, she was gradually emboldened.

It was evident that she really didn’t understand Feng Gui. When he set his heart on something, even she cowered in fear.

He retorted, “I’ve read “The Four Self-Accomplishment Classics for Women” book published in Zhongzhao. You should reflect on it and reminiscence. Which of those qualities have you ever exemplified? Being strict on others but lenient to oneself? Is that the so-called “virtuous woman” who is so praiseworthy to Zhongzhao’s scholars? It is utterly disgusting!”

“Take back and chew on every single word you said earlier, then swallow them back into your stomach. If Second Brother and Sister-in-Law have a disagreement because of your thoughtless words, I will not only present to you a cup of poison wine, but I will personally send you to your death with a white rope!”

They had completely fallen out over such an ugly scene. Their relationship had completely fallen apart. This was something Feng Gui had never imagined.

The split between Feng Gui and his wife wasn’t a trivial matter to the Feng family, especially since Madam Feng-Du’s name was already recorded in the clan’s registry.

If they split, it wouldn’t be so simple as to surrender her dowry and return to Zhongzhao. Her name must also be removed from the clan’s registry.

The next day, Madam Feng found out about Feng Gui and his wife’s fierce argument. She felt very guilty in her heart.

“After two years pass, Mother will find you a truly virtuous wife. I will surely not consider any of the evil, scheming women from Zhongzhao.”

Feng Gui rubbed his brows.

It would be impossible not to remarry. The matriarch was of utmost importance to the Feng family. She could affect the entire clan’s prosperity and continuity.

Only… his two children were too young. He could not rest assured if he remarried in only two years.

“Let’s wait for another three to five years. Until then, I’ll have to trouble Mother.”