Chapter 146: Planning for a Divorce by Mutual Consent

The cabin fell silent for a moment.

Almost abruptly, Master Yang’s panting, high-pitched shout rang out, "What did you say? Fine, fine, very well! Since that’s the case, why don't you just get the hell out of the Yang estate?" A heavy object was heard crashing onto the floor, the thud accompanied by Master Yang's sneering roar, "Get out! Get out of the Yang estate! That's right, I never liked you, looking at you just makes me want to vomit! Get out, get out of my sight right now!"

His voice was filled with frantic rage. Master Yang, who had previously been utterly depressed and crestfallen due to Lady Zheng’s deception and mockery, seemed to have suddenly revived. At this moment, his resentment and disgust toward Lady Yuan took the upper hand, driving him—despite his dying breath—to scream and curse recklessly.

A burst of footsteps sounded, and Lady Yuan was heavily shoved out of the cabin. Just as she hit the floor with a thud, Lady Yuan endured the pain and still spoke in a soft, delicate voice, "Master Yang, this is my cabin."

Just those few simple words were enough to instantly deflate Master Yang’s fiery arrogance. In the blink of an eye, he let out a series of cold, piercing laughs, strode out of the cabin door, slammed it behind him in a fury, and stormed off into the distance.

Once Master Yang’s figure disappeared, Lady Yuan struggled to climb up from the floor. She had just managed to support herself and stand when her arm was met with a comforting warmth, followed by Lu Ying’s gentle voice sounding beside her, "How is it? Does it hurt?"

"No, I'm used to it." Lady Yuan shook her head, and with Lu Ying supporting her, she entered the cabin. As Lu Ying closed the cabin door, Lady Yuan curled up into a ball on the couch.

After a long while, Lady Yuan gave a bitter smile and said, "It looks like a divorce is inevitable. Sister, I even said I would play the host, but it seems that won't work out."

Under the faint candlelight, Lu Ying scrutinized her expression. There was no pain on Lady Yuan's face, only a lingering daze. Clearly, she couldn't fathom for the moment where she could possibly go now that she could no longer stay at the Yang estate.

At that moment, Lu Ying placed her hand on Lady Yuan's knee. Staring straight at her, Lu Ying asked slowly, "Do you truly wish for a divorce?"

Lady Yuan raised her head. In the candlelight, her complexion was somewhat pale yet carried a firm resolve. Nodding, Lady Yuan murmured, "Sister, you don't understand. Right now, I really don't want to see him ever again."

Lu Ying asked softly, "You have a dowry, don't you?"

Lady Yuan nodded, but quickly added, "Though a lot of it has already been spent by my mother-in-law and sister-in-law. They are very harsh, and I won't be able to get it back."

"It doesn't matter. I will help you get it back." At these words, Lady Yuan jerked her head up. Looking at Lu Ying, her eyes grew slightly moist.

Lu Ying stood up, pacing back and forth within the narrow cabin as she spoke, "What about people loyal to you? Are there any left?"

"There were, there were," Lady Yuan said with a look of shame, "but my mother-in-law chased almost all of them away."

"It doesn't matter, we can find them again."

Lu Ying’s composure clearly influenced Lady Yuan, who stared at her with wide, submissive eyes.

After pondering for a moment, Lu Ying slowly said, "Yuan Niang, let’s partner up. I will help you reclaim your dowry, find your loyal attendants, and manage your businesses for you." In the yellowish candlelight, Lu Ying gazed into the distance with her hands behind her back, smiled faintly, and said softly, "But you must not speak of this, and neither will I. Yuan Niang, with your capital, I will surely help you and myself forge a secure sanctuary. Yuan Niang, in this world, depending on anyone is far worse than depending on oneself. One's own lifeline must always be grasped firmly in one's own hands. No one will ever be able to snatch it away, and no one will ever again be able to render you and me homeless and destitute with just a few casual words."

Most of what Lu Ying said went over Yuan Niang's head. Yet she only knew that this person who had brought her warmth would stand up for her, helping her obtain everything she had never dared to hope for.

Without hesitation, she nodded repeatedly and whispered, "Sister, I will listen to everything you say."

Lu Ying turned back to look at her.

Watching her for a long moment, Lu Ying let out a long sigh. She stepped forward, wrapped her arms around Lady Yuan, and drew her into her embrace. Lu Ying sighed softly, "You, oh you... you are so foolish. Without anyone to protect you, how were you supposed to go on?"

Tears welled up in Lady Yuan's eyes as she murmured, "I know I'm foolish. They taught me how to deal with people, how to read between the lines, but no matter what, I could never learn... My great-aunt told me to stay in the Yang family for the rest of my life, and never leave even if I were bullied. She said I was too foolish to learn the ways of the world or see through those crooked, malicious intentions. She said the Yang estate is a great aristocratic clan after all, and as long as I don't commit any major faults, they won't drive me to a dead end. They'll always give me a bowl of rice to eat."

Resting her head on Lu Ying's shoulder, she wept with wide-open eyes and murmured, "But I really don't want to stay anymore, Sister. I really don't want to stay anymore. I would rather become a beggar than remain here a moment longer."

Lu Ying nodded and said gently, "I understand. I understand. Don't worry, Yuan Niang, I will protect your property. I will even make it multiply threefold, fivefold. I will make you wealthy enough to buy the entire Qixiang Pavilion. I will also gather a host of honest, loyal, and grateful people to stay by your side. It doesn't matter that you are foolish; not everyone in this world is clever. You will definitely be happy in the future."

Having said so much in one breath, Lu Ying thought with a wry smile: We are merely passing acquaintances, yet here I am making goddamned promises. Truly...

Yuan Niang nodded repeatedly. After talking with her for a while longer and seeing that drowsiness was overtaking her, Lu Ying had her lie down and tucked the quilt in tightly over her. As she blew out the candlelight, Lu Ying turned to look at Lady Yuan, who was sleeping soundly like a child, and thought: How can someone be so naive? She has only known me for a short while, yet she trusts and relies on me completely.

At this moment, Lu Ying truly felt that if Lady Yuan had not crossed paths with her, it might have been best for her to follow her great-aunt's advice—to simply remain obediently in the Yang estate for the rest of her life. No matter how much grief she suffered, at least she would always have a bite to eat.

After stepping out of Lady Yuan's cabin, Lu Ying turned a corner and headed toward Master Yang's room.

Before she even drew close, she heard a clattering commotion of smashed objects and furious roaring. From afar, she heard Master Yang gnashing his teeth as he shouted, "Who do you think you are? Let me tell you, Lady Yuan, without me, you wouldn't even know how you died! Fine, if you want to get lost, then get lost as far away as possible. If you have the nerve, don't ever come crawling back to beg me for the rest of your life."

A moment later, he shouted harshly again, "The moment you step out of the doors of the Yang estate, I will immediately take another wife. When you come back crying, I'll make sure you can only be a concubine—a concubine!"

The sounds of anger, roaring, and cursing were endless. After a short while, a servant hurried to the cabin door and whispered, "Master."

As soon as the servant's voice fell, Master Yang grew quiet. Then, Lu Ying heard his voice, strained to sound calm, asking, "Did Yuan Niang send you to smooth things over with me?" He sneered, "Why didn't she come herself?" Beneath his sarcastic and biting tone, his underlying anticipation was unmistakable.

The servant was startled for a moment, then replied, "No, Master. Lady Zheng has woken up, and she wishes to see you."

The instant the servant spoke, Master Yang roared furiously, "Not seeing her!" This shout carried an indescribable wave of disappointment.

The servant stood frozen for a moment before saying, "But Master, Lady Zheng says she regrets what happened. She also claims she was framed by someone..."

Before the servant could finish, Master Yang roared angrily, "I said no means no! Go, go check on Yuan Niang. If she regrets her actions, bring her to see me. Hurry up!"

"Yes."

Watching the servant leave, Lu Ying did not move away. Inside the cabin, Master Yang resumed his cursing. Every single word of his was directed at Lady Yuan, and beneath his boundless aversion lay a longing that even he himself had not realized.

After listening for a while, Lu Ying frowned slightly and thought: This Master Yang doesn't even realize that his anger toward Lady Yuan has already eclipsed the shame and resentment Lady Zheng caused him.

She walked away.

Standing at the bow of the boat once again, Lu Ying began to ponder her countermeasures. Since she had decided to help Lady Yuan break free from the Yang estate, she needed to figure out how to help her secure her dowry, from which aspects to start their business venture, and how to lay the groundwork.

After pondering for a while, Lu Ying raised her head.

It was now the dead of night, and a bright moon hung high in the sky, though its moonlight was somewhat eclipsed by the dazzling lanterns filling the boats and lining the riverbanks.

Looking back in the direction of Chengdu, Lu Ying thought to herself: A person must not make the same mistake twice. Last time in Chengdu, a single word from the Lord stripped away everything I had. I am still young, and I am just starting over; Ah Yun is also just starting out, so whatever he took back, he took back. However, such a thing cannot happen a second time. Aside from my open businesses, I must also establish some hidden ventures that the Lord cannot see or investigate.

Thinking it over, the only person she truly trusted and could employ was Luo Zi. It seemed she would have to slowly ease him out of the open and transition him into the shadows.

The night passed without incident.

The next morning, Lu Ying rose early. As she stood amidst the morning mist pondering her plans, two or thirty boats of various sizes belonging to Qixiang Pavilion were steadily making their way along the waterway.

Looking toward the east, Lu Ying wondered: How much longer before we reach Wuhan?

Just as this thought crossed her mind, another round of roaring and smashing came from the direction of Master Yang's quarters. Vaguely, she heard Master Yang angrily cursing, "Where is Yuan Niang? Is she still sleeping? Sleep, sleep, sleep—why doesn't she just sleep her life away? Go, go tell her that I will never forgive her, I will never touch her again, and I will make her spend her whole life guarding an empty chamber. Go on, go tell her that!"

Throughout his furious roaring, not a single word was mentioned about Lady Zheng.

Lu Ying frowned and thought: This Master Yang probably hasn't realized himself that his care for Lady Yuan far surpasses his feelings for Lady Zheng. Perhaps it is because Lady Yuan has always been so good to him, so gentle and submissive, or perhaps because she has stayed by his side since childhood, refusing to be driven away and unwilling to be scolded into leaving. He has grown accustomed to her kindness and her presence—much like how people treat water, consuming it every day yet mistakenly believing it to be worthless.

Amidst the commotion, Liu Zhi, a round-faced man dressed like a wealthy merchant, walked over. He stopped in front of Lu Ying, looked her up and down, and said, "Ah Wen seems to have slept very well." After a brief pause, he continued, "The Lord just gave the order to move all your belongings into his cabin."

Under Lu Ying's astonished gaze, Liu Zhi slowly added, "It seems Ah Wen has forgotten her place." The moment Liu Zhi's words landed, Lu Ying lifted her hem, her wide sleeves fluttering as she strode toward the Lord's cabin. (To be continued)